Confident that the larger members of the party have the situation under control, Vark quickly bolts up onto the stage, hoping to lighten the mood of the crowd.
He cracks a few jokes to pass the time until the majority of the crowd has finished checking their weapons. He then effortlessly slides into a performance of the rather bawdy tavern song "The Traipsing Trollop of Chesterfield", pulling up the legs of his trousers to mimic a skirt and performing the female parts in a high-pitched squeak that sends the crowd rolling.
Tamiro sheathes his sword, and goes to aid Nel, by grabbing the other side of the man, and helping to hoist him up.
"After things calm down, I would love to join you Mazra for a drink, as well as anyone else who wishes to partkate. I am still waiting to hear more about Cayden over a tankard," then, smiling meekly, "And I still owe you a rub." She looks at all the activity by the door, and the likely many complaints of customers being made to leave their weapons behind. "Though for now, I shall let the three of you handle the sailor, while I help at the front."
With her exceptional perceptiveness, Vara goes to help with the weapons checking. She attempts to help smooth things over a bit, by flaunting her pretty appearance, natural cham and the soothing voice of a healer.
Once things slow down by the doors, she goes to check how things are going with Zick. After all is over, she would seek out Mazra and any others who wish to partake of drink and the exchange of stories.
Dragging the unconscious man goes smoothly. Gendarmes arrive in about fifteen minutes to retrieve him, giving you time to interrogate him first if you wish.
|
Mazra will cut off some sections of rope, then bind the unconscious man.
'Cayden bring forth your healing,' Mazra murmurs as he channels Caydens powers.
4 left
If that didn't revive him, he will channel more of Cayden's energy.
3 left
Again if necessary
2 left
And one more time if necessary.
1 left
That should do it.
"Now that he in conscious, what questions do we have for this bloke," Mazra looks at the party.
After the first two channels, the man groans and cradles his head.
Vark continues to entertain the crowd while the rest of the party deals with the thug in the other room.
After two more long days of performances and sewing, Vark finishes constructing the party banner. He also takes the time to interview the other prospective talent at the casino.
Nel drops the man off into the room and leaves as Mazra begins to bind the man. "Thanks for the help." she comments to Tamiro, before leaving. Over the next three days, Nel helps spread the word out about the Gold Goblin during the morning, takes a break around noon to care for her horse, and then greets people to the Gold Goblin in the evening.
Vara likely reaches the interrogation room as Nel is leaving, and then goes to wait out on the floor. After listening to Vark's gaudy tunes, she meets up with Mazra for a pint and stories.
Vara is very intrigued by the story of a god who was once a man, and then became a god through- some sort of test- while drunk! Clearly this is some sort of new god- which is why she had never heard of him. Grandfather Renir always said, only the eldest of the gods are honored in the North...
Over the following days, Vara continues helping with the weapons checking, looking out for cheaters, and continues helping out in the kitchen while building her massage service.
Day 1:
...
Day 2:
...
Day 3:
...
Three days after the reopening of the Gold Goblin and the new ban on weapons, during regular business hours, small metal objects - coins, jewelry, your weapon and armor - begin to float upwards. The small crowd gathered panics at the sight of this, except for one half-elf woman covered in Varisian tattoos who looks at the floating metal inquisitively. She seems to be muttering to herself.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Tamiro nods at Nel as they drop the man off and returns to his duties on the floor. Over the next several days Tamiro continues his work to keep order in the gambling hall.
The moment his armor and blades begin floating upwards though, he yells out in surprise and looks around, "Who is doing this?"
Catching sight of the woman muttering and looking around as if this was normal, he points at her and yells, "You! Stop this! I will make you stop!"
The woman starts up, blinking, "I'm not doing this - I can't figure what it is." She presses down on one of the floating coins. "I'm new to this city, though. Does this happen often?"
|
|
"This is inconvenient,' Mazra says as he quickly finishes off the ale in his tankard, and attaches the large mug to his belt.
Mazra then works to secure anything metal, rapier in this sheath, and coins within his leather pouches. He is thankful that his shield is wood. But his chain shirt is beginning to bunch in some most uncomfortable places.
Mazra will take a peek outside and see what is going on, then return to the conversation between Tamiro and the muttering Half-Elf. He finds her calmness during this event very curious.
