"Stolen goods perhaps? Or they get these objects delivered to places that they are planning to hit, so that their supplies are already on the inside, ready for utilization?" Tendal mulls a moment. He then shrugs.
"I doubt that this will have any bearing on this evening's festivities. Additionally, this particular mystery is unlikely to spoil before the morning. I suggest that we make ready as required for our own particular duties and aptitudes."
Tendal begins walking toward the door, then stops and whirls on Gristav, "I think that you mistake my thought processes. I have every intention of returning Larur to the Gold Goblin. I believe that he provides a required balance for Mr. Vankaskerkin that is required for the appropriate operations of this facility. Without him, I do not have high hopes for this undertaking. Thus, in my mind, he needs be returned as soon as possible."
"As you say, I count myself as nobody's man, but my own. I believe that both Larur and Mr. Vankaskerkin, while not angels, are decent individuals, and deserving of support in this developing business. When I decided to become a piece to this undertaking, I did it with the understanding that Larur was going to be a part of it. It does not sit well with me that he is still absent. In fact, it is greatly concerning."
"As it appears that your investigations have advanced significantly further than my own, you may count on me for whatever is needed to rectify the situation. Please call on me as needed." Tendal finishes, makes a mocking salute with his cane and then departs, sipping from the wine glass in his hand as he returns up the stairs.
Staring in thought at the departing Tendal before eventually turning to Gristav, "Suit's gotta point. Maybe these items are for the 'inside'. Of course that would leave us with what's gonna happen when these items aren't where they're suppose to be when they're suppose to be. But, like he said, there isn't much we can do about it at this point." He shrugs, turning his attention to the exit. Taking a deep breath, "Well I've got to get back out there and face an enemy far worse than death." Snake stands there for a few moments in silence before finally taking his leave and looking for the dreaded Thuvalia.
Tendal and Snake take the stairs back to the busy main floor of the Goblin. The cooks have arrived, and the kitchen is beginning to smell strongly of spices and roasted vegetables; it's also beginning to get uncomfortably warm with all the stoves lit.
..."The fact you've got them has more than a few riled... they belong to a friend who has gone missing." pausing to smooth out his mustache before continuing.
Gesturing to Braddon "He would happily kill you, and there's another upstairs whose heart is so strained he took a break from saving orphans to give me carte blanche to do whatever I thought was necessary to you in hope of answers... but..." running a hand through his hair and subtly changing his body position to get Braddon in his peripheral to read his companion's reaction to the words that follow also "I don't think you much beyond a common thief... skilled and able surely... but your partner made a mistake when he stole those papers."
"You need to give me his name and where I can get in touch with him now he's gone to ground. It's the only way I could get his" gesturing to Braddon "knife off your throat and assuage the bleeding heart upstairs."
"Your brother did me no harm. If we find him quickly, and recover our friend, I won't get angry. But the longer it takes to find your brother, the angrier I'll get. And I'm a bounty hunter, so we will find him."
Braddon smiles sweetly for a moment, then becomes stern.
"You said if I was smart you'd be dead. If we think you're useful, I'll stay my hand. But if they give you back to me, you will die. But not quickly. Believe me, I'm happy to take my time about it. And a strong guy like you could take weeks to die. You may even get to hear what happens when we find your brother..."
Braddon grins unpleasantly and fingers one of his daggers.
Alone with his thoughts..., he mocked himself.
Gristav lingered in the cellar, beside the ladder/bridge, pondering but not looking again at the clouded insect imprint. But the impulse against inertia was everpresent, and beside his brow itched, and his touch there came away red...
Yes. Still roughened. Had that been the bricks? He thought it had. To his room, and a mirror, and what repairs might be made, cleaning be done?
No, not yet. He owed some report to Saul, who had as much to worry on as Gristav himself, though from which side... And never where there only ever two, sides...
In the kitchens, the heat was oppressive, but he resisted the urge to icemake, not without leave from some chef du cuisine even du jour, they didn't need him in their workspace. He'd be sure to offer ice; the chopping of it might be therapeutic, cathartic...
Perhaps after words with Saul.
Tendal and Snake emerge onto the casino floor, which is still bustling with action. The barkeep Covey Smith has arrived and is tallying up his stock behind the bar. Outside the front doors, snatches of Varisian music and Thuvalia's shrill voice alternatingly overpower each other.
A few moments behind them, Gristav ascends from the basement and sidesteps the kitchen help on his way to the stairs up to the second story. Entering the owner's suite, he finds the door to Saul's office closed.
