Wow! Good luck with the new job and new home!
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Topaz considers Esdras’s comment. ”Well, both’d be nice, o’course, she says. ”Bu’ I’m mos’ interested in gettin’ ‘im stopped. Bu’, t’do much abou’ it, we’d need somethin’ tha’ proves it.” She repeats the brief description of Forg. ”E’s a shortish fella, long dark hair, wi’ a scar jus’ abou’ here.” She points under her eye. ”Th’lady we was talkin’ to said she’d seen ‘im abou’, bu’ didn’ know where ‘e is now. Suggested th’servant wha’ was takin’ names would know where ‘e might be. I was figurin’ I might ask th’servant, then go see if I c’n see where he’s keepin’ hisself, an’ who ‘e’s got with ‘im.”
Whoops, sorry, folks were waiting on me this time. Was a bit of a crazy week here. Sorry about that! Wishing a merry Christmas to those that celebrate it!
Hm, I seem to have completely killed the conversation. :/ I was trying to leave an opening for the rest of you, but if I didn’t, I’m sorry. If we need more of a push I can make another post; was just trying not to dominate...
”Well I’m glad t’hear tha’,” Topaz says, looking at all three of the others. Well, they ain’t Whispers, but mebbe I don’ have t’do this alone after all. ”This’s a bit public f’r talkin’ too much, but th’short of it is, he’s th’sort that’ll do jus’ abou’ anythin’, an’ these days tha’ anythin’ is sellin’ children.” There is no mistaking the outrage in Topaz’s voice, even as she drops it to a whisper before proceeding. ”I don’ know wha’ he’s plannin’ here, bu’ I know he’s here, an’ not alone. Guessin’ maybe he’s lookin’ f’r a buyer if’n he don’ have one already, or mebbe lookin’ t’meet up wi’ one he already has. I was hopin’ mebbe t’find a way t’show ‘im f’r wha’ he is, get His Holiness t’do somethin’ abou’ it. Not sure how t’do tha’ exactly, bu’ was figurin’ I’d figure it ou’ someways.” She takes a breath. ”Got t’find ‘im first, though.”
I think the holidays and general life busy-ness are a big part of it. The game is definitely interesting, and I’m eager to see where it goes. I think Draegar has a good point that providing some direction at this stage is helpful, since we are all still feeling each other out. Now we’re at least all back in the same conversation, which will help (especially since Esdras is traveling; now it won’t just be him and me going back and forth). Since we seem to have landed on my storyline as the driving one at the moment, I’ll do my best to be proactive and try to push forward, but I also don’t want to dominate. I expect we’ll find our feet as we move along, and as we get through this busy time of year.
Topaz curtseys to Rutilia as she leaves, and nods in thanks at the whispered tip. At Esdras's question, she pauses, eying him consideringly. Havin' some backup here might no' be a bad thin'. Don' know if'n I can trust this lot, bu' seemed decent enough yest'day. No talk o' the Whispers, now, bu' maybe see wha' his reaction is. Keeping her voice low so as not to be overheard by the chattering nobles, she says, "Tell me this, m'lord: wha's yer thinkin' on folk wha' make a livin' buyin' an' sellin'... people?" The look on her face betrays disgust and anger, despite her efforts to remain polite. "There's diff'rent kinds o' wars, m'lord, an' there's ones goin' on wha' you a' the top o' things don' know nothin' abou'. Tha' man is vile an' needs t'be stopped."
I was sort of expecting Esdras to react after Rutilia leaves, yeah. :) Topaz won’t trust you guys enough to spill all the details about things, but would probably be happy to have some backup dealing with this. Esdras, I know you’re away, but it kind of feels like it’s your move if you want to ask Topaz anything about the situation. Otherwise Topaz could just excuse herself to go talk to the servant. She’s not going to go face off with Forg at this point, but knowing where he is could be handy.
