Bruendor feels someone grab at his leg - his vision is close to returning, but he can't really make out who has grabbed him. "Let go of me!" he bellowed and swung his sap towards the brownish-red smudge before him.
Attack the guy with my sap!
Attack:
Damage (non-lethal):
Miss Chance:
As the thug slides off her blade, Belana watches the whip weilding half-elf face off against the man holding a scroll and the wild northman burrying his axe into the one eyed woman. As bolts of magic slam into the northman, Belana lunges for the casters back, hoping to catch him off guard. I don't trust mages, cayden guide my aim!
Assuming the dwarf can care for himself, Calla remains focused on the spellcaster. "Your men are routed; unless you want to suffer the same fate, you'd best surrender," she warns him, ready in case he doesn't take her advice.
Calla ducks down, pulling a dagger from her boot and lets it fly as she stands back up. "Calistria, guide mah aim," she prays quickly as the dagger slices the caster, hopefully disrupting whatever spell he was trying to cast.
The imperious half-elf sees Belanda approaching. "You there, dwarf woman, bind him tightly. Let's see what he has to say for himself."
The man with the widow's peak called a name over and over, 'Thuvalia' - probably the name of the one-eyed woman that Lefrik and Anklebiter killed - as Calla's whip snapped near his hand. he turned and snarled at her, raising his hand once more as if to launch more of the balls of blue-white light at her. He completely ignored her call to surrender, and is so focused that he completely misses the dwarven woman coming up behind him. The rapier plunged through his back and deflated a lung, making the man cough and gasp. Blood ran in a trickle from his mouth as he turned, hand still glowing with light. Calla's dagger took him in the neck, and the man fell in a pool of his own blood, barely five feet from the chest he came to steal.
Bruendor's sap barely missed the thug grasping his leg, his blurry eyesight causing him to strike too far to the right. The man cursed at him and threw a punch, connecting solidly with the dwarf's nose and breaking it. He tried to stand, but Bruendor lashed out with the sap again, taking the man in the ear. The weighted bag sent the goon to the floor, sleeping the sleep of the just - or at least the just asleep. Guards piled on top of the remaining thug, still trying to get out of the grease spell.
Bruendor's and Lefrik's eyesight returned to normal, as did that of the rest of the patrons and guards, in time to see Saul Vancaskerin standing aghast in the door of the vault rooms. Patrons begin bickering about the chips scattered across the floor. Fists are thrown, and the Golden Goblin turns into a giant brawl. The people clamoring for refunds are the loudest, and many of them take it upon themselves to stop the brawling with fists or weapons of their own. More than one bench or chair was used in this manner, and it was all anyone could do to avoid being hit by the bouncers' truncheons. One of the succubi waitresses was latched onto a half-orc's back, clawing at his eyes and face with inch-long red nails.
Finally Vancaskerin jumped up on the table with the chest of coins and began calling for order. It came, eventually, as more and more people were knocked unconscious by those more interested in their coin than in fighting. "Gentlepeople, please!" pled Saul from his podium. "I understand that something untoward has happened here. If you will all calm down, I am sure that we can come to a suitable arrangement. My dealers keep track of chips on the table. If you will return to those tables, the Golden Goblin will cash you out at 110% of stake value. Please accept this as an apology from me, that something like this should happen at my establishment."
There is still a loud grumbling in the gambling hall, but most of the patrons seem to realize that it is a better deal than they were likely to get if they had continued gambling. As the surly customers began to cash out and exit, most of the staff vocally quit as well. Much shouting about 'stolen tips' and 'cheap bastard' went on, and the observant among you notice the valiant succubi actually leaving arm-in-arm with the half-orc she had been doing her best to blind fifteen minutes earlier.
A small human woman approached the five of you, standing in a loose cluster near the center of the action, and said "Mr. Vancaskerin would like to speak with you. The guards told him of your actions, and I think he wants to thank you for your help. Calla, of course you must go. He is most anxious to hear what happened from your point of view."
You recognize the woman as Lixy Parmenter, the one that runs the Ghoulette table.
You took 3 nonlethal damage from the punch.
"Of course, Lixy. A few moments, please. I want to see what I can learn about these would-be thieves."
