Kurgan fell into the conversation, recognizing that it was an important one that had to do with their trade and feeling flattered that his opinion had been sought out. He thus gave it the appropriate attention, though as per usual, it was with a rather jovial attitude that he went about sampling the glasses, including how they affected the taste of a drink...
On her own for at least part of the day, Talliree looks around to see if she can find the various nick-nacks and sundries that any tavern needs, but most people don't think about.
It goes about as well as one would expect for the easily distracted half-elf.
The tall elf, Tullowvaen having introduced himself and given over his last duty to the Candlemaker's guild, observed the impromptu luncheon for a few moments.
Then his gaze lifted, as if looking outward, beyond the Manor and perhaps even the city.
With a polite nod of his head, leaving the proposed contract on the table, made his way out the door and onto his own destiny.
As Talliree and Mitchell became acquainted with their new partners, work swirled around them. Bricklayers rebuilt the fireplace, carpenters re-laid the floor and ceiling, plasterers slapped a fresh layer of stucco to the walls, a steady stream of workers descending into the cellar, shoring up the walls, reinstalling shelves in anticipation of the grocers and butchers arrival in a few days time.
A train of laborers occupied the upper floors , doing the same tasks, relieving the old Manor of her squeaking floor boards and doors, peeling paint and wallpaper.
To Talliree and Mitchell, it seems as thought he workers had an extra spring in their step, as if the elimination of the Hag had lifted a pall that had sunk their sprits somewhat.
Kurgan found that of the glass samples provided, the cheaper option was actually the better product, the more expensive choice, in his opinion, had used an inferior base material.
Talliree sets out into the city with an ambitious agenda, but slowly as the day progresses, realizes she has no idea what knick-knacks and such might actually be needed in a tavern!
Back at the Manor, as Kurgan and Jasper examine the glass wear, one of the Guild supervisors passes, examining a much annotated parchment. As he passes, he nod absent-mindedly to the two, then stops. He's seen Kurgan's axe, leaning against the back of the bar.
"Um, pardon me sirs.....but I'm curious, who does that axe belong to?" the supervisor, a half-elf asks.
"Belong to? Heh, it belongs to Hanseath, it does!" Kurgan responded. He lifted the axe and let it lean against his shoulder. "I'm fortunate it enough to carry it for a spell, so long as me God wills it, eh? Ye've got a good eye to notice it." He finished, a smile on his face.
After finding she hasn't a clue what she should be looking for, Talliree finds herself distracted by a familiar tickle in her ear. Following Mr. Whisker's directions, she finds a small community of mice and rats enjoying themselves at a festival. Shenanigans ensue, but that is a tale for another time.
With the hour growing late and nothing to show for the day almost passed by, the young half-elf turns to her ever-present friend.
"Well, today's not exactly been what I had planned."
*Squeak*
"Yeah, that was fun and all, but I don't think we're set up to serve your friends."
*Squa-Squeak!*
"Alright! Alright! I'll talk to the others about it, no reason to get snippy, and don't you start on that rodent supremacy nonsense! I still haven't forgiven you for chewing up my good socks."
*Squee Squeakem*
"As far as helping the tavern, it's been a bust. Have any ideas?"
*Squeakem Squeak!*
===
Some time later, Talliree stands before one of Waterdeep's lesser known taverns dressed in a trenchcoat and a wide-brimmed hat with her hair done up in pig tails that she's used some twine to hold under her nose like the ends are an elaborate moustache.
"Are you sure this will work?"
*Squeak*
"Hey! Don't bring that up!"
*Squeakem*
"Of course you don't see the problem! You're always in the buff, you hedonist."
Taking another look at the door, Talliree takes in a deep breath and steels her nerves. It couldn't be any worse than that night the Crimson Breakers did the Paliona Job. Nothing could be that embarrassing, right?
The supervisor nods, "A good eye indeed, need it for work such as this..." he says, lifting his parchment, covered with annotated diagrams of The Manor's structure. He frowns a bit, "Not sure who Hanseath is....but you're here. I assumed that anyone with such an obvious icon of the brewers craft, might have the idea of actually brewing....here... in this establishment."
