Directing Hassan to set the gossamer sleeves down separately to designate interest, he shows no such attention to the linen wrappings. Phillip then responds with words "One's back can only bear so much weight... and as always the day is only truly known when it ends. Therefore the sleeves interest me... but first, sate one's curiosity upon the cord... lest we spend the hours of the day dancing around a topic never explained in full."
"Can you undo it?""Shorafa's a bit closer to Calistria than I am to Cayden, I'm afraid. I can't immediately. I suppose I could try after lunch. But I'll not make you any promises."
"Again, thanks. That's more than what we were looking for."
Braddon turns to Daynadrian."We better be getting after Lil. You wanna hide out here or you want us to take you somewhere so you can come back later? The sooner we catch Lil, the better for everyone."
The ferryman raises his palms, pacifying. "Easy, mate; I mean no offense. There's a fleet of rumors to be heard in Riddleport, and many of them flying under false colors. Only a man who knows what's being said against him can defend himself, eh? At any rate, no, he hasn't crossed by my boat."
"Yes.", Gristav acknowledges, "Thank you, for... letting the man know. If I can find him to tell him." He retrieves his staff, and asks, "Can you carry me over? I'd ask if he's been to the Publican. I'd also ask, where any rumor of theft might have started."
Braddon turns to Daynadrian.
"We better be getting after Lil. You wanna hide out here or you want us to take you somewhere so you can come back later? The sooner we catch Lil, the better for everyone."
"I think I'd rather stay here," the elf replies, looking to Arnando for approval. "That way, I'll be on hand when you're ready and you won't have to go looking for me. And I'm not really comfortable walking around town like this."
"Aye, all right," Arnando nods. "Stay in the kitchen and make yourself useful; we'll tell anyone who might be curious we hired on a boy to help wash the mugs." He tosses Daynadrian a towel before turning back to Braddon and Snake, seriously. "I'm not sure whether I can help your friend or not, but I'm going to ask one thing in return, just for trying: You keep me apprised of what's going on with Lil. I'm not going to make any demands about what you do with her if you find her, but I'd like to know what's going on before all's said and done."
Across the river in the Bazaar of the Seafaring Peddlar, Hassan replaces the bandages in the box and brings out the coiled cord. "Wrapped around a man's waist, this will give him the agility of a cat, and some of its luck. In a fight, it helps you find an opening to slip in and out of danger. For the cord ... eight hundred gold coins." He grins, his teeth glittering, as is his habit when discussing price.
"Can you carry me over? I'd ask if he's been to the Publican. I'd also ask, where any rumor of theft might have started."
"Direct to the Publican," Grimas asks reluctantly, "or just across the river? Your mates might be on their way back upriver on the west bank now; if I take you straight to the Publican, you might miss them."
To the second question, he shrugs, as he puts his arms to the pole. "May as well ask where a swarm of cockroaches hatched from. They're out in the world now, mate, whether they were bred of a purpose or mommy-roach was just drinking so heavy that night she doesn't remember daddy-roach's face. You're wondering if it's a deliberate slander? Then your friend would best know who'd gain from its propagation. On the other hand, laying out a pile of coin gets people's tongues wagging all on its own. Could be just idle speculation."
Pursing his lips Phillip offers a slight shake of his head "Fortunes turn and favor, but the interest drawn is limited to the gossamer at present..." clearing his interest from all except the quick-change sleeves "Though in your position as an esteemed procurer of items to interest... might you be able to advise where liquids fouls and powders worse might be safely and discreetly sourced?" raising an eyebrow as he asks outright if Hassan has a patron, customer or associate who deals in poisons and drugs.
Hassan replaces everything but the sleeves into the box, closes it, and sets it carefully beneath the counter. "It seems that I recently had a conversation with a customer," he begins, pursing his lips in recollection, "about disposing of some items which, while useless and distasteful to him, might be of value to someone else. Sadly, I have forgotten the details which might have proved helpful; else I might have directed you as I did him. I have heard, however, that there is no indulgence so foul that coin cannot procure it in Rotgut District ... though I hasten to add that there are few dangers so foul that one cannot meet them unaware in the same neighborhood."
"You keep me apprised of what's going on with Lil. I'm not going to make any demands about what you do with her if you find her, but I'd like to know what's going on before all's said and done."
