Idly, Vinccenso reaches into his pocket to pull out a dull grey pebble, shaped like two elongated cones connected at each base. As he tosses it into the air, it flares into sorcerous light, equivalent to a torch & begins circling about his head. "There. we'll make an entrance!"
Tesia's mouth forms an O of surprise at his enchantment. "Oh my! Well, if we are going in, we might as well make a show of it. I guess we will wait until last couple goes in and follow shortly after. I hope they have some good beverages available."
She smiles warmly at Vinccenso while surveying the area.
The entrance to Damon's is unguarded, a freshly painted sign distinguishing it from the other buildings nearby. As you enter, you are surprised by the simple elegance of the room. Wrought-iron chandeliers hang above game tables, the candles flickering as you push open the door. The clientele looks a bit more refined than you were expecting: men in dark suits and women in a wide variety of colors, but quite modest in dress. A tall, dark-haired man approaches you, a pair of silver-handled pistols at his side. His thin mustache curves upwards as he awaits for the entire group to enter.
"No need for pretense, friends. And I do hope we can be friends," the man says. "Welcome to my establishment, I am Damon Auvinet. Perhaps I can interest you in a game of cards first?"
Damon guides you to an empty table that surprisingly seats all seven of you, taking a deck of cards in his hand. Taking the dealer's spot, he deals the cards with an extraordinary quickness.
He smiles genuinely at Vinccenso. "It looks like you're the winner. So what can I do for you this evening?"
"At the risk of insulting your hospitality, I must say I'm quite impressed. You have obviously made this place a work of yourself. What brought you here?" Vinccenso replies. After a moment's thought, he adds. "Personally, I'm here to impress my companion..." Nodding to Tesia. "She heard we were coming to Blackshire & felt it might be better to be cautious..." Allowing his gaze to run the length of her armor-clad form before shrugging in a 'what-can-you-do' gesture. "Perhaps might aid me in setting her concerns to rest?"
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Fiona scowls at the 3 in Vinccenso's discarded hand and glares at her two for a moment before tossing the cards aside.
She throws glances around the room, giving off an aura of moody drunkenness. Trying to get the feel for the crowd in case she needs to make a distraction, Fiona watches people carefully while the young man verbally spars with the owner.
Glancing to Faulkes, she shoots up an eyebrow and asks "See anything?"
Ithelien, studiously blank faced, looks quietly around the gambling den, eyes keen for any sign of the drow woman. At Damon's question, he breaks out in a grin. "Why, for the fun of gambling, of course! Isn't that why everyone comes here? Or do you offer other services as well?" The elf bard's smile is innocent and cheerful, as he does not notice much of interest. "In any case, the fun part of this is meeting all the new people, don't you agree?" He winks cheerfully at the dark haired man, keeping his eyes easily away from his pistols. It wouldn't do to stare at someone's weaponry, after all.
Évelyne stares at her cards, then at the man, then at the pistols. Perhaps it would be wise to play fairly when in here. "Why don't you give us a little tour 'round here? Can't really say what we want if we don't know what your fine establishment has to offer."
Tesia looks around quietly taking in the surroundings. She smiles and nods at Vinccenso's mention of her and glances at the owner, while keeping an eye out for the Orc they were asked to find, and the female Drow as well.
She tugs playfully at Vinccenso's arm while giving the owner a sheepish smile. "Oh come now, I'm not that bad am I?"
From Damon's relaxed attitude and calm voice, you feel that he is being honest with you. As some of the group looks around, Fiona and Verrill manage to see a door at the rear of the casino, stacked boxes obstructing it.
Faulkes shakes his head at Fiona as Damon collects the cards. "Everything seems okay here."
Damon sets the cards aside and focuses on Vinccenso. "I came here to run a legitimate gambling hall. I have a desire to make people happy...admittedly, I also have an affinity for money."
He points at a large notice hanging on the west wall. "I am the only place in Blackshire that has one of those. Some people think that they can obstruct the law and do as they please. I don't allow cheating, I don't let folks get blindingly drunk and fritter away all their money. I help the less fortunate with a cut of my profits. But, as you friend surmised, there is a definite problem in Blackshire. Criminals, gougers and charlatans cast a disparaging shadow on my legitimacy."
He stands away from the table with a quick nod to Ithelien. "Can I offer you all a drink? I am glad to have new customers in these times."
