“This is definitely more interesting than that fake goblin in the cage!” screams Borgmurch, who quite enjoyed the fireworks. He comes out from under the table, ready to compliment the mage, when he sees that the thugs are robbing the place. “Hey!” he screams at them “That’s not a nice thing to do! Don’t ruin the fireworks show!”
Quickly he nocks a small arrow into his bow and aims for one of the robber’s arm.
“That’s not yours! Let it go!” he lets loose.
______________________
@ Yandasana: its a scroll of shrink item and he's looking at the chest of silver
@ Everyone: Dolgrin makes the save and charges the wizard, swinging his waraxe but misses, deflected by seemingly the air itself.
The wizard takes frightened glances at the dwarf and the rapier, but continues to read the scroll.
An arrow strikes the thug Two-thumbs hit, dropping him as it pierces his chest. Nessa's glob of acid strikes another brute, eating away at skin and leather. The third is trying to both rouse his sleeping companion and calm the patch-girl down.
Nessa grins viciously as the acid strike home and decides to do it again. As the blob of acid sails towards her victim, she moves closer, careful to keep a table between her and the target of her ire.
Hal pulls another arrow, satisfied with the grunt of pain elicited by the first.His eyes dazzled he looses another shot, this one aimed at what he thinks is the eye-patch woman. "Cameron, where is the thin man? What is he doing? He is with the eye-patch wearing woman."
Cameron glances at the elf and tells him urgently, "Hal! He's casting from a scroll as he heads for the stage."
Cameron's prayer resonates in your ears and lends a spring to your step.
Cameron dashes towards the wizard and lunges at him with his longspear bellowing, "STOP! THEIF!"
Cameron then moves as close as he can get to the action. Hoping to position himself where he has the opportunity for an AOO.
Yanda finds that some form of magic or merely inspiration has somehow made her more focused on the task at hand. She has no time to figure out why though.
Yanda takes a traditional battle stance that she learned previously from spending time sparring against well trained duelists. Yanda takes her right arm back in preparation for a horizontal swing from right to left. With a flick of her wrist, she swings with her rapier arm.
Chaos ensues throughout the casino, patrons are either cowering in fear or trying to blindly flee. The wizard, distracted by the rapier's swing, albeit it missing, misreads the scroll and it melts in his hands.
As another acid splash strikes a thug, he screams in agony and makes a break for it, soon followed by his surviving compatriot.
The woman, by some misfortune, is struck by an arrow. "What the Hell?!" she cursed, spinning around in an attempt to see what hit her.
The slumbering thug is still sawing logs on the floor.
Cameron's blessing via Desna guided his spear to pierce the wizard's heart, killing him instantly.
End round two, start round three.
Ignoring the two fleeing thugs and deciding the woman must be the leader of them, Nessa moves to her, "Your thugs are fleeing or disabled, and your wizard is dead, you might as well surrender."
Borgmurch doesn’t hide his disappointment as he approaches Cameron “Why did you kill the man making the fireworks?” he asks the Desnan, a look of re-proach on his face “he was great entertainment! If you didn’t like the fire-works you should’ve just waited the end.” he looks at the dead wizard, then the thugs, then Cameron “You’re not with them, are you?” he points at the thugs “They’re robbing this place, but I don’t think they want to kill the entertainers.” he shrugs.
Hey! You!” he screams at the lady-thug “Just stop! You’re terrible at what you’re doing, you’re ruining the fun!” he draws another arrow, ready to let loose if the eye-patched woman doesn’t surrender.
___________________
Cameron does a double take and rocks back a step when confronted by the strange goblin, "Aie Goblin! ... Oh you're part of the staff." He lowers his spear which had automatically pointed in the Goblin's direction and hearing the Tiefling woman's command to surrender, Cameron pauses momentarily to see what the thieves do next.
Cameron moves to threaten as many of them as possible with his longspear and readies an action to attack the strongest looking one if he tries to escape.
Cameron takes a 5' step out of threatened range and calls on Desna's power to aid them in the fight, "By the Song of The Stars, Thieves and braggarts the lot of them! May the great Dreamer guide your axe and your bow!"
Cameron cast Bless, this gives a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls. It stacks with sermonic performance, those trying to stop the heist have +2 to hit and +1 damage.