He pauses a moment, pursing his lips, "As a high ranking member of one of our fine city's guilds, it behooves me to warn you against such an action without first becoming a member in good standing with the Brewer's Guild."
His advice given, the supervisor nods and head off into the ongoing construction...
-----
Taliree steps into the tavern, named the Gilded Goblin, a few regulars in the dim common room looking up and dismissing her presence almost immediately...
The barkeep glances up from where he was polishing the bar with years of accumulated grime, then calls out , "Customer..."
A thin girl comes running out from behind the bar, sees Talliree, motioning her towards the empty seats in the common area...
Kurgan frowned. Guilds. He hated guilds. Old men with nothing better to do than to steal gold and tell their betters what they could and couldn’t do. They were nothing more than pompous gangs, demanding protection money with a smile. The world would be a better place without them! But at the same time, he knew that refusing gangs meant broken knees and closed businesses. So there really wasn’t much choice...
”Wouldn’t dream of operating without a guild’s...protection.” Kurgan said, his smile gone. ”What would it cost to operate under their-“ He almost said thumb but caught himself ”-auspices?” He finished. ”Am a stranger to this city. Only ever worked in me Clan. This guild just collecting taxes, or there be more to it?”
Talliree sits in one of the seats and looks around taking everything in, the decor, the clientele, even the state of the wait staff.
After a moment she realizes that the girl is right next to her, and putting on her deepest voice, which is admittedly still rather high pitched, she makes her order.
"Um, Yes! A mug of the house ale, please," she says, a bit of her natural bubbliness coming through despite her desire to not draw attention to herself.
Mr. Whiskers facepaws where he is hidden, wondering why he thought this was a good idea. After the girl runs off to get her drink, Talliree returns to her study of the tavern.
The supervisor pauses and returns to answer Kurgan's questions, "I wouldn't know their fee's, not being a member of that guild, you'd need to inquire at their headquarters. " he says , then frowns, "The guild fees are not taxes. Waterdeep's guilds exist to ensure the various trades are held to the highest standard, both for their protection and of those using their services. Those fees exist to facilitate those standards."
He pauses looking around, "I'm sure the Vintners’, Distillers’, & Brewers’ Guild representative must have visited already. He'll be back, I'm sure he'll be able to answer any further questions." then with a nod, he's off, shouting at some unfortunate apprentice.
-------
The girl looks curiously at Talliree, but then nods and goes to fetch the ale.
Looking about, Talliree sees this tavern is typical in its griminess, it's smell and its clientele. She takes a longer look a the three regulars sitting at another table. All appear to be common laborers, with the exception that the one who's side she can see clearly, has a very serviceable dagger at his belt.
With the exception of the barmaid and the barkeep, no one else has really give notice that they're interested in Talliree at all.
Talliree does her best to appear absentmindedly looking about while keeping an eye on her surroundings.
Kurgan watched the man go with a face that looked like he had bit into a lemon. Once clear, he said, bitterly and loudly "Bunch of humans are gonna force me to pay them so that they can tell a dwarf what's good ale?! Bah! Someone tell me how the fook this is different than a gang's shakedown?!" He slammed his fist onto the counter, a look of anger written on his face. "Protection! Ye all bloody well heard that? Chargin' money for protection? Protection from who? From bloody well them! A'int nay evil an orc horde can get up to that is worse than that of a tax collector."
Mitchell passes by the bar area in his rounds in time to catch the end of Kurgan's tirade.
"There, there now Calm down. Rules are in place to protect everyone's interest, and keep the playing field level... in theory. Of course where there is power there is the potential for corruption, and that is what the Church of Waukeen tries to enforce. Don't worry I'll take care of the business end of things... and we can add a small surcharge to our final prices to offset any guild fees we might incur. You just concentrate on what you're good at. Making sure our product is both serviceable and profitable.".
Mitchell decides it's time to pay the Vintners, Distillers, and Brewers Guild a visit... just to stay on the right side of things.
"I'm going out for a bit to take care of some business. You haven't seen Talliree around have you"?