He escorts you to a well-stocked bar with velvet lined seats. "Besides games of chance and drinks, I offer little else. I thought I'd get a few more people with the festival going on."
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Fiona nods her head towards the door, informing the others, as the man is leading them to the bar-- there's a door over there behind the crates. It looks suspicious.
Beyond that, the room seems without interest and he seems interested in engaging them in conversation, which is fine. She doesn't sit at the bar, leaning on the back of the seat instead, listening to the conversation.
She suddenly blurts in with "What about ladies?" in an exaggerated drawl.
Damon raises an eyebrow in surprise. "I-I can assure you that we are a modest business. If...you...er...um, if that suits your fancy, there are plenty of places in Blackshire that cater to those...um...desires."
Faulkes looks at Fiona quizzically. "You should have told me if I never stood a chance."
Ithelien laughs, eyes twinkling at Faulkes' comment. "No fear, good sir, I'm sure you'll find someone else, if you are so interested!" He winks, mock(?) flirtatiously at the man.
Moving on, he turns to Damon. "Excellent. Though, where would a lively orc go to see his desires slaked? You see, my friend is seeking someone who might be in such a place. And thank you for the offer, but I am quite fine without any wine... And apparently, capable of rhyme." He pauses, then sighs. "That was truly terrible. Honestly, my work is usually better than that. I apologize, audience, there was no call for me to do that." He winks at his companions, then, smiling at Damon as well. "In any case! Although I seem rather unlucky today, I'll stay here for a time." He looks to the others, his eyes twinkling, wondering whether or not they'd get the message.
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She smirks slyly at Faulkes. While Ithelien distracts him, she reveals: "Means he dinnae get that question offen, so he's true. If he was lyin' he'd have heard that before."
As Ithelien looks to her she looks exasperated. "Well, hmph. No ladies? Then where to now? Ugh. I thought there'd be ladies!" She sighs dramatically and turns to leave, but stays in earshot, dragging Faulkes along with her.
She whispers to him in the seconds she gets: "Tryin' tae figger out what the angle is here and it seems like if there is one it's gonna take us from behind, quiet and surpriseful."
"Don't take a play too personal. Y'think I'd mess with ye this long?"
Vinccenso looks back & forth between Fiona, Ithelien & Faulkes as the druid & the bard manage between the two of them to make the poor fellow's head spin.
They're trying to be subtle...
They're trying to pass messages between inexperienced co-conspirators without observers noticing...
Right, like is going to work.
"I know of few besides devout worshipers of Erastil or Gozreh who don't have an affinity for money, messir Host." He responds to Damon's own reply to him. Ignoring Fiona, Ithelien & Faulkes' antics, Vinccenso continues. "You thought you would get more custom with the Festival? I take it your hopes have yet to fully see reality?" Vinccenso takes another look around the chamber.
Vinccenso takes a look around, counting the people. A meager twelve good ladies and gents, besides the group, are enjoying Damon's hospitality. Hardly enough to fill a quarter of the room.
"Oui," Damon says, taking in the scene as well. "I don't know what to do. Perhaps some people are lured by danger and uncertainty. If your friend and her...'companion'(?) are looking for a lady of...a certain reputation, you can try Ivy's just out on the main road. She's...er, more trustworthy than the rest and she deals in exotic tastes."
"How long has your establishment been open friend Damon?" Vinccenso inquires, nodding in acknowledgement of the man's previous answers.
"About three months now. I bought the place from an old smuggler who wanted to retire," Damon answers.
Tesia looks around while half listening to the conversation.
"Well, I wouldn't mind another drink. As my friend was saying earlier we are looking for a friend of ours. He's an Orc, bout six feet or so, gray skin, lots of tattoos, and a broken tusk. You wouldn't have happened to see anyone looking like that, would you? We really do need to find him." She appears to look around while sending a smile toward Damon before she goes on. "Besides, we wouldn't be wanting him to find himself in any trouble. *hic* Oh my, excuse me." She looks to Vinccenso,"I think I might need to walk around for a bit. Would you mind going with me?"
Damon puts a finger up his lips in thought. "I'd try Ivy's, as I mentioned before. She's open-minded enough to allow orcs in her establishment."