Braddon nods at Arnando. "Like I said, she threw a little old lady over a cliff. I want her dead, but others don't. I'll let you know who gets their way and how that turns out. You're entitiled to more if you want."
Braddon turns to leave but points a thumb at Dayn and tosses a comment to Arnando over his shoulder."Work him hard. He deserves it."
"Can you carry me over? I'd ask if he's been to the Publican. I'd also ask, where any rumor of theft might have started.""Direct to the Publican," Grimas asks reluctantly, "or just across the river? Your mates might be on their way back upriver on the west bank now; if I take you straight to the Publican, you might miss them."
"Do you go direct?- Ah, I see, without a crowd, there is no commonality to the course. Well, except across." Gristav ponders. "Aye, might miss them, or catch them. I'm not sure which I favor. Yet, if to the near dock, I'm sure to catch them... the prospect of which brings the wisdom, I'd rather catch them soonest, or miss them entirely. To the Publican, please. And, not being blind to the burden...", Gristav incants, gesturing with open tensed hand, while dipping the end of his staff in the river water. A final syllable, a pointed finger, and a brilliant ray of frigidity flashes toward the water, just above the staff's end. Lifting the flash-frozen flange of ice at the staff's foot free of the water, Gris finishes, "Would ice blunt the heat of your day?"
"You know, it occurs to me, if they are not at the Publican, and you'd agree, we might go to the dock, that side. My plan being to fatigue you and get my turn at the punting.", Gristav jokes.
Braddon turns to leave but points a thumb at Dayn and tosses a comment to Arnando over his shoulder.
"Work him hard. He deserves it."
"Hey!" Daynadrian yelps in protest.
With a resigned sigh, Grimas pushes the flatboat out into the current for the easy downstream portion of the journey. Gristav's arcane display seems to make the man nervous.
"You know, it occurs to me, if they are not at the Publican, and you'd agree, we might go to the dock, that side. My plan being to fatigue you and get my turn at the punting.", Gristav jokes.
"Which dock?" he asks, not following the half-elf's quickly-flitting train of thought.
With a resigned sigh, Grimas pushes the flatboat out into the current for the easy downstream portion of the journey. Gristav's arcane display seems to make the man nervous.
"You know, it occurs to me, if they are not at the Publican, and you'd agree, we might go to the dock, that side. My plan being to fatigue you and get my turn at the punting.", Gristav jokes."Which dock?" he asks, not following the half-elf's quickly-flitting train of thought.
"The Southern dock near the Publican, please. And if you'll let me host you a drink, while I check for those others within, passage to either the Northern, more usual, dock thereafter, or back to the dock we just left? Would that suit you?"
"I'm sorry, the icemaking troubled you. Magic is in my blood, I forget, for many people, it's not in their world. You're a decent man, Grimas, or very skilled at pretending so. Your concern for the redhead's rights, was what first spoke well of you. I am sorry, to have made you uneasy."
Gristav lets the river reclaim the ice, by trailing the stave-end in the water.
"It'll cost you both ways," Grimas grumbles, "plus the drink. And I can't tarry any longer than it takes to quaff it." He judiciously uses his pole to keep the ferry in the swiftest part of the rather sluggish current as it carries them downstream. As they come around the bend in the river before the harbor, he steers them away from the jutting docks used by the ship repair business and toward the more modest piers in front of the bay window of the Publican House on the west side of the Velashu. As the flatboat bumps gently against the pier, he expertly tosses a rope over the nearest piling to secure it. "Arnando'll know what I like," he tells Gristav. "Step lively now."
Braddon and Snake exit the landward door of the Publican House, leaving Daynadrian to his dishwashing.
A slight nod and wave of his hand dismisses the question before turning attention back unto the sleeves. Phillip filches the peridot and another ten coins of gold from his purse and places them atop the gossamer item as paperweight. Slipping from his perch he closes "Downpayment upon the item arcane, with the completion to come nearer the close of the day." pausing a moment before explaining "One needs wait for his own agent return from market before adding enough weight to the pile. I trust this will suffice to hold them for a pass of the sun?"
