If there's nothing more from anyone to be said, the party will make their way to an inn in Old Reach; the accommodations are comfortable and affordable from their bartering even without Sen's assistance (which he will lend, anyhow.)
[d4 roll: 4]
There are four rooms available, located on the second floor of the inn. Faolan immediately vanishes into his after inquiring about where one might find a place to bathe and learning of a bathhouse (although the fluttering, giggling innkeeper insists she'll have a basin and ewer brought up for him.)
[note: Dima is unintentionally scowling a the innkeeper.]
Sen remains down in the portion of the inn that serves as a tavern and small pub, regaling patrons with stories that have them laughing uproariously and paying no attention to Rin's doings.
Should Rin be doing doings.
<.>
Oh Rin is absolUTEly doing doings! And taking pauses here and there to watch Sen very excited and enjoying; Rin is learning that Sen is a fantastic performer!
[d100 roll: 27
dm: During their pickpocketing exploits, Rin finds 2gp, 3 sp, and a shard of obsidian that always feels warm to the touch. It could be useful in colder climates!]
Rin will be very excited to show Sen, all will giVe him the obsidian. Null gesture of affection!
<.>
Well! He will keep it safely in his pocket until he can find some way of wearing it!!
[note: Rin thinks it will look very good on him!]
Annnd -
As night starts to fall, the two thieves make their way to High Town to meet with Calabra at the Lion and Boar.
Sen has managed to clean himself up enough to look respectable, and has asked Rin to stealth nearby and just keep an eye on the situation, see if they see anything that Sen misses while locked in the business of conversing.
They can, of course, Message him with any questions they have.
Sen waits until Rin has stealthed (no need for a roll) before entering the tavern; he informs the burly guard at the door that his presence was requested by Calabra's manservant, at which point the aggressive demeanor of the guard changes, and he is ushered in to a private dining area. Calabra sits at a table with service for twelve, but dines alone. Behind him, a line of servants stand at attention, each of them stepping forward to perform a specific task: clearing a plate, pouring wine, taking a message, fetching a new dish.
Upon seeing Sen, he points to the chair nearest him and instructs, "Sit."
Sen's expression doesn't falter, but he will be relegating entire taverns for the rest of his life with this tale.
He sits and says, "Your manservant had an interesting request of me and my companions this afternoon, Lord - is it 'Lord'?"
"It is to you." Calabra barely pauses between bites to say as much. Sen's eyes flicker upward as though to examine the room, the servants (search for Rin, Message Rin not to take the bait.)
<.>
Rin will only take the bait far enough to Message Sen: [ W o w. ]
<.>
"It was a strange request, as I said - he suggested you -"
Calabra sets down his fork and knife, hands lingering on each before drawing back and folding one atop the other. "If you and your 'companions' are venturing into the Nightmare Market, I would hire you."
Sen can't help it. [ At least he gets straight to the point. Loves his money but not the sound of his own voice. Like some. ]
(Himself. He means himself.)
<.>
Rin: [ Yeah, but his voice is kind of garbage. Unlike some. ]
<.>
"There was an incident. Unfortunate, unpleasant," Calabra begins, then sighs, seeming to drop some of his authoritative air. "An assassination attempt. The guard you passed at the door dispatched the man, but he was nothing more than a hired murderer."
Sen's brow furrows and he begins to interrupt, then thinks better of it. [ I can't wait to hear where the garbage is GOING with this. ]
<.>
Rin: [ ’Nothing more' than a hired murderer. ] It's clear from their Message that they're rolling their eyes.
<.>
"I sought the services of a diviner, who saw the scoundrel's soul lingering with this - *Nightmare Market*. So. I'll pay well for anyone bold enough to venture to there and learn the identity of the party who hired them."
Sen purses his lips to keep from chuckling at Rin. [ Not much of a hired anything, truly, if he failed to do the murdering part. ]
To Calabra, he asks, "How can you be certain of any of this? Your augury, my honesty on return, the very existence of the market?"
Calabra leans back in his chair and studies Sen. Calmly, he replies, "The spirit will tell you how it was killed. If there is no market and you speak truly of it, I will know the augury lied. If there is no market and you attempt to deceive me -"
[note: Rin is frowning intensely right now. >:c]
"Ah. I see. Something of a guarantee for you." Sen is - well. Only a little impressed. But it's more than he expected.
