"Zat's awfully generous of you!" Lu winks at the bartender after Janus shares his thoughts. A bit of carrot with the stick! "Now let's go make some friends yeah."
Saeri looked around the group for a moments, visibly judging herself and the other girls... then looked to Chaia. "Why don't you be the one to deliver them?" she suggested. Attractive ladies (and Chaia did seem to be the most attractive between her, Lucrecia, and Saeri) would probably go over well, too. It was worth a try, anyway.
Chaïa didn’t find the barkeeper’s words particularly reassuring, fretting as she still was over Janus’ previous remark. If there was “a fine line between tipsy and bar brawl” at the Happy Cow and crossing it was de rigueur, well, that was all the more reason to try to arrange things so that the group could spend some more time at Lazare’s the next time a vigil was called for. At least the troublesome Waterdhavians seemed to be amusing themselves elsewhere. Chaïa wasn’t sure she could handle two groups of boors at once.
As everyone moved to collect their own drinks, she hesitated under Saeri’s appraising gaze. After a moment, she found her courage.
“Alright,” she said quietly. “I’ll introduce us as friends of a friend, I presume?”
Filling her hands with the glasses, it was obvious that she would be more at home with flutes of finer vintage, but a gentle smile came easily to her, and she was wizard enough that it didn’t take her obviously long to estimate distances in case throwing spells around proved to be in order.
She glided towards Kullen and his lot with all the grace in her command, doing her best to anticipate what opening they would best respond to. Setting the glasses down, she pitched her voice lower than usual, and purred, “Hi, boys. Compliments of yours truly and friends.”
She gestured languidly towards the others back at the bar, her hand continuing effortlessly on to rise into a gentle motion to cut off the thugs’ curiosity as to who this strange elf was. “Filge has told me so much about you. Thought we could get to know one another: I’m Chaïa.”
She extended a slender hand. That’s right. Let them feel it’s their choice to engage.
A pale-skinned half-orc with an impressively large axe strapped to his back, a grizzled Illuskan with no less than two longswords and a short sword in evidence, a thin fellow who thought nothing of the practicality of bringing a guisarme indoors and a robed Tethyrian who wore a leather belt with almost a dozen wand sheaths on his belt regarded Chaia coolly.
After a moment of silence, the half-orc -Kullen- took up his drink and downed it in a single long gulp that raised some doubt about his need of air.
"What do you want?" he said after, belching loudly halfway through. The others sat silent. Swords and guisarme drank at a more normal pace, their eyes never far from Chaia and her companions. The man with the wands barely sipped his, his attention completely on Chaia.
Saeri kept quiet and didn't stare as Chaia brought the drinks over - she was ready to support the other girl, but for now, it was wiser to watch and see how things played out.
Chaïa’s eyes widened in mock hurt, as her lips curved into a moue.
“Just a bit of friendliness. No reason a professional relationship can’t be … cordial.”
“We’re new in town, and you know the bosses,” she continued, after a moment. “All intense-like and all, and, sure, they’re good at what they do, but a girl wants more than what comes out of an old tower, or mine, or other hole in the ground. We’re more than just muscle – ” She beamed at the half-orc despite his sullenness…
“ – or wands,” (continuing on to said gentleman), “though we do those very well, as may be. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
Her gaze swept round all the men at the table again, and Chaïa leaned forward. She wasn’t at all sure that it was to any advantage, given her elven frame, but as the tilt of her head let her locks swing back from the curve of her neck and, below, her robes’ neckline…
She continued her conversation with artless indifference. “Why, you wouldn’t believe what Filge had us dig up the other day…”
Lu grins at the table and does her best to look agreeable and not like that she was just about to stab someone. But who knew - maybe that would have made a better impression?
Chaia had that 'talking' part perfectly covered, and played them up and down. Fetching another tankard, Janus sets it down before Kullen:"Right, can't blame the new guys for trying to get on the good side of the veterans. You still got the job, and you're still alive. So obviously, you do things right. Figured we may try and learn a bit about - well, many things. And we previously discovered it's much easier to talk if the throat isn't dry...", Janus takes a large sip from his own drink, seemingly trying to imitate Kullen, before suddenly stopping for breath halfway through, then coughing a bit. Once Janus is fine again, he comments: "See, so much to learn..."
