As the sun rises over Duneville, a tumbleweed blows across the street. Music and shouts arise from the pub. A man in a brown coat and a grey vest walks up to you. If yall are here to cause trouble, then you've come to the wrong town. He says.
"You're mistaken sir, we don't make trouble. Now if trouble were to seek us that's a different story."
"Where might my friends here find a woman for hire? The road has been long and I like to make sure my companions needs are tended."
The last statement was a lie, she wants to know where the brothel is for herself.
The Aasimar glanced at the man and smiles slightly. He glanced at the man's chest and arm, looking for any sign the gentleman was part of local law enforcement - a deputy, sherrif, townguard or whatever they had here. "No problem there. As my friends says, we don't make trouble. Solve it, sometimes. Get rid of it. But we don't make it ourselves."
Never have to, he thought dryly. It always finds me sooner or later.
Out loud he asked, "Might I ask what's been happening around town?"
Well we sure have a lot o happenins... happenin. The man chuckles. As for your companions, you'd have to travel up to Sandhaven for that.
"I'm sure the ladies can wait," Nathaniel replied in dry amusement. He had no real needs to go about himself, really. He no objection to such things, so long as the ladies and gentleman were there of their own volition and not kept against their will. But he preferred a more emotional connection to simply satisfying his basic lusts. And...frankly, it didn't seem worth the energy or coin.
"What's been happening? Anything we should be keeping an eye out for?" The Paladin was a little more interested in whatever problems there were. Probably the usual - local feuds, a little banditry and such. Nothing too major. But you never knew until you asked.
It's that sort of dismissive thinking that results in lead based misunderstandings, the ladies can wait indeed.
Yes stranger, what should we keep an eye your for?
"A gold if he says bandit trouble." Katheryn said as she leaned closer to her friends. Then looks right to Grace and almost in a whisper "An addition gold in the paladin volunteers as for the problem without hearing everything." She looked up to see if Nathaniel was actually listening, if so she offers him a playful smile as she says "Love you my friend." in a playful tone.
Oh we'll let her win the bet a couple gold hardly means anything...
You're on, both counts. Double to me if he says there's a corrupt lawman
[ooc]If Nathaniel looks annoyed Grace will lick her eye again which can be a nervious tick.
Well there's Roger Sharpspeare. The man starts.
Sounds like a John's name to me. What kind of trouble is Mr Sharpspeare?
"Two gold each if there's a damsel in distress and I hear the whole story." He glanced at the other two in amusement. At least the others knew what to expect from him, but some things one simply had to do. And sometimes that called for swift action.
Still. He was pretty sure he'd always listened to what they were told. Now, whether the person telling them actually gave them all the information...well, he couldn't be faulted for that.
"Or is he a corrupt lawman?" Katheryn asked with a small smirk.
Though when Nathaniel put his two cents in Katheryn couldn't help but grin. "Oh be still my heart." She joked as she placed her right hand over her heart. "Straight laced yet he gambles."
Sharpspeare is a bandit lord, as bad as they come.
"You don't say... go on"
Katheryn almost shouted triumphantly. "Pay up my dashing paladin." She told Nathaniel as she held out her hand. "It's always bandits." She told the man before them with a wink. "What do you have on this, so called bandit lord?"
She took Grace's coin silently and slipped it into her coin pouch.
Nathaniel shrugged. "Win some, lose some." He fished out the gold and passed it over. Such was the way of gambling. He'd never seen it as a sin, as some did - irresponsible gambling was a different matter, but Nathaniel had enough coin to hand that a gold here or there wouldn't harm him.
Besides, if there was a damsel he'd get two gold each.
Robs shipments of pricey goods. He tends to go after rare metals, but also sometimes spices and weapons. He robs at random. Sometimes, gold shipments will meet no resistance for weeks. Just as we let our guard down, he strikes. He knows us better than we know us!
"Sounds like you have someone feeding the gentleman in question information in town," Nathaniel said slowly, "Which means either someone is greedy for their share of the gold, or someone has a loved one in peril. Does someone have too much money, perhaps recently come into an 'inheritance' or such? And is anyone keeping everyone away from a loved one, perhaps saying there ill or visiting relatives?"
"Or maybe Roger has a little thing here in town." Katheryn said. "Trust me, people do crazy things for those they love. Even if they don't get any love back." She mention as she crossed her arms. "Also anyone whose store or home almost never seems to be broken into would also be a good place to start."
"Sounds like the right kind of place for us to me
Well there is the Pickled Pub, and the Half-blood Hat Shop.
Nathaniel gave the man a slightly odd look - there was an awful lot of information he'd asked for missing in that response - but nodded anyway. If the man could not or would not provide it, then they would find another who would. "The Pickled Pub sounds like a cold drink and meal might be available," he said, looking over at the others. It seemed like a good place to start asking questions.
