The elderly woman squints at Gyllan, as he asks her questions. "Aye, lad. Those nice fellows, the Cow Hammer Boys, offer a nice price, I'd say. In these troubled times, it's not just anyone that'd give out free meat to an old gammer like me. But those Boys are so nice, they do just that. Can you imagine? Free? What on earth would Abadar say about that?" she cackles mercilessly and pats Gyllan on the arm, her load of apparently free meat swinging from her wrist.
Gyllan notices no signs of mistruth in the old woman. Durriken, trying to look inconspicuous, looks for anything awry at the meat shop, but to all appearances, it looks normal.
Gyllan's eyes widen ever so slightly at the woman's response, but he manages to hide his bafflement and dismay and wish her a pleasant afternoon. Hells, could this be what I think it is? There may be more here than an insurrection by a handful of guardsmen!
He returns to his companions and relays the conversation to them, then voices his thoughts, barely-controlled outrage in his tone, "In times like these, what's the cheapest meat of all? Nobody's putting sweat and coin into raising cows or pigs and then giving away the meat, it's just not happening. But how many men have we seen cut down since the chaos in Korvosa started? They raise themselves, pasture right here in the city - and are slaughtered in the violence. I hope to Pharasma I'm wrong, but I think I know what they're giving away in there."
He takes a calming breath and continues, "We were already planning to break up this operation, before we knew about this. And our plan sounded good before, I think it's still good. So let's go in and ask to talk to the man in charge, say we've heard he's got a good thing going and we'd like to be a part of it. And I'll do my best to keep from driving my sword through him."
Durriken shakes his head at Gyllan's indignance, but says nothing. He nods once at the suggestion they go inside, and swings in behind Gyllan as they approach the door.
You enter the butcher shop under a sign bearing the image of a fat, smiling cow which hangs above the entrance to the shop. Inside, a long counter runs over half the room's width, beyond which a door stands ajar. A low bench sits against the east wall, while to the north a marble-topped table displays cuts of meat before a wide grimy window. A few flies crawl and circle in the air above the meat.
A little bell on the door tinkles as you enter, and from the open door, two men enter the storefront. One is tall, with bushy eyebrows that merge into one just above his large flat nose. The other is a wheezy ample-sized man, who wears chainmail, which fits badly. Both men wear longswords.
"'ello, lads, sorry ta tell ye, we're fresh out of meat today. Have to come back early tomorry, lessen you want this display?" says the wheezy man, as he points out the fly-laden meat under the window.
As they cross the street to enter the shop, Gyllan walks close to Corso and says quietly, [b]"Once we're inside, it might work best if you do the talking - you've a better way with people than I. I'll help out with nods and smiles, but if you could tell 'em we hear Vancaskerkin has a pretty good thing going, and we'd like to lend our strength to him, it'll sound better coming from you. Okay?"[/ooc]
Gyllan steps up to the counter, attempting to look as fierce as possible, and concus with Corso, "That's right, we got strong arms to lend a man who's taken charge in all this madness!"
Content to let the other two do the negotiating, Durriken stands to the side, watching the exchange.
The wheezy man frowns and the bushy eyebrows on the other furrow. "Wot you talkin' about mate? This 'ere's a meat shop not some rev'lution'ry cell. If ye ain't buyin' meat, then GIT OUT!" He raises his voice on the last few words and the bald man steps out from around the counter,his hand dropping threateningly to the hilt of his sword.
"You heard the man," he says in a voice little above a hoarse whisper. "Let's move it out of here before things get uncomfortable."
Gyllan is fairly confident the men are lying, but perhaps they've been duped as much as the old woman. He studies their faces and bodies as they tell their tale, looking for signs of falsehood.
Gyllan is quite sure the men are not being truthful, but would rather not talk about this subject with strangers.
The two men begin herding you out of the shop, not really pushing but getting in your space and moving you backwards agressively. "Out now, gents. We're closed. C'mon git out."
If you want to stand your ground it might get ugly.
Durriken holds up his hands, and pushes his way back to the window displayy. "I don't know what these two did to you, and I really don't care. I haven't eaten in a couple days, and that's the first bit of meat I've seen. How much?"
