"I'll see what can be found. Anything else, gentlemen?"
Skorabor's roughing up of neighborhood thugs has little result except for a handful of terrified thugs, a couple of amazed kids who start following him around, a black eye and a cut lip.
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"He does seem a bit cantankerous, even for a Dwarf. Well, I'll see if I can find somebody willing to trade these things for something more to his liking. You're keeping the cloak? Well, then. That's the sword, the armor, and the shield to be traded, then. I'll see if I can dig up something for you, Mr. Jubilost. You seem to have gotten nothing out of this exchange." Saul moves the items not being claimed off to the side, then moves back behind the desk.
Saul raises his hands, shaking his head. "It seems your friends have slightly different views of these things than you do, Mr. Boulderback. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?"
Saul shrugs, as if it doesn't matter to him. "They are yours to do with as you wish. I would point out, though, that the shield and cloak in particular are very fine, and they would fetch a high price if sold. The dead have no use for these things, where you might. But they are yours to dispose of, if that is your wish."
"The bouncer I sent down to the wharves to help out was given them as a thank you for his work. He brought them back here, and I thought you might like to have them." Skorabor:
Although he doesn't bat an eye or give any of the usual tells, something in his voice suggests that he isn't revealing everything. GM Notes:
When you get back to the Gold Goblin, Saul is happy to provide materials for your sign, and says that he'll also chip in on the reward if somebody comes forward with information leading to Feldin's location. On your way out of the office, he calls you back. "Hold on, lads. There's a bit of news from our man that I sent down to the wharves to help out. He couldn't locate the missing cask, but he did find a few others items. I thought I should pass them on to you three." Leaning down behind his desk, Saul grabs a pile of things and places it on the desk for you. "If you don't need them, perhaps we can sell them and add some more gold to the reward for poor Feldin."
Perception DC 13: Although the items are slightly scuffed and battered about, the shield and the cloak are very similar to the ones worn by Braddikar Faje.
"No, I do believe that will be all for now, unless any of you have anything else you'd like to discuss? No? Alright then. Do as you will."
"Indeed, indeed it might. Quite a number of things might wash up if we get lucky. Perhaps we should spend a few days combing the harbor and the beaches nearby to see what we find? Of course, we in this case being you. I'm a bit old to be gallivanting around like I did so many years ago."
Saul leans back in his chair, whistling slightly. "So Old Korvosa is dead and we've had a bit of tidal wave problem. That's very interesting. Sounds like things are getting quite lively in here. Excuse me a moment, I'll be right back." Saul stands, then walks outside. Perception 12:
You hear him talking with one of the bouncers. He seems to be asking him to go somewhere. Saul walks back in, then sits down. "Sorry about that. Just wanted to send somebody down to help out with the mess out there. How many casks did we lose, then? That was expensive, and I'd rather not have to lose my investment on it." GM Notes:
"Right now, if you're ready. You can take a few of the bouncers with you if you feel you need them, but I'd ask that you leave me some to watch the place while you're gone."
About a week after Feldin's disappearance, Saul sends word asking you all to meet in his office the next morning. when you arrive, he's sitting in the chair behind his desk expectantly. A tapestry has been found to cover the axe-hole in the wall behind him. "Well, my friends, things have been fairly quiet. No news from my sources on Feldin's disappearance. I do fear he may have gone the way many a poor soul does in this town. But that's only part of why I called you here. We have a shipment of fine, exotic wines and liquors that just arrived. I ordered it a long time ago for the Cheat the Devil tournament, but it seems it was delayed. It's currently waiting for pick-up at the wharf, but I don't want to send just anybody. I wouldn't put it past one of the crime-bosses in town to try and steal the stuff out from under me. I'd like you three to retrieve it for the Gold Goblin, if it wouldn't take too much time from your other duties."