Calla will, if she didn't get a chance during the melee, retrieve her dagger from the man, searching his body at the same time for any sort of identification. Offering a quick prayer to the Lady in the Room to let her see magical auras, she'll grab the scroll and anything else that looks of interest.
Calla helped Boyar and Hans, the only remaining guards, haul the bodies of the dead over to where the two remaining thugs are lying, unconscious and trussed up on the floor. Beyar holds a large sack, into which he places all the items stripped from the dead. The dead thugs have studded leather armor and shortswords - still sheathed - and about 8g between them.
On the man, Calla finds the scroll and sickle he was waving about, as well as a wand, some bracers, a spellbook, and 33g in house chips. She bracers glow with arcane energy as she looks at them through discerning eyes. Beyar gestures, and all the items go into the sack.
On the woman, Thuvalia, she finds high quality leather armor, a rapier, a light crossbow, 10 bolts for teh crossbow, and a belt pouch with 17g in house chips. All of this goes into the bag as well.
Anklebiter walks up to Vancaskerin without noticeable fear, though his familiar Minky is obviously over-excited; the monkey keeps hopping from the Goblin's one shoulder to the other, chittering in an agitated manner.
"Hello," Anklebiter says to the Golden Goblin's one-armed owner, and he eyes him with interest. "Can I get my soul back from you, please?"
Lefrik's eyes clear , "At last," While wounded, his first concern is his axe. It looks to be in good shape. He immediately begins to clean it. "My thanks, Anklebiter. Without your help, I would not have struck as true..." He notices the woman he slew, and tisks. Always a shame to see a lovely woman dead. "Who else fought?" He realizes he only really struck one person.
Bruendor holds a hand to his broken nose, staunching the flow of blood somewhat, but staining his gauntleted hand red. "By role in dis is likely overstated, biss. I defended byself, nothink bore."
Anklebiter turns back to Lefrik and grins as only a Goblin can. "You, me, some of the guards, the Dwarfmaid, the half-Elf lady over there, the guards and, I think, the Dwarfman here. The one without a beard."
The Goblin looks curiously at Bruendor, but makes no further comment. Instead, he turns back to Vancaskerin and repeats: "So. Can I get my soul back? Maybe all of us? The other people who came seem to have walked off without theirs, so it shouldn't be too big a loss."
Lefrik nods to both, he seems surprised to see a beardless male dwarf, but does not mention that. "Nevertheless, we overcame great adversity, good dwarf. Do not cheat yourself of your share of the glory."
As the chaos subsides, Belana wipes her blade clean before returning it to her belt. "A real shame they had to interrupt our game, but count 2 slain, for Clan IronHand this day She visits each dead body offering a quick prayer to each.
to the small woman "of course, I will be with yer boss shortly."
Turning Belana surveys the other combatants. A goblin, I thought it was just an ugly halfling, Cayden help me
Hearing Anklebiter mention a beardless dwarf, Belana can not help but stare I've heard stories of dwarfs forced shave their beards and exiled or whole clans who have rebuked our ways but I've never seen one before, wonder which group he belongs to.
To lefrik "Spoken like a true warrior my giant friend. Belana IronHand, Clan IronHand at yer service. Tis a nice axe ye have there, mind if I have a look?"
To Calla "Thanks for the assist with that mage, never know when they are gonna gurgle out one last spell"
She is careful to keep her eyes on Anklebiter and Bruendor, and it is not a warm gaze.
"Ah could say the same to you," Calla replies. "Ah'm sure Ah could have handled him, but who knows what damage he'd have done before Ah put him down."
"Glory," says the beardless dwarf, chuckling lowly. "All glory will get you, if you're lucky, is a twilight spent reminiscing on what had gone. If you're not, then all it gets you is a shallow grave." He is very conscious of Belana's gaze, and does his best to avoid meeting her gaze. He contents himself with glaring at the goblin - of all things, a goblin! - that brought him to her attention.