Kurgan took a few calming breaths before he finally nodded. Stubborn as only a dwarf could be, he couldn’t back down. He hoped that Mitchell would understand the end of the ranting as being as close as he could get to voicing acceptance of the situation.
”At the front, me thinks.” He replied. ”Aye. Should go see if she needs a hand. A’int in the right mind for crafting right now.”
The barmaid drops off Taliree's drink, then stands there , muttering, "Two coppers, mister....". Then she swallows her words, eye bulging abit as she takes in Talliree's disguise. She places a hand on the table, and lean in a bit, whispering, "Why you all don'up in that getup? There's bad people who come in here, they might'n not like you lookin' like that...suspicious lot they are!"
Her warning said, she straightens and hold her hand out for payment.
Back at the Manor, taking Kurgan's advice, a check of the front of the building reveals that Talliree is nowhere to be found.
Talliree frowns for a moment, wondering why such rough customers would have such nice weapons, but her ruminations are interrupted by the barmaid's return. Her eyes widen as she realizes that her disguise probably isn't as good as she had hoped.
"Thanks for the warning," she whispers in her normal voice before smiling brightly and standing as she reaches into her coin purse.
"Yes! Thank you my dear!" Her voice is once again the lowest she can manage as she claps her hands over the barmaid's, passing off two coppers and a gold dragon as she vigorously shakes the girl's hand. Talliree steps up too close for comfort and whispers to the girl.
"Meet me out back a few minutes after I leave. There'll be gold in it for some information."
She steps back, chuckling as she lets go.
"Sorry, my dear! I fear that I've already been made a bit drunk by the cheery atmosphere!"
Even as she says it, she can see the girl's reaction and feel Mr. Whiskers facepawing in his hiding place.
This was your idea, buddy. Deal with it.
Mitchell asks around the workers if anyone has seen Talliree, then decides that he has too much to do to wonder where she has gotten off to, and goes about his duties.
Kurgan puffed along, seeing to the tavern, debating with himself on whether to seek the guild out or not. But for the most part just getting the equipment needed ready and ensuring that the tavern was in shape enough to entertain took up his time. He barely noticed that Talliree was missing.
I think everybody is here except the DM
The barmaid give Taliree a strange look, then surreptiously scans the coins in her palm. Her eyes widen at the glint of gold against her dirty palm, and quickly closes her hand tight. A quick nod to Taliree's request is all she does, before turning away.
A couple of the 'locals' turn at Taliree's outburst, but shrug and return to their cheap beer and cheaper conversations.
No one interferes with Taliree's exit to the street outside ( though her neck hairs tingle as if someone were watching ). Spying a nearby alley, the half-elf and mouse make their way to the back of the tavern, finding the barmaid peering out of a battered door, "What do you want? Flashing gold in a place like this? You'll get us both dead!"
The day progresses, many things to do in preparation of the Manor's re-opening, often interrupted by a question or demand of the tradesmen swarming the building.
Mitchell looks up from reviewing an itemized list of supplies given to him by the roofer's supervisor, and he spies their benefactor Mirt standing at the threshold to the taproom, arms on his hips, gazing upon the ordered chaos of the renovation, looking most pleased with himself.
”Any idea what Taliree be up to?” Kurgan asked Mitchell, wiping his hands on his pants to get them clean. His train of thought vanished as his eyes fell upon Mirt. ”Who’se he? Has the look of someone who didn’t come here for a drink.”
Mitchell holds up one finger to slow Kurgan's questions down, then finishes the line of numbers he was checking and looks up at his partner.
"No idea. I'm sure she'll show back up. I believe the tiresome of all this renovation and paperwork bores her".
He then looks to where Kurgan is pointing, and smiles as he sees the figure of Mirt in the doorway. He rises to his feet, and heads over to shake the man's hand speaking with Kurgan as he goes.
"He's the man who sold us this fine establishment, and none other than the Esteemed Mirt".
He vigorously shakes the man's hand, and turns to introduce Kurgan, and Jasper if he's nearby.
"As you can see we're making progress. What brings you here"?