Cringing a bit at the sound of Thuvalia's voice, Snake takes a deep breath. "Good times," he says, the sarcasm evident.
Heading over to her, "Hey, princess, how's it going?"
Tendal watched bemusedly as Snake wandered off to bother Thuvalia, Tendal sat down a the bar and listened to the activity outside as he sipped his wine.
"Ready for the evening?" Tendal says absently to the barkeep working behind the bar.
Gristav ascends from the basement and sidesteps the kitchen help on his way to the stairs up to the second story. Entering the owner's suite, he finds the door to Saul's office closed.
Standing before the door, Gristav pauses, and sighs, his staff, poised to knock, the only thing stout about his posture. Hello, crimelord blaming me for your partner's doubts and absence, he imagined himself greeting tiredly, He's still lost, but his papers, still sealed, are secured, and secreted. No, I shan't share them. No, I don't know more. Phillip might, soon... he'll make a report...
And you'd rather that.
Standing more straight, Gris allowed a moment's reflection, arrived at the same thought, Phillip will make a report, then shifted his weight to turn, but paused again.
His report. It's not his burden to report the battle.
Sighing again, Gristav knocked, a doubled rap of his staff's head on the door, and a firm return of the foot to the floor. (Having only accidentally lingered in earshot of the door beforehand...)
"Ready for the evening?" Tendal says absently to the barkeep working behind the bar.
"Aye," the peg-legged man answers chipperly, "ready as a bloke can be 'round these parts. I hope there'll be no staff robbing the customers or crates with giant spiders in them this night." His chuckle keeps the comment from sounding too foreboding.
Snake, in the meantime, heads out the open doors and down the steps from the verandah.
Heading over to her, "Hey, princess, how's it going?"
"Where have you been?" she demands imperiously.
Hesitating outside Saul's office door, Gristav hears the muffled sound of men's voices, sharp and argumentative in tone, but he can't make out any of the words exchanged. As his staff's brief tattoo sounds, the voices immediately fall silent. A moment later, the door cracks open a few inches, and Bojasc's sullen face peers through the gap. "What is it?"
"You'll never find him anyway... a halfling with no name... you couldn't have got a good look at him...." He seems trying to convince himself as much as the half-elf.
"I didn't get the best look at him," Braddon admits. "Neither did the other guys. But together we can place him. The guy you robbed, other targets... we can put the pieces together. And you guys were quite set up in that little location. People saw you. People know. People talk. And there are other ways... monkeys are memorable. And you had some nice daggers there too. If you got 'em in Riddleport we'll find the the seller pretty easy. And you need to fence your stuff. Fences talk for the right price. If worst comes to worst, we put out word we have you and let him come to us."
Braddon shrugs non-commitally."But I don't wanna give away all my secrets. Liam's brother with the monkey. Like that's gonna be hard. We'll find him eventually but we're in a rush. So here's the deal. We're looking for a friend. His papers were in your stash. Every day I spend searching for your brother, I'm gonna cut your finger off, starting with your thumb, 'cause you really were good with those knives. Then when I catch your brother, I'm gonna do the same to him. Then I'll cut you both up until someone cracks and tells me how do I find my friend!"
"Where have you been?" she demands imperiously.
"Sorry. Been busy," Snake responds in a calm and collected manner. "Done now so what do ya need?"
Hesitating outside Saul's office door, Gristav hears the muffled sound of men's voices, sharp and argumentative in tone, but he can't make out any of the words exchanged. As his staff's brief tattoo sounds, the voices immediately fall silent. A moment later, the door cracks open a few inches, and Bojasc's sullen face peers through the gap. "What is it?"
"Words with Saul. For Saul. Take a breather. He doesn't fear me, and I'll do your part for a quarter-hour or so. Take a turn downstairs, see the new talent, perhaps. Saul will need to meet them, that's deserved, and you'll want to know the faces, yes? Do remember to look at the faces...", Gristav says in faintly suggestive conspiracy.
Tendal smiles faintly. "No, I expect it is far to gauche to simply replicate a previous incident. More likely a herd of swine will stampede through the casino, or all the chips will suddenly animate and start telling their owners that they have a gambling problem." Tendal says, his thoughts wandering.
"I certainly hope that this evening passes quietly..."
Tendal smiles faintly. "No, I expect it is far too gauche to simply replicate a previous incident. More likely a herd of swine will stampede through the casino, or all the chips will suddenly animate and start telling their owners that they have a gambling problem." Tendal says, his thoughts wandering.
