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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1116193" data-attributes="member: 6294">"Something's Cooking" and "The Ettin's Riddle" (WotC Free Adventures) - Part 7The bounty hunters stride into the inn, looking like they own the place.  But then, given the equipment - some of it clearly magical - dripping off them, they could probably afford to buy it.They are a grim-looking trio.  Leading them is a woman, dressed in black leather armour.  Her two companions are a sly-looking man with a sharp nose, and a burly half-orc, carrying a large sword.  All three move with the fluidity of trained fighters, and when they settle at one of the tables, they do so in such a way that between them they can see every part of the room without moving.Briar takes one look at the three hunters and blanches almost white, half-sliding under the table, he hunches so low in his chair.  Fortunately for the young rogue, he is not alone in this reaction: certainly the bounty hunters don't seem to find anything unusual in his behaviour.Ming Li, on the other hand, is clearly not intimidated.  As soon as the hunters are settled at their table, she stands and walks slowly in their direction, giving them plenty of time to see her coming."What's she doing?" Briar hisses from the corner of his mouth, his lips barely moving.  Elspeth shrugs, leaning back in her chair, "I didn't think to ask her before she got up without a word and walked over there." The ranger mutters, "Stupid inscrutable monks.  Why couldn't she have meditated on it?"Unaware of her companions' concern, the monk bows her head in greeting to the three hunters,"Good day, I am Ming Li." She begins, "May I ask your purpose here.  You don't seem like farmers, who are the usual clientele of this establishment.""We're looking for someone." The woman replies, "Girl named Marble McCray." She goes on to give a brief but surprisingly vivid description of the Company's employer. "Have you seen her?""I have not." Ming Li responds, her voice confident but her eyebrow giving an unconscious twitch at the unfamiliar experience of lying."Your loss, then - there's fifty gold in it for anyone who can tell us where she is." Either the hunter believes the lie, or her poker face is better than the monk's.  In either case, Ming Li rapidly decides that initiating the conversation was a mistake.  As soon as she is able, she makes her apologies and returns to her original table.A whispered planning session follows, ensuring that if the bounty hunters were not already suspicious of the monk and her companions, they soon would be."One of us had better go warn Marble and act as a guard for her." Macwood suggests."Is that a good idea?" Elspeth frowns, "She'll probably panic."The halfling shrugs, then remembers the unfriendly eyes in the room and turns the movement into a surprisingly convincing cough,"Better she panics with one of us around than if she sees the hunters when she's alone." Is his opinion, "She's likely to run without one of us to stop her, and there goes the other half of our payment.""On the other hand, it also means we wouldn't be in any further danger." The ranger muses.  Seeing the looks she's getting, she rolls her eyes, "I'm just saying.""Maybe if Ming Li hadn't tried to play Spy, you'd be right." Macwood gives the monk a glare, to which she seems oblivious."It is likely that they suspect I was lying." She agrees, in a matchless display of understatement. "I'll tell Marble." Elspeth volunteers, "And make sure she doesn't go running off."The others agree this is a good plan, and - after taking one of the whispering earrings - the ranger slips out of the door.  Within moments, the male human bounty hunter also leaves, no doubt to shadow her.  However, thanks to a warning from her companions who are still within the inn, and her superior knowledge of the town, Elspeth gives him the slip."These earrings are great." She enthuses, in a whisper. "Let me know if you come up with a plan.  I'll stay with Marble.""We should go as soon as we can." Macwood muses, "And we need some way of taking Marble with us, without the bounty hunters seeing her.  Or at least, without her being recognised." He glances at the others, "Maybe we could disguise her, somehow?""Let's cut her hair and disguise her as a male." Briar suggests, "If you strap down the right bits and teach her to walk like a man, she'll never be recognised."There is a long moment of silence after the rogue's strangely confident announcement.  Then, very slowly, Macwood leans as far forward across the table as he can,"Is there something you'd like to tell us, young lady?"</blockquote>

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