Not looking back as the watch converge on his shipmates, Dibbets sets off with Dingus. On the way he rambles "Prob'ly a while afore much happens... but we ken gets tha lay an figger out whats what eh?"
Once they have the target in sight, he squints and measures the situation...
A trickling sound is heard on the pavers as the Watchman quivers under the orc thug's threats. No response is made and no one follows to make sure the trio of mates exit the Eastern District with haste. There are no other encounters as they bear up to Drac's End for the most direct route to the Temple District. Jim scratches and worries at his bare skin during bouts of paranoia about disease. Kaul bares his fangs and rolls his eyes fearfully whenever he things he hears a dragging sound or short shadow lurking near. Finally, the canted masts of the Shrine made from a grounded ship appears among the larger cathedrals.
*******
Rentak's Runners lies at the edge of the Warehouse District behind the Lobstermen Hall. Across an alley is the Rusty Hook, an inn formed from the shell of an old warehouse. No one is seen out on the streets, but it sounds like folks are making the best of the curfew inside the rough and tumble inn.
The messenger business looks to be an old stable of some sort. Horses are rare in Freeport, but on the rare occasion quarters for livestock are needed. Very rarely apparently as this place appears to have gone belly-up and now serves as the home office for the messengers. There are no windows in the blocky wooden structure and only the large main doors.
Nodding to himself as he mutters "Aye.. this'll do jus fine like. Easy nuff keeps an eye on tha shop... but best we dinnae get caught up inna inn, shouldnae be drinkin roight now anyhow."
"Dingus, hows bouts we settle in fer a watchee... take a nap iffin ye needs, I gots it covered." as he looks to stump into a dark nook where he's got a good view of the main doors, but is inconspicuous to any watchers.
"Dingus stifles a yawn as he turns to his short cohort. [b]"Sure... but I had a nap back while your guys were in your meeting. If you want I'll take first watch duty"?
Dingus reaches into a pocket in his purple chiffon robes, and pulls out the anchoring rod.
"By the way I was just thinking. Till we find a way to get you a new leg or claw, or tentacle of something for your missing leg, Maybe you could carry this with you for a while. If you get in a situation where you need to stay upright, and use both hands, you could make a little pocket where your nub ends, and activate this thing to give you a stable base. See you push this little button right here and it locks in place, then you push it again to move. I'll bet with a little practice you could scuttle along pretty quick with this".
"Besides that it'll look pretty inspiring when you appear to stand balanced on one leg perfectly...kinda walking on the air".
Dibbs regards the rod with a slight suspicion... as though it might turn serpentine on him at a wrong glance before nodding. "Aye, I'll gi it a try like... and nei need fer me nappin... got a long number o' hours afore I'll need a shutseye."
The two mates settle in for a long watch from the alley. Dingus nods off again, but Dibbets remains near indefatigable. The streets of early morning Freeport are as quiet as the city ever sees. The first shades of morning creep into the sky as a thin man in gray and brown attire moves to the door of the converted barn.
*******
the Groom's knocks on the hull of the canted caravel are finally greeted by Peligro himself. The priest blinks at you still in the act of waking, "Aye, what watch is it? And what are you doing out on the street? It's curfew, don't you know." He quickly ushers the crew in closing the heavy door behind.
Dibbets chews his cud and regards the thin man...
Dibbets chews his cud and regards the thin man...
The half-elf yawns as he fumbles with the door. Dibbets detects nothing fishy about the man.
Dibbs gives his taller and snakey-er companion an elbow before slowly stumping across the way towards the thin man. He's making no sign of hiding his approach, and looks to be merely coming in for a chat. Once noticed Dibbs smiles with his yellowed teeth and asks "Hey there, ye tha one tae talk to iffin I needs a delivery?"
The tall half-elf looks around for the voice and rubbing eyes to clear the sleep realizes that a halfling is addressing him. He looks down at Dibbets, "Yes, I am Rentak. Whatever your messaging and/or light delivery needs, Rentak's Runners will get it there quick!"
