** spoiler omitted **
"Well my boy," says Becacine, after Gisele has suggested that the lad has told them all he knows, "you never did tell me your name. But today might still be your lucky day." She stares deep into his eyes, arms still entwined around his neck.
"Than you for the information -- it should come in handy. The gendarmes should be here to collect you soon, and I'm sure they will be able to help you obtain the medical aid you need. Just be patient. And if ever they should set you free" -- she kisses him softly on the cheek, then releases him from her embrace and takes a few steps back--"feel free to look me up. I'll happily show you passion like you've never known before... at a substantially discounted rate, and only because I like you. But unfortunately, there is little I can do for you right now... Come, Gisele, we must go."
Becacine blows the young man a last kiss as she walks through the door.
Becacine rejoins Yvon, Nicolas, and Arnaud. "Learn anything of use, gentlemen?" she asks with a coy smile.
"Our new friend suggested that we may find a person of interest at the Blood and Vine. The blonde woman apparently was calling the shots, and outranked Sarivec. She had met with a gentleman at the Blood and Vine who spoke in a hollow voice, with whom they were supposed to meet again before dawn to split the loot from this raid. My informant also overheard the man with the hollow voice also instructing the blonde to not let Helene and her associates derail 'the Grand Plan'... But we see what happens when one relies on blondes to carry out their plans, don't we?"
Becacine rejoins Yvon, Nicolas, and Arnaud. "Learn anything of use, gentlemen?" she asks with a coy smile.
"Our new friend suggested that we may find a person of interest at the Blood and Vine. The blonde woman apparently was calling the shots, and outranked Sarivec. She had met with a wealthy and stylish gentleman--my favourite kind-- at the Blood and Vine, who spoke in a hollow voice and had a glazed look in his eyes. His speech was frequently interrupted, or delayed--as if someone were speaking through him. The blonde was supposed to meet with him again at the same location before dawn to split the loot from this raid. My informant also overheard the man with the hollow voice instructing the blonde to not let Helene derail 'the Grand Plan'... She was ordered to not hurt Helene, but to let it be known that she was 'not welcome.' Said the time would be soon to change all of Dementlieu. But we see what happens when one relies on blondes to carry out their plans, don't we?"
Becacine smirks as she utters the last statement.
The red-headed Lucien's mouth gapes open in shock as Bordelon shares her results with the others. The older man quickly stammers, "Now, now I didn't know anything like that. What I said was well what I thought was true. Maybe I jumped to some conclusions, I'm sure you can understand..." The weathered tough trails off as he regards your group nervously.
From the office you hear the sound of disturbance as Vancaskerkin begins to loudly welcome the arriving group of gendarmes. "Sacre bleu! By Ezra where were you? Oh, no don't rush on my account. This is what I pay taxes for!"
Gisele looks over to Becacine as she scans the room. [b]"There is an exit through the kitchen...it is how I got in. Follow me."{/b]
Silently she moves to the kitchen and the back door, waiting to see who follows.
Yvon sees the gendarmes enter and watches the women leave through the kitchen. He thinks for a moment about the events of the evening and, deciding not to sully his reputation with accusations of murder and what not, follows promptly.
"Besides," he thinks, "the streets aren't safe for two unaccompanied ladies."
Arnaud follows as well.
"When in doubt, go where the women go."
Nicholas follows the rest out of the room, after awkwardly wandering about a bit for somewhere he could put his hot firepoker down without starting a fair. He looks somewhat sheepish about the relative failure of his tactics in eliciting useful information.
At Wik
Your crew exits surreptioustly out through the back of the kitchen into a dingy back alleyway. You can still hear the booming voice of Vancaskerkin berating the gendarmes. The night has a chill air to it as you mentally review the night's events.
Yvon, Arnaud
Knowledge local DC 10
Knowledge local DC 16
Knowledge: local
Yvon will take one of the pistols and 5 shot.
"Besides," he thinks, "the streets aren't safe for two unaccompanied ladies."
Becacine flashes Yvon a fiery grin over her shoulder as she exits into the alley.
"For those of you who don't know," says the woman in a low voice once everyone has made it out of the casino, "the Blood of the Vine is a tavern with a dubious reputation for brawling, pickpockets that lies in the Labourer's Quarters. In addition to its reputation as a den for outlaws, the Blood of the Vine has been known to be a haunt for anarchists and revolutionaries that oppose the Council of Brilliance and its decadent ways. It has been raided a few times in the past for these reasons but the authorities never seem to be able to find any evidence of such activities. Shall we?"
Arnaud holsters his new pistol in his belt, and adds the five shots to his supply.
"If anyone else wants these two, they are yours. They've five shots apiece." he holds the looted guns out to his new companions.
