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Tiann takes one solid look around the temple, trying to take it all in, before heading out, smiling to herself. What a wonderful place. Too bad I'm not working with religious sorts... that's okay. Everyone has their own path.
After making sure the group is accounted for, she boards a carriage and tries to keep an eye out for this spy.
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Jory and Karzak will show up first with the story of the orphans found stranded in the street. As dwarves they obviously wouldn't want to raise human foundlings. Rest of the party will arrive 15-30 minutes later. Jory makes a copy of his sketch and hands it to Tiann when he disembarks out of sight of the orphanage.
Two obvious strangers from out of town will encourage bad behaviour. Dwarves have a reputation for being straightforward, and I'm sure Karzak does not scream subtlety or subterfuge.
Jory spits in his hand and offers Karzak his hand on the way over and speaks to him, "I'd rather be fighting too, but we might as well do this job well."
Upon arrival at the orphanage, "We understand this is an orphanage and we found some humans wandering the streets that say their parents are dead. Can you help them?"
Jory realizes bragging about his reading skill is a poor conversation gambit--so he tries the direct approach as any dwarf would.
For Jory and Karzak:
Nearly swarming with cats and children, this fine upper-class home appears to be clean and in good condition considering the number and ages of its inhabitants. Three young boys shoot marbles in the dirt near the side porch, and inside strewn toys and more cats lie about on the floors. A few children take care of chores, while coughs and sneezes softly erupt from the children’s dormitories upstairs.
As you walk up and start to speak to the children on the porch, you see a man leaving with a child in tow. The man starts to tip his hat, then brings it down lower, as if trying to hide his face. The two hurry off.
"Children, run inside and help with the cleaning, don't talk to...the likes of these." As you stared at the departing man, an old hag of a woman had joined you on the porch, and she was ushering the children away from you, into the house.
"What do you two want here? Hurry off, I don't want any trouble."
For everyone else:
The man raises an eyebrow, "Unhand me sir, unless you want the guard involved. This boy and I are none of your concern, and I have places to be. If you have a problem, take it up with Auntie Baltwin, not me."
You can tell that the boy doesn't seem afraid of the man, and the man doesn't seem to have any violent intent. The threat to call for guard intervention seems legitimate.
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So much for not having to go back to the temple, this stinks to high heaven.
"Human boy, do you have something to say for yourself? Is this your new human dad?"
Jory and Khazad go in and Jory gives his carefully rehearsed speech to avoid embarassment.
"Auntie Baltwin, we understand this is an orphanage and we found some humans wandering the streets that say their parents are dead. Can you help them?"
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Tiann nods at Jake. Either twenty-thirty minutes or until we hear dwarf swears.
She tries to speak to some people who work in the area, asking about whether the orphanage treats their little ones well, and starts off by inquiring about their religious upbringing.
While I don't want to push my faith on anyone, I do hope you can agree that at least learning of the different forces that shape our world is important, right? I pray that the children are taught about what to expect in the world as adults.
The boy looks confused. "New dad? Huh? I do his floors once a week."
The man frowns, "What? The boy doesn't seem sick. Why would I hire a sick boy? That just sounds dangerous."
The man gets into a carriage, and gives the child a hand up, and they depart.
The workers only vaguely know of the Home for Recovery, but point Tiann in the direction of the nearby market, where everyone in the area goes to shop.
Auntie Baldwin mutters, "...filthy boots..."
"Orphans get taken by the city, and some do come here, yes, but generally only if they are sick. Some parents also bring their children here if they need medical care. It is, after all, the Home for Recovery. If you have sick human children, you'd better leave them here until I can get someone from the proper authorities to take them."
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Karzak shakes Jory's hand, his eyes going from hostile to suspicious to...cheerful. A wide grin shows thick yellow teeth. Well now; ya' are a dwarf! I'll be an orc's chamber pot! Well said; I'm with ya'...talkin' first, stompin' later.
During the carriage ride, Karzak does his best to memorize his part in this ploy. Orphans....disaster, then orphans. Found this one, and he needs help. By the time they arrive, he thinks he has it...but then Jory goes off script. Karzak tries to keep up with him, even going so far as to grab the handle of his hammer, hoping for the chance for a bit of fun with the potential abductor.
Then, Jory goes and gets back on script. But, by then...Karzak was lost. All that he could offef was a wide-eyed stare, and then an arms out proclamation. Disaster kilt their mums!
Gilga Baltwin says, "You are trying my patience with your shenanegans, I have work to do, get going you two before I take my broom to your heads."
She closes the door, and leaves the dwarves standing on the porch.
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Karzak watches the retreating figure, and his anger rises as she shuts the door in their faces. He contemplates whether the door would stand up to a hammer blow, but his Pathfinder training prevails, and he refrains from demolishing the structure. He looks at Jory and nods.
Agreed, though it'd be good to know where that fella with the kid had gone; think we could have a few questions to ask him.. The dwarf cracks his knuckles loudly, leaving no confusion as to the type of "asking" he meant.
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Talhaearn heads to the market with Tiann and Jake, occasionally checking around to see if they're being followed.
