Captain Reginald Romsky enters the Temple of Sarenrae, as he promised. He finds a private prayer room, makes sure he isn't followed and removes his disguise.
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"We are headed to the Temple of Sarenrae," Captain Romsky notes over message, "Best not to meet us there. The fewer of us they know about connected to Gwen and I, the better." He left that last part in for Benaiah's sake. The man might intend to meet them there after his spell wore off, but it would only raise unnecessary questions. "Aiah, might be best if you just returned home," he adds to be more explicit. Benaiah sometimes wasn't so good at understanding subtlety. Journey to the Temple of Sarenrae: "Thank you, kind sir, for agreeing to take us there," Arimar notes to the guard as they wind through the streets of Magnimar, "I hate to be an imposition, though. The guards at the Villa may well need you. You have my word that I shall be at the Temple on the morrow should you need to speak with me. By all means, escort us there - the Dawnflower only knows I could use the protection - but you need not stay. You have my solemn word, on Sarenrae herself, that I shall be at that Temple come morning."
The captain brandishes the twin symbol of Gozreh - nothing unusual for a sea captain - and Sarenrae to show how serious his solemn oath on that matter is.
The Courtyard: "Thank... you... oh, dear..." Reginald stumbles forwards, leaning on the nearest guard for support, "Aaaarghh.... oh, that was the worst one yet. Your captain clearly doesn't want us to leave your sight, perhaps you could escort us to the temple to be sure we get there safely... and to make sure we're actually there. I'm sure one of the inner sanctum guards could fill your post. Burt, perhaps... and you'd no doubt be back before your captain even knew you were missing. If we died on your watch, however... the consequences would be dire. I have firm friends in the Mindurian family."
The Courtyard: "I don't know how serious this is!" Arimar insists, "But it doesn't present any typical symptoms of any known disease. Only the Sarenites seem to have any idea what is causing it... and every time I have a bout, it is getting worse. That is why I must get to the Temple right now. As I said, we will be there if you need anything further from us. Now, stand aside."
The Courtyard: "Only the Sarenites know what's going on with this strange malady that is afflicting me," Captain Romsky begins truthfully enough, before faking another agonized near-faint, "If I do not leave here to see them urgently, things could get very much worse for me." Again, true... even if his acting out the pain was a lie, he did need to leave the party before things got much worse.
"I promise we will all be at the Temple of Sarenrae tomorrow if you have any further questions," Captain Reginald Romsky adds, also truthfully. Though I will no longer be disguised and I'm sure we'll manage to find a way to keep Gwen out of sight if you come knocking. "Now, let us go or... yeaaargh!" Captain Romsky deliberately does not follow through with his threat and instead stumbles forwards and gropes for Burt's support.
The Smoking Room: "I'll try my best to keep looking deathly ill," Captain Reginald Romsky messages to his friends, "But, Aiah, be ready to bullrush the guards and make a run for it if we fail. I'll try to slip past and hopefully we catch them off their feet."
The Smoking Room: "I assure you my dear, I am quite alright," Captain Romsky waves off her hand, "Besides, only the Sarenites at the temple of Sarenrae might have any clue what is causing my... my headaches... in... the ... the first... place... aaarrgh!" Captain Reginald Romsky collapses to his knees in the middle of the room, clutching at his temples as though in the throes of agony. He makes no lies with his tongue, but Reginald does his best to put on a show of experiencing even more pain than the very real pain he felt upon entering the place.
"Got an idea," the captain's whispered voice comes in loud and clear while the flames are being doused, "Why don't I feign illness and get that guard to escort me and Gwen outside so that I can be taken to the temple of Sarenrae? What do you say? Give it a go?" The Literally Smoking Room: Captain Reginald Romsky makes his way over to Gwendolyn, with her friendly in tow. "Thank you for your concern, my dear," the captain tilts his head at Gwen, "But I seem to be fine for now. How is everything going in here? Any idea what that explosion was?" The captain adds that last piece to hopefully alleviate suspicion that they might have something to do with it.
Smoking Room:
While the attendants frantically attempt to douse the flames...
"Aiah, I assume that was you... can you slip out now? Or can you at least become visible without being noticed so that we can get out of here inconspicuously?" the captain asks, still scanning the room for Gwen.