"Heh, that'd be a sight to see," Covey answers with a short laugh. "Course, that'd mean Old ... I mean, Mr. Vankaskerkin had Elias Tammerhawk against him, and if that happened, he might as well hang it up. There's not a soul in the 'port that'd cross Tammerhawk, outside Maskyr's Island."
"Sorry. Been busy," Snake responds in a calm and collected manner. "Done now so what do ya need?"
"'Busy?'" I have been insulted; I have been manhandled! That stuffed shirt who has inveigled his way into Mr. Vankaskerkin's good graces, he evicted the talent from the interior out into this outlandish pavilion! I am surprised it has not yet tumbled onto our heads."
"Words with Saul. For Saul. Take a breather. He doesn't fear me, and I'll do your part for a quarter-hour or so. Take a turn downstairs, see the new talent, perhaps. Saul will need to meet them, that's deserved, and you'll want to know the faces, yes? Do remember to look at the faces...", Gristav says in faintly suggestive conspiracy.
The Varisian grins unpleasantly. "Known you less than a week. A man will lie low and play nice longer than that for a chance to kill a mark once he's gained his trust." He swings the door open wider. "Come in and have your words, but I won't be leaving my post, not on your say-so."
Past Bojasc, Gristav can see Saul sitting at his desk, looking on with a frown.
"Look," he pleads, "if my brother lifted those papers, that's all he did. He's not a killer. Hells, we haven't killed anyone we robbed. It's a simple mugging, lifting a little extra off folks going to see the alchemist. They're always carrying a heavy purse to pay the dwarf. He wouldn't have any idea where your friend went afterward; he'd just take the papers and run."
Braddon sneers. "And then our friend just happens to go missing? That's a brave story to gamble some fingers on. We still need to know when and where this happened and if it really was our friend, but I'll be fair. Tell us where your brother is and if his story matches yours then you can both keep your fingers. It's our friend we're after."
"Known you less than a week. A man will lie low and play nice longer than that for a chance to kill a mark once he's gained his trust." He swings the door open wider. "Come in and have your words, but I won't be leaving my post, not on your say-so."
Past Bojasc, Gristav can see Saul sitting at his desk, looking on with a frown.
"A surprisingly insightful wisdom from what had seemed the simian silent type.", Gristav says, not entering. "I can hardly track your trail... I befriended Larur these years past so I might end Saul? I've risked and ridden and robbed and riddled, been poisoned and precipitated, perjuried and penuried, for your trust? Which I've not yet earned? More fool, I! With so many chairs about, too, I might have even sat one all day, or found a door to growl from behind, arguing with and making decisions for my master. Alas, I never was a man of wisdom. Fool me, taking the air about town, when I could have remained here, taking airs above my station."
"You've misread the question, Bojasc. I said I've words, for Saul. If you won't allow them..."
Gristav gives Saul a sympathetic glance, and leaves, raising his voice to be heard as he sings, descending the stairs, "Tied a 'tater, to a tree... Could not make it, apple be..."
"I'm not responsible for every man I rob," he spits back. "We don't exchange Loyalty Day cards or meet for drinks so I can keep tabs on them. With Otsk dead and me dead ... far as he knows ... he might have watched you leave and gone back for our belongings. After that, if he did as I advised, he'd have headed for the harbor and hopped the first ship weighing anchor, look to start over somewhere else. Riddleport's no place for a halfling alone."
"Well, we'd better rush for the harbour so we can save your thumb. Anything else you can think of to make sure he co-operates? You sound like the sort of person who'll be upset if I start taking off fingers because he does something stupid."
Braddon holsters his dagger and rises. He looks to Phillip and pauses for any last words.
"'Busy?'" I have been insulted; I have been manhandled! That stuffed shirt who has inveigled his way into Mr. Vankaskerkin's good graces, he evicted the talent from the interior out into this outlandish pavilion! I am surprised it has not yet tumbled onto our heads."
Looking around curiously, "You mean the guy in the suit? Well... I'm not real sure how I can fix that for you. I've got no power in this place." He shrugs.
"You've misread the question, Bojasc. I said I've words, for Saul. If you won't allow them..."
Gristav gives Saul a sympathetic glance, and leaves, raising his voice to be heard as he sings, descending the stairs, "Tied a 'tater, to a tree... Could not make it, apple be..."
