Shadow over Riddleport

Game Master Joana

"Poison people?" Samaritha has time to ask with alarm before Ethel and Phillip appear from the back corridor. "Phillip!" she greets him joyfully. "I got the apprenticeship at the Cypherlodge!"

Phillip's face shows a normal reaction of mild surprise and he smiles... but his eyes are hard and watchful as they scan over Snake. He earnestly provides with a smirk "Congratulations little bird, it seems that you will get to sing." calling upon echoes of their previous conversations, before remembering his place and re-introducing his inamorata "You know Miss Braum, and I believe that you have also met her Serpe" raising an eyebrow and pausing to ken both Ethel and Snake's reactions... though he keeps his eyes forwards upon the tall and be-hatted one.

After another moment he furrows his brow and gestures chin towards the newcomer and asks "Who's the gnome?"

Snake recognizes the halfling shopgirl who worked for the sour old seamstress with the yapping mutt, although both she and Phillip are now dressed in elegant evening wear rather than the workaday clothes in which they were last seen. She seems stricken to see him again, and he remembers the rather awkward parting after Micah's outburst.

----------------------------

Braddon grins and happily accompanies Lexy across the river. He is glad Grimas is not around to exchange information but does make a note of this ferryman for future reference. Or to quickly forget as most of his attention is on the beautiful girl at his side.

The substitute ferryman appears to be a young man of sailorly disposition and no remarkable appearance; there is no chance to ask his name, even if Braddon were so inclined, as the pair squeeze onto the ferry on the far side from the punter and a veritable flock of commuters intervene.

As they disembark on the west bank, most of the crowd head north where multiple streetlamps twinkle as night settles in and the three large casinos are ablaze with light, but Braddon and Lexy turn southward, walking through darker and much less splendid environs toward the Publican House. She draws closer to him a little nervously as they pass the black shapes of buildings and hear innumerable rustling sounds from unseen alleys, but finally they see ahead the cheerfully-lit windows of the waterfront tavern and hear the hum of jovial conversation spilling out its open door.

After another moment he furrows his brow and gestures chin towards the newcomer and asks "Who's the gnome?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Samaritha apologizes. "This is ... was it Piccolo?" she double-checks. "Something musical. We met yesterday in Lubbertown when we were hiring the Varisian musicians. Miss Braum," she goes on politely, "nice to see you again." She gives the Small woman a rather anxious glance, wondering if she really is a poisoner.

As they disembark on the west bank, most of the crowd head north where multiple streetlamps twinkle as night settles in and the three large casinos are ablaze with light, but Braddon and Lexy turn southward, walking through darker and much less splendid environs toward the Publican House. She draws closer to him a little nervously as they pass the black shapes of buildings and hear innumerable rustling sounds from unseen alleys, but finally they see ahead the cheerfully-lit windows of the waterfront tavern and hear the hum of jovial conversation spilling out its open door.

Surprisingly, Braddon pushes Lexy a little away from him when she tries to draw closer.

"Yes, Piccolo I am called. Who I am is a much lengthier deliberation I will venture another time...Well met, Phillip. I must say that I enjoy not being the only one of smaller stature amongst these giants. Makes one feel almost normal to talk face to face with another."

He addresses Samiritha, "I will have to visit you at the Cypher Lodge. What wondrously interesting matters you will study. I cannot wait to hear of them."

Snake turns to leave but stops as he remembers something, turning back around to the magus and staring him dead in the eye. "One last thing: stay the hell away from Rag's End. They don't need you making their lives any worse than they already are; and I don't like having to clean up after your screw ups." Snake then turns and leaves, heading upstairs.

"No.", Gristav says simply. "But we both have things to do, do let's discuss it later."

-----

Gristav retrieves the key to Samaritha's room once more and heads to the guest wing to attend to the cat. The kitten responds to the Tien tongue with as much native intelligence as it does to Taldane (to wit, none at all). The half-elf is finishing up when he hears someone approaching and a shadow falls into the room from the hall.