The Smoking Room:
"Ah, I am indeed her ill friend," Captain Reginald Romsky confirms for the fellow, "She is most kind to think of me, but I've not had an episode since the gambling started, unless you count being oddly compelled to dance as an 'episode'. Still, I'd best come with you and reassure the lass that I'm alright."
"By the Dawnflower's bright petals!" exclaims the captain as the flames burst out in the other side of the room. He quickly scans he place to find Aiah and Gwendolyn.
"Any idea who did that?" Captain Reginald whispers as a message to his companions amidst the chaos of the explosion, "And where is everyone?"
Captain Agog:
"You don't want help with the odds? Very well then," the captain bows and makes to leave before adding, "You know, that swing didn't seem too far off. It was a crucial blow at a crucial time. Unless, of course, you had requested that golem to lose... which would be very unsportsmanly of you. "In any case, all I wanted was to make sure you could make money and your odds couldn't be exploited. You clearly have no interest in making money, so I'll leave you to your tinkering." Besides, I just heard something from Malgrim.
"Good news, Malgrim," comes the captain's voice when he finds a little privacy, "I'd say we all need to leave, as soon as the situation allows. I hope you and Aiah haven't done anything too compromising, Gwen."
Captain Goody Two Shoes: "I'm afraid that Captain Reginald Romsky will no longer be in Magnimar as of tomorrow," the captain says, weirdly switching to the third person while affecting a more formal tone and bowing deeply. He looks up and winks at the dwarf, "But if he should return, he will be making one of his first stops the Quarrier's Guild. It has been a pleasure to meet you." With a smile and a tilt of his head, the Captain moves on to the wizard's table. "Hello, Corrous Kaddren, isn't it?" he begins while the wizard counts coin, no doubt trying to figure out if he's made money on the fight yet, "They call me Captain Reginald Romsky. I am at your service.... and I was wondering if you'd like some advice on your setting betting odds. I didn't personally profit from it, but there's an exploit that exists in the odds you've set. Perhaps you are used to setting odds where more than one golem is in the ring, but..." assuming the wizard doesn't stop him, the captain explains the betting issue as he explained it to Balastar earlier.
Captain Consultant: As Balastar and the Captain collect their winnings, Reginald screws up his face in thought. Something seems wrong about this. It is an unusual thought, one that never plagued him before when taking a sucker's money. He counts out his initial outlay, and hands Balastar all the profits. "I don't really need the cash," he explains, "And it was more for good fun anyway. Hey, I don't suppose you think I should have a talk to the wizard running the fight, do you? I wouldn't mind letting him know that he should modify his odds in future. Or do you think he would just take poorly to the news and start throwing accusations around?"
GM:
"Guys... what's going on...?" comes Captain Reginald Romsky's nervous voice as he tries to ascertain the status of his companions.
"Guys, I don't know what exit plan you have for Malgrim, but he doesn't seem to be in too much need of help from his messages. I hope you don't pick a fight we can't win... there are a lot of guards here, and if our cover is blown this might all be for naught. Wait for him to ask for help." comes the Captain's whisper from the betting line. "Don't panic."
Captain Reginald Romsky Collects: While waiting to collect their winnings, the captain continues to chat with Balastar Mindurian. "A good thing they found you," he agrees, "But I'm afraid that most of the ships I sail on are passenger transports. As for the next Golem fights, I think Captain Reginald Romsky will no longer be in Magnimar by then. A shame, I really would have loved to see them with you... especially if that wizard is running the odds!" The captain is heartened to hear back from his companions, but continues to look for a way out in case they catch on to him and the others.
"Not yet... too suspicious. Looks like it's something on the second floor. Trust in your disguise," the captain relays. He gulps hard. I hope I'm right, but I don't see a better opportunity to leave. With that thought, the captain eyeballs the room for a good opportunity to leave.
"Malgrim, guards coming up to the second floor - and fast! Get the hell out of there!" Reginald whispers amidst the uproar. Captain moneybags: "Quite the win!" he smiles at his dwarven friend, "We get a little more from the underdog, too! Are golem battles usually that brief?" As they wait in line, the captain decides a different line of questioning, "So, I'm not from Magnimar - as you may have guessed - tell me about your house while we wait. Is it one of the older ones, or is it new? What business do you conduct... and do you need a sea captain?"