"Wait," Saul calls after Gristav as he turns to depart. "You speak Elven? Because Bojasc doesn't. If there's something you need to tell me you don't want him overhearing, tell me in Elven, and you'll both be doing your jobs."
Braddon glances over at their captive as he heads for the exit.
"And you know, if we don't find him, I get revenge on loser there so he'll never wield a dagger against me again."
"Wait," Saul calls after Gristav as he turns to depart. "You speak Elven? Because Bojasc doesn't. If there's something you need to tell me you don't want him overhearing, tell me in Elven, and you'll both be doing your jobs."
Returning to the doorway, Gristav says, "Mi aŭdis vin argumentante dum mi proksimiĝis. Mi volis sia foresto do mi estus konvinkita ke ĉiuj estas bone, ne estis pri kio mi volis diri, sed pri kio vi eble volis diri, sed estis nekapabla. Mi mi ne trankviligis li ne povas elfa cant; ĝis aŭdante la argumento, mi ne estis certa ke li povis paroli. Ho, kaj mi ne super aŭdas, mi ricevis nur du voĉojn, sed nulo vortoj, kiel mi staris antaux la pordo kaj punkte, tedi vin, aŭ ne? ".
"Mi alportas vorton de alia batalo via trupoj estis en, duono viro prenita, alia duono elvenus, kaj trovis inter liaj aĵoj, pruvo ili estus renkontita vian partneron, ĉar li forlasis tie. Via duono viro povus esti farante malpli de ilia, kiel ni parolas. vi povus atendi raporton pri tio, sed mi ne kredas ke neniu alia decidis sciigi vin pri la batalo, aŭ la nova espero. mi sentis ke vi havis rajton al tio. Tiuj . Ĉiu.
"Se vi iam devus bezoni min, rekupero, insultas mian barbon kaj brovojn, kaj mi prenos ĝin kiel peto."
"I bring word of another battle your troops have been in, a half a man taken, another half got away, and found among their things, proof they'd encountered your partner, since he left here. Your half a man might be making less of theirs, as we speak. You might expect a report of that, but I didn't think any other would apprise you of the battle, or the new hope. And I felt you had a right to that. Those. Each."
"If you ever should need of me, rescue, insult my beard and brow, and I shall take it as a request."
Sighing as he shrugs his shoulders "Your man, your choice. But if you're looking to go direct then you've no need of me and I've other items I could attend." leaving the final lay to the half-elf.
Braddon waggles his fingers in a manner completely unlike spellcasting and departs.
Looking around curiously, "You mean the guy in the suit? Well... I'm not real sure how I can fix that for you. I've got no power in this place." He shrugs.
"Who does?" she asks in a conspiratorial undertone.
Returning to the doorway, Gristav says, "Mi aŭdis vin argumentante dum mi proksimiĝis. Mi volis sia foresto do mi estus konvinkita ke ĉiuj estas bone, ne estis pri kio mi volis diri, sed pri kio vi eble volis diri, sed estis nekapabla. Mi mi ne trankviligis li ne povas elfa cant; ĝis aŭdante la argumento, mi ne estis certa ke li povis paroli. Ho, kaj mi ne super aŭdas, mi ricevis nur du voĉojn, sed nulo vortoj, kiel mi staris antaux la pordo kaj punkte, tedi vin, aŭ ne? ".
"Mi alportas vorton de alia batalo via trupoj estis en, duono viro prenita, alia duono elvenus, kaj trovis inter liaj aĵoj, pruvo ili estus renkontita vian partneron, ĉar li forlasis tie. Via duono viro povus esti farante malpli de ilia, kiel ni parolas. vi povus atendi raporton pri tio, sed mi ne kredas ke neniu alia decidis sciigi vin pri la batalo, aŭ la nova espero. mi sentis ke vi havis rajton al tio. Tiuj . Ĉiu.
"Se vi iam devus bezoni min, rekupero, insultas mian barbon kaj brovojn, kaj mi prenos ĝin kiel peto."
Saul listens with equanimity. "Proof? What, and where was it found?"
Braddon climbs the stairs to the less-subterranean basement level and finds the wine cellar abandoned. He continues up to the ground floor on his quest to find Snake. The kitchen is full of cooks and the casino floor, of workers. Tendal is seated at the bar, and Covey Smith, the peglegged barkeep, is behind it.
Easily distracted, Braddon heads for Tendal and Covey and orders a drink.
"Gimme a shot of your best."