Dropping into a crouch, the cat-man suddenly dashes after he beggar, lashing out at him with his claws when he reaches the man.
The "beggar" dodges the thrown dagger and Chalkou's claws. However, he is swiftly becoming surrounded.
The "beggar" dodges the thrown dagger and Chalkou's claws. However, he is swiftly becoming surrounded.
Stepping closer to the man who had deafened her Nessa lashed out with both of her hands in rapid succession.
But she was so incensed that she was flailing around almost uselessly. She then lunged forward to bite him with the serpentine fangs that popped down from her mouth.
Her fangs glistened with venom as they seemed headed right for the man's flesh, if she managed to even nick him he wasn't going to like it.
Sliding to a halt as Chalkou cut him off, the man flails at the catfolk's sudden appearance. Thus slowed, Nessa and Khavakra are able to catch up.
Nessa's claws miss, but her vicious bite does not. Despite a decent scratch, the tiefling's venom does not seem to have taken effect.
Khavakra's unique weapon lands a solid blow to his mid-section, knocking the air from his lungs.
Desperate, he tries to dart past Chalkou and run further down the Alley, using double movement.
"Not so fast."
Kavakra swings her Dendar-Durük as the man tries to escape.
Khavarka runs down the alley to give chase.
Khavakra's swift and practiced movements catch the Pauper completely offguard. Her unique weapon trips up his legs and as he falls his head is struck. Limply he falls to the dirty cobblestone Alley ground, still alive but soundly unconscious.
A search of his person reveals three potions of shield of faith +3, three more thunderstones, a potion of spiderclimb, a +1 dagger, and a set of masterwork thieves' tools, along with 178 gold pieces and the stolen chips from the Gold Goblin.
Picking over the thief's possessions, Chalkou stops to sniff a few of them. "This is some very nice kit. His gang must be pretty profitable."
"I suppose we could if you wish... but all we had to do was recover the chips he stole. It looks like we've done that."
As you loot the unconscious thief, you hear a soft voice whistle behind you. You'd turn to see Jagory the Murmur standing there, tattooed arms crossed. "You have taken the Pauper then? Good, he has been a snake in Rotgut for too long."
He stands there for a moment, before he rushes back into the Fly Nest before coming back with a bottle in his hands.
"I do not care if this is Saul's business or not, but from us here in Rotgut take this." He hands you the bottle, a fine unopened sealord wine worth 30 gp. "I also doubt you'd visit often, but you are welcome in my tavern whenever. I am certain folks there would drink in your honor."
Looking down at the Pauper, he asks: "Unless you'd like the honors of disposing of him, my boys and I will ensure he is turned into the gendarmes." As if on cue, another Shoanti man and a dwarf appear at his sides, glaring down at the thief.
"Didn't realize there were gendarmes in this town," says Khavakra.
Khavakra shrugs. "If you want him, he's all yours. We got what we came for."
Khavakra shrugs. "Up to you," she says.
Returning to the Gold Goblin, Larur meets you at the door. Seeing the bag of chips returned, his deep red beard splits with a mostly white smile. "I should've never doubted ye lot. Consider me in yer debt. I'll make sure Saul hears of this."
The end of the week arrives, and you receive your pay.
Two days later, you receive a summons from Saul to meet him in his office. Arriving, you see Saul pacing behind his desk. He vainly tries to hide the handkerchief he'd been dabbing his brow with as the door opens. Smiling tightly, he sits down and clears his throat.
"I'm sorry to disturb you on your days off, but this is a matter that requires immediate attention. You four are familiar with Larur Feldin, yes? The red-headed dwarven floor managar?" He directs the last sentence at Khavakra, a smirk on his lips.
Chalkou nods. "Of course. He's hard to miss."
Nessa was pleased they took down the Pauper and thought very hard about killing him. Ultimately she decided that it was too much effort and he wasn't worth the hassle and ignored him. She was pleased to see Larur when they returned with the stolen chips and said, "Of course you shouldn't Larur, it was a matter of vengeance, never doubt a Calistrian set on vengeance."
Nessa was pleased to receive her payment from Saul, plus the bonus for recovering the chips, and was tempted to go off an count her money. but was brought up short when Saul asked about Larur. She nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, I know who Larur is."
Nessa caught up to Samaritha finally to tell her about the appointment. She snuck up behind the half-elven woman when she wasn't looking and went to wrap her arms around her in an embrace from behind as she leaned in to whisper, "I have a surprise for you."
"Well, I haven't seen him since payday two days ago, and he is always here. Or if he's sick he's sent word. I sent Lixy to check on him, and she found his flat broken into and ransacked with signs of a struggle. I've talked to the gendarmes, but they don't give a lickspit about it."