Captain "Yeah!" Reginald cheers as the last blow landed by the Underdog tears into the techno-golem. Circuitry rains down upon the crowd. "Lazy layabouts, eh?" the captain notes between the crowd's cheers and cries of dismay, and prompts Balastar for more information, "Sounds like you have someone particular in mind..."
Captain Spectator:
"Ooh, that doesn't look good," Romsky notes, "The Underdog didn't get the first blow in. Often times, in these one-on-one match ups, acting first is crucial," he sighs before leaning in close, "Well, we win either way. So... about those shady dealings, any ideas?" "Gwen, Aiah, Malgrim... are you guys okay?"
Captainscepades: "I'm sure you've done it right," Captain Reginald Romsky reassures the dwarf, not looking at the tickets, "No idea what those red flags are all about, I'm assuming something has gone wrong and they're detaining everyone until it's sorted out. Perhaps an intruder of some kind." The captain tries hard not to let his worry show. No response from Gwendolyn, this could be very bad... but with those guards there, there's little I can do for now, and it may be nothing to do with us. Don't blow the mission. "Do you know anything about what's going on here? Here of any shady dealings?" the captain asks casually, "Other than our mutual profits from these most fortunate of odds, that is!" Reginald claps Balastar on the shoulder. "Oh, the fight's starting!" the captain notes leans in with the cheering crowd to see the spectacle.
Captain Golem Advocate:
With his bet and the dwarf's bet placed, Reginald doesn't worry overly much that he is restricted to this room. He simply smiles at the guard, shrugs and returns to the fight. "At least it seems they're willing to let the entertainment continue," Romsky informs the dwarf as he rejoins him, "Can't say I'm too disappointed. Now hand me that stub and tell me who you think will really win. I personally think the underdog with the strange masks. There's something interesting about it, and I doubt many will back him. Probably why the proprietor wasn't so worried about the odds! If you can't bank on the opponent, bank on the book maker knowing how to cash in. In such cases, bet against the crowd!!!"
"The guards have us penned down. They won't let me into the other room, you're on your own boys," Captain Reginald notes when he's sure no one is paying attention.
Captain Gamblers Anonymous:
As Reginald takes the gambling stub, he looks up to see the room being sealed off. His first thought is that they were there to inform the book keeper of the erroneous odds. However, he soon realizes that they are more interested in containment than correction.
"Make sure you collect our winnings, whichever golem wins," notes Captain Romsky, trusting the dwarf with the stub. That should give you a reason to come find me after all this is over... and a reason to stay, if you have a winning ticket on you regardless. "I'm going to see if my friends are okay in the next room. I'll be back as soon as this blows over - to watch the fight! "I trust you for some reason, but should you have cause to break that trust... know that it will be far easier for me to find you than the other way around," the captains typically beaming face grows severe as he delivers the warning, before cheering up significantly, "But I assume that will not be a problem. You seem a very trustworthy sort! 'Balastar', wasn't it?" With that, Captain Reginald Romsky follows the majordomo, Dalton, into the next room.
"Where are you?" comes the whispering of Captain Reginald Romsky over the message spell.
Captain Money Bags: "Well," Reginald takes a note of the amount the dwarf has and rubs his chin, ""Best save some just in case the book maker goes bankrupt, but I have two hundred gold I can bet. I'd say keep enough for two week's meals and bet the rest! We'll make sure we bet five times as much on the favorite as the underdog, and we'll split the profits!"
