Search Posts
"So, nothing so. You show up drunk and cause a ruckus and want more alcohol? There is some hard stone floor for you to sleep off your intoxication and think again how you want that to go. Because if that becomes a habit, you can search yourself another hiding spot. Silver Ravens or not." With that Laria leaves the basement, slamming the door shut and leaving Saul to his misery.
Laria comes over and takes a look at Saul "Would you come with me into the basement. I have to tell you something important." Laria asks, and then turns to go directly there.
Laria comes in, carrying a bouquet of roses. "With what you are doing right now I'd appreciate if you're not seen starting your missions here." "Some urchin handed me these flowers and told me to give them 'you know whom'. I don't know, but you're the best guess." Looking from one to the other, she pushes them on Cassius. As she does so, a note falls out. My lovely birds —
The Longroad Coffeehouse is bustling as always. Not overly crowded at this time, but always something to do for Laria. "Hello Saul." she greets him. "Table for two?" she inquires, as it doesn't look like his usual business dates.
"They told about going to the Brazen Badger, wherever that is." Laria tells Fhingle.
"Thanks, but no thanks." you hear out of the kitchen.
"No one comes in through the coffeehouse, that's for sure." Laria replies looking at all the new occupants down here with suspicion.
"What?" Laria asks and follows Saul downstairs. Seeing the collapsed wall she cries out "I allowed you to use the basement. I didn't allow for rebuilding it or taking down walls!"
"You tell again you got dibs on me, I'll haul your ass out of the coffee house myself and give you the boot as goodbye." Laria replies. She is not amused.
"How about you heed your own advice." Laria tells Saul. "And you keep it on the low." she tells Cassius. "This is a public café." "Pleased to meet you too, by the way." she adds, giving Cassius a smile.
"What the youth call fun these days." Laria replies while working on her pies.
"Good morning." Laria replies - her face less than enthusiastic - while stepping out of the way of Sauls attempt for a kiss. Which almost has Saul fall on his face as he bent down to the halfling woman.
"Yes, it was my idea that you free them. But I assumed, they might come up with something themselves. They are the big guys I hired when I had to do some work. They should be able to look after themself usually. Give them a day and some of my pies and they should be back to normal." Laria replies with a shrug.
"You should know. I don't use the basement anymore." Laria replies.
Laria takes Saul to the back of the shop. "Usually I only organized something. A ship, a wagon, something to get the people somewhere. But now you can't go out at night to bring someone there and no one is willing to take the risk anymore. What good would it do to them, ot put them out of the gates?"
"I haven't talked to him about that. I'll ask him later, but getting people out of town is hard at the moment. I stopped all my business because of that ... Thrune." Laria replies.
"Sure it will. Don't get caught. This is no baking club." Laria replies with a smile.
"Break out all, then you have the right one for sure. Also you can ask their names. It's Forvian Crowe and his mercenary group." Laria replies. "I guess by now they are all men with beards. I don't think a description will help you much."
"No, no halfling. A longshank. Forvian Crowe, he's a guy for hire and his group." Laria explains. "The saltworks is a factory where they produce salt."
"Before you do something stupid, how about you free someone I know and have worked with from the hands of Thrune." Laria suggests, as she stand suddenly behind Saul. "I've heard, they were put to forced labor in the salt works."
"Hello Fhingle." Laria replies. "I haven't seen Salonius, no." "But what is that." Laria inquires raising her broom and taking a defensive stance.
"You can take him to your 'backroom' to sober him up." Lara replies.
"In this coffeehouse only sober guests are welcome." Laria stands in the way as Logan enters her establishment.
"Fhingle was here early, but left again in the morning. The others haven't shown up yet. Only Rexus is here as always." Laria replies.
"If you have issues making your own decisions there is always the mop waiting for you. The floor could need a cleaning." Laria tells half-joking.
"Nah, as you're a rich man now, I'll hire another halfling to do your chores. You have better things to do now." Laria replies as a matter of fact.
"I only know the tooth fairies from the fairy tales, where you put a lost tooth under your pillow and the tooth fairy gets it and leaves you a coin." Laria replies. "I don't know your kind of tooth fairies."
"A tooth fairy? Did you get a coin for your tooth?" Laria asks in disbelief.
"Where are you coming from? And you look like you haven't slept all night! And where is your tooth?" Laria greets him with a mixture of anger and worry. "Have you gotten into a brawl?"
