Liry Parmenter's page

Liry steps on a lever that lowers the inner ring of the wheel and lets the chips slide into a coffer beneath the table while she distributes winnings to those who bet on "Courage."

"All right, lads and lubbers," she announces chipperly, "Dungo's not done, not with so much comedic material in the crowd tonight! Place your bets! Who's next, and what will he zing him for?" Glancing up, she meets Tendal's gaze for an electic moment; a slight flush passes over her face before she continues her patter. "Come on, lads! It's Ghoulette! Brave Dungo's withered tongue and walk away rich!"

"A discussion for another time perhaps. Can I get you something to keep your whistle wet? A watered wine perhaps?" Tendal asks, changing the subject and pointing his cane at the bar.

"Oh, I shouldn't," Liry responds with a giggle. "Not when I'm working. Although I'm not actually working yet, am I? Maybe just a small glass."

"You'll have to clear it with the Overlord at some point," Liry reminds him with a touch of anxiety. "Working with him is never cheap. There's Laz Krupt whose tavern burned down, and he can't scrape the coin together to get permission to rebuild on his own property."

"You know," he began, Liry's back still to him as she worked at getting the game arranged to her liking, "I find myself disappointed that I was unable to spend more time with you these past few days. I have only myself to blame, of course. While I was able to assist in the management of the Gold Goblin during some...difficult challenges, I find that I missed discussing events with you over a glass of wine or as we had walked the town. My apologies Liry. I do hope that you understand my absence as not a lack of friendship, but as a lack of time."

Liry's reserve melts faster than a snowball teleported from the Crown of the World to the Mwangi Expanse. "Of course, I've been busy myself... although if you'd called, I'm sure I could have made some time ... honestly, I hardly noticed so much time had passed." She changes tacks several times, covering over any contradictions with a bright smile. "I don't suppose you've given any more thought to that toll bridge. Grimas was awfully upset at first, but I think he started to think about how much easier it would be to sit and collect tolls than punt back and forth across the river. Giving some thought to his golden years."

Arriving on the east side of the Velashu River, Tendal accompanies Liry back to her home, a large apartment building on the south side of Leeward Common. She pauses at the door rather awkwardly. "I'd ask you up, but I've got to wrangle Dungo out of that wine crate and get ready for work. Maybe next time you have an afternoon free, I could show you around my flat...?"

"So you get an exclusive license to operate the toll bridge instead," Liry reasons cheerfully. "It'd be a lot less work than punting back and forth all day. Of course, too much sitting around and that barrel chest of yours will go to blubber." She flicks a teasing finger at the ferryman's pectoral region.

"More importantly, I see you were successful." Tendal says, nodding his head towards the cage.

"That miser Quint Drovenge charges an arm and a leg for a rush job like that," she complains, "but I talked the money for repairs out of Stumpy last night so it's no skin off my nose. You tell your boss if he wants me and Dungo at his casino again, I expect better security to protect us from riots. Maybe some sort of deposit to ward against further damage."

Just a reminder: Quint Drovenge is the metalsmith to whom Saul introduced Tendal at the casino last night, the one who took such umbrage to being asked if he made jewelry.

Tendal having reassured him that Liry was on her way, Grimas leans on his pole and waits for her to appear. After just a few moments, she does, hurrying up the road with her cage in one hand, its bent and broken bars seemingly repaired. "You're not telling stories on me, are you, Grimas?" she asks, handing him the cage to stow before she steps down onto the ferry. "We had some wild times before we got so responsible," she grins at Tendal, "him settling down and me working every night."

Liry unobtrusively takes his hand as they turn to climb back up to the gatehouse, giving him a surreptitious glance to see how he reacts. The door they came out after paying their admittance has no handle on this side; another door next to it bears a placard reading, Thank you for your visit. Please come to enjoy the Cyphergate again! "Exit through the gift shop," Liry warns him with a cynical smirk as she pulls open the door.

Indeed, they do enter a small shop with shelves of Cyphergate paperweights, letter openers, and screened scarves. Necklaces display pendants of what the whole Cyphergate might look like if unearthed, a stone circle with tiny etchings dangling on a cord. On another shelf, glass globes filled with liquid contain a minuscule replica of Riddleport harbor, the water an entirely unrealistic blue, and of the Cyphergate spanning it; turned upside down and shaken, shiny flecks within float around it as if a tiny mage had cast glitterdust within. An attendant in wizards' robes looks up hopefully from behind a counter.

