Kael was born of uncertain parentage, but what is certain is his status as a half-breed elf. This constrains him as an outcast, too unrefined for elvish society but too fair for human culture. It is this outcast nature that drives him from the comforts of stability and renders him a nomad thief, unconsciously telling himself he wants not for the comforts of a home but consciously always staying a step ahead of trouble. While he is not particularly bloodthirsty, he is not above violence if it means getting what he needs; by the same token, though he is hardly charitable he does have a soft spot for outcasts and will turn a favor for another if he senses resonance with his own past. Kael is tremendously impulsive, often spending his last few gold pieces on one more drink or losing a good fence in a game of dice when he can least afford it. This has led to more than a few spots of trouble with either the local criminal element or the constabulary, whomever he opted to cheat to cover his tracks. Kael came to the port of Nyanzaru some years past to try his luck on an island rich with opportunity for the less-than-nobly intentioned, but his life of petty crime has been upended of late by manifestation of a strange, sorcerous power that is slowly turning his normally nonchalant demeanor decidedly more malicious.
A spray of seafoam assaults Kael Silverhand's windbreaker as he steps from the galleon making port in the town of Nyanzaru. He dropped, soaking wet, from the high banister of the sea vessel's port side and hit the deck with an audible crack as the old wood fought it's constant battle to resist the unending assualt of ocean and man, he strode from the port with a barely-audible jingle in his pocket as his day's pay sat comfortably in his trousers' pocket. This was unfamiliar work for him, the hard labor of the sea, but it was quite literally his day job following the recent revelation of his sorcerous powers. His usual skulduggery was a thing of the past now, and it was only a matter of time until his night training sessions made him comfortable enough weaving magics to truly take what the town had to offer.
He walked the quarter-mile or so to one of the seaside taverns the port boasted, this being one of the major settlements on the island, and after hanging his soaked windbreaker near the fire he spent a few coins on a mug of ale and took a seat in one of the more secluded corners of the room. This was his usual routine, of late; a day's work, a drink at the tavern, then retiring to his small home to practice spells for a few hours before starting again the next day. It was, in truth, the closest thing he'd had to an honest life in his two-dozen years, but he knew it was nearing its azimuth. Whatever had awakened within him told him he was destined for greatness, and it was only a matter of time before the right score presented itself and he was spurred to put his newfound talents to use.
This night in particular, he knew one of the local guild thieves would be making the rounds. Celina Softpaws was a flighty woman, but she made a tour of the seaside establishments once a week to distribute information on the down-low, and with a little luck, he'd either coax her into offering up a scoop or wheedle something out of one of her sycophants once she departed. Either way, at the moment he had naught else to do but wait and enjoy the infrequent sip of his drink.
Casting my gaze about, I try to pick out any notable characters or my target herself as I nurse my drink. (Perception) 13
As Kael walks into the Tavern the smell of fish and sea water is replaced by the odor unwashed bodies and strong ale. The Salty Dog is not a fancy establishment by any means. Truth be told it is a bit of a dive bar, but it's never a boring place. Built to resemble a sailing vessel, the "bow" faces the harbor. A stairway leads from "the hold" which serves as the main bar area, to "the deck" which is open to the night air.
This rowdy tap house is frequented by those that like casting dice, strong drinks, and the fights that tend to follow those drinks. Things never get too out of hand though, largely thanks to Kree, the Goliath bouncer Tommy keeps on staff. The Salty Dog also serves as a front for Tommy's "other business dealings". Kael has taken the occasional job for Tommy and in return she acts as informant and sometimes as a fence for him.
As make he makes his way through the threshold, Kree nods to Kael as he passes. The stoic goliath has never said a word to him, but he knows Kael as a frequent patron and one of Tommy's associates.
Seeing him enter, as not much escapes her notice in this establishment, Tommy shouts a greeting:
"Kael darlin, good to see ya son. Yer usual no doubt, take a seat - if ye can find one. I'll be with you in two shakes."
Tommy is participating in a game of liars dice with a Tiefling male, three humans (two male, one female), and a male gnome. Trixie, the half-drow barmaid, brings Kael his drink with a playful smile and then disappears into the crowd to tend to the other customers. Outside of Tommy, Kree, and Trixie, Kael notices the place is filled with fishermen and would be adventurerers, not unlike himself. A half - orc and a goliath are about to begin an arm wrestling challenge, while others gather to place bets. At another near table four men (a half-dragon, a dwarf, an elf, and a human) are engaging in game of Three Dragon Ante that is heating up. On a small stage, a halfling bard dressed in a brightly colored coat and leggings strikes a merry tune. There is no sign of Celina.
