Tuck shrugs as the man seems to be immune to Akos' charms. Worse, the urban ranger realizes, he asks for bribes, and the kobold is very accostumed to those greasy noble sons throwing their family names around. He's disgusted by Nathaniel.
"Getting someone out of Old City is childs' play," Tuck mutters to himself, just loud enough for the man to hear. Acting oblivious, he looks into his now empty mug, then continues talking to himself,
"Plenty of people would pay for doing so instead of asking for compensation like a smug rich boy."
Abruptly he looks up from his mug.
"Sorry! Just thinking out loud. How about another drink?"
Nathaniel looks at Tuck with a glint of anger, but the young guard keeps his cool. Obviously he doesn't wish to make a scene. "You need to be quiet and let her sing," he says with great irritation through gritted teeth. The young noble fills his mug again from a different bottle than the one the kobold urban ranger is offering. "Do not forget you are talking to a noble's son from one of the most
notable Houses in all of Bluffside... despite what you may have heard from our rivals."
Mutt notices the tension and growls while on the bone left from the meal provided to the big dog.
"And reign in your... pup's noise," Nathaniel whispers. "I'd hate to have my grandfather make a challenge at the Tribunal regarding his license.
Mongrels do not have the freedom to come and go in Old City."
"Careful, soldier," Custodio warns.
"You are treading a thin line so don't overestimate your importance. You are a Regular sitting with a d'Elite. Don't forget that."
"You're title means nothing, Vanquisher," Mr. Aceron replies coolly to Custodio. "The guards think you are a disgrace and a spy in our ranks for The Five. Their time will soon be over, as will Oakfirst's. The
true nobles of the city will see to that soon."
The table next to yours looks at you with disdain. An older nobleman puts a finger to his lips and shushes you. Nathaniel plays the drunken fop and passes the man one of the bottles from your table. He then turns his eyes back towards the singer until she finishes her song.
OOC: Not hostile, but Tuck's Diplomacy attempt made him unfriendly. Akos' Diplomacy check moves him to friendly. The dice roll was one short of making him helpful.
Neurotic said:
Akos looks away for the moment at the girl singing.
"She really is. It would be a shame to see this fine establishment involved in a raid going after some noble that is just trying to leave a city, eh?"
"That would be a shame," Nathaniel replies. "But I doubt you have anyone else with you more substantial than him." He motions to Big Tim. "Luckily, I'd rather drink and eat than fight."
Neurotic said:
He turns fully back to the noble and focuses his attention, eyes shining with intensity.
"We're not just anyone. We closed the magical anomaly at the gate, we fought both Loyalists and others going against the city, we captured Old City Killer and we're actually tasked at investigating the events at the Garden. You are a lead and therefore we're here. You can talk to us and be escorted safely out of the city. As you say, it can be dangerous on the streets these days and having a group with you can be very useful. You understand that if you cannot tell us anything about anyone, we have to pursue other leads. After all, you're one of the Regulars, you know the drill.
"I do know," the Regular replies to Akos.
He smirks at Tuck. "You should really let the Loremaster speak for your group. He knows how to spin a phrase and get to the heart of the matter."
Turning back to Akos. "I do know who you all are and the deeds you have done. Your capture of that damn doppelganger who was running amok through the streets was a great service to the noble families of Old City. The Regulars, not even the Elite," he smirks at Custodio. "Would have been able to catch that fiend. And, they did try. The problem is old men like the Lord Commander who pretends to be this great leader when he is nothing but The Five's lapdog."
"If you want to know about the Gardens, I do know a great deal... but not everything. I'm not in league with the renegade. He doesn't pay
that well for information." He sighs. "I really should have had Geoffrey tell Phelix to keep his money and got out sooner. But, I have debts that have to be paid and my father is a skinflint."
"So, you betrayed the city for money," Custodio interrupts.
"Taking bribes is serious breach of your oath."
"That oath means nothing to me and many other Regulars here in Old City," Nathaniel snaps back. "Now please sit quietly and pay attention. The Loremaster and I are having an intelligent conversation."
The singer has stepped off the stage and conversations in the inn have gotten lively once again, but the next table has noticed that your conversation isn't as cordial. Instead of eavesdropping, they ask to be moved to a private room in the back. The table is quickly cleared and new patrons fill it without hesitation, however. They are more interested in their drinks and telling jokes than the Exemplars.
Neurotic said:
Oh, and by the way, your commander is looking for you and you're honor bound to report in. Or you could tell us everything and we could give your report to the commander. And escort you outside, reporting we have certain and confirmed information you're on unpaid vacation on your families estate.
What do you say?"
"I doubt old Mildenhall has even noticed that I'm gone. He's another lapdog who can barely see anything beyond all the hair on his head and his long dwarven beard. He's such a toady of The Five that the Regulars find him unbearable." He laughs. "If you want to go and sit in his office for me, go ahead and spend hours being bored. You'd be better off talking to Captain Wildore. He's a
much more interesting man. A fine example of true nobility — ambitious, cunning, and completely ruthless."
He pauses to consider Akos' question. He drinks another cup of wine and smiles. "I will tell you what I can, as long as you escort me to my family's estate at the edge of the valley. It will take half a day, at most, unless we rush or you have horses. With horses, it will only take a few hours to get there. My mother will make a fine meal, if you want to stay. If not, I won't be offended but she might."
Nathaniel lowers his voice. "I'm know that you know that Phelix has hidden himself on an adjacent plane. That demiplane is a bit limited in size, and he didn't create it. Well, that's what Geoffrey Suggitt told me over a year ago. you haven't caught him yet, have you? No, otherwise why would you have sought me out.
He... is in league with Phelix. When Phelix first came to the city several years ago and set up at The Winsome Heart under the name Felix Yoxell, Mr. Suggitt came to me and a few other Regulars with a request to look the other way while the man did some research. He wanted to explore the walls around the Gardens discreetly and look for evidence of some lost archeology." He sighs. "That is what he made us
believe and the money to look the other way was very good. I had even more debts back then. The others were just greedy. There was one Regular who objected, but he was quickly reassigned to the Bluffside Mountian Rangers by Captain Wildore."
"This captain is working for Waldo?" Falen asks.
"No, he just has his own vision for Bluffside and the renegade is a good distraction for the Elites and The Five," Nathaniel replies to the unseen seer. "Geoffrey has funneled several large payments to Captain Wildore so that large transactions from the renegade to his allies in the city have gone unnoticed." He grins wickedly. "It was easy for the captain. Commander Mildenhall is an old foolish dwarf in polished armor who'd rather be on the front lines hunting monsters in the mountains. He is blinded by his past."
"I can't believe it," Custodio says.
"Captain Ivan Wildore is one of the best Regulars to ever wear the uniform. He has helped save Bluffside countless times."
"He is a powerful and dangerous man," Nathaniel insists. "I've seen him do things that would make your blood freeze solid, d'Elite. He feigns being a cleric of Sky and Air, but he actually worships the primordial titan, Karel."
"What?"
"Oh, he's not the only person you should worry about who is not what he seems in this city," the sly Regular says. "But I'm not going to give away all the secrets I've gathered without a promise to the deity that each of you holds dear that you won't just march me to the barracks and lock me in a cell."
He looks around the inn. "If we're going to continue this conversation, it should be somewhere else where no one can overhear us."