Jake... I do appreciate the vigilance but I fear you may make others wary to speak with us if you look too menacing. Give us a smile or something.
Talhaearn wanders about the market, speaking with vendor and customer alike. He's not particularly skilled at talking to strangers but he knows a bit about the area and is able to engage in small talk without sounding too awkward.
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Nodding to Talhaearn, Tiann smiles at Jake. See, not so hard! And in a similarly hushed tone, If you keep whispering people are gonna be suspicious. If you've got any family members who run shops, they can definitely tell you that a whispering stranger is cause for at least concern. Back to her normal voice, Tell me, what's your favorite part of Absalom?
She makes an effort at finding some common ground with the people in the market at the center of the world. While perhaps not quite as worldly as others, she likes to think people skills are something she does well and thus gives it her best shot.
At the market, Talhaearn meets Miltivis, who has run the market for years. He claims that he has served Auntie Baldwin for over 30 years, and while a good customer, she is quite demanding and often rude to the other customers. He says she has kept his supplier of fine, expensive whiskeys in business for decades.
Tiann meets Gilga Baltwin's neighbors Travost and Tirelle Anthos, who are frankly tired of the noises the children make and the retinue of cats - though they do appreciate the cats mousing skills. They admit to being happy when Auntie Baltwin sends the children "off into the town" during the day, as it gives them a few hours of peace and quiet before they return in the evening.
The Anthos also introduce Tiann to Master Trebb Bonto, who owns the estate across the street from Baltwin. He is a retired builder, with nothing but nice things to say about Lady Baltwin, as he calls her. He recounts tales of tea and games on the sitting porch, though he lets slip that she often cheats at games and sometimes had some shady characters coming to whisper in her ear and palm her small bags of what might have been money, before slinking away. "Otherwise a find lady, indeed." he quickly adds.
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After speaking with Miltivis Talhaearn spies at a vendor who is selling small wooden toys and becomes enthralled with a stick that has a cup carved into the top and with a small ball attached with a piece of long string; the object being to catch the ball in the cup. He does this a few times and then decides to challenge himself. He picks up two with each hand and tries to catch all four balls at once.
Win or lose, he hopes the spectacle he is making of himself loosens a few tongues.
A young girl is sweeping the shop, and laughs at Talhaearn's antics. The shopkeeper looks to see what she is up to, but decides Talhaearn seems to be no danger to her. "Millie, don't play with the customers, the sooner you get your work done the sooner I can take you back to Auntie." The shopkeeper turns, and starts doing some paperwork.
Millie's sweeping becomes slower, as she is entranced by the show. "Again! Show me!"
The shopkeeper looks up, "Oh, she's not my daughter, she's just an orphan girl I bring in to do some light work around the shop."
The cleaning girl's jaw drops. "OOOOH! You're so cute little monster! What's your name?"
The toy shop owner chuckled, content to let Millie amuse herself for a while; it's certainly not a rarity for a child working in a toy shop to get distracted.
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Ice will cast ghost sound again to reply to Millie
My name is Jurassic, and if you get all your work done, and are a good girl, I will come back and visit soon!
Ice smiles at Millie and collects Jurassic.
Well, you heard 'em Millie; Better get your work done while I go talk to the nice lady that owns the store.
Ice will mess up the top of her hair and smile and make his way to Talhearn, shaking his head at him as he approaches.
Millie starts sweeping in earnest again, singing a little song to herself about her new friend Drassic the tiny monster.
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The shopkeeper looks up, "Oh, she's not my daughter, she's just an orphan girl I bring in to do some light work around the shop."
My apologies...such a delightful girl. So there is in orphanage close by? I'd imagine being an orphan is tough for a little girl; but working in a toy shop must make it a little easier!
The shopkeeper responds, "Yes, the Home for Recovery is not far. A lot of the children there are there for treatment, but many of the long term residents are healthy enough to work."
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Jake begins to sport an awkward, but sincere grin as he escorts the ladies around the marketplace.
Better, ladies? I am trying to be a bit more likeable. Your advice is appreciated. What I like best about Absalom is the diversity of people. Of course, my Andoran roots drive my pursuit of freedom and democracy for all. The slave trade here does anger me.
When it starts to feel like you are probing for information more than just making friendly conversation, the toy shop manager clams up, clearly wary. You are probably not going to get anything more out of her without causing an incident.
Millie has paid no attention to your conversation with the manager, and is still humming happily. You have clearly made her day!
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Hm... seems like these kids are put to work a bit harder than they should be... or maybe I had a spoiled childhood.
Tiann tries to talk to Millie and get the measure of the relationship between her and the shopkeep, crouching down so she and Millie are eye-to-eye. So, does the shopkeep here let you play with the toys a lot, or do you just have to work?
Millie responds, "I don't usually have time to play here, I play when I'm back home. Us healthy kids have to work to help pay for our room and board."
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Jory walks with Khazad to rejoin the others. Jory reports primarily to Tiann as she is of the church too.
"This Auntie chararcter, she hires these kids out for work. She definitely doesn't like dwarves, or at least not the two of us."
"Maybe we should confront her or report her for working kids. Is working kids bad here Tiann?"