Seeing no sign of Celina, Kael is unable to resist the temptation of the arm-wrestling match. He approaches the table and sets 5g on the table with a audible *clink* as he says,
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kael is one of the last to lay a bet on the table. Thokk Skullcrusher, the fierce half-orc is highly favored as he has ended many a promising gladiator in the arena. His eyes flare with the intensity known only to those cursed with the orcish blood rage. His opponent on the other hand appears calm and level headed. His features are set and unreadable, as if he was carved out of stone. Having placed his bet on Goram Strongjaw, a relative unknown, Kael is given five to one odds.
As the competitors begin, their arms bulge and strain. They seem almost evenly matched. Though soon the goliath's endurance gives way to the sheer fierocity of the orcs hammering motions. Thokk wins. (at this point Kael should make a perception check)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kael watches the match unfold nonplussed, taking a measured drink of his ale as the half-orc slams the goliath's arm down with gusto. Kael imperceptibly narrows his eyes, skeptical of the outcome given the goliath's doubtless strength, and scrutinizes the pair a bit more closely.
I evaluate the half-orc carefully, noting something odd about his theatricality versus the stoicism of his opponent. 4
Kael sees a terrible performance by a bad actor. Thokk seems to have won the competition fairly, but his over acting on the struggle is almost comedic. The calm on the goliath's face still seems natural, he challenges Thokk for best two out of three. Some in the crowd, begin to laugh, Thokk joining in with them.
"Awight if yew is lookin fo anotha beatin, All givf it tew ya."
There is a cheer from those gathered near by and the call goes out to place your bets.
Kael furrows his brow in frustration. He reaches for his gold pouch at his hip only to find only empty air - his pouch gone. He shoots a glance back to his table to see if he'd forgotten it, but with no luck. The press of bodies could only mean someone had snatched it, but how to catch the thief?
Placing his drink on the table, he offers forward his left hand palm-down while making a subtle below-the-belt flourish and casting Minor Illusion, making several pieces of gold appear in his hand with a reveal. He does his best to keep his wits about him as he lays the illusory gold on the table, hoping he'd placed it close enough proximity to a few other stacks so as not to make it obvious whose gold eventually evaporated once someone tried to snatch it up. He hoped his practice had paid off as he called out,
"Let's see you go two-for-two, muscles. Twenty on the goliath."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Seeing that all bets have been placed the competition goes into round two. This time Thokk seems uninterested in trying to impress the crowd. He intends to humiliate his challenger with quick defeat. The wager is now even more in the favor of Thokk. Seven to one odds. Goram keeps his features steady and mumbles something to himself.
The contest begins:
Thokk: 6
Goram: 5 Advantage: 5
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
Initially things look very bad for Goram. Thokk throws everything he has into a blast of strength. Goram is barely able to keep his hand from touching the table... but with a strange calm, he pulls from an inner strength slowly gaining till he over powers the supprised half-orc. Though the bet was for best 2 of 3. Everything now rests on the third and final round.
The competitors eye eachother. Thokk is now furious at the turn of events. Goram still as unreadable as granite, simply readies for the third round.
Thokk: 17
Goram: 20 advantage 7
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
Goram this time has the upper hand from the begining, and though it is no easy task, Thokk is beaten. In a rage Thokk flipps the table and coins are scattered across the floor. Thokk storms out yelling.
"Yeah, well if yewr up fo a reaw challenge, meet me in da ring! Den we'll see who's stronga!"
Kael is awarded 140 gold pieces as his winnings, today the gamble pays off.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kael raises his mug in the direction of the storming half-orc in a salute, and swipes the heavy sack of gold off of the table.
"Have fun with that, Thokk."
He tosses it in the air once before throwing five gold in the direction of the goliath with a nod of thanks before returning to his spot in the corner of the bar. He sits back down with his mug and the sack in front of him and sets to counting out his earnings. This, in truth, is a dalliance, as he again scans the crowd. This time, in addition to Celina, he tries to eye anyone trying another pickpocket maneuver. Kael was betting that if the Catspaw never showed, perhaps her shadowy friend could point him in the right direction.
