At Kewyn's mention of being ignored, on account of her size, "Well, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that sometimes going unobserved can be a blessing as well." she leans closer, "And, between you and me, Charsis is easily distracted by strikingly beautiful redheads. And blondes. And brunettes..." she adds with a conspiratorial grin.
As the Bard offers to demonstrate her craft, she demurs, "The flute might be a little sprightly for our usual crowd, but I'm sure you can find some melodies that follow a theme of luck or opportunity, that would fit the gambling hall motif we have going on here. In any event, it will not be up to me to decide whether or not you get the job."
Violant appears to be completely oblivious ( Perception check 10. ) to Clifford's discreet presence.
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The Goblin is in full swing and its only mid day, the place is packed full of customers dropping their chips left and right. The beautiful half-elf is chatting it up with Saul as Charsis takes his leave back to his position at the door. He catches a thank you from the red head but takes little notice as he spots Zee watching him with a smirk on her face. He can see she is interupted with her work as a kitchen helper comes flying out of the kitchen looking for her. He runs up and says, Miss Zee, Master Tvaliss has asked for you to come quickly, there seems to be a problem in the Scullery. He asks you come quickly to help! With that the helpers rushes back into the kitchen. In the kitchen Tvaliss looks around the Scullery and spots a long moving red stick like thing. After a moment he remembers it looks to be a Cindersnake common to the area and very poisonous. He stops and thinks about the best course of action till Zee appears. Clifford hangs back and listens to the conversation at a descreet distance. He also notices the good looking warrior lady dashing off to the kitchen attending to the uproar there. Clifford hears all that is said between the halfling and the holy lady.
Berggren moves away muttering something about foolish humans....It takes a minute to wait till the half-elf finishes talking to the owner of the Goblin, seems she's got a job here by the tail end of the conversation he hears. After introductions are made the owner Saul asks what he can do for Berggren who says he's looking for a dwarf that he heard working here and Saul reponds by saying that he is most likely in his office and to go ahead drop in to visit. He excuses himself with a curt smile for the dwarf before heading back to the counting cage. Berggren looks for a way to the offices and spots a lovely lady warrior heading off to the kitchen in a hurry, he follows thinking this might be the way to where he needs to go he ducks into the kitchen and finds the kitchen in chaos as the kitchen staff is rushing out the back and shouting "Big Red Snake"!
After sometime of chatting, Vee spots Saul heading for the counting cage so she asks Kewyn to follow her to be introduced to Saul. Vee introduces the little one to Saul who asks how he may be of help?
"Will you all please just shut up? It's not going to bite any of you!"
Zee looks at the poisonous creature and gives Tvaliss a sidelong glance.
"No chance you know how to charm this thing do you? If not I'm gonna have to kill it."
She uncoils her chair from the hook on her belt looking for the best angle of approach.
Trusting her companions to have whatever the ruckus is in the kitchen under control, Violant takes the opportunity to introduce Kewyn to Saul.
"Mister Vancaskerkin," "May I introduce Kewyn, an entertainer looking for employment, so conveniently as we are looking for employees."
On hearing about the big red snake, Berggren immediately whips out his trusted crossbow and loads a bolt. Coming through... he warns anyone standing in his way. Once he spots the snake and has a clear shot, he takes it and immediately reloads for a second one. Only way is to kill it folks. Let's do it quickly. This small dwarf easily displays his usual method for dealing with danger. Shoot first, ask questions later. It's how you survive in the wilderness.
"Hello Mr. Saul, I would be honored to perform for your customers. I can tell some very good stories or play sailing songs on my flute. You seem to have very good business here and I would like to be a apart of it." She says while bowing to Saul.
Clifford hesitates and then move toward the kitchen .
May I ask what were the conditions of employment given to the young entertainer ?
Zaranae whirls around at the Dwarf's actions.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Who let you in here with a weapon??? Drop it! Now!!! Get out of the kitchen before I make you."