Leaving the tourist trap behind, they walk back up to the top of the ridge and then take the road back down into the smell and heat of the river valley. There is still Gendarme activity around the row house as they pass by. Back in River District, she stops outside the metalsmith's workshop. "Do you want to go on ahead to the crossing so Grimas has the ferry on the right side of the river when I get there? It might save us both some time. I should be just a minute picking this up."

"After seeing this up close, I don't believe it has such a vile purpose. My theory is that this is an Azlanti gate. It was placed in this harbor to link it to another somewhere else so ships could simply sail from one place to another. I bet the paired gate was destroyed or the link was broken in some cataclysm."

"Oh, that would be something, wouldn't it?" she laughs lightly, watching the ships in the harbor. "Load up your ship, sail it through the arch here and out the arch at your destination; no worries about running out of supplies or getting lost or shipwrecked or getting caught in a storm. No fear of pirates." She grins at Tendal. "If the other gate hadn't been destroyed, the Overlord would have to find a way to do it. What money he doesn't make from his casinos, he gets by selling 'protection' to cargo ships."

Tendal turns away from the ocean and looks at Liry, smiling. "Thank you for bringing me down here. The view is quite majestic, and the sea does bring out the color of your eyes. A gentleman couldn't hope for a nicer way to spend an afternoon."

Liry smiles back, pleased with the compliment. "I can think of worse company to spend an afternoon with myself, Mr. Deverin. But when you're done admiring the view -- and my eyes -- I should probably stop to pick up my ghoulette apparatus on our way back to the ferry. I do have to work tonight." Her eyes add, unfortunately.

Liry makes a face. "That one's just an advertisement. Waste of a copper. So you think a devil might have built this?" She looks up at the admittedly impressive span and across the harbor where its other foot is buried on a bare crag which it shares with only a lone lighthouse.

"So have you ever been here before?" Tendal asks as they continue down the path to the base of the Cyphergate.

"Oh, sure," Liry replies. "Everyone comes to see the Cyphergate when they come to Riddleport. I mean, it's not like there's that much else to do around here before the casinos open. They've got a big giants' bridge or something in Magnimar, right? Didn't you ever go see it at some point?"

Having paid their admission, the pair pass back out the back door of the building and onto a cobblestone trail with a wood and brass handrail that meanders back and forth down a rather steep incline to the base of the Cyphergate's western arm. There, a railing encircles the ancient stone just at arm's length so visitors can reach over and touch the monument itself; the arch itself is rectangular in cross section and 35 feet in width. The runes and glyphs carved on its remarkably well-preserved surface look even more massive at such close range. A stone wall to the north keeps anyone from approaching without going through the turnstile. Five dignified stone faces adorn a frieze on the wall, each above a basin which drains away somewhere under or behind the wall. Stone letters read, Please treat the monument with respect. This area subject to scrying without notice. Make a donation to hear facts about the Cyphergate.

"Here," Liry smiles, "this one is on me. I still owe you for that drink last night." She pulls several copper coins from the pocket of her trousers and begins to toss them one by one into the basins.

"Well that was a good plan, Liry. Went quite well, in fact. The name of the individual is "Skender"...who apparently proffers his wares in the River District."

"A visit is in order for Mr. Skender, just not today. So, what is next on the social calendar, Liry?"

Liry is half-sitting, half-leaning on the railing around the patio when Tendal exits the tavern. She pushes herself back to her feet as he approaches. "Skender," she muses. "I think I know where his place is. Grimas would know for sure. Where next? Well, I think we've seen all the sights of Leeward. We could take the ferry and go up to Windward. It's nice up there; there's a breeze and a view and all the fancy houses. You could do the tourist thing and walk to the foot of the Cyphergate; maybe pick up my ghoulette equipment on the way back."

"While I was sitting here, I had a thought about oysters. Do you know the owner of this establishment...or more importantly, the cook? I want to see if there is a decent supply here in town. They were really good oysters...it might be possible to sell them in Magnimar as a luxury item."

