Cameron noticed this exchange and nodded to himself, Natalya seems to have a big heart. I probably should have said something too but it was better coming from her.
A little while later he floated the idea, "Maybe we should all go out for a drink in a bit. Yes I know Saul wants us to do the late shift tonight, that's kinda awkward. I was thinking of coffee rather than alcohol, I know this place about ten minutes from here. A hidden gem, they do the most amazing things there..."
"Really?" Therric's ears perk up at the mention of the place. "Sounds like a good idea to me."
Sure, Saul isn't in a mood for sex.
But the wicked, sexy and naughty tiefling leave him with no other opportunity, nearly dragging him to his office by... well, you get the picture.
With the help of a few of the staff, you roll the barrels toward the bar.
Two Thumbs, the barman, asks to keep at least some of the alcohol near him, at hand.
No sense in breaking your backs with all of these, the stairs to the cellar are treacherous and I'll need some of the barrels here anyway tonight.
The simple wooden staircase leads you to a rough chamber of stone,short bar and a number of battered tables and chairs squeezed into it.
The walls and floors are crudely painted a rusty red.
There is a closed door, but Bojask, probably the henchman who's closest to Saul, keep his back on it. So there are probably other rooms after that door.
He watches you working, and doesnt even try to help.
Therric is about to say something to Bojask along the lines of "Aren't you going to help us?" but the feeling of something malevolent watching him puts that thought on hold.
He pauses in his work and starts looking around, trying to find whoever/whatever it is that's watching him.
As he finished putting the last barrel in place, Cameron thought, 'Well thats a little unsubtle Saul. We'll just have to come back later, much later, when Bojask isn't around.'
Turning to the others he says, "Well that's done. Lets grab a coffee and a slice of cake before the evening shift starts?" He starts to head out.
I should invest into that kind of toys... That opens up some interesting possibilities! says Saul, while spanking you
As the last barrel is rolled in to place, with the barkeep standing watchfully over the ones left up top, Talya leans in to Cameron.
So I have te know... wos a man a the cloth doin' 'ere then? An' don' give me no mumbo bout Lady Lucky an' servin' yer goddess!
She does make a quick gesture to appease the Dreamer, evidently not wanting to cause offence with her words.
Ya can stand Razor an me a draught 'a ale if'n ya wanna yarn, bet yer throats as parched as ours after the day we's had eh!?
"Um..." Therric looks up at the covered cage hanging from the cellar's ceiling with a bit of trepidation. "...anyone else getting a bad feeling about that cage up there?" He points it out.
Alayna looks where Therric points, "Aye. An' I always 'ave, too." With no more that Alayna keeps busy making sure Two Thumbs has his rotgut and the rest of the barrels get put downstairs. A guard, Saul? Wha' ya don' trust us none?
Zahel helped the others getting the barrels into place.
I wonder what that is behind that door, that has to be heavily guarded.
The investigator tilted his head back when Therric mentionned the cage.
"Unless it suddenly opens, not particularly," he replied.
With Saul's men around, he didn't add anything, which didn't prevent him from thinking that the owner's habit to put things out of reach was, however, definitely worrying him.
There were probably clues in Saul's office, but for now it was... Occupied.
As they leave Cameron answers Therric's and Natalya's questions by explaining , "Back when I first started here, Saul had arranged for a special event: 'Cheat the Devil and Take His Gold'. To go with the theme he had ghoulish casino games, various Tieflings severing wenches and so on. To cap it off he had a real live imp in a gilded cage, a vicious thing called 'Old scratch'. The story I heard said Scratch owed Saul some kind of favor, your guess is as good as mine as to what... Anyway Natalya asked how I got mixed up in all this, well the Desnan mission's roof needed repairing, and still does. I thought I'd enter the competition. Of course things didn't go to plan and some fools stole the gold, I and the others ended up getting a job as a sort of consolation prize."
Talya nods at Cameron's story
Well gold's gold, whether earned, won or stolen, it all buys the same bread eh?!
She glances at the covered cage
Well wha'ever in there'll keep m' guessin'. Now, do we have a\ought else ta do 'ere aside from wait fer the clientele to arrive!?