I eye the bar's patrons carefully between the drop of coins onto the hardwood table. (Perception) 10
The goliath nods to Kael in return and collects up the coins. He then orders a drink and ascends the stairs to the upper level of the tavern. The excitement having died down, the crowd begins to disperse to smaller tables and continue on with their drinks and fish tales.
Kael keenly scans the crowd, drawing on his own expertise. There are several patrons watching him count his windfall with hungry eyes. Karl notices an amature working the drunkards, not bad, but unpracticed . Not likely skilled enough to have made away with his coin purse, though everyone gets lucky once in a while. If there is an expert in house, he or she is wise enough to pick a mark then lay low. Hitting multiple marks, as Kael well knows, increases chances of getting caught.
Note: Just in case it comes up again, unless specified, I will assume that your coinage is in a pouch that hangs from your belt. I will also assume that unless you leave your backpack and gear elsewhere, you are traveling with everything on your character sheet.
Tommy, having finished her game, approaches Kael.
"That was a damn foolish thing to do, wavin yer mony around like that. Men have killed for as many silvers. Ye do good work Kael, and I know ye can handle yerself, but best not to invite trouble. Especially if yer wantin nothin to do with the guild. " She looks at Kael inquisitivly. "So what brings ye round tonight?"
Kael eyes Tommy as he takes the final pull from his mug and lets it clatter on the table. Her rough-and-tumble speech is sometimes difficult to parse, but he responds to her question in kind as he leans back.
"As luck would have it, the Guild. Celina Softpaws makes her rounds tonight, no? Anybody seen her around?"
As if punctuating his question, he lets two pieces of gold clack onto the table and slides them to Tommy.
"One for another drink, the other for any information on where I can find her."
Kael crosses his arms with a quizzical lift of the eyebrow as he responds,
"The Guild may be a bit restricting, no honor amomg thieves and all that, but doubtless Softpaws has a good lead or two. Let's say I have a few new tricks up my sleeve and am eager to try them out."
You know who runs the guild, if she was caught passing out business..."
Tommy leans back in her chair, mirroring Kael's posture. She then takes in a deep breath looks away and slowly lets it out while reaching back to scratch her head.
"Tell ya what, I got a new ale in just today... best one to date. Why don't ye come downstairs an ye can be the first to try it... on the house."
She turns to leave the table, leaving the coins where Kael set them.
Having worked for Tommy in the past, you know that new ale means new info, and downstairs means away from prying eyes and ears.
Kael smiles as he rises, scooping the coins from his earlier winnings back into hia pouch - this time keeping a hand safely resting on the remaining sum - and conspicuously leaving the two gold on the table. He knew Tommy had something for him, and the least he could do was make it worth her while.
"Just in time, I was starting to get thirsty. Lead the way."
He's careful to keep an eye on who passes close. If the Guild was as tight-lipped as Tommy made them, it wouldn't do at all to have them sticking their noses into his search for Celina. Whatever Tommy had for him, he was confident he could pry something loose from the Black Cat's fingers with tue right means of persuasion, if it came to that.
Tommy lead's Kael behind the bar and down into the cellar. Once down stairs Kael is led past the rows of unopened bottles stacked neatly on their sides, and the large ale casks to a secret doorway. This is where Tommy conducts her shadow deals. A fancy office is hidden within. Inside her more precious wares are stored - shelves loaded with scrolls and various locked chests. She goes to one of the smaller chests and draws a key from her corset. The lock opens with a click and she draws a small black orb from it, which she then sets on a three legged stand on the desk. Tommy then speaks the words Shadow's Guard Us , (SHADOWS GUARD US) in the dragon's tongue. The orb pulses and swirls with arcane energy before releasing a cloud of dark grey fog that slowly engulfs the room. As it overtakes you, it seems to become translucent and form into a dome like shield.
Kael follows Tommy to the secluded basememt office. Oh, if only the rabble upstairs knew that the guffawing bar wench they saw was a shrew of the highest caliber. Tommy knew business, and was far smarter than most gave her credit for. Kael sits, and places his elbows on his knees as he steeples his fingers in ponderance.