She looks a Tvaliss in amazement, muttering to herself, "#@@%$@ lunatic kicking in doors and shooting into a crowded room, I should......OH FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS QUIT PANICKING PEOPLE!!"
"Everyone back! Someone grab a cage or bag or something similar. I have an idea!" With that, Tvaliss will begin incanting words to an enchantment spell as he locates the cindersnake. Once he spots it, he finishes the last syllable as he applies the appropriate component. Suddenly, a drowsy affect comes upon the snake and any within 10 feet of said snake.
Making a bit of a face at the racket coming from the kitchen, Violant attempts to brush off any alarm among the patrons by putting her hand on the shoulder of a random gambler who has noticed and is looking concerned and dramatically stage-whispers in his ear (loud enough for everyone at the table to hear), "I wouldn't order the fish. It sounds like it's beating the cook, two punches for three!" She smiles at her own joke and is off, before the hand on the shoulder is taken as some sort of invitation...
Bah, that's the thanks I get for trying to help. Berggren exclaims as he is reprimanded for trying to shoot the snake. With a flourish he unloads his crossbow and shoulders it in its holster. Then he turns to the tall female to answer her charges. I'm carrying a weapon in here, cos you have fools standing at the door little missy. They don't pay attention to anything except beautiful red-heads and by doing so they miss some guys getting away from this gambling hall. Come to think of it, they probably left this snake here. Now you go figure out where YOU went wrong and tell ME where I can find the offices. While carrying out his rant, he steps closer to the woman so he can use his pudgy fingers to point really close at her when he repremands her back.
" Excuse me but while it is possible that some miscreants did use the visit of Mr Zilcher as a distraction , Mr Zilcher is a important citizen of this town and such accusations , tsk tsk ... And may I also suggest that someone manipulate the creature into a basket while it is manageable before going on ranting and disturbing further the peace of this fine place "
Zee looks at the intruders to the kitchen with unbridled annoyance and for a moment everyone questions if she is going to strangle someone with the wicked spiked chain in her hands.
Taking a deep breath she turns on her heel to the kitchen staff, "Somebody get one of the empty flour sacks. You two, if you're gonna tespass then make yourselves useful, we've got a snake to put in a bag!"
NOW she wants our help... humans... who will ever understand them. Berggren Galt thinks to himself, but he does go for the empty sacks and tosses one to the other "outsider".
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In the gambling hall
Saul pauses talking to one of the counter help after doubling checking the man's till, always making sure the coin count is correct. He smiles at Vee who introduces Kewyn to him. Thank you Vee, ever helpful and watchful to make this place is better than the rest! I must say it was a smart move on my part to hire you! And since you recommend her I will gladly listen to her qualifications, I can handle it from here, go ahead and get back to work or better yet go see what all the commotion is in the kitchen will you please! Thanks! He turns to the little one and says well what can you do? Kewyn responds to Saul's query, "Hello Mr. Saul, I would be honored to perform for your customers. I can tell some very good stories or play sailing songs on my flute. You seem to have very good business here and I would like to be a apart of it." He takes a moment to consider things, like does he really need more entertainment here, the gambling should be enough but then again it couldn't hurt. Maybe even bring in some other who wouldn't think to stop in, hmmm. Outloud he says, Welcome then, I will give you a chance! You go on in 1 hour, we'll set you up there on the podium in the middle of the floor. Just play loud enough for those passing by outside the open front doors can hear your music, your goal is to bring in more people and keep the ones here to stay seated and spend there coins here and not some place else! He waits to see if Kewyn accepts or not!
As Vee moves to the kitchen brushing off unwanted customer hands and making sure that they take little notice to the ruckus in the kitchen she runs into a small man at the door to the kitchen which is open now as many folks entering and exiting quickly over a what she picks up as a snake has been found. The man inquires about the employment conditions of the young halfling. He also mentions as he talks to the folks in the kitchen about the snake might have been left by Zincher or one of his Capp's.