The five of you (Nessa being quite ..tied up) finish to put the remaining barrels in place at the cellars, and then start climbing up the stairs
Everyone hears one of the staff (a man with a slight stutter but good eyesight named Zahn, as far as you can recall, working as a card dealer upstairs) talking to Bojask
No bets to.. tonight, Bo..Bojask? T..Too bad!
Bojask slaps him twice, looking furious, and sends him back to the stairs with a kick to the backside
Shut your mouth, Zahn. And get back to work.
There was a while till the evening shift started, besides Cameron wanted to plan in relative privacy. "Coffee?" if the others agree Cameron will take them there.
Therric's face darkens when Cameron explains what the cage's occupant is. "Oh, that's it? No wonder."
"Coffee?"
"Yes, please."
Nessa heard her friends down the hall when she left Saul's office. She was walking a bit stiffly but she was walking. She smirked at the two guards and waved as she made her way to the room the others were in. Entering it was obvious that Nessa had been...well used if the stiffness to her movements were of any indication. She set her pack down and got a cup of coffee before going to sit with Therrick. She sat gingerly and then shifted a bit for comfort before she looked at Alayna and said, "Next time you want him distracted you can go and do it. Ugh, I never should have given him that paddle attachment, only time I've felt more sore than this was when the First Sting invited me to a dungeon orgy as the star attraction." She sipped on her coffee carefully to make sure it wasn't to hot and, finding that it wasn't, began to drink it quickly before looking longingly at the coffee pot.
Therric takes a sip of his hot coffee and winces, partially from the heat on his tongue but also from Nessa's... graphic description.
Noting the stiffness of her gait, Therric raises his hand and channels a soft, golden light into his palm. "Well, um... would you like me to help you with that? The soreness, I mean?"
Cameron leads the group to his favorite coffee shop. Shop is perhaps the wrong word, it's more of a hole in the wall with a tiny room dominated by a huge copper peculator. The most enticing aroma meets you as you draw close, Cameron explains they import and roast their own beans. Outside is a small quiet plaza with comfy benches.
Piping hot brew in hand, Cameron makes a suggestion, "I've long suspected he was hiding something but Saul was particularly unsubtle today. Anyone up for a little exploration later? Oh and by later I mean much later. Perhaps an hour after the last drunks have gone. We'll make sure Bojask isn't around, no need for things to get ugly." He waits to see what the others think of this idea.
"Aft' Boj's treatment o' the cardshark, I got no qualms return'n the pain."
Therric nods in agreement.
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As Therric offered his touch to heal her Nessa grinned and rose, stood in front of him facing away, and bent forward so that her hands were on her knees. Her tail rose the back of her skirt up and allowed him to see the red marks from her "punishment". As he touched her and the magic flowed in the marks vanished and she moaned in relief before sitting back down, this time on his lap. She put one arm around his shoulders and kissed him lightly on the lips, "Thank you Therric."
When they headed to coffee shop Nessa walked close to Therric and tried to lean against him as one wing folded around him to cup his back. When they arrived she found the place quaint, it was tiny and a bit cramped with her wings in the mix, but it worked. She enjoyed her drink as Therric lay out his plan and nodded saying, "I like the idea but I suspicion it won't be that easy. If he is up to something either there will be guards there or whatever we're looking for won't be there. I don't know if it's worth the risk."
Therric blushes slightly as Nessa presents her shapely ass to him.
I could've just held your hand for this, but... alrighty then.
With a quick application of Sarenrae's healing light, it's clear that the tiefling is feeling good as new.
"It might be a good idea to try and talk any guards we find into leaving. We don't necessarily need to fight them--I'm a bit curious as to how Saul treats the rest of his employees. If he--or his workers--treat them half as well as that dealer, then maybe they won't need much convincing to walk away."
You hear an argument not far from your table
No, I'm sorry, I can't take more staff. You have no proper training anyway!
But I'm smart, sir, I can learn fast! Look, I was training to become a Cyphermage. I should be able to learn how to serve coffee and cakes! Come on, I need that job, any job in fact...
says with a plaintive voice a young half elf with blonde hair and tatoos on her face
Cameron thinks for a moment before saying, "I understand the concern. Still the guards have got to sleep at some point. We'd go explore when the most loyal ones are not there, Saul doesn't have that many after all..."