Mirt smiles at Mitchell and returns the handshake just as vigorously, "Indeed, I can see that!" he exclaims, watching as the various craftsmen move about.
He turns to the introduction to Kurgan and Jasper, "Ah! New partners, then? I trust you judgement, Ser Cloudkeep! "
He then walks to the center of the taproom, slowly turning, taking in all of the work that has been down. He stops, looking at the large stone fireplace, a contemplative look on his face.
"Perhaps something grand above that fireplace? A dragon's head or some such?" he opines.
Mitchell stands beside Mirt and glances at the area as well. "That's a fine idea... though it might be difficult finding a Dragon to give up his head easily. Perhaps we could hire an artist to paint a fierce picture of a Dragon"?
He then looks down at Mirt. "That is unless you have a spare one you would give up"?
"Not so loud! I know that gold can get us dead, but I really wanted to talk to you and I was trying to be sneaky," Talliree says in her normal voice before undoing her disguise.
"As for what I want, let's start with the guys in there. I know the type, and those fellas have some awfully nice blades given how they look. Who are they with?"
Jasper turns from where he was looking over the itemized list, doublechecking the math and making sure every possible legal situation was being taken care of, to look at the newcomer that had arrived. The halfling's smile grew wide as he stepped up and offered his own hand.
"A pleasure indeed, Mirt. I am Jasper Silvereye. Mitchell and his associates have been making wonderful decisions renovating the locale. Your investment will go far, I am sure."
The halfling then quietly listens, watching Mirt as he walks along the main floor. Mitchell seemed to have things in hand and he returned to the mountain of paperwork that needed to be solved.
Mirt glances up at Mitchell appraisingly, "I might...I just might!" he says, thinking, the snaps his fingers, "Yes! I've just thing....you'll love it!"
He may have been in the process of revealing what it may have been, but Jasper interrupted him with his introduction, shaking Jaspers hand with a smile, "Delighted! Oh, I'm sure my investment is in good hands!"
He takes in the scene again of workers hammering and moving to and fro, then apparently satisfied gives Mitchell, Jasper and Kurgan a wave and hurries off.
A carpenter with an over abundance of red hair stops and asks, "Say, was that ol'Mirt?"
The girl smorts, "Sneaky? You need some more practice! Good thing we get all sorts of odd folk in here!" she says, looking back over her shoulder.
She frowns at Taliree's last question, then nods, "They're with Gred Snether's gang, the The Marrowsons. Nasty business ,they are..."
She checks over her shoulder again, then waits for any other questions.
"Okay, that's a fair point," Talliree says with a wry grin. "The Marrosons I have heard of. Just never seen them."
She thinks for a moment, deciding on what to ask next when she absentmindedly asks, "Are you happy here?"
The girl give Talliree another strange look, "Why you askin'... " then shakes her head, "I got's ta go." she says, leaning down to pick up a bundle of sticks by the door.
Giving Talliree another looks, she eases the door closed, leaving Talliree along in the back alley.
@ The Manor
He then turns to Jasper and Kurgen. "Can you guys hold thing down for a bit. I'm going to walk around the block and see if anyone's seen Taliree. I know she doesn't like the tedium of what we're doing... but she can be a bit... Impulsive".
Mitchell will depart, and ask any neighbors if they've seen Taliree, giving a vivid description. He'll just walk around the block gathering information, and go back to the others if he finds anything out.
Talliree opens her mouth, but before she can speak, the girl heads back inside. For a long moment, she stands and stares at the back door of the tavern. She looks to Mr. Whiskers, who'd poked his nose out from his hiding spot, and sighs.
"Well, I made a mess of things."
With no more reason to stay, she pulls her hood low and begins making her way back to Trollskull manor. She pauses for just a moment to note the name of the tavern and its location. She turns away again, but stops and wheels back around. The cloak she'd gotten months ago shifts and shimmers as she finds a place to hide and watch the tavern, hopefully close enough to hear what's happening inside.
"I think things should be fine between myself and Kurgan. Nothing that we can't deal with, right?" Jasper says with a wide smile, hopping up onto the stool beside the bar while the workers made their way on by. "If anything happens, we'll take care of it. You go looking for the excitable girl, she keeps things...interesting."