In the Kitchen
Everyone has an idea how best to handle the creature slithering around the scullery which is now coiled up and hissing loudly at all the onlookers.....Zee makes ready to handle the snake when she hears Tvaliss mutter under his breath and throw some sand in the direction of the snake all the while the dwarf and the female fighter trade words on the best course of action. She finally point the dwarf in the right direction to the office. He pauses long enough to toss one of the flour sacks to the others in the kitchen before stalking off in the direction of the offices to find this dwarf fellow brother he has heard of earlier in the day. The moment the dwarf steps out of the kitchen the snake slumps to the floor. Its hard to tell if the snake is dead or not by the looks of the thing but Tvaliss assures everyone it is just sleeping. Zee moves into handle the snake from here now the thing is not a threat......as she does out of the corner of her eye she notices a small piece of paper laying on the floor.....
In the Gold Goblin Offices
Berggren moves quickly to the offices and enters finding no one present. He wanders around the upper floor for a minute seeing if he can find the dwarf himself before heading back down to inquire with the owner. Having no luck he passes one of the sleeping chambers of the staff, the door left wide open, he takes pause at the room, an odd feeling coming over him as the room looks not right, bed turned over, desk sitting in the middle of the room, chest of clothes open and clothing thrown all over. Papers that were most likely rested on the desk now littering the floor..........
At the front door
Charsis stands at the door kinda feeling guilty over his problem with attractive women, not being able to keep his eyes on just one beauty at a time. Lost in thought on how to make things right with Zee he does not notice Samaritha approach him and say Thank you for your help with a job Charsis, it was really nice of you to help! I really needed this job, thank you again! As she finishes her sentence he hears a screeching sound of metal, looking up from his thoughts and the words of the beautiful red head he spots a weather vane pointing in the wrong direction of the wind, instead pointing in the direction of the Blot!...........
At Saul's prompting Violant turns to the kitchen, to find what seems like half of the town of Riddleport crowded around the door. She nudges and wriggles her way through the press to find that Zee has a snake in a bag, but seems to have been distracted by something else on the floor, which is not within Violant's line of sight.
"I'll just take that and throw it out back, Zee." Violant says, unthinkingly adding, "If there's one thing I learned growing up in a whorehouse..." before stopping, realizing that those words have unfortunate connotations when she's holding a cloth sack that has a distinctive and suggesting bulge in it...
"Oh." she blushes before stammering, "I mean, the people, they were like dealing with snakes. All slippery. Like snakes!" she rushes to the back door, not so much eager to get rid of the viper as to escape her own embarassment.
Once there, she flings the snake down the nearest gutter, because she wouldn't want to leave the bag around as a deadly surprise to some poor street kid, hoping for a scrap of bread.
She walks around the building and comes back in through the front door, to avoid having to walk back into the kitchen where she so recently made a fool of herself. While outside, she notices the odd behavior of the weathervane, and hurries to get back inside, remembering that the last time something odd happened, rocks fell from the sky and seagulls went mad and flew to their deaths. Whatever this dire omen is, she'd rather see it from safely inside the Golden Goblin!
In the Gold Goblin Offices
Berggren moves quickly to the offices and enters finding no one present. He wanders around the upper floor for a minute seeing if he can find the dwarf himself before heading back down to inquire with the owner. Having no luck he passes one of the sleeping chambers of the staff, the door left wide open, he takes pause at the room, an odd feeling coming over him as the room looks not right, bed turned over, desk sitting in the middle of the room, chest of clothes open and clothing thrown all over. Papers that were most likely rested on the desk now littering the floor..........
This doesn't bode well I fear. Berggren moves into the sleeping chamber to investigate. As he does so, he pulls out his weapon in case the possible intruder is still around. When he ascertains that noone is around he takes a look at the papers on the floor.
Zee is only partially stifling a laugh at Vee's verbal slip, and hends her the snake sa she retrieves the piece of paper. As she begins to read she somewhat distractedly addresses the kitchen staff.
"Alright everybody, back to work. See? There was no reason to panic in the first place."
