As Sorrin and Chell approach a male elf and his companions all stand to you. "Thank you for stopping by. Are you by chance the people who captured that wretched gnoll?" He motions for you to sit at his table. "Please please how about a nice goblet of Crimmeran red from my homeland. "Do forgive my rudeness I am Viscount Senegar Deepwarder."
Sorrin bows his head in respect. I would love a glass, if I drank at all... Please take no offense.
What is your relationship to this gnoll, so I know with whom I may sit?
Torgue enters the room and notices the minotaurs and their very sharp horns.
I can take them.
He waits for Embri to kick things off since she is the charmer.
Viscount Deepwarder explains his situation:
“My ring was nabbed by a pickpocket. The Dragoons in turn nabbed the culprit as he fled, but the beastly little urchin dropped my signet down a sewer grate when they knocked him to the ground. I’m told the shaft the ring plummeted down is quite deep and located far below the city. It is too narrow to crawl down, so I will need you to get into the sewers and recover the ring for me.”
He lowers his voice, "I need to warn you that entry to the sewers is illegal, so they should be careful not to get caught, as I would not like to make any waves with Gregory Bonedeuce or the Dragoons. Besides I see you are the Commandant's guests. Of course, I'd compensate you for your trouble."
Since she is actually wearing a dress on this occasion, Bri will manage a little curtsey towards the gentleman as she checks out the minotaur guards.
"Pleasure to meet you sir. May we ask why our presence was requested?"
Neither of us is exactly famous, and what would someone want with just the two of us and not the rest of the group?
"No thank you. I have had enough for tonight," Chell says as politely as she can. As she hears his tale it is difficult to keep the annoyance off her face. She was missing Astrianna's playing for this? A lost trinket.
"Sir? You mean to tell me you would like us, the ones that captured a smuggler and slaver at the behest of the Dragoons, to go against them and the law to find a ring a in a sewer?" she asks trying to make it sound as ridiculous as possible. "Instead of bemoaning a trinket maybe you should bemoan the reason behind it. Did you ever consider the beastly urchin's situation? Forced to steal just to feed himself and possibly loved ones? Living on either the generosity, which I see little of here, or oblivious nature of others. Have you ever been hungry? It isn't pleasant and I can tell you it will drive the sanest person to doing the worst things. I once saw a man so hungry he ate his own toes. Can you even comprehend how crazy hungry you'd have to be even consider that an option?" She let's the image simmer for a moment before releasing him from its horrifying implications.
"You were not just wronged by a child. They are a product of this society. As long as there are people going hungry, they will do whatever they can to survive. I don't know what the penalty is for stealing but that child had nothing. And now they are probably siting in jail cell or dead. I am sorry for your loss but consider this. At least you have something to loose." She parts ways with him and sits back at here table were their is good food and good music, and appreciates the reminder of how lucky she is.
[oov]That sound you here is Chell's big brass balls clanging away.[/ooc]
She's absolutely right, she's had enough for tonight. Quell on the... inside. Often she is simply possessed... in the moment, if you catch my meaning.
I am delighted you thought of us as capable enough to assist in your time of need, Viscount. Your... discretion is also immensely appreciated. Just yesterday, I was asking our elven colleague to teach me the ever so beautiful language of Kyonin. One can hardly avoid appreciating its subtleties.
Sorrin indicates Cireladwen, as he looks back and appreciates... her subtleties and tries to breathe calmly.
Where are you staying, Sir? And, for how long?
I assure you, I will be in touch. Ni 'lassui. Sorrin hoped he'd gotten it right.
The viscount is taken aback by the Priestess comment. "I'm sorry to offend."
He gathers himself once Sorrin responds to him, "Subtleties are appreciated." He blinks a few times and provides you the address to his home in the Jade district.
Sorrin ibn Sabbah, at your service.
May I ask what interests you may have in Port Shaw? Perhaps after this ring situation is settled, other business may be discussed. Opportunities may arise for each of us.
The Viscount replies, "I am Crimmeran and I represent the elven interest in Port Shaw." It is pretty clear he is an elf diplomat.