"So Filge has his own men now, more or less," Kullen said.
Yeah, but that was just business - and people lower on the totem pole needed to stick together, right?
...
Is what Saeri would say if she were going to muddle the conversation with lots of talking. But having half a dozen people all speaking at once would be soooooo awkward. Better to keep it simple and friendly.
Chaïa was grateful for the others’ support: it gave her a bit of time to think, and her thoughts raced.
“Well, man, singular,” Chaïa said, airily indicating Janus, but keeping her eyes on Kullen. She wasn’t quite batting her eyelashes yet, exactly, and wasn’t sure he would respond well in any case, but for now the mage-priestess was very definitely keeping the possibility alive. She continued trying to subtly steer the conversation to drop the right hints.
“There’s a lot of fun in those hills,” she continued, cheekily, “considering how old they are. Too much for one wizard. Although there are a few things that maybe … should stay buried, you know?”
Her tone shifted abruptly: not in an unfriendly sort of way, yet, but certainly suggesting that she was suggesting something much more serious than her previous banter.
Saeri carefully didn't let her expression change when the bit about letting things stay buried come up... but she did discreetly thumb her cards, ready to start hurling them if there was a problem.
Kullen laughed, "Ain't nothing stays buried around here!"
Chaïa smiled too. “Fair enough, for gold, or magic, or even-”
She panicked a bit, trying to stay in character and more or less on topic, “-beautiful people in shadow, alabaster, and crimson, delicate in fang and claw. Or the more sensitive sort of spirit.”
Goddess, did I actually say that? One and Three, forgive me! She fought back a blush as her assumed role took her closer to blasphemy and the embarrassing limits of her imagination, and she got to the point painfully abruptly, “But an old farming family, surely that’s a bit much?”
"Oh." Lu raised an eyebrow at Chaïa. She didn't know she liked that sort of things. They would have to have a long talk after this. Mainly about who they could find some bloodsucker to bite Janus. Heh.
Janus was quite oblivious to what exactly Chaia was saying, trying to stay in his role himself.
But that sudden grin from Lu seemed...distracting...was...was that a wink?
Snapping back to the here and now with Chaia's final point, Janus snorted dismissively:"Bah, I'm certain that vengeful ghost didn't mean it literally...I mean, is there even something like a Death Curse?", he looks at the Mage near Kullen inquisitively.
Janus was quite oblivious to what exactly Chaia was saying, trying to stay in his role himself.
But that sudden grin from Lu seemed...distracting...was...was that a wink?Snapping back to the here and now with Chaia's final point, Janus snorted dismissively:"Bah, I'm certain that vengeful ghost didn't mean it literally...I mean, is there even something like a Death Curse?", he looks at the Mage near Kullen inquisitively.
"No curses here" Kullen said, but the wizard perked up.
"A ghost with a curse, you say?"
"Aye, wanna study it? I can show you the place.", Janus responds to the wizard. "Seemed really distraught over it's family having gone missing. Stuff about Watching Gods, Hundreds of Winters - and about either having his relatives returned, or exacting cruelsome punishment on those responsible. Another drink?"
"Nasty problem, ghosts." Saeri mused from the side, figuring now was a good time to toss her two coppers in. "All the stories say they stick around until they're placated, so it's usually easier to just give them what they want and move on."
"Aye, wanna study it? I can show you the place.", Janus responds to the wizard. "Seemed really distraught over it's family having gone missing. Stuff about Watching Gods, Hundreds of Winters - and about either having his relatives returned, or exacting cruelsome punishment on those responsible. Another drink?"
"What do you want? the wizard said, cutting off Kullen just as he parted his lips for another word.
"Aye, wanna study it? I can show you the place.", Janus responds to the wizard. "Seemed really distraught over it's family having gone missing. Stuff about Watching Gods, Hundreds of Winters - and about either having his relatives returned, or exacting cruelsome punishment on those responsible. Another drink?""What do you want? the wizard said, cutting off Kullen just as he parted his lips for another word.
