Martin and Reller (Stik and Kafen) private thread

[Stik]

Martin eyes the council carefully, offering polite nods and/or small bows by way of greeting to each as they arrive.
To Bryce Cousland, as soon as he can catch the man's attention, he says: "Master Cousland, it is very good to see you. I was very, very pleased to receive your invitation to dinner, and I thank you for your generosity. If it please you and your lady, my lady and I are free this evening, well, I mean, we are free this evening regardless of whether it please you and your lady or not. But if your schedule permits, we would be quite pleased to accept your invitation this evening. Of course, if tomorrow would be better for you, I can certainly juggle things a bit...and when I'm done with that I shall rearrange my schedule accordingly."

He will offer a similar response to Linton Bronzemoon's invitation, if indeed that gentleman is present, suggesting three days hence for their meeting.

[Breila]

Bryce Cousland holds up a hand when Martin is talking to him, though he can't keep from smiling. When Martin has finished, he simply says. "Let us deal with this matter first and talk about dinner later. Come with me to my house then, my lady always likes to be consulted when guest come to our house."

Indeed, there is a lively discussion going on, mostly between Ara Redbow, the local head cleric, and Daos Soulstaff, the mage. They seem to disagree about how best to prevent additional spread of the acid rot, and to an outsider like Martin, it very much looks like the debate between the arcane and the divine spellcaster flares up ever so often.

Kristina approaches Reller and tells him in an undertone: "I think we will be safe once the roof beams and floorboards are washed with lime, but if they think their work helps and people believe it too, well let them do it. But we can be happy it was not devil's rot, because that would have affected wool and skin as well - and silk" she says with a side glance to Martin.

Aloud, she calls: "We cannot yet cut reeds to replace the roof, you will have to ask people to bring their stores. Or find another solution to make a roof."

Near the quais, some of the fishermen have propped up a barrel on a kind of sawhorse and are ready to set in the spines. They call the harbourmaster who had been standing with the council for permission to break his seal. That man comes over and asks Mssrs Cousland and Bronzemoon as witnesses.

The first barrel does indeed contain a very aromatic dark vinegar. Once it is emptied into a new one, the harbourmaster makes a pompous fuss about re-sealing it. The second barrel's vinegar is lighter and has an apple-y smell to it. The third one is almost clear.
Both are re-sealed as well. The fourth and last barrel, however, delivers a liquid with a totally different smell. The main tone is strong alcohol, but it is none of the usual spirits. "Now what is this?" asks Tel the innkeeper. "I've never smelled anything like it"
But it does smell good, very very good indeed...

[Kafen]

Reller gives Kristina a smile and nod of approval as they break open the barrels. "Looks like a finer vintage, I hope it is registered for the sake of the owner." He looks around the group as they opening the barrels.

"While we cannot bring the wine to dinner, I hope the invitation remains open." Reller jokes as they sort the crates.

[Breila]

The group around the barrels gets giddy and somehow unfocused. Everyone is feeling especially fine, and they would like to try drinking some of it. And, as a matter of fact, why shouldn't they?

[Kafen]

"Right, I am feeling a bit thirsty, actually." Reller tells the group. He looks at Kristina as he ponders tasting the fine beverage. "What about you?"

[Stik]

"Certainly, Master Cousland. I would hate to inconvenience such a fine lady as yours. I will await your pleasure."

Martin waits and observes while the barrels are opened. When the fourth is opened, he steps back and watches the crowd's reaction, which strikes him as strangely...enthusiastic. He nudges the harbourmaster and says: "I might be out of line here, but it strikes me that this might be a good time to remind everyone that this barrel contains someone else's freight?" the last bit is spoken in a loud stage voice, the sort that is just short of shouting.

[OOC] As a frequenter of upscale taverns, I imagine Martin would be somewhat familiar with a variety of alcoholic beverages. Is this something at all familiar, like brandy, or is it something unusual?[/OOC]

[Breila]

[ooc]Even Martin with all his experience has never smelled anything similar[/ooc]

As Reller is looking at Kristina, she kind of transforms in his eyes back into the beauty she had in her youth when she fancied him, and her ears seem to develop a slight point to them... He leans further towards her, and just before he could kiss her, Martin's voice jolts him back to present reality.