"You know me, I'm always up for a pint or two." Katheryn said with a wink. "Grace, want to try and out drink me?" She asked, and arrogant smirk on her lips.
Oh Kat, you know you're size gives you the advantage there. A pint for me is like 5 for you. But if you want to go 5 to my 1 then yes I'll drink you under the table
Katheryn laughed, shaking her head. "More like a 1 to 3 Grace dear. But I will go along with the 1 to 3. That's only fair." She smirked before she looked to Nathaniel. "Want in on this? I'll admit, I'm curious as to what you're like drunk."
Nathaniel smiled slightly. "Many have wondered that, yes. Few have seen it." Of course, that was because Nathaniel stopped before getting drunk...while it was no sin to drink, even to excess, leaving yourself unable to help when needed was frowned upon.
You two are actually pretty evenly matched...
The man leads the way towards the loud pub. Be careful in there... he says. Never know oo' you might meet.
"I'll see it one day my paladin!" Katheryn told Nathaniel with a wink.
"Oh honey that just makes it all the more fun." Katheryn smiled to the man, before she pulled her two friends along to the pub. Once at the door she pushed it with flare, a smile upon her face. "Ah, good to be home." She commented playfully. She then stepped into the pub and headed to the bar. "Whisky please!" She said cheerfully.
"All is possible, given enough time," Nathaniel agreed. Sort of.
As they entered he glanced around the bar, taking in the patrons and the mood as best he could.
Grace starts weaving a string of tall tales to amuse the bar patrons and distract them for Katheryn to do her thing.
So then I told him if yer gonna bring yer wolf in da room we're gonna have ta charge for 'im too
Also looking around at who's listening and who's not trying to find anyone fo interest.
Most people in the bar look towards you when you enter. They quickly return to their conversations.
A bandit on a throne. Maybe he looks taller sitting down. Nathaniel tried not to be too obvious about listening in, in case anyone said anything else, but it looked like they'd have to wring the tale teller out before he'd have much else to say.
"Well, yes, you'd have to charge extra for the animal companion. Especially if it was Awakened." And this was a disturbing conversation too.
Moving up to the bar, he laid a hand on the counter. "A bottle of whisky, as the lady asked for, and three shot glasses to drink it from. I'm also looking for lodging and food if any are to be had."
"Aw are you buying the drinks Nathaniel? Should I go reading into this?" Katheryn asked with a playful smile as she nudged him with her elbow. "Three, rooms if you have them!" She added along to Nathaniel request.
"Looks like we have some interested parties, over in the corner. Should we saunter over and say hi?
Katheryn did a quick glance of the whole saloon, getting a chance to see what Grace was talking about before she whispered back "Not yet, mainly because I want my whisky first." She said with a wink.
"You should probably read I'm more generous with coin than I likely should be," Nathaniel said, glancing over into the corner. "But everyone likes the odd drink."
The bartender brings the drinks and the glasses. That'll be 8 gold pieces he declares.
Nathaniel raised an eyebrow at the price - it was better than most places, and he wondered if this would qualify as whisky or paint stripper - but tapped a platinum piece onto the bar top. "And can you speak on food or lodgings?"
Lodging is 5 silvers a night for a single room. Prices are non-negotiable.
Placing another platinum on the counter, Nathaniel smiled. "Three rooms for five days. And some food, please. Cold cuts, cheese, fruit and bread will be fine if they're fresh."
"Paying for everything aren't you handsome." Katheryn said with a smile as she poured each of them a glass. "Tell me sir, what is up with those in the corner?" She asked.
The man glances at them and then leans forward. Don't know, he says in a hushed tone. They refuse to buy anything but pay good money for their privacy. I want 'em out. Bad for my mojo, if you catch my drift.
"Hmmm, if you wish we could... escort them out." Katheryn said before she took a drink of her whisky. "Shouldn't be too difficult." She smirk as she glanced to her two friends.
"We can work in trade for room and provision"
"Have you asked them to leave? And if not, would you like us to do so?" Nathaniel wasn't so quick to start throwing people out, but if they were ignoring the owner's instructions and not helping his business...
Sorry I haven't been posting. I am super busy and will have to put everything on hold till August 7th.
The bartender smiles. You can do with em as you wish. I don't give a rattlesnake's toungue. But let's just say that if some unnamed heroes did escort them out, I would be - as a decent, upstanding citizen - obliged to pay them back.
Nathaniel sipped his drink and looked to the others. "Shall we at least try and resolve this without violence?"
"Oh we can try, it won't work, but we can try." Katheryn said with a smirk on her face.