Cameron loudly calls on Desna's power to aid them in the fight, "By the Song of The Stars, Thieves and braggarts the lot of them! May the great Dreamer guide your axe and your bow!"
Cameron cast Bless, this gives a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls. It stacks with sermonic performance, those trying to stop the heist have +2 to hit and +1 damage.
Cameron then moves to try and threaten as many of them as possible, hoping to gain a possible AOO if one moves or uses a ranged attack.
Hal puts another arrow to his bow and draws. He closes his eyes training the bow in the same murderous arc from his second floor perch. "Surrender, woman. I don't need my sight to know my first shot wounded you, my next will take you remaining eye and put you in the ground."
Yanda looks at the goblin. "You are seeing the tree, not the forest, little one. That wizard had a magical scroll containing incantations and properties for the purpose of making a selected object of his choosing... smaller. While the shrinking of the chest may be entertaining, it would not help the business of the Gold Goblin. His intention was to steal the chest."
Yanda directs her attention to the eye patch lady. "Listen closely and well. Two men are certainty not afraid to get their hands dirty. The man on the second floor has threatened you with death. And the man next to me seems to have speared your wizard without any hesitation. This is besides another arrow that has been drawn against you from another vantage point. I don't know these people, but from what I know at the moment you ought to listen to the lady speaking next to you. Stand down and confess your crimes."
"What? Angvar's dead?" the woman cries out, freezing in her tantrum as the two thugs are blocked by the two ticket sellers and Two-thumbs secures the sleeping one.
As sight returns to the patrons, they see what has occurred and they begin to cry out for refunds, feeling their night has been ruined.
Saul comes out from the backrooms and asks his "PC" employees what happened in a level tone, ignoring the clamoring crowd as his men secure the four remaining thieves.
Sauntering up closer to the woman, Nessa turns on her sultry succubus charm, "Anvar? Was that his name? Such a shame, but he did take the risk and reaped his reward. I think that is suitable vengeance for your interruption of my fun tonight." She smiles chillingly, "Be glad yours wasn't forfeit as well." She moves very close to the woman and trails a finger along her chin.
Satisfied with her vengeance, Nessa saunters back to Saul, "Master, this woman, the two men over there, and the dead one there," she points to each in turn, "were trying to steal the pot. We caught them in the act and dealt with them."
With the echoes of combat fading, Hal returns his arrow to its quiver and pauses until his vision returns. How many times did Zandra and Karthan encourage me to take up blind fighting techniques? He shakes his head and descends the stairs to stand where Two-Thumbs is rounding up the thieves. He spots the one he'd fell with an arrow and then the gaunt man impaled upon Cameron's spear.
"Well done," Hal mentions to Cameron. "And my thanks for your divine provision. The light of your adherence to the Greater Dreamer lent accuracy to my shots." There were plenty of the human refuse in the city who claimed the patronage of the goddess, but few actually reaped the benefits. Hal'dorel would need to be watchful of the man.
The pudgy proprietor steps forward, demanding an explanation of the obvious, the demonspawn answering in a concise enough summation that the elf feels there is nothing to add other than to confirm them.
*sigh* This can't be the event I was sent here to observe, can it? Perhaps something under the scum of these would be thieves...perhaps something of consequence. Groups of meddling humans rarely show the proper initiative as this without a benefactor...
He spies the fletching of his arrow protruding from the eye-patch woman's back. He slips in behind her and gingerly places a hand on the arrow. "I'd like my arrow returned and cleaned of your filthy blood, thief." Hal gives it a gentle tap. "I can pull it out or push it through your front and retrieve it that way. This is a punch arrow head, designed to penetrate armor, so the first option is less painful. The choice is yours..." He leans in close to her ear and says, "Who hired you? Your answer decides the direction of my arrow."
When she hears Hal threatening the man on how he will pull out the arrow, she pipes up, "Can I do it? Please?" Her tone of voice is wheedling but she sounds like she relishes the chance to cause the guy pain.
Cameron nods at Hal and then gazes at the corpse of the thin man sprawled before him. In death the man looked painfully thin, almost a bag of bones. Cameron shakes his head sadly and thinks, 'Guess I don't know my own strength. Didn't expect him to just collapse like that. Or maybe the hand of fate guided my spear to his heart...'