[Kafen]

"Uh, right" Reller says in a distant voice as looks at Kristina "That would be stealing, of course. Still, it is very interesting. I wonder which customer this is for?" He says as he gives Kristina a smile.

[Stik]

Martin finds himself conflicted.
He has been making a concerted effort to establish himself as a good guy in town, a friend to one and all, and helping the populace avoid the odd effects of this newly-opened barrel will certainly score him some points in that column...
BUT...the chaos that would result in several dozen people succumbing to said effects would be absolutely wonderful, provided he himself could find a way to remain unaffected.
Decisions, decisions...

Nothing for it but to choose the high road. "Tel, please, get that barrel bunged, and pronto, before we have a riot on our hands."

[Breila]

Tel looks very dazed and not able to do as Martin suggested, but the bard gets unanticipated help.

Daos Soulstaff had heard Martin's call of "someone else's freight" and came over, his discussion with Ara momentarily forgotten.

"Keep away from that potion!" he commands in a sharp voice. He closes the tap and takes the lid of the recipient barrel to at least cover it. "Everybody move away" he goes on, ushering people away from the barrels. He looks them over, and seeing that everybody regains their composure, he nods, satisfied.

"Now, Harbourmaster, whom does this dangerous fright belong to?" he asks.

"The papers do not state an owner, Sir" the harbourmaster answered. "It is just said that they should be stored here until Eret comes to lead his next caravan inland." He looks uncomfortable, and with reason:

"Isn't it stated in the rules that the owners of all merchandise be stated in the registry papers?" the mage asks the harbourmaster. "Well yes, I know, but since Eret is such a good customer I didn't insist" the latter says lamely. Daos snorts. "You'll have to answer the Council for this" he announces and goes back to his fellow council members.

[Kafen]

Reller is tactfully silent and suggests to Martin. "I wonder if the recent lights are related to this cargo if it turns out to be illegal." He looks at Kristina and tells her in a warm voice. "Thank you, by the way. Your help was most appreciated."

[Stik]

"If they don't, they shall soon. Somebody will see to that. Not sure who, or how, but it will.

"Right now, I find myself wanting to go to the aid of our beleagured harbourmaster. It's not his fault the cargo was dangerous. His biggest sin was neglecting some paperwork. And even if he had gotten an owner's name, it would surely have been a false one. If Lord Fearsome is serious about the harbourmaster answering for this, it may be appropriate for J. Cheever Drake to represent him." Martin pauses. "Oh, that's me, J. Cheever Drake, Barrister, of the law firm of Dewey, Cheatham and Howe."

[Kafen]

"Yes, I will attend this meeting iif possible. I would hate for my friend to suffer for it." Reller admits to Martin in a low voice.

[Breila]

Soon after, when the strange vapours have dissipated, the whole council comes over to the crates and barrels, accompanied by all bystanders. "What about these crates?" Linton Bronzemoon asks. "Are they registered to be taken on by Eret as well?"

The harbourmaster looks at his lists and nods. "Indeed they are, Sir. This is why they were kept together."
"Well then" Bryce Cousland says gravely, "I think it is in order that they be opened with us all as witnesses."

The crates are opened (carefully to prevent any spreading of rot spores), and reveal smithing tools laying side by side on a bedding of old cloth.

[Stik]

"Well, that was...disappointing. From the weight of the cases, I was expecting something other than tools. Some metal about three times heavier than iron, if you catch my drift," Martin says to Reller. "Unless..."

Martin strides boldly over to the opened case. "Testing a theory," he says. Then he looks closely at the empty box, checking to see if the box is as deep on the inside as on the outside, using whatever is handy to measure, if appropriate. He's hoping to find a false bottom.

Lacking a magnet to test whether the tools are really iron, he will, pick up each of the tools to see if it seems unusually heavy or otherwise odd.

If any, or all, of the tools appear unusually heavy, he will bang those together to see if they are softer than they should be. His last test will be to scratch the tool heads with the prybar that was used to open the crates.