”It’s no’ like I need t’see him just now,” Topaz says. ”T’be honest, don’t have much desire t’see him at all. But he needs watchin’, I think. If wha’ I heard is t’be believed, he’s a bad ‘un and up t’things I s’pect His Holiness won’t approve of.” She pauses. ”If I’m not pryin’, m’lady, what d’ye think of His Holiness? I were impressed wi’ him yest’day. Seemd like a real decent sort, willin’ t’get involved even wi’ a small matter like what was goin’ on.”
Topaz chuckles. ”I were invited as I am, so I came as I am. I’m a performer bu’ I know m’limits, an’ I’d be a donkey fer sure if I tried t’pass as noble.” She lowers her voice again. ”There was folk talkin’ in the market abou’ one who seemed a real bad lot who was goin’ roun’ dressed as a Briecan noble even though he obviously weren’t one. Short fella, long hair, bit o’ a scar just abou’ here,” gesturing under her eye. ”Migh’ be a bi’ worse’n a donkey, if ye take the meaning.”
Ugh! I had to rebook my flight for yesterday because I was originally supposed to go through Chicago. Glad you made it back out!
”Well, tha’ I suppose is up t’His Holiness,” Topaz says with a smile. ”If’n I’m invited, I’ll be happy t’perform later.” She does her best to stay on the opposite side of Rutillia from Esdras; apparently the woman has decided they’re a couple, but as neither she nor Esdras would be particularly happy with that plan, she’ll do her best to maintain some distance — since trying to explain the situation seems unlikely to go anywhere. ”Interestin’ characters, y’say? I can’t say as I know much abou’ th’people here, so I’d be mos’ grateful if ye could tell me of anyone I ought t’know abou’ or stay away from? I heard —“ and here she drops her voice to a dramatic whisper — ”wha’ tha’ there might be people tryin’ t’get aboard wha’ weren’t supposed t’ be. Bu’ I’m sure th’Knights ha’ kept a close eye on all tha’.” Lessee wha’ she’s noticed. If’n I can get her talkin’ maybe I can ask abou’ Forg wi’out seemin’ too s’picious.
I’m traveling for work this week. I’ll be in transit much of Monday, and during the day the rest of the week I may be less able to respond, but I should be able to check in reasonably regularly.
”Well, it were really a lucky thing,” Topaz begins, and launches into a description of the events. She avoids identifying Draegar as the merchant involved, or that the boy had tried to steal from him before working for him, but otherwise tells the story more or less as it happened — with appropriate embellishments and dramatic flourishes, of course. ”An’ so th’ boy came back *just* a’ th’right time, wi’ a strong an’ han’some knight, who pu’ things t’right in a hurry. An *then*, jus’ when we all thought it were all over, who should come by bu’ His Holiness hisself?” If Rutillia interrupts or asks questions, she responds, but otherwise she continues telling the story with her best performer’s flair.
The same to you Cass, and to the rest of you who are celebrating this week. May you have safe travels and good food.
Topaz is taken aback by the sudden appearance of the voluble noblewoman. An' they said OUR clothes were gaudy?! But she does her best to curtsey politely while holding the plate with her remaining hors d'oeuvre in the hand not currently locked in the other woman's. "Pleased t'meet ye, m'lady," she says. "M'name is Topaz." She looks at Esdras, not entirely certain how much to say about the events of yesterday. "We jus' met, act'lly. Both happened t'be in th'right place at th'right time t'help someone out o' a bad situation. His Holiness happened t'hear abou' it and invited me t'join ye all here t'day. Esdras was just showin' me th' breakfast options."
OMG, Cass as geeky fanboy cornering his idols. Love it!