"Thanks for the drink," Évelyne says, puts her now empty glass onto a counter, and walks off to see what the casino has to offer but not before motioning Verrill to follow. "Revenons à nos moutons se couper le nez pour faire dépit à son visage. Sans tentation, il n'y a point de victoire?"
"We are just as likely to find her if we stay on one place than if we wander around aimlessly. Besides, what's the point of coming to a casino if not to gamble?"
She wanders around until finding a game suitable to her tastes, and after watching for a bit, joins in herself after politely asking permission to do so.
Tesia looks up at Vinccenso,"That's not a bad idea. We can get some fresh air on the way to Ivy's." She looks towards Damon,"Thanks for the information. We might come back once we know where he's gotten off to. And thank you for the drink as well." Tesia smiles as she tries to get herself off the stool without stumbling. She reaches out to Vinccenso for some support and makes a great show of being dizzy.
Vinccenso moves as quickly as one who is not exceptionally physical can to aid Tesia. "Yes, we really are rather concerned & the sooner we find him..." Catching Fiona & Ithelien's eyes while nodding between Tesia & himself, "the sooner we will be able to return & enjoy your excellent hospitality." Nodding to Damon as he escorts Tesia to the door.
"If he's being honest with us, we might as well try the direct approach," Faulkes whispers to Fiona.
Faulkes approaches Damon and points at the blocked door. "Do you know what's behind the door?"
"That's an old storeroom, from what the previous owner told me. Fairly small. I built a new one just a month ago since the old one's size wouldn't manage what I needed it for," Damon replies.
"Did you ever have a look in there?"
"Just some old boxes which I threw out."
"Well, you said the previous owner was a smuggler and I was wondering if he had built some tunnels in there."
"Why would you wonder that?" Damon asks, intrigued.
"Let's just say we're looking for someone who might be interested in something like that. Mind if we take a look?"
"I don't see why not," Damon says, getting up from the table and moving to the blocked door.
Damon pushes the crates aside and opens the door to the musty storeroom.
***
Èvelyne finds a table with two dapper gentlemen who are playing poker. They quickly offer Verrill and her the remaining seats at the table. "It'll be 2 silver for an ante, 1 gold for the maximum bet."
Verrill tosses two coins into the pot at the center of the green felt table. The cards are dealt by the taller gentleman of the two.
***
Vincennso and Tesia head outside into the cool night air. Following Damon's vague directions, they come to Ivy's, a two-story manor house with elegant white columns against a subdued marigold facade. Out front, there is a young woman dressed in black and silver robes offering fortune-telling services from a cheap, haphazardly set tent.
Ithelien stands, peering at the inside of the storeroom closely. He smiles slightly, eyes scanning for any hint of exciting discoveries. He smiles slightly, wondering with part of his mind whether the drow was alone or not, even as he used the majority to scan the room. Part of him hoped that she was alone, and another hoped she wasn't... Calistria help him, if she wasn't. The Savored Sting favored those seeking vengeance, after all...
The storeroom appears to be a simple affair, wooden walls and a stone floor. Faulkes enters the room, moving past Ithelien, who does not find anything unusual. He runs his hands along the walls and carefully scans the floor.
His hand catches a loose board along the wall. He quickly pries it off to reveal a tunnel leading toward the south. Faulkes heads to the opposite wall and finds another secret door with another tunnel leading north.
"Seems like smugglers could use this room as a safe spot to catch their breaths and throw guards off their trail," Faulkes says after some thought. "Have you ever heard any noises in here, Damon?"
"I suppose, but I thought it could have been rats," Damon says, bewildered by the discovery.
"Perhaps you're right, but I'm thinking they're the larger variety."
Tesia nods at the young woman as they pass. She gets close to Vinccenso's ear and whispers quietly,"We might as well go inside. I don't think he'd be hanging around out here. Just keep your guard up, never know what we'll run into." She looks around the outside of the establishment first, just to be sure there is no one hanging about before she enters.
Évelyne glances at her cards, then lowers them back against the table. "I'll open. Five silver," she says when her turn comes up, and places the afromentioned amount into the pot.
"Tabhair dom ach nóiméad. Féadfar an bhean óg a bheith freagraí go bhfuil sí í féin ar an eolas." He replies to Tesia's statement.
Stepping toward the young fortune teller. [b]"What can you tell me about this evening, miss?" As he sets two silver pieces before her.
