After gaining instructions from Novaria, you head to the Wondering Way. The small clubhouse is located on the edge of Free Trade Square. As you approach the small rundown charter house, you observe only a few people coming and going. In all the place looks fairly slow. Keeping a low profile, you approach the establishment and open the door.
The humid stink of Bloodcove mingles with the reek of sweat and the sickly-sweet odor of tropical plants and exotic tobaccos. The foyer of the guild house looks more like a tavern than a place of business, with tables carved from dark jungle woods and overstuffed cushions. Older men and women mingle or brood over their drinks, while strapping young toughs claim the area around the cold hearth.
Across the room, a swarthy, bellows in anger. He sweeps an arm across the tabletop shared with a red cheeked companion, spilling drinks and playing cards onto the carpet. “You bashterd,” he drunkenly shrieks, “You scheating bashterd, Elanzo! I need thoshe animalsh! I have a client whoshe paid fer my caravan!”
His companion wrings the remains of his drink out of his shirt. “No one cares, Scevola. Those were the stakes, and your horses will be chow for my men before we set sail in the morning!” “You shlipped shomethin in mah drink! You’re taking my horshesh over mah dead body!”
Elanzo simply shrugs at this and snaps his fingers. Two large brutes, (red) and (pink), who are gathered by the hearth, stand up and begin moving toward the pair.
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Hangust listens to the drunk screaming and realizes the warning they'd received earlier was well founded.
"Looks like our caravan leader just gambled away the horses we need."
He doesn't draw his blades but he does move up with Barnaby, to make sure the half-elf is not along if things take a turn for the worse.
The two men seem well focused on Scevola, when they almost bump into Brunhilde. Clearly surprised by the woman’s boldness, they quickly divert their attention to the young princes. One of the men (red) begins looking Brunhilde up and down. “Well now lass, are you looking for a table to sit at?" The other man (Pink) seems very disinterested in Brunhilde, as he attempts to push past her.
Upon entering the establishment, Otieno quietly moves off and sits at a table. Seems the presence of his companion doesn’t appear to be to out of place in a club like this.
Scevola continues to banter in a drunken tirade. “Sheee Elancheo, I told chu that chu woldsh be shorry.”
The red checked man sitting next to Scevola stands while continuing to wring out the wine from his shit. “So may I ask who you are? I apologize for this drunken fool here. I’m afraid he has had a little more than he can handle. I’m Elanzo by the way, and a game of chance is how I play. From the looks of it, I seem to have an extra set of fine horses to wager or sell.”
From behind the bare an older looking man stands quiet, while drying a set of clear glass mugs. Meanwhile a short chunky woman quickly makes her rounds, checking on the few patrons that are currently seated around the room.
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Barnaby lets out a deep sigh. "Who we are is people who were planning on dealing with your friend. And yet now it seems his ability to help us out is a bit hurt by your luck over the course of a minute."
Barnaby takes a deep breath and looks at Elanzo, then at Elanzo's 'friends', and then at his own Pathfinder colleagues. "Look, it's been a rough couple of days for us. And while my friends and I may be able to argue the point more forcefully, I think I speak for all of them when I say we'd rather not. Look: unless you're willing to use those horses to drag supplies all the way out to the Ridge, is there any chance you can call this round a draw and give the drunken fool his horses back for now? Call it a favor to be redeemed later if you want; I doubt even he'd argue in the mess of a state he's in."
Taking a second glance at the inebriated guide they'd hoped to find, Barnaby lean in towards Elanzo and whispers a bit quieter. "And look at it this way: if that man's dumb enough to bet away already promised wares now, imagine what you could fleece him for if he remembers you as a fair, friendly, and generous man. Food for thought..."
Elanzo straitens out his attire to the point that he once again looks presentable. “Well now, you look to be a reasonable person. I have won this man’s horses in a fare game of chance. You see, I intend to set sail by noon tomorrow. Those horses will provide the good lads, who work so hard keeping my decks clean, nourishment for a fair part of the voyage. With consideration of Scevola’s predicament, I would be willing to separate with my winnings for a fair market exchange.
Elanzo puts a hand to his chin as he considers the value of his winnings. “Let’s see, based on the current rate of sea rations, worthy enough to replace the beasts, I would need around 300 gold. That should do fine, 300 gold it is then. If you are willing to part with but a small amount of the shiny coin, then I would be more than willing to overlook this poor man’s debt, and be on my way.”
During the conversation, Scevola attempts to stand but quickly loses his legs and topples to the ground. “Don’t do it, thish mansa stolen ma horshes. He’s slip somfin inma drink.”
Elanzo carefully observes Sula and Brunhilde inspect the man's glass. "This is a little offensive. I can assure you that nothing has been slipped into the man's drink. I feel a bit bad about his situation, and I can understand your need for the horses, so I'm willing to separate with them for 150 gold. This is truly a one time, extremely fair offer."
Elanzo nods. "sure, take your time. I have no where to be till tomorrow morning."
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Barnaby takes the offered mug and gives it a whiff.
He then calls the group over into the corner and starts whispering.
"Not sure. But also not sure if it matters. People who would drug a drink aren't the types to just shrug and give up when called on it. Now 150's not exactly chump change, but the longer way stay here and the more ruckus we cause the more complicated all this gets. What do you guys think?"
