"Mr. Felden's protégé is heating the kettle for tea and coffee."
"Larur's...?" Saul asks. "Oh, yes. The half-elven courier." He nods, seeming a little distracted as he reaches into the basket.
** spoiler omitted **
Knocking gently enough not to startle in mid-study, Gristav speaks through the door, "Samaritha, I'm sure you're welcome at breakfast. The pastry has gone up, the coffee water is warming. We're in some disarray, but, that only gives us longer, to say farewells, and see to welfares...""Just a moment," Samaritha's voice calls through the door.
"Yes, of course.", Gristav agrees cheerfully. "No bother at all. Sorry to disturb you; it hadn't occurred to me you might take a last morning at leisure. But if you'll take that leisure at the table, we'd all take it kindly, if not for kindness. You will be missed. Oh, and I've that kitten in hand since last night, used a figment of fish! But your light was out, I didn't want to disturb you."
"That's a bit of a fib", Gristav lowered his voice for Hero's close and catish ears, "I surely wanted to. I didn't choose to."
"He's a dear little fellow.", Gristav again raises his voice for an intervening door. And his hopes for a jesting, "Very good listener..."
Samaritha opens the door, pulling her loose hair back with pins in her mouth. "Sorry; takes two hands," she smiles, as she deftly pins her hair at the back of her head. "Oh, is this the cat I've been hearing about?"
"It's fetching, stray. Reminds of a heated kitchen.", he added, smiling, softly, as if it had, to him, some secret-able meaning. "That might be beneath a wizard", he cautions the kitten. And smiles again at Samaritha. "You deserve, all of your success.", he judges, "But don't credit it to them. Your success, was never their goal."
Stiffening his stance, for the slightest of bows at each name, Gristav introduced, "Samaritha Beldusc, a kitten...", he intoned, passing the cat if she seemed to want it, "...presumed, intended, yours. A lad, one of adventure, it seems. Thuvalia spied a rat, and called Larur and I to arms. I found no rat, only this kitten, curled on a flour-sack. It's obvious;", he joked, "He'd chased the rat off, and set himself to guard, abandoning the meat scraps that had been left on the table for him. Such duty. I started calling him 'Hero', though I don't think he understands that, yet. He has no idea, yet, of the grandeur within his capacity. A certain Varisi saw him as a goat. A goat! Half-weaned, and so much adventure, so soon. Oh, I've given him some cream, this morning. Water, and flecks of dried sausage from my trail kit, last night. And, in guilt over the ruse, I've promised fish, today. I should apologize; I thought to wait, until asked, but I didn't choose, to wait, until asked."
"I feel... multiplied sorrows, and think I should be passing you a tiny kit bag, with swaddles, and such. If you'll give me a moment, I'll bring some of the sausage; he liked it well enough..."
"Kitten. Yours? Breakfast? Upstairs," Larur would say, and be gone.
Still, Braddon muses, it could be worse. It could have been Malkith come to do a harrow. Braddon wonders what juicy secrets he might learn if that were the case, and waits silent and unmoving.
Replying to Magnimar diffidently on the walk upstairs "I was only missed if my presence was expected..." before changing the subject with a slight nod "Aye, though some expectation softens the blow. I trust you've heard of our own... adventures yesterday?"
Arriving upstairs Phillip gives Saul a nod of greeting, and Bojasc a wary appraising look before seeking a bolster and a seat... unable to furnish himself with coffee as it had not yet been delivered. Serpe's joining and the accompanying grin from Bojasc thins Phillip's eyes in thought...
With the group not yet complete and Saul not yet having offered questions... Phillip remains in relative reflective silence.
"If you'll give me a moment, I'll bring some of the sausage; he liked it well enough..."
"Bring it upstairs, if you don't mind," Samaritha suggests, stepping out into the corridor and closing the door behind her, "or better yet, just come upstairs with me and fetch it in a moment. I haven't much time to say my farewells, if I want to get to the Cypherlodge bright and early. I do want to make a good first impression."
Replying to Magnimar diffidently on the walk upstairs "I was only missed if my presence was expected..." before changing the subject with a slight nod "Aye, though some expectation softens the blow. I trust you've heard of our own... adventures yesterday?"
"Hm?" Tendal replies. "Some foolishness about cultists in Rotgut, as I understand. I really think we'd do better to steer clear of such distractions in the future," he advises in an annoyingly avuncular tone; "we've enough to do trying to run a successful business without getting involved with ancillary matters."
"Good morning, sir," Tendal greets Saul cheerfully, setting the bakery basket on the table.
