(13) The Last Plank (Docks Tavern)

[OGRE MAGE]

Picky Sleepers

The one-eyed Amos watches your conversation from a distance, not liking the negative body language he is witnessing.

As the long hired man sitting on stage starts playing a raucous chanty on his lute, Amos shakes his head and gets up from his seat again, tosses a coin into the mans tip box, and heads back over to your table, stopping in front of Tuurma.

"I understand the apprehensions of your misguided friends, for Rel does indeed work in mysterious ways. If you don't want to accompany me, may I at least get your name? And if you change your mind, please ask around for me. My offer is always open........for you at least."

Actions?

[sastaz]

Tuurma starts to say something, but cuts herself short in the middle of the first word. She tips her head back and forth for a few seconds.

"My name is Tuurma, Amos of Rel. And I'm sure we'll meet again. Rel willing, right? For today, at least, I bid you farewell and wish you a pleasant and ghoul free evening.

After Amos has left, she picks up the conversation with her companions.

"Well then. How do we find a suitable job?"

[Rex]

Drest

"Not sure, I was advocating for at least hearing the bastard out."

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus

"We still can consider our options. The owner of the brothel also was looking for people to work for him. As long as it's not working for him like most of his people do.. I think we should hear him out first. We would have both a place to sleep and work, without fear of being stabbed in the back. I don't feel like... dreaming again that I drown, thank you.

We can always go to the temple of Rel if we don't like his offer."

[shaidar]

Xenos

"Let's see what the brothel owner says. If it's not useful then this is Xambaala, to find a job you hit the streets and go looking"

[sastaz]

Tuurma

"I mean, sure. Valkrina, will you join us? I mean, visiting a brothel must beat dreaming that you're drowning, right?"

Tuurma smiles, empties her mug of ale, burps loudly and rises.

"Shall we?"

[Rex]

Drest

Drest rises with Tuurma. "Yes."

[shaidar]

Xenos finishes his last few bites of food and washes it down with a long swig of beer.

"I feel much better after that. Let us go and see a pimp about a job."

He winks and stands with the others

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus, of course, joins his companions.

[OGRE MAGE]

When One Swinging Door Closes

Despite Valkrina's earlier refusal to sleep in the basement of a brothel, the group decides the offer is their best course of action.

When Tuurma gets up to leave the tavern, she is about to step outside again when she spots a bunch of the rowdy, disgusting men that were on her ship. They walk past The Last Plank heading directly into the brothel next door.

She also spots Amos standing across the street, as if he were waiting patiently for her to exit. He smiles and winks his one eye when she notices him noticing her.

As the entire group exits the dockside tavern, they are approached by another man, this one looks quite out of place here in Xambaala, much like some of you. He is short yet muscled. Young, with a tan complexion, heavily slanted eyes, and sporting a shaved scalp. The man looks at the 5 of you carefully, obviously enthralled with the fighters deadly weapons. He looks up, staring you directly in the eyes.

"I need help! Are you swords for hire, looking for a way to make a little coin?"

His common tongue is a bit broken and difficult to understand initially, his strange sounding foreign accent completely unrecognizable to any of you.

Actions?

[sastaz]

As the young tanned man approaches, despite his obvious sense of urgency Tuurma gives him a subtle hand wave.

"Hold on for just a few breaths."

And then strides over to Amos. She looks him firmly in the eye, intensely, but not in a threatening manner and says, calm but clearly:

OM see private thread and decide what the others hear

[Bluetongue]

Valkrina

Finds it odd that she stands outside a brothel yet asks a customer "How much?".

But she rubs her fingers, like rubbing two silver pieces together at the man who approached them.

"You need help. How much?"

[Rex]

Drest

"What is your name?"

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus eyes the newcomer and waits for him to answer his companion's questions.

[shaidar]

Xenos

With the mention of a paying job, the newcomer has the ixians attention. He waits for answers to the questions already asked.

[Tamerlaine]

Kang

The short young man with the serious mien removes his conical hat and holds it by the edge while addressing you, his shaved head slightly bent in deference. "I am Kang, a humble monk far from home. I come searching for those of ability and courage to help people fight a dire threat that has already taken the lives of children. They are powerless against it and I alone cannot defeat this abomination. These people are poor yet they are willing to give all they hold of value to have this monster destroyed. Food and shelter will also be provided for those who wish it."

"Will you help?"

[sastaz]

Tuurma nods to Amos, says something that you can't really make out, and then returns.

She eyes Kang as she gets back. Then turns to her companions.

"Sorry about that. What did I miss?"

[Karaunios]

Akhilleus listens to the monks words.

When Tuurma arrives and asks her question he answers to her, but looking at the little man: "We may have a job.

Some kind of monster is attacking people and has already killed even children.

We won't get much of a reward, but we'll get food and shelter, which is a good start.

Tell us, Kang, where is this happening? Here in Xambaala? What kind of monster is it that's attacking this people? Does it come at night? Or does it attack during the day in plain view? How did it all start?"

[Rex]

Drest

"We need food and shelter, how far away is it? Do they have any weapons, simple bows perhaps?"

[shaidar]

Xenos

The ixians face remains expressionless with the initial answers, he is about to speaks but stops and simply nods at the new questions being asked.