manchester ♔ gonna fall if you lead us nowhere

[allaboutme]

♬ We Sink - CHVRCHES

WHO || Cordelia, Alisha, Bambi, Kate, Phineas [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights continue to investigate a series of strange, deadly deliveries from the mysterious 'PTC'
WHERE || The Spider's Web / The Lagoon Club restaurant and nightclub
WHEN || April 11th [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.

Last April, a kindly book seller and purveyor of magical lore found himself the victim of an attack via mail when dangerous magical creatures were sent to his shop from the untraceable sender "PTC".  Since then, Wynn's been tracking the mail system, waiting for that name to pop up again, in case it might lead them to find out who was behind the first attack, and stop any other disasters from occurring.  Recently, something popped up on the radar, so the Knights have to find a way into the exclusive restaurant the Spider's Web in Manchester, or its attached nightclub The Lagoon Club.

Comments

[allaboutme]

[ "Why don't we discuss that over drinks? It seems the least I can do." ] I don't know. You could always introduce us to some of your celebrity friends.

[arrested]

[ Alisha will just... throw that chair down, and stand there looking a bit shell shocked. ]

Yeah well make it a double.

[killmypatience]

[There's a fond but slightly exasperated look in Cordelia's direction at the mention of celebrities, before nodding her agreement. She probably shouldn't be drinking on the job but they just fought a dragon. She could use one.]

A drink would be good.

[allaboutme]

[ as more security people make their way in, past the fleeing people who are going up the stairs and elevator, keerianinor gestures to one of them to fetch drinks, nodding at an intact table for them to come sit.

"I don't suppose it's too much to ask for the names of the people I owe my clients' lives to?" ]

Cordelia Chase. [ she offers with a little flip of her hair as she sits down. was that supposed to be secret???? w/e ]

[theshameofcain]

[Bambi looks to Cordy and then just shrugs.] I'm Bambi Dalton. Yes, two of your saviors are people named Bambi and Cordelia. It's a regular young adult bestseller in here.

[She slides into the seat beside Cordy.]

[thesleeper]

[So frustrated... He signals for a drink.]

Phineas Dantalion. Eagerly awaiting your explanation for the rampaging Dragon.

[killmypatience]

[She'll mostly take a seat, favoring the shoulder she was shot in still as she does.]

Kate Beckett.

[As long as they're not spouting out the organization they work for in full detail, real names shouldn't be that big an issue.]

[arrested]

[ She moves up and sits herself down, giving her hair a bit of a lift as she does. ]

Alisha. So you going to tell us what the fuck that was all about or are we supposed to just guess?

[allaboutme]

[ he spreads his hands, a gesture of innocence. "I'd tell you if I knew more. It seems one of my business associates saw fit to send it express, no doubt to interrupt my business here, and spread panic among my usual clientele." ]

[killmypatience]

[Kate watches him carefully but casually, paying careful attention to what he says as he speaks (sense motive 27).]

If you didn't order it, why did you open it?

[theshameofcain]

And do you know a guy named Broggon? Owns a bookstore in Oxford. Surprisingly generous with his First Editions.

[allaboutme]

[ he raises an eyebrow at kate, shaking his head at bambi's question. "I don't have much occasion to visit bookstores. But no, I didn't open it. It went down here with the other crates full of tov nectar, but I imagine the live dragon inside had other ideas. It got itself out." ] You said one of your business associates sent it? Funny way to do business. [ "Apparently, PTC was ready to end our arrangement. They could have picked a better way to say so." ]

[killmypatience]

What arrangement did you have with them exactly?

[Also "What is PTC?" but she figures she can infer the one question from the other.]

[allaboutme]

[ "The Trade Consortium provides me with the very hard to acquire tov nectar," keerianinor explains. "and I provide Estavan with a whole lot of money. Estavan's always been good to me, so I decided to stick with him while his company goes through some re-organization issues. My guess would be that Estavan's enemies are more persistent than I expected, but I still believe in staying loyal. Of course, I also have to do what's good for business. I'll give Estavan another few months to put an end to this situation. After that, I might have to re-evaluate my business dealings if he hasn't been able to stabilize the situation." ]

Is this Estavan the boss of the... Trade Whatever? [ he gives her an odd look. "He's the executive officer... for now, at least." ]

[killmypatience]

So do you think that whoever sent the dragon is one of Estavan's enemies, trying to take out his friends?