"The Crispins own the place," Liry shrugs. "That's Alex at the bar and his wife Quinta going in and out the trays and dishes. She'd be more likely to be able to direct you to their supplier; she's in charge of the kitchen." She smiles conspiratorially across the table. "Besides, she likes to flirt with the male customers. Pay her a few compliments, and she'll tell you anything you want to know. Go ahead." She nods toward the proper and somewhat heavyset woman as she emerges from the kitchen door once more. "I'll wait for you outside; she won't want to talk to you if you're with a woman."

"I don't suppose you know anything about ships and engineering," Liry suggests to Tendal in their little corner of the Three Billed Duck. "The captains are always willing to pay for improvements to make their ships go faster, either to outrun the pirates or to be outrunnable, if they are pirates."

"Well," Liry shrugs, "Jasker Gant handles the half-orc fighters, and you'll never pry him away from Boss Croat. He's in line to take over the whole operation when Croat finally kicks the bucket. Cleg Zincher's gladiators are trained by Akron Erix, and that's interesting. There's some say Cleg passed over Akron when he took on Old Korvosa as his capp. A lot of men might hold a grudge over that, but I haven't heard anyone say Akron's spoiling for a fight. Still, it's possible he'd be open to overtures -- although it would make Zincher mad as all nine hells. Apart from that, you could look to steal away one of the gladiators worth promoting to trainer; but I wouldn't know who might be qualified or interested, and you'd probably still make an enemy of whoever's stable you lured them away from. Gord likes you," she points out with a smirk, "and he isn't exactly archmage material. You might get some inside information about Croat's fighters out of him, if he didn't realize what you were up to."

Meanwhile, inside the Three Billed Duck, Liry takes a little more time over her meal. "So, spending a thousand gold on a legal business venture: you weren't specific the first time." Her eyes twinkle across the table at him jokingly for a moment; then she grows a little more sober. "I've been on both sides of the legal line," she confesses, toying with an empty shell on the plate, "and I've done a lot better since I went legit so I guess you're right about that. With a thousand gold, you could hire your own stable of gladiators to compete at Zincher's arena; course, they'd have to win for you to make money. Or you could invest in a cargo run in one of the merchant ships; put in your money and sell at a profit when the goods arrive. If you knew where to mine a bunch of adamantine or some rare metal like that, you could sell it to the Gas Forges."

"I guess you're right," Liry laughs. "It sounds like a lot of money, but it's not even enough to buy your own ship, free and clear, let alone hire a crew." She orders mussels with white wine and waits for the waitress to leave the table before going on in a low tone so as not to carry to other patrons. "The real problem in Riddleport isn't finding something to do with your money; it's avoiding competition with one of the bosses already in whatever business you're going into. Look at Old Stumpy ... I mean, Mr. Vankaskerkin: He's trying the casino business, but he has to open only one night a week so as not to step on Cromarcky's toes. Riddleport could use a real inn, one where you're not going to get drugged and wake up at sea, but then you could stir up Tammerhawk who's used to charging what he likes at the Mystery of the Gate. Anything having to do with shipping, well, you're going to have to deal with Avery Slyeg who oversees everything coming through the harbor. You want to hire people to work for you, you're going to have to come to terms with Cleg Zincher who organizes the laborers in town. Riddleport's divided up very carefully so everyone who's anyone has their own slice. Any new venture that could rock the boat, you're going to have to step very carefully or end up in the drink."

"It sounds like there are plenty of opportunities in Riddleport for someone of vision and daring. You are a clever person Liry...if you had a thousand gold for a business venture, where would you put it?"

Liry is a fairly worldly young woman, but still she stumbles a bit on the uneven cobblestones at the mention of such a princely sum. "A thousand gold," she breathes, glancing around to see if anyone overheard Tendal bandying about such exorbitant amounts. "Well, for starters, I'd buy a girl lunch, give her time to think about how to spend that kind of money," she teases.

Assuming Tendal agrees, she leads him back north from the Gas Forges and arena into a more genteel part of town, arriving at a respectable little tavern with the odd moniker of the Three-Billed Duck. Tendal spies Saul's new halfling hire at a table on the cobblestones with a female of his own stature, but Liry heads inside to a corner table without glancing in their direction.