"It'll cost you both ways," Grimas grumbles, "plus the drink. And I can't tarry any longer than it takes to quaff it." He judiciously uses his pole to keep the ferry in the swiftest part of the rather sluggish current as it carries them downstream. As they come around the bend in the river before the harbor, he steers them away from the jutting docks used by the ship repair business and toward the more modest piers in front of the bay window of the Publican House on the west side of the Velashu. As the flatboat bumps gently against the pier, he expertly tosses a rope over the nearest piling to secure it. "Arnando'll know what I like," he tells Gristav. "Step lively now."
Gris has set full payment on the seat by the time the dock is reached, and rushes dutifully along the dock. "Of course, you've a duty!", he calls back.
Inside through whatever door presents, Gristav calls out, "Arnando! Eulalie! One for Grimas, please! I'll fetch it out, and the cup back!"
Braddon walks with Snake back to the ferry dock and looks around impatiently for Grimas.
"Well, at least Dayn is out of the way now. We've known Lil was at seas for days. I guess it's time to do something about it. Gristav and Phil should have a ship and a destination. Let's find them."
"This job has all the makings of looking for a needle in a haystack." Snake comments, not real positive about the task at hand.
Phillip filches the peridot and another ten coins of gold from his purse and places them atop the gossamer item as paperweight. Slipping from his perch he closes "Downpayment upon the item arcane, with the completion to come nearer the close of the day." pausing a moment before explaining "One needs wait for his own agent return from market before adding enough weight to the pile. I trust this will suffice to hold them for a pass of the sun?"
Hassan's eyes glitter as he holds the peridot up in the light to examine it. "There is a gnome jeweler, name of Kemplefae. You will trust her appraisal or supply your own expert over and against her?"
Inside through whatever door presents, Gristav calls out, "Arnando! Eulalie! One for Grimas, please! I'll fetch it out, and the cup back!"
Arnando looks up in mild surprise at the hurried hail. "Aye, ale for the ferryman," he replies, filling a tankard. "And what's brought you here in such a rush that you've commandeered the bridge across the river?"
Braddon and Snake take the road north along the west bank of the Velashu, passing a blacksmith's storefront and the foul stench of a tannery among the mostly-boarded-up buildings. Arriving at the dock, neither flatboat nor ferryman is in immediate evidence, and the river is a wide and swift-flowing barrier between them and the opposite bank.
Not sure what to do, they hesitate. Both remember the river-taxi service they took from Windward District up to Devil's Fork; Braddon also remembers the exorbitant charge, although a quick trip across the harbor to the wharves shouldn't be quite so pricey. The walk uphill to the top of the ridge and then down the cliffside to the district's private dock will take a while, though.
Inside through whatever door presents, Gristav calls out, "Arnando! Eulalie! One for Grimas, please! I'll fetch it out, and the cup back!"Arnando looks up in mild surprise at the hurried hail. "Aye, ale for the ferryman," he replies, filling a tankard. "And what's brought you here in such a rush that you've commandeered the bridge across the river?"
"To meet others, here or at the dock. Since I was coming. But came to ask if you'd seen Larur, a dwarf you've seen in my company, faint of voice of late." And eventually, late of faint of voice...
"Think on it, and ask 'Lalie, would you? While I rush the drink out, and steal back?"
Given the drink, Gristav does indeed rush it to Grimas, running back inside to pay and take his answer.
Braddon calls sharply and futilely across the river.
A scowl crosses his face and he turns back to Snake.
"Fine. We'll wait. But he better hurry up if he wants my coin or I won't pay the ferryman. I won't even think twice."
Hassan's eyes glitter as he holds the peridot up in the light to examine it. "There is a gnome jeweler, name of Kemplefae. You will trust her appraisal or supply your own expert over and against her?"
Corner of his mouth still turned up in half-smile "I trust to it's worth enough to buy the time... when balance is paid it will be reclaimed and replaced with gold." pausing a moment and running a hand through his tousled locks "It was fairly won in hard labour and I've a purpose for it."
"Collateral then," Hassan concedes with some reluctance. He retrieves the locked box from beneath the counter and places the sleeves back inside, along with the gem and gold coins, before relocking it and replacing the key in his pocket.
Phillip takes his long-anticipated and newly-acquired puzzle box as he steps out into the late morning sunlight and....
