tobago ♔ the key is our vice

[everyredcent]

WHO || Thoster, Christos, Aedan, Penelope, Hook
WHAT || The Knights follow a lead on potential Slovechnian slaves
WHERE || The Devil's Fire Tavern, Tobago
WHEN || May 22nd  [forward dated]
HOW || Actionspam

The tavern the Knights have been sent to is located on the impoverished lower west side of the city. It derives its name - The "Devil's Fire Tavern" - from a red glow that magically escapes the tavern's windows after the sun goes down, an ornament added by the current proprietor. The inside of the place is inhospitable, to say the least. The floor is made of irregular stone tiles that are covered by a damp sludge of ash and mud, and the rarely used fireplace reeks of some unknown substance. The furniture is old, but serviceable. Still, they serves good ale for a fair price, has an irregular supply of local and exotic wines and other delicacies, and serves up a cheap ploughman's lunch to nearby workers.

The clientele seems mostly composed of beggars lucky enough to have money to spare; dockworkers avoiding their wives after a day's work, and representatives of the city's various criminal elements. A cook and serving girl are visible, and there are a few open tables scattered about. Christos, glad to be off the sunny streets and in a locale that feels much more familiar to him, heads towards one in a corner immediately.

Comments

[ex_noble101]

[Aedan is too busy putting his card away to hear shit (Listen 8). :(]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster twists his face up in mock rage and goes to punch Hook!! (attack 19, damage 5 but its nonlethal bc he doesn't actually use his fists for real weapons womp womp).]

I'll gut you, you bastard. [REALLY PLAYING THIS UP RN (bluff 30). Also trying to glance towards the others to see if they are actually even moving or getting anywhere.]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope nods to aedan and christos, agreeing with the 'potential buyer' idea. she's not really one for lying, but when it comes to helping free slaves, she doesn't feel the least bit bad about it.

she pushes her chair back, motioning for aedan to follow. ] Perhaps if we're able to distract both Corwyn and his guards, some of us could sneak back through that door and see what's inside.

[everyredcent]

[ christos nods. ] I'll try to get the door open when they're not looking.

[righteousmight]

[ sounds great, christos. she looks to aedan like 'u ready for dis?' and waits for him to follow before approaching corwyn's table, hand on the hilt of her sword at her hip. she means business, yo. ]

[everyredcent]

[ don't fuck this up, aedan. says christos' last look at him.



corwyn looks up as she gets closer, eyes going to the sword and her hand on it.

"That's a mighty threatening gesture, girl," he says, heavily accented. "Do I owe you some money?" ]

[ex_noble101]

[Wow, no pressure guys. Thanks. (pokerface) Aedan moves over to Corwyn's table with Penelope, who is already making a lovely first impression...]

We were thinking it might be the other way around, assuming you're interested in talking business. [Look at this smooth criminal over here with his 19 bluff.]

[everyredcent]

[ "Well, now," he relaxes instantly, rubbing his hands together, "that is something else entirely, yes." ]

[righteousmight]

[ she just wanted to make a strong approach and show they weren't to be trifled with. they are dealing with criminals here, it's not like they're going to be offended 8| ] We were told you were the man to talk to if we were to get things done as quickly as possible. [ bluff crit fail nope. action point! bluff 19 as well ]

[everyredcent]

[ sneaky sneaky mcsneakerson over here aww yis

"Quickly, yes, we pride ourselves on speed of service. And what are you interested in, beautiful lady?" ]

[righteousmight]

I'm traveling with quite a heavy load of goods and require some hardy assistance on my journeys. [ she motions to aedan and his incredibly pretty self ] He's a favorable companion, but I'd prefer his attention were focused elsewhere, and not worried with the condition of our equipment.

[ex_noble101]

[Well, that was certainly one approach they could take. Aedan doesn't even have to lie to sell this shit ok. He is thoroughly amused with the sort of attention he assumes that she's referring to--especially after she'd chastised the entire group for ordering drinks earlier. It was probably the last thing he expected to hear.]

What she said.

[everyredcent]

[ "Ahh, you're looking for workers, I see. Strong laborers, good backs." a serving girl brings him a drink and he gives her a wink and pat on the ass. he rubs at his eyes as he turns back to them and a spot check of 15+ can see that he has circles under them as if he hasn't been sleeping well. "Is that so?" ]

[ex_noble101]

Among other things. [Look they are supposed to be sleazy as fuck, and hiring workers isn't exactly a crime. Or maybe it is, but it wasn't where he came from ok.

