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"Why do I get the sinking feeling it is going to be the exact opposite of that...cold food and hot ale"
"Lara, he hasn't mistreated you or Lexi or any of the girls has he? You don't have to wear ooze, do you?" ....although if a pit were filled with a harmless..or even better, edible, form of Ooze. And the women would tussle...not to hurt each other mind you... Sebastian, for once, showed the wisdom to hold these thoughts privately in his mind.
Winter carries onwards, the thought of women covered in ooze clearly not crossing his mind.
Caterine raises an eyebrow at the strange decoration that the once was Golden Goblin seems to be favoring... but belays any criticism in finding out that the present wallpaper was not the doing of those that walk beside. She follows along instep with a wry smile alighted upon her mouth.
Bree produces a piece of warn cloth and uses it to open the door to the Ostentatious Ooze to prevent from getting said ooze on herself. She holds the door open for the others to enter.
Next to the door, a man wearing a green jelly-cube costume stands and hands out leaflets with coupons for some of the roulette tables.
From the inside of the costume (wherein it must be about 40 degrees celsius...) you hear his muffled voice
Welcome you oozers! Get in and get some ooze and booze, I speath the truth!
Kabal ignored the silly little man in the costume and looked around for a table that would support the whole group.
and will persuade a couple of people to move on if necessary.
Chuckling Caterine slips past the ooze meister without pausing or taking any coupons.
The inside of the Ostentatious Ooze looks pretty much like it did when it was still the Golden Goblin. Tables with various kinds of games of chance, the long bar - everything is still at its place - but still, something is odd, maybe it's the weird smell of woodruff or the green painted walls...or just the fact that every employee is walking around in this strange jelly cube costumes...
Without giving too much thought, Kabal finds a table next to the bar...it doesn't take long until another cube - this time a pruple one turns up and says
Hey there fellow oozers! What kind of ooze booze can I bringe ye?
With a calm but forceful tone Caterine responds "Nothing that doesn't come to the table sealed and in it's original bottle. Is that going to be a problem?"
A big bucket of Oozer's Delight? Enough for everyone - I'll get ye some straws, kay?
@ Sable: The flier is for one free round of roulette worth 3 gp.
Bree sits with her back to the wall, facing the door. She is extremely wary of the men in costumes. She reads over the flier she received on her way in, and then lays it in the center of the table. She has no interest in gambling.
She says very quietly, once everyone is sitting and there are no ozze-men around, "I must go to Celwynvian. I trust you lot are familiar enough with Riddleport by now that you don't really need me around."
"That isn't a casual trip you have in mind, perhaps you might consider a day or two to rest and provision before heading on such a journey? What joys await you there that you would speed off to it so quickly?"
"I'll not leave right away. I do need to rest, and learn exactly where it is first. That Drow woman said that they often take the slaves there, and she seemed to think that if Brandon, a human were taken by the Drow then that was his fate. Even if he isn't there, it's the best lead I have and perhaps if I don't die upon stepping foot there, I can at least learn something more."
With a calm but forceful tone Caterine responds "Nothing that doesn't come to the table sealed and in it's original bottle. Is that going to be a problem?"
Before the ooze waiter departs, Caterine politely repeats her request.
"Given some time, hopefully we can read her journal. Within it, there is hope that she describes her travels in getting here, from which, we can back track her steps back."
The waiter cube nods...or at least it looks like he is nodding and departs.
once he's gone Kwava leans closer to Bree
Did you say Celwynvian? Are you sure you heard that expression?
he pronounces it a bit more elf-like and yes, it sounds exactly like Shiindira has said it.
To Sebastian, "Indeed. I'm probably not much of a match to Cat's ability to speak the tongue, but I do have some understandings of the basic functions of languages and would like to help you with the journal... if that's OK with you."
To Kwava, "Yes, it's what she said shortly before she died. When I asked her where Brandon was, she said 'Most probably he was brought to Celwynvian, like the other slaves' then she said he was actually probably dead, and seemed like she regretted mentioning the place. What do you know of it?"
Celwynvian is a long deserted elven city. One of the places where in old times an elven lord sat on a throne of living wood and marble and reigned honourably over realms that overshadowed those of dwarf and men...the place was lost to us though and we left it behind...maybe we ignored its existence too long...a dreadful thought it is that drow now dwell where we used to...I still wonder how they are able to sustain the sunlight...it's...it's just not right.
Kwava seems equally agitated and shocked by the fact that the drow could inhibit Celwynvian.