Hargrove is a rail-thin man in his early sixties. "Sir and Madam" his slow measured drawl responds to the introduction. "I'm keeping you from your friends but..." he motions to a waiter to pour three glasses of cognac. "I've heard what you did with the gnoll a few days ago. Impressive." He waits till everyone is served the cognac.
"I thought with the gnoll's questioning there would be some answers about missing children from my plantation. Apparently he was not behind all the disappearances though. That distresses me, greatly."
"Sir, Madam do I have your attention?'
The crowd claps politely to the fidling, but as they drink more they want more lively fiddling. A few people get up to dance.
The Commandant pace picks up as he immediately transitions into a quick tempo tune. As he uses the fiddle like guitar. "Keep up."
Astrianna is startled by the Commandant's sudden increase in tempo. Her chin pressed against the wood and she doesn't stop to comment, but thinks Trying to lose me? I don't think so. The bard immediately starts sawing away with the ferocity of an enraged owlbear, the air almost shimmering with her fiery, soulful fiddling. The Commandant's technique and mastery of the instrument was impressive, but the novelty of his plucking could not match the complexity of her melody.
"Yes sir, you have our attention."
Missing children? Eaten by the gnoll's menagerie perhaps?
Torgue downs his cognac. Hmm..Embri, did we see any youths at the beach? This does have my attention in fact.
"Well the inquisitor has plucked the gnoll clean and to my surprise, none of the captives were form my plantation." he seems concerned. "These children and their parents are faithful servants...working and learning to farm. Once their time has been served I offer each a plot of their own to harvest."
He sips some of his cognac, the smooth velvety apricot taste clinging to his breath. "Frankly, I'm will to pay you 500 gold to investigate this matter." The shrewd penny-pinching attitude raises to the surface.
"I've had several of my workers disappeared over the past couple of weeks — many of them youngsters. I thought Bonegnaw was behind this but apparently not. No tracks have been left and although a few of my overseers went out with hounds, they found nothing." He pauses then continues, "However, up until two days ago attacks have been occurring nightly, he reasons therefore that the attacker must be local and the proximity of his lands to Blacksink Marsh spawns suspicions of gator-men behind the attacks."
"Don't get me wrong I'm happy that the attacks have suddenly stopped, but I can’t help wondering why, and if they might just as easily begin again. I don't like surprises. I want to find the source of these disappearances and pull it out by the roots. That is where you come in."
"If you are still interested let me know now, I'll be expecting you to come out to the plantation the day after tomorrow I'm sure you want to question the crew I sent out to track. That should give you time to clean up schedule. Do you agree."
Many members of the crowd get up stomping and dancing to the up tempo song. The Commandant raises an eyebrow to Astri's fiery bow. 'so you want it under my chin do you....keep up."
*Really!!!
One of his strings appear slightly loose from his plucking.
She's good...perhaps...
Astrianna simply smiles at the Commandant as she keeps up with him, already proud of herself for matching one of the best fiddlers in Port. She is a bit worried when he starts to play properly, anticipating he would simply blow her away...
...but she keeps up with the next song by concentrating on the fast-paced rhythm and anticipating his chords. Something seems.... off... in the Commandant's playing.
The half-elf takes her chin off for just a moment, pushing the bridge back to hold her instrument steady against her shoulder while she slides a long note. "Your D string is loose." She comments quickly, before putting her chin back down and resuming the fast-paced music.
"You do sound as if you have quite the mystery going on. I find myself interested in discovering what's going on."
I think we will need to do some research on this Blacksink Marsh place.
"So why don't you come up to the plantation day after tomorrow and you can have a look around." He clearly is not use to individual's saying no to him.
He makes a small adjustment to his D string and nods. when the song is over he says, "Let's play one more and light this place up."
I was lucky she twanged that last cord.
he begins to saw furiously on his fiddle.
The pace is so fast and complicated, it appears as if his fiddle is ablaze. The entire crowd is hooting and stamping tot he beat.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♫"The devil opened up his case and he said: "I'll start this show." And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow.
And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss.
Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.
When the devil finished, Astri said: "Well you're pretty good ol' son.
"But sit down in that chair, right there, and let me show you how its done."♫♪ ♪ ♪ ♫
Astrianna nods at his request for one more sing, the bard picking loose hairs off of her bow and discarding them.