"I've always had an appreciation for a woman who values discretion. So," he says, "What news have you that can't risk crossing guild ears?"
https://discord.gg/hBjmq
Chapter 1 Kael Silverhand
Kael was born of uncertain parentage, but what is certain is his status as a half-breed elf. This constrains him as an outcast, too unrefined for elvish society but too fair for human culture. It is this outcast nature that drives him from the comforts of stability and renders him a nomad thief, unconsciously telling himself he wants not for the comforts of a home but consciously always staying a step ahead of trouble. While he is not particularly bloodthirsty, he is not above violence if it means getting what he needs; by the same token, though he is hardly charitable he does have a soft spot for outcasts and will turn a favor for another if he senses resonance with his own past. Kael is tremendously impulsive, often spending his last few gold pieces on one more drink or losing a good fence in a game of dice when he can least afford it. This has led to more than a few spots of trouble with either the local criminal element or the constabulary, whomever he opted to cheat to cover his tracks. Kael came to the port of Nyanzaru some years past to try his luck on an island rich with opportunity for the less-than-nobly intentioned, but his life of petty crime has been upended of late by manifestation of a strange, sorcerous power that is slowly turning his normally nonchalant demeanor decidedly more malicious.
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
A spray of seafoam assaults Kael Silverhand's windbreaker as he steps from the galleon making port in the town of Nyanzaru. He dropped, soaking wet, from the high banister of the sea vessel's port side and hit the deck with an audible crack as the old wood fought it's constant battle to resist the unending assualt of ocean and man, he strode from the port with a barely-audible jingle in his pocket as his day's pay sat comfortably in his trousers' pocket. This was unfamiliar work for him, the hard labor of the sea, but it was quite literally his day job following the recent revelation of his sorcerous powers. His usual skulduggery was a thing of the past now, and it was only a matter of time until his night training sessions made him comfortable enough weaving magics to truly take what the town had to offer.
He walked the quarter-mile or so to one of the seaside taverns the port boasted, this being one of the major settlements on the island, and after hanging his soaked windbreaker near the fire he spent a few coins on a mug of ale and took a seat in one of the more secluded corners of the room. This was his usual routine, of late; a day's work, a drink at the tavern, then retiring to his small home to practice spells for a few hours before starting again the next day. It was, in truth, the closest thing he'd had to an honest life in his two-dozen years, but he knew it was nearing its azimuth. Whatever had awakened within him told him he was destined for greatness, and it was only a matter of time before the right score presented itself and he was spurred to put his newfound talents to use.
This night in particular, he knew one of the local guild thieves would be making the rounds. Celina Softpaws was a flighty woman, but she made a tour of the seaside establishments once a week to distribute information on the down-low, and with a little luck, he'd either coax her into offering up a scoop or wheedle something out of one of her sycophants once she departed. Either way, at the moment he had naught else to do but wait and enjoy the infrequent sip of his drink.
Casting my gaze about, I try to pick out any notable characters or my target herself as I nurse my drink. (Perception) 13
As Kael walks into the Tavern the smell of fish and sea water is replaced by the odor unwashed bodies and strong ale. The Salty Dog is not a fancy establishment by any means. Truth be told it is a bit of a dive bar, but it's never a boring place. Built to resemble a sailing vessel, the "bow" faces the harbor. A stairway leads from "the hold" which serves as the main bar area, to "the deck" which is open to the night air.
This rowdy tap house is frequented by those that like casting dice, strong drinks, and the fights that tend to follow those drinks. Things never get too out of hand though, largely thanks to Kree, the Goliath bouncer Tommy keeps on staff. The Salty Dog also serves as a front for Tommy's "other business dealings". Kael has taken the occasional job for Tommy and in return she acts as informant and sometimes as a fence for him.
As make he makes his way through the threshold, Kree nods to Kael as he passes. The stoic goliath has never said a word to him, but he knows Kael as a frequent patron and one of Tommy's associates.
Seeing him enter, as not much escapes her notice in this establishment, Tommy shouts a greeting:
"Kael darlin, good to see ya son. Yer usual no doubt, take a seat - if ye can find one. I'll be with you in two shakes."
Tommy is participating in a game of liars dice with a Tiefling male, three humans (two male, one female), and a male gnome. Trixie, the half-drow barmaid, brings Kael his drink with a playful smile and then disappears into the crowd to tend to the other customers. Outside of Tommy, Kree, and Trixie, Kael notices the place is filled with fishermen and would be adventurerers, not unlike himself. A half - orc and a goliath are about to begin an arm wrestling challenge, while others gather to place bets. At another near table four men (a half-dragon, a dwarf, an elf, and a human) are engaging in game of Three Dragon Ante that is heating up. On a small stage, a halfling bard dressed in a brightly colored coat and leggings strikes a merry tune. There is no sign of Celina.