"Oh," Thuvalia says flatly, peering into the room, "it's you."

"Gratifying, to think you'd seek out Samaritha.", Gristav says genuinely. "But yes, it's me, well, us", he adds, turning so she might see the kitten cuddled in his far arm. "Had to have him somewhere, and I hoped Samaritha wouldn't mind. I was just making sure she wouldn't be able to tell.", the half-elf smiles. "Though, I will. Tell."

Leaving the room, Gristav visibly ponders the armful of kitten, the hand full of stacked saucers, the key still in the lock, and then Thuvalia. "Would you..?", he asks, offering by gesture the saucers or the kitten.

Phillip gives the gnome a neutral nod, and eyes him up and down as his left hand smooths out his mustache. The look is not aggressive... but it is clearly taking a measure "Met at least... I'll leave to your deliberations whether you demonstrate any talents beyond excessive politeness." said cautiously, but without malice.

"Being well mannered is a talent in and of itself that avoids a great deal of conflict. I always account the newly met as well met, unless of course they mean to do me harm. Then I would say ill met.", Piccolo chuckles. "My talents revolve around conversation. I am the newly hired procurer of talent for The Gold Goblin. To date I'm finding my duties involve more than what I had considered given my title. But there are mysteries afoot and danger about that we must gird ourselves against, importuning the gods to grant us a favorable end to a lurid conflict. We shall see if my talents are up to the challenge."

"By the by Phillip, what do you know of Cleg Zincher?"

Phillip gives the gnome a neutral nod, and eyes him up and down as his left hand smooths out his mustache. The look is not aggressive... but it is clearly taking a measure "Met at least... I'll leave to your deliberations whether you demonstrate any talents beyond excessive politeness." said cautiously, but without malice.

"Gratifying, to think you'd seek out Samaritha.", Gristav says genuinely. "But yes, it's me, well, us", he adds, turning so she might see the kitten cuddled in his far arm. "Had to have him somewhere, and I hoped Samaritha wouldn't mind. I was just making sure she wouldn't be able to tell.", the half-elf smiles. "Though, I will. Tell."

Leaving the room, Gristav visibly ponders the armful of kitten, the hand full of stacked saucers, the key still in the lock, and then Thuvalia. "Would you..?", he asks, offering by gesture the saucers or the kitten.

"I wasn't looking for the untxi txiki," Thuvalia disabuses him. "I just wondered who was snooping around the rooms." She stares at the proffered cat and dishes. "I am not a scullery maid, or a goatherd." Rather than relieving him of either burden, she reaches out to shut the door, turning the key in the lock and then removing it.

Gristav wrote:

Leaving the room, Gristav visibly ponders the armful of kitten, the hand full of stacked saucers, the key still in the lock, and then Thuvalia. "Would you..?", he asks, offering by gesture the saucers or the kitten.

"I wasn't looking for the untxi txiki," Thuvalia disabuses him. "I just wondered who was snooping around the rooms." She stares at the proffered cat and dishes. "I am not a scullery maid, or a goatherd." Rather than relieving him of either burden, she reaches out to shut the door, turning the key in the lock and then removing it.

"Good, then, that you're a locksmith. And tailor, to put the key in my pocket?", Gristav asks, teasing, but flirting. Will works wyrd to a whit of wind, and produces a puff of pigeonish pinion, dancing distractingly past the damsel, a fluttering feline focus. Gristav lets the kitten down to chase the false feather, and takes the key from Thuvalia. "Thank you.", he says, sincerely.

A bit surprised that Phillip just walked through door, he's even more surprised to see the shopgirl, although, one would have a difficult time telling with his lack of any real reaction. "Well speak of the devil. Didn't realize you were still around, Raccoon. Thought you took off with that professional poisoner gal." He then looks to the shopgirl. "And you are the last person I'd ever thought I'd see here. You obviously are making a pretty good living with what you got on. Not sure how, exactly, knowing the place you work at, but good for you I guess."