Topaz shakes her head a little. Between the pork yesterday and now this, it's more roast meat than she's seen in years, never mind eaten. The Bell and Frog occasionally had meat pies on the menu, but they were made of bits and pieces of whatever the cook could get for cheap, not anything you could reasonably roast. And no one in their right mind would eat anything the Ship's Wheel called meat. Nobles. Don' know a thing abou' wha' the rest of us live like. Even this one wha' seemed a bit more decent yesterday an' tried t'help. She takes a bit of the roast lamb and something that looks like a tiny round of bread with some kind of herb spread topped with thinly-sliced meat. And, curious at Esdras's reaction, she tries the goat cheese. "Tha' cheese ain't so bad," she says. "Tangy." The lamb, on the other hand, doesn't sit as well, and she makes a bit of a face, but swallows it politely. Meanwhile she resumes scanning the crowd, looking for any sign of Forg. As she does, she says to Esdras, "Seems th'others ha' found someone they recognize. Anyone here y'think I should meet? Wha' wouldn't mind talkin' t'the likes o' me?"
Topaz puts on her best smile again as she comes into the room. The brief time away from this room, with its grandiose decoration and snooty nobles, had given her a chance to catch her breath and put up the bravado that she didn't necessarily feel. You can do this, girl. Don' let them get in yer head. She smiles at the various groups as they pass. The folks in red catch her eye - it's a bit of a contrast to the white and gold everywhere and thus noticeable. But she doesn't immediately recognize them as anything in particular. She catches the eye of one of them and smiles brighter, with a slight curtsey as best she can. The sight of the food table brings her up short. Never in her life has she seen that much food in one place, never mind how much meat there is. I knew th'nobles ate better'n th' rest of us, but I had no idea it were like THAT. She turns to Esdras, but speaks loudly enough to include any of the nobles who happen to be nearby. "This all looks d'licious. What d'you recommend? Have any favorites?"
Fine by me. Topaz will have dropped off her backpack, which means the only weapon she has on her is the dagger under her skirts.
Topaz nods. ”May as well ge’ rid o’ the baggage. Don’ need to carry it around all day.”
Topaz felt all the eyes on her, just as the others did. It was awkward and uncomfortable, but she took a breath and put on her best performer’s smile, meeting the murmurs and the looks with a bravado honed by years of fending off leering drunkards at the Ship’s Wheel. She might be low class, and this might be an intimidating situation, but she wasn’t about to let these nobles put her any more off her game. As the others moved off, she joined them, stopping only to ask Marcellun, ”Could y’tell me where I’m stayin’ at? Would rather not carry this aroun’ all day,” gesturing at her backpack. Assuming that the servant girl would get directions to her cabin as well, she moved off with the group. It was a good chance to get a better look at the crowd, too.
If her first view of the ship had caught Topaz off guard, the view of the inside truly floored her. She stopped in her tracks, eyes wide at the immensity, the decor, and the effect of it all. It wasn’t until the ship lurched and began to move that she shook herself loose from the shock. For all that she lived by the docks, she had only rarely even set foot on a ship, and had never actually moved on the water in anything much bigger than a rowboat. There was one time she got hired to entertain a tugboat crew, but that didn’t get very far before the pilot got too drunk to navigate and they’d had to drop anchor until a new one could be brought out. Nothing like this immense floating cathedral. Turning to Cass, she said, ”Ye ever seen anythin’ like this before?!” Shaking her head, she tried to regain some equilibrium, both physical and mental. Ge’ a grip! Ye’ve got a job t’do. She scanned the crowd of nobles, looking for any that met the description of Forg she’d gotten earlier. It would be good to know just who she was going after. Figuring out how to get the Cardinal to listen would come later.
Topaz smiles at the guard. Evidently Esdras wasn't the only one who had overindulged. "Quite the show yesterday, weren't it?" she says. "Rough t'have t'be workin' so early after all tha'. Thanks for gettin' us t'where we need t'be." The ordinary small talk was her best defense against her growing nerves. She was way out of her element in this one. The only nobles she usually dealt with were those who went slumming in the bars, not a big group of them in all their finery like today. Not to mention that she was aiming to take down a notorious slaver alone. Wonder if'n I can trust any o' this lot t'help if it comes t'it.