Kabal sat waiting for their ale...that feckin oozy worm better move his sorry arse too!.. and listened to the conversation of lond dead elven cities and Bree's resolve to visit this ...Selwinian or whatever... to look for her brother.
You sound like you'd know where to find it then bub.
"Could you take me there? I don't have much, but I will give you all I got if that's what it takes. It's not as if I'll live to spend the money anyway." A hint of sad resolve creeps into Bree's voice with that last statement.
Kabal's mounting anger over the serving man's tardiness leapt at Bree's dire predictions.
What in the Nine Hells are you saying lass?! You better quit all that nonsense of not living talk fast! Aint no way we're going to let some gods damned, scrawny drow or some ancient, feckin hidden elf city get in the way of finding your Brandon. So unbunch your delicates and smile already! We've got some celebrating to do...
he looked around for the silly, ooze man.
he accented his tirade with a slam of his fist on the table.
Bree blinks rapidly at Kabal for a moment, processing that the man just yelled at her and she hasn't already buried a blade in his neck for doing so.
"Kabal, even if you all followed me, it would likely just lead to us all dying. Plus, someone who knows better than to trust every cut throat and ever cut purse out there needs to stay to look after Winter if he is setting up permanent camp here. Plus, this job is probably going to require stealth, and no offense ya' big lug, but you make more noise when you move around than a pack of dogs fighting over a bone. So yeah, either I'll die or we all will no matter which way we look at it!"
She gives him the smile he demands but it somehow looks a lot more like a feral dog showing him it's teeth.
She turns to Sable, "I'm not saying I don't want you lot there, I'm saying I can't expect you lot to march to your deaths for someone you've never met and may not even be alive. He's my brother though, he's the only relative I have and if he is alive, somewhere, especially being held a slave, I have to try."
"I know I'm 'jumping into a storm' but trust me, I don't think I'm ready to 'nest on my own'. It would be foolhardy for me to believe that it was something I could handle. Hell, after seeing how just a handful of them fight, how close to death many of us - including you and myself - were at their hands, how can we possibly expect to walk right into their layer and not die as a consequence?"
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Completely ignorant of how close he just came to catching one of the woman's small yet deadly blades in his flesh, Kabal carried on.
Bah! Aint no way Winter's going to let us go on a trip like that with out him. Tell her the straight of it priest. Them bastards caught us scattered and in the dark but they fell fast to steel just the same.
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"My dear Bree, we would not 'march to our deaths' we would be assisting someone of our nest and family to acheive her goals so she wouldn't have to face it alone, or risk capture herself. A single twig of a branch may snap under even a robin's weight, but weaved together it can outlast hurricanes. The reality is that, like us or not, you don't have much of a choice of many of us coming with you. Kabal might be as loud as a territorial gull in heat, but all the better to draw attention as our larks slip in on silent wing. His feathers are thick and he can take more talons than I, for certain. Every feather in this flock has their advantages, and together those perks increase tenfold. Dead or alive, we will help you find answers pertaining to Brandon."
Despite Sable's kind words, Korax continues to stare blankly at the girl, his black eyes fixed upon her.
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"AND...there is more going on here than mere slavery. Saving your brother will be an after effect if we manage to stop whatever these Drow are up to. I fear we have only delayed their ultimate desire to bring darkness to the world. IF Celwynvian is where they are coming from, than that is where we all should be going." Sebastian smiles to himself, "The tale virtually writes itself."
Kabal nodded as the witch put to words what Kabal felt intuitively. He had lost a sword brother on that damned island but had gained a family as sure as that waiter was taking his sweet feckin time. He took for granted that through thick and thin his life was bound with the people at this table and theirs with his.
Bree looks stunned as she looks from one man to the next. "You're all flipping crazy." She mumbles to her hands in her lap, her eyes averted, studying her fingertips. Her eyes might seem a bit shinier than normal.
Caterine sits and listens to the discussion eased back into the backrest of her chair. Though not yet too conspicuous in silence, she has not voiced her words to the debate.
The silence comes to an end as the cube comes back. He carries a plate full of small green bottles. The cheery voice from within the green costume introduces the drinks as...
And here it comes! Bottled ooze phlegm! I know you guys will like it!
He waits next to the table and only an angry glare from Kwava sends him off
You spoke about a journal, how soon can you translate it? the elf asks, while looking sceptically at his bottle.