Mitchell steps out of the Manor and turns, seeing for the first time the changes being wrought to the outside of the building. Gone are the weathered and beaten clapboards and shingle, about half of them replaced with new clean materiel, making the Manor look bold and new!
The Waukeenar turns again and finds a number of his Trollskull Alley neighbors huddled against the biting wind, watching the reconstruction.
At his description of Talliree, one nods and points to the nearby street to the north, "Yeh, I sawed her going thataway , mumbling somesuch about knick-knacks. Odd bird, that one."
Talliree finds a decent spot near one of the tavern windows, mostly out of the wind, and hopefully out of sight.
After a few minutes, a hand alights on her shoulder, pressing down slightly as a gravelly voice speaks in her ear, "Easy now, if I'd meant you harm, it'd been my blade and not my hand you'd be feeling. Come, before you're noticed."
The hand is taken away, and Mr Whispers peeks out at the cloaked man walking away into a nearby alley. He stops at it's entrance waiting for Talliree to follow.
Talliree's breath catches in her throat as she feels the hand and hears the voice. She regrets leaving her sword back at the manor and only arming herself with a dagger. Despite the man's words, she finds herself wanting to bolt, but he is too close and a quick lunge would have her caught before she made it more than two steps. Besides, she thought with resigned sigh, he probably had friends that could catch her even if he couldn't.
She follows the man and stops after she passes him.
"How deep are we going," she asks, not even bothering to hide her lowest of the low dockside accent she'd learned to hide over the past year.
Kurgan shrugged. It felt like everyone was making a big deal out of nothing. He hoped that the next time he had to take a shyte a search party wouldn't be sent.
Mitchell
Mitchell will walk down the block to the next intersection, and if he doesn't see Talliree he'll turn around and head back to the Manor... Lots to do.
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The man stops when out of sight of the tavern, then scans the nearby rooftops. "This is far enough, I think." he says quietly.
He pulls back the cowl of his cloak, revealing a middle aged man, his face worn by years of toil and concern. He gives Talliree a look similar one would see on an exasperated uncle.
"Spying on the Marrowsons is a dangerous game....more so alone! Ms Yndercook, I suggest you re-join your friends. " he says, then pauses, looking contrite, "My apologies, my name is , well my name isn't important. Whom I work for is...I do work for The Harpers, and you came to their notice after saving Renaer Neverember and his friend. We are always on the lookout for capable people who's head and heart are in the right place. " he says, quietly, keeping an eye on the alley mouth.
He then shakes his head, "However, your little escapade here....what were you thinking? what was your aim coming here alone? in that ridiculous disguise ?"
Mitchell scans the mid day crowds for signs of Talliree but he does not see her at all.
Then he see's a bird fluttering down the street, fighting against the wind. As it approaches him, he realizes it isn't an actual bird but one of those magical bird-shaped messages.
The 'message' loops and swirls as it flies forward , buffeted by the chill wind. Mitchell watches as it passes him, then it turns and flies with the wind, hitting Mitchell in the chest. Quickly he places a hand over the message, now reverted to a fine vellum envelope sealed with black wax, the seal the image of a staff. He sees that it indeed has his name written upon it in elaborate flowing script.
"I w-was just tryin' to get some information on the tavern, how they do things and what they serve. Then I met the bargirl, and she seemed kinda sad, and I was hopin' to make sure she got home alright after talkin' to her. I swear Mister, I wasn't lookin' to cause any trouble!"
Mr. Whiskers pokes his head out of her hood and twitches his whiskers at the man, listening to what he says next.
Mitchell
Mitchell grabs the note and quickly stuffs it into his armor. He looks around and gives a threatening glare to anybody paying too much attention to him, then scurries back to the Inn, and up the stairs to his attic room to read the missive... Excitement and dread taking their turns playing in his mind.
Attempt to look dangerous and mean.
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The man rubs his chin, looking at Talliree with a puzzled expression, "You came here for lessons on running a tavern? I suggest you never emulate anything to do with that tavern! " he says , chuckling.