"Oh thank you mister Saul, I will charm your customers and make them want to gamble their money away" says Kewyn. She will then get her flute out and prepare to play her best performance ever.
Clifford has a small smile as the young girl make other involuntary innuendoes while trying to explain the first one and then leave the kitchen to go back into the hall .
After waiting for a while , he spots Violant coming back into into the hall and move towards her . He speaks softly so as not to be heard from the other patrons
"Excuse me , Miss, I would like some information. Is the man running a version of the Gambler's deal at the second table from the kitchen's door a part of this establishment or not ? "
He waits expectantly for Violant's response ...
At Clifford's question, Violant looks over to the table in question, "Well, I certainly hope so!"
"Did you wish to join the game?" she asks, "I'm sure I can find you a seat."
Given your response, I would rather work for the house then since this man is winning by what people would usually call cheating ...
Violant looks surprised, and resists the urge to stare at the employee accused of cheating, turning to Saul, who hopefully is still in the room conversing with Kewyn.
"Sir. This young fellow," she points to Clifford, "has observed some unusual activity at table seven. The second one to the left of the kitchen," she adds, in case she got the number wrong. "I am not an expert in that particular game, but does what the dealer is doing constitute cheating?"
Oh , I see the confusion ! The dealer is not cheating . The one cheating is the well dressed man on his right ...
Charsis turns suddenly at Samaritha's saying his name. He quickly glances over toth e last place he saw Zaranae, noting her absence and relaxing a little before returning her smile.
"Oh think nothing of it little one. I want to see the Goblin's interests flourish to help line my pockets and with a beauty such as yourself working here that's sure to happen."
He once a gain glances around to make sure Zee isn't around, before patting Samaritha getly on the shoulder. He smiles again an turns back to the door, jsut in time to heara gods awful screeching sound. He looks up and sees the weathervane swinging wildly and pointing towards the blot. A perplexed look comes over his face and he lets out a low growl. "What kind of dark sorcery is this? I have no problem with magic but that is simply... wrong. What on Goalrion could be causing it?"
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Up Stairs
Berggren takes time to look around the room but finds nothing that helps him figure what has happen here. Even the papers on the floor give any clues to the missing dwarf. He feels a little odd being here with no one around and in a room that has been tossed. He can hear the faint sound of gaming going on from below but the whole upstairs is quiet as everyone is working below that he knows of, or would assume. No clues to the where abouts of Larur Feldin floor manager of the Gold Goblin present themselves to the wild dwarf.
In the Kitchen
After yelling to everyone to "get back to work, everything is in control here, no need to panic" Zee reads the scrap of paper found on the floor in the scullery, a crude drawing of Saul Vancaskerkin now with both hands missing and a brief threat scribbled below; "Looking to go two for two Saul? Pack up, get out of town and you'll be fine!" The note short and sweet, a diffinate warning to Saul by Zincher himself most likely! Tvaliss stands at her side also reading the note over Zee's shoulder
In the gambling hall
Vee heads back in the front door of the Goblin at a quick pace as more odd things are happening outside, shaking her head she enters. She passes Charsis chatting with the new girl but takes little notice. Thinking she is going right back to work she almost runs into a small man who asks a question of her. Cheating is what the little man offers her, information she is not sure what to do with right away. After a few thoughts pass through her head she decides to tell Saul about table seven and let him decide what to do.
Saul finihes his conversation with the halfling girl wanting to get back to the coin counting when Vee interupts his thoughts and tells him the information the little man relayed to her. He looks over and watches for a few moments, turns to the group around him now and says, Well if you are right little man then there might be a place for you here. I need all the eyes on the room I can and it seems those above are missing something. Vee go grab the doorman there flirting with the new girl, tell him to get up above and see if he can see anything at table seven that should not be going on, also tell the new girl to get to work, then hover around the table there and see if you can see anything up close, take the little man with you! Halfling, ummm I mean Kewyn, go start you set now please maybe that will add to the distraction of whats going on at table seven, something loud and bouncy! I'll be at the counting cage, can be to sure if this is another attempt at "my" ......ummmmm.... the Goblin's money. With that he hurries off to the counting cage.