Saul looks at the axe stuck in the wall, then back at the Dwarf. "Perhaps I was a bit precipitous in the decision. Still, it will be necessary for one of you to take over Feldin's job while he is missing. We can continue the search for Feldin, but it is entirely possible that he is gone without any trace besides what you've already found. There are any number of ways for a body to disappear without a trace in this town, Mr. Boulderback. His body could have gone into the Boneyard, or he may have landed in the river. He might be in somebody's stew pot, or maybe he's feeding somebody's pet. We don't know, and we may never know." Pulling the axe out of the wall with some effort, Saul hands it to Skorabor and then sits behind the desk. [b]"I don't recommend taking on Boss Croat. His compound in the Leeward District is heavily fortified, and he keeps many guards. Even you might have trouble getting in to see him. I shall set a search in motion, but for now we should continue as I've already stated. Is that acceptable to you?"
Examining the cloak, Saul looks up at Skorabor's comment. "It's possible that Smeed is connected. I don't know that he'd have the guts to do it himself, though. Perhaps the man he works for arranged it. Boss Croat never did like me." Saul considers the ruined cloak at the window for a few minutes, then seems to make up his mind about something. "Well. If Feldin is dead, I'll need a new floor manager. I think one of you should be able to do the job quite nicely. I'd also like to make you full partners in the Gold Goblin. I know we can make this place successful again, but your young blood is better suited to that than I am. I'm getting old, and I'm past my prime. I think if we work together, we'll have this place back up to her old glory in less than a year. Then I can retire, and you lot can do what you want with the place. What say you?"
When you go to meet Saul, he's in his office on the second floor, doing paperwork. He looks up when the door opens. "Come, come. Have you found Feldin? How did things go with Lymas Smeed?"
Barnabus:
Not quite smiling, Saul nods. I thought I would be able to count on you all to be able to handle things. Lymas Smeed, the moneylender, has a townhouse over on Rat Street, on the edge of the Leeward District. There's a combination inn and tavern about two blocks up the street called Mystery of the Gate. Go up there, then turn right. Head down that street. His townhouse, which is also his place of business, will be on the left. It's across from the last building on the right before you reach a fountain. You can't miss it. Feldin's apartment is toward the end of Rat Street. Follow it to the fountain, bear left, and go all the way down. His building is fifth from the end on the left-hand side." He eyes your preparations, and nods his head. "Thanks again, and good luck."
Two days after payday, Saul comes up to you during the morning before the Gold Goblin opens to the public, looking worried. "I've got some bad news. I think Larur Feldin may be missing. He hasn't come in for work today, and he's usually here by now. I sent a runner to his house, but the door was hanging off its hinges and his place had been ransacked. The last I knew, I asked him yesterday to go to the moneylender to pay off some of the loan I took out. Now he's missing."
Moving On: As you reach the end of your second week of employment, payday comes around. Saul comes up to you, beaming. "We're doing much better this week. So, like I promised when I signed you all on, you get a bonus this week commensurate with how well we're doing."
"Don't throw him out, Mister Skorabor. We wouldn't want to cause any excess trouble for our other patrons tonight. If you can find out what he's up to, though, without threatening him, I would be grateful."
Three days after the incident with the sailors, Saul seeks you all out during the course of an evening and asks you to join him upstairs on the concealed catwalks over the gaming floor. Once you are all met, he points out a large, bulky man with short-cropped hair at one of the Golem tables. "That's Clegg Zincher. See how the other customers are all keeping an eye on him and taking care to walk around him? He's one of the big crime bosses here in Riddleport, and he runs a decent chunk of the gambling, most of it based on fights. One of his big money makers is Zincher's Arena, several blocks from here. He doesn't usually gamble himself, though. Keep an eye on him. He's up to something."
"You are, of course, exempt from the no-weapons rule. It would be silly to have the house defenders forced to go unarmed. And we'll keep the weapons in the cashier's cage, since it's already built."
Later that evening, after the five of you have all gone off duty, Saul comes into your bunk room. "I wanted to thank you all for handling that little situation we almost had earlier tonight. I also wanted to thank you for giving me the strength I needed to make a stand against the crime bosses. I think, with your help, things will be different around here." Sketching a quick bow, he leaves the room.
