CH. 10: Hard Choices

[Haahque]

Haahqae notices Gobax walk in, but this is rather of no concern to him right now. Something Tulbas said makes him want to speak to Cassandra. "Hi Cassandra, I was wondering if you would be able to supply a large amount of ale to a show I'm performing on Monday in the market square. You'd be able to sell the ale just like you do here, but there might be a large crowd for the hour or so of my performance."

[djhyland]

Arulia looks upon the remains of the fire, speechless for the moment. "This isn't the brothel!" she thinks. "It's where the cult of Belzor was hiding. It's where I was two nights ago! Why would someone burn it?"

When she finally turns to William, she stammers, "This...this isn't the brothel. Why would someone set a fire here?"

[JadedDM]

Haahqae, Tulbas and Gobax (Steel Tankard, Common area)
"Performance?" repeats Cassandra, not following exactly. "But you perform here all of the time and can barely fill any seats. Why would performing in the marketplace be any different?" she asks. "People just aren't in a mood to be entertained these days, thanks to the soldiers."

Kendra and Gregeddin (Prefect's basement)
"Enough of this," Tethys interrupts. "Take him back to his cell," he tells the two baaz guards who have just arrived. "And this time, keep an eye on him. If he escapes again, I will put you both on latrine duty, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir!" the baaz say in unison, grabbing the now disarmed bard. They escort him back to the prison. They place him in a different cell this time, one where the bars have not been bent. They also shackle him to the wall as a further precaution. "That should hold him," says one.

"Perhaps you can interrogate him later," Tethys says to Kendra, walking her back up to the entrance. "Right now, I have other things to take care of. Why don't you return tomorrow, and we can discuss things further then?"

Arulia Seroth (River Way, Harbor District)
William shrugs. "No idea. Is this building important any? Looks like it was a dump. Maybe it was just an accident? Or there's something more going on here that we just don't see."

[HorizonsDream]

Kendra pursed her lips together tightly as she watched Gregeddin's back as he was escorted back to his cell. ~The bastard doesn't know a damn thing about what is going on,~ she thought to herself. She looked up to Tethys. "Yeah, I need to start getting some things in order," she admitted. "Thank you for seeing me, and I'll return tomorrow," she assures him before she leaves and makes her way home.

[Haahque]

"Oh that's an easy one. The difference is this time I'll be performing for the soldiers, and they're often in a mood for entertainment. Also I'll have some assistance and put on a good show. It should be great."

[mgbevan]

Gregeddin wordlessly accepts the frog march from the two guards. When inside the warehouse room, out of Tethys' and Kendra's view, he coughs and wriggles a bit in the guards' grasp. A deft hand slides along the side of his right hand escort, searching for something, anything that he might find in a pocket or a pouch and conceal.

Once shackled in his new cell, the bard waits to see whether the two guards will stay and watch him directly or return to their card game.

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz says "I will light it if we fight. I do not wish to alert the monsters before necessary."

[TristenC]

Arrested, and nobody knows why? Huh... that's odd... Wait,s what performance are you talking about? he asks the pair.

[Haahque]

Gobax doesn't really concern Haahqae right now, but when there's a question that needs answering and Haahqae knows the answer, there's only one thing to do. "You see, there's this great idea I had. Right now all the high taxes on businesses are taking all the money away from the people of the city and giving it to the soldiers and the church right? So what we need to do is get the soldiers and church to spend money to get it back to the people of the city. So, we need to figure out things that the soldiers and church want to spend money on. With a stroke of genius, I decided to put on a juggling performance that will draw a large crowd of baaz and keep them entertained,for a small fee, which means that I'll have just a little more money to put back into circulation and help deal with these oppressive taxes."

[djhyland]

Arulia shakes her head. "This is where...where the Cult of Belzor hid," she whispers, just loud enough for William to hear. "I can't think that it is coincidence." Raising her voice to normal, she continues. "It is not important, at least not for now, but I will tell you more later if you wish."

Motioning William to wait for her, Arulia approaches a nearby soldier who doesn't look too busy. (OOC: assuming that there are some that aren't too busy...) "Excuse me," she asks politely. "I'm looking for a soldier named Kendra Greylock. Do you know her, and if so, do you know where I might find her today?"

[BishGada]

g"Well, they didn't say anything. I thought we might speak with Gregeddin before he meet the prefect and let him know about it, so he can ask what happened. But time doesn't wait and he might already gone." He then turns to Haaque, "Do you want to look for Gregeddin now or arrange things with Cassandra regarding the show?"

[Haahque]

"Really, no time to search for Gregeddin. Love they guy to death, but I'm sure he can manage for a day without my guidance. I have a lot of work to do and I can't get distracted by something like this. You know what they all say? The show must go on! Now if you have to go do something with him then do it. I'll meet you here in the evening and maybe then you'll have time to work out a routine with me. I still need to find someone to collect money for the show. Where could I find someone like that?" Haahqae paces for a bit. "Grubnick, Are you free monday? Would you be willing to collect money for the show?"

(OoC: I always forget which one of Golbax/Grubnick's names Haahqae knows and which one he doesn't)

[TristenC]

[Gobax, I'll try to use it more]
I'll have to check and see if I'm free Monday, an old friend showed up in town so I may be busy... Tulbas, if you don't mind I'll tag along while you're looking for Gregeddin. There are a couple of things I'd like to discuss...

[JadedDM]

Haahqae, Tulbas and Gobax (Steel Tankard, Common area)
Cassandra gives Haahqae a somewhat horrified look. "For the soldiers! That's a terrible idea. They refuse to pay for any of their drinks as it is. If I were to supply your performance with ale, I'd go completely bankrupt in a day."

Kendra Greylock (Noble District)
Stepping outside of the prefect's mansion, Kendra considers her next move. She remembers that it wasn't just Norris' name on that list, but Thoron Seroth--Arulia's father--as well. No doubt she is worried sick by now.

Gregeddin (Prefect's basement)
Gregeddin's attempts to wriggle about and snatch something from a guard fails, and one of them punches him in the stomach for his effort. The air rushes out of the bard's lungs, which makes it easier for them to drag him back to his cell and lock him up. This time, they don't leave the room and remain there, keeping an eye on him.

After some time, Tethys arrives and walks up to the cell. "Now then...I'm glad to see there isn't any more trouble from you. I've taken some assurances, just in case, however. Rye and Civila...those are their names, correct? Your parents? They seem like lovely people."

(Gregeddin makes a Pick Pockets check [TN 65%] (1d100): 91, fail.)

Arulia Seroth (River Way, Harbor District)
William ponders her words, trying to puzzle things out. Meanwhile, she walks over to a soldier. "Kendra? Oh, the bitch who killed the captain. The commander gave her the day off, I think. Not sure why."

[mgbevan]

The bard shakes the chains bound around his wrists to show there could obviously be no trouble here. Then again he did just bend the bars of his last cell. Letting Tethys enjoy his moment, Gregeddin waits before replying. "Indeed. You probably like them a lot more than you do me right about now." before continuing in a thoughtful tone, "Even after all this time to ponder my existence down here, what has got you so interested in my person? The man who has it all, the army, the power, the everything. Is down here with the many who has not even id papers for the laboursome checkpoints."