"She's not the poisoner, then?" Samaritha whispers to Snake, in a tone of relief.

With a withering arch of her brow, Thuvalia turns and walks away, back toward her room off the shrine of Desna.

With a withering arch of her brow, Thuvalia turns and walks away, back toward her room off the shrine of Desna.

"What would make you happy?", Gristav asks her as she retreats.

---

Later, in Tienish, to Hero:

"I apologize, Hero, for earlier confusing you with a... princess? But this one thought you a rat, and then a goat! Humans are easily confused. You'll see, in time."

Braddon and Lexy enter the Publican House, where both the large and small rooms are occupied by patrons celebrating the end of the working day and the beginning of the long, warm summer night, and weave their way through the crowd toward the bar to get Arnando's attention. "Lexy, isn't it?" he grins when he spies the redhead. "I never forget such a pretty face. Hear, clear out," he instructs a man on a bar stool, grabbing his mug and refilling it. "Give the lady a place to sit."

The displaced man cheerfully accepts the free ale in exchange for his prime real estate, and Arnando beams as he towels down the bar to make sure it's clean for Lexy to take possession of. "Now, then, what'll it be?"

Phillip lets the words for Ethel pass by for her to either comment upon or ignore, and to Serpe he ventures "Crysanthemum is in the wind, and if her word is trusted it would be unlikely that our paths will cross again." pausing a moment to half-think of making a returned comment about the charity that Snake most likely delivered back into squalor to be dominated once more... but thinks better of it given the audience.

To Piccolo he responds simply "Neither the time, nor the place" gesturing with sweeping hand to indicate the cut of the cloth that both he and his lady are garbed in... it's clear that their intent for the night is unlikely to involve detailed discussion of the type Piccolo had ventured.

Lastly he adds "I have need of some of my fourth... most likely Gristav would have insisted he be trusted with it?" holding a beat for confirmation "Is he here?"

"Now, then, what'll it be?"

Braddon slides a gold piece to Lexy. "Tell him I'll have a dark ale. And whatever you want, of course."

Despite Braddon's earlier suggestion, he drinks his ale at a leisurely pace and not to excess. He enjoys the sights and the conversations around him and while his attention is always on Lexy, he is aware of his surroundings.

"She's not the poisoner, then?" Samaritha whispers to Snake, in a tone of relief.

Snake shakes his head in response.

Lastly he adds "I have need of some of my fourth... most likely Gristav would have insisted he be trusted with it?" holding a beat for confirmation "Is he here?"

"He's here somewhere. He mentioned something about a cat being left in a room. Got no idea what that's all about."

"What would make you happy?", Gristav asks her as she retreats.

"I'll let you know when I find it," she calls back over her shoulder without pausing and leaves Gristav alone in the hall with the kitten.

He then looks to the shopgirl. "And you are the last person I'd ever thought I'd see here. You obviously are making a pretty good living with what you got on. Not sure how, exactly, knowing the place you work at, but good for you I guess."

Not knowing how to respond with dignity, Ethel lets the remark pass without comment. "Your, er, 'friend' isn't here too, is he?" she asks, glancing around the kitchen as if expecting Micah to leap from the pantry with a knife.

Lexy orders a glass of white wine which Arnando fills daintily before sliding Braddon his mug of ale. The crowd in the Publican appears to be a mix of workmen having a drink after a long day and patrons in fancier clothing having a drink before a long night in Free-Coin. "Good news about Samaritha then, I suppose," the barkeep remarks in a noncommital tone.

"Yeah," says Braddon. "Samaraith is good news."
He nods, then shakes his head slowly, then furrows his brow.
"What's happened to Sam?" he asks slightly worried.

Noting the conversation still, Phillip pauses for a few moments before continuing on into the Goblin with Ethel in tow. His first port of call being his room...