He bends down to close the man's blankly staring eyes and murmurs a prayer to speed him on the way to the afterlife and takes the opportunity to quickly and efficiently search the man for any clues.
When the proprietor comes over to see what the fuss was about, Cameron lets the others speak first. When they've finished explaining what happened, Cameron politely tells Saul, "Mr Vancaskerkin sir, with such a large purse something like this was inevitable. You are lucky these thieves where incompetent. If you're intending to do anything like tonight again, you'll need to hire more security."
Seeing no more use for fighting, Yandasana sheathes her rapier. She listens curiously to Hal's brief exchange with Cameron. 'Cause and effect, same as always.' She crosses her arms and tilts her head slightly to the right. Behind her is the dead wizard that she recently learned was named Angvar. With such a outburst, perhaps the eyepatch lady shared an attachment to this man. Perhaps a clear romantic link.
Yanda at least understood what loss feels like. She had a lover herself in the past. But time passed away in a not so kindly fashion with him. He believed in one notion, Yanda believed a different notion. 'Sometimes what you know, can get you killed.'
After observing the 2nd threat from the elf bowman, Yandasana moves to intercede, "Her blood is as filthy as anyone else. Let me tell you something that you ought to know, sir. If all you can do is threaten in a place like this, I would not be surprised if more enemies come your way. Every problem does not have to be dealt with the swing of the sword."
She shifts her focus to the lady.
Yanda speaks with a soft and pleasant tone towards the eye patch lady. "Angvar... Angvar... can you tell me about him, dear. Why was he here and you as well?"
Yanda lies by channeling from her own experience of loss. "He didn't deserve to die. You have my word on that." She actually does not care for the wizard. It was his own stupidity that got him killed.
The woman sniffs pitifully, wincing at the wound the arrow caused. "He was ... a lover, I guess. He masterminded this whole operation, hired those other men and everything. We hoped it would be an easy heist..."
Saul looks over the woman and the remaining thugs, and for a brief moment a flash of anger darkened his features. But then he returned to a neutral expression and said: "The gendarmes will be here soon to clean up this filth. If you lot have no further questions for them, I'd recommend taking them to one of the back rooms and have Two-thumbs stand guard. Of course, you're welcome to any of their loot.
As he finishes, he finally acknowledges the crowd and announces: "Everyone, I apologize for the ... inconvenience, but you shall receive your current chip value at 110% as you leave tonight, as the tournament must close."
There is certainly grumbling, but slowly the mob accepts the proposal and begins to form a few lines to receive their consolation.
Saul then turns to the PCs and says softly, "I appreciate you lot's thwarting what could have ended in a riot. I'd like a word with all of you in my office when you are done out here." And with that he leaves for the backrooms.
Crooning at Saul, "Of course Master." She goes around and starts helping the other "succubi" escort the guests out. She makes it a point to try and smooth over any overly angry patrons using her charms, especially if the other girls are having a hard time of it, and retreats to Saul's office when she is done as requested.
Cameron raises his eyebrows at the woman with the rapier, wondering what was that all about? A moment passes and he shrugs, 'None of my business I suppose.'
Having searched the would be thieves Cameron announces, "There's a bunch of junk on these although that wand and the bracers might something, albeit half worn out."
He turns and walks in the direction Saul left without taking anything.
"Let me tell you something that you
ought to know, sir. If all you can do is threaten in a
place like this, I would not be surprised if more enemies
come your way. Every problem does not have to be dealt
with the swing of the sword."
Shortsighted little...
Hal's gut-churning instinct is to pull a weapon for the woman's slight. But he instead replies evenly after the thief's confession, "Pain is a language all its own with hhh... with thieves." He watches Two-thumbs lead the miscreants away. "Their cowardly ways leave their ears open to the words."
(hiding contempt | anger)
As the thieves' gear is lay out for perusal, Hal scoops up 10 gold pieces and one of the saps. The latter a useful implement should any bounties call for the targets to be alive. Easier than flat-blading them.
He holds his council for the moment and turns from the pile of loot to head for Saul's office.
Having finished escorting the guests out, Nessa goes to the pile of loot and picks up the bracers, "Oooh, I like these," and geabs ten pieces of gold before heading to Saul's office. When she enters, she moves to Saul and sits on his lap if he allows her to. She looks at him, "You asked to see us?" Her submissive attitude is mostly gone now that she is not out front, though she does sound respectful.