Vacaskerin has a gleam in his eye that seems to defy the downfall of the evening. "Of course you get our soul back, my dear goblin! It was all just for show anyways. There was never any real doubt of losing it. Just an act, like the succubi costumes and the pitchfork torches. Something to draw in the crowds. In fact, I have an even better offer for the lot of you. Why don't we go upstairs to a more private place where we can chat? The gendarmes will be here shortly to take out the trash, and we can have a chat while the staff - what little I have left - cleans up."
You follow Vancaskerin upstairs to a parlor filled with plush chairs and a rather impressive wet bar on one wall. Saul poured himself a glass of peach brandy, and asked if anyone else would be interested in a drink. Then, he got down to business. From behind one of the chairs, he pulled a sack, the same one that held the robbers' goods. "To the victors go the spoils. My guards are well paid for their work, but you helped for no pay. A good deed deserves more than thanks. Split it among yourselves as you will; us, even you Calla. You went above and beyond tonight, and you aren't really a typical hired bouncer, are you?
"I'll also have Feldur cash out any chips you have on you at double the value. As I said, I pay well for results. That brings me to my original reason for asking you up here. You may have noticed that most of my staff left tonight. Oh, some will return, but I have a number of positions to fill, and I think the fiv of you would work out perfectly.
"I'll be perfectly honest with you, I haven't always been the upright man of business you see before you. In fact, in my younger years I was a petty criminal turned gang lord. But not a very good one, sad to say. It cost me my health, my fortune, my family, and my hand. I tried to get out of the business and go legit, but very time I get close to making the Golden Goblin work, something like tonight happens.
"you see, I know the crew that hit us tonight. The man's name is Angvar. The woman is his lover and partner, Thuvalia. They do odd jobs for a few of Riddleport's larger crime lords. I could throw myself at the feet of Clegg or one of the other crime bosses, but I am loathe to enter that world again.
"And that's where you come in. You see, I got most of the story of what happened here tonight from Lixy. She's a sharp one, and very observant. She told me of the dwarf maid and her rapier, of the blinded giant led by a capable and friendly goblin, even of the blinded dwarf who somehow managed to knock out Breaker Harrison with a single blow. And, of course, Calla and those abilities of which I am all to familiar. I want to offer you jobs. I need servers, croupiers, dealers, bartenders, bouncers, what have you. Feel free to pick whatever strikes your fancy. But, what you'll really be doing is preventing the sort of thing that happened tonight. Wages are 10g a week, and a share of the profits. What say you?"
'Helpful?' Anklebiter thinks. 'Me?' He almost starts to giggle, but pauses to think. 'Huh. I guess I actually was. How about that?'
Out loud, he says: "I don't mind staying and working for you for a bit. Could be fun! But I must give you fair warning: I'm still a Goblin. Don't worry, I'm willing to do fair work without stealing from you, never fear, but sooner or later I may want to leave. Life is short, you see. If we agree to no hard feelings when that happens and I get the soul contract back..."
Anklebiter holds out his hand, slightly awkwardly; Goblins don't usually shake to make deals.
He wants to hire the goblin, is he mad?!?!
"I've tended bar before in me uncle's tavern, for 10 gold and free drinks I will do so again. Offering her hand to Vancaskering, Belana IronHand, of Clan IronHand, at yer service."
Saul leaned his head back and laughed loud and long at Anklebiter's words. "As I said, it was just a gimmick, but I am sure we can find your contracts and tear them up for you. Still, it's good to hear that you're in, young goblin. You are exactly what the Golden Goblin needs to help turn this place around."
"As you for you, Mistress Ironhand, I am glad to hear that you are interested. Please feel free to drink what you want, just not while you are on the job. The last thing we need is a drunk bartender. Fair?"
Bruendor's mood improves as he hears Saul's proposal, even managing a hopeful smile. "Working as private security for a casino. Best job offer I've heard in weeks. Consider me hired, Mr. Vancaskerin. The name is Bruendor. Just Bruendor." There's an awkward silence the dwarf doesn't know how to fill after he fails to mention a clan name, and he clears his throat and fails to meet anyone's gaze - least of all Belana's.
"Ah'm willin' to continue helpin' -- Mah Goddess clearly led me here for a reason -- but Ah don't need your pay. Promise instead to tithe 10 gold to Calistria each month, and Ah'll continue to favor your establishment with her grace."