When they start she is blown away by the Commandant's incredible fiddling. By Shelyn, I have never heard anything like this! She does her best to keep up...
But it's all she can do to just to keep her notes straight at this speed, her shoulder and wrists cramping from the constant rapid movements. The bard ends up backing off and playing a harmony and keeping time to accentuate the Commandant's soul-moving stringwork.
Chell sits at the table, clapping her hands and tapping her feet to the music. They were right. Bonedeuce was a master of the fiddle.
The song ends to much clamor, the Commandant smiles, "Well done well done."
Several people in the crowd place coin in the Astri's fiddle case, while offering their thanks. You noticed that nobody dared to put a coin in the Commandant's case.
"So I was thinking would you like to join me at my home for a nightcap. My carriage is just outside."
I believe that we can make it to your plantation, we will speak with our friends since the good Lady Astrianna has good investigative skills that will be valuable for our job.
The gentleman who brought you to the Hargrove opens the door to show you out. "Good evening." He states as he closes the door once the two adventurers depart the room.
Astrianna bows to the crowd, beeming at their praise. She was proud of herself for keeping up with the Conmandant and making a splash.
Her eyebrows raise at the money put in her case- Now THIS is how you make money!
She grins at Boneduece's suggestion. "Absolutely! If you weren't going to ask, I certainly was." She will put away her fiddle, gather her belongings from Torgue and say farewell to the group.
Sorrin approaches the merchant from his homeland.
Torgue walks out and when Astri is done with her playing he waves her over. Fellow named Hargrove heard about us dealing with the gnoll and wants us to come to his plantation to check about some missing kids. Day after tomorrow.
"Aaaaah, it's the missing prince." His retinue number 8, several are armed, and you know there is spellcaster in the group. "You may not remember me but I had business with both your esteemed father and gracious uncle in the past. My name is Al 'Nicu Leusi from the of Luesi." He motions for you to sit down and join him.
As to prince, I've long ago left that title... And, as to missing, well no matter where I go... There I am.
A thousand greetings and may The Dawnflower keep you.. Sorrin takes in the entourage.
Eight, some world say is an auspicious number. The ex-prince takes the offered seat.
"What brings you to this cesspool? Spice, Ambergis (substance from intestine of sperm whales used for perfume), Green tea, and Kava root for us. I've three ships with me and we are being plundered for our desires by the locals."
Torgue does mutter to Embri and Chell when he can. If Astri heads off to get boned, then that really puts us on the spot in regards to the Barnacle and Garreg.
Of late, I've been keeping busy with some drug running, kidnapping, slave trade... The day is not long enough. But, a young man's got to eat.
Three ships, most impressive... May you soon have four and then five. Sorrin smiles.
"You've a bit of your father in you after all...his mind is still addled with pollution." He nods in agreement, "A fleet at least."
What banner would you fly? Are your three fighters, runners or freighters?
My father had always made his own way, he will find his way out of the fog, himself... or never leave. But, is there something I could help you with while you are in port?
"I fly the golden key, I'm a simple merchant." He show your the palms of his hands. 'So is our meeting something you do not want known or should I yell it form the top of MT Kolomosis when I get home."
Abadar
It has been years. Do you think there are any who still care or even remember?
I will fly The Osprey. A stylized raptor against a sun disc above the water.
You may tell whom you wish, how you wish. If you can profit from the information, all the better. Abadar be praised.
But, have a care as there are those who may kill any who have been in contact with me.
"That is a fine banner. I'm a simple merchant, looking only to provide for my family. I'm always walking a 6 inch line between adversaries, but here I am sitting here at the Kraken Gullet."
If you would do me the honor of passing interesting local information, you happen upon...
I would appreciate it greatly and gladly pay for it commensurate with how it pans out.
Thank you for inviting me to sit. Standing, Sorrin takes the man's hands into his own, shaking them respectfully.
"'ware the Red Brotherhood, my friend for the bounty is high." He shakes your hand.
The commandant carefully places his fiddle back into it's case, "I underestimated your talents, I left concerto at home, I won't make that mistake a second time." He takes Astri's hand. "I do hope you don't need to be anywhere in the early morning, I fear we will be tuckered out." He winks.