"They left again already. You are just in time to lock up, clean the tables and mop the floor, so we're set for tomorrow. I'll be in the kitchen baking some more cookies for tomorrow." Laria tells Fhingle.
"Nonononono! You can have a pan and oil and then you make your stinking fish in the basement. You are not geting to use my kitchen. There are different stages of pastry preparations everywhere and I want no fishy oil spraying over it." Laria replis and throws herself between Saul and the kitchen entrance.
"You can pass a hat around. So you will be here and entertain us on Starday? Let's say starting two hours before the curfew?" Laria tries to seal the deal.
"Nothing specific. It would just be nice to have something, for a Starday evening to cheer the people up. The Thrune lies on the mood of town like heavy fog."
"That might be. Were you that guy that died in the fencing duel in 'Othello in love?' " Laria asks. "So you're an actor - I could use some light hearted entertainment here. Is that something you can do?" Laria asks.
Laria brings the tea after a few minutes with a small bottle full of honey. "I've seen you before. But I can't remember where. You got an idea, where we might have met?"
"You should get some place to study for this guy. I sent him out of the guest room, and now he cluttered all of the bunk room with it." Laria suggests. "And while you're at it, you should check who in town might support your endeavour. That resurrection of the Silver Ravens will need more than six heads to change something in town." "But it's a thin line, between getting known well enough that those interested can know and those who will stomp on that little growing plant don't. I know what I'm talking about. I try to walk that line for years."
"Sure thing, darling." Laria replies on her way to the kitchen. As she comes back with the coffee she is pleasantly surprised. "Oh, thank you!"
"How about you employ Fhingle too? As soon as he can pay his own food and room he is free all day." Laria replies. "Or do you like the job I offer you more?" she turns to Fhingle.
Laria serves some coffee and some free cookies to Jhen. To fingle she tells "You bring them a large plate of the leftovers from today and then you lock up the secret door and put some boxes before it. They might be homeless like you, but they might also be unscrupulous murderers. Beter be safe than sorry."
"You're working to bring down that Thrune. I'm not going to charge you for that. But feeding all of you will cost. You're sure you want to feed on my delicious pastries? This is much more expensive that simply buy some bread and cheese, or whatever you prefer." Laria asks. "Even if I give you a discount you'd pay 3 silver per person and day."
"If they keep it on the low." Laria replies. But she doesn't seem too happy, with Nan dead and the circumstances unclear.
With tears in her eyes Laria answers "This basement was once on street level. Some public statue?" Knowledge(Releigion) DC10: Calistria, elven goddess of Lust, Revenge and Trickery
Laria is in shock as she sees the corpse. "Nan!" she stammers. Meanwhile Fhingle hears something in the next room
"Hey, it is open to the flood pipes. I for sure didn't invite any of them."
"What elven dame?" Laria asks. "The water leads through the storm pipes to the river." Saul: You get an idea, where the rotting smell comes from. There lies something at the pier.
"I don't want to push you for something you're not prepared. But here is the trapdoor leading into the basement." Laria tells and climbs down the ladder. Once at least one of the group is down too she points to the wall. "And here is the secret door, that leads into the area connected to the tunnels."
"Come with me, I'll tell you." Laria replies and leads to way to one of the back rooms. "It is a secret that you need to keep. That I have Fhingle here is no coincidence. I work with the Bellflower Network. And I have some secret tunnels below the coffeehouse to hide fugitives and Bellflower tillers." "I allowed a friend, Nan Comerivos, to smuggle a load of Varisian textiles through the tunnels adjoining my basement, and he has been storing many of them until he could find a buyer. Nan arrived a few days before to check on his goods amid the troubles that have fallen on the town, but still hasn't emerged. With the city and her networks falling apart - and a nonchalant facade to maintain all the while - I haven't had the time to follow up on my friend’s fate." "I hopes that Nan is fine and is simply lying low - someone has been eating the food and wine I leave in the basement each day, after all - but by night I hear inhuman laughter echo from below. Would you check what is going on there?" Laria asks, her resolve you know her for definitely waning here.
Laria comes to your table. "You're right. Keep your voice down and don't trumpet your rebellion plans out in the open." she scolds Meliandri. "But if you want to clean out something to earn a secret hiding place - I have a problem in my basement."
"That would be best." Laria comments. "This is a coffee house. You know where the temple of Abadar is if you need to deposit your wealth."
"Deal." Laria replies. Then she turns to Fhingle. "Fhingle, prepare a bath for the lady."
|
