[LPF] Fury Steps In

[GlassEye]

Before making his way to the Fair Lass Fury makes a detour to the temple of Hinotheus in Planks so that he can get the rest of his wounds from the previous night taken care of. Leaving a donation for the priests of the Hound of Cortesia Fury makes his way to the seedier side of Ranocchio where the Fair Lass sits.

---

Fury stares at the entrance to the Fair Lass with undisguised disgust. With an effort he controls his emotions until he has assumed the flat expression of someone too tough to mess with. Pushing through the door he swaggers into the bar with just the right amount of 'local boy made good and come home to show off' arrogance. Or so he hopes.

Once inside he'll pause to scan the common room though being careful not to infringe too much on the locals sense of territory then make his way to the bar. He'll set a silver to spinning on the bar top and wink at the bartender.

"Ale."



[sblock=Actions/OOC]Fury is still injured from the previous night. I'm assuming his sleep was enough to allow him to add the base healing (which I've added to his current hp total) but he still needs more. Since hired healing is cheaper than charges (and hopefully readily available) I'd rather take that route. Let me know how much healing is available and how much he'll have to spend to get it. Thanks.

Move: --
Standard: --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Fury[/size] Human Rogue 3 / Bard 2
Initiative: +7 Perception: +8

AC: 20 (15 touch; 15 flat-footed)
HP: 40 Current: 24
CMB: +5 CMD: 20 Fort: +2 Ref: +11 Will: +4

In Hand:

Spells Remaining: 1st: 2/2[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

The interior of the Fair Lass is perfect compliment to its exterior: squalid and dilapidated, with little that isn't purely functional. One thing that catches Fury's eye right away is that, for the most well-known brothel in Ranocchio, the foyer seems surprisingly underpopulated: a quick count reveals four men, within at least twice as many woman, their bored expressions a suggestion of a recent downturn in customers. This means that they perk up noticeably at Fury's appearance: fresh meat.

As Fury settles in with his ale, he notices a large woman making a beeline for him. The spectacle of her frizzy hair is only surpassed by the combination of a ragged, too-tight corset with a good forty or fifty pounds of excess padding. Fury's fears that she's about to make a sales pitch to him on her services are dispelled, however, when she introduces herself with a small curtsy that seems comically out of place given the context and the person delivering it.

"Name's Bonita; I'm the madam in charge of this establishment. Glad to see a new face around here, although you look to be enough of a local. How can I help you tonight?" With a lecherous smile, she adds, "What's your poison?"

[sblock=OOC]Sorry about the healing; truth be told, it slipped my mind. Consensus seems to be 10 gp per casting of CLW. I've rolled two thus far, which would bring Fury 2 shy of his total for 20 gp. If you want to bring it up to full, feel free to roll again and bring it up to 30.

With your next roll, I'd appreciate a Perception roll, please.[/sblock]

 

[GlassEye]

Fury swings around to gaze appreciatively at the women around the room. He sighs and turns back to the less than lovely Bonita. Holding a gold between to fingers he lightly taps it on the bar.

"Ah, they are all lovely. And yes, raised over on Reedcutter Court but left for a bit of work." He winks at the ungainly woman. "But I'm back, lookin' to pick up the word on the street and what better place than the Fair Lass, eh?" He'll set the gold to spinning on the bar.

If Bonita is willing, Fury will continue to chat trying to subtly steer the conversation towards 'working' conditions and the few bits of rumor he's picked up during his day about town. Finally, he turns the conversation towards what he really wants to know.

"So, I hear someone tried to muscle a local councilman but the muscle ran off with the pay." He chuckles and shakes his head. "I'm sure someone isn't happy; job like that requires a little bit of brains and that muscle proved they had none." He winks at Bonita and obviously checks her out. "Have to say, I'm a fair hand with the blade..."



[sblock=Actions/OOC]I'll hold at 2 shy, thanks.
Perception: 1d20+8=11 Gah!
Diplomacy (Gather Info): 1d20+11=26

Move: --
Standard: --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Fury[/size] Human Rogue 3 / Bard 2
Initiative: +7 Perception: +8

AC: 20 (15 touch; 15 flat-footed)
HP: 40 Current: 38
CMB: +5 CMD: 20 Fort: +2 Ref: +11 Will: +4

In Hand:

Spells Remaining: 1st: 2/2[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

"But I'm back, lookin' to pick up the word on the street and what better place than the Fair Lass, eh?"

