Cockburn Harbour

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Spearmint
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Cockburn Harbour

#1 Post by Spearmint »

This is the forum for the group going with Rico to gather information, trade contacts and leads in Cockburn.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#2 Post by Spearmint »

Rico, Zoggrot Grimgut, Szmodics and Holden, set off officially on 'shore furlough'.

Rico, falchion strapped to his back and replacing his tartan band with a turban wrap leads the way.

"We want no funny business, sure we can enjoy 'the delights' but this ain't no vacation. Stay sober, stay sharp. See who wants to talk and who wants to trade."

Several alleyways lay before you, each leading to backstreets darkened by shadows and the shelter from the cliff background. Music and chattering is heard all around, a female voice singing poignant ballads echo from the doorway of 'Le Gentille Alouette', haunting melodies of love and war, further along a quartet of horns trumpet a jazz rythym in a smoke filled hazy bar of waistcoated merchant men throwing dice. A crooked sign hangs above showing a matador and bull.

Past that is a row of shops then more boarded villas and overgrown gardens. A few urchins kick a gourd between some wood posts and some older ladies string out white linens.

"Well you got the brains Mr Blyth and you got the charm Mr Blonde. What you got Smalldicks?". Rico asks, sizing up your talents.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#3 Post by thesniperknight1 »

Holden gives Rico a small bow, "Why thank you, I will try my best", he enters Le Gentille Alouette with interest covering his face following the sound of the singer.

He looks around to try and figure out what is this place and how the place is run, is it a tight ship with hired guards with a cliental consisting of mostly the rich or a bar run by the barkeep with a musket that doesn't hesitate to shoot beggars and thieves.

He will then look at the crowd, size them up and try and pick someone who seems nervous or isn't indulging in anything other than observing the others.
Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” ― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#4 Post by Stirling »

Szmodics

"Szzz mmoo dikks", Szmodics sounds out his name. "Well, I got balls at least and some dice." he says doing a crotch grab and jiggling his pouch."Winners and losers both talk at the table."

Szmodics will enter the bull and matador place. He has no waistcoat, hope that isn't the dressage rules for the place. He will go to the bar and take an ale and watch these businessmen gambling. Does he recognise the game.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#5 Post by Zhym »

Zoggrot wonders whether he is Blythe or Blonde but doesn't ask. The music calls to him, so the half-orc decides to check out the jazz club.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#6 Post by Spearmint »

yeah sorry scribbled Sigg in notes instead of Zogg.

Rico makes a pair with Holden and enters the Le Gentille Alouette. Most of the patrons seem to be middle aged and local by their apparel. A picture of a French brig stands behind the bar which mostly stands bottles arn decanters full of wines or spirits. The Gauloise singer is a wizened crone, a beautiful voice but hard years have worn her down. Her song gets the appreciation it deserves, calls of 'bravo' and 'c'est la vie' and she takes up another tune wandering between the tables for there is no stage. A bald headed barkeep pushes a bowl of salted nuts to Holden. "Your order?" and wipes a glass clean with a towel.

Zoggrot and Szmodics , the former bilge rats, enter the more brash, loud club further along the backstreet. No eyebrows seem raised as you go in, through the haze you can spot corners of the room where discreet discussions are going on and a couple of leggy women tap a staccato beat with their heels to the trumpet tunes. A maid brings a test of drinks in one corner while another leans in a little too close to an aging broker, nibbling his ear and patting his leg.

The gaming table seems an 'all men' affair. Throwing dice down a long wooden box and edging bets on the result. One of the guys is betting a silver locket or pocket watch which he gives to an 'umpire'. His opponent relishes the bet and rolls a few dice, re-rolling one and then declaring his result. The locket man nods, it is an even chance but fate us not on his side, losing out. He is grim faced and retires from the table, other men just as quickly taking his place.

"Smoke?" says a halfling to Zoggrot, offering out a cigar from a shiny case. "Looking to earn money or looking to spend, I can cater for both." He stands on a stool by the bar to maintain eye contact, he looks about, "I know all the best joints in town, "

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#7 Post by Stirling »

Szmodics , will give the serving maid a friendly arm as she passes by, "They look good honey, bring me one of those as well," indicating the ales. If she comes back he will tip her a bit extra and ask about the dicers and the wagers. " Is it usual for the guys to bid so much? Are they just businessmen letting off steam?"