As he tries to buy a few seconds, he sizes up the two men, determining if they're on the up and up, and trying to figure out if their attire matches that of an ex-guardsman.
Both the men have longswords at their hips, and round steel shields slung over their backs along with a light crossbow. They both wear chainmail. Neither wears a sigil or other outward marking indicating Korvosan Guard or unit. Neither looks like someone you'd want to have to draw down on without some help.
The men grit their teeth at your delays. "Look you, I've warned ya. We're closed. Now in the name of Abadar, get out of here, all of ya. I don't want to tell ya again; next time it's the hard way." The tall man with the eyebrows drops his hand to the hilt of his sword in warning.
"Right, Corso. Hard way it is, then," Gyllan responds, drawing his beautifully-crafted greatsword and leveling it at the tall man with the eyebrows.
Arianna sighs seeing Corso and Gyllan reach for their blades. Resigned to the direction of the encounter, she reaches for a pinch of sand and begins chanting.
Storefront Fight - Round 1
24 Malder
22 Corso
17 Baldrago
11 Arianna
9 Fingers
6 Durriken
5 Gyllan
Not really surprised when the others draw down on him, Malder (the wheezy one), steps back to the doorway leading into the depths of the butchery. "Oy, there's a live group up here. Come at the run boyo's. Foes in the storefront!" From the shelter of the doorway, he readies his crossbow, loading a bolt.
Storefront Fight
Seeing you draw steel, Baldrago (the one with the eyebrows) does likewise, and a bit quicker. Then he lays into Gyllan with practiced gusto, but the sword stroke goes wide of a scoring mark.
Arianna focuses her attention on the man loading his crossbow, as the grains of sand slip from her fingers and the droning chanting seems meant for only him.
Gyllan dodges Baldrago's blade, then lays into the man with a return strike. The blow comes close to cutting the man's neck wide open, but he manages to dodge aside at the last moment, making the blow less deadly. Still there is fear in his eyes as Gyllan says, "Remember, you're the one who put the hard way on the table. You can always yield."
Storefront Fight - Round 1 - continued
From the rear, Arianna throws a sand-filled slumber hex on the man preparing the crossbow, who slumps to the ground, overcome with drowsiness.
Leaping over the store counter, Durriken strikes at the slumbering man with his weapons, hitting the helpless target, startling him awake with a laceration across his belly.
From the side, Fingers advances against the still upright target and pokes at him with his dagger, stabbing the man, who is trying to parry an attack from Gyllan in the neck, just missing severing something vital, but still causing a bloody wound.
Taking advantage of the rogue's strike against Baldrago, Gyllan unleashes a tremendous blow slicing through the defender's armor, and opening a fatal wound in his chest.
End of Round 1
Storefront Fight - Round 2
24 Malder (wounded)
22 Corso
11 Arianna
9 Fingers
6 Durriken
5 Gyllan
Waking from the attack on his person by Durriken, and with his crossbow on the ground, Malder tries to stand and using his shield to protect him from the expected attack from the ranger.
Gyllan raises his sword once again, then turns it sideways before bringing it crashing down on his opponent's head.
Durriken turns his sword and tries to cuff the wounded man behind the ear with the pommel.
If the man makes it to his feet, he tries again, cursing through gritted teeth. "They told me not to kill you. You are trying my patience."
Arianna waits and watches for any other enemies to enter the fray, confident her companions can handle Malder.
Storefront Fight - Round 2
As Malder makes to stand, he successfully interposes his shield between himself and Durriken's sword hilt. The resultant clang is resounding, and the man is able to get to his feet, also dodging the cut and crackle of arcane energy from Corso's blade. The bard continues his verbal support of the party, inspiring them to end this fight quickly.
The witch Arianna looks over the shoulder of the combatants in the doorway, ready in with her slumber hex if reinforcements should arrive for the Cow Hammer Boys.
Looking for the right opening, and kept at a distance by the doorway, Fingers tosses his dagger at the newly risen Malder, hitting him squarely in the shoulder, burying the knife through a joint in the chainmail. This last blow fells the already wounded man and he collapses in a heap.