[It seems like a reasonable assumption to make.]

What kind of changes is his company going through?

[allaboutme]

[ "Some of the high-ranking partners of the Consortium have formed an alliance to try to wrest control away from him. Like you said, they're likely targeting those of us who they imagine will stay loyal to him." ]

By sending dragons to eat you? That's sort of taking corporate espionage to a new level.

[theshameofcain]

Is there any way we can talk to Estavan? [He feels like a guy with some missing pieces that can fill in the connections here.] PTC sent monsters to Broggon to prevent his work he was doing... At least that's what he thought. Maybe there's a connection here he might see.

[allaboutme]

[ "Estavan... isn't exactly from around here, if you know what I mean," the drow says, eyes glinting. "He's a man of his word though, and he's a very shrewd businessman. Of course, words can be very tricky things, so you might want to be careful when it comes to setting terms or making deals with him. He has a place out in the suburbs of London. It's a big house, with a lot of land and decent security. Whenever I go out there to discuss business, we always meet in his grand library. He uses it as an office of sorts, and he keeps a lot of his records there." ] Do you have, like, an address or something? As descriptive as 'house in the suburbs is', it might make it a little hard to pin down.

[ he shakes his head. "While I appreciate what you've done for me here, Estavan is a man who values his privacy and I'm not entirely convinced that he couldn't trace a leak in disclosing his location back to me, whether you intended to tell him or not. I've given you something to work with, if you're so intent on seeing him." ]

[killmypatience]

[Kate is taking notes on her phone, and while she knows that's not that specific it's at least something, and maybe something the Hoard can do something with. But just in case they can't, it might be worth it to try and persuade the drow to take another point in their favor (diplomacy 15).]

I'm not sure it would be taken any better if we were to show up unannounced, either. Is there any chance you might be able to call ahead and see if he'll see us? We did save you from a dragon - that might be enough to garner some good will, especially if they intend to go after him next.

[allaboutme]

[ "No offense, but I'm not sure who you people are. Private investigators?" ]

We help people. It sounds like he needs help. [ diplomacy 35??? the drow looks her over, with some clear appreciation, and leans back, steepling his fingers together.

"I can try. But I'm not sure he's going to trust anyone right now, even people I send his way." ]

[theshameofcain]

You could tell him we're a bunch of hot chicks.

[She glances at Phineas.] And... Phineas.

[killmypatience]

[Kate smirks a bit at that.]

I'm for whatever works at this point, but I've already been shot by one of your guys once today. I'd rather not have more bullets aimed at me by his security.

[allaboutme]

[ "Understandable, and for that I certainly apologize. My men mistook your intentions here. But you must understand that Estavan might wish to handle these matters internally. I'm not certain that he's interested in hiring outsiders to take care of his affairs." ]

Cuz he's doing a great job already on his own.

[theshameofcain]

If we mount the dragon's head and mail it to him, d'you think that would send a message about what stone-cold badasses we are?

Hypothetically. I'm just spitballing here.

[killmypatience]

I think this has gotten beyond the point where he can "handle matters internally." That dragon could have slaughtered a club full of innocent people. Should we wait until PTC actually follows through and causes a massacre?

[Kate raises an eyebrow as she leans back in her seat and crosses her arms in front of her chest (diplomacy 21).]

How long before he starts to look culpable? Whether it's because he tried to handle it internally and failed or because PTC manages to make it look like he's the one responsible for all of this? Do you really want to be associated with a guy who's got blood on his hands in the public eye, whether it's true or not?

If you can convince him to let us handle this externally, he doesn't have to be associated with it at all. A rogue element of his organization, and his hands are clean. We handled Oxford and the situation here. We're not doing this for the glory. We just want this done.