Lu shrugs and takes another swing from her drink before replying. It was a good idea to think this one through. Thinking ... "So. Money, wealth, power and treasure. Zat's what I want. But right now I want one less ghost lurking about. Did you know zat zey aren't any brighter dead zen alive? I guess it'll eventually figure it it's barking up ze wrong tree. But I'd like to be alive and don't care much about 'oops wrong curse' apologies so ze faster zat *zing* is gone ze better. So - if you just happened to have seen some fella doing a bit of honest digging zese last week or so - please tell zem to put zose parts back *before* ze spooky one decides to go on a vengeful spree. Zank you."
[dice=Sense Motive?]1d20+8
Lu shrugs and takes another swing from her drink before replying. It was a good idea to think this one through. Thinking ... "So. Money, wealth, power and treasure. Zat's what I want. But right now I want one less ghost lurking about. Did you know zat zey aren't any brighter dead zen alive? I guess it'll eventually figure it it's barking up ze wrong tree. But I'd like to be alive and don't care much about 'oops wrong curse' apologies so ze faster zat *zing* is gone ze better. So - if you just happened to have seen some fella doing a bit of honest digging zese last week or so - please tell zem to put zose parts back *before* ze spooky one decides to go on a vengeful spree. Zank you."
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+9
"We'll keep that in mind," the wizard said, voice cold.
“That would be a good idea,” Chaïa chimed in. “It’s an easy thing to overlook, if you’re in a hurry, and just assume it’s a whole family, but you’d be surprised where an odd body can turn up. Whole other tomb, even.”
Her eyes were bright with what was probably educational and not actually unholy glee. “Now, suppose you re-bury the poor fellow properly. He might be happy, as far it goes, but he has other ties… And even a little ghost is a nuisance to settle permanently, unless you know enough of planes-lore to really master the ethereal. Have you ever seen it in action? You have to sleep, it doesn’t, and accidents happen, and he rejuvenates…”
Seeing the half-orc’s attention wavering but the human wizard’s crystallizing, Chaïa focused her charms on the latter, but tried to include the whole group.
“So what we want is not just to tie off loose ends,” she said, cheerfully, but pointedly, “but stitch up the whole hem, sort of.”
Belatedly, she considered that the fashion metaphor was likely wasted on this bunch, and that altruism is probably also not a hugely familiar concept to them, so she continued, cheekily, “Save your skins – we have better uses for them, no? – and ours, though we’re ahead one burial and no un-burials.”
"Aye. Some things are not worth the trouble...I mean, we can probably handle such problems well enough. But for the workers down in the mines? Something like this could cause serious problems. And somehow I doubt Smenk would like productivity going down, and I wouldn't want to be the one the finger points to when he's looking for someone guilty...", Janus attempts to support Chaia while broaching a subject that might get Kullen to focus on the topic, as well.
"Aye. Some things are not worth the trouble...I mean, we can probably handle such problems well enough. But for the workers down in the mines? Something like this could cause serious problems. And somehow I doubt Smenk would like productivity going down, and I wouldn't want to be the one the finger points to when he's looking for someone guilty...", Janus attempts to support Chaia while broaching a subject that might get Kullen to focus on the topic, as well.
[dice=Diplomacy Aid Chaia]1d20+8
"What mines? Ain't no dead in the mines Smenk runs," Kullen grunted. "We see to that. Only digging here was for the old tower."
"But what if it's Ironeater's mine that get haunted?" the wizard said, smiling.
Kullen laughed.
"I didn't mean to say there's dead in Smenks mines. Not yet, anyway." Janus shrugs in jest, then asks the Wizard, more serious again: "Are there any in Ironeaters mine? I mean, really, if it's his fault, haunting his place would only be fair-"
"I didn't mean to say there's dead in Smenks mines. Not yet, anyway." Janus shrugs in jest, then asks the Wizard, more serious again: "Are there any in Ironeaters mine? I mean, really, if it's his fault, haunting his place would only be fair-"
"If there's not, there should be," Kullen said, grinning.
"No haunting there I know about," the wizard said. "But it couldn't happen to a nicer dwarf."
"What? Are you saying he doesn't have a heart of gold? Except in his coffers I mean." Lu chuckles, making some small talk. "So! What else is zere to do for fun around here?"
"Me.", Janus answers Lu only half-paying attention, then blushes slightly at his own forwardness. Deciding for 'flight forward', he grins sheepishly:"Full satisfaction guaranteed or you get your money back!"