"Might Ah take a look at the bracers? Ah think they're magical."
To lefrik "Spoken like a true warrior my giant friend. Belana IronHand, Clan IronHand at yer service. Tis a nice axe ye have there, mind if I have a look?"
"Lefrik Olegson, and while this axe was not dwarven forged, it served my father well in his younger days,"He hands it to her respectfully.
You follow Vancaskerin upstairs to a parlor filled with plush chairs and a rather impressive wet bar on one wall. Saul poured himself a glass of peach brandy, and asked if anyone else would be interested in a drink. Then, he got down to business. From behind one of the chairs, he pulled a sack, the same one that held the robbers' goods. "To the victors go the spoils. My guards are well paid for their work, but you helped for no pay. A good deed deserves more than thanks. Split it among yourselves as you will; us, even you Calla. You went above and beyond tonight, and you aren't really a typical hired bouncer, are you?
"I'll also have Feldur cash out any chips you have on you at double the value. As I said, I pay well for results. That brings me to my original reason for asking you up here. You may have noticed that most of my staff left tonight. Oh, some will return, but I have a number of positions to fill, and I think the five of you would work out perfectly.
"I'll be perfectly honest with you, I haven't always been the upright man of business you see before you. In fact, in my younger years I was a petty criminal turned gang lord. But not a very good one, sad to say. It cost me my health, my fortune, my family, and my hand. I tried to get out of the business and go legit, but very time I get close to making the Golden Goblin work, something like tonight happens.
"you see, I know the crew that hit us tonight. The man's name is Angvar. The woman is his lover and partner, Thuvalia. They do odd jobs for a few of Riddleport's larger crime lords. I could throw myself at the feet of Clegg or one of the other crime bosses, but I am loathe to enter that world again.
"And that's where you come in. You see, I got most of the story of what happened here tonight from Lixy. She's a sharp one, and very observant. She told me of the dwarf maid and her rapier, of the blinded giant led by a capable and friendly goblin, even of the blinded dwarf who somehow managed to knock out Breaker Harrison with a single blow. And, of course, Calla and those abilities of which I am all to familiar. I want to offer you jobs. I need servers, croupiers, dealers, bartenders, bouncers, what have you. Feel free to pick whatever strikes your fancy. But, what you'll really be doing is preventing the sort of thing that happened tonight. Wages are 10g a week, and a share of the profits. What say you?"
Lefrik thinks it over, even as he looks at the contents of the bag. "I came to Riddleport looking for adventure and glory, Vancaskerin. To make a name for myself, while tonight's battle was exhilerating, if brief, I am unsure what glory would lay in simply throwing drunks out. However, I may yet need coin of a humbler stripe before a true chance for glory comes along. Count me in, for now, if you will have me, but if greater chances for what I seek should arise, I hope you will understand if I go after them?"
"Well then, Bruendor, just Bruendor, consider yourself hired. As for you, Calla, I'll make the 10g donation every month, but you will accept payment for the work you do for me. You can give it to the temple, or eat it for all I care, but Saul Vancaskerin doesn't hire employees without pay. I guess that just leaves you, longshanks." He turned to regard Lefrik. "You'll make for great security, and I can imagine you'll have all sorts of other skills that we can use here."
"Tell you what. You are free to find your own places of housing, but if you want to use the staff quarters here at the goblin, we have plenty of rooms, no charge. Not much in the way of amenities, but they are comfortable and the walk isn't too shabby. In fact, they are down that hall there. There's 8 rooms, and 6 should be open, so take your pick.
"I'm sure the rooms here are a far sight better than the one I'm renting at the moment," Bruendor said lowly. "I won't have to worry about the staff rifling through my belongings when I'm away here, for starters."
"An attic room would do me fine," Anklebiter says - and suddenly, he grins slyly. "Can I get a gold-coloured coat out of this job? Maybe a jester's cap and stick? I'd make an excellent mascot for the Golden Goblin, would I not?"
When he sees Calla pick up the bracers, Anklebiter takes a look in the sack as well - and giggles delightedly. "This?" he asks, as he lifts Angvar's spellbook up. "Can I have this?"