Bonita seems pleased at this obvious complement of her establishment's stature in Ranocchio's underground society. She warms up to Fury quickly, and he finds himself increasingly regretting his level of success at sweet-talking her as the conversation takes on an increasingly tactile dimension. There's always a price to doing your job too well.

As their conversation continues, Bonita makes several references to the recent downturn in business at the Lass. As Fury works the tidbits he picked up this afternoon into the conversation, he notices Bonita seems much more responsive to the subject of the Krakens than the Red Bill Gang.

"So, I hear someone tried to muscle a local councilman but the muscle ran off with the pay." He chuckles and shakes his head. "I'm sure someone isn't happy; job like that requires a little bit of brains and that muscle proved they had none." He winks at Bonita and obviously checks her out. "Have to say, I'm a fair hand with the blade..."

Bonita starts to nod in agreement. "Aye, I heard mention a' that, shame they failed, too, it's people like him that're hurting my business..." She seems to catch herself then, as if she knows more to the story but is uncertain of how much to reveal to this relative stranger.

[sblock=OOC]Could I get four more Diplomacy rolls, please, as you continue your effort to extract information?[/sblock]

 

[GlassEye]

Fury's laughter becomes more strained as their flirting (and his fishing for information) continues. Maybe he's learned enough from Zelena to mask his growing discomfort from Bonita, maybe not. His internal monologue doesn't help matters: She'd be a good tumble... for a troll. But then again maybe that's what makes his laughter believable. He hopes.

"Krakens, huh?" He presses, even though he isn't sure that's the correct direction, then shrugs as if the answer doesn't really matter to him. "Can't say I'd blame them if the Lass's business is being hurt."

If Bonita seems reluctant to continue the conversation in one particular direction Fury will back off and then try to approach the subject from a different direction. He doesn't want the woman to pick up that he's pumping her for information and not paying for it. When necessary he'll distract Bonita with some barely relevant anecdote about some horrid, foreign and totally imaginary mark that he finds amusing and seems to expect her to as well.



[sblock=Actions/OOC]
Diplomacy (Gather Info): 1d20+11=17, 1d20+11=19, 1d20+11=18, 1d20+11=24

Move: --
Standard: --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Fury[/size] Human Rogue 3 / Bard 2
Initiative: +7 Perception: +8

AC: 20 (15 touch; 15 flat-footed)
HP: 40 Current: 38
CMB: +5 CMD: 20 Fort: +2 Ref: +11 Will: +4

In Hand:

Spells Remaining: 1st: 2/2[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

Well on her way to warming up to Fury, Bonita has the bartender pour an ale for each of them. Whatever the reason - maybe she isn't used to getting so much attention herself among so many finer women, maybe Fury is just her type - as the two talk and drink - which Bonita does more than her fair share of - the head lady of the Fair Lass' tongue loosens more and more.

"Aye, the Krakens," Bonita says, slurring mildly at this point. "Used t'be they'd come in here by the dozen, throwing gold around like they 'ad more than they knew what to do with. It was a nice arrangement: they got their fill of women, and we made some coin. There was a bit of a scrap with some 'adventures'" - she spits the word - "though, and ever since then the Krakens have been going elsewhere for their kicks. From what I hear, they've mostly been goin' to the Three Ladies..."

Bonita stops, staring, her jaw slightly agape in a manner which would be comical if it wasn't such a cause for concern. Fury turns to follow her gaze and finds himself staring into the chest of one of the largest half-orcs he has ever seen. He has a huge tattoo of a squid on his right forearm, and the associated hand is resting suggestively on the hilt of a nasty-looking broad-bladed sword. He does not look friendly.

"What's all this talk about the Krakens over here?"

[sblock=OOC]Fury successfully completes the Diplomacy skill challenge for coaxing information from Bonita, which is good for 400 xp.