Samaritha Beldusc wrote:

"She's not the poisoner, then?" Samaritha whispers to Snake, in a tone of relief.

Snake shakes his head in response.

Phillip wrote:

Lastly he adds "I have need of some of my fourth... most likely Gristav would have insisted he be trusted with it?" holding a beat for confirmation "Is he here?"

"He's here somewhere. He mentioned something about a cat being left in a room. Got no idea what that's all about."

"Snake" wrote:

He then looks to the shopgirl. "And you are the last person I'd ever thought I'd see here. You obviously are making a pretty good living with what you got on. Not sure how, exactly, knowing the place you work at, but good for you I guess."

Not knowing how to respond with dignity, Ethel lets the remark pass without comment. "Your, er, 'friend' isn't here too, is he?" she asks, glancing around the kitchen as if expecting Micah to leap from the pantry with a knife.

"Nothing to fear here, Miss.", Gristav says from the casino doorway. The halfelf stands cradling a happy kitten, scritching at its neck, rubbing over its ears with a thumb, in emulation of a missing mom. "Unless you think this a rat, or a goat. You wouldn't be the first."

"In any case, you're quite safe, beside Phillip. The man is steadfast, and wiser than most. Well, at least, than me."

Bowing exactly, the stranger introduces himself. "Gristav. I am Gristav. This is Hero."

The arrival of Gristav tangibly solidifies the air with tension from Phillip's perspective... and his words while positive don't give him much succor from the same. He warily introduces with a slight bow "Miss Braum." taking a moment to smooth out his mustache as he pauses for reaction or added words.

"Miss Braum", Gristav acknowledges. "It's very good to see you both.", he adds, with a glance at Phillip, and a warming smile that seemed for the space between them.

"Has anyone here met Hero, before now? I think he's Braddon's guest, but that's only deduction, as yet..."

"What's happened to Sam?" he asks slightly worried.

Arnando gazes back at Braddon, abashed realization dawning on his face. "Nine hells, you haven't seen her yet. Don't tell her I told you. Pretend to be surprised."

Arnando gazes back at Braddon, abashed realization dawning on his face. "Nine hells, you haven't seen her yet. Don't tell her I told you. Pretend to be surprised."

Braddon's eyes widen.

Not knowing how to respond with dignity, Ethel lets the remark pass without comment. "Your, er, 'friend' isn't here too, is he?" she asks, glancing around the kitchen as if expecting Micah to leap from the pantry with a knife.

Snake lets out a barely audible sigh as he rolls his eyes. "No, he's not." And just as Gristav walks in, he looks at the cat before turning back to the halflings. "Well, good luck," he says impassively as he heads upstairs.

Snake left to depart without question, though with a slight incline of the head in acknowledgement - Phillip turns back to Gristav... whose new found politeness lends an uneasy air. Heading directly to the core of the requirements "I have need of some coin for this evening... I'm led to believe you have my fourth at present?" referring to his share of the takings of the morning. The cat is studiously ignored.

Braddon turns back to Arnando. "What's happened?"

"Oh, no," Arnando replies. "You didn't hear it from me." He shuts his mouth emphatically like a bear trap and, moreover, moves away to deal with customers at the far end of the bar.

Lexy watches with interest, sipping her wine. "Which one was Sam? Do I know her from last Sunday?"

Snake takes the stairs up to the second floor in search of Larur. As he opens the door with the shiny brass plaque which reads "Owner," he can see into the open door of Saul's office directly across the waiting room. The dwarf is standing on the rug in front of the desk, scowling and red-faced. He can hear the voice of the casino owner, though Saul himself is out of sight: "Calm down, Larur. I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about."

The dwarf seems to be on the verge of a retort when he sees Snake across the room and swallows whatever words are on the tip of his tongue.

