Rutter accompanies Neva closely, the better to give her a tug and whisper any questions to bring up that may occur to him during her conversation.
He gives a respectful bow to the gentleman in the makeshift throne, hoping the others follow his lead.
Copper follows Rutter's lead with the bow. He stands just behind and to the right of Neva.
Felgar bows to no one, just stays near to Neva with a stoic expression and his arms crossed.
Neva did her best not to shudder as she looked at the spiders, trying to keep focused on Devargo and their mission.
"If I had wanted Madame Halvara, I'd have gone to her. What I want is information, and for that I've come to you." At this she jingled her purse...and was suddenly seized by a fear that it would fall to the floor and spill the coins on the floor and she'd be set upon by the spiders.
Keep breathing! she admonished herself.
She narrowed her eyes, hoping to look impressive. "Amprei. Tell me all you know of him. I'll go away happy and you'll make the easiest two hundred and fifty gold pieces of the night."
I'll try to engage him in bargaining over scuttlebutt on Amprei for the course of a minute or two.
Diplomacy
Woot!
Devargo chuckles, but it is not the sinister chuckle of a man with ill intent. No, his chuckle is just shy of an amused laugh. "I like your bravado, Lady. There's no room for bandied words and mental power plays. You come in here, tell me what it is you want from me, and punctuate it with the sound of coin. I have the information you seek, I keep it down in my quarters." He indicates the doorway that the stairs can be seen behind, "But, I'm not sure you added enough punctuation to your request. Time is money, as they say, and you are taking a fair amount of my money away the longer I have to deal with you." He looks you in the eye with a strong gaze, before his eyes dart to your coin pouch, directing your attention there as well.
Pravlox watches the discussion quietly, having little to offer other than his continued act as a servant.
Felgar eyes the stairs where the attention of the speakers are focused, and he thumbs his Axe.
"My companions will count out your payment while you retrieve the information from your quarters. And I've enjoyed your manner of business as well, Devargo: quick and shrewd."
With that she hands her purse to Felgar, expecting him to take it from her.
Gray Lady, see me through this and I'll tend two dozen graves this week, I promise.
Devargo interrupts as Neva hands the coins to the dwarf, "Not so fast there lady, that purse looks a little light. I heard your offer, but it doesn't quite compensate me for my time. You should add some weight to it, with the amount of help you have with you, I'm certain you can handle it." He demands
Felgar takes the purse from Neva and begins to secure it on his person when he hears Devargo's request. He simply holds the purse for a moment and looks inquiringly at Neva.
Well, are we ponyin' up more coin? We be havin' enuff...
Neva, in mild exasperation, waved an arm around to encompass the throne room, Devargo's guards and the other ships beyond the hull. "And with this much help one wonders why you would bother arguing over such minor sums!"
She walked slowly over to the tired-looking purple dragon in its iron cage and eyed the beast carefully. Sighing and shaking her head in resignation, she continued. "But so be it. Put a price on the time you would have otherwise spent sitting here engaged in no business whatsoever."
Say less than a thousand, say less than a thousand! she willed fervently, trying to stay focused on the dragon.
The small dragon eyes you pleadingly, pain and sadness worn on its face like a mask, you think you even hear it speak, but it didn't even move.
*Can you help me?*
Your attention is drawn back to Devargo as he laughs, the loud, cruel laugh of someone who enjoys causing others pain. "Name my price, you say? With the way you come in here barking exactly what you want, and how much you will pay for it, I think you know just how much you can spend, and two-fifty is just the base." He laughs again, "You want me to put a price on my time? Well, my price is six-hundred gold." He thinks for a little bit, before adding "Tell me who you're working for, and why they want Amprei, and I'll settle for four."
Neva stifled a small gasp of compassion at the dragon's whisper. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what to do, all the while trying to gauge the tenor and nuance of Devargo's words.
She let him finish his offer and took a few moments to breath and focus. She tried to weigh the stakes and options: her friends, Croft's mission, the tormented creature.
Deciding on a tactic, she turned back to Devargo. She pretended that he was a copper-pinching father attending the birth of his first son, and had brought her an old dirty towel for swaddling. Shaking her head sadly, and sighing, she spoke.
"And you have given me your base AND your range, Devargo, and used up even more of your precious time as well."
Standing up to her full height and using a tone appropriate for a deal completed, she continued, "I will give you the six hundred. However, I also desire this wretched creature in its cage", and at this she dismissively waved at the dragon. "It's pallid look cheers me, and your gift of it would place me in a favorable mood for any future negotiations we might have."
