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"Barkeep there says you guys are his pals? you play dice often yes? what do you guys do around these parts other than that? job wise I mean... I've been doing odd jobs all over Avistan for the last few years, and wouldn't mind finding a way to make a quick coin without breakin' too much of a sweat if ya know what I mean..."
[dice=Bluff to Convey Secret Message "I want to do some crooked things to make money!!!!" -- DC 15 simple message]1d20+7[/dice]
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Menarul gives the woman's thoughts some thought, but responds, "I don't know if a town that let's its docks decay like that even have a guard to call on, much less one we can rely on. But the straight forward and direct might work. Either way, we still have some time before the exchange is to happen, let's relax and enjoy for a bit."
Menarul then stands up and starts moving about the place taking quick sketches of the room and taking notes about the place.
______
"Well, if yer lookin' fer special jobs, we ain't much in yer way of searchin'," one of the men says after a long pause. Giving the bar a quick, shifty look, he points out, "We dice with him well enough, and we come up even. He does well by us and us by him, but... Well, ye'd wanna ask him if yer lookin' for odd jobs."
At this question, the three exchange strange looks before the one that had been speaking points out, "You're gonna want ta ask Pal, ain't you? His brother don't speak."
At last, the barkeep returns, food plated and neatly prepared. He places the appropriate dishes and drinks before the appropriate people - with a bit of flourish - and grins. "Enjoy!"
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"A thought, my compatriots," Little Dio says quietly to Menraul, Penumbra and the Razmiri priest after contemplating their situation, "The two consortia's respective agents cannot meet here if here is closed. What if we can convince the owner to leave for the day and shut down the bar for a few hours. Then its just a matter of getting the two agents to go their own ways. I have some gold to convince the owner."
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The Son of Cayden approaches the far end of the bar, and says in hushed tones "Pal, come over here will you? one of your friends over there says you can hook me up for odd jobs... I don't really want to throw my back on some labor jobs anymore, y'see... wouldn't mind doing something a bit more lucrative, if y'know what I mean..."
[dice=Bluff to Convey Secret Message "Hey, I want to make some easy illegal money heeeeeeere!"]1d20+7[/dice]
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"I wouldn't so sure, Marbleface," Little Dio says, looking around the pub, "There's ten, fifteen tables, plus the bar, so maybe room for fifty some people. The most expensive entree on the menu was twelve copper, so a full house ordering the most expensive would be, what, six hundred cooper, or six gold. If need be, we could also threaten to expose his pearl scheme, to 'strengthen the brew'."
"Oh?" Curious, Pal steps closer to the happy man, curious to hear what he was to say.
"I'm sure we could find a little something, eh?" he chortles once he understands what it is the Son of Cayden is looking for. A bit quieter, eyeing the others carefully, he leans forward and adds, "I've, uh, got a bit my own business on the side, if you know what I'm talking about! D'ya... Want in on it?"
The man leans in closer still, his voice going even lower as he speaks, "Been lookin' to expand a lil' on my side business but I ain't much had the time, ya know? But if you wanted in, maybe you could help me make some o' my goods?" He gestures towards the pearl decorations all around the place.
The man shrugs, then cuts his eyes to the others, whose attention they've apparently drawn. "Maybe not, then, but, well... Stick around, I suppose - I'm sure I can find some task or somethin' for ya to do."
To the others, he asks politely, "Anythin' else I can get ya?"
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Menarul watches the interchange between Son and the bartender, trying to get a read on the situation. Completely baffled by his companion's actions, Menarul gives the man a long, hard questioning stare.
Breaking the look, he turns to the bartender. Using what he'd discreetly observed from the man, he tries to give his voice a calculated lilt to entice the man, commenting, "Well if we could talk." Menarul pauses for a moment glancing at the three men sitting at the other table, before looking back at the owner, "in private, it'd possibly be profitable for all of us. Very profitable."
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"Oh! Why didn't you say so?" Pal grins and gestures towards the Pathfinders. "Those ol' buzzards won't say nothin' - they like it when things are cheap an' easy and my business don' actually hurt anyone none."
He pauses, considering the number of you shrewdly, and nods. "Well, why don't we take a few hours? Ya'll can help me out and be on yer way and I can take a bit o' a break and get in a goodly amount o' income, eh?"
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Son of Cayden puts an arm around the dwarf and whispers in his ear, "Remember the mission. We're agents of a privately owned archeological consortium working against another privately owned consortium... we're not the city watch, just sayin'... on jobs like this I'll draw the line at slavery, abuse or oppression... that I will not stand idle by. But some guy that's into glass beads? come on! that's a morally easy way out compared to bashing people into a bloody pulp to get some results!"
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Standing next to the dwarf and the socially adept man, Menarul gives a slight cough and in a quiet tone adds, "We actually don't have a cover story and don't represent any consortium. But either way, we can gather details about his operation to use later or give to other authorities. And thank you, Son, for swooping in and saving the conversation."
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Menarul pulls Gazen and Penumbra aside for a second, "Look it's not an appealing option, but any option here is not extremely appealing. Paying the man to close his inn means he still keeps making the fake pearls, now has more capital to work with, and there's no guarantee he'll stay closed after we leave. Killing him has none of those problems, but it'll probably have to include the three men over there, is a form of murder and will draw attention. We could take the much more risky route of trying to disrupt the meeting while it's in progress, but we don't know who the people meeting are on top of hundreds of other variables we don't know and can't predict. This is probably the safest, least disruptive option."