To Kwava, Caterine states "Maybe a few days... excuse me" standing from her seat and stalking off after the costumed waiter, following him back towards whatever currently serves for a bar... where she might have more direct words with someone responsible for the place's hospitality service.
Behind the bar a large purple cube is polishing tankards and drawing beer.
Hey fellow oozer, what can I give you?
Pinching the bridge of her nose as a tension headache starts to come on Caterine is direct in response "Look, I don't give a feck how you've been told to act and say... I am after a drink. Once that's been left untainted by any fecking additives or your pathetic ooze gimmick. Now, you either stop calling me stupid bloody names... or I start taking offense..." hand dropping to one side and lingering near to where her coiled whip is stowed.
Intimidate:
The cube wobbles for a second, before a timid voice from within mutters
Normally I would call the black ooze now, but I guess you're a special case.
from underneath the bar he hands you a bottle of port that has not been covered by some kind of green slime, like the bottles behind him.
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Winter looks incredulously at the bottle in front of him, but takes it with a very polite demeanour.
Once the waiter moves away, Winter offers a small prayer in hushed tone and waves his hand over the drink before consuming it.
"I have no interest in the Drow being at Celwynvian or not; they aren't here and that is all that matters to me. The good shepherd may defend his flock from the wolf, but the Shepherd does not have the mandate to demand that all wolves be hunted to extinction or flushed from their lairs should they be minding their own business. Those Drow who have come to Riddleport with foul deeds and foul intents have been vanquished; although their ringleader did flee from justice and I find that irksome"
"Dear Bree has a different plight, and that is one of family. Erastil preaches to us of the holy virtue of family and implores us to protect them always, so in this I see Erastils will working once again - I believe it was his gentle hand that guided us together and I believe He wills it that I help Bree reunite with her family member. I will it too"
"Perhaps I need to write those drow a nice letter explaining the situation reasonably, though how would I get it to them? Perhaps I'd need to go and explain it to them personally"
"If we have a few days then I would seek to ensure Sven was well settled into his new role and that none of Croats men took umbrage to him and try cause trouble, I also need to speak with an armourer about our Noqual"
Kabal looked at the green bottle in disgust and couldnt believe that they actually served this kind of crap to people or that people drank it. He threw the bottle against the nearest wall and bellowed.
He was really starting to reconsider their decision to sell the place into this mess.
This placed is fecked up. Maybe we should go stay with your flock at St. Crispin's Winter.
"I am sure those humble folk would be deeply heartened at your arrival; whilst I am sure the board and fare would be rather modest, I would at least suggest that the welcome would be genuine and the ambience more homely"
Caterine gives the cowed ooze a cursory nod before retrieving a handful of port glasses and returning to the table. Placing the bottle in the center of the group after pouring herself a glass she states flatly "Turns out they did have some real drinks after all"
Bree nods to Winter's words, looking almost ill she has become so pale. Finally after a time of being quiet, "Are we bedding her tonight, or at the shelter? I think I'd like to lie down."
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Sebastian pours out a glop of served alcohol. Looking at the glass, he passes his hand across it's top. Within the glass, the liquid takes on a color and aroma closer to that of scotch. He goes and drinks it down with a few long swallows. "Not too bad with a few modifications...a tad on the chewy side though...probably bbetter offffff wifffth Cat'ssss stttufff" Sebastian finishes with his fingers in his mouth as he fishes out what appears to be a piece of gristle. "hmmm...no spell is going to fix that." With a shrug, he tosses the chunk under the table. "Surprisingly. Since the Trogs, things like that don't seem to bother me as much."
He fills his glass with Cat's proffered bottle. He takes a big gulp and swishes it in his mouth for a bit before swallowing. "As to arrangements, I am hoping this sliming has not extended to Lara's room, otherwise I hope to find an inn. I am not sure St. Crispen would look down and approve of all the sins I hope to commit tonight." He says with a grin and a bit of a slur. Clearly, despite the slime liquor's lesser qualities, Sebastian is already feeling it's potent effects.
Kabal takes the bottle from Sebastian and laughs at the man's claims for later that night although he sobered up when he realized that it had been quite some time since he'd had the pleasure of a lass. With a shake of his head he raises his glass to Cat.
Many thanks Cat for procuring some proper drink. I thought I was going to have to put the squueze on one of these sorry fellas.
Bree doesn't even bother with the bottled ooze, but thanks Cat for the bottle she retrieved and sips quietly at a glass of that instead. She scans the casino floor, paying attention to the customers since the attendants are all in costume.