Slight smirk on his face Phillip returns in kind "Aye, the splash sent out some ripples surely... but regardless the reason and purpose, the result justifies some of the means." letting the words roll around his tongue a few moments before venturing further "If you're not busy today then there are a few matters we could use your erudite opinions upon..."
He then crosses the hall quickly to his own bedroom.
"If you'll give me a moment, I'll bring some of the sausage; he liked it well enough...""Bring it upstairs, if you don't mind," Samaritha suggests, stepping out into the corridor and closing the door behind her, "or better yet, just come upstairs with me and fetch it in a moment. I haven't much time to say my farewells, if I want to get to the Cypherlodge bright and early. I do want to make a good first impression."
"I shan't slow you...", Gristav says, pointing quite deliberately at his own ear, then toward Thuvalia's door, and then blandly gesturing toward Daynadrian's, as he pivots, as if to cast a shadow, one to the other. "I'll consider you as having said our goodbyes; enough for the hellos I hope we'll say, soon. Please, do return, or write... I'm sure Braddon will lament his absence, when he thinks to. Return, if only to tease him about it?" Gristav smiles warmly, and says sotto voce to the kitten, "Such a dilemma. If she stays away, she'll be missed. If she returns, she'll be hit upon."
Raising his voice just a half a door's thickness over normal, Gristav said, "Please do, take a last breakfast. You'll have to compare our fare, someday, to the Cypherlodge."
"If you're not busy today then there are a few matters we could use your erudite opinions upon..."
Tendal raises an eyebrow and gives a vaguely confirmatory nod.
Raising his voice just a half a door's thickness over normal, Gristav said, "Please do, take a last breakfast. You'll have to compare our fare, someday, to the Cypherlodge."
Samaritha seems mystified by Gristav's pantomime but kens enough of his meaning not to inquire out loud about it. "I'm sure the Gold Goblin would win the culinary battle," she smiles. "A bunch of mages and scholars, they probably have to be reminded to put their books down and eat when they've gotten engrossed in their studies."
** spoiler omitted **
Raising his voice just a half a door's thickness over normal, Gristav said, "Please do, take a last breakfast. You'll have to compare our fare, someday, to the Cypherlodge."Samaritha seems mystified by Gristav's pantomime but kens enough of his meaning not to inquire out loud about it. "I'm sure the Gold Goblin would win the culinary battle," she smiles. "A bunch of mages and scholars, they probably have to be reminded to put their books down and eat when they've gotten engrossed in their studies."
Gristav whispers in elvish, "La juneco estas en sia ĉambro, kaŝanta de ŝi, kiu eĉ devas forlasi ŝia."
"Ah, timing!", Gristav celebrates, regretfully stepping back from lean the whisper wanted. "It's like a Gnomish play!"
Samaritha shrugs. Avoiding Thuvalia is a motive she can well understand. "Eble mi estos for antaŭ ŝi vekas tiam tiel, kaj tio vere estos bona mateno," she whispers back, her eyes twinkling, before turning and heading up the corridor toward the rest of the casino.
Continuing to Tendal "A relatively simple matter... we liberated a number of items of some value yesterday and if you are amenable we had thought perhaps to lean upon your abilities to both plumb their worth as well as see them rehomed and exchanged for tender."
Smiling after Sam, Gristav next opens the linen closet door, explaining his presence at the end of the hall, in case anyone came looking. Then he taps softly on Daynadrian's door. Then, more firmly.
Continuing to Tendal "A relatively simple matter... we liberated a number of items of some value yesterday and if you are amenable we had thought perhaps to lean upon your abilities to both plumb their worth as well as see them rehomed and exchanged for tender."
Tendal frowns. "I can't say my family would be thrilled to discover I'm working as a fence," he replies dryly. "Still, I suppose it's a superior alternative to harboring stolen goods in the Gold Goblin. Bring them by my room after breakfast, and I'll try to be rid of them as quickly as possible."
Gristav's knock is answered after a moment by a quiet but stern query through the crack around the door jamb: "Who's there?" The boy is clearly taking pains to lower his timbre, resulting in an obviously falsified voice which sounds like neither his more or less mature selves.
In whispered Elvish, Gristav says, "Vi povus havi momenton por kuregas supre; ŝi ne moviĝas rapide. Aŭ vi povus kaŝi tie; Mi alportus al vi mangxajxon. Elektu."
Chuckling Phillip shrugs "This is Riddleport and not the City of Monuments good sir... the concept of possession versus law is a mite looser." winking before nodding an acceptance to his offer to take the goods to him after the breaking of fast.