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Seeing no sign of Celina, Kael is unable to resist the temptation of the arm-wrestling match. He approaches the table and sets 5g on the table with a audible *clink* as he says,
"Five on the goliath."
Kael is one of the last to lay a bet on the table. Thokk Skullcrusher, the fierce half-orc is highly favored as he has ended many a promising gladiator in the arena. His eyes flare with the intensity known only to those cursed with the orcish blood rage. His opponent on the other hand appears calm and level headed. His features are set and unreadable, as if he was carved out of stone. Having placed his bet on Goram Strongjaw, a relative unknown, Kael is given five to one odds.
As the competitors begin, their arms bulge and strain. They seem almost evenly matched. Though soon the goliath's endurance gives way to the sheer fierocity of the orcs hammering motions. Thokk wins. (at this point Kael should make a perception check)
Opposed strength checks.
Thokk: 20 Performance: 4
Goram:20 , Advantage: 9
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael watches the match unfold nonplussed, taking a measured drink of his ale as the half-orc slams the goliath's arm down with gusto. Kael imperceptibly narrows his eyes, skeptical of the outcome given the goliath's doubtless strength, and scrutinizes the pair a bit more closely.
I evaluate the half-orc carefully, noting something odd about his theatricality versus the stoicism of his opponent. 4
Kael sees a terrible performance by a bad actor. Thokk seems to have won the competition fairly, but his over acting on the struggle is almost comedic. The calm on the goliath's face still seems natural, he challenges Thokk for best two out of three. Some in the crowd, begin to laugh, Thokk joining in with them.
"Awight if yew is lookin fo anotha beatin, All givf it tew ya."
There is a cheer from those gathered near by and the call goes out to place your bets.
slight of hand check:21
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael furrows his brow in frustration. He reaches for his gold pouch at his hip only to find only empty air - his pouch gone. He shoots a glance back to his table to see if he'd forgotten it, but with no luck. The press of bodies could only mean someone had snatched it, but how to catch the thief?
Placing his drink on the table, he offers forward his left hand palm-down while making a subtle below-the-belt flourish and casting Minor Illusion, making several pieces of gold appear in his hand with a reveal. He does his best to keep his wits about him as he lays the illusory gold on the table, hoping he'd placed it close enough proximity to a few other stacks so as not to make it obvious whose gold eventually evaporated once someone tried to snatch it up. He hoped his practice had paid off as he called out,
"Let's see you go two-for-two, muscles. Twenty on the goliath."
Seeing that all bets have been placed the competition goes into round two. This time Thokk seems uninterested in trying to impress the crowd. He intends to humiliate his challenger with quick defeat. The wager is now even more in the favor of Thokk. Seven to one odds. Goram keeps his features steady and mumbles something to himself.
The contest begins:
Thokk: 6
Goram: 5 Advantage: 5
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Initially things look very bad for Goram. Thokk throws everything he has into a blast of strength. Goram is barely able to keep his hand from touching the table... but with a strange calm, he pulls from an inner strength slowly gaining till he over powers the supprised half-orc. Though the bet was for best 2 of 3. Everything now rests on the third and final round.
The competitors eye eachother. Thokk is now furious at the turn of events. Goram still as unreadable as granite, simply readies for the third round.
Thokk: 17
Goram: 20 advantage 7
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Goram this time has the upper hand from the begining, and though it is no easy task, Thokk is beaten. In a rage Thokk flipps the table and coins are scattered across the floor. Thokk storms out yelling.
"Yeah, well if yewr up fo a reaw challenge, meet me in da ring! Den we'll see who's stronga!"
Kael is awarded 140 gold pieces as his winnings, today the gamble pays off.
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael raises his mug in the direction of the storming half-orc in a salute, and swipes the heavy sack of gold off of the table.
"Have fun with that, Thokk."
He tosses it in the air once before throwing five gold in the direction of the goliath with a nod of thanks before returning to his spot in the corner of the bar. He sits back down with his mug and the sack in front of him and sets to counting out his earnings. This, in truth, is a dalliance, as he again scans the crowd. This time, in addition to Celina, he tries to eye anyone trying another pickpocket maneuver. Kael was betting that if the Catspaw never showed, perhaps her shadowy friend could point him in the right direction.
I eye the bar's patrons carefully between the drop of coins onto the hardwood table. (Perception) 10
The goliath nods to Kael in return and collects up the coins. He then orders a drink and ascends the stairs to the upper level of the tavern. The excitement having died down, the crowd begins to disperse to smaller tables and continue on with their drinks and fish tales.