Snake left to depart without question, though with a slight incline of the head in acknowledgement - Phillip turns back to Gristav... whose new found politeness lends an uneasy air. Heading directly to the core of the requirements "I have need of some coin for this evening... I'm led to believe you have my fourth at present?" referring to his share of the takings of the morning. The cat is studiously ignored.

"Not 'have', so much as 'stashed it all'. We had other chores, and a lack of quorum." Gristav repeats a finger-roll familiar to the fine fellow before him, and a key rolls from nowhere, out over his fingers. Holding the key forth, Gristav adds, "My room seemed better than the greater vault, in the interim. As it was being treated as a separate venture. Take your portion. And a twentieth of mine, as I said at breakfast. I would say, to buy the lady something pretty, but... I can't imagine, what might be left."

Presuming Phil leaves?

"Sam, you look happy. I missed shopping with you, today. I've a stew, though. Oh, and confession to make."

Taking the proferred key, Phillip pauses a moment still not quite sure how to react to Gristav's lack of bristle "Tomorrow morning would do well enough for counting... I'll take but fifty in gold for now."before looking to Ethel and opening an elbow to continue onwards.

Assuming the elbow is taken, he adds as they depart "Keep the twentieth..." before winking at Samaritha "Congratulations again Little Bird"

Lexy watches with interest, sipping her wine. "Which one was Sam? Do I know her from last Sunday?"

"Yeah. Possibly. She was working in the kitchens. She has honey red hair that curls around her pointed ears and sits lightly against the back of her neck where she wears it up all the time. She has dark green eyes that dazzle and dance when she smiles and long lithe legs that she's just the tiniest bit unsteady on. She has magical tattoos that caress and glide across her smooth delicate skin. And she speaks lots of languages and is smart. Really smart. Scary, scary smart. She's trying to get into the Cyphermage's lodge but they're a bunch of snooty idiots that think they're too good for her when the truth is exactly the opposite- she's too good for them. So instead she's working for Saul. And she helped me get work there which is why I'm working already and getting paid a fortune. She's caring, and smart, and kind, and smart, and gentle, and smart, and really, really smart."

Taking the proferred key, Phillip pauses a moment still not quite sure how to react to Gristav's lack of bristle "Tomorrow morning would do well enough for counting... I'll take but fifty in gold for now."before looking to Ethel and opening an elbow to continue onwards.

Assuming the elbow is taken, he adds as they depart "Keep the twentieth..." before winking at Samaritha "Congratulations again Little Bird"

Gristav blinks a beat at this last, then grins at Samaritha. "Yes? It's so? I'm... very happy, to not have irrevocably... broken, your opportunity. Will you... still be here, Moonday? Or for dinner, tonight? Hang the stew, we ought go to Free Coin! Let it be, my treat, my... penance. Although, I suppose, it may be better, not to be seen with me."

Ethel takes Phil's arm and lets him lead her out of the kitchen and across the empty casino floor to the guest wing. Bypassing Phillip's room for the moment, they walk down the dim hall to Gristav's door, where Phil applies the borrowed key. "Desna's stars and heavens," she gasps when she sees the sack full of coin, "I've never seen so much money in one place before. It looks like you robbed Abadar's vault. All this was in Rotgut?"

Samaritha colors awkwardly, left alone in the kitchen with Gristav and the newcomer gnome. "Yes, well ... I think you'll understand why things would be ... more pleasant for everyone concerned if you're not seen up in Windward. You'd certainly be unwelcome to Mistress Bromathan ... and it would make things very uncomfortable for me." She keeps her eyes on the floor, where her toes trace nervous circles. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find Malkith." She hurries toward the swinging doors, leaving Gristav a wide berth. Piccolo turns an inquisitive eyebrow to the bearded half-elf.

"In the kitchens.... Yes, I think I remember her. A red-headed half-elf? If she's looking for a job, she should go to Shorafa; Shorafa'd snap her up in a second." Lexy takes another sip of wine. "On second thought, don't tell her I said that. A red-headed half-elf? Anya'd be furious."