Cameron's ears prick up when the young half elf starts pleading for a job. He whisperes a quiet blessing and walks over and asks, "Sorry if I'm intruding, I couldn't help but hear you are looking for a job. We work over at the Goblin, do you have any special skills? Name's Cameron by the way."
The half elf turns on her heels to see who's talking to her.
She takes a good look at the Varisian, and seems pleased by what she sees, even blushing a little
Sign me in! I mean, I'm open to anything.. err.. that didn't sound like I expected. I'm in need of money, and I'm ready to have an honest, moral work. I wanted to become a Cyphermage, but they don't take new apprentices right now, as everyone is busy with the Blot. I can count, I can probably be a waitress. I have never cooked in my life, but I'm ready to learn, sir... err... mister Cameron.
The young woman is so plainfully honest and good-willed it nearly hurts Cameron's eyes.
Cameron frowns for a moment, he wasn't sure the goblin was the right place for an apparently earnest young girl. Still he wasn't about to condescend, "The goblin is going through some difficult times of late. The clientele are as likely to steal the chips as they are to get drunk. The owner Saul has enemies, powerful ones. Oh and to cap it all the manager Larur has vanished in suspicious circumstances.... If that still seems appealing I can put in a good word but it's not necessarily the only option. If you're after honest moral work one of the temples might be better. By the sounds of it you'd be wasted as a waitress anyway."
Nessa eyed the young woman with interest as she began speaking, "Open to anything huh? I could enjoy someone like you." She laughed naughtily and continued, "Cameron's right, I don't know that the Goblin's exactly where you want to go right now but we could take you to see Caithlinn. She would have an idea or even be able to offer you a job." Another thought struck her then, "How much are you looking to earn and are you any good with kids?"
Cameron nodded, the thought of asking Caithlinn seemed a good one to him.
Errr.. I don't know. I've never had kids myself, and I was an only child. But I'm willing to try.As for being payed, as long as I have decent meals and a roof above my head I'm fine.
Talya shrugs, tickling Razor's chin as she bides her time ad the others talk to the newly arrived girl.
So... what's the plan then? I'm mite confused I reckon...
she glances around
Are we's goin' back tonight or wha' ?
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"Well tonight we're on duty at the Goblin, doing honest work to keep Saul's coffers full of gambler's and drinkers coin. Later though, and not necessarily tonight, we'll keep our eyes open. If a chance presents itself I want to check out that cellar..."
"T'night, after work is good by me."
Therric is mildly surprised when Nessa interviews/propositions the young lady.
Well, she looks trustworthy enough.
So, do the job offer stands?I'm sure I can only improve my relationship with kids, and I'm always willing to learn.
asks the half elf with a nervous joy
When should I start? Where should I go?How many kids are there?
"Yes, the offer stands, it starts as soon as you like, there's just one kid, and I'll take you there. I think Caitlin will be willing to give you room and board and we'll work out payment." The tiefling was quite excited about this development and seemed eager to get going all of a sudden. She rose and held out her hand to the half-elf woman, "I'm Nessa Meretrix, and the child you'll be helping to care for is my daughter Sylee. What's your name?"
I am Samaritha Beldusk. What should I call you? Madam Meretrix?
She takes a small bag on a nearby chair, and a bigger one, from which a big book shows out
I'm ready to go!
Cameron regards her shrewdly, 'Something about this doesn't feel quite right, this resolution seems almost too neat. What's going on here? Is she desprate, naïve or does she have some hidden agenda?'
Nessa giggled at being called "Madame" and said, "Nessa is fine, I haven't earned the title of Madame, I don't run my own Brothel, I just work in the temple as a whore."
Oh.
Samaritha's face reddens violently
Sorry. I shouldn't.. didn't.. want to judge you.
She bites her lips, and stays silent
Nessa smiled and realized Samaritha was actually very pretty when she was embarrassed. Her wings rustled as she shook off the thought for now and said, "I didn't think you were judging me hon, and even if you had been I don't care, I'm used to it." She looked to her friends and said, "Now, if you'll excuse us I'm going to take Samaritha to Caithlinn's and introduce her, you're welcome to come along if you wish." She hooked an arm through her new employee and said, "Shall we?"
The half elf girl seem surprised by Nessa's attitude, but after a few seconds hook arms with her, giving her a bright smile.
So who is Caithlinn? Your mother, maybe?