Crook's Nook...and the Garrison

[hedgeknight]

With the fresh linens as bandages, Elwood and Tuga manage to dress the burn wounds of the two guards, essentially saving their lives. The owl continues to hoot at them from its perch.
In a few minutes, more guards arrive along with Captain Lardus. He is not happy...which is not unusual.
"How are my men and what the hell happened?"

Back at the market...
Tumbler pretends to inspect goods at one of the stalls while keeping an eye on the Goblin girl.
"You keep fondling my fruits like that and their gonna get all juicy."
This from a woman at a fruit stall...and Tumbler looks down at his hands and finds he is holding two large oranges. He opens his mouth and looks back up at the woman...and flinches a bit, for she is not the most attractive woman he has seen...and she's old enough to be his grandmother...maybe older!

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[GreyWolfVT]

Elwood "Well, tha damned goblin apparently knows spells an cast a ball a fire at yer men. At that point I gave up pursuit and tended ta yer wounded men didna wanna let em die. I put that flames out on em and Tuga ere helped heal em with tha aid o tha bandages an onlooker offered up. Then that damned owl showed up and wouldn't stop hootin at us an nobody knows who's it is er what tha hell it wants."

[Computer +1]

Tumbler puts the oranges down gently and wipes his hands on his shirt. I beg yer pardon. Me minds been a bit distracted. Good day to ye. he says and moves along.

[hedgeknight]

Elwood "Well, tha damned goblin apparently knows spells an cast a ball a fire at yer men. At that point I gave up pursuit and tended ta yer wounded men didna wanna let em die. I put that flames out on em and Tuga ere helped heal em with tha aid o tha bandages an onlooker offered up. Then that damned owl showed up and wouldn't stop hootin at us an nobody knows who's it is er what tha hell it wants."

Captain Lardus just shakes his head. "Thank you, sir...Dwarf...for your assistance. I didn't get your name...?"
The owl hoots again and the Captain glances up at it before telling his men, "Take these two to see Vandy at the Dawnflower, and be as quick and as careful as you can. You there. I'd be...well, can you help take these to the healers?" he is speaking directly to Elwood and Tuga.


Meanwhile, at the Market...

Tumbler puts the oranges down gently and wipes his hands on his shirt. I beg yer pardon. Me minds been a bit distracted. Good day to ye. he says and moves along.

And that's when he notices...the Goblin girl is gone!

[ateno]

Captain Lardus just shakes his head. "Thank you, sir...Dwarf...for your assistance. I didn't get your name...?"
The owl hoots again and the Captain glances up at it before telling his men, "Take these two to see Vandy at the Dawnflower, and be as quick and as careful as you can. You there. I'd be...well, can you help take these to the healers?" he is speaking directly to Elwood and Tuga.

"Thank Ye, happy to help, I am Tuga, and I'm a Gnome, and this is Elwood, a companion of mine. Just happened to be in the area.

Tuga shakes his head 'yes'. Then starts directing the men on safe transport.

Tuga

[GreyWolfVT]

Elwood to the captain "Name's Elwood, known by me fellow bounty hunters as Dug tha bounty hunter." smolder pose for a second. Then turning to Tuga "Very well Tuga let's follow this owl ta Dawnflower. Might be a good idea ta escort them."

[Computer +1]

Several curses ring out in Tumbler's head as he quickly makes way to the Guild House. He really doesn't have any choice, he has to go back and hope the bloody goblin girl has already made it back. He feels like he has been on fools errands for two days now with nothing to show for it.

[hedgeknight]

Several curses ring out in Tumbler's head as he quickly makes way to the Guild House. He really doesn't have any choice, he has to go back and hope the bloody goblin girl has already made it back. He feels like he has been on fools errands for two days now with nothing to show for it.

Making his way back to the Guild House, Tumbler curses himself over and over, wondering if all of this has been for naught...and also wondering what will happen to him when he shows up without the girl. This last worry is unnecessary, because when he walks back into the main tap room, there is the Goblin girl chatting it up with Mera and the Princess! The Goblin bursts into cackling laughter at the look on Tumbler's face. Mera chuckles and the Princess smiles too.
"Well, well, look who made it back. Any trouble?" Mera asks, still smiling.

Elwood to the captain "Name's Elwood, known by me fellow bounty hunters as Dug tha bounty hunter." smolder pose for a second. Then turning to Tuga "Very well Tuga let's follow this owl ta Dawnflower. Might be a good idea ta escort them."

Will continue this in the Dawnflower thread

[Computer +1]

Tumbler feels relief mixed with annoyance. 'Stupid goblin shite" he thinks to himself but he makes sure to keep it to himself. That work with the fire was nasty.

Hmmm. Ye got me runnin' all over and here ye are. Well, no matter cuz' the job is done and she is delivered.. He shrugs his shoulders. Only trouble is her blastin' the local law with fire. Nasty work they won't forget about.

[hedgeknight]

"Really?" Mera retorts. "Really, Teeka? Really? I put my ass on the line to bust you out and you pull a stunt like this?! Unbelievable."
The Goblin girl, Teeka, stammers and stutters, trying to explain herself, but Mera isn't having any of it.
The Princess, arms crossed, definitely not pleased, sighs and says, "I will handle whoever shows up, asking questions. Undoubtedly, Captain Lardus will assume we had something to do with it. All of you, upstairs. I'm sure they'll be along very soon."