Musing about what would be an appropriate next step, Phillip is cognizant that Marce would not yet have had time sufficient to work the dockfront... and that he had not an inkling of where Braddon may have gone. The weight in his hand dictates his first steps though... and he seeks his room within the gilded Goblin to safely store his puzzle-box. With a wryness to his smile he wonders if Ethel had awoken properly yet... and what price she was paying for the revelry night past.
"But came to ask if you'd seen Larur, a dwarf you've seen in my company, faint of voice of late." And eventually, late of faint of voice...
"Think on it, and ask 'Lalie, would you? While I rush the drink out, and steal back?"
Given the drink, Gristav does indeed rush it to Grimas, running back inside to pay and take his answer.
Grimas is glancing upriver impatiently already when Gristav delivers the tankard; he clearly hasn't leisure to spare.
Back inside, Arnando frowns. "Aye, Larur Felden. Used to come in here with Goldhammer's crew before he left the Forges to go into business with Old Stumpy. Haven't seen him, no. It was him you gave the bill for the spider-bite antidote? You expecting he may have come here to pay the debt? " he shouts over his shoulder. ""
"If you had, you think I'd still be here?" Eulalie answers tartly, strolling into the room in her apron. "Dwarf with a money purse turns up, I'd be halfway to Magnimar and a life of luxury by now. If the purse is heavy enough, I wouldn't even make him shave." She gives Gristav a surreptitious wink.
As Braddon scowls and turns back to Snake, the door to the cottage across the Velashu opens, and a man peeks out. "He took a fare to the Publican House!" he shouts back crossly. "Keep your shirt on!"
"If you had, you think I'd still be here?" Eulalie answers tartly, strolling into the room in her apron. "Dwarf with a money purse turns up, I'd be halfway to Magnimar and a life of luxury by now. If the purse is heavy enough, I wouldn't even make him shave." She gives Gristav a surreptitious wink.
Dutifully horrified, Gristav silently mouthes, 'Shave?!', faux-reflexively guarding his own beard. "Nor carry the purse?", he asks in rhetorical jest.
"If he hasn't paid...", Gristav pushed back more worry. "And you haven't seen him...", and again.
Laying a handful of coins on whatever handy surface, Gristav heads for Grimas, saying, "Tankard will be on the dock. Thank you."
As Braddon scowls and turns back to Snake, the door to the cottage across the Velashu opens, and a man peeks out. "He took a fare to the Publican House!" he shouts back crossly. "Keep your shirt on!"
"That was us!!" Braddon shouts back.
He mutters to Snake, "Well, he's gotta come back soon. Others will be wanting to cross too."
"Well, it's quicker walking upstream than punting a boat!" the man calls back. With a final exasperated scowl across the current, he goes back into the cottage.
"Where to now?" Grimas asks, preparing to push off with a mixture of satisfaction and resentment, as Gristav exits the tavern.
"Where to now?" Grimas asks, preparing to push off with a mixture of satisfaction and resentment, as Gristav exits the tavern.
"North to the dock on this side, please."
With a grumble, Grimas complies with Gristav's instructions, pushing away from the dock and putting his muscle into the arduous task of forcing the flat-bottomed boat upstream, fighting the current.
------------------------------
Carrying his Tien box, Phillip heads back down the street away from the arena. The position of the sun in the sky confirms his suspicion that Marce won't have been released for lunch yet; he should have plenty of time to return to his room and check on Ethel.
As he approaches the Gold Goblin, he notes that, while Piccolo, Thuvalia, and the rest of the entertainers are still out in the courtyard, Tendal is no longer in evidence. The location of the dancing floor seems to have been agreed upon as between the goblin statue and the stairs, while the musicians have claimed a space currently being roped off at the foot of the verandah. With no more than a polite but distant nod to anyone who meets his eye between the road and the casino, Phillip climbs the steps to the building and heads for the north wing.
Sighing, "Unfortunately he's probably right. It probably would be faster if we could walk it. Make yourself comfortable, bub, we could be in for a wait."
As Phillip crosses the casino floor, he can hear both voices from the courtyard and sounds from the kitchen where, it would appear, comestibles for Sunday night are already being laid in. The guest wing is quiet, however, as he passes the statue of Desna to approach his own door. Putting his hand to the latch, he finds it locked.