Mouth splitting below rancid mustache into a smile Dibbets responds "Feckin good, we's in need of both messages an' delivry... should we chats inside?" hoping for an affirmation before turning to Dingus and winking.
Aside and sotto voce to Dingus he adds "Whiles I gots 'im busy chattin send yer peepers lookin about eh? See iffin there's aught suspicious."
As Kaul is ushered inside he pauses and casts a jaundiced look back toward the shadowy street...
"... should we chats inside?"
"Um, certainly. If you would just give me a moment to open up." The half-elf gets the door unlocked and retreats into the stables to set up for the days business.
*******
the Groom leads the way in. "No time for a curfew. The sands of the watch glass don't stop. It seems out friend Whitecoat is behind the bombings. The Aspis Consortium seems determined to destabilize Freeport whether by plague or terror. We've run him off and hopefully we'll intercept the remaining bombs, but mates Jim and Kaul are suffering a new strain of plague and will soon sink 'neath the tide line if they aren't cured and quick. Can you help them?"
Dibbets keeps his ears peeled, but otherwise waits for the half-elf to invite him and Dingus in for the aforementioned chat.
It only takes a few moments to get the shop opened and ready for business. Rentak appears at the door again to flip over a little sign from "Closed" to "Open" and welcomes his customers inside. He goes behind the counter and smiles. "So how can I help you?"
*******
Peligro gives Kaul and Jim a once over noting their pale fevered appearance and Jim's inexplicable lack of clothing. "I've still got nothing for madness, but I do usually have a prayer against disease ready for the inevitable case of clap that shows up on shore leave."
Dibbs finds his way inside and looks around to see if there's a chair or stool in the offing for himself... if not he lumbers to a point where he can set eyes on the man himself. He then launches into a few queries "Well funny enough I'm a man in needs o' some delivries... nothin too fancy, few pots, packages and whatnot... but me Cap'n's an 'ard bastard an wants sh1te done quick smart an I were out onna bender last noight... so I need all tha runners ye ken muster... how many might that be then?"
"Do yer boys all come in here fer work like, or do ye warehouse elsewhere?"
As Peligro prods and ponders, Kaul's beady eyes shift to the shadowy corners of the chapel;
"Hurrrr. Shhhhh. In the shadows lads... Somethin' stalkin' us..."
The brute growls a low warning and reaches for his ax...
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"All my runners? My word. Where are all the deliverables? I may have to send for extra help. These old stables are the only place to procure my unique services and you can be certain your packages will arrive safe and speedily."
*******
the Groom gives Peg-Leg a long suffering look as Jim starts splashing holy run on himself, rubs hardily to clean away the foul disease. The Pirate priest shakes his head and quickly steps over to lay a hand on Kaul and Jim.
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Dibbets mulls the man's words and lets them ferment within the confines of his thick skull. Intent being partially measured he allows a portion of the facade to fall... but not all... continuing "Roight... I'll be straight wi' ye..." drawing out a series of sails from within his sporran "I needs ye services, but nei fer deliverin. We ken muddle words on cost 'n whatnot, but she'll be worth yer while." pausing to let that stew, and chancing a glance to Dingus with expressive eyebrows that he should support his play.
"We knows some one's been usin ye fer deliverin pots... simple clay feckers frae tha outside... but nei that simple inside. We reckons theres more o' this tae be delivered... an we's here tae see that dinnae happen." stopping counting out coin and giving Dingus a surreptitious signal to amp up his intimidatory factor.
"So... here's whats yer goan do. Ye goan lets us in back tae see iffin tha clay's there... an yer goan corral up yer boys so we ken have a decent chin wag wi' tha feckers." pulling out his pistol and setting it upon his shoulder as a prop "So... we's onna same page, or is we goan have some problems like?"
"I don't understand. Is this a ROBBERY?" the half-elf asks with alarm.