Liry returns Tendal's smile and leads him south out of the common. "Well, that's Zincher's arena," she tells him, pointing out a massive stone oval placarded with larger-than-life paintings of gladiators and wild beasts in various states of evisceration. "You can catch a fight every Fireday afternoon and Starday morning. Firedays are usually professional gladiators; a lot of coin changes hands in wagers. Stardays are bloodier: animals or monsters or prisoners from Shoreleave. Over there," she nods to a large awkwardly-shaped building which takes up the block just east of the arena, "is where Zincher's gladiators live and train. He keeps his menagerie in there too: all the animals and monsters for the games."

"Then down there," she stops in the street between the arena and the training complex, "is the Gas Forges." South of the gladiatorial housing is an immense windowless structure of brick and iron belching a thick, poisonous-looking smoke into the air over the harbor from a dozen chimneys. "Pretty much every dwarf in town is here to work at that place. Apparently, there's something about Riddleport that makes it one of the only places in the Inner Sea where adamantine and other skymetals can be forged." She shrugs. "I don't really understand the reasons why, but the dwarves do good business there."

"Are we close to your metalsmith? You mentioned having to pick up the ghoulette head, would you like to do that now?", he asks as they start back towards the main part of town.

"The...? Oh! no, that's way in River District," Liry replies, blushing a little in confusion. "You saw that yesterday. It's probably not really ready yet. Or if it is, it can wait. I don't actually need it until nearer sunset. You haven't seen the Gas Forges yet, or Zincher's arena, if you're interested. That would take us back toward the Gold Goblin. Or I could show you where I live."

Liry leads Tendal away from Zincher's tenement with no less relief than she led him away from Gord and his innuendo. Arriving once again in the square with the well, she nods back the way they came. "You take that road on past Zincher's place, you'll find yourself on the road out of town to the east. Past the ridge is the Boneyard Cut; out there's where the town garbage is carted, what doesn't get tossed in the river or the harbor, anyway. Ziphras and his gang live out there; they're the ratcatchers. They collect a few coins from every business every week for catching the rats and taking them out of town. They probably bring the same rats back into town too, for job security." She smirks.

Liry pulls Tendal away to the south, her face slightly red and her step almost uncomfortably quickened, until they've put a few blocks between themselves and Gord. "Half-orcs, right?" she shrugs with a weak laugh.

She leads Tendal across a rather amorphous open courtyard with a well in its center, undoubtedly the original center of town when this section of Riddleport was first springing up. The businesses around its edges are well-kept and respectable-looking, including a gentleman's clothier, if they were initially lax about keeping the "square" square. Leading him out again along a street heading east, she says in a low tone, "Up ahead is Cleg Zincher's tenement."

The building is a rather bare rectangle, its long front facing the approach and a door set right in the middle. A knot of about a half a dozen men are congregated outside, circled around a barrel and rolling dice on its surface. One of these men is wearing a rather elaborate helmet with a bristled crest and a set of banded mail; a matching heavy steel shield is leaning against the wall beside him as he watches the game with interest.

Liry stops on the opposite corner of the street. "That's Old Korvosa, Zincher's capp. He's an arrogant bastard and none too smart, but he's murder with that sword. I'd rather not meet him; Dungo insulted him at ghoulette once, and I thought he was going to draw steel on me. Luckily, the Gendarmes were there to escort him out and keep him from making a scene." She glances expectantly at Tendal, eager to leave before the man called Old Korvosa notices her presence.

Looking annoyed at the interruption, Liry clears her throat. "We'd better get going; I have to pick up Dungo's cage from the metalsmith before long." She tugs gently at Tendal's arm while giving Gord an irritated glance.

"You're not open tonight," Liry breathes in Tendal's ear. "No one's allowed to compete with the Overlord's casinos during their operating hours. You can't even pay for a sit-down dinner after dark outside of Free-Coin."

"Hmmm. Trade seems to drive the wealth here to a greater exent than it does in Magnimar, which explains the Overlord. He controls the trade and the wealth that comes from it, and therefore continues to wield the greatest power and influence in the city."

"The casinos, too," she reminds him. "Cromarcky built all of Free-Coin. Technically, I work for the Overlord, although I've never actually seen him. There's been a harbor in Riddleport forever and the mages' guild about as long and the dwarves in the Gas Forges, but it was Gaston Cromarcky added an entertainment district." She seems proud to be a part of the newest industry in town.