Yandasana looks at the details of Hal's features as he speaks. Her mind clicks into the elven language as a native speaker with all the flourish and subtle sounds.
Noticing Hal's anger, she changes the subject.
"I was adopted and raised among the elven scholars. Their vast knowledge given their long lifespan and culture garners my respect. Keeping you safe is what I aim to do, sir. You are an employee here, are you not? My name is Yandasana Fethen. My elven parents gave me the elven word for 'great mind' in my first name, but I would assume that you already know the meaning. It was probably meant to be, I have constantly read books voraciously. We can talk more later if you wish."
She bows respectfully towards Hal and moves along to hear what Saul has to say.
Saul then turns to the PCs and says softly, "I appreciate you lot's thwarting what could have ended in a riot. I'd like a word with all of you in my office when you are done out here." And with that he leaves for the backrooms.
Yanda smiles at her success, "I will be there soon enough."
Walking over to the loot, Yanda inspects the masterwork leather armor worn by the eyepatch lady. 'A little blood on the leather... a little clean and it should be ready to go.' Her hand picks out the 10 gold pieces inside the armor and places the gold in one of her pockets. She picks up the wand from the pile out of mere curiosity.
She follows the others into Saul's office.
Cameron's ears burn at the exchange in Elven, and he does his best to pretend ignorance. 'Really what *is* going on there? First she layes into him, then she tries to suck up. Are they? No surely not, Half doesn't seem to know her...'
Cameron risks a sidelong glance at Hal, 'Have I misjudged him? Come to think of it, he got me telling my life story yet I know little of him. Well I've taken a chance on the house tonight, I guess I'll have to trust in the Dreamer's plan.'
Dolgrin ran his hand along the braids in his beard, thinking on the combat that had occurred. Not precisely the corruption I was expecting, but it stands to reason petty thuggery could result from such an event... He moves over to his employer, helping him stand up from behind one of the gaming tables, where he had been cowering with a couple of the serving wenches.
"I say, good show. If I hadn't had my hands full protecting these young ladies, I surely would have lended a hand," Lukain says to the dwarf.
"Indeed," Dolgrin replied, his eyes rolling. "It looks as if the night is over at any rate. I expect you won't be needing my services, considering." The fops eyes flare in anger at not being able to continue the gambling, despite Saul's offer of recompense. Dolgrin sighed, heading off the storm before it broke. "Perhaps, m'lord, you could make sure the women make it home safely."
Lukain blinked and looked at the two women beside him. "Absolutely," he said, puffing himself up and putting an arm around them, leading them out of the hall.
Dolgrin shook his head, glad to be rid of the man, and moved to the back room to meet with the others.
Hal remains stoic when the woman speak in elvish. The very futility of trying to cure a human of their inequities...to raise them amongst his own kind... An interesting experiment, one condoned - no doubt - by those in Kyonin with their open views of customs. Hal resists the urge to spit on the ground again and instead works his neck until a satisfying crack relieves some tension. His is the old view, the ways of his people that have kept them thriving in the dangerous areas bouldering their enemies.
To give a human even the status of a pet is to encourage their foolishness to infect our culture. He unconsciously rubs a hand against his vest as though wiping away filth. He glances Cameron's way, grey eyes narrowing with a glimmer of suspicion, before he turns back towards Saul's office. I've been among this rabble for far too long. Whatever event I'm to witness, it can't come soon enough!
-----
When Saul mentions they’re free to loot the bodies, Borgmurch takes it a bit too literally. Not only he grabs a sap and a handful of coins, but also buttons from their clothes, a scarf, and even goes for the eye-patch of the still-alive woman before others intervene to avoid a scene.
“Mpf… Bosssaul said “any”. That’s one of any.” he points at the eye-patch.
He is pretty disinterested in the argument between the stern woman and the elf, but he appreciates the skillful way the latter describes the pulling of an arrow “Uh, I always push them through. It doesn’t ruin the pelt, and you can make a nice coat after! You like to keep the pelt of this one nice and shiny? I know a secret twist that works very well! I can show you!” he asks Hal'dorel pointing at the eye-patched woman.
After everyone is done talking, he follows the rest in Saul’s office.