Romsky finds a friend: Captain Reginald Romsky smiles broadly. The dwarf has shown interest, time for a win and to make a new friend. "It seems the wizard who owns these golems is an experienced crafter of combatants," Reginald notes, "But has yet to figure out how to craft the odds for a one-on-one battle rather than a larger melee. You see, in one on one, the true odds are always balanced. 5 to 1 for one competitor means it must be 1 to 5 for the other. You want to adjust your given odds to be lower than that, so you can make a profit - or charge a betting fee. So, in that example, you should give 6 to 1 for the first competitor, and 1 to 4 for the other. That way, as a book keeper, you make money in the long run over a number of bouts. "What our friend has done here," the captain tries to maintain the dwarf's interest, "Is gone the other way on the odds. He's given us an edge if we bet on both. Say we bet 50 gold on the 5 to 2, and 10 gold on the 1 to 7, betting 60 gold total. If the first wins, we get 5 to 2 and take back 70 gold from our investment. If the 1 to 7 wins, we take back 80 gold from our investment. 60 gold, guaranteed win, either 10 or 20 gold depending on which golem wins. "Trouble is, you can't just place a bet on both, or he'll be tipped off. One of us needs to bet on the one, the other of us needs to bet on that one's opponent. You seem to have more cash to gamble than I do, so you should keep betting on the favorite. Care for a guaranteed 20% return?" The captain smiles at his assessment of the situation.
Captain Reginald Gambles the Night Away: Captain Reginald Romsky approaches Balastar et Mindurian after he just laid a bet down on the favorite. "Definitely looks mean, that one," the captain smiles, "But sometimes the odd-balls win, like the golem with the masks all over it there. I've seen some stuff at a dwarven monastery in Tar Kuata that you wouldn't believe... "... anyway, I digress. If you like the favorite, fine, but what if I had a way to guarantee you'd win, but at 5 to 1 instead of 5 to 2? Not as much return, but guaranteed - so long as those odds remain the same. If you had enough money, you could double your bet and guarantee the original return. Risk free. Interested? If so, just let me know how much you bet on the favorite, and I'll let you know how much guarantees you a win."
Captain Reginald whispers back, "To be honest, I have absolutely no idea what to do next, other than stick around and listen in on things. I may try the gambling hall to see who I can see. It's much more my forte than dancing." Not Malgrim: Possible IV:
If there are no objections, Captain Reginald Romsky pats his purse to check that he has enough gold for a flirtation with the gambling tables and then moves on to that part of the villa.
The Dance Floor Crowd: "Looks like I struck out, girls," Captain Romsky carefully runs his hand through his locks, "Any ideas on how to proceed? Perhaps they'll be more receptive to some female chatter?" Reginald tries to find someone more willing to dance and steers them in the direction of Zakon and Iona where possible, listening for any conversational nuggets that might be relevant to their mission.
:-P to Malgrim: Reginald appreciates the ladies' company on the dance floor, sweeping first one then the other into his arms and twirling them around. "Ioana, you say?" Reginald smiles as he eyes off the woman, "Consider it done." The captain times his moment as well as he can, spinning around his adversaries with a grace none have seen him exhibit before. His moves are inexpert at best, but that shining smile of his seems somehow to make up for it. As Ioana's partner let's her go to land a move requiring a solo stance, Reginald sweeps in and carries Ioana off into the crowd. "I was beginning to wonder if my journey from Absalom was going to be worth it," he smiles in as disarming a manner as he can muster, "I am so pleased to see that my doubts were unfounded. They call me Reginald, Captain Reginald Romsky, but you can call me whatever you please. What do they call you?"
No Malgrims allowed:
Captain Reginald Romsky recovers well from his little turn. "Capital idea, my dear," Reginald nods and puts his arm out to receive Aiah's. When they walk arm-in-arm towards the dance floor, he leans in close to Aiah and whispers in her ear, subtly activating message. A message is relayed to Malgrim. It seems to the hobgoblin that Arimar is whispering directly into his ear. "Malgrim, we are inside. North wing is the dance floor, eastern wings are gaming and smoking rooms. Upstairs is off limits. Perhaps you could try that way. We're heading north to the dance floor." Back at the 'we are not Malgrim' party: The captain scans the room to see if he can see anyone he recognizes, or any sign of some kind of deals being made. For the most part, he will avoid making new friends, preferring to drink quietly on his own - being careful to stay sober by taking only small sips that look like big gulps - and acting like an awkward sea captain who is unsure of what to do at such an affair. Reginald runs a hand through his long brown hair, being careful not to knock his wig off kilter (even glued down, they can still move) and puts on his best false smile beneath his false goatee. The awkwardness need not be feigned.
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