Examining the Axe, "Aye, as I'm sure it will serve ye well. This axe resembles me father's weapon, though his was dwarven made, and enchanted by our bst smiths."
Stepping close to Anklebiter for the first time, Perhaps the goblin would make ye good mascot, I volunteer to stuff and hang him out front"
To Bruendor, addressing him directly in a rough tone, Just mind ye don't rifle through me priviate things"
Belana laughs at the owner's warning about sampling the goods while on duty. "Never fear, though I may worship the Lucky Drunk, I am not lost to the bottle. I'll reserve me drinking till after hours. But I will take ye up on that room and then perhaps a drink to thank cayden for seeing us throught this little mess."
With that she moves off towards the rooms, to get settled in before makign her way down to check the bar and the den's stock.
If me brothers could see me now, would they understand? working along a clanless dwarf and a goblin, and for what, 10g free room and ale? Nay, Cayden Cailen guided me here, for reasons yet unknown. I just hope he appreciates me sacrifice
"No thanks to having me stuffed, oh hammermaid," Anklebiter rhymes, while edging closer to Lefrik.
"Dwarf food is not somethin for which this Goblin would have ever paid."
"That's terrific! I'll have Lixy show you around, and tomorrow we re-open!"
Lixy appeared as if summoned by magic, and began giving you the tour and making introductions. The upper floor was home to the staff quarters, Saul's chambers and private parlor, the staff dining room, and a series of catwalks that overlooked he main gambling hall below. The "opaque" cloth ceiling of the gambling hall was actually quite see through from this side, giving spotters on the catwalks a decent view of every gaming table.
Then she takes you downstairs, and shows you the gaming areas - which you have already seen most of - and the kitchen areas. On the way she introduces you to Larur Feldin, a stout dwarf, nearly as wide as he is tall, who acts as the Goblin's floor manager and Vancaskerin's personal aide. The dwarf grumbled a greeting, glanced at Bruendor's beardless face, and went back to cleaning up the mess.
Lixy also pointed out Beyar and Hans, the only two guards to have stayed after the fracas. She mentioned that they are the vault guards, as needed and that Saul doesn't let anyone else guard the vaults when he is making deposits or withdrawals. "Don't even walk close by them if Saul is in there. he has given them permission to use lethal force first, and apologize later, if needed."
Finally, he pointed out a ragged-looking half-orc over by the bar, pouring himself a drink. "And that's Bojask," she said with obvious distaste. "He's Saul's personal bodyguard and beastmaster. He runs the pit fights down below twice a week. He's scum...but Saul has some sort of hold over him and keeps him straight. Most of the time, anyways."
"Well, that's about it. Any questions about the layout of the place? I imagine Saul will be talking to you about your duties tomorrow."
Calla grimaces at Vancercaskin's words, but eventually nods in acceptance at both the demand to accept payment and the offer of a room.
"Does somebody want to carry these spoils? They may come in useful," she asks her new companions. "The bracers, in particular, are magical, and will provide protection as if you were wearing armor if someone wants them."
After being shown around the bar, Calla will at some point travel back to the temple she had been staying in, pray and donate the coin she was given, and get the rest of her equipment, before returning to the Golden Goblin.
"One question," Anklebiter says. "Can I have something to say that yes, I work here, and am not sneaking in to steal? Humans with weapons make me... nervous."
Lixy smiled at the goblin, and he was sure it wasn't an act like the succubi from earlier. "Yes, all employees get a badge like the one Calla is wearing. Everyone knows that if you're wearing the badge, you work here. No one will mess with an employee of the Goblin if they wish to gamble here. And in Riddleport, gambling is like the national sport."
Bruendor ignores Balana's sharp tongue, and shrugs at Calla's question. "There's nothing there I need. That armor would fetch a bit of coin, though - I propose we sell anything we don't need and split it into equal shares."
The beardless dwarf surveys the Goblin. From what he saw, Saul ran a pretty tight organization, with an eye for security. But, as this evening proved, even the most secure locations can be taken unawares. He winces as Lixy introduces him to Larur - wonderful, another dwarf who considers me only slightly better company than the goblin - and takes a mental note to keep an eye on Bojask. What would happen, Bruendor thought, if Bojask was able to slip free from whatever leash Saul has on him? Would he turn on his employer? Worse? He frowned at this thought.