After Phillip taps softly at the door, it creaks open an inch through which Ethel peers out anxiously. "Oh, Phil," she gushes when she recognizes him, opening the door wide to let him inside, "I was so worried. When I woke up, I found keys on the bed with me, and I thought I remembered you saying something about lunch, but I didn't remember if you said you would be back by lunch or I should meet you somewhere for lunch or maybe you wouldn't see me at lunch at all. I haven't missed a date, have I?"
Despite Gristav's sincere offer, Grimas shows no willingness to share the job of poling the ferry upstream. "Easier to do it myself than to teach a tyro," he grumbles. "You'll get the pole stuck in the mud and get left behind in the river."
The return trip upriver is much more time-consuming than the drift down; Gristav realizes he could have stayed at the Publican for an ale and then strolled casually up the road to the dock and still have beaten the boat there. Due to the vagaries of the channel, it's not until the flatboat is nearly to its usual latitude that the two men waiting on the western bank of the river come into view.
---------------------------
Braddon and Snake wait impatiently for some time. Just about the time they've decided that Grimas and the ferry must have been sunk or floated out to sea, the boat comes into view straining around a curve. Besides the sweating ferryman, Gristav is aboard.
Braddon waves as the two approach.
He hops on to the ferry as soon as it stops and addresses Gristav.
"You got transport? When are we going? Where's Phil?"
The gushing at least banishing any thoughts that Ethel was labouring under a chronic hangover Phil smiles "No you've not missed a date, I was returning to place this in safe keeping" holding up the puzzle box and shaking it so that it rattles somewhat enticingly. He rolls on in conversation "I am glad to see you restored somewhat by the slumber, and I've had an interesting morning besides. Are you up to walking into the light?" raising an eyebrow to test if Ethel was really restored by slumber or still laboring from imbibition.
Despite Gristav's sincere offer, Grimas shows no willingness to share the job of poling the ferry upstream. "Easier to do it myself than to teach a tyro," he grumbles. "You'll get the pole stuck in the mud and get left behind in the river."
"Thank you. You certainly owed me no explanation. And worse than me, stuck, is you, adrift. Perhaps someday, with a line on the pole?"
Braddon waves as the two approach.
He hops on to the ferry as soon as it stops and addresses Gristav.
"You got transport? When are we going? Where's Phil?"
"Only this. Not yet. And, I have no idea. And Larur is missing and Arnando unpaid, which sums to Larur missing with Arnando's pay, so I no longer think we ought wonder about passage, save across this river, until we return to where we had breakfast."
"I am glad to see you restored somewhat by the slumber, and I've had an interesting morning besides. Are you up to walking into the light?"
She smiles a little wanly. "Light, I think I can handle; lunch, perhaps not. A cup of tea and some toast, maybe. Where are we headed?"
"Only this. Not yet. And, I have no idea. And Larur is missing and Arnando unpaid, which sums to Larur missing with Arnando's pay, so I no longer think we ought wonder about passage, save across this river, until we return to where we had breakfast."
Braddon frowns.
"Arnando is currently with Dayn. He didn't say anything about being owed. You don't think he'd use Dayn as a hostage, do you? Anyway, Larur will be fine. If someone ganked him, Saul would be all over it. New business, one partner vanishes, that'd be a real bad look. Saul won't be allowing that. Let's get Phil an' Lil."He pauses a second. "Good work on the short responses too. You've been working on that breifity thing."
Leaning forward to deliver a kiss to forehead, Phil moves past to secure the puzzle box in quarters. He then muses reflective before answering "I've a need to be dockside to see Marce during lunch, then I'd hoped to spend the afternoon at the Arena... though between that pair I likely need speak with Braddon... the half-elf from last night... you might not remember..." a roguish wink delivered before finishing "But we've time to linger if our intent is to meet with Marce initially."
Braddon frowns.
"Arnando is currently with Dayn. He didn't say anything about being owed. You don't think he'd use Dayn as a hostage, do you? Anyway, Larur will be fine. If someone ganked him, Saul would be all over it. New business, one partner vanishes, that'd be a real bad look. Saul won't be allowing that. Let's get Phil an' Lil."
He pauses a second. "Good work on the short responses too. You've been working on that breifity thing."
"Brevity."