Kael keenly scans the crowd, drawing on his own expertise. There are several patrons watching him count his windfall with hungry eyes. Karl notices an amature working the drunkards, not bad, but unpracticed . Not likely skilled enough to have made away with his coin purse, though everyone gets lucky once in a while. If there is an expert in house, he or she is wise enough to pick a mark then lay low. Hitting multiple marks, as Kael well knows, increases chances of getting caught.
Note: Just in case it comes up again, unless specified, I will assume that your coinage is in a pouch that hangs from your belt. I will also assume that unless you leave your backpack and gear elsewhere, you are traveling with everything on your character sheet.
Tommy, having finished her game, approaches Kael.
"That was a damn foolish thing to do, wavin yer mony around like that. Men have killed for as many silvers. Ye do good work Kael, and I know ye can handle yerself, but best not to invite trouble. Especially if yer wantin nothin to do with the guild. " She looks at Kael inquisitivly. "So what brings ye round tonight?"
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael eyes Tommy as he takes the final pull from his mug and lets it clatter on the table. Her rough-and-tumble speech is sometimes difficult to parse, but he responds to her question in kind as he leans back.
"As luck would have it, the Guild. Celina Softpaws makes her rounds tonight, no? Anybody seen her around?"
As if punctuating his question, he lets two pieces of gold clack onto the table and slides them to Tommy.
"One for another drink, the other for any information on where I can find her."
Tommy's eye widen slightly at Kael's response. Then they narrow as she shoots hims a sideways glance.
"I thought ye wanted nothin to do with the guild... what do you want with the black cat? Getting bored runnin under the guilds nose are ye?
The gold sits on the table between them, Tommy has yet to reach for it.
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael crosses his arms with a quizzical lift of the eyebrow as he responds,
"The Guild may be a bit restricting, no honor amomg thieves and all that, but doubtless Softpaws has a good lead or two. Let's say I have a few new tricks up my sleeve and am eager to try them out."
You know who runs the guild, if she was caught passing out business..."
Tommy leans back in her chair, mirroring Kael's posture. She then takes in a deep breath looks away and slowly lets it out while reaching back to scratch her head.
"Tell ya what, I got a new ale in just today... best one to date. Why don't ye come downstairs an ye can be the first to try it... on the house."
She turns to leave the table, leaving the coins where Kael set them.
Having worked for Tommy in the past, you know that new ale means new info, and downstairs means away from prying eyes and ears.
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael smiles as he rises, scooping the coins from his earlier winnings back into hia pouch - this time keeping a hand safely resting on the remaining sum - and conspicuously leaving the two gold on the table. He knew Tommy had something for him, and the least he could do was make it worth her while.
"Just in time, I was starting to get thirsty. Lead the way."
He's careful to keep an eye on who passes close. If the Guild was as tight-lipped as Tommy made them, it wouldn't do at all to have them sticking their noses into his search for Celina. Whatever Tommy had for him, he was confident he could pry something loose from the Black Cat's fingers with tue right means of persuasion, if it came to that.
Tommy lead's Kael behind the bar and down into the cellar. Once down stairs Kael is led past the rows of unopened bottles stacked neatly on their sides, and the large ale casks to a secret doorway. This is where Tommy conducts her shadow deals. A fancy office is hidden within. Inside her more precious wares are stored - shelves loaded with scrolls and various locked chests. She goes to one of the smaller chests and draws a key from her corset. The lock opens with a click and she draws a small black orb from it, which she then sets on a three legged stand on the desk. Tommy then speaks the words Shadow's Guard Us , (SHADOWS GUARD US) in the dragon's tongue. The orb pulses and swirls with arcane energy before releasing a cloud of dark grey fog that slowly engulfs the room. As it overtakes you, it seems to become translucent and form into a dome like shield.
Tommy then motions for Kael to take a seat.
"Now we can speak plainly."
Tome of Annihilation: Greggor - Level 1 Human (Variant) Fighter
The Good, The Bad, and The Greedy: Dungeon Master
Kael follows Tommy to the secluded basememt office. Oh, if only the rabble upstairs knew that the guffawing bar wench they saw was a shrew of the highest caliber. Tommy knew business, and was far smarter than most gave her credit for. Kael sits, and places his elbows on his knees as he steeples his fingers in ponderance.
"I've always had an appreciation for a woman who values discretion. So," he says, "What news have you that can't risk crossing guild ears?"