Turning a burdened brow and a pointed ear toward the exited Samaritha, Gristav pauses a moment before answering Piccolo's unspoken question.

"I overplayed an empty hand. Bluffing, of course. That's how one plays an empty hand. Well, that, or making a fist..."

"When I saw Sam refused the time of day at the Cypherlodge, I blustered into the scene, established myself to be noisome and unwise, and then overstated the exclusivity of the lodge, calculating, that in the backlash against my boorishness, some allowance would be made; Samaritha would be given more, arguably the first, real consideration. That was yesterday. Today, she has a position. She'd been trying for months."

"I can't say I helped, and I do acknowledge, I trespassed. But I don't believe, I did any harm."

"I don't think Samaritha sees it thus. Which is painful. I find her worthy, in... every way I can imagine."

"But that was a risk I took. And I'd do it again. Did you see how happy she was?!"

"Until I spoke to her."

"In the kitchens.... Yes, I think I remember her. A red-headed half-elf? If she's looking for a job, she should go to Shorafa; Shorafa'd snap her up in a second." Lexy takes another sip of wine. "On second thought, don't tell her I said that. A red-headed half-elf? Anya'd be furious."

"Been there, done that. Like me, she was approached and offered a position pretty much as soon as she arrived. But she doesn't want that kind of work, so she's been avoiding the area ever since."

Snake takes the stairs up to the second floor in search of Larur. As he opens the door with the shiny brass plaque which reads "Owner," he can see into the open door of Saul's office directly across the waiting room. The dwarf is standing on the rug in front of the desk, scowling and red-faced. He can hear the voice of the casino owner, though Saul himself is out of sight: "Calm down, Larur. I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about."

The dwarf seems to be on the verge of a retort when he sees Snake across the room and swallows whatever words are on the tip of his tongue.

Snake makes his way to the open door casually and stops within it, looking to each man in turn as if studying them before finally speaking. "Should I come back later?"

Smiling with an equal amount of pride, amusement and melancholy Phillip confirms "Aye, come to think it's the most I've seen in one place before as well... and it was all in Rotgut. An import was hoarding some of the take on a drug house... and this was what he managed to amass before Braddon's sword ended him." opening the coin purse that Braddon brought down from the tree and removing fifty in gold. A wink and proffered hand sees half of that entrusted to Ethel before Phillip bids them out and locks the door again behind.

His next port of call is his own room, moving within to dump the less fine of his clothes and clap hands "Now... shoes wasn't it?" smirking to his paramour.

"Should I come back later?"

Saul is seated in the blue leather chair behind his desk, Bojasc towering at his shoulder. When he sees Snake in the door, the owner's face breaks into a cheerful grin. "Not at all. What can I do for you?"

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

"Hm. Nice chair," he comments before casually moving on. "I just need to see Larur about getting a key to the back door. Otherwise I gotta play twenty questions with Gristav just to get in. And if I have to do that again, there's gonna be bloodshed. He already lives on my last nerve - I'm just trying to keep it from snapping."

"Why are you so eager to get a key?" Larur snaps hoarsely. "So you can let a gang of thieves and ruffians in to ransack the place? I won't just hand out keys to my home and business to any Thorin, Dwalin, or Ori who happens along." Still scowling, he pushes his way past the man in the doorway and stalks down the hallway.

"Don't mind him," Saul assures Snake with a wink. "He's a dwarf, you know. Now, what are you doing out and about town on your own that you're not with someone who has a key?"

"It sounds as if you can congratulate yourself on accomplishing one goal," Piccolo remarks to Gristav sagely. "She undoubtedly owes you thanks for her good fortune ... and that might be exactly why she won't be thanking you anytime soon. Perhaps she hoped to accomplish her goal on her own merit. Now, where is the crockery and flatware for your dinner?"