The filthy and comically threatening halfling chortles before retorting "Nei matey, an iffin ye hit yer straps then ye'll end up richer at tha end o' tha day than roight now... but we do needs ye tae behave." dropping any pretense of positive outlook and turning malevolent "Ye've already told us enough that what we needs tae deal wi' is here. Ye feel like d1ckin us aroun then we could jus... I dunno, gut ye like a fish an burn yer feckin stable down... work fer ye matey?" turning to Dingus for affirmation before putting eyes back on the half-elf.
"But I dinnae want tae do that unless make me eh? So whats it goan be? We talkin me language now?"
The proprietor looks a bit panicked as the halfling bounces between cajoling and threatening. "What? Do you just want to look around? OK, but don't touch anything."
Nodding and dropping the threatening tone he pushes the sails that he'd counted out towards the proprietor and gestures to Dingus "Have a look eh? Normal eyes an yer magic seekin ones too..."
Turning back to Rentak "Now, ken ye recall gettin orders fer delivry of some clay pots about yay by yay" gesturing out the size "Any more o' them tae be deliv'red?"
"Pots? Yes, we've had a number of pots lately. Two delivered yesterday, I believe and three to be delivered this morning."
The well rested Dingus hones in on Dibb's plan. Letting his fangs show a bit, and letting a little poison drip harmlessly onto the floor at his feet.
"You really should co-operate, and do as my friend suggests".
Dingus then joins his height challenged friend in looking around the place with his magically slitted eyes, Richard climbing to the ground and nosing about as well.
Percepton (Dingus)
Perception (Richard, +low-light, +Scent)
Rentak tries to simultaneously keep an eye on the shifty halfling and the snooping snake sorcerer. No clay pots are found among the sparse shelves set up in a stotage stall.
Kaul eyes the now naked and rum soaked Jim with a curious stare.
"Ye alright there Jimmer? Takin' fashion lessons from Dingus now?"
The thug gently pats his shipmates shoulder, then sniffs his hand;
"Hur... Ye smell like rum matey!"
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Jim and Kaul fall asleep upon the driftwood pews under the effects of the curative spell. Kaul awakes at dawn rolling over to poke at Jim. The shadowy hallucinations have subsided, but there a touch of a headache left and the hefty half-orc doesn't feel a hunnert. Jim looks over his own naked and rum-soaked form with a grimace. "I don't even want to know what happened last night."
the Groom sits up first peering at his mates. "It's a tale I don't care to retell at this point. It looks like you two are still leaking, but back above the waterline. We should set a course of Rentak's Runners and see how Dibbets has fared in stopping Whitecoat's damned plot." he hands over Jim's gear including rescued scorched and rum-soaked scraps.
Snapping to intimate attention as though struck Dibbets presses "Three? - where the feck are the pots an who's runnin em? Rem'ber them big arsing explosions yes'day?... ye ken looks forrad tae more iffin we don't stop those buggers gettin d'liverd...."
"We mostly use orphans from Mr. Wednesday's charity for deliveries. It gives them a leg up and some work experience. The pots were to be delivered first thing this morning so Mr. Wednesday offered to keep them at the Orphanage so the youngsters could leave directly from there. Chen, Alyndra, and Tarish were on the job. Mr. Wednesday has been a long time supported so I trust him. They are probably on their way now"
"I had heard that the explosions were an accident at the Gun Works."
Rolling his eyes and growling "Nope... tha feckin pots are bombs. Yer lads are about tae get blown ha'way tae feck. We's got a wee chancer now. Wheres tha feckin Orphanage?!?"
If the information is tendered Dibbs stresses to Dingus "Ye run on ahead as fast as ye ken muster - I'll try tae keep up."
Rantek seems confused, then concerned. "Bombs? Like the pots are going to explode?" he looks up at the brightening sky. "They will probably have left by the time you get to the Orphanage. We have to try and catch them. If I remmeber correctly, the pots were going to the HBA, Temple of Wisdom, and Seaside Market."