Saul declines respectfully to Nessa's offer to sit on his lap. "I have a story to tell. This won't be brief." Saul speaks loudly to have one of the waitresses hear him, "Can we have some wine? My new friends must be quite thirsty after there little exercise." Most of the employees have left, but a waitress does come in with some fine wine and even a potion of cure light wounds. "I am thankful that you stayed. Set the tray down on my desk. That will be enough." The waitress leaves, leaving only Saul and the pcs in the office.
"I have something to confess... It is a matter of trust for me to tell you my life. As you well know, Riddleport is full of gangs and criminals. And I was once in the same boat as them. I led a gang myself, been through many dangers and such. It was surely thrilling, but such a passion comes at a terrible cost. My wife is dead, murdered by thugs similar to those who I commanded. My sons are now exiled, so I have no heirs. I lost all the fortune that I had once had. I am getting old, I can't play that game anymore. When you lose so much..."
Saul pauses for a moment in contemplation, "I want to change my behavior. Coming clean is all I want. Have a business with no trouble. Unfortunately, I have made enemies in my past life. I want to let my past go, but they surely won't."
Saul lets out a sigh, "But... I can't stop trying... would like to join me in giving the Gold Goblin another chance? You will get a salary, lodging, free meals, and be junior partners of the Gold Goblin. Does that sound like a fine deal? Your help out there proved your credentials to me."
Seeming to accept his lack of interest as a possible challenge for the future, Nessa finds a place to sit, a counter or desktop if possible where she can see him as she can speak, crossing her legs and leaning forward. When his proposal is done, Nessa doesn't bother thinking on it much, "I'm interested, I don't know that I'll leave the temple lodgings anytime soon, but the rest sounds good for now. I would like to continue working on the floor when I wish though, that was fun." Her lips purse into a moue of displeasure, "At least it was until though thugs ruined it."
Cameron can barely believe what he's hearing, 'A salaried job, junior partner?! But I was all ready to pack my bags. THE reading the implied a journey. Great Dreamer what fickle fate is this? Surely the old Scarnazi goat is not to be trusted?'
Cameron eyes him suspiciously.
Daring to dream a little as Desna teaches us to Cameron ponders, 'Not all journies involve travel, perhaps this is to be a journey of the spirit? Besides I'm probably going to be head croupier now, I can shuffle a deck with the best of them.'
Suddenly he glances at the assembled company, and the Tiefling in particular, 'Oh these are going to be my collogues. This could be very awkward.'
With a lump in his throat Cameron turns his attention back to Saul and replies, "Well if you need a croupier, I know all the tricks..."
(does his history check out?)
What would I gain by being attached to this establishment? Dealing with the dredges of humanity... How does this get me closer to my goals and out of this warren? He remains silent for a time as he considers the options. His current living situation allowed for some anonymity. Plus the tiny attic served as a place from which he could observe surround.
Then there is the mission. His latest message from home alluded to a major event. As is often the case, the message was cryptic and allowed for him to fill in details as intuition gave them. As his elvish mind extrapolates the possibilities he determines that this will put him in a better position in the city. Anonymity had yielded little.
Then there is something to be said for a human doing the right thing. For many of the race, harder lessons on a life wasted are difficult to find. On the other side of Saul's redemption, Hal would find a central location from which to observe the area. A hawk's aerie as it were.
Hal crosses his arms and responds. "Your terms are agreeable. What responsibilities will this entail?"
Dolgrin listens to the man. A man trying to redeem himself... by running a gambling den... You sure can pick 'em. Still it gives me a reason to stick around and search for more diabolical influences... and mayhap steer him away from another tainted offering. The dwarf's eyes look at the Saul and then around at his new 'partners'... and keep an eye on that elf... Probably has some vile intent for sure. Damned elves.
Turning back to Saul, the gruff dwarf nods. "The deal is sound for me. I accept."
Borgmurch wanders off a bit, bored, when Saul reminisces his past wrongdoings. Borgmurch left chief Earmuncher and the Ratskinner tribe, but he surely isn’t sappy and sad about it!
It is only when the others start replying that he realizes something has been offered. He is quick to agree together with the others “Oh, yes, this is very good! I live in a pretty elegant mansion down the street, so I’m close, but I can come in for the free meals! I think that having a goblin at the Golden Goblin is a good idea. They can try to steal the gold, but they won’t steal this goblin!” he smiles satisfied.