"You are smarter than first appearances suggest."
"My mother often said so." Sen breathes heavily, thoughtfully, then inclines his head. "All right. Will I find you here after I've found a mythical undead market and learned the secret of who could *possibly* want you dead? Yes. Excellent."
<.>
Rin: [ I'm gonna drop a lamp on his head. ]
They aren't. But they'd like to.
<.>
[ There might be a queue for that sort of thing. ]
With that, he rises as Calabra motions with one hand - to have a guard stalk Sen out of the dining room. Once he's been manhandled out into the street, he tsks and announces to no one (Rin), "Well, that was somewhat extreme."
[dm: Any checks Rin would have cared to make through that?
rin would've wanted to check mmm -calabra's honesty wrt whether the assassination attempt happened -calabra's honesty wrt hiring a diviner -the tone with which calabra said the smarter than first appearances suggest line -taken as close a look at the guard who supposedly dispatched the murderer -if the guard who escorted sen out was a different guard, they would've taken a closer look at thiS guard also -also what was calabra eating they're curious! :o! and if rin can, they would've lingered around a few minutes after sen was escorted out. just to see what's up. and would’ve messaged sen to say so.
INS: 22
dm: Calabra was eating something clearly exotic in the vein of eating flamingo tongues or monkey brains.
Calabra seemed convinced of the truth of his words. And in fact did not seem to be dishonest at any point during the conversation. Including his comment about Sen's looks, though that was clearly insulting.
The guard at the door was the same one who escorted Sen out; he stands about an inch taller than Sen and might be either a Barbarian or have some orc blood somewhere in his family tree. He looks smarter than he is. He likewise looks very capable of handling an assortment of weapons, so there's no guessing how he might have killed the assassin.
Hanging a bit behind, Rin would have witnessed Calabra shake his head and then continue to eat. Clearly, he isn't interested in conversing with his staff, because the room is silent until Rin departs.]
Sen will be waiting for Rin across the road, possibly juggling rolls for a pair of children who happened to pass by.
Rolls he stole from the table.
[dm: which was the only check he passed.]
When Rin joins him, he'll pass one of the rolls to them.
no subject
[d4 roll: 4]
There are four rooms available, located on the second floor of the inn. Faolan immediately vanishes into his after inquiring about where one might find a place to bathe and learning of a bathhouse (although the fluttering, giggling innkeeper insists she'll have a basin and ewer brought up for him.)
[note: Dima is unintentionally scowling a the innkeeper.]
Sen remains down in the portion of the inn that serves as a tavern and small pub, regaling patrons with stories that have them laughing uproariously and paying no attention to Rin's doings.
Should Rin be doing doings.
<.>
Oh Rin is absolUTEly doing doings! And taking pauses here and there to watch Sen very excited and enjoying; Rin is learning that Sen is a fantastic performer!
[d100 roll: 27
dm: During their pickpocketing exploits, Rin finds 2gp, 3 sp, and a shard of obsidian that always feels warm to the touch. It could be useful in colder climates!]
Rin will be very excited to show Sen, all will giVe him the obsidian. Null gesture of affection!
<.>
Well! He will keep it safely in his pocket until he can find some way of wearing it!!
[note: Rin thinks it will look very good on him!]
Annnd -
As night starts to fall, the two thieves make their way to High Town to meet with Calabra at the Lion and Boar.
Sen has managed to clean himself up enough to look respectable, and has asked Rin to stealth nearby and just keep an eye on the situation, see if they see anything that Sen misses while locked in the business of conversing.
They can, of course, Message him with any questions they have.
Sen waits until Rin has stealthed (no need for a roll) before entering the tavern; he informs the burly guard at the door that his presence was requested by Calabra's manservant, at which point the aggressive demeanor of the guard changes, and he is ushered in to a private dining area. Calabra sits at a table with service for twelve, but dines alone. Behind him, a line of servants stand at attention, each of them stepping forward to perform a specific task: clearing a plate, pouring wine, taking a message, fetching a new dish.
Upon seeing Sen, he points to the chair nearest him and instructs, "Sit."
Sen's expression doesn't falter, but he will be relegating entire taverns for the rest of his life with this tale.