Topaz chuckles at Draegar. "Nah, I'm already dressed f'r th'day an' I don' think sawdust goes wi' the dress." She gestures down at herself. "But thanks f'r th'offer!" Just then they are interrupted by Esdras's unpleasantly dramatic appearance. Topaz jumps back out of range; it's not the first time she's had to deal with the sudden aftereffects of too much drinking. One reason she usually just sticks to ale herself -- well, that and the fact that it's cheap. "Formless take ye, be careful!" she blurts, before realizing who it is. As she takes in the sight before her, her outrage turns to laughter. "Well, m'lord, a rough night! Got into th' strong stuff, did ye?" she says with a smile and a tone that, while mocking, doesn't really have an edge to it. --- As the ship comes into view, Topaz is staggered at the size and luxury of it. Nothing in her life in the slums and docks of Flint even remotely compares, and all her performer's training can't entirely keep the look of awe off her face. Wonder wha' tha' all costs. So much fer one man's luxury, even if he is th' High Cardinal. When they are challenged by the guards, Topaz looks at the other three. "I'm Topaz, an' we all're invited to th'cruise by his Holiness hisself."
Sounds great. Thanks! I'll redo my stat line accordingly.
"Feels like tha's one o' those song wha' tells more of a story than it seems, t'those what know it. I don' know it, but I can hear somethin' of it, I think. Thanks fer sharin' it."
"Oh, no, now I've gone'n' made y'hurt y'self. Don' do tha'. I was jus' lookin' for some air, didn't mean t'interrupt. Big day fer the likes o'us today, an' I needed a breather before i' all starts."
I can't really see how Topaz could be wearing her armor in this circumstance, so I've adjusted the AC in my stat line accordingly. Can I get away with the idea that it's in her backpack, even though that's not really a realistic thing to do with studded leather? :) Also: I'm LARPing this weekend and will be out of touch. I'll be leaving midafternoon Friday (US East Coast time) and coming back by Sunday evening.
As the evening goes on, Topaz chats with the bards when they take a break, swapping a few performance stories and "you'll never believe this one!" tales, like bards do whenever they meet. When the barkeep and the server start performing, she finds a chair and listens. There's stories here, no doubt. Somethin' between those two, somethin' in the past. Don' know wha', but those looks say somethin' I'm not in on. The server's song is not at all her usual style, but she can't help but be captivated by it. At the end, she goes up to him as he puts away the instrument. "One performer t'another, tha' was stunnin'. Thanks for sharin' it. You've a gift an' no mistakin'.
Before sunrise, Topaz groggily peels the blanket off and groans. Wha' was THAT all abou'? She sits for a few minutes, then finds a basin and some water. She splashes her face and hands with water, trying to get herself awake. Ge' a grip, girl. Ye've got a big day t'day an' ye need t'be on yer game. She puts on her entertaining outfit, then pulls on the magical sleeves. As she does so, the outfit changes, becoming something a little fancier, a little cleaner, a little more fitted. Shades of dark red with a few silver threads here and there. Nothing too flashy, nothing that seems completely out of bounds for someone in her position, but nicer than anything she actually owns. She adds the silver jewelry she bought the day before, and uses the scarf to tie back her unruly hair. The magical sleeves do nothing for her battered old backpack, but best to bring it along. It can get stashed in whatever room she has on the ship. After considering for a bit, she conceals her dagger under her skirts. Hopefully it won't be needed, but with someone like Forg around, she figures she'd better be prepared. It may not be what the nobles would be used to, but it would do. The process of getting dressed helps clear her head somewhat, and she decides to go outside for a little air now that the storm is over. As she steps out into the fog, she hears the sound of wood being chopped and drifts in that direction. She is considerably startled to find Draegar, shirtless, chopping the wood. "Oh, sorry!" she says. Didn' mean t'bother you."
Yeah, seriously, well done! I need to think some before I can respond to that, but will do so soon.
Feel better, DM Omen!
I'm good with moving on!