She turned back to examine the dragon as if was a piece of sculpture in a noble house's entry hall. Meanwhile, her heart beat in her chest as if it was fit to burst.
Felgar casually hands the purse back to Neva before striking his stoic pose of discontent.
As you speak the eyes of the creature light up. You are startled, however, by the sudden and loud, sardonic laugh issued by Devargo. At his full bodied laughter, the thugs around the room join in, though some clearly look as if they have no idea what is so funny and just want to not be left out. Once he calms enough to speak, Devargo replies "I'll sell you the papers for the agreed on price of six-hundred, but I'll not let the dragon himself go for a sum any less than five-hundred.... PLATINUM!" he continues to laugh, wiping his eyes, as he steps up from his throne and heads for the stairs. "I'll get your precious blackmail, best have your coin sorted and ready when I return." As he leaves the disheartened dragon stares daggers at his back, but curls back up and lays his head back down in self-defeat.
Copper stands quietly by Neva's side, looking about the room over the guards, trying to keep as many of them in sight as possible. He does his best not to react to the sum of six hundred gold being asked for and given, as well as the request for the dragon.
What possible reason could she have for asking for the dragon?
"Count the coin, please dwarf" Neva said feighning disinterest and refusing the proffered pouch. As Devargo left she turned back to examine the dragon. Whispering in her softest voice she asked for its story.
Felgar walks close to Neva and says in a low grumble,
I be havin' a name, woman.
He turns on his heel and approaches to stand near Copper. Felgar counts out the 600GP, and hands the remaining gold to Copper. Felgar holds the 600GP in a sack in one hand while the other fingers his Axe handle in anticipation of the return of Devargo.
Devargo returns up the stairs, and plops himself into his makeshift throne. He looks at one of the thugs to the side, then to the bag. The thug nods in affirmation. At this point Devargo pulls a stack of letters from inside his coat, holding them forward in his outstretched hand, as he motions for the bag of coin to be brought to him. "These should be all you need to truly ruin the man Amprei. Do not take advantage of my good graces, after this we are done, and I expect you to leave Eel's End." He lazily drapes one leg over the arm of his chair, and props himself in the opposite corner ofthe seat, looking like a bored child.
Felgar gestures towards the letters and looks to Neva.
Mi' lady, you be needin' to see those before I turn over the gold?
Neva held up her hand to the cage, her last two fingers pointing up and the first two pressed tightly into her palm by the thumb. Common at times of loss, it was Pharasma's sign for "hope in a time of pain."
With that, she masked her sorrow and turned back to Felgar. [b]"No, I will not need to read them here. Our host will not want any further interruptions of his busy schedule and therefore has done as he's promised."[b]
Desperate now to leave and apologize to her companions for her adopted persona, she turned to the door.
Felgar nods and approaches Devargo, taking the letters and handing over the 600GP.
Pleasure doin' busness with ya.
Felgar turns on his heel and walks out after Neva, motioning the others to follow.
Rutter waited till they left the Eel's End docks. "Well played, Neva, though you had me worried, bothering with the dragon. Let's head to homebase to see what these papers reveal."
"That poor creature. It looked so miserable, I thought I'd give it a try. I don't like that I left it behind."
"And I'm sorry to everyone for the act, especially you Felgar."
Understood Neva, no offense be takin'. Let's be seein' what we got, eh?
"Yes, good work." Copper says after they leave the pier behind. At least the bag of coin is lighter now. Ooomph!
"Aye, good work. That could have gone much worse." Pravlox comments he once again summons Rex.
Upon looking at the contents of the letters, you find that they are correspondance, somewhat explicit in nature, between Ambassador Amprei and what appears to be a Chelaxian noblewoman. Considering that Devargo was able to keep Amprei on a string while he had the letters, their contents must be damning enough that Amprei didn't go to the authorities over their theft.
You guys manage to make your way out of Old Korvosa unmolested, and are on the path toward returning to the Citadel. Walking past a tavern that appears to be bustling with activity, the door opens as tough evicts one of its patrons. Shoving the man out into the street roughly, causing him to fall to his hands and knees, where he proceeds to vomit wetly the alcohol that may be his stomach's only contents.
"Ye've had yer warning, yuir not welcome back til ye learn how ta act proper!" The thug yells as he dusts his hands and reenters the bar, closing the door behind him.