The same effect is occurring outside as well. Shopkeepers dash about, trying to secure the contents of their carts. A dwarf woman wearing a bright blue scarf dashes past, nearly knocking into Mazra, shouting to someone running ahead, "It's like this all over the city, I hear. We've got to get to the forge!"
Tamiro obviously does not believe the woman as he moves towards her with his blade drawn, "I do not believe you mage. I saw you muttering some spell as this happened! End it! I will not warn you again."
Vark is just approaching the somber finale of "The Baron's Last Breakfast" when an odd sensation overcomes him. Weightlessness, almost as if floating on a cloud. His song abruptly shifts up an octave as his armor constricts in uncomfortable places. Quickly after, a commotion arises as the gathered crowd begins to notice a similar effect.
Stopping his performance altogether, as it is obvious that the crowd is distracted by the strange force, Vark looks to his companions. As they accuse the lady seated at the table, Vark makes his way down from the stage, and hurries over to pick up their newly finished party flag, clutching it as if to ward off any strange magics. "C-Could it be... th-the Blot?" He stammers nervously.
The woman holds her hands up in front of her in a sign of surrender and says, "I think we got off on the wrong foot here. I wasn't casting a spell - I was looking at that coin floating there," she gestures with a quick nod of the head. "I'm new to Riddleport - came in looking to be a cyphermage's apprentice. What reason would I have to do this to your," she pauses to glance over the room before continuing, "fine establishment? My name's Samaritha Beldusk, or just Sam if you'd be so kind as to get those swords out of my face. "
Nel watches as several dwarves rush from the nearby street back towards the gas forge. Forcing her way into the Golden Goblin, the half-Varisian immediately realizes that Tamiro is in yet another altercation. "Tamiro, leave her alone." She orders as she makes her way through the pandemonium.
Attempting to tug her scale mail away from her armpits, Nel quickly closes the space between the front door and the cluster of people. "This is happening all over the city; no one can wielded this magical ability and look so calm."
Dodging out of the way slightly as more coins and metal floats up towards the sky, she gives a glance at the female caster. "Oi, Pluck! Do you know of any spells that can cause a whole city to float?" Nel shouts to the arcane talented member of the staff, before turning to Tamiro and Vara.
"Can you two go find Mr. Vancaskerkin? I need to know if he has any wooden playing chips that our guests can use in place of these useless metal ones?" Gesturing to the floating metal coins, Nel continues "Check his office first. If he is not there, try the vault. If he's there, he'll probably need to be rescued. Vara is in charge; Vara, take whomever you need. I can hold down the front of the house until you all get back."
Kicking into manager mode, Nel flashes a smile at the other blond half-elf and Tian human, before trying to calm down the crowd.
As Nel arrives on the scene, the floating bits and bobs of metal crash to the floor, leaving the place quite untidy.
Tamiro grunts at Nel as she speaks to him, and hearing what is happening, he sheathes his blade as the floating metal begins to all come crashing down.
"So that was happening all over the city?" he asks Nel.
Giving one last look towards the woman named Sam, simply to reassure himself she was not going to do any sorcery, he turns to help in the cleanup of the establishment, looking around for Pluck to provide some type of explanation.
Samaritha begins casually backing away, trying to avoid Tamiro's attention.
But- there was no one near her. She then noticed everything metal floating in the room. The feeling was being lifted up- It's my dagger? She drew her blade cautiously from its sheath, which was fastened at an upward angle on her girdle. The blade seemed to leap from its sheath, and pull her hand upward. Wide-eyed, she pulled the blade down as she removed the sheath from her girdle, and held it above the blade, allowing the dagger to float up into it.
"There are already a great many reasons why natural things are better than steel- and here is yet one more!" She called out to a nearby colleague, likewise startled by the event. After this, she hurried over to join the others gathered around a mysterious half-elf woman.
*********************
Vara watches quietly through most of the interaction between the Cypher Mage apprentice, Tamiro and Mazra, her weapons sheathed. "It appears she walked at a poor time," she agrees with Mazra.
Much like before, Tamiro, while very spirited does seem quick to draw the sword. He is also quick to judge one's words and actions, she realizes, thinking of earlier conversations.
Then as the strange effect ends, Vara listens to Nel's level-headed directions. "Naturally," she concurs to her request for the manager, and then with a last sympathetic look at the poor woman, Vara hurries off to look for Saul. It is at this moment that Vara begins to recognize Nel as the leader of the party.
