"The bar is closed already." Maggie jokes.
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Logan says little as the group gets back into the boat and sneaks back into their hideout. He helps out and does his part with loading of equipment and rowing, but he's angry with Saul for blowing up at him. He's also angry with himself for blowing their cover. Every time that thought crosses his mind, he drowns it out with a pull from his hip flask. He's well on his way to being drunk by the time they unload everything.
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Saul avoids Logan, purposely getting in the opposite boat from him, and remains quiet while pulling their boats into the sewer and helping the weak prisoners get through the water to the Raven's Nest.
On the way, he talks to the man that Laria sent them to retrieve.
"You have a good friend in Laria, Mac. She sent us to give you a hand out of there. Of course, we were all too happy to do anything to hurt the Dottari and indirectly, the Lord Mayor. I hope Laria has a good idea for smuggling you out of the city. But maybe all it will take is rest and a good disguise."
To Maggie, Saul says, "You more than earned your keep tonight. How about a raise? It was two gold a week before. I think 4 gold a week is more than fair. One for each of you."
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Fhingle watches the two men not get along, getting a bit more quiet himself/ Once they return he helps with some unloading then goes to painting.
Fhingle does this till he is ready for bed then goes to sleep
The Fushi Sisters give Saul a thumbs up.
"Thank you for getting us out." Forvian Crowe replies. "I guess you're right. After that bloody mess our rescue became, we can't be seen in this town. Because other than with you, there are too many people who know we were there."
"Worked some for her. You know, making coffee and pastries." he replies with an ironic smile.
In the morning Fhingle makes coffee early, bringing some to Rexar and then to the rest of those camping out.
"Laria hasn't taught me how to make pastries yet but I will learn." Fhingle says
This night doesn't pass uneventful. But this time not because of the evil Lord Major. As the day dawns, Kintargo is still unaware of what happened in the Salt Works.
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Logan hit his flask a bit too hard last night, trying to drink away his argument with Saul. He sleeps in late and wakes up with a familiar throbbing ache in his head.
Another day, another hangover. Good thing this hideout is under a coffee shop.
Logan had apparently made a rudimentary bed for himself in a corner of one of the hideout's storerooms. He stumbles out of the room, remembering how to walk by the time he makes it to the common room upstairs. He orders a large coffee and drinks it fast, ordering a second cup almost immediately. This one he sips slower, taking it back to the hideout when the room gets too busy.
I should go buy a bedroll if this is going to be my new home. I've got to refill too. I just about emptied my flask last night.
After finishing his coffee, Logan goes out and runs his errands. Then he returns to the hideout and spends the rest of the morning working out, waiting for his friends to show up.
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Saul spent the night at Laria's, but after saying good morning to her, and that there are several new customers for her downstairs, he heads back to the office. The tieflings may have new information, after all, or other cases may come up and it is important to maintain the appearance of a normal daily routine.
On the way back, he keeps his wits about him and listens to the talk on the street. Has news of the Saltworks spread?
"I hear that bodyguard of Thrune’s, that woman Nox, is half devil. She’s too ugly to be just human, that’s for sure!" Saul hears as he comes past some macho dottaris.
And no one runs through town screaming "Treason!"
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Saul gets back to his office apartment, not hearing too much commotion about him, but then, he was pretty distracted.
Maybe I was too hard on Logan. Killing them was probably the best way about things. Our disguises aren't fool-proof, and how many other tall black men go about carrying longspears wherever they go? Maybe the spear should stay in the Raven's Nest until it needs to come out. Eventually people will forget I have one, if I stop walking about the city with it.
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His morning at the office taken care of, Saul walks back to the coffeehouse, sans spear. The silver morningstar, however, still remains hidden underneath his leather duster, bouncing against his thigh with every step.
When Laria has a second, Saul pulls her to the side. "What are your plans for Forvian Crowe, gorgeous? You've smuggled people out of the city before. Do you need us to help?"
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Gods dammit! I forgot to hit the bar for a refill.
On second thought, this doesn't actually make him all that angry; the forgetfulness part, maybe, but not the excuse to go to the bar.
None of the others are here yet anyway. I'll be back before they get in.
With that, Logan heads out, missing Saul by seconds. He goes over to Clenchjaws, keeping his eyes and ears open along the way.
Fhingle sits in Rexus' room for a bit watching him do his work.
"can I ask what you are looking for in those papers?"
"I'm translating them, hoping to find something about the history of the Silver Ravens that will help us to get that old spirit of Kintargo going again. From the old tales I'd say there has to be some secret to it." Rexus explains, while sitting behind his cluttered desk with the papers distributed everywhere.
"Do you need anything else, or help with the papers? Fhingle looks at some of the papers
"You could go and buy another notebook, for my notes and the final translation. I don't have the time to get out myself, I need to work more on the papers." Rexus suggests
Fhingle nods and heads out into the city to get the items that Rexus needs, playing it like he isn't happy is hard. Being a free halfling and not a slave any longer is a new experience for Fhingle. Returning an hour later Fhingle lays down gently 2 note books and some new pencils.
"Do you want some lunch?"
Gods dammit! I forgot to hit the bar for a refill.