"I've always fancied a man with a... big pistol," purrs Becacine. "Will you teach me how to use it, Arnaud?" she asks with a coy smile as she holds her hand out for one of the weapons.
Nicholas grins at the offer. "I would be pleased to accept your generous offer, Arnaud. I have felt naked without a proper weapon at my side. I am much in your debt."
"Unless anyone has objection, I would agree that we should head to the Blood and Vine as quickly as possible. It would seem best to find out what we can before our enemies are certain of the results of tonight's attack."
After being on her own for many years, Gisele finds the noise and confusion of so many people near her a bit distracting. While it is nice to be part of a team again, it might take some getting use to.
"Perhaps we should all make our way to the Blood and Vine in smaller, less obvious groups. I, for one, would rather enter unseen, and be able to observe the goings on. Will that be a problem?"
Arnaud hands the first pistol to Becacine, grinning.
"Just point and pull the trigger; getting it to go off is the easy part, prepping another shot is trickier."
He hands the second gun to Nicholas with a nod. "I owe your family much. It is nothing."
Arnaud hands the first pistol to Becacine, grinning.
"Just point and pull the trigger; getting it to go off is the easy part, prepping another shot is trickier."
He hands the second gun to Nicholas with a nod. "I owe your family much. It is nothing."
Yvon adds some advice to Arnaud's:
"just try to keep it close to your opponent, these suckers are only accurate to about 20 feet or so. Oh, and remember, these things are loud..."
Equipped with a brace of pistols your band winds through the damp chill streets of Port-a-Lucine leaving the Golden Goblin behind you. At this hour the streets are all but deserted save for the occasional glimpse of toughs or bawds lurking in the shadowed alleys. The only sounds are some stray cats and your feet on the wet cobblestones. A light mist stirred by the salty breeze hangs in the air as you make your way to the Quater Ouvrier.
It become obvious once you leave the Quartier Marchand. The tenements are little better than ramshackles, some with an obvious lean to it. The cobblestones stop and are replaced with dirt and dark mud. The smell is odious and the salt breeze does not enough to mitigate the stench. Taking a circuitous route into the heart of the Quarter you reach your destination, the Blood of the Vine.
The tavern is an old courtyard inn, and seems to be one of the better constructed buildings in this quarter. A wan glow from the dirty windows spills onto the street. A small congregation of bawds and drunks loiter out in the streets. At least one fight is occuring between two toughs though no one else seems much interested or concerned as the other one is laid out into the mud unconcious by a strong blow. Inside you can hear the tinkling sound of a fiddle and raucous conversation and laughter.
The courtyard appears to be empty save for horses and livestock stabled there.
Gisele looks over the building with a professional eye. "Perhaps it might be a good idea to look for other entry points.
"Thank you Arnaud, I am grateful for the gift. Hopefully I won't be needing to use it at the Blood of the Vine, but if I do I'll have your back. I'm a far better shot with this than I am up close."
Once we reach the tavern.
"Haven't been to this kind of place in awhile. I'm certainly not dressed for it. Shall a few of us just walk in the front door, or does anyone have better suggestions as to how we proceed."
"Thank you Arnaud, I am grateful for the gift. Hopefully I won't be needing to use it at the Blood of the Vine, but if I do I'll have your back. I'm a far better shot with this than I am up close."
Once we reach the tavern.
"Haven't been to this kind of place in awhile. I'm certainly not dressed for it. Shall a few of us just walk in the front door, or does anyone have better suggestions as to how we proceed."
Yvon looks the man up and own. "Yeah, a few of us should walk straight in, order a round of drinks and maybe make some noise. Can one of you play an instrument? It might be helpful to get in with the entertainment. Gisele can work her way upstairs and," he shoots Becacine a wink, "maybe this one can work her way upstairs too. Then we can search this place for the man with the hollow voice."
As your band converses in the shadows of the street the fiddling is soon joined by a shrill pipe and the crowd whoops in drunken delight. A steady beat of stomping reverberates down the streets.
Perception DC 18
Gisele melds into the dark and works her way around the back of the building, looking for any unattended entry points.
Gisele
In hindsight, Becacine decides that her concealed dagger is probably all she feels comfortable carrying into the Vine. "Arnaud, be a dear... will you give me the pistol back after we are done here? I feel it would... overencumber me for the time being, and to be honest, I think I could use some practice before using it in a fight."
She returns the pistol to the ruffian.
"I am more willing to head inside and see what kind of... friendships I might strike up," she says with a deadly smile. "But which of you fine gentlemen can I count on to rescue me, should something untoward befall me?"
Gisele moves towards one of the door on the ground floor and listens. She keeps to the shadows, and is a quiet as possible.
. "But which of you fine gentlemen can I count on to rescue me, should something untoward befall me?"
