D&D 5E (2014) Spell & Crossbones

[Quickleaf]

Blackreef's Tavern

As Barrington fishes in his coat pocket for the time piece, he discovers there is nothing there. The pocketwatch, along with the chain connecting it, is missing.

Surly scratches his scrubby beard, his white skin so tan he looks almost like a native. For a moment his brows furrow and it looks like he might cuff Kid over the head, but then he takes hold of the grog. "Kid buys a man grog. Must be Kid wants something, me thinks. And from that look on your face it ain't no card lesson."

 

[Kobold Stew]

As Barrington fishes in his coat pocket for the time piece, he discovers there is nothing there. The pocketwatch, along with the chain connecting it, is missing.

Barrington checks for his watch; maybe it's not as late as he thinks after all. He stands, looks under the table, sees Kid across the way about to go speak to Surly, and stops searching. His lips form a tight downward curl, and he inhales the air in the room, which is still heavy from stale tobacco lingering from the night before. He says nothing (for now), but he is disappointed.

He removes his hat and places it on the table, and sits back down in a chair.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Kid quaffed his grog in one go. Surly was gruff, and Kid needed confidence to deal with him. A stray hand crept beneath the table, where it rubbed the outside of a pocket lining the boy's torn breeches. The round metal lump was hard and small but reassuring. A talisman. "Yar, knew I could count on ye to cut ter the quick. Right." Kid complimented, then lowered his voice a hair. He didn't lean in; posturing would give away tell-tale clues to onlookers. But the lowered voice would tell Surly all he needed to know of the import of the boy's next question. "Katerina de la Corazon. I gotta make a 'livery fer a friend. Where's she stayin'?"[/section]

 

[Quickleaf]

Keeping one eye on Kid as he quaffs grog, Surly sets the mug down with an excessively manly sigh of satisfaction. Wiping froth from his stubble, Surly nods once. "Del Corazon, eh? Blackheart's daughter? Wonder what her pirate name'll be, seeing as she can't grow no beard and Bart's a boy's name. Blackbraid, mayhap?" With a gruff chuckle, Surly glances up and down Kid, trying to guess what the boy is on about. "Heard she was by the Colonial Hotel, but whereabouts exactly...well, del Corazon is smarter than to let her hidey holes be common knowledge, savvy?"

Meanwhile, Polly (Prydwen) finishes up going over the menu, and excuses herself, sauntering over to Barrington's seat. Flashing a rosy smile, she pulls out her dishrag and leans forward to wipe off a bit of spilled grog, giving Barrington a fine view of her ample cleavage. "Missed a spot," she teases. "Anything I can get ye, James? I was worried I scared ye off when you were gone this mornin'. Mmm, that's quite a frown ye've got there. Too much o' that an' ye'll ruin your handsome face."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Kid reached into his pocket. He extracted a large gold coin. Not the one given him by Barrington. He let the coin flash quietly in the dim light of the tavern so that Surly could see it, but kept the coin flat on the table under his palm. "An' wot's uncommon knowledge say?"[/section]

 

[Quickleaf]

Impressed that Kid has managed to get his mitts on proper gold, Surly purses his lips as if debating how much he should say. "I meant it when I said del Corazon keeps her secrets well. Enough salts still remember Blackheart, and that respect goes a long way to keep loose lips sealed. But..." He pauses to glance down at Kid's hand while taking another draught of grog. "...I hear she's working with some French bigwig named Claude du Tourbillon, a magic-man according to my contacts but that could just be superstitions. And he is staying at the Colonial Hotel. Warrant if you find the Frenchie, you'll find del Corazon."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Kid frowned. He hadn't heard this tidbit about du Tourbillon, so that was fresh news. But, then again, it wasn't a lead directly to de la Corazon, either. He considered. Parting with an entire gold was painful. But not currying favor with Surly was likely to be more painful. Opting for the lesser of two evils, Kid slid the gold piece across the table. He lifted Surly's small mug and placed it over top the coin, effectively hiding it. "That's five fer 'alf a lead ter Kat-o-nine, an' 'nother five fer yer silence. Don' noboddie wanna earn Blackheart's wrath."

Kid got up from Surly's table. He shook the grog from his cobwebbed head, and made for the tavern's front door. On his way past Barrington, the boy took care to shoot Gentleman Jim a meaningful glance. When the pair was outside and away from the tavern, Kid rejoined Barrington at his side. She's wheelin' an' dealin' wit' some Frenchie named Claude du Tourbillon. Word is he's a sorcerer, and he's stayin' at the Colonial, we go there, we find him, maybe we find her. De la Corazon must be in some hidey hole--he didn' know where." Kid rocked backward on his heels. "So. Head o'er to the Colonial, then, cap'n?"[/section]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

OOC: How much were the two small mugs of rum?

 

[Kobold Stew]

"Darling Prydwen, you have my apologies. I was needed elsewhere, but rest assured that I was not scared off, and I am very pleased to be seeing you now," Barrington tells her, willing to be sufficiently distracted . He reaches up and wraps one of her curls in his index finger before pulling it away.

"I plan on being here for the afternoon at least, and I am very pleased that you will be so close by."

When Kid re-enters the Captain's quarters, Barrington checks himself. "Perhaps you would be able to undertake the search on our mutual behalf, my lad? I would be grateful if you could try to bring her here, and I shall stay with the Mary Sue. I am confident in your abilities."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[section]Kid was crestfallen; Barrington had chosen the girl over further adventure. He watched Barrington finger one of Polly's silken curls. Cain't blame 'im. I'd do the same, were I in 'is boots. An' e'en a blind beggar kin see she's got a rush o' fire under 'er skin fer the likes o' 'im. Lucky bastard. Kid shrugged. "Sure, cap'n. I'll be back, no later'n the start of the supper hour. Five, or close enough." The boy slowed his enunciation, trying to make each word sound correct. He offered Polly a smile, Barrington a head nod, then was off in a flash of brown skin, leaving Barrington to enjoy Polly's wiles for the afternoon.

The watch weighed heavily in his pocket.[/section]

OOC: Heading to the Colonial Hotel to find du Tourbillon.