She leads him north past the large, round Mystery of the Gate, then zags east and north again on a narrow alley between buildings. "That's the House of the Silken Veil, Shorafa's place," she nods to a massive building three stories high that quickly comes into view over the top of more modest intervening structures. It's painted in yellow and black and appears to have a rooftop garden. "Shorafa Pamodae, tiefling priestess of Calistria. After Cromarcky and maybe Tammerhawk, she's the most powerful person in Riddleport. Runs the girls, of course, and settles disputes for people; her word's law when it comes to dealing out punishments. They say it was thanks to her Old Stumpy got his nickname." She glances at Tendal curiously, apparently wondering if he's heard the story of Saul's downfall. "They have a lovely public bath in the basement, along with, well, other things you can pay for," she shrugs with a smirk.

Continuing past the temple, she leads him into the cleft of the eastern ridgeline of the city, where the buildings lining the street march straight up to the rocky escarpment and then stop. While not as dilapidated as the River District, this particular corner of the city seems less prosperous and decorative than the rest of Leeward: the flower boxes and freshly-painted shutters give way to bare brick walls and barred windows. "Coming into Boss Croat's part of town now," Liry murmurs to Tendal, walking a little closer. "Nothing to worry about, as long as you don't owe anyone money. He's a fat old toad of a half-orc; handles 'protection' money and debt collection. His boys hire out as security, like at the Goblin last night." She smiles and nods at some muscular half-orcs on the street corner who look at her suspiciously and squeezes Tendal's arm to do the same. "We'll just go far enough to see his compound. There: that triangular place up against the cul-de-sac." Tendal can see a military-style complex surrounded by a high brick wall before she swings around and starts to head south again. "Jasker Gant's his capp, basically runs the place now that Croat's gone all to wrinkles and lard."

I am assuming that most of the city streets are fairly narrow, have some unfortunate curves/twists and are rarely paved. Riddleport always seems more organic and new, vs. Magnimar and Korvasa's more formal designs.

Excellent assumption. Free-Coin and Windward are cobblestoned, as are the square around the well and some of the main streets in Leeward (albeit with weeds growing between), but a lot of the traffic is just along beaten dirt paths between buildings. It's very haphazard, as there was no city planning committee or zoning commission to plan the town out. The mix of architectural styles is quite eclectic as well.

"Now, I believe that we have some time before lunch. As this is my second day, and you know everything that I know about the city already from when you guided me yesterday, I would be greatly obliged if you fill me in on what is going on in the city. Who are the important people? Where do they live?"

"And while we walk and talk, you can show me around, or off, whichever suits your fancy." he finishes with a wink.

"Well," she replies, slipping her hand over his arm with satisfaction and leading him back up the street to the north, "there's the important people, and there's the rich people. The important people are mostly rich, but the rich people aren't all important. The rich people who aren't important mostly live up in Windward." She points with her free hand to the homes high on the western ridge of the city on the other side of the river, visible above the roofs of the rest of the town. "Elias Tammerhawk lives up there too in the Cypherlodge; he's head of the Cyphermages. He doesn't get too involved with the rest of Riddleport down here on the riverbanks, except for the Mystery of the Gate." She nods to the round building as they approach from the south. "You saw that yesterday. It's the best inn in town, not that there's a lot of competition for the title, and the Cypherlodge owns it. Probably where most of Tammerhawk's money comes from."

"Then there's the Overlord, of course, Gaston Cromarcky. He and his capp Avery Slyeg live on Maskyr's Island in the middle of the Velashu. He's an old pirate captain, and Slyeg was his first mate. They mostly deal with the ships and the harbor."

"Everyone else who's anybody lives here in Leeward," she goes on, turning east into the mercantile district, "and I can show you around it this morning."

GG you can rp or not as your fancy takes you. I wouldn't mind bantering with Liry, but the story must progress at some point and I don't want to slow it down too much.

Banter away! This is a perfect chance for me to fill in the map of Riddleport some more for you guys, as she gives you the grand tour. I'll work a post up tomorrow, hopefully, covering some of the highlights of Leeward District and then add them to the annotated map.

Tendal strolls across the courtyard of the Gold Goblin, already feeling a pleasant sense of near-proprietorship toward the property. He has had time to make only a few turns back and forth in the street when he sees Liry heading down the road toward him, giving him a wave when she notices his gaze upon her. Her dress is not very different from her professional attire at the casino last night, minus the horns and tail, of course: a trim blouse and trousers rather than a woman's more customary skirts. "Good morning, Mr. Deverin," she smiles brightly. "I hope I haven't kept you waiting."