As the group discusses what to do next, a short, well-rounded woman walks up with a serving dish full of mugs of ale. She begins handing them out to the group. “The bar keep says, if you don’t bust up his place, the rounds are on the house." The middle aged woman smiles politely, then excuses herself and begins making her rounds.
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Sula sniffs the offered drink, before taking a sip once the drink proves safe.
"Look. Lets accuse him of spiking the mans drink. It would help if we knew what was used but you cant have everything in life. If he turns violent we can always back down and pay him. I know it doesnt feel right, but we have our orders. Besides. Its not fair to this establisment if we mess up the place."
Seeing brunhilde and hangust might need some extra persuation, sula raises her mug. "You miss a fight, but gain a night of drinks on the house. Solid profit I say."
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Brunhilde is all smiles when Hangust suggest going outside for fighting.
Ey that's how we do it in the North! she then ponders the implications of drinking instead of Brawling and quickly starts on her second beer.
Alright if you want to have this peacefully resolved I will...explore,report, cooperate, explore, report, cooperate... Brunhilde mutters to herself under her breath hating the fact that she joined this operation...
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”Very well, if that’s how we want to play it…” Barnaby mutters as he turns towards Elanzo.
”Well that would be a generous offer indeed, if it were offered graciously. But unfortunately, you’re not exactly striking us as the trustworthy sort. See our associate here,” he nods towards Sula. ”has quite the little nose, and right now that nose is quivering at the fact that your gambling partners’ drink is off. Spiked, one could say. And it’s bad business for us to be in the habit of buying back our own pilfered goods.”
”On another day, we wouldn’t care how you get your edge in a game of cards. Today, however, you’ve just tried your trick on the wrong person, and we outnumber you by half. So, you can chalk this one up to an ‘honest mistake’, back down easy, and go about your business out there. Or you can apologize to the good barkeep as we have a Problem between us. Play it smart: walk away.”
Elanzo takes a long hard look at Sula, then nods. “It would seem I have been out done by the careful sniffing of a wayward varmint. We were planning on shipping out tomorrow morning, but under these circumstances, I think it best if we leave Bloodcove as soon as possible. I bid you and your group farewell, and I tip my hat to you good sir, for the decency of parting ways respectfully.”
Elanzo and his crew gather what little belongings they have, finish off the last of their grog and quietly head out the door.
Scevola is still having a hard time staying in his seat. The barmaid makes another round with free drinks, as the bartender serves up a full meal for the group. “By the way my name is Peter and I want to thank you for not destroying my place. I can’t tell you how many times I've had to rebuild the place. Bloodcove is a difficult location to maintain any resemblance of profit.”
During the meal, the barkeep provides Scevola a number of hot coffees, to try and help his condition.
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Barnaby keeps a level gaze on Elanzo and his men as they leave, but lets them go in peace. They're gone and the horses aren't: that's the important part.
Once the trio leaves, the detective does accept his drink from the bartender with a sigh. "Not a problem Peter. Smashing up a shop's never in anyone's interest. Well," he corrects himself. "Almost never."
He makes his way over to the still slurring Scevola. "And you, when we set off we're going to have a nice talk about gambling the night before a trip,yes? But for now let's see if we can all be at least mobile."
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Hangust looks at the man they've been searching for and then back to his companions. "He looks fine to me. Don't all humans act like this?" He giggles to himself then takes the bartender up on a free drink while they wait for the man to sober. "I hope he gets better soon, we shouldn't linger too long."
Your efforts of prompting Scevola to get on his feet ends up taking a little over two hours. The man still seems out of it, but manages to start moving around. If it where up to him, he would spend the rest of the day in bed. Your pressing situation, inspires him to try and pull it together. In time, he manages to get on his feet enough to hitch up his team and prepare the wagon for transport.
With your instructions, Scevola drives his team through the boardwalk streets of Bloodcove. After an uneventful trip through the port city, you arrive back at the trading post where you are greeted by Novaria. The young woman instructs three of her loaders to fill the wagon, while she offers beverages and a small snack to the group. Within thirty minutes, your wagon is full of supplies. Your rough estimate, of the left over gold, is somewhere between 1200 and 1800.
With the appearance of a merchant wagon, you manage to leave the city without incident. Although the wagon had more than enough room for the group while it was empty. Now that the back is full, it is a rough ride for anyone trying to ride in the back.
In a short amount of time, you begin to see Bloodcove grow distant, as you make your way North out of the Vanji River basin and into the Terwa Uplands. If anything, the blistering heat of the Garund plains grows more intense away from the coast. The trade routes cut through winding switchbacks, avoiding the marshiest ground and occasionally crossing a shallow river gorge.
As the caravan crests a hill on the edge of a large river gorge, sudden activity silences the ambient jungle noise. Armed guards pile out of the foliage. A rough looking woman strides out alongside them, brushing back her tresses and grinning from ear to ear. “Let’s not mince words, Pathfinders. Give me the key you carry, and I shall let you continue on your way. Refuse, and my men will toss you in the river and you can swim to your destination.”
Barnaby: Tired of the small talk, the investigator steps forward and unleashes a burst of arcane energy that cascades in front of him, in a rainbow of colors.
The woman seems to shrug off the effects, but the man standing close by, collapses to the ground.
Bold may post an action.
Otieno
Thug (Yellow)
Jan Doe
Woman
Thug (Blue)
Sula
Riding Rat
Hangust
Wolf
Thug (Orange)
Brunhilde
Barnaby