Szmodics will have a look around, trying to be inconspicuous but pick up anything noteworthy about the clientele present.

do I need a roll of some kind?

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#8 Post by thesniperknight1 »

Holden slides a silver piece across the table with a smile, "Whatever you recommend friend, with a bit of conversation if you're so inclined", he will wait for his drink by looking at the crowd to try and spot anyone sitting alone.

Once his drink arrives he will start up the conversation, "I have been away from land for quite a bit, what has the world decided to do?Any major changes?"
Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” ― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#9 Post by Spearmint »

The pairs take to differing bars, one seems to be a loud brash joint where 'business' is done under cover of a smoky haze and razz matazz atmosphere.

The matador and bull, Szmodics and Zoggrot circle among the clientele. The halfling, smoking a rolled Havana cigar almost as long as his forearm pats Zoggrot. "Okay, do maybe you'' think on it. Here take my card." He puts a small business card announcing 'Honest Juan' purveyor of mercantile, exotic imports and credit. I can float your boat.'. He moves on to another person, trying to drum up business. Szmodics , with your roll you notice that a glass of whisky get lifted off the serving tray of the waitress and floats gently behind the halfling who turns to take it in his hand. You also note the new owner of the silver locket or watch, opens it checking maybe the quality before tossing it to another guy, a tall mean looking brooding fellow. A bodyguard might be a better description. The dice game is easy to play you think, there might be enough room for you to squeeze in if you wish. Zoggrot, near to the bar can survey the whole tavern. What do you wish to do?

In Le Gentille Alouette , the pair of Rico and Holden, also mingle. The bartender brings out some glasses and offers to pour you some of Montserrat's finest, a dry red wine, "harvested on the slopes of the volcano by the nimble fingers of dryads no less.". Of politics and the world he knows little except for the Caicos going for autonomy, wether one nation or three island states he doesn't know. He remarks that trade is poorer now the Iberians were run off. Still he never favoured slave trading but it was a lucrative business all the same.

"So what ship you sailing on, where you sailing too. Come far from home?" he asks taking your silver and pouring a glass for Rico.

He points to the portrait with pride, "Sailed a score of years in her before I set my roots ashore. Running fruit and nuts on ocean barques only brought in peanuts, so earned a commission and ran the powder monkeys squaring off against Crown frigates and privateers. Now they all come and buy my drinks."

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#10 Post by Stirling »

Szmodics

Noticing the 'floating' drink. If the person who picked it up was invisible then it would go invisible too. So, a levitation trick or some magic hand. Szmodics reflexively checks his pockets. And will take a card from the short man, no telling when you need a magic friend.

"Gentlemen, I have a few silvers from my sojourns, do I buy into the game. Perhaps I can have better luck than the last gambler." Szmodics says to the croupier and the dice throwers. how does he play?

If it is a game he is familiar with he will watch a few rounds and then try his hand. All the while trying to suss the men out as local merchants or Captains of vessels.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#11 Post by thesniperknight1 »

Holden takes a small sip from the wine, "You don't say, Caicos are planning for autonomy? Interesting but such a shame, I have always found governments to be so....limiting, look at what you have here in comparison", he motions with his hand all over the place, "Freedom! Or at least the next best thing", he takes another sip, "If that were to pass though, how would that change the dynamics of the world you think?"

"We board the McGregor's Revenge, as for where from and to where, depends on who you ask doesn't it?", he smiles.

He looks at the photo, "She is a beauty, so you were a man of the sea yourself too? ANd now you own a bar, you lead a life that I hope I will follow mon ami. So you mentioned that all pirates drink here, anything interesting came out of the drunk yammerings of these seamen? And do you know a way to make good money around here?"
Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” ― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#12 Post by Zhym »

Zoggrot orders a drink and takes in the scene, listening for any interesting snippets of conversation.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#13 Post by Spearmint »

Le Gentille Alouette ,

"I was always a Freeman," the bartender insists in reference to Holdens' question on if the islands lost their newly won independence."and always will be, though not all were so fortunate as I. A lot of the freedmen, the Turkmen settled here of course. Most fled to other outposts further north, some joined ships. Some took over a Guinea man and tried for home, wherever that may have been." He pours another glass of wine to you both though strangely Rico covers his glass. "Best not to get light headed and dimwittedness too early," he grunts.