Rubbing her temples as the effect on the coins stops as abruptly as it starts, Nel sighs. It was going to be a long day. "Tamiro,"Nel pauses to give the Samurai a no-nonsense glance, "I'll get you some laced mutton if you follow Vara. I need to talk with Mr. Vancaskerkin as soon as possible, and Vara may need help moving some obstructions."
Approaching the blond half-elf woman, Nel extends a hand. "I'm sorry about Tamiro, his bark is worse than his bite. I'm Nel, a member of the Order of the Tome." At the mention of her title, Nel puffs up her chest a little bit in pride, "Now, what brings a Fancygirl, like you into the Golden Goblin? I believe that I overheard you stating that you were new here in Riddleport, are you a bridge monkey, like me? Is there something I can help you with?" Tilting her head to the side, Nel scans the gambling hall to attempt to see if Larur was about.
Upon hearing Vark mention the bloth Nel shrugs. "I'm not sure if 'the blot'" Making air quotes when she mentions the anomaly, Nel continues "could cause this. So far the cyphermages haven't found anything magical about the black spot in the sky, so why should we worry? It could be that the Cyphergate is acting up." Making a face as she mentions the old Thassilonian rune,
laced mutton = a prostitute (gender neutral)
Fancygirl = a cyphermage or elf
bridge monkey = someone from Magnimar
"Well," Samaritha says with a nervous smile, "I was looking at these coins and bits and bobs as they were floating, and they all seemed to be moving - very slowly - towards the Blot. I wouldn't count that out so fast, especially since no one knows much about it."
"Again, my name's Samaritha. I'm not a cyphermage - well, at least not yet. I came into town yesterday and I'm looking for someone to take me on. And, uh," Sam seems to concentrate for a second, "I'm not quite sure what a bridge monkey is. But, as for why I'm at the Gold Goblin - well, I haven't found a cyphermage that's hiring yet, so I'm looking for work. Perhaps you have a library needing tending or accounts to be done?"
Now that the situation has been diffused, Vark quickly attempts to take advantage of the situation.
"Libraries and accounts? Surely, madam, you have aims more lofty than that? Perhaps you have a talent for the stage?" Offering a deep bow to the lady, Vark removes his hat and holds it in both hands, "Ah, forgive me, where are my manners? I am Varknarnost Kettlewidget, the star performer and stage manager of the Golden Goblin. A pleasure to meet you Samaritha."
Donning his cap once more, "Now, as I was saying, have you ever tried your hand at the pipes or perhaps the lute?" Glancing down at her hands, "Surely soft porcelain hands such as yours would be better put to use subtly finessing the supple strings of an elven harp?"
"I do not have any particular training in performance, Varknarnost, so I do not believe that I will be best suited for such an act. Nor does it seem relevant to my training," Sam says as she flashes a smile. "I study transmutation magic. And, Mazra from Sandpoint, as far as your question - no, I was not casting a spell, though I wonder what sort of magic would cause such an effect. Surely it's more powerful than anything I could do? It seems like there was a powerful magnetic force that hovered over the city!"
Mazra senses that she is telling the truth, though she is starting to get a bit irate at the repeated accusations.
Tamiro blinks and raises an eyebrow at Nel, "Na Ni?"
"What do I want mutton for? We get free food and drink here."
Shaking his head he just follows Vara, "I do not understand you people...hopefully boss has not gotten himself dead."
|
|
"I do not have any particular training in performance, Varknarnost, so I do not believe that I will be best suited for such an act. Nor does it seem relevant to my training," Sam says as she flashes a smile. "I study transmutation magic. And, Mazra from Sandpoint, as far as your question - no, I was not casting a spell, though I wonder what sort of magic would cause such an effect. Surely it's more powerful than anything I could do? It seems like there was a powerful magnetic force that hovered over the city!"
Mazra senses that she is telling the truth, though she is starting to get a bit irate at the repeated accusations.
"My apologies. I too found it odd that the event we just experienced coincided with your appearance in this place. No hard feelings, I hope. I am going to refill my tankard. Can I get you an Ale or Glass of Wine, perhaps?" Mazra feels more comfortable about this Fancygirl. :)
"An ale would be wonderful. Thank you," she says, headed over to the bar. "I'm sorry for the confusion, of course."
Vara and Tamiro find Saul as he emerges from the vault room. "Good. Just the gang I'm looking for" he snaps. "Come with me. We'll grab the others on our way up to the catwalk."