Mera leads Teeka and Tumbler upstairs, and into a rather large room with couches, chairs, tables, and even a small bar area. Mera, still not listening to Teeka's pleas for forgiveness, walks over to the bar and pours herself a beer.
There are others in the upstairs room as well. Tumbler does a quick head count of six rogue types, including a rather large Half-Orc asleep and snoring loudly on the couch.
"And who do we have here, eh?" asks a young man of Elvish descent. "You will take in just about anybody, won't you Mera?"

[Computer +1]

Tumbler shuffles upstairs since he doesn't really have much choice. He doesn't want to run into the guards and he hasn't been paid yet.
He does a quick headcount and isn't really sure what comes next when he hears the young man speak.
The short and feisty Tumbler bristles at being questioned and the implication that they aren't lucky to have his service.
Take in anybody he says speaking to himself in the 3rd person He thinks a master locksmith is a stray off the street he does?. He snorts loudly, Shows what he knows then don't it! he says while giving the elvishy guy a stare down. (Or stare up and Tumbler's shortness makes it a look up)

[hedgeknight]

Giving the elvish guy a stare down, elicits a quick response. The young half-elf gets up quickly and approaches Tumbler, looking down at him with a glare. "You wanna go? Do you?"

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This perks up the interest of the others in the room, except for the snoring Half-Orc. Mera pours herself another beer and watches with interest.

[Computer +1]

Tumbler doesn't back down, he can't. He knows all too well what happens to those who can't stand up for themselves. He didn't spend decades as an apprentice getting beaten down by his Master to let some half elf push him around.

I'm ready when ye are! he says in response. He won't throw the first punch but he is ready to react if the other one does.

[hedgeknight]

When Tumbler responds, the room gets even more excited. The Half-Elf, however, looks unsure, as if he's not used to someone calling his bluff. Or perhaps he is resigned to the fact that someone always calls his bluff. Either way, he takes a step back.
"Enough!" comes a gravelly voice...and the Half-Orc sits up on the couch, giving a bleary-eyed glare at the pair. "Can't even catch a few winks around here. Ellis, be a good boy and fetch me a beer."
The Half-Elf, Ellis, flushes red in the face but then does as he's told. Tumbler turns to the Half-Orc and watches him get up off the couch. He's a big one for sure! He stretches and the bones in his back and neck pop and crack. He's wearing black leather armor with numerous pockets stuffed with knives. He cracks his neck again, grunts in satisfaction, and takes the beer from Ellis. After a couple of gulps, the beer is gone and he looks at Tumbler and sighs. "I'm Orleg, what's your name and where are you from?"

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[Computer +1]

Inwardly, Tumbler is relieved that the situation deescalates without a fight and without a loss of face. Well met Orleg. I'm Tumbler Metalcaster out of Highhelm. Just blew into town yesterday.. He shrugs his shoulders, And kinda fell into a job here.

[hedgeknight]

Several of the others in the room nod their understanding and so does Orleg. "Sounds about right for most of here, eh? And what job did you just pull that the, erm, rest of us didn't know about?" The Half-Orc glances in Mera's direction.
Mera chuckles and says, "I gave him a little test to see if he has the stones to be one of us."
She walks over and puts an arm around the neck of Ellis. "We need to make sure there are no spies among us, right Ellis?"
Ellis flushes red and nods. "Right boss."
Mera pats Ellis' cheek rather stoutly and walks off. "Now, word on the street is there is 'lone wolf' in town. An outsider, much like Tumbler here. Not sure why he's here but he's avoided us so far, and has avoided Captain Lardass and his merry band. Goes by the moniker 'The Eel.' Can't get a good description of him, but I want him found out and brought here. Throw some coin around, buy some people off, threaten, cajole, suck and fuck, whatever it takes to find this bugger. No one operates alone on our turf."

[Computer +1]

Mera leaves and Tumbler is dumbfounded. Errr I aint been paid yet. Jobs done. Need payin'... he trails off and looks around. He is kinda stuck at the moment. Needs the money, can't leave until he gets it, can't go downstairs until the coast is clear. "Well there is nothing else fer it, gotta wait a bit so....." HE walks over to the bar, pours himself a beer and raises it to the group. Cheers lads

[hedgeknight]

"Oh yes, payment," Mera says over her shoulder. "Come here, Tom Thumbler," she chuckles with a grin. Others laugh with her as Tumbler wipes the foam off his chin. She goes to a desk, takes a key out of a pocket on her vest and opens one of the drawers. Removing a heavy pouch, she tosses it to Tumbler.
"For services rendered...we pay our debts here. Now, go find the Eel."

[Computer +1]

Tumbler scowls a bit but the scowl disappears when he feels the weight of the pouch. He has been living on spent coals for too long. Any coin is a welcome relief.
Ye got it Boss. I'll run down yer Eel.. He starts to leave then pauses a moment, An' if ye recall I was given a task by a man named Crave. You wouldn't have a lead fer me, would ya?

[hedgeknight]

Mera shakes her head. "Never heard of him. Is he in Otari?"