"Last hammering I heard were from a bunch of rowdies. Searching for their Captain. Reckon he went to the brothel and never came out. A regular in the Succubus he was, perhaps met a tart with a heart and legged it", the bartender laughs at his innuendo. Their barques still on the quay, men are edgy cus' they want their piece of the plunder too."

The old soprano strikes up another evocative song, full of melancholy and bittersweet memories. A few patrons leave, a few more enter, mostly locals. The more colourfully dressed are folk from the gypsy communes and one comes around the tables with a coconut sized opaque ball. Looking like a giant marble with swirling colours. She stops at the end of the bar and with big brown doe eyes says to Holden, "For a silver I can tell you your past, for a gold I can tell you your future.", shaking the ball and making the colours mux like paint in a pot.


The Matador & Bull

Szmodics , takes his place in the dice game. At least three of the men are local merchants of landowners, another two off some trading ship but seem regular here.
It is a game of strategy and chance.

Dice game [1d6] = 6 [1d6] = 1 [1d6] = 1 [1d6] = 2 [1d6] = 6,

Hmm...he thinks, getting a chance to reroll a dice. Keeping the sizes and one spots he rolls again...

Dice game [1d6] = 1

and chooses to keep a 'Full House's. though a low scoring one.6+6+1+1+1+(6+1)=22. His opponent wages to beat the mark and also rolls his five dice.

Dice game [1d6] = 5 [1d6] = 4 [1d6] = 5 [1d6] = 5 [1d6] = 6

It is a good roll, figuring luck on his side, the merchant strutts about, leaving the fives and six and rolls once more.Dice game [1d6] = 3

It is not a good roll, he needs a six, but has one more reroll. This time he decides to leave the three and roll the six die, hoping for three spots to come up.
Dice game [1d6] = 6

At the 6 rolling up the man curses loudly, Szmodics you win, 22gp.

just so you know, I rolled the dice as we did the narrative so I didn't cheat the results.

"Give me a chance to win some back buddy, want to go double or nothing?" he asks you, measuring out a stack of coins.

Zoggrot , watches on from the shadows, trying to pick up little titbits while keeping an eye on Szmodics antics. 'Titbits', are what you see as the waitresses are more scantily dressed here.

The halfling fellow who approached you is now lost in the crowd. Above all the noise give me a % roll to hear noise, using your class skills to discern any secret chatter please.

What you do notice is that a small gang of men walk hurriedly past the front door, heading further up the side alleyway. They had a covering blanket over someone's head, herding the person roughly away from the main promenade, looking over their shoulder as they go.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#14 Post by Zhym »

Zoggrot listens to the conversations...

Hear noise (1-15): [1d100] = 84

...but can't make anything out over the general din.

Spotting the gang of men heading up the alleyway, the half-orc follows, trying to blend into the shadows and remain inconspicuous.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#15 Post by thesniperknight1 »

Holden covers his glass as well, "One is fun, more makes you stupid"

He perks up at the mention of a missing captain and laughs at the barkeep's innuendo, "Do you happen to catch his name? And directions to the Succubus would be appreciated", he whispers to Rico, "That could be a good lead, at worst we will have the gratitude of a captain and if things go our way, we get ourselves either a nice plunder or a few men to replace our own recent loss, what do you say?"

As the gypsy approaches, she gets Holden's attention immediately, "My past I already know and I enjoy the mysteriousness of the future", he takes out a silver, "Could you tell me something interesting about the present?", he smiles happily because he loves dealing with gypsies.
Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.” ― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#16 Post by Stirling »

Szmodics

"Sure I play the Fool with you, what say you throw in that previous losers locket instead, it's shiny glint caught my eye."

Dice game [1d6] = 2 [1d6] = 5 [1d6] = 3 [1d6] = 4 [1d6] = 6

"A High Straight, rolled first time, I'll keep that score." 25 points you say.

Szmodics looks around but sees Zoggrot moving out of the building, he was hoping for some 'back up' if the guys didn't take kindly to a little winning streak going.