"Ah- Saul, there is a woman- a cyphermage's apprentice- perhaps Pluck's? Anyway Nel wanted to talk- .. Oh. Catwalk?" She stammers, nodding wide eyed.
She glances somewhat unsure at Tamiro, and then shrugs as a blonde curtain falls over her face. Brushing her tresses aside with a slender hand, she follows Saul's lead.
The short, Tien man looks at Vara, shrugs and follows Saul.
Saul finds the rest of group in the main room, shooing away Sam before taking the party on the catwalks. The casino floor is completely visible below, and Saul points to a man with a beefy neck sitting at one of the tables. The dealers appear to be nervous and no other customers are sitting at his table, despite the crowd. A few particularly nervous gamblers watch him as they play Golem.
"That man," Saul says with a quick jab of his finger, "is Clegg Zincher. He's a crimelord, and one of my - no, our - biggest competitors. He's not exactly the gambling type, so I'm sure he's here to send us a message, if not worse. Keep an eye on him."
With that Saul grunts and begins to head back to his private office.
Vark gulps audibly, remembering what he had heard earlier about Saul's relationship with the arena owner.
"Ah, yes. We'll be sure to do that, Saul." Mustering up a bit of courage, Vark inquires about their relationship, "I t-take it, you don't put much weight in his public statement that he wishes you luck in rebuilding your life?" That last bit flows out in one long stream of syllables, a product of Vark's shaky nerves at being so bold.
"Mazra, I'll explain when you're older." Throwing the worshiper of the drunken god a cheeky wink, Nel pauses a moment as Sam questions her about the other common phrase she's come to use. "A bridge monkey? It's someone from Magnimar, because of the Irespan? The giant ancient half-bridge?" Gesturing with her hands Nel turns as Saul calls them all up to the catwalk.
"It was nice to meet you Sam, I'll consider your offer." Turning on her heel to follow the others up onto the overhead passage.
"How would you like us to handle him? Make sure that he's comfortable, or try to get him to leave quickly? We can always have someone join his table, as it is never that much fun playing against the house." Watching the crimelord carefully, Nel scans the rest of the crowd to ensure that no one was using this as an opportunity to alleviate someone of a heavy coin purse.
Looking the man, he gives a grin and chuckle, "I will keep an eye on him. That gaijin is an eyeful."
Following this he makes his way to gambling floor to continue keeping his eyes around, but making sure to watch the man Saul had pointed out.
After the meeting with Saul has concluded, Vark heads back down to the casino floor. He pauses a moment, pretending to survey the crowd before mustering up enough courage to approach Clegg.
He waits for a break in the action at the table before speaking up. "Sir, I am about to take the stage. Would you perchance have any requests? My catalog of songs is quite extensive." He says, smiling widely.
|
Clegg flicks the top of his cards before grunting, "What's the one about the man who murders his lover's husband? That's a good one." Clegg's eyes bore into Vark as he takes a sip of his drink. "Or you could just leave a man to his drink and game. But, Saul's never been good at leaving well enough alone, and it makes sense his men aren't either.
"Even if he doesn't mean to ruin us this night, an active crime lord is unlikely to be the honest type in his gaming," Vara muses in response to Saul's instructions.
Back on the floor, Vara resumes her position of looking out for foul play. With her keen eyes, she watches the crime lord carefully, making sure he is honest in his play, as well as trying to discern the purpose of his visit.
As Nel listens to Saul's concern about Zincher, she suppresses the need to roll her eyes. If Saul wanted to prove to the city that he was a changed man, he needed to learn how to ignore Zincher. Nodding as Saul leaves as quickly as he appeared, Nel returns to the floor to talk with Sam before taking her rounds.
"Sam, before you go I have a proposition for you: We don't have a library, I'm working on that, but we may have an accounting position open. Saul thinks he's being fancy with some things, but in reality it is mostly tacky. If you could help me get his spending in order, I would greatly appreciate it."
|
|
Sam smiles and says, "I'll think on it. I'm hoping that a cyphermage will take me on - I've got a lead, I think..."
Clegg seems to be honest in his gaming. He doesn't take much of the liberties other players do. After a few hours, he stands up, leaves and slides twenty gold to one of the bouncers on the way out with a wink. "Share that with Saul's new associates. Let them know it's compliments of Zincher."
Mazra will walk over to the bouncer now 20GPs richer, and after hearing what Clegg had to say, "Any idea what that was all about?"