Menarul pauses for a moment and with a sigh and a grim smile continues, "If you start thinking of it as an information gathering mission, for us or another group to act on later, it becomes a bit more palatable. Or if you have a better option, now's the time to mention it! Or do as son mentioned, and go do something else."
His piece said, Menarul heads back to Son. With an attempt at the comfortable happy smile the other man has. "I'm actually pretty interested as to how he makes them, I'd be happy to help for a bit." The half-elf leans in a little closer and adds, "Technically, we aren't a consortium, the Society isn't a collective of businesses, despite what the Exchange would have you think. And we are dealing with two consortiums here, let's not add to this confusion."
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"Sir Alchemist! I stand corrected then! consortium, organization, union, league: my meager uneducated ways see no difference. You appear to have the look of a businessman or skilled craftsman about you, yes? Pal! you have a gifted pupil here and perhaps a future business partner! but I digress, let's give you the help you need. I'll go lock the doors up front. You said the three hats can keep drinking here while we do this yes?"
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"Nice way to Explore: refuse to even look into closing down an illegal operation, scoff at the mention of getting the Town Guard involved and mock those who had such a stupid idea, but do all you can to further the criminal activities and make the thief thrive thanks to your own skills. Not even trying to make him believe you will do it, and then to dupe him and stop his malfeasance. And wonderful Cooperation: we decide to do this so all who are not happy can leave and go do something else, like shopping - which I imagine is aimed at the lady folk - or murder - since if someone disagrees with your plan they can only be idiotic murderers. Nice. Cannot wait to see your Report".
Penumbra leaves to go do something else.
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Son of Cayden starts rubbing a cheap looking brown ring on one of his fingers with his thumb, which happens to be a simple piece of copper wire bent around his digit, and casts message on Penumbra while finishing his latest joke.
Whispering, "Excellent acting Agent Penumbra! I really thought you were mad at me! this spell will keep us in communication with each other while you guard the streets outside. Who knows? you might notice something in the streets if the Aspis agents decide to meet... somewhere else... Well done!"
Obviously surprised at this new development, Pal raises his hands. "Now, now, I won't go makin' anyone else come in on this if they don't wan' it," he says, clearly not wanting a fight to break out. When Penumbra leaves, he exhales harshly before shakin' his head.
"You ain't gonna go sellin' me out now, are ya?" he asks the group, a bit uncomfortable. He's a too far in to pretend it hasn't happened, but not yet far enough to be entirely comfortable with the situation.
Once he's assured of everyone's compliance, he takes you into the back, nodding at his regulars, to show you how he handles the fake pearls and such for the black market.
Some odd hours later, the time for the meeting has come and gone and you've learned enough about the faux pearl business to adequately report the man later if you so choose to include it in your report.
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Menarul takes as many notes as Pal will let him and fills in as much as he can from memory afterwards. He tries his best to also slow down the process, dragging it out as best he can.
When they finish with making the fake pearls, Menarul heads out to the streets. He tells Son to go ahead and find the rest of the group and to meet him back here when he finds them. The half-elf then spends the rest of the time furiously writing in his notebook. When everyone is together again, he pauses, sets down his pen and stretches.
He stands up and looks Penumbra in the eye before bowing deeply and apologizing. "I'm sorry if I offended you with my words or my actions. I didn't mean to belittle your ideas or ideals and I hope you can forgive me. When you left earlier, you mentioned wanting to see our reports. Well I have the outline of it here, if you'd like to take a look." He then hands the woman his notebook. Written inside are extensive notes on how the pearls are made, including seven different ways the process could be stopped by outside forces, another eight ways they could be sabotaged from the inside, an analysis of the final product with suggestions on how to readily find fakes from the real things, and as many details on the operation as Pal was willing to share. He also outlines his actions and the reasons for them, an outline of an analysis of the various ways to stop this organization along with their positives and negatives and a couple of musings on how to prevent these kinds of operations in the future.
After Penumbra has finished reading, Menarul gives everyone a look and says, "Well what's done is done. I hope everyone can live with this, but if you can't stand our actions for whatever reason, then please at least set them aside until after this mission is over, or we might as well give up here and go home and forget about cooperating."
He tries at a smile and continues, "If you're sill willing, then let's chase down this alchemist, though I'm loathe to apply such a term to a drug dealer."
________
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"You ain't gonna go sellin' me out now, are ya?" he asks the group, a bit uncomfortable.
"Have no fear Pal! shutting down your business today to teach us all your craft was a great honor!" says the happy man, thinking ...and the Pathfinder Society now owes you one, even if you don't know it...
Some odd hours later, the time for the meeting has come and gone and you've learned enough about the faux pearl business to adequately report the man later if you so choose to include it in your report.
The happy man appears a bit saddened upon seeing Menarul and Penumbra plot Pal's downfall with the law, thinking no wonder the Society gets a bad rep with a lot of people, if that's how they repay their collaborators and informers... note to self: make sure to tell the good Major at some point that the Liberty's Edge should never act to emulate the snitching practices perfected by the Hellknights...