Saul tried to get his other son Verik to aid him in covering up some key evidence, but Verik had enough of father's life of crime. Verik fled Riddleport to become a member of the Korvosan Guard.
With no allies left but his third wife Bertrida, Saul decided to abandon Riddleport as well, but Zincher was ready for him, Zincher cashed in a favor with the Overlord to have Saul's home surrounded. He hoped to have gendarmes take Saul into custody, but the plan fell apart when it became apparent that Saul's house was on fire. The gerdarmes managed to stop the fire before it spread. But not before it claimed Bertrida's life. They caught Saul in a nearby alleyway trying to flee. It became apparent that he'd murdered his own wife and lit his house on fire in a desperate attempt to fake his death.
The Overlord was not pleased, but at Zincher's request, Saul's execution was "downgraded" to heavy fines and a hand. Zincher wanted Saul alive, so he could live for a long time destitute and maimed with the repercussions of his family's role in Falk Zincher's death.
Yandasana responds in a polite tone, "I will humbly decline your offer. The risks outweigh the rewards." Yandasana smiles and leaves the Gold Goblin not to be seen again.
Saul smiles, "Well, I am happy that most of you agreed to work here. You will work directly for me. We have several different jobs that need to be done in the Gold Goblin. Dealers, bouncers, croupiers, or greeters are the common stuff. I will leave it up for you to decide. Your salary will be 10GP per week with a cut of the gambling hall's weekly profits."
Her eyes glowing brighter in her excitement, Nessa happily chimes in, "I'll help manage the other succubi! It'll be fun." She looks around as though missing something, wiggling on the surface she is sitting on, "Now, where did I leave my whip?" Looking up as she realizes what she said, "Whoops, did I say that out loud?" She looks innocently at the ceiling. "Don't worry, I'll behave...mostly..."
From inside a shirt pocket, Cameron produces an most ornate set of cards. He starts doing a series of one fancy handed shuffles and cuts, before fanning them out and starting over almost faster than the eye can see.
He nods at Saul, and turns to look at the others "Yes lets do this." He then turns back to Saul and says, "If I might make a small suggestion, perhaps the house should sponsor a series of poker tourney. There should be a one and then a ten gold buy in, with the purse split 60 / 30 / 10 for first, second and third places. That'll bring the punters in who will happily spend a lot of money at your bar. Yet the purse won't be so large as to attract unwanted attention..."
Dolgrin strokes his beard in thought. "I can't say I have much of a mind for such business, but I suppose I could keep an eye out for those that try to cheat the house," he says, and, be able to keep an eye out for what brought me here... "And should there be any trouble that the bouncers can't stop, I'm sure my axe could make a final statement."
“Very good then! My job is that I am the real Gold Goblin you said, yes?” Borgmurch smiles as he extends his hand to shook Saul’s key-hand. “Will you give me a Gold outfit? My clothes are very pretty, but they are not Gold!
“Of course I still get dibs on all the rats, yes? You said free meals, so I keep the rats I catch! And foxes, if they come through.” he adds very seriously, looking around to see if someone challenges him on that condition. “Can I use your kitchen to cook them?”
Hearing the goblins clothing request, Nessa quickly chants and points at him, his clothes suddenly taking on the appearance of being golden cloth. "It won't last forever, but I can recast my spell when it wears off."
"Excellent! Nessa, I believe you will do a fine job in management. Cameron, you seem like a gambling man. I like it! Care to be managing our gambling rules and processes? You could deal some cards as well." He stands up, looking at Dolgrin with a sustained smile. "And what is your name? You are well armed with versatile weapons. Hopefully that will keep this place well protected." Saul walks up to the smallest of the party. "Yes, you will be the real gold goblin. A small person can actually cast a large shadow if they work on it. Perhaps, you can entertain guests with your great hunting abilities. Can you shoot targets well?"
Cameron nods, "Very well. I shall get the card tourney set up, we'll need a few days for publicity. Our pitch will be 'The tourney you can trust.' We will guarantee the cards are unmarked and properly shuffled, and cheats will not be tolerated. I think Desna would be willing for me start each tourney with a blessing, the punters will like that."