At the door
Samaritha takes great interest in what is happening outside, even moving outside a little, a small writing tool and some paper appear out of no where and she scribbles notes down quickly, her focus now on what is going on outside, Charsis totally forgotten as he states "What kind of dark sorcery is this" as he continues to speak his words lost on the back of her head. Charsis turns to scan the room, remembering he as a job to do but of course he looks for Zee first but does not see her but does notice Vee moving to him in a hurried fashion.
Violant listens intently to Sauls directions and then heads to Charsis. Her business-like stride turns into a cat-like stalk halfway across the floor, and she puts her hand on Charsis as she stands up on a tip-toe with a giggle and whispers in his ear like a flirtatious serving-girl. Her tone is all professional, "There might be a cheater at table seven. Saul wants us to check it out, and if there is, to deal with the fool."
She then leans back and giggles again, as if she'd just shared a confidence, or juicy bit of gossip, and heads back towards the kitchen with a slow saunter, giving her plenty of time to scope out table seven for signs of cheating.
Zaranae strides out of the kitchen and combs the room with her eyes, looking for Saul. Glad to see him still healthy she makes her way over to him, noticing Vee passing a message to Charsis on her way.
She leans close to Saul, the second he is alone, speaking in a low tone, "Saul, you might wanna see this. You're in danger as we speak"
She hands him the note and watches his face as he reads.
Eyeing the blot suspiciously once more, Charsis nods to Violant and begins making his way up onto the catwalk over table seven. Looking down, he nods to himself and grins as he spies her sidling her way around the table to see if she can pick up anything.
He scans the table himself, but can't see anything out of the ordinary. "Of course it would probably help to have a knowledge of the game being played in the first place to attempt this kind of thing," he thinks to himself.
Perception Check. (1d20=5)
Kewyn steps up to the podium looks around the crowd imagine everyone naked then proceeds to play a rather catchy drinking song on her flute. She also sings the choruses in an attempt to inspire the crowd to do the same.
Upon looking over the scrap on the floor, Tvaliss simply states, "Well, it seems Zincher didn't take to kindly to our patron making his return to Riddleport."
Berggren puts the papers where he found them on the floor and makes his way back downstairs. There he finds the nearest person he saw in the kitchen and tells them what he found upstairs in the offices.
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Zee leaves the kitchen as Tvaliss simply states, "Well, it seems Zincher didn't take to kindly to our patron making his return to Riddleport." Her intent to find Saul and warn him quickly, she leaves Tvaliss behind who is still pondering the note as most elves do before acting. She scans the room to find Saul and sees he is in the counting cage area lost in his coins. The pressure to succeed weighs heavy on him as most of his time is checking and rechecking the money the goblin has earned. She whispers to him tha he might want to see this as she hands him the note from Zincher. She warns him he is in danger as he reads the note. Great, can this day get any worse! He shakes his head as he crumples the note and says, He will not scare me, I will succeed, I need to succeed! He says this more to himself than to Zee, he ponders leaving Zee to just stand there.
In the main room a sound of a flute begins to play to a small cheer from the gamblers. The tune is catchy and when she stops to sing the choruses the crowd joins in while the games continue. Kewyn seems to have hit upon the right tone for the Goblin, the crowd participating but still throwing their coins into play.
Berggren returns to the kitchen to find only the cooks and dishwashers left going about their duties. He also spots a well dress elf standing by the scullery entrance lost in thought....
Saul finally come out of his thoughts and tell Zee to go and check with the big fellow and Vee on what happening at table seven...
Vee follows Sauls directions and pretends to have a little playful chat with Charsis but in truth she passes the information about Table seven then leaves him to go about his duties all the while checking casually the table in question for signs of trouble but from her vantage point its hard to tell. She heads into the kitchen where she finds a dwarf looking at Tvaliss who seems to be lost in thought.....