On second thought, this doesn't actually make him all that angry; the forgetfulness part, maybe, but not the excuse to go to the bar.
None of the others are here yet anyway. I'll be back before they get in.
With that, Logan heads out, missing Saul by seconds. He goes over to Clenchjaws, keeping his eyes and ears open along the way.
[dice=Perception]1d20 + 7
At the bar, a handsome man with a flippant attitude has been talking to the barkeep. "And the damn bastards shut us down, just because some of the regulars may have, well, not fans of the Thrunes. So if you've any shifts I could pick up, I'd be eternally grateful." As Logan enters, Cassius tilts his head. Recognize that one from somewhere ...a cuckold? No. Heavy Road? No. Wait, that's it! That bar brawl I saw! That was crazy!
"Say, friend, buy you a drink?"
"I haven't talked to him about that. I'll ask him later, but getting people out of town is hard at the moment. I stopped all my business because of that ... Thrune." Laria replies.
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Logan hears this new guy's offer and smiles. He is always happy when someone else is paying for the booze.
"Absolutely!"
But, again, he's not stupid. He's aware that there might be those who are out to get him now that he's a part of this new rebellion. A bit out of character, he resolves not to have too much to drink with this stranger.
When the drinks come, Logan lifts his mug a bit.
"To your health." He takes a swallow, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.
"Thanks. What's your name, friend?"
Laria takes Saul to the back of the shop. "Usually I only organized something. A ship, a wagon, something to get the people somewhere. But now you can't go out at night to bring someone there and no one is willing to take the risk anymore. What good would it do to them, ot put them out of the gates?"
"Cassius. I recognized you from that donnybrook. Your friends seem an interesting lot and I'm in search of some interesting friends."
"Very rarely," Cassius smirks. "More that ...maybe I've started to notice how things are going in this city. Some changes need to come, but not the kind a man can do alone. No matter how charming."
At almost noon Zea makes he way to the Gumshoes office. She knocks, but as no one answers the door, she writes a note and pushes it under the door.
"You should know. I don't use the basement anymore." Laria replies.
"Yes, it was my idea that you free them. But I assumed, they might come up with something themselves. They are the big guys I hired when I had to do some work. They should be able to look after themself usually. Give them a day and some of my pies and they should be back to normal." Laria replies with a shrug.
Fhingle hangs out with Rexus for a while
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Nodding at Laria and snitching a flaky pastry when her back is turned, Saul heads down to the Raven's Nest. He makes sure Crowe and crew is settled in and has enough food, and that no one is dying.
Saul then gathers up a few pieces of equipment at time from the previous nights raid, and spends the afternoon going between different stores, back to the Raven's Nest, and so on, selling it off. Not wanting to be remembered, he quickly conducts the business in each store and does not engage the proprietors in small talk.
"Cassius Sacero's the name. I'm a bartender by trade, a gambler by sport, and, of late, increasingly interested in changing how this city works. I can work a con, I can forge, I speak several languages fluently, and I'm excellent at disguises. Oh, and I always forget, I can cast some non-lethal spells, too." Cassius quaffs his drink. "From what I saw of you, you know your way around a fight. What's your name?"
"Saul do you need help with anything today?" Fhingle asks once he finds that Rexus won't be talking to much
"Sure I want to meet more people." Fhingle says and goes with Saul, "How long have you lived here?" Fhingle asks about 10 minutes into their walk.
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Logan finishes his beer in one final gulp.
"I'm Logan Hawkes. Listen, my friends and I are starting up a group that is actively trying to change things around here. My friend Saul is sort of our unofficial leader. I think you might be just the kind of guy we're looking for. Let's head over to his place and see if he's in. I'll introduce you."
Logan leads Cassius through town to Saul's office.
Cassius finishes his drink and follows his new pal.
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"Been here my whole life, little Mac. Seen the good and the bad. Worked for a long stint at the docks with my Dad, so this area here is like going back to an old home. Eventually a red-headed dame got me into investigating. I took to it. Got an eye for details."
In the dock area, Saul leads Fhingle up to a weaponshop known at the War Cage.
"Chuko! You around?" calls Saul as he walks in.
Chuko looks up for who is calling. "Ah, it's you."
"Want to take another look at my collection of spears?"
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"I do, in fact. Still have that masterworked mithral spear? I have... 648 gold and this finely crafted silver morningstar. Would you take all of it in trade for the spear?"
His voice goes down to a whisper. "It also comes with a promise to stick it in the Thrune's guts. Though that might take a while."
"Next you're trying to sell me your granny!" Chuko laughs. Putting out a hand he tells "You have a deal. But I expect you to deliver on that promise."
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"My thanks, Chuko!"
And he lowers his voice again.
"And just keep it in mind: Any assistance you can provide for our fledging rebellion will not be forgotten. Any information is welcome, especially in regards to the other sailors here at the docks... who is grumbling the most about these proclamations, for example. Anyone who might sympathize with our cause."
Fhingle looks around the store while Saul does his business, picking up some weapons and putting them back when he realizes they are all to big for him.
"Do you have anything in my size?" Fhingle asks the Tengu