Yvon looks the lady over. "We'll be lucky if half the place doesn't tear itself apart when you walk in. I'm sure there'll be no shortage of people dashing to your rescue if you need it." he pauses for second, then adds "Though we should probably work out a code word if you need real backup. I'd hate to embarrass you by breaking in just because of a few screams..."
To confirm Bordelon is heading in anyone else?
Gisele
Yvon's headed in, assuming that Nicolas and Arnaud are following. He probably won't look for them until after he's secured a table, a drink and a cigar. He stuffs his pistol under his coat before entering.
"Lady, we will be at the ready should you need us. Keep a drink handy, and if you feel threatened or find your target... drop the glass."
Arnaud will follow Yvon in, but separates from him after entering, going to the bar to sit, assuming there is an open spot. He orders a glass of gin and watches the crowd intently.
Gisele moves towards the door near the stables, and quickly slides inside. She continues to keep to the shadows, and takes a quick look at her new surroundings.
Nicholas will follow Yvon in, also concealing his pistol in his coat. He'll sit at a table with Yvon, three men entering at precisely the same time and going different ways might seem odd. He'll order a cheap gin, doing his best to not look completely out of place.
Yvon, falling quickly into old ways, searches the room for a whore. He waves over any likely ladies, before realizing that Nicholas seems to be about, and young... and inexperienced. If he can, he will send young Nic off with a woman, if not, he'll take her- it's easier to hear cries of alarm from the working floors anyways...
Becacine waits a long while before making a fashionably late entrance, hoping that will disassociate her from her companions. As she walks into the inn, she waits a few moments for her eyes to adjust the smoky and gloomy environment, then scans the room for familiar faces (friendly, unfriendly and neutral alike), escape routes, and anyone meeting the description of the foppish man with the hollow voice.
The inside of the Blood of the Vine is dimly lit with thick smoky acrid air. The pallid faces of drunks, destitute and painted bawds shine in the lantern light. It is apparent that many of them are starved with hollow eyes and almost skeletal frames. The fiddler strikes a new tune and swiftly the in the crowd are clapping, stomping and soon dancing along. As they cavort, the scene is not unlike some ghoulish purgatory depicted by the painter LaCroix, as the pale skeletal drunks dance and whirr about to the hypnotic and feverish strings of the fiddle.
Your entrance seems to go unheeded save for a few stares from lilting drunkards and certain ladies that eagerly offer their services to Arnaud, Yvon and Nicholas though most have difficulty stringing a sentence together.
The barkeep regards you with a stony face. He is a plump man with a hooked, bulbous nose and rheumy eyes. He seems distant almost in a trance as he places the gin on the counter. His voice is cold as he monotonously intones his price of 2 coppers.
Gisele
From below the pit in the shadows, a rasping hollow voice replies, "Contain the risk. Let the others know."
Perception:
Nicholas will put down his two coppers and thank the bartender. He scowls after taking a swig of gin, saying "I haven't had gin like this in months. Brings back memories."
Noticing how Yvon is trying to get some of the whores' attention he says, sorry but these ladies are a bit thin for my taste. If you'd like to take your chances, feel free. I'll stay here and enjoy the quality beverage."
For those in the tavern proper
Perception DC 14
Perception DC 16
Becacine struggles to recognize familiar faces through the dim, smoky haze... and the frenetic dancing makes it even harder to focus on any one particular person. The woman slowly makes her way through the crowd in the direction of the bar, brushing up against men as she does so, locking eyes and smiling lustily at those who meet her gaze...
Yvon looks around the room, turning to Nicolas, "Slim pickings in here, eh?"
Perception:
"Well, at least they're probably cheap!" he says, maybe a little too loud.
Gisele makes sure she knows how to get back to this location before she stealthily withdraws. She attempts to rearrange her cloths to look more like a common whore, then in an imitation of drunkenness, staggers to the front entry, a vacant smile on her lips, and slightly muttering to herself.
Once inside she looks for the party and attempts to spot the thugs who are about to move against them. She moves over to Nicolas first, nearly spilling his drink, and whispers, under her regular muttering, "You are being watched, be ready!"
She next moves towards Becacine, whom she sneers at as she walks past, much as a streetwalker would a high class courtesan. Still mumbling to herself, she brushes pass her and again whispers a warning.
Giselle finally ends up at Yvon, and with a lusty smile on her face, plops down onto his lap. She giggles and strokes his face and moustache. She bends close to whisper in his ear, telling him all she has seen so far; the gunman in the back, the hidden entry and that the group has been spotted and thugs are, as they speak, getting into position.
Arnaud's practiced eye catches suspsicious behavior. He places his untouched Gin glass on the bar and turns in his seat, leaning back enough that the pistols in his belt and blade are evident for all. He raises an eyebrow and grins at no one and everyone.
I truly dare you.