As Tendal follows Braddon into the back door of the Goblin, he meets Liry and Covey on their way out. The bartender offers a friendly smile and nod, his arms fill of Liry's broken equipment; Liry is carrying Dungo in a wine crate and ignoring the ghoul head's infuriated rambling. "I still owe you for that drink," she smiles at Tendal. "Got to take care of getting this fixed today," she shrugs the box in her arms, "and I'll be working the Free-Coin District tonight, but I'll have tomorrow morning or afternoon free," she trails off invitingly.

Larur looks like he'd like to keep pursuing Saul, but Liry isn't about to let him get away without approving her compensation. "If me and Dungo aren't shipshape and ready to go when the doors open in the Free-Coin District tonight, Cromarcky's going to want to know why. You want his Gendarmes down here crawling over this place, looking for reasons to levy fines?"

Covey Smith begins to cross the casino floor toward the cashiers' cage, a mild look of amusement on his face as he watches Liry buttonhole the dwarf.

Covey Smith picks up the broken ghoulette wheel and leans it against the wall while Liry crosses the floor toward Saul. "Here now! I've got repairs that are going to have to be made before Cromarcky's casinos open tonight, and rush jobs are pricey. I expect to be compensated for the damage inflicted on my equipment in your riot."

Eventually, he drifts out to the gambling floor itself. He studies the various games, as if deciding which to try first, but pays more attention to the hopefuls gather there. He pauses longer at Liry's wheel, giving the talking head a curious stare.

"Ghoulette? he asks with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.

Despite the crowd at her table, Liry manages a cheerful wink at Malkith. "Only ghoulette table in town, sweetie. Only one in Golarion, as far as I know. You place your bet on a section, and I spin the wheel. Whatever subject matter stops in front of Dungo, he insults someone on, and everyone who bet on that section gets a payout."

Between the alternating spokes of red and black painted on the wheel are the words "Appearance," "Bloodline," "Demeanor/Presence," "Hygiene," "Skill," "Clothes/Possessions," "Body," "Race," "Courage," "Profession," "Brains," and "Something Nice." The gamblers have tossed chips of various denominations onto the wheel, and Liry gives it a spin. It whirs around while the onlookers shout encouragement to their chosen categories and finally comes to a rest on the black spoke labeled "Brains." The undead eyeballs roll down to read the lettering, then up to find a likely subject in the crowd. Fixing its evil gaze on a sailor with golden hoops through his earlobes, it croaks out, "You've such a narrow mind, when you walk fast, your earrings clank together." The crowd shouts with laughter, particularly the sailor and his friends, as Liry steps on a lever that lowers the inner ring of the wheel and lets the chips slide into a coffer beneath the table while she distributes winnings to those who bet on "Brains."

"Seven silver!? If you're happy for me to act like all the other staff, I'll take the silver. If you want me to do security work as well, you'll pay me for security work. I've got my own weapons and armour, so I'll start at two gold. Plus extra based on what kind of trouble gets stopped."

"That was precisely what I had in mind, Herr Felden." Malkith agrees, "Normally I would require the fifteen silver for my services up front, but I am content to collect it in the morning. After all, if you don't have the coin to pay when the sun rises, I will obviously have failed to have earned your gratitude."

"Yes indeed, my good man here has the right of it. Your bits of silver may be good enough for the common staff, but if you want guards of quality, who will risk their lives to protect your investment, you're going to have to pay for it. Two gold sounds about right to me as well. However" he holds up his hand to forestall any protest on the wheezy Dwarf's part "The card reader here has a point as well. I for one will be willing to accept my payment at the finish of tonight's event. With, of course, the understanding that, as you say, the issue of profit-sharing shall be discussed after we've proved our worth. And you and I both know that odds are we shall likely have to prove our worth indeed. There's going to be trouble tonight or I'm not an Elf."

"Two gold?!" Liry shoves her way into the knot around Larur. "I'm not getting two gold for the night, and my contract with Saul specifies that my wage is to be second to no one's. You give them two gold, you have to bump me up too, or Dungo and I walk."

Glancing briefly at the Dandy Dayn smiles "Oh, and dressing up in some silly costume will cost extra."

