(Adventure) A Tidy Profit... [Judge: Uriel]

[orsal]

in Jo Guilan's mind

"Eh? And what is it that you didn't do, if I may ask?" Atella glances around, realizing he's talking to wanted men.

Jo had been contemplating the same question. Are these people really criminals? He had hesitated to ask, because it seemed a little brazen, but he was curious. Before he could make up his mind whether to let it by, Atella had made up his mind for him.

But the question must have been threatening to the humans -- they've now started whispering. We must say something to reassure them, the half-human thinks. And really, it's none of our business whether they did anything or not. We're not the City Watch, and Jo for one isn't in a hurry to get entangled in this.

"No", he finally says, hoping to ease the tension. "You're right. It doesn't really matter. Not sure there's any point sticking around. Shall we head on?"

Meanwhile Haisi has taken off, obviously ready to leave the dockyards as soon as his companion is. Jo, however, doesn't want to leave until he's sure things are OK. If the humans, who judging by their size are probably fairly strong, attack, Jo isn't going to desert his friends. Unless he really feels Atella has provoked them...

 

[neoweasel]

Gurian looks over at D'Artagnan and says, loud enough to be heard on the dock, "I think that we should try to get them to help us. We know Patch, Muscles, and Shorty are up to no good. We know they were willing to murder a man to find what we're looking for and try to pin it on us. Apparently unsuccessfully since they returned Kristoff's sword. And, most importantly, we know we can't beat the three of them by ourselves. Whatever they're looking for is probably valuable. To be honest, I'm pissed off enough at them to get whatever they're looking for, just to keep it out of their hands."

 

[The Goblin King]

The little Goblin ponders. He says sincerely, "Do forgive me. Its my first time skulking. You see I am new to all this. We certainly do not wish to impose. But if you are truely innocent then it would be more of a crime to be punished for something you didn't do. I would be happy to help you clear your name."

 

[neoweasel]

Gurian grins and glances towards D'Artagnon.

"I can't speak for my companion, but I'd be grateful to have the lot of you. Especially if you have access to magic. When I was in the Reavers, we had a term for missions undertaken without magical support. Failures."

He does a double take at Zhangsun, then asks "Wait. Are you a goblin?"

 

[The Goblin King]

He bows, "Yes, sir. I am also a cleric of Shural." Nodding towards Jo, "He is a priest of the wilderness. I too can not speak for my companions but I will lend my gods power to your cause."

 

[orsal]

He bows, "Yes, sir. I am also a cleric of Shural." Nodding towards Jo, "He is a priest of the wilderness. I too can not speak for my companions but I will lend my gods power to your cause."

Jo Guilan gives Zhangsun a strange look. What was he getting himself into? In the tavern he had struck Jo as rather wiser than he now shows himself. He had mentioned only recently leaving his temple; perhaps he has lived too cloistered a life to develop a healthy suspicion. Jo contemplates taking the goblin aside, possibly with Atella, to discuss the matter, but realizes that it was precisely the humans' whispering that had made him uncomfortable. Not wishing to provoke suspicion or hostility, he decides to speak openly, choosing his words carefully in the hope of not giving offense, although there is no way to say what he feels needs to be said without taking that risk. He deliberately addresses himself to the friendlier human, the one leaning on the polearm, in the hope that he'd be more receptive to reason:

"Good sir, I hope I do not offend you when I point out that we know nothing of your situation, your needs, your suspected offence, your activity on this ship, even your identities. Your friend has suggested it is of no concern to us, and I will not argue with that. Perhaps you are indeed innocent, in which case I wish you the best in your effort to clear your names. Perhaps you are in fact guilty as charged, in which case your invitation is to become a partner in crime.

"You of course know the truth, but we do not. That is quite fair. We are neither judges nor watchmen; it is not our job to determine whether your purpose is legitimate. But by the same token it would not seem reasonable for us to join you with no idea what we are joining. I hope you can recognize this. We have introduced ourselves, and explained to you the purpose which brought us here. You have neither introduced yourselves nor given more than a cryptic explanation of your purpose. That is fine with me; it is not my concern, nor that of my friends here, if you do not choose to make it our concern, and I should leave you to your business while resuming mine."

Then he turns to Zhangsun and continues, still within everybody's hearing range: "My friend, of course I speak only for myself; if you wish to join these humans, that is up to you too. But I hope you realize the danger you could get yourself into if you too hastily join up with two strangers. You do not know of what crime they are suspected, or whether they are indeed innocent, or what they hope to achieve on this ship, or what they want you to do if you join up with them, or even who they are. A simple courier job such as the one that brought us here need provoke no questions; what these humans request of you is no doubt much more complex, and as a friend I urge you to consider its implications more seriously before you decide whether to throw your lot in with them. The wisest course would seem to me to be neither to help nor to hinder them. And of course," he now turns to look back at the humans, especially the suspicious one with the whip, "in that decision we would intend no enmity to you."

He studies the humans as best he can, ready to reach for a weapon if they do, but leaving his hands empty until he sees a hostile move from one of the humans. He also flashes a glance at Atella, waiting to see if Atella seems inclined to accept the invitation.

 

[Scorpio]

D'Artagnon looks again at Gurian.
'Alright, makes...some sense..."
He turns to the group on the dock. "Tell you what, board the boat, get off the dock, and give us a minute here, and we'll fill you in...but we need to be quiet and fast..."

 

[Jack Haggerty]

OOC: Man, I love my job. You guys make it all so easy.

I'm just posting to encourage you all to keep it up... I'm watching and ready when you all are to move along.

 

[The Goblin King]

OOC: hummmm...Rat Bastard sense...tingling....

Yes orsal, I do realize we have no IC reason to join the party buuuut I don't want to go back to the tavern.

 

[orsal]

OOC: hummmm...Rat Bastard sense...tingling....

Yes orsal, I do realize we have no IC reason to join the party buuuut I don't want to go back to the tavern.

OOC: Understand, and I'm at least trying to squeeze a more convincing IC reason out of this...

Jo hesitates, then decides to board the boat to listen to them. They seem reasonable at least, even the suspicious one now.

"I don't know if I ought to join you or not, but I will listen to what you have to say."

He notices that Haisi, who a few minutes earlier had been eager to lead them away, has doubled back and landed on board.