Saul sighs. "Larur has been my business partner for many years. If he's been taken or killed I'll know who is responsible. I have my ... theories, but I lack the influence I used to have to be able to investigate myself. A good place to start would be that weasel Lymas Smeed, a loan shark on Rat Street. Larur mentioned borrowing money from him, and Smeed is not known for his mercies."
"I'm ready to go now."
Nessa found herself curious about this Smeed character and listened to what Elek said. Moneylenders were a dime a dozen but they did need funding. There were only so many who could provide it to them and most of them were criminals. "It could be good to know who funds him, which gang we will be crossing."
"We should check Larur's place for clues. Then perhaps we should do a bit of surveillance before we kick Smeed's door down... unless we think someone else migh be responsible."
Khavakra looks around Larur's flat, checking for clues. She goes over the flat carefully, taking her time.
Before you can react she plants a kiss on your lips. The kiss lasts a moment before her eyes snap open and widen at her own action. She pulls away and blushes furiously. "I ... I ... um ..." She looks down, trying not to look you in the eyes - which happens to give her a grand view of your cleavage. Her blush deepens.
Larur's flat is a part of several apartments, most of which are inhabited and locked quite elaborately. The woman who runs the building leads you to "Master Feldin's" flat. She reveals the door was broken in and everything save a few random articles of clothing had been looted by the time she and Lixy had arrived.
As you enter you find a beggar sleeping in the bed, snoring soundly and unaware of your arrival.
Seeing the borken door to Larur's place worried her and Nessa couldn't help but wonder if he was alright. The fact it had been ransacked wasn't a surprise, nor was the fact there was a beggar using his bed. She looked at the beggar and approached silently, trying to get within striking range of her claws, and then said, "Who are you and what do you know about the dwarf who lived here?"
Khavakra picks up one of the broken crossbow bolts, and rubs it between her fingers. I thought I would never see this stuff again, she thinks.
"Something's not right. Look at these," Khavakra says.
She shows the broken bolts to the others.
"This wood... it's not from the surface world. This is from a giant mushroom that grows in the Darklands. And this bloodstain... mixed with some other liquid. Very odd."
"Would this Lymas Smeed have Darklanders working for him? It seems unlikely."
Clearing her throat nervously, she tries to regain her composure. "Who is the Cyphermage that agreed to see me?"
The beggar is startled awake by Nessa's voice, his breath rank with overnight alcohol and "ripe" food. He looks up and freezes at the sight of the sorceress' serpentine eyes. "D-d-de-demon!" He cries, spazzing and bringing up a bottle as his only defense. "Pleese shpare me, temptresh! I den't knew nothen!"
Looming up beside Nessa, Chalkou bares his fangs at the wretch. "You will answer her questions, and you will answer them honestly. Start talking."
A dark wet spot spreads from beneath the beggar onto the ratty mattress. He actually begins to cry. "I dent knew bout no dwarf! I wus just lurken fer a plas to shlep! Honesht! Devil tak me soul if I'd lie!" Any further prodding leads to unintelligible weeping hiccups unless he is calmed.
Nessa wasn't particularly surprised by the beggars reaction to seeing her looming over him. It wouldn't be the first time someone acted like that, nor would it be the last. She started to feel bad though when the man wet himself in fear and sighed, she wasn't heartless after all, just lustful. "Calm down, no one is going to hurt you," she folded her wings down and ceased acting threatening, "we're just looking for the man who lived here." Her words were quieter now and she gestured to Chalkou to move away from him, "Just take a deep breath with me." She inhaled slowly, her bosom swelling, and then exhaled just as slowly letting herself relax and encouraged the beggar to do the same as she did.
The beggar calmed at Nessa's honeyed words, his eyes snapping from the hellcat to the tiefling's now softer expression. His eyes further wandered to Nessie's assets and his breathing quickly matched her own and his shaking ceased.
"I ... thenk ye fer not killen me ... yet anywas. I dennae ken 'o' lev'd 'ere afor. Me only slep 'ere afta sun-up. Wuz ot drinken wif me mates till then."
He bared his five yellow teeth in either a nervous smile or a grimace - it was hard to tell - before looking around the room and at Elek and Khavakra.
[ooc]... meh.[/dice]
Khavakra listens to the beggar carefully.
Chalkou moves off silently, and looks around the rest of the apartment.
Chalkou calls the others over. ”Look at this.” he says ”This is skilled lock picking. These were not smashed open by crude hands. Someone knew what they were about.”
Nessa didn't really see an issue with the bum sleeping in the bed but she did have an issue with his smell. She stepped back, said a few words as she gestured, and pointed to him. The grime and ick suddenly sloughed off of both him and his clothes and she breathed better as any remaining odor was overlaid with a more pleasant smell. She then proceeded to ignore him and helped look around the room for any further clues.