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#17 Post by Spearmint »

Le Gentille Alouette

As Rico occupies himself, talking brigs n' frigates' with the bartender, Holden flips a silver to the charming lass. She pulls him to a nearby table and sits down, pulling a headscarf over her brow and bowing her head. "Put your hands upon the ball, let its colours swirl, let them call."she instructs Holden. She utters a few words, old Gauloise phrases that the schooled Holden can just barely pick up. You think they are some form of 'pidgeon' Gauloise not the classical language.

"The turtle needs to come out of his shell," she says, caressing your hands." and he shall, lest his voice be drowned in the seas, which both maketh and breaketh man.". The gypsy looks up at you, trying to maintain eye contact as she whispers, "The squirrell has gone 'nuts'. A madness overcomes his nest." Despite her best efforts to conceal you feel her hand a little too close to your thigh, at least not caressing the 'family jewels' but the pouch of coins you have on your belt.

Skill check [1d100] = 43

"I can tell you more, Spellsinger. This man is a singer, let him give us a song!.", she declares loudly to the few gypsies who are with her, quickly withdrawing her hand and still looking at you with big brown eyes.


The Matador and Bull,

Zoggrots' attention being caught by the flurry of folk outside, he goes to have an inconspicuous look. You follow them for a hundred yards or so, sticking to the shadows and peering around the street corners at them.The men escort the blanket covered person past the linen ladies and the urchins playing ball with the gourds. The person walks with a limp and drags a leg heavily, staccato in movement, two or the guys are at each shoulder, semi-carrying their burden They seem to be going around the back of the villas' and heading towards an old warehouse place. They are about to lift some gates when one turns around and sees the movement of Zoggrot in the alley behind him.

Skill check [1d100] = 26Zoggrot move silently roll.
Before he can say anything, a half split pumpkin sized orange skin rolls across at your feet.
"Hey Uncle, kick the gourd back will yer?", shout a couple of urchins behind you Zoggrot. As you bend to pick it up and then look up again, then men are gone.

Inside the tavern, the game is in full swing and once again the fellow feels he has the upper hand over Szmodics.

Dice game [1d6] = 4[1d6] = 2[1d6] = 6[1d6] = 4[1d6] = 6

Again he rolls a single dice and hopes for glory. Dice game [1d6] = 5, the dice wobbles, between four and six before catching the edge of the wooden clogs and laying to rest 5 face up. The man groans, but looks up again,

"Double or quits but thrice is nice, what say ye young adventurer, what can you throw into the pot? Fancy that ring will just look just as nice on pretty Tilly here as yours, you win, take her as your prize, but better enjoy her quick cus she'll be warming my bed tonight." Szmodics is getting egged on by other merchants and a couple of half dressed dolly birds to increase the bet, what funds do you have, the earing is worth 20gp or do you withdraw from the table?

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#18 Post by Stirling »

Szmodics

"Whoa, slow down. You seem to keen to lose your lot. Though the odds favour me maybe the dice don't", Szmodics makes a sly dig at any skullduggery attempts to roll a loaded dice.

"Still if the lady chooses to acquiesce to your gambit, I think it fair she rolls her fate, don't you?"

Szmodics will pick up the five dice and exchange it for one of his and offer it to the girl. what does she look like, I'd rather not be tempted by a 'pigs trotter'? and can I roll for her?

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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#19 Post by Spearmint »

Tilly

"Roll your sweet breasts fate, get me some gold and you can keep the earring sweetie thing." the merchants slaps the backside of the girl and draws her to the table."She has good hands, don't you my girl, she knows how to take all the stress away."

The girl, Tilly makes a smile and rolls...the dice copying the previous throw, teetering between the two even numbers before hitting a jamb and coming to rest, once more 5 face up.

Dice game wench rolling [1d6] = 5...

The merchants face exploded in a rage but he is calmed by his peers who chuck a fee coins and dive in the table to take a turn gambling.

Szmodics you have a silver locket and, for the rest of the afternoon at least, the company of Tilly, who leads you by the hand up some back room stairs...




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Re: Cockburn Harbour

#20 Post by Spearmint »

that was fun doing it in real time, having won you can gain a bonus +1 notoriety

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