But they're trying to seem legit, so he slips an arm around Penelope's waist and leans in close to whisper--though not so quietly that their friend here can't hear him.]

Consider it a birthday gift. [Bluff 15.]

[unhand]

[Meanwhile as much fun as Hook's having being the distraction, he'd like to be able to escape the bar fight sooner or later.]

I'LL BLOODY KILL YOU, YOU-- [He breaks off with a unintelligible shout and feints towards Thoster (bluff 29), at the last moment making it look like a stumble that takes him hurtling towards an innocent bystander drinking behind him (atk... 9). Hopefully it's enough to get the fight to start spreading.]

[everyredcent]

[ hook crashes into the guy's table upending it, and he gets up, covered in beer, looking outraged. "Why you--" except he mistakes who it was that ran into him somehow with his wisdom check of 2 and punches... one of the guards.

which is good, because corwyn is giving aedan a look like SOMETHING SMELLS FISHY HERE, but he's distracted from whatever he was about to say by the bar fight that suddenly erupts behind them. "Hey! Not in my bar!" he moves to get up as a mug goes flying through the air and crashes into the wall beside them, and he hesitates, unsure who to address, before he finally says: "Just, er, wait here a sec" and charges off into the fray that's taking off everywhere.

meanwhile, christos has slipped through that door and left it slightly ajar. ]

[bluffcheck]

[Well, if everyone is going to start fighting, then that means that Thoster doesn't need to go after Hook alone, now does he? He throws a punch at the nearest person and gets a nat 20 which is hilarious okay. Maybe it was even Corwyn since he's diving in... WE JUST DON'T KNOW. But yeah, there's 7 non lethal damage to the face. Woo!]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope notices the door ajar and looks to aedan as she's gently wriggling out of his embrace ] Should we wait, or follow? [ and she gestures with a nod toward where christos made his exit ]

[ex_noble101]

I don't see what we'll accomplish standing out here. Besides, he seems to have enough to deal with at the moment. [Since Corwyn may or may not have just been decked in the face. Aedan and Penelope are likely the last thing on his mind. Maybe it will look legit if the ruckus caused them to reconsider doing business here. He is honestly not thinking it through that far.]

After you. [Because I don't know if they need to roll to get inside the door without being seen even with all the commotion in the bar.]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope's going to at least attempt to go unnoticed toward the door, but she's wearing full armor, so it might be quite the feat (move silently 14). she glances behind her once or twice to make they haven't drawn unwanted attention, but most of the bar should be otherwise preoccupied.

oh right, their comrades. i guess, make a spot check hook and thoster to see if she can catch your attention. ]

[unhand]

[Yeah, Hook crit failed his spot check so I guess he's looking around blankly and wondering where they've gone. But hey, some asshole's getting an atk 16 punch to the face for 3 whole dmg!]

[bluffcheck]

[Thoster got a spot of 16 which seems like enough to see Penelope. He'll work his way through the crowd to grab Hook and gesture towards the back.]

Time to go, ya bastard. [He grins. That was too much fun.]

[ex_noble101]

[Aedan got a 24 move silently to follow after Penelope, but shit is pretty chaotic in here at this point so it probably doesn't even matter. Whatever they're in. Yolo.]

[everyredcent]

[ yep, corwyn got socked in the face, and is, for the moment angrily embroiled in the brawl himself.

for those who make their way into the backroom after christos, they find themselves in a small storeroom, about fifteen feet by twenty. various empty barrels are stored here, while full ones are slid into the wall for serving on the other side. a small filled keg sits atop an empty ale barrel. there's a chest up against the wall just to the left of the door.

a ladder leans against the wall opposite the doorframe, leading up to some kind of loft. christos is looking in the chest when they come in, which appears to hold a pair of battleaxes, two short swords, a light mace, and a rifle. ]

[righteousmight]

[ penelope shows little interest in the chest's containment, as she has everything she needs on her person. instead, she makes her way to the ladder, and it looks like the only way out of this storeroom is up.

she tests the strength of the ladder for good measure, bouncing her weight on the bottom rung once or twice. she turns back to the boys, and says quietly: ] Shall we?