"You're lucky trouble didn't come to find you, in a place like that!" he says, shaking his head, "I'm sure there are some fine establishments quite near your tavern that you could...and should learn from."
Then he says, "Come. Let's walk and talk...."
As they walk back in the general direction of the Manor, the man tells Talliree of the Harpers, how they seek to keep down the ambitions of evil organizations throughout the Sword Coast and beyond. That they , on the man's recommendation , may be in touch to ask for Talliree's help in some endeavor, or task.
"Is this something you'd be interested, Ms Yndercook? And your friends perhaps?"
Mitchell's glower is sufficiently inimidating to make a few passing Waterdhavians step aside, surprised looks on their faces.
Once up in his room, Mitchell can take a closer looks at the message. Looking at the seal, he realizes it is that of the Black Staff, the High Wizard of Waterdeep.
Breaking the seal, he opens the note to see the following:
"I am Vajra Safahr, the Blackstaff. Come to Blackstaff
Tower in the Castle Ward at once. Bring your friends.
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Mitchell Thunders back down the stairs calling for his friends. Meeting in the Lobby... Now"!
Dang it where is Talliree.
The man rubs his chin, looking at Talliree with a puzzled expression, "You came here for lessons on running a tavern? I suggest you never emulate anything to do with that tavern!" he says , chuckling.
"Don't worry. I don't think Mitchell would allow us to let things get that bad," Talliree replies with a chuckle of her own.
"You're lucky trouble didn't come to find you, in a place like that!" he says, shaking his head, "I'm sure there are some fine establishments quite near your tavern that you could...and should learn from."
"Yes sir," she says meekly. She isn't used to having other worry over her, much less having complete strangers worry over her, and she feels...
Well, not ashamed, but her emotions are somewhere close to it.
Then he says, "Come. Let's walk and talk...."
As they walk back in the general direction of the Manor, the man tells Talliree of the Harpers, how they seek to keep down the ambitions of evil organizations throughout the Sword Coast and beyond. That they , on the man's recommendation , may be in touch to ask for Talliree's help in some endeavor, or task.
"Is this something you'd be interested, Ms Yndercook? And your friends perhaps?"
"I don't mind helpin' out with things like that. I'm pretty sure Jasper would be interested, but Kurgan and Mitchell..." Her voice trails off and she shrugs. "I think Kurgan is a decent sort, but I don't know him well enough yet. Mitchell, on the other hand, is a bit, uh, stuffy and dragon-mad. If there's coin in it, or if it's something that'd affect the tavern, he'd look into it, but I don't think he'd be willing to go around the guard or do anything for charity."
Jasper hears Mitchell's booming voice echo through the mostly empty tavern and he hops down from the stool where he had been sitting. Who knew that a tavern had so many glasses to clean? With one in his hand and a wet rag to remove any dust, he steps in towards where the nobleman was.
"Yes Mitchell? Is something wrong?" The halfling's face held a little look of concern for certain.
"Whatever it is, it's not my fault." Kurgan muttered as he went to the lobby.
Mitchell paces in front of the fireplace as first Jasper and then Kurgan on his heels enter the room.
"Maybe, and perhaps". He answers looking in turn at each of the individuals.
"I just received an urgent summons from Vajra Safahr, the Blackstaff, to come to Blackstaff Tower in the Castle Ward at once and Bring my friends. I think he means you... This is a big deal. Let's give Taliree another few minutes to return while we dress a bit for the meeting, then we'll just have to hope we meet her along the way".
Dang that girl for wandering off without saying anything.
"Blackstaff? Isn't she a sorceress, or something like that? Some kind of nobility in this city, aye? What could be so urgent from someone like that when it comes to a tavern like ours?"
"Aye! I think you have the jest of it. Anyway I know it's a position of power, and if magic is involved probably not patient. I say we start that way, and hopefully we'll run into Talliree on the way. Regardless I'll leave a note for her".
Mitchell hastily writes down a note to Talliree designating where they have gone, and when they left, then heads for the door.
"Well, lets go then. We all know how nobs are. It's hurry up and wait. Hurry up to answer their summons, then wait for them to talk to ye."