The big man takes one last look outside the heads into the gambling hall to take care of any trouble theat seems to be brewing. he watches the table for a time but finds noting out of the ordinary but then again he knows nothing of gambling he chuckles to himself. It seems that both the dealer and the players use dice to play against each other. He does notice a small accountant type of a man watching the game intently also, this must be the man Vee whispered about a few minutes ago, maybe he can help.......
Kewyn continues to sing and play and begins to dance about near the door trying to lure in the random passerby.
Berggren returns to the kitchen to find only the cooks and dishwashers left going about their duties. He also spots a well dress elf standing by the scullery entrance lost in thought....
Confidently Berggren steps towards the towering elf. He clears his throat to not startle him. Excuse me sir. I was looking for the fellow dwarf working at the Gold Goblin and was sent upstairs to the offices. What I found there was quite disturbing and will want your attention most immediately. He then continues to explain exactly what he found upstairs in the hope of some quick action regarding the possible missing dwarf.
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The goblin is full of music as Kewyn continues to play and sing to the enjoyment of the crowd. The music escapes out the open double doors to the Gold Goblin and makes people pause for a moment to listen outside, even bringing in new folks who would never think of entering the gambling hall.
In the kitchen Berggren begins to tell Tvaliss about what he has found upstairs in the Goblin. The elf seems still lost in thought, to much has happen in so little time here in Riddleport, these are funny times. Berggren also notices while he is telling his findings a young lass he met before upon coming into the Goblin enter the kitchen on somekind of errand...
Charsis finally spies the little man Violant was talking about standing off to the side watching the game. He makes a note of his position and proceeds downstairs again to confront the man.
Striding up behind him so as not to raise an alarm, he places a hand on the little man's shoulder and says, "excuse me sir, but if you'd like to step this way, there is something that we need to discuss in private." He siganls to Violant to come over and help him if the man tries to argue.
Berggren waits for Tvaliss to respond to his story and keeps himself occupied by following the young lass in her way through the Gold Goblin.
Clifford looks up the big man : "Of course, happy to be of help. No need to frown so much !"
Going back to watching the floor Zaranae scans the room for anything overtly suspicious. She notices Charsis making his way over to an odd litlle man and speak to him in a manner designed not to draw attention.
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Charsis finally figures out who Vee was talking about and grabs Clifford for a little chat about whats going on here, whose cheating and the like. Zee takes up her original position to keep an eye on the floor of the goblin. Everybody seems to be having a great time as the music keeps playing, the food delivered and many drinks drunk! Zee notices Saul make his way to the Kitchen all of a sudden in a huff, or what looks to be mildly irritated by something. Kewyn also takes note of this and decides it time for a little break from her music. Now that she is employed here she should be able to get some food for her hard work!
Saul busts into the kitchen yelling, Larur, where the devil are you, the count is off!!! He halts though and cocks his head as he sees a dwarf in front of him standing next to Vee and Tvaliss staring off into the scullery for some reason. Looking at the dwarf he says, Vee, whose this, this is not Larur! I need him now the count is off!
Kewyn finishes her song and thanks the crowd telling them to remember to tip their waitresses. She wipes her brow stows her flute an heads into the kitchen to get some food as well as see what the huff is about. when she gets inside and hears Saul yell about the count she grabs some food and melts into the kitchen to watch but not be noticed.
At Saul's outburst, Violant starts and says, "I'm not sure who the," realizing he's standing right there, she avoids saying 'the dwarf' and says, "handsome fellow with the beard is, he was talking to Tvaliss. Would you like me to go find Larur?"
With a flourish unexpected from the stocky dwarf, Berggren turns to Saul. Ah, I believe you will find that the offices upstairs are ransacked, like I was telling my tall friend over here. Apparently that happens all the time, since he doesn't seem interested at all. The ranger waits a bit to let the news sink in with Saul. But allow me to introduce myself. I am Berggren Galt of clan Galt at Irem Hold in Caphiac Mountains. I came here to seek the very dwarf you now also search: Larur.