Perrin heads to Hearth Home Inn

Perrin shakes off the feeling of responsibility, gathers his things, and starts to walk towards Hearth Home. Taking in the warm sunny day he can't help but feel a sense of bewilderment. A man is missing from his home, in this sleepy little town he thinks. The reason he chose Weldstone to put down roots was that it was devoid of issues. Bandits aren't bold enough to act out in this region, and the city of Elris is to close for monsters to risk a witch hunt. Maybe he was fed up with his wife, but even that doesn't warrant an official bounty posting. What ever the case, Perrin walks up the wooden stoop to his favorite and only bar, Hearth Home Inn.

Hearth Home is a cozy converted barn, with a renovated section for rooms and a giant central fireplace that people gather around to tell stories or listen to the newest travelling bard that passes through. The furniture is worn, but in a lived in comforting way. The type of décor reminiscent of a relative he enjoyed visiting. Scanning the room as he walks in he sees a few regular drowning themselves with ale in their normal spot, a few seats open at the bar, and a gorgeous woman being chatted up by the central hearth. Perrin takes a seat at the wooden bar just as Mary notices him. The older halfling woman climbs up a small step ladder to meet him eye to eye across the bar.

"Perrin! Down off your hill to mingle with us common folk again?" Mary says, with sarcasm beaming from he smile. Not able to keep able to keep a straight face she chuckles a bit.

Perrin responds, cracking a smile, "You save a joke all month for me and can't even deliver it with a straight face. Eos forbid I was a talent scout from the theater."

Breaking out into laughter, Mary replies, "Oh, you know I can't act worth a damn. Though the talent scout would miss out on a packed theatre laughing there ass off when I hit the stage. What're you drinking? The usual?"

"Yeah, a tankard of Misty Step and a shot of anything for you," Perrin replies. Mary claps her hands and jumps off her step ladder. She pours the drinks and returns, presenting Perrin's mead and two shots of dark strong smelling liquor. "Is this the from the harvest bottle? This stuff must be ethereal by now. You trying to kill me Mary?" Perrin remembers a year ago when a self proclaimed alchemist prodigy dropped off a few bottles of his perfected harvest blend. The whole inn drank the potent pumpkin liquor until they were sick. That night he had puked until he passed out and could make the journey home for three days. "Just this one shot Mary."

Mary shoots you a devilish grin as she clinks your glass. "To the good times, may there be many more with you Perrin."

Mary and Perrin throw back their shots. After exchanging a few more pleasantries Mary goes back to tending her bar and Perrin is left to sip his mead. He still can't shake the feeling that something is off about that bounty. He has a vast knowledge of search and rescue, but until now he hasn't had to think about such things. Sure there have been monster bounties before. There arrant slime or pack of goblins that stride to close to civilization, but this is just weird. Perrin hadn't had a deep relationship with the Abert's, but their reputation in town doesn't lead him to believe John would just up and leave. From what Perrin knows, John and Joan didn't have any enemies; unless they had some secret past that they have been hiding. A shiver goes through Perrins body as he's reminded of the similarities. "Maybe he did." Perrin says to himself, looking into his tankard of mead.

"Maybe what?" A voice asks inquisitively.

Perrin looks to the now occupied seat on his left to see to the woman he had seen earlier. Perrin is struck with awe at her beauty in this moment of realization. Had he not been paying attention earlier, Perrin wonders as he is almost blinded by her presence. The light blue sun dress that she wears contrasts her sun kissed white skin, and flows around her curves teasing everyone with her features. Her tone legs are crossed as she swivels in the seat to meet Perrin's gaze with her icy blue eyes. Her seductively full lips move, "sorry to eaves drop. Your were quiet for so long I thought you were talking to me."

Breaking the awkward pause Perrin speaks. "No, don't apologize, that was weird. I guess I had so much on my mind I didn't see you sit next to me."

She chuckles a bit, her gold hair falling over her shoulders a she laughs. "Well to be honest, I just needed a reason to talk to you. It seems like you're the only one in this bar that doesn't want to get in my pants." She blushes red, hearing the words that just fell out of her mouth. "Oh Eos, I just don't know how to talk. You see, since I got to town every man within eye line has tried to pick me up like everywhere I go turns into a brothel. I just needed a moment where someone wasn't flirting with me."

Perrin looks over her shoulder to see a group of men staring at our interaction with sadness and jealousy, then meets her piercing blue eyes again. "Name's Perrin," he says with confidence.

"Lynn." She says with a smile, as they shake hands.

"What brings you to our humble farming community? You just passing through on your way to Elris?" Perrin says, hoping to help her pass the time with more comfortable conversation.

"Our? You don't seem like someone that would live here either, mister obvious spell caster," she says with a knowing look. Perrin is stunned by the accusation, and can't find words as memories of training in the arcane art flood over him. "You have burn scars on you fingers, like me." She says, showing you her similar markings. "Hard to spot if you haven't burned yourself while learning a fire spell."

A wave of relief washes over him, as Perrin looks at her fingers. "The prat falls of a young sorcerer that knows more than is good for them." Looking at burn on his wrist, "This one was so stupid. I just had to hit five targets, so when I went for my seventh the fire bolt exploded in my hand."

Lynn breaks into laughter, "That's just like this one!" She lifts her dress a bit, just accidently teasing her pastel pink panties, as she excitedly shows me a training scar. "I was trying to break a shield spell record. My training partner kept attacking me and I was to stubborn to tell him to stop. He kept hammering me over and over again, until I couldn't take it any more. I was twitching with arcane energy when my shield spell finally broke. His sword cut my thigh, but I was more exhausted from how long he lasted." She pulls her dress back down. "So, what is a spell caster like you doing living in a place like this?"

Perrin's mind spins at the sight of her teasing display, as her question swims in his head. "I actually live in a cabin outside of town. It's humble living, but rewarding. I get to help the town every now and again."

Lynn nods her head, taking in the information. "It has to be rewarding for you to live in a hut out in the forest." She shifts in her seat, uncrossing her legs. She slides a bit closer, spreading her legs just enough for Perrin to see her pink underwear. "That still doesn't add up though. You had arcane training and now you trap rodents for dinner? What are you really doing out there?"

Perrin is hit with a wave of euphoria at another glance of he panties, teasing him every time Lynn shifts in her seat. His mind is static, and has Perrin begins to speak an arcane ward triggers in the deepest part of his subconscious and he is unable to answer the question truthfully. "Oh, I just like the simple quiet life. Nothing better than hunting and trapping to pass the time..." Perrin, knows two things as the words leave his lips. This woman is not who she claims to be, and that he has been magically charmed some time during the conversation.

"You know, we might be more comfortable in private." She stands from her seat and gently grabs Perrin by the hand. He can only watch behind glossy enchanted eyes while he is lead to her room. She sits him down on the bed as she takes off her shoes. She drops her bubbly persona as she get's more comfortable. "Now then, answer truthfully. Where is the gem?" Static overtakes your thoughts as you remain silent, unable to speak. Lynn laughs as Perrin stares blankly, stuck between a powerful arcane ward and her charm spell.

Perrin feels, in this split second that the ward has given him, that he can break the charm. He needs to act fast and channel his arcane power to free himself.