Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

[fromage67]

Bronze Trident

Lars, you sip your pricey beer and strain your ears as you attempt to listen to the conversation going on behind you. Over the hum of the crowd and the performing gnomes, you hear the following snippets from two voices: the first gruff and gritty; the second meek and petulant.

"..ice is five thousand pieces of gold Darius. We're talkin .... `agon's egg. This ain't no ornament for yer stinkin' mantle. This here ... and kicking."

"...its too much, far too much to expect me to pay for something like that. Of course ... `pen to negotiating like gentlemen mister Lowd..."

"I ain't negotiating. The price is the price ..."

That is all you're able to hear before fifteen minutes elapse and you see that Fineas is in no hurry to leave his drinks or his hired company. He can't handle too many more ales though, for his last swig left more beer on his face and shirt than in his mouth. His guffaw of a laugh rings in your ears as you step outside of the tavern and back into the dark rain-filled evening.

Lars exits the Bronze Trident, and curses the rain clouds overhead while he checks his surroundings. When he is satisfied no one is looking, he lets his Romeo disguise lapse, and then he looks for any back exits.

If at all possible, he chooses a hiding place where he can watch the front door, and still track anyone exiting from the back door. If not he settles for just watching the front door. Hopefully there is also a hiding spot with cover from the rain, but that is secondary. Once his spot is chosen, he squats on his haunches, and settles in for a long wait. He is waiting for two things: Fineas' exits, and also Lowduke's party. He is not yet decided on which group he will follow...

While he waits, Lars thinks back on what he has heard. At least I know what Lowduke looks like, and I know he is asking for 5000 gp and that he has 6 armed thugs with him when he travels. And that some noble-looking fellow called Darius looks like he might be a buyer.

 

[Gregor]

********
Bronze Trident

Lars, you have no trouble finding a place to lay low outside of the tavern. Given its placement near the docks, there are clusters of crates, barrels and garbage scattered here and there that make ideal hiding spots.

You wait in the rain, progressively getting wetter and more miserable. Drunken sailors and late night street vendors wander the streets. Some notice you and jump back in surprise before continuing on, but most are oblivious to a wet man hiding in the shadows. After what seems like an eternity, but was more like two hours, you see Fineas come stumbling out of the Bronze Trident. When the door opens, the street is flooded with a quick slash of light and a blast of music, laughter and tankards hitting tabletops.

Fineas shuts the door, hiccups and then looks around as if trying to get his bearings. He stumbles to the left, and then to the right and scratches his greasy hair as if confused. Finally, he chooses a direction and clumsily clops down the street like a drowsy mule. He beings to sing a song, horribly off key and he begins to move down towards the docks.

 

[fromage67]

Lars sneers at the state of his mark. This will be too easy. Lars waits till Fineas gets moving and starts following him home.

 

[Gregor]

********
Bronze Trident / Docks

Finneas stumbles and sways as he merrily sings his way down the street. When he comes to the end of the road, he pushes on to the docks and you can hear his heavy inebriated steps slamming down onto the wooden planks. As you're tailing him, he suddenly turns around and looks right at you. For a moment you think he's seen you, but instead he proceeds to vomit. Once his stomach is empty, he giggles to himself and continues to walk down the dock.

At this point, its clear that Finneas is either lost or is too drunk to know where he is going. He walks between small ships that have been fastened for the night and he starts to mutter about 'that bitch of a whore who would not take his hard earned silver'. Eventually, he walks over to where a single lantern burns on a post and leaning against said post, he drops his pants and begins to urinate into the ocean.

Lars, you can see that nobody is around out here.

 

[fromage67]

Lars wanted to wait till the man got home, but the opportunity is way too good to pass up.

"Hi Fineas." Lars presses the point of his dagger just above Fineas' naked buttocks. "My good friend Reece has been more than patient and understanding, don't you think? Why don't you just pay me the 30 gp and we'll let bygones be bygones. Otherwise, you will be found floating in the harbor, face down, with your ass up in the air, your pants down around your ankles. That wouldn't make your Mom proud, now would it?"

 

[Gregor]

********
Bronze Trident/Docks

"By Tymora's ta-ta's!" cries out Finneas with a slur, "whoooore you?!" His numbed body soon registers the dagger tip and your words eventually process in his drunken mind. "Tha gold? Ohhhhhh by tha'byss! Looky eer friend ... I uh ... I dunna have it! I keep tellins Reece that I'm needin' mooooooooooore time. If ya give a loan ya gotta give a man more then a month er two to pay it all ... you know....back. Ahhhhh Tymora, look down on ol' Finneas!" he turns back to try and get a look at you and says, pitifully, "please ... dun kill me ... I dunna have the gold ... just gimme more time ... pleeeeeaaaaasssse!"

 

[fromage67]

"I ain't negotiating with you, Fineas. I am telling you how it's going to be. Now, what do you have that we could take? Let's start with the basics, how much do you have on you?" Lars rifles the man's pockets and pats him down thoroughly and counts the proceeds.

"OK, that's a start. What about at home? Let's go there together and check things out, shall we?"

Lars looks at Fineas and indicates he should pull up his pants and start walking home.

 

[Gregor]

********
South Harbour

Lars you don't find more than 3 pieces of silver and a few coppers on Finneas. With your dagger at his back, the drunken fool complies with your demands and stumbles his way back into the town. He sobs quietly as he walks, and sometimes asks you for mercy, but he does not make a scene. Eventually, he manages to find his meagre house on the edge of town, close to the refugee camps and the new houses that the city are trying to construct.

His home looks like it has just had a workshop added on to it, and piles of stone blocks and piles of rock dust fill the yard outside. He takes you inside and closes the door behind him, before clumsily fiddling with a flint and steel. After a few minutes he manages to light a wick and sets a lantern alight. The house and workshop are no more than two adjoining rooms that are spartan in their appointment. Like a falling heap of rubble, Finneas sits on his bed and puts his head in his hands. Between sobs he says: "Please dun kill me ... I dunna have any gold ... I dunna have any ting a'tall!"

 

[Bannock]

OOC: The map shows the creature in G11, but it's in G10 right now.

Bannock pales, experiencing a sort of terror and fear he has never experienced. When the spectral hammer struck, it felt as though something worse than death was upon him: a vision of eternal slavery and horror.

He clutches his chest and gasps. Wide-eyed, he clutches his weapon like it's a handhold on life, and retreats, saying "You... stay back, stay back!"

He withdraws to G-4.

 

[Gregor]

********
Swamp / Tower

Watching the warrior flee in fear and having just been shot again by the elf in the cape, the spectre turns its evil milky gaze towards Kirio. With its hammer raised above its head and a horrible cry in its throat the phantasm floats over (to K9) and attempts to drain Kirio's energy with a swipe of its weapon.

GM: Error on my part Bannock, I'll update accordingly on the next round.