Topaz enjoys the pork, having never had it before, and makes mental notes of all of Forg's most salient characteristics. "I don' know Theveste, but I don't s'pose it'll be hard t'track down the Cardinal's ship. Mus' be taverns an' such though. Plan t'meet at whatever tavern's closest t'where we end up dockin'? An' leave messages there if'n we can't meet for some reason."
Thanks Topaz! I'm glad to hear that! The only downside is that there is no way for you and the others to interact with them. Not yet, anyway. :)
Topaz smiles at Pella. "Yeah, they seemed that way from wha' I saw earlier. Th'one in charge act'lly listened when someone tol' him a guard had the wrong of things 'n' an or'n'ry vendor had the right. So I guess I'm takin' a trip i' the mornin'. Meanwhiles, can you gi' me a rundown on wha' we know abou' Forg, just so's I have all the details straight 'n' fresh? An' then what say we fin' someplace t'cook tha' pork?"
Topaz thinks. "Th'knight what the Cardinal put in charge was payin' real close attention t'who got invited, so I don' think it'd be easy t'sneak you all on, no. But, th'Cardinal said he wanted t'hear about the things goin' on. From th'way he was talkin', I don' think he'd be too happy t'hear he had a fake noble who was actually slavin' folks. Mebbe it's a chance t'get somethin' done. He at least talked a good game about wantin' t'do right by folks. If we could get Forg taken publicly like that, send a message t'the other scum... that might be worth it! An' I bet there'll be lots of they knights around keepin' things safe. So long as Forg an' his two cronies don' know who I am..." She trails off. For all the confidence she's showing, this would be the first time she's ever gone solo for the Whispers on a job like this.
"Wha', really?" Topaz scowls, sharing Pella's anger. "Tha's just gross." She glares at Jax, then drops her voice. "We got news, all right. Crew o'twenty guards an' three folk who ain't Briecan dressed as Briecan nobles went from th'ship early this mornin'. Guards scattered into th'crowd an' the nobles joined th'other nobles. An' from wha' one o' those who saw 'em said, one o' those dressed as nobles was Forg!" She takes a breath. "I think th'nobles are all stayin' in th'church till tomorra's cruise wi' the cardinal." She frowns. "I shoulda seen 'im in th'crowd this mornin', though things were a bit distractin' at th'time."
You're all being very patient. (Also, Esdras, I really like the way you write the interactions with the spirits!) And woohoo for the nat 20 on the diplomacy roll... :)
Topaz manages to control her face and not curse until she and Puck get clear of the kid, though her mind is racing. Formless take me, he was there this mornin' in the crowd an' I didn't know it! Once they can get to a more private place, she says to Puck, "Well tha's some news, eh? We'd best get back to Pella soonest and let her know. What's he doin' hidin' among th'nobles? An' where did his guards go? We got t'find him. Last I saw, th'crowd o'nobles were all followin' th'Cardinal but I don' know where they went after tha'." They start back to the rendezvous point, Topaz keeping eyes and ears open as they go for news of where the Cardinal's entourage of nobles might have gone after the morning's procession.
Topaz raises an eyebrow at Puck's last comment. "Wouldn' talk abou' the cargo, eh? Well, I s'pose that's not 'spicious in'n of itself, most people might not answer tha' question. But still." She finishes her drink. "Let's go see if'n we can find anythin' abou' this group o' mercenaries and nobles what ain't actually nobles, shall we?" They make their way toward the docks. Topaz chats up people as they pass -- at this food stall and that vendor's booth and the kids getting underfoot as they chase each other around and the beggar on the corner asking for a pittance in Azgaar's name to honor this great day. Someone must've seen something -- a big group like that would've made an impression even in the midst of all the festivity and hubbub.