End of Combat
Through the open door, the group can peer into the hallway beyond the storefront. Down that hall is a single door on the east wall, and a pair of metal double doors on the south. A single flight of stairs leads up onto the small second floor.
Gyllan moves quickly into the hallway, saying "The fight will have alerted anyone nearby, no sense sneaking. Let's see what we can find." He steps up to the nearest door, listens at it for a moment, and then opens it, sword in hand.
Durriken moves past Gyllan, watching the hall and the stairs.
From behind the door on the east down the hall, you hear the faint sounds of at least two men. "....go and see what happened, it's only right." says the first man.
The second in a raised whisper:"Screw them. They'd've checked in if they had won; the watch is here and it's every man fer himself. Out the back door I say."
Gyllan takes a quiet step backwards, blade in hand, and gestures to Durriken to stand ready, pointing at the door. His meaning is clear: Here they come, let's hit 'em as they step through the door.
He then stands quietly, listening to hear if the men are coming closer to the door, or perhaps moving away, to take another route to the back door.
Arianna follows along, not particularly sure of how this will turn out, picking up mixed signals from her companions.
The men stop talking at Corso's shout, and the door to the east opens, with a ranger flattened out on either side.
You can see this room is the meat locker, where cuts of meat are salted and hung prior to sale. There are few remaining hunks hangiing there from hooks with straw piled underneath to collect any draining fluids. A table stands along the north wall with 2 barrels of salt nearby. A pair of double doors stands in the south wall, and a metal rail runs out that wall above the doors.
The two men here, one with long sideburns (not an elf) and the other with a wild look in his eyes. The wild-eyed man shouts "Who are you and what did you do to Malder and Baldrago."
The man with long sideburns looks to his wild-eyed companion. C'mon Parns, it's more recruits which means more work, which means more coin. They look hardy enough, let's take 'em up to Verik and see what he thinks."
The wild-eyed man, Parns, just growls. "Eh, Verik is too heart broke ta care. I jest as well be in charge o' The Cow Hammer Boys now. This fella looks like another noble puffin, not a killer. I say we talk it over with Baldrago and Malder and then see. Where are those two good fer nothin's?"
Parns takes a step inside the doorway looking for his mates.
"Look, boys," interjects Gyllan, laying a hand on Parns' arm. "There's no need to go bugging Baldrago and Malder. You heard we had a bit of a scuffle with them, but they're fine. And we don't want to upset things in the organization - so maybe we go chat with Verik, for appearance's sake, even if you're really in charge now, Parns? What do you think? How about we head up and talk to Verik?"
Parns looks startled as Gyllan appears next to him, he whirls and sees Durriken on the other side.
"Now these...these look like a coupla hard boys. We could do some work with these." He frowns at the corners of his mouth, eyeing you. "You ever do any wet work? Slip the knife in and twist it, eh? We got ways ta dispose o' the evidence, if you got the stones to do the work. What say yeh?"
Karralo, the sideburns, looks happy. "Like I said, more hands means more work. Let's take em up to the Sarge. He can give 'em the thumbs up or the..." he draws his fingers across his neck in a universal symbol you readily understand.
Parns smiles for the first time, and with his crazy eyes, it's a disturbing smile. "Oh I think these hard boys'll meet Vancaskerkin soon enou' Karralo. If they're hard like they say, they might meet 'im real soon."
"Go get Malder fer me, Karralo, bring him right back 'ere, we got sompin' to talk 'bout."
Karralo nods and starts to head down the corridor to the storefront, squeezing past you.
Gyllan grumbles, "I tried to tell ya," as he swings his blade at Karralo, "you should have just taken us upstairs..." The blow is a powerful one, cutting the fugitive guardsman deeply.
The Cow Hammer Boys - Surprise Round
23 Karralo*
23 Parns*
18 Durriken
18 Arianna
16 Fingers
12 Corso
6 Gyllan*
The bad guys are surprised by the outbreak of violence, thinking that you might be recruits after all. That means, all the heroes have a go at them with either move or SA. Have Gyllan's above, if you aren't the one to provoke, you can pass.
"Wetwork. yeah, you could say that." Durriken strikes at the man in the door.
Seeing hostilities break out, Arianna targets the poor soul caught between Gylan and Corso with her hex.