Tendal helps himself to a fresh roll from the bakers' basket before Bojasc half-rises to reach in and supply himself with some bread as well. Saul eats his pastry mechanically, not breaking his distracted silence. The owner glances back at the door at intervals, as if expecting another arrival.
"Yes, blast it, where is that coffee?" Tendal asks supportively, frowning at the doorway through which Gristav consistently refuses to come. "If you'd like me to go down and check on it, sir...."
At that moment, however, someone does walk through the door with a steaming kettle: not Gristav, but Samaritha. "Good morning," she smiles at the gathered company. "I thought I'd bring up the tea."
"Vi povus havi momenton por kuregas supre; ŝi ne moviĝas rapide. Aŭ vi povus kaŝi tie; Mi alportus al vi mangxajxon. Elektu."
"Mi preferus ne eliri la ĉambron," comes the quiet reply. "Kio se ni renkontos sur la ŝtuparo? Nur alporti iun panon kaj kafon, bonvolu."
"Vi povus havi momenton por kuregas supre; ŝi ne moviĝas rapide. Aŭ vi povus kaŝi tie; Mi alportus al vi mangxajxon. Elektu.""Mi preferus ne eliri la ĉambron," comes the quiet reply. "Kio se ni renkontos sur la ŝtuparo? Nur alporti iun panon kaj kafon, bonvolu."
** spoiler omitted **
"She has yet to leave her room. If you go to the stairs, she might flank you. Stay here, until the morning settles."
Shutting the linen closet, Gristav ducks into his own room for a pair of dried sausages, then stops to knock again at Thuvalia's.
"Thuvalia? Are you well? You'll miss breakfast.", he observes with sincere if surprising regret. "I'll check on you later?"
Samaritha's arrival brings a wave of greeting and an offered "Good morning returned in kind"
Gristav ducks into his own room for a pair of dried sausages, then stops to knock again at Thuvalia's.
"Thuvalia? Are you well? You'll miss breakfast.", he observes with sincere if surprising regret. "I'll check on you later?"
Having already thrown her pillow, Thuvalia can make no response other than what might be the sound of a back being turned deliberately toward the door.
Heading through the kitchen on his way to the stairs, Gristav takes notice that the tea set is missing and that the water level in his kettle is noticeably lower.
Samaritha smiles at Phil as she sets the teapot on the table near the basket of baked goods. "Mr. Vankaskerkin," she turns to the owner a bit nervously, "I'll be on my way to the Cypherlodge directly. I just wanted to say again how grateful I am for the kindness you've shown me this past week. Oh, and here's the key to the room; I've left it tidy." Her gaze wanders to the foot of the table as she lays the key next to Saul's plate. "I was hoping to say my thanks and farewells to Mr. Felden as well. Do you expect him for breakfast soon? Or have I already missed him?"
Lost in thought as he eats, Snake is slightly startled from his reverie as Samaritha walks in with greetings. He tips his hat to her, "Mornin'." Let's hope it is a good one this time, he thinks to himself as his mind wanders back to yesterday's nightmare.
Heading through the kitchen on his way to the stairs, Gristav takes notice that the tea set is missing and that the water level in his kettle is noticeably lower.
Reflecting on silent grace, Gristav pours the boiling water over the coffee grounds, and carries the assembled press up the stairs.
"I was hoping to say my thanks and farewells to Mr. Felden as well. Do you expect him for breakfast soon? Or have I already missed him?"
"Oh, uh," Saul glances to the foot of the table as if he has only just noticed Larur's absence, "you haven't missed him. Sit down, my dear, and have some breakfast before you go. It'll be our last chance to enjoy your company." He smiles her toward a chair.
"Well," Samaritha acquiesces, "I can only stay a while. I don't want to be late on my first day." She sits and pours herself a cup of tea.
Phillip pauses and slightly narrows his eyes considering Saul, before internally mulling something over. A tilt of the head suggesting resolution of the internal conversation he tired smiles at remembering his own maltreatment at Cyphermage hands "Aye, t'would do you no favor."
"I certainly don't want to give Mistress Bromathan another reason to think poorly of me," she agrees with a wry grimace, reaching for the basket.
Gristav appears in the doorway with a coffee pot.
"I certainly don't want to give Mistress Bromathan another reason to think poorly of me," she agrees with a wry grimace, reaching for the basket.
Gristav appears in the doorway with a coffee pot.