Dibbets growls again and shakes his head "Roight, feck... well we's off tae Seaside then. We gots a friend cov'rin HBA an tha Temple. Yer comin wi' us an on tha run ye tells us what the orphans lookin like eh?"
"Alyndra will be delivering to the Market. Tall, thin shoulder length blonde hair around 16 yrs and she'll be a heartbreaker. She has leather armor and a blade that she knows how to handle. That'll be useful against 'suitors" in Freeport. She'll have our logo on- blue armband with the red hawk."
"What about the others though? Tarish is a bit bull-headed. I don't think that he can be deterred unless I can catch him before he gets to the Temple. It is clear that we must split up to stop them all!"
Kaul scratches his scarred noggin and stretches, his mechanical limb whining and clicking as he does.
"Hur. Feel like I could kip fer a week... guts still a mite stormy Groomy, but reckons we need tae get crackin like'... Skull crackin'! Hur-hur-hur!"
Dibbs measures the words "Hrmmm... fine, iffin ye needs but keep a looksee fer halfers or folk o' Finn's lot. He's on tha prowl tae stop tha xploders makin it through eh?"
Rantek nods. "Alyndra's delivery is going to Pious Pete in the Market. He's kind of the self-appointed Ambassador of the Docks though he's usually just wandering around drunk." Then the half-elf dashes off toward the Temple District.
*******
the Groom just nods at Kaul's proclamation, not really listening. "Let's get going then. I've not heard any explosions yet this morning so our mates may have succeeded."
Dibbs turns to Dingus and implores him "Run on ahead Dingus, I'll foller as quick as I ken muster."
Kaul cocks a battered ear to one side and smirks;
"Hur. Difficult to tell betwixt them explosions and Dibbs when he's lettin' rip with divine wind! Hur!"
The thug shakes himself down, then makes for the door;
"Thanks fer the curatives... Still a little green around the gills, but ain't seein' old foes in shadows no more!"
With a wave of his mekanical arm, the brute hits the street and ponders the direction they should take;
"Reckon Dibbs and Ding'll either be out and about or celebratin' that they snubbed Whitecoats plan. Am hopin' the latter, but fearin' the former..."
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Dingus starts to automatically dash away, then has second thoughts and turns back to his mobility challenged comrade.
"You want me to speed you up, or lift you with magic and tote you behind me"?
"Whatever zip ye gots that'll last long enough tae make decent diff'rence I'll take... but ye'll still ha' legs on me regardless eh?"
Kaul leads the way out into the the plaza of the Temple District and blinks as he immediately spots a halfling stalking a chunky kid carrying a pot amongst the ranting cultists and prostrating sun worshippers.
Kaul draws his crewmates eyes to the scene, then moves toward the fat kid and the halfling...
Dingus finds himself constantly having to slow down and wait on his slower companion... then having to rush and catch up as he becomes distracted by something along the way. It is in just one such instance when he spots Kaul and Jim headed towards Dibbs. "Hey! Wait for me guys"!
"It might be more fun to tether you, and haul you around like a hot air filled ox bladder, but it might draw unneeded attention. Here I'll speed us up for a bit, and see if we can make better time... or... We could take a carriage".
Dingus looks around for more suitable transportation, than having to sweat and run. If there is no carriage or rickshaw available, He'll cast Haste... at least once.
"Still think you should practice with my anchoring rod, to see if you can get in a rhythm to use it to amble along. You know on...off...on...off ".
As Kaul leads the way forward, he sees that the halfling has caught up with the kid who bears the Rantek armband and the pair seem to be in a heated discussion.
Not wanting to add sweat stains to his already mottled robes, Dingus spots a rickshaw nearby and waves the runner down. The cost is only a silver to the Market so off the pair go seated in style. In no time at all, they are pushing through the carts and crowds of the Seaside Market.
Slapping the rickshaw driver he asks "Ye knows where Pious Pete is o' tha moment eh? - iffin ye gets us close tae him quick smart it's worth a few more silver fer ye."