As the two who went to cash in the chips are heading for the door, Saul steps up to the central podium. "If I could have your attention everybody, I have an announcement to make. The Gold Goblin is under a new management team now. These," he says with a gesture to Davlamin, Skeith, and Skorabor, "are three of my new associates. Any of you who were here last week for the Cheat the Devil Tournament would have seen them, and their friends, taking down a group who was trying to rob the Tournament of its big prize. They will be dealing with any future troublemakers, and they'll be enforcing the Gold Goblin's new no-weapon policy. Henceforth, all weapons will be checked at the door, to be returned when you leave. Any of you who are keeping tabs on me for your bosses, go tell them that we'll meet force with force. We'll have no more nonsense here." A smattering of light applause greets this speech, as well as a smattering of light grumbles.
Saul stands, then throws his hands out expansively. "Wonderful. I'm glad that you've all agreed to sign on with me. And I understand your doubts, sir. I would be doubtful, too, were our positions reversed. I hope my honesty regarding my status as a retired crime boss will show that I'm merely trying to make my way in the world. Still, if you're skeptical, I don't blame you. Please, come with me. I'll show you to rooms where you can stay. Saul shows you upstairs to a room where you'll be able to sleep.
"Good evening, lady and gentlemen. I trust you all are well? Anybody need a healing potion or two, or can I get you some wine? Please, have a seat." After such things are settled, he sits at the head of the table and continues. "You all know who I am. Or at least, you all know my name. I used to be a leader of a major gang here in Riddleport. I've since retired from that lifestyle. It cost me a number of things that were too dear to me. It cost me my wife, and my sons have been exiled. It cost me my left hand. Over the years, I was left with nothing. No family, no fortune, and little in the way of health." "Since my days of destitution, I've managed to scrape some money together and buy this place. I'm trying to go clean, just running a business. This place was the first real gambling hall in the city. I'm trying to bring her back to her glory days. I'm too old to leave town, and I can't go back into the crime business. It's too hard on life. I'm not giving everything up again." With a sigh, he leans back in his chair, slumping slightly in a dejected manner. "Unfortunately, the life of crime is all too unwilling to release its hold on me, as you saw tonight. I still have enemies among the crime lords of this city. I wouldn't doubt it if one of them had hired Angvar and his wench to rob this place. They've been in that business for more than a little while, running protection rackets and the like. I thought about going to Clegg Zincher, one of the crime bosses, for protection from things like this, but I don't want to sell my soul to that life again." He leans forward and puts his arms on the table, a glimmer coming into his eye. "That's why I've asked you to join me tonight. I'd like to make you all a business proposal. I'm impressed with how easy it was for you to deal with those thugs. I think you might be able to help me turn this place around. I'd like to hire you as junior partners in the Gold Goblin Gaming Hall. You'd work for me, and help with the day-to-day running of the place. Depending on what you feel you're suited for, you could be dealers, bouncers, croupiers, greeters, hospitality, what have you. At least, that's what everybody else would see. I'd like you to be my bodyguards, consultants, and messengers when necessary. I could pay you 10gp a week and a cut of the profits we take. What say you?" With his speech done, he leans back in his chair.
Saul turns to face you. "Well, thank you for your help in dealing with this...unpleasantness. If you all have time, I think I may have a proposition that you'll want to hear. I can hear profit coming just around the corner, and I'm never wrong about that. If you would join me for dinner, we can discuss things away from all this noise and commotion. And if you have any friends here, bring them along, too." With that, he picks up the shrunken chest and takes it to put it in the vault. On his way, he gives instructions to a tall-ish Dwarf, who then comes over and asks you to accompany him to one of the private dining rooms, saying that Saul has instructed him to begin expressing his thanks and to escort you to one of the private dining rooms.
Saul mounts the platform, then turns to the crowd howling for their money back. He raises his hand, trying to get people to calm down, then gives up. He gestures to one of the bouncers, who bellows for the crowd's attention. As they finally quiet down, Saul speaks. "Ladies and gentlemen. I know this has been a terrible shock to us all. None of us expected that the tournament would be attacked. Most of us were just hoping for a good night of gambling. The worst any of us were expecting was to be sent home in our skivvies. Still, I realize that you're all angry and that things didn't turn out the way we wanted. As an apology on behalf of the Gold Goblin, for the next hour we'll be cashing out chips at 110% value." |