Lu laughs and nudges Janus with a wink. In good mood she quips "Maybe I was looking for something more upscale? Heh!"
"I suppose there's always some music - and more cards." Saeri said as she gave the rest of the group a grin. "Most of the games I know are easy enough to learn, but much harder to master. Helps to pass the time better."
Lu laughs and nudges Janus with a wink. In good mood she quips "Maybe I was looking for something more upscale? Heh!"
"They go play Dragonchess," the wizard said, voice cold.
[b]"You want expensive girls?" Kullen said. "Or just more expensive than that one?"
Chaïa’s stomach lurched as the likely next step in the group’s investigations sunk in – or perhaps it was the innuendo. She tried to keep up, but as her human counterpart’s voice grew cold again, she couldn’t help thinking she had missed something.
She tried to soothe ruffled feathers while keeping in character, cursing inwardly the while.
“Or throw daggers, as well as cards. It’s not all Dragonchess all the time,” she said, remembering the Happy Cow’s entertainment from a few nights ago. Even as she spoke, Chaïa regretted mentioning cards. She could have spared Saeri the indignity. Quickly, she focused on keeping the thugs on their toes. Somehow, she managed to pull herself to her full height and shimmer a seductive step or two around the table.
“Though maybe we could talk strategy some time. Openings, defenses… Whatever your game,” she purred to – Marovinn, was it? And then she stepped back, poised to saunter off into the night like a born darling of the Dragonchess set. She shot Lu and Janus a look that gave a little scream, You owe me one!
While Janus smiled along inside, nodding friendly, laughing, and leaving, out on the street, with some cold air to counter the intoxication of the drinks, Lu's return quip sent him into a thoughtful state. 'more upscale', she had said...
Seeing that she wasn’t about to be stopped, Chaïa pulled herself together for one last effort, and took her leave with what she hoped was a sensual drawl and a slink to her step, “Not tonight, then? Well, cheers, boys. See you around.”
Once safely outside, though, she shook off her persona with a shudder. Not that she minded the idea as such, exactly, but places like the Happy Cow tended to cheapen the whole thing. Why couldn’t they have started with Dragonchess, at Lazare’s, with a glass of something nice, and a bit less reliance on the merely physical? Especially if – though she would blush to admit the consideration – the physical didn’t suit her inclinations. Ah, well. Planning for choosy elven mages was hardly something conspirators like Smenk or Filge would worry about.
Chaïa turned to Janus with a wan smile. “So. Since we seem to be burning the midnight oil, shall we see if Master Ironeater does have something troubling his mines? I can’t wrap a mist around us tonight, if we want to be subtle, but I suppose we could trust to the dark.”
"Well, I suppose if you want to find out if somethings haunted, you should go there at night - ", Janus returns the smile. With a hidden glance over at Lu he added "Plus I don't seem to have other plans for tonight, so lets head to Ironeaters..."
"Oh don't be sour Janus! I just didn't want zem to try and sneak you away first heh." Lu announces once they are outside and lightly elbows Janus for fun. "Yes; zis soon-to-be haunted mine is worth a look. Should we bring some sheets, just in case ... we need to scare ze guards?"
Yellowknife's explorers found the Ironeater mine easily enough. It could be found behind a wooden palisade, closed against them, lit with widely-spaced torches. A pair of tired guards stood outside the gate.
"So... how nice should we be?" Saeri inquired quietly. She didn't mind a friendly resolution, but she didn't want her friends to be put at risk, either.
“As possible, of course,” Chaïa said cheerily. Despite her airy tone, she brushed a hand through her loose locks rather fretfully, the gesture showing how seriously she was considering the various options. Her eyes swept the palisade, trying to gauge if it would be at all possible to climb it more or less unobtrusively, even as she tried to recall the story Janus had concocted as a plausive excuse to gain access, and what to do if the guards didn’t buy it.
“Alright,” she added after a moment, keeping her voice low, “We might try to sway these fellows with pretense and persiflage too, if you like. If it goes badly, I have one spell prepared that might be good enough to take those two out of a fight without doing any permanent damage. But only the one, and that leaves whoever’s inside.”