"'Silly?!'" Liry repeats, getting up from the arm of the couch and twitching her devil's tail into Dayn's face as she moves back toward the hallway. "Well!"

Tendal smiles and gives Liry a quick nod, hopefully letting her know that he put in a good word for her.

She winks at Tendal before Bojasc shuts the office door.

"Thank you Liry. You have been most helpful. Could you do me one last favor. It is typically impolite for a stranger to simply barge in on someone. Do you mind introducing me to Vankaskerkin?" Tendal asks, motioning to the door.

"Well, sure, I will," Liry nudges him with a playful elbow to imply he's a chump if he thought she wasn't going to see this through. "But, you know ... I don't know your name, myself. How should I introduce you?"

Tendal has introduced himself to Lil, Gord, and Thuvalia, but he was too angry when he first spoke to Liry to follow the proper conventions. :)

"Well, at least my coming in the front door had one positive effect: I got the harpy to stop screeching at the workmen for a second. Who is she? I couldn't place her accent...it seemed more of something that she has affected, rather than a remnant of where she was raised." Tendal whispers quietly as they head for a doorway toward the back of the room.

"Oh, her," Liry replies scornfully. "Thuvalia Barabbio, she calls herself. Claims to be a famous Chelish actress who got on the wrong side of the nobility by performing in some banned play -- Seven Trials of Lizardfolk or something -- but I think she's a fraud."

Perception 17 to overhear the above conversation for anyone in the ferry who cares.

Liry leads her charges northward, up the west bank of the Velashu River. While there are a few more people on the street than there were earlier, all of whom give the guided tour a wide berth, and some storefronts are now blearily open, it's clear that most of the buildings along the river are long shuttered and boarded up. Viable businesses on either side of the river include a small smithy, an anemic lumbermill specializing in ship repair, and a fulling mill and tannery. The strong smells from the hides mix with the stench of rotting fish from two fish-packing houses and the run-off from the streets of Riddleport to leave no doubt about how the River District got the nickname "the Reek District."

The young woman seems inured to the smell, however; at least she seems perfectly cheerful as she responds to Daynadrian's question about her chosen career. "Only life for me, sweetie! Only life worth pursuing in Riddleport, anyway. I'm a ... what he called me," she smiles at Tendal, "an ... 'enterprising young lady of the city.'" She seems pleased with the elegant turn of phrase. "Better than a streetwalker or a tavern wench -- not that there's much difference between those professions in this town, except that if you're up front about what you're selling, Shorafa Pamodae will protect you. Better than being the kept woman of one of the crimelords or their lieutenants, either; I'd rather put my trust in Shorafa. As to how I got into the business, well, I have Dungo to thank for that. Although he's got me to thank for his celebrity, too; you might say I 'discovered' him." She grins wickedly at her own private joke.

"All right, folks, coming up on Velashu Ferry, only safe way to cross the river, no matter what the sailors in the jolly boats might tell you. Oy! Grimas!" she shouts across the river at a small cottage at the end of a pier, throwing a handful of gravel for good measure. "Get your lazy ass out of bed! You've got customers!"

Liry watches the exchange between Tendal and Daynadrian with a mixture of amusement and concern that Tendal might demand his coin back to find another guide. "Calm down, fellows!" she puts in when she gets a chance to step between them. "I've had brusquer requests without a gold coin to sweeten the words and taken no offense," she assures Daynadrian. "And I just assumed he was mooching off your payment," she smiles as she turns to Tendal. "After all, nothing stopping him from just following ten steps behind us and getting there anyway, so he might as well walk with us, right? The tour is now leaving the building: the Publican House to the Gold Goblin, with all the sights and smells of the Reek District in between!"

Smiling as the reads the flyer, when finished, still trying to get the attention of Liry, he says with a grin "Sounds interesting. Would you by any chance be interested in helping a fellow find a suitable costume for tonight's event? Oh, and, what, exactly, is a Dungo?"

"Sorry; I'm working today." She ruffles through the handbills pointedly. "Unless you can convince Old Stumpy to hire you on to give me a hand drumming up publicity. He'd probably have a costume for you, too. As for Dungo, it's not a Dungo, but the one and only. And if you want to see him," she slaps his leg playfully with her stack of parchments, "you'll have to be at the Gold Goblin tonight, won't you?"