It may not seem like you got much, now, but it'll all become clear in time.

Just FYI, the half-orc and Fury are adjacent to one another, with the bar to Fury's opposite side.[/sblock]

 

[GlassEye]

Fury removes his hand from his ale, freeing it up should he need to draw, and lays it on the bar. However, since he's paying more attention to the newcomer he inadvertently lays it on Bonita's doughy hand. Briefly startled but leaving his hand where it is, he masks his surprise by responding to the half-orc.

"No harm meant by it. Sweet Bonita and I were just bemoaning our ill fortune: my lack of work, and the Lass's loss of most of the Kraken custom. Hard times for all of us, ya know? Bonita, lass, how 'bout you get the man a drink."

Fury slips a coin from his purse and puts it in Bonita's hand folding her fingers over it and giving her hand a little squeeze.



[sblock=Actions/OOC]
Diplomacy: 1d20+11=19

Move: --
Standard: --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Fury[/size] Human Rogue 3 / Bard 2
Initiative: +7 Perception: +8

AC: 20 (15 touch; 15 flat-footed)
HP: 40 Current: 38
CMB: +5 CMD: 20 Fort: +2 Ref: +11 Will: +4

In Hand:

Spells Remaining: 1st: 2/2[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

The half-orc shoots Bonita a withering look. "Don't bother," he snarls, "I'm not thirsty." Bonita cowers, clearly thrown by the sudden reversal of climate from friendly conversation to ill speech.

The half-orc turns his attention to Fury. "What the hell do you care about the Lass? I ain't never seen you here before, and all the sudden you waltz in here chatting up the ownership and trying to buy people off? Seems a bit fishy to me." As the half-orc half-talks, half-yells, Fury can't help but notice that even his muscles seem to have muscles.

[sblock=OOC]Nice line with Fury accidentally touching hands with Bonita; I thought they made a good pair...

Fury fails his diplomacy check; it was a valiant effort, but he had an uphill battle.

The half-orc successfully manages to demoralize Fury, meaning he's shaken for 1 round.

FYI, we're switching to thinking in terms of a rounds worth of actions now, though we're obviously not in combat yet. I'll get a proper map up soon, but in the mean time, here's a rough layout (O=half-orc, F=Fury, B=Bonita, |=bar):

X X X B|
X X O F|
X X X X|[/sblock]

 

[GlassEye]

Fury is unaccustomed to the sharp spike of adrenaline-charged fear engendered by the belligerent half-orc. Constant, low-level fear, that's a fact of everyday life in Planks. But this is different. He shrugs hoping the action will either mask his fear or shrug it off.

"If I were buying people off I'd do it with more than a three-copper ale. And you haven't seen me 'round because I've been out of town working. Or at least, trying to; didn't go so well." He sighs. "So I came back here."

Fury eyes the half-orc warily. He's pretty sure this fellow isn't going to be happy until he's had the chance to break some skulls. Fury just has to make sure it isn't his own that gets broken.



[sblock=Actions/OOC]Move: --
Standard: --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Fury[/size] Human Rogue 3 / Bard 2
Initiative: +7 Perception: +8

AC: 20 (15 touch; 15 flat-footed)
HP: 40 Current: 38
CMB: +5 CMD: 20 Fort: +2 Ref: +11 Will: +4

In Hand:

Spells Remaining: 1st: 2/2[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

The half-orc turns to Bonita. "Have you ever seen this schlub before?" The wide-eyed madame of the Fair Lass shakes her head no.

The half-orc turns his attention back to Fury. "I don't know who you are, or why you're here, and I certainly don't know why you're asking about the Krakens, but you better get out of here pronto before I remove that lying tongue from the rest of your mouth. Which I might just do anyway." The half-orc glares as he tightens his grip on the hilt of his sword, although it remains sheathed for the time being.

[sblock=OOC]The half-orc succeeds in another attempt to demoralize Fury, so Fury remains shaken.

Worth noting: since you've successfully wooed Bonita, you're in a position to get the information you need in connection to the attempt on Milo's life. However, you haven't actually gotten that information yet, and should you leave, it would complicate that process greatly. Just making sure you're aware of that. [/sblock]