Verrill's whiskers twitch as he looks over his cards. He quickly tosses in 5 silver and tosses away two cards. The taller gentleman scans his cards before sitting back and also tossing two cards along with 5 coins. The shorter gentleman lets out a frustrated grunt, but does the same as Verrill and the taller gentleman, tossing in five coins and two cards.
***
The young woman takes Vinccenso's hand. "Oh, my! You have such a telling face, sir. Allow me to call upon the spirits to answer your questions."
Vinccenso immediately sense that this woman is feeding him a line. Skepticism kicks in immediately as she pulls out a crystal ball and begins waving her hands above it.
"Oh, you're looking for someone! Hmm, I can't see too clearly. A stranger! Someone you've never seen before, right? Oh, the spirits are being fuzzy. Perhaps if you can spare a couple more coins, I can coax the answer out of them."
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Fiona looks into the secrets that the ground here keeps, touching her fingertips against the rough earth with a look of concentration and determination. She scans the room for signs of passage, communing with the dirty tunnel in an almost holy ritual.
She smiles. "This is well worn earth. It's speaking to me... just one moment and I'll have an answer."
And thus we answer question...
Well, intelligence is still intelligence.
Vinccenso's expression becomes, if anything, even more entertained as he pulls out another two silver pieces. "Afraid this's all I might spare." As he shrugs apologetically to Tesia & the two of them enter Ivy's.
Fiona scans the tunnel and the floor, finding some faint tracks of a medium-sized humanoid moving from north to south.
***
"But wait sir!" the young woman cries after Vinccense. "Don't you want to know what your future holds?"
"I already know what my future holds. Uncertainty, fear, triumph, failure & ultimately...
Death." Vinccenso replies offhandedly as he opens & holds the door for Tesia.
Vinccenso feels a firm hand clasp him on the shoulder. "Oh, there will be failure and perhaps death, but you won't be leaving with a full purse, friend."
Turning Vinccenso around, the young woman points a dagger at the wizard's face. "You see, fortune-telling is a profitable business here in Blackshire and I'd like to keep it that way."
Évelyne puts away three cards and draws another three, keeping her expression as neutral as possible as she does so.
"Check," she says, slight disappointment in her voice.
Ithelien looks at Fiona curiously. "And have your ears heard what wonders the earth has to say here?" He asks curiously, arching a delicate brow with a grin. A brief cloud crosses his face as he wonders whether or not the drow woman will actually come, or if she has already come and gone. It is gone in an instant, though as he looks to the half-elven woman again. "I'm sure it has interesting stories to tell you, which you can share with us, yes?" He teases gently, winking at her.
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"I said one minute y'cobberin'... nevermind. North to south here. Someone with light feet and a heavy step, perhaps, or heavy ones and a light step. It was man-shaped and sized, though whether it's a man or a woman is up to council... But that way's the way it gone," she says, and points south.
Standing, she doesn't dust herself off-- but she does draw her scimitar. With a soft chant in the language of the world, Fiona's skin suddenly takes on an... unusual palor. Suddenly, her body is coated over with brickwork and mortar, her tattoo sloppy red graffity across an aggregate concrete cheek.
She smiles. "Be prepared, right? There's only three of us," and heads down the tunnel.
Ithelien grins at her. "That look is wonderful for you, sweetling, but perhaps you should save that for when we are actually under fire?" He laughs at himself, winking to let her in on the fact he wasn't serious, then sighs, considering. Dare I take the risk of missing her for something like this? Dare I not? He looks at Devon, frowning quietly. The man had been in business for three months now, yes? "Fiona, can you tell how old the tracks are? I would rather not follow them if they're just remnants of the old smugglers who came through here. Remember, this isn't the wild, and the tracks could remain here for quite some time if left undisturbed..." He pauses, realizing that he had essentially just countered his own question, then laughs. "Ah, well, I'm sure it will be exciting either way! Onwards, fair companions!" He gestures grandly forward, then pauses. "Er, you don't mind, do you Devon, dear fellow?"
At hearing the threatening tone in the young woman's voice Tesia turns around quickly, her warhammer raised in a striking position.