Well, that would be one way to sneak people in... dress ‘em up as nobles! Though tha doesn’t sound like kids, if they were done up as grown-up nobles. Hard t’say though. An’ if they’re not who we’re lookin’ for, that soun’s like bad news anyway. Topaz gets what details she can from the old fisherman, hoping to be able to spot this group if they’re still around. After half an hour of gossiping, she makes her way to the inn to wait for Puck. She finds a table and orders an ale, chatting with the server about the news of the morning and keeping an ear open for more news as she waits. When Puck gets there, she gets him a drink and fills him in briefly and quietly about her discovery. ”Mebbe we should head t’the docks after ‘n’ see if we can hear anythin’ about a group like that. Seems like somethin’ someone woulda noticed. Y’hear anything?”
Topaz considers the options. They need to find out whether that ship is Forg's, at the very least, and what they're up to. "Why'nt you go take a look at the guards? Mebbe you'll see somethin' I missed. An' maybe they'd talk to you." The big jailkeep seems a bit more plausible as someone who'd talk to a couple of mercenary-looking guards than a skinny "servant" out shopping. "I'll do a bit o'browsin' myself t'see wha' I can learn, then we can meet up a' tha' inn over there." She points to whichever of the inns she hasn't been to looks most likely to have attracted sailors from the ship, or has the best view of it. "Half an hour?"
Dice:
”Well, first’d be just t’ take another look an’ see if there’s anyone else about. Weren’t too many people there early, jus’ a couple of guards on board. Then, maybe we go back t’the tavern. Probably a few more folks there now who might know somethin’. I didn’ try talkin’ to the guards themselves, didn’t figure that’d go so well askin’ questions withou’ knowin’ more. But if they seem like chattin’ this time, maybe.”
Topaz nods. "There's a butcher an' a barmaid who'll recognize me, but I'm sure we can come up wi' a story for why I came back. Th' fish the bar had for breakfast was good enough t'be worth comin' back for, anyway!" She looks over at Jax. "Ye'd better keep tha' pork bundle, though. Would look weird if I were still carryin' tha' around!"
I don't want to take over the whole thing here, though it does make sense for more investigating to happen. But if we need to take it offscreen or whatever to get everyone else back involved, that's fine.
"Not sure how we can find th' ones what got dropped off, either set. Th' fancy ship should be easy 'nough t'find. Sounds like for those, th' docks'll be our best bet. Wi' the Cardinal havin' come early, maybe folks'll be movin' back t' their ships 'n' such." She thinks for a moment. "I'd prob'ly draw attention if I go back t' the place I already checked, so that'd be for someone else t'do. Maybe you should do tha', Puck, since you've already been t'the docks?"
Topaz pauses before starting. "Okay, easy one first. I checked out the ship with the coupl'a guards on it. Don' think it's wha' we're lookin' for. They apparen'ly said somethin' about the city havin' paid them a lot, which don' seem likely for slavers, I don' think. Ended up buyin' a pork roast for the info, so here's supper if y'wan' it." She shows the wrapped parcel. "The other... well, due t' some wranglin' wi' a guard tryin' to steal a vendor's permit catchin' the Cardinal's attention when he came through, I..." She shakes her head, still not quite believing it. "I seem t've been invited t'go on his cruise t'Theveste tomorra. Me, th'vendor, a noble who tried t'stop th'guard, an' another inventor type who I used t'see in the Flint bars now'n'again who was also there. He remembered me from singin'." She pauses. "Th'Cardinal seemed t'know I was a docker even dressed like this. Sharp'un, he is. But seems decent, f'r an authority-figure type."
As Cass leaves, Topaz smiles and waves him on his way. She finds a bright scarf and some inexpensive silver bracelets to add to her outfit for tomorrow. She doesn't actually need an outfit, thanks to the sleeves the Whispers lent her, but she figures she'd better buy a couple of things that Cass would recognize if he sees them tomorrow, so it's not too weird when she shows up in something he hasn't seen her buy. After that, she makes her way through the crowd back to the alley where she started the morning and waits for Pella and the others.
Cass, are you okay if we sorta fast-forward through the clothes shopping? I don’t want to rush it if you have something in mind, but at some point I will want to extricate Topaz so she can rendezvous.
I love “angry-cute” as a description for Topaz! Thanks, Draegar. :) |