"I do have a question, Lixy" he said. "What areas does Mister Vancaskerin wish us to patrol? If I'm understanding this right, it sounds like most of our time will be spent on the casino floor."
Anlebiter gives Lixy a big Goblin grin - remarkably free of the gleeful malice Goblins usually infuse into such expressions.
"I think you are my most favourite human right now," he says with obvious relief.
"Well, I imagine Saul will go over duties tomorrow. Right now, we just need to finish getting the place back in order and then get some rest. Tomorrow might be busy, might be dead. I guess we'll see."
"Ah hope you're talkin' about the casino, not us, there," Calla replies dryly to Lixy's observation.
Bruendor nods at Lixy's comment, and pitches in with straightening up the Goblin, gravitating to the hardest work. Only way you'll prove yourself to the dwarves here is if you show them you're not completely useless, Bruendor. Keep at it. Maybe you'll make yourself believe that as well, one day.
Bruendor ignores Balana's sharp tongue, and shrugs at Calla's question. "There's nothing there I need. That armor would fetch a bit of coin, though - I propose we sell anything we don't need and split it into equal shares."
"I'll take my share in coin as well," Lefrik nods.
Lefrik will go around the place more than once, while he is a stranger to city ways, he knows that if you wish to guard a place, the better you will do if you know it well.
Besides, he might need to be able to find his way about the casino by touch one day again.
"I've no questions regarding the job, None that can't wait till tomorrow anyway," He shakes his head. He's tempted to see to wooing the young lady who flirted with him earlier, but he'll put his duties first.
Aye, not much useful in this lot, I'll gladly take me share in gold
Belana eyes the orc sourly Great, my best customer will be an Orc. No hope of good conversation there....
"Might be good to see what the ands do," Anklebiter suggests.
"Might be good to see what the wands do," Anklebiter suggests.
"Just don't point them at ME," The barbarian states, "In the north, sticks are sticks. You only use them to start a fire as tinder, not by saying some strange word that twists the tongue and turning a man into kindling." He has no idea what the things do, but he's heard warnings. Southerns make everything magic, he's heard. Even sticks.
Calla gives the barbarian an appraising look.
"Well, Ah guess somebody got an extra helpin' of brawn instead of brains," she finally says, shaking her head. "Ah don't know what the world's comin' to when a goblin is outsmartin' a human ... even an Ulfen."
"I'd like to know what these "sticks" do before we start handing them to a goblin"
Taking hold of the wands, mumbling some words of magic, Belana prays to her god "cayden open the secret of these wands to me"
"You may be right, shocking as that is for a follower of the Drunk," Calla says, with her usual aplomb. Quickly grasping the holy symbol of Calistria around her neck, she murmurs a quick prayer and examines the wands.
"S'fine with me who looks, s'long as someone does," Anklebiter says, shrugging at Calla -- and looking not at all at Belana. "So, anything?"
"Better to follow a hero than a vengeful prostitute" snap Belana, as she moves away fromt he wands, clearly not happy with what she was able to determine.
"Ladies, ladies, relax," Anklebiter says, while making soothing gestures. "No need for strife. Either one of your gods is better than Lamashtu or the Barghests. Trust a Goblin to know."
Grinning in what he probably thinks is a disarming manner, Anklebiter makes a casual gesture at the wands and mutters a single Word of Power.
Calla gives the barbarian an appraising look.
"Well, Ah guess somebody got an extra helpin' of brawn instead of brains," she finally says, shaking her head. "Ah don't know what the world's comin' to when a goblin is outsmartin' a human ... even an Ulfen."
The Ulfen snorts, "Smarter than me, far more pleasant than you. The goblin is indeed a wonder"
"Thank you, thank you, but we are all wonders here," Anklebiter says. "Big victory against big odds, us! No fighting, no biting!
The wand - the stick - is a nice item; use it, and send the lightning through an enemy you stab with it! Shame, though, that it'll only work nine more times."