He sits and says, "Your manservant had an interesting request of me and my companions this afternoon, Lord - is it 'Lord'?"
"It is to you." Calabra barely pauses between bites to say as much. Sen's eyes flicker upward as though to examine the room, the servants (search for Rin, Message Rin not to take the bait.)
<.>
Rin will only take the bait far enough to Message Sen: [ W o w. ]
<.>
"It was a strange request, as I said - he suggested you -"
Calabra sets down his fork and knife, hands lingering on each before drawing back and folding one atop the other. "If you and your 'companions' are venturing into the Nightmare Market, I would hire you."
Sen can't help it. [ At least he gets straight to the point. Loves his money but not the sound of his own voice. Like some. ]
(Himself. He means himself.)
<.>
Rin: [ Yeah, but his voice is kind of garbage. Unlike some. ]
<.>
"There was an incident. Unfortunate, unpleasant," Calabra begins, then sighs, seeming to drop some of his authoritative air. "An assassination attempt. The guard you passed at the door dispatched the man, but he was nothing more than a hired murderer."
Sen's brow furrows and he begins to interrupt, then thinks better of it. [ I can't wait to hear where the garbage is GOING with this. ]
<.>
Rin: [ ’Nothing more' than a hired murderer. ] It's clear from their Message that they're rolling their eyes.
<.>
"I sought the services of a diviner, who saw the scoundrel's soul lingering with this - *Nightmare Market*. So. I'll pay well for anyone bold enough to venture to there and learn the identity of the party who hired them."
Sen purses his lips to keep from chuckling at Rin. [ Not much of a hired anything, truly, if he failed to do the murdering part. ]
To Calabra, he asks, "How can you be certain of any of this? Your augury, my honesty on return, the very existence of the market?"
Calabra leans back in his chair and studies Sen. Calmly, he replies, "The spirit will tell you how it was killed. If there is no market and you speak truly of it, I will know the augury lied. If there is no market and you attempt to deceive me -"
[note: Rin is frowning intensely right now. >:c]
"Ah. I see. Something of a guarantee for you." Sen is - well. Only a little impressed. But it's more than he expected.
"You are smarter than first appearances suggest."
"My mother often said so." Sen breathes heavily, thoughtfully, then inclines his head. "All right. Will I find you here after I've found a mythical undead market and learned the secret of who could *possibly* want you dead? Yes. Excellent."
<.>
Rin: [ I'm gonna drop a lamp on his head. ]
They aren't. But they'd like to.
<.>
[ There might be a queue for that sort of thing. ]
With that, he rises as Calabra motions with one hand - to have a guard stalk Sen out of the dining room. Once he's been manhandled out into the street, he tsks and announces to no one (Rin), "Well, that was somewhat extreme."
[dm: Any checks Rin would have cared to make through that?
rin would've wanted to check mmm
-calabra's honesty wrt whether the assassination attempt happened
-calabra's honesty wrt hiring a diviner
-the tone with which calabra said the smarter than first appearances suggest line
-taken as close a look at the guard who supposedly dispatched the murderer
-if the guard who escorted sen out was a different guard, they would've taken a closer look at thiS guard also
-also what was calabra eating they're curious! :o!
and if rin can, they would've lingered around a few minutes after sen was escorted out. just to see what's up. and would’ve messaged sen to say so.
INS: 22
dm: Calabra was eating something clearly exotic in the vein of eating flamingo tongues or monkey brains.
Calabra seemed convinced of the truth of his words. And in fact did not seem to be dishonest at any point during the conversation. Including his comment about Sen's looks, though that was clearly insulting.
The guard at the door was the same one who escorted Sen out; he stands about an inch taller than Sen and might be either a Barbarian or have some orc blood somewhere in his family tree. He looks smarter than he is. He likewise looks very capable of handling an assortment of weapons, so there's no guessing how he might have killed the assassin.
Hanging a bit behind, Rin would have witnessed Calabra shake his head and then continue to eat. Clearly, he isn't interested in conversing with his staff, because the room is silent until Rin departs.]
Sen will be waiting for Rin across the road, possibly juggling rolls for a pair of children who happened to pass by.
Rolls he stole from the table.
[dm: which was the only check he passed.]
When Rin joins him, he'll pass one of the rolls to them.
<.>