“ And I do not know you … not even your name “
"Giuliano Gracchus, a ... concerned citizen in Fex's service," Giuliano says, with a small bow and faint smile.
"Now, let's get you all disguised..."
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"The Strike needs no disguises - no one in the daylight streets of Kantaria will set their sights on him." Giuliano says with a smirk, joining the conversation. "For the rest of you, I can lend my assistance on your disguises. For better disguises, there are some affordable magics available - although their are quite short-lived." Then, remembering his manners, he turns to the Calistrian newcomer.
Giuliano steers clear of the ghost dog, trying to avoid it's burning gaze. "I'm afraid I don't quite like dogs..." he excuses himself. "Bad experiences with aggressive strays, you see." Otherwise during the tour, he keeps an eye on the locations of food supplies and weapons for future use - and the mess hall and kitchen look interesting in that regards. Given the opportunity, Giuliano strikes up casual conversion with a guard. "Well hello there, champ. How's the guard duty these days - must be quiet and boring after the Glorious Reclamation cleaned out all the troublemakers." During the chatting, he'll press the face into memory along with with any details about the guards personal life he might slip - again for future use.
"Bah, do you not have people to work for you!?" Giuliano shouts at the merchants back. In his opinion, the man should be busy only shouting orders to others - and thus also confirming Linton's blaming words. "Who's such an important customer? And what they could be wanting in such volumes?"
"Is that a way to talk to a prospective customer!? I thought we were friends, and now you talk to me like I'm some commoner pest!" Well, the friend part was exaggeration, of course. But Giuliano certainly didn't appreciate the dismissive way of the alchemist spoke. And he let his feeling burst out. "What is wrong with you, man?"
With the business with halflings dealt with, The Shrike removes his mask and cloak, and return to society just as Giuliano. With the spare time, he might as well check how Linton Demeer, the alchemist, is doing.
Giuliano joins the fishing trip preparations. "Should we rent a boat for easier transport of our marks?"
Giuliano groans as he regains consciousness. "I really, really hate the undead..." he mutters, lifting himself from the floor. "I didn't mean to be so literal when saying our hostess has some skeletons in the closet..."
"Come onnn.... Let. Me. Go!" Giuliano draws all his strength for one more attempt to cast off the creature around him.
"Khh... Urgl..." This creature. First it beats him, and now it has taken his ability to move and even speak. He tries to warn his allies to not attack, but only a croaks escape his mouth. Desperately, Giuliano tries to push his way out of the creature's innards.
"Aaah..! What the F*** is this thing!!! Take it off me, take it off me!" Panicking, Giuliano starts tossing around, trying to get the weird creature off him.
"Undead? Again? I signed up to fight some rebels, not undead menace!" Despite his compains, Giuliano moves around the creature and lunges to attack.
"I wonder if our hostess has some skeletons in the closet..." Guillaume carefully starts descending to the cellar.
At first Giuliano just rolls over and tries to fall asleep again, but since the noise is quite persistent, he decides to investigate. Not being sure what causes the sound, he quickly puts on his armor and grabs his weapons before heading out. "I think the sounds is coming from the kitchen," he whispers to the others in the hallway and moves to investigate more closely.
Giuliano manages to hide his disgust towards the labor guild. Unions... making the lower classes think they're worth something, ugh.. He leaves Fellzir and Sercrutio to handle these upstart peasants. But the Fellzir's notion of the wounded man seems peculiar. As far Giuliano knows, only the alchemist Demeer has tended the man. Perhaps the jovial merchant is more than he seems.
Entering The Drop, Giuliano finds himself nodding approvingly. This place does have charm, surely. And is does smell much more appetizing than Little Uskwood Inn. Walking in, he gives a nod to the familiar faces as passes them. He taps the tended merchant on the shoulder, and says "I hope you're feeling better now, sir." He turns to address patrons in general. "Terrible events in the marketplace today. How about a round on me for everyone? Drink and shake off the bad memories!" Smiling, Giuliano approaches the bar. "Miss Holdus. Lovely to see you again. Quite an establishment you have here," he lays down the coin for the drinks. "I understand. In times like these, we have to secure the good employees. But perhaps I should judge myself if your cook was worth it. One Paella for me, please."
"Nevlindor..." Giuliano pauses to give it a thought. "We have a name, and someone must know him and lead us to him." he says with confidence.
"We are working on the vengeance, for sure. Is there some specific Betrayer you have in mind?" Giuliano remarks. The danger should be over, but he keeps his blade in hand. Best thread carefully with devils... "Are there anything left in the forge? Something we could use against Tychus' killers?"
Giuliano approaches one of the smithy's collapsed walls, and peers inside.
"I'm sure they do. Although at the same I hope there wouldn't be any need for such blunt instruments. Fencing is much more gentlemanly." Giuliano smiles, friendly. He sees no harm in buttering up this businessman.
"Good to meet you again, master Demeer." Giuliano says with a courteus bow. "I hope you didn't exaggerate our prowess. I am merely a dabbler in the fighting arts, practicing fencing on my free time," he adds with a smirk.
Giuliano gives an understanding smile to Nicolae. "Well, I happen to know someone, who could... acquire these twins for you. Just let me know the details of these halfings if you're truly interested." --- Next morning, Giuliano wakes up early and grooms himself presentable.