"I'd be the first.", Gristav explains to the room. Looking about, he adds, "And hopefully the last. But I'd thought I'd also be the last here...?" Setting the soaking coffee press on the table, he reports, "Our remaining lady has expressed a desire to be left undisturbed. Our youth awaits our leavings; I'll take him something later. And Larur? He wasn't in his office. I'll go fetch him. There's gruff, and then there's rude...", Gristav says, turning to head back down the stairs, "And I expect I'm empowered to make such observation..."
Phillip's smile widens slightly as the name spoken by Samaritha is familiar... but any thoughts to puckish intent is forestalled by Gristav's arrival and more importantly the coffee. After the half-elf has departed in search of a wheezing dwarf, the halfling sees himself furnished with a decent slug. He nurses the drink reflectively, but doesn't provoke further words yet.
Having delivered the coffee, Gristav retraces his steps down the corridor, where he meets Braddon just arriving at the top of the staircase.
"Braddon!", Gristav greets gleefully. "Rush up, Sam hasn't long. Very glad you had the chance." Gristav comradely clasps Braddon's shoulder as they pass, reflecting again on just how much bear there was to that half-elf. "I'm just fetching Larur..." Gristav rushes on his task, at least, rushes through the well-lit portion, taking a lamp from the kitchens.
"Sure," Braddon nods after Gristav.
He makes his way into the room to join the others. He grabs a pastry from the centre of the table and takes the empty seat nearest Samaritha.
"We disposed of the scribe. What do you want done today?"
Braddon bites into the pastry.
"Our youth awaits our leavings; I'll take him something later."
As Gristav leaves the room, Tendal frowns and mutters to himself, "He's positively obsessed with that kitten."
"We disposed of the scribe. What do you want done today?"
"I, for one, would like to request that we avoid entanglements with cultists and Sczarni and the Gendarmerie," Tendal pronounces, looking around the table for agreement. "Tomorrow we will be open for business; the last thing we need is to stir up any further bad blood. I think it would benefit all of us to spend a nice, quiet day making sure we're ready to open our doors tomorrow evening at sunset."
Letting the mutter upon the feline pass unmentioned, Phillip catches onto the second for elaboration "A noble intent, and I've an idea or two for the same. Apart from encouraging the shipwright to send his slips and Oathday afternoon whiled on the docks with song and wharfsmen... I thought I'd ply the arena today. Alone if needed, though it might be easier with some others to help spread word."
A sip of Sargavan follows before he adds "And if you think it might prove entanglement free... we could risk spruiking in Freecoin towards closing tonight." with an appraising look towards Saul to see if he thought the risk of antagonising worth the potential windfall.
"Advertising openly at Cleg Zincher's arena?" Tendal frowns. "Are you sure that's wise? I'd include his men among those we'd be wise to avoid confrontation with." He pauses, screwing up his eyes as he considers whether he could have phrased that in such a way not to end a sentence with a preposition.
"It's a large arena, lad," Saul puts in. "As long as he's not taking the sand with a megaphone between bouts, there's no reason Cleg has to know we're even there."
"Free-Coin," he rubs his chin thoughtfully. "A lot of Gendarmes about over there, is what concerns me. The Overlord doesn't take kindly to soap boxes and sermons; distracts people from the gambling. Still, if it's subtle ... or we might set up just this side of the Velashu, distribute handbills to gamblers heading home to Leeward."
Having supplied himself with a lamp from the kitchen, Gristav opens the door to the basement stairs and descends to the narrow subterranean corridor. Passing the door that he knows leads to the dusty wine cellar, he tries the second door on the right. Just as last time, it is unlocked and appears unaltered: still austere, the bed tightly made, and all meager belongings appearing in their place. There is no dwarf in evidence.
Responding to Magnimar first Phillip adopts a teacherly tone "It's not bricklaying Tendal, there's more than enough ways to bend the word without making it obvious." noting that Saul takes the gist of meaning without need for explanation.
There is no dwarf in evidence.
Gristav's brow wrinkles slowly. Then he makes a beeline for Larur's office, leaving the lantern on the first daylit flat surface, then redoubling his speed.
Conjuring the office key to his hand, he's into the dark office before he has time to miss the lantern.
"Larur?", he calls softly, hoping to fall from the conclusion he'd leaped to.
"I'm happy to... help... Phillip at the arena," Braddon volunteers while attempting to contain his enthusiasm.
He reaches for another pastry.
"Well, they say there's no such thing as bad publicity," Tendal quips. "If you end up getting thrown onto the sand to fight wild beasts, do try to mention Varisian caravan night with your dying breaths." He turns his attention back to Saul at the head of the table. "I plan to spend the day coordinating with the talent agent to make sure everything the performers need will be in place ... and hopefully ascertaining that this set of employees isn't under orders to rob the clientele."