"Hold on there would you? Do you have any idea to whom it is you speak? She looks at the young woman, her eyes becoming dark and dangerous looking. "I am a Paladin of Erastil and he is my chaperone. I will tolerate you threatening either of us. Either you will tell us what you know, or you will go back to your station and be silent. If you are very lucky, I may not bring my God's wrath down upon you. Tesia stares down at the young woman while putting her own hand protectively on Vinccenso's shoulder, ready to pull him behind her if need be.
"Tell me now what your choice is."
The shorter gentleman tosses his cards away with a quiet 'tsk'. Verrill looks at Èvelyne and smiles before folding. The taller gentleman nods slightly before tossing in 5 silver pieces.
***
Damon shakes his head at Ithelien, not even correcting the brutalization of his name. Faulkes follows Fiona at a small distance, eyeing the tunnel as he walks.
He stops after a few feet and points at the ground. "Wet footprints. Someone was down here recently, Ithelien."
***
The young woman laughs at Tesia's failed attempt to scare her. "Heh, is the little kitten gonna hit me? But I won't pick a fight alone."
She runs toward a dark alleyway.
Tesia looks at Vinccenso. "I believe we need to get our own friends as well. The orc can wait."
After yelling down the street at the young rip off artist, Tesia looks back at Vincceso again. "Well, what do you think? Should we go back to get the rest of our companions, go in and look for the Orc, or should I wait here and teach all of these phonies a lesson? I'm really get sick of all these people running around acting like they can get away with everything they do. If our companions aren't here to stop me, I might just try to kill all of them." By the look on her face, it's very hard to tell if she's serious or not, but she definitely looks angry and put out. She looks like she is sick of dealing with all the lowlifes and has a determined look in her eyes that is unreadable.
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"Lookit Faulkes here, showin' off?" she laughs with a smile. "If yer leadin', sweetheart, wear this. An' be careful, okay?"
She touches her hands together and says another word in the old tongue. Touching her palm to Faulkes's chest, a glowing violet handprint appears. Fiona's hand lingers a bit too long on his chest, and she considers kissing him on the cheek to make up for whatever it is that she'd done wrong that she felt maybe he'd taken a bit of offense at... but who would want a kiss from a brick wall?
Detaching herself from Faulkes, Fiona sighs to Ithelien. "Yer right-- did jump the gun, dinne I?" She begins to stalk down the tunnel, letting Faulkes take the lead.
Of course, she can't take her eyes off of him-- and she can't stop wondering what she may have done to mess things up. She can't ask, of course, because of the echo, and...
It distracts her enough to be clumsy, loud, and unaware of her surroundings.
So like Annalisse...
Discounting the impetuosity, the temper & the willingness to confront an unknown foe.
"B'fhearr liom gan a bheith a thabhairt ar ais mura dhóigh dhosheachanta is gá. Sí agus Beidh cairde a bheith ag lorg ar feadh leath ban fola naofa laochra agus a cara dorcha...
, beidh muid a dhéanamh go simplí cinnte go bhfuil cad a fhaigheann siad"
we will simply make certain that is what they find."
Ithelien nods lightheartedly. "You did, dear lady, you did indeed. But nevertheless..." He follows her, only mildly quieter and more aware. He is, however, aware of exactly how loud he is, and mentally curses whenever his feet shuffle against the floor, distracting him from his attempts to remain aware.
Évelyne stares at the tall man as if trying to read his mind. Slowly, she takes five coins and puts them on the pot.
Tesia sighs at the thought of not being able to pay back retribution to those that deserve it. She looks thoughtful for a moment as if weighing her options before responding to Vinccenso.
"Très bien, je vais les laisser aller ... pour l'instant. Sortons notre entreprise fait ici le plus rapidement possible et de retourner au casino. Le plus tôt nous sortirons de cette ville honteux le mieux."
At this she abruptly turns and rushes into Ivy's so that they can look for the Orc in earnest.
The tall gentleman calmly displays a pair of threes along with a ten, eleven and twelve.
***
Faulkes smiles at Fiona and Ithelien. "I hope whoever we find isn't expecting us..."
The three makes their way down the tunnel for a few minutes before Faulkes pushes another bit of paneling out of the way, revealing a moderate-sized warehouse. "I can't see a thing. It's too dark in here."
With a triumphant smile, Évelyne uncovers her own cards: A four, a five, a thirteen, and two twelves. "Good game folks! Shall we start another round or will you let me keep your money?"