In the common room, he wishes good mornings to his companions. Although towards Sercrutio it's more of a mumble and a nod - the look on the man's eyes says he best not spoken to until he had some coffee. Giuliano helps himself a big cup of coffee before sitting down. "So, the Glorious Ruling Council of Kantaria, eh? Who are we expected to meet, besides the governor?"
What is our next step? Do we follow up on some the rumors, or wait for any reactions from the marketplace
"Sounds like a bloodless coup, all right... Damn those rebels!" Giuliano twists his face in disgust. "But the smithy sounds worth investigating, we could use the gear if there's any left." He joins the conversation with Nicolae. "Disgusting, isn't it - them halflings running around free." he says, sitting down. "Of course, someone could procure you some slaves in the cover of night. But that would come with a premium price and then there's the trouble of moving the cargo out of town." He sighs. "I'm afraid your only chance of getting what is legally yours (or your masters), is the change or government."
First bones, and then spiders. This is not Giuliano's day, not at all. To escape the swarm of spiders, he dashes through the market stalls and circles to the other side of the bony beast. There, he strikes with his short blade. Whether he is frustrated about the situation, or just otherwise managed to gather fury - but this time he manages to get a lot of strength to his blow. And while the blade isn't the best tool for this job, it strikes hard.
"A monstrosity!" Giuliano cries. "And where is the Glorious Reclamation in our time of need!? But don't worry, folks! We'll save you!" He tries to sound convincing, but the undead beast got him a bit jittery. Undead!? Why the hell it has to be some skeletal beast... He knows his blade will be far from effective against those bones, and his intimidation tactics unlikely will fare better. For now he studies his opponent, and waits for his comrades to come flanking.
"So, we want to attract attention, then. Very well." A job for Giuliano, rather than The Shrike, it seems. Feeling a bit strange wearing armor without his masked identity, Giuliano gears up in case everything lead up to a fight. After all, his armor and weapons of choice do not look like he is going to a war. And he does pack his mask and disguise, just in case. On the way to the Inheritor's Square he takes care to listen to the locals conversations and tries to get an understanding what is the talk in the town.
Giuliano sits by the table and stirs his porridge. He raises up a spoonful, looks at it, and lets it drop back to the plate. Toast and coffee will get one far, and maybe it's good to lose a pound or two. "Do we know any details of this disturbance? Should we prepare to use our words or our fists?"
"But Madame!" Giuliano cries out, flabbergasted. "I am a gentleman. Working is... not what I do. I have no professional skills." After a moment to mull it over, he shurgs. "Of course, I can always be a consultant."
"University of Egorian?" Giuliano turns toward Sercrutio. "Not a local of Kantaria, then? How did you end up here?" Giuliano is still a bit overwhelmed of this teleportation magic. He had heard of Kantaria before, but that is about it. He is not sure he could even place it on a map. "And you, Charles? Also hailing from Egorian, or did your paths only cross here?" -- "But should you earn an... unsavory reputation, I will not hesitate to disavow all knowledge of your activities and turn you out. Understood?" "Never fear, madame. I'm am most outstanding citizen. You shall never hear my name associated with any... unsavory activities, as you put it." Giuliano puts his hand on his chest and smiles reassuringly. He is standing by the door to his room and about to enter when he turns back to the woman. "Ah... but one question, Loredana - may I call you Loredana? What is you role in all this Thrune business? I might have missed that."
"Pleased to meet you, gentlemen." Giuliano offers a small, polite bow to Sercrutio and Charles. The vigilante has assumed his civilian guise for the time being - dressed in simple but stylish outfit of dark colors. "I am Giuliano Gracchus, a fairly recent addition to Archbaron's agents." Once the pleasantries are over, he listens through Archbaron's summary of the situation, and frowns. "And here I thought removing the head of the Angel Knight would have put an end to the whole Glorious Reclamation business. Looks like it quite a bigger problem. Live and learn," he shrugs. When the documents are presented, he can't help raising his eyebrows. Pledge my body... Really, now? I'm all for serving the Queen, but... But after a little thought, what is there he hasn't already done. Faced crazy rebels and paladins and archons, putting his life on the line. There is nothing new here.. And so, he takes the quill and signs his name.
"Ah... I think I was supposed to hand you the letter. But works this way as well." Giuliano shurgs with a rueful smile. He takes the chain shirt from his belongings and starts to put it on. "And yes, I had the... pleasure of meeting the Archbaron. He told your group were planning an assault on the rebel stronghold, and in need of assistance. He was being very persuasive in asking me to help you." Belt. Short sword on the side. Crossbow on back. Couple of daggers hidden in sleeves. Giuliano starts to be ready and armed. "Since we're all working for the same man in the name of the greater good, there shouldn't be any secrets between us. You must understand, Giuliano Gracchus was never here tonight..." he digs into the backpack and pulls out a silvery mask.
"Ah... And would you perhaps be in service of Archbaron Fex?" Giuliano asks, raising his eyebrow. "And yes, these belong to me, thank you so much. Those deviants took them from me." he graciously takes the items.
"My heartfelt thanks, my dear friends." The man gives a courteous nod, while massaging his freed, but sore, wrists. "Ah, where are my manners. I am Giuliano. Giuliano Gracchus." Then he looks at the gathered group, his eyes focusing on each of them in turn.
"Hey, who's there!?" The tied man shouts. "Please help! I'm an honest citizen, ambushed by these wicked... monsters! Who knows what they were planning to do!" |