The drunk wipes his mouth with his sleeve and gets to his feet just in time to see your group approach. Looking at you with attempted scrutiny, his face becomes over animated with surprise. He looks at Copper, before declaring "Neffi! Well I'll be shtufft, whud are yew duin thith far froom Sanpoyn? Yew run oudda leddies to sharm ouda thier pans bak home, come to take aw the ones here?" He chuckles as he walks toward Copper arms outstretched and wraps one around his shoulder. The smell of old sweat and ale oozes off of him in waves. He looks as if he hasn't shaved or changed his clothes in several days. "C'monin lemmie buy yew an yer frens a dring." he starts to lead you toward the tavern from which he was just forcibly removed.
Felgar steps up behind the drunk, and he lays a firm hand on his shoulder, physically holding him in place.
You be knowin this gent, Copper?
Fairly certain that Felgar has the man restrained well enough, Copper walks up to the drunkard, straightening the man's collar and pulling at a few edges of his shirt to make him appear a bit more presentable. He says to the man"Friend, I think you have me confused with someone else. I am not 'Neffi', nor do I know who that is. I suggest you go home and sleep for awhile. Trust me." Copper says, glancing back towards the tavern the man was thrown from, "You'll thank me in the morning."
With that, he turns back to the way they had been walking, and motions for Felgar to let the man go. When they get out of range, Copper tells the dwarf, "I dont think he meant any harm. Likely he just had a few too many to drink. And then several after that."
Looked that way to me too...just makin' sure we had everythin' in hand. Just to be sure, I would check me purse to make sure. I be seein' worse pranks in me time.
Pravlox just shakes his head, having seen this particular scene repeatedly in his short life.
"Is there any angle we can play to get more from these letters? Maybe we can give enough to Cressida that implicate Amprei, and use a few of the others to get some coin from the noblewoman if she lives here? I wonder if she's married..."
Neva noticed Copper struggling to place the drunkard and perhaps recall this bar. "The Lady remembers all, Copper. Let her help you."
With that she places a hand on his shoulder and whispers a short prayer.
Copper scours his memories for a few seconds longer, before giving up in frustration, "Nope, pretty sure I dont know him at all. It's probably not important anyway."
At Copper's refusal the man seems quickly crestfallen, "Ah, you're right Neffi. Nothin is mportnt neemore." He leans his back against the side of a building, and slowly slides down to a sitting position, his arms on his knees. "The king is dead, and Korvosa wih soon folluh. I just wish we all could go to sleep and wake from this nightmare. You go on, have fun while you can. I'll be fine"
Something about the man's response triggers something inside Pravlox that he didn't even know existed, pity and concern. He looks puzzled for a second, trying to figure out where these new emotions are coming from, wondering if the cleric is secretly doing something to him without him realizing it, or perhaps Rex's words are starting to sink in; either way, he isn't quite sure how to react to them. "Now, now, good sir, I would agree that Korvosa is far from being stable, but I haven't seen anything that would suggest it's likely to fall just because the king is dead. Rulers come and go all the time; it's part of the natural process." He comments cheerfully as he sits down by the man.
Felgar just shakes his head as he views the scene of sympathy for the drunken idiot!
Should we not be movin' along? Stoppin' for every stray in this chaos is not bein' vera smart.
He looks to Pravlox, his eyes red from lack of good sleep, "Oh, Iss not ligely to fall, iss doomed to fall. The Korvos'n Guard is nowere to be foun, and no one trus's us neemore to maintain the pease. Now we're espected to be willin ta give our lifes in defense of our city, when half the city doesn even truss the queen." At his use of the inclusionary terms it becomes clear that the soiled outfit he wears is that of the Guard.
You be disgracin' yourself and the Guard you once stood for, fella. We really be needin' to be on our way. Pravlox, let's not be gettin' comfortable now.
Felgar turns his back to the impromptu meeting and starts off towards their destination to turn over the recovered papers of bribery.
Pravlox digs a gold piece out of his clothing, and tosses it to the man, "Go make yourself respectable and give the people a reason to trust the queen rather than giving them even more reasons to not trust her and the guard. Now if you will excuse us, we are going to go do work, something that you should consider."
The man stands unsteadily and draws himself up the best he is able given his current condition. "Yur right good sir." He begins to bow to Felgar, but when he almost falls over he rights himself quickly. "Theng yew, I should return to Citadel Volshyenek and paform my duties." He nods the Pravlox, before heading off in the wrong direction, turning around, and continuing on the correct path. He catches up to and passes Felgar in but a moment.