As if on cue, Brack gave his gruff harumph to Redii. However, underneath the cowl, it was apparent the dwarf was visibly shaking. Unsure of what exactly set the dwarf off, it was evident to onlookers that a nerve had been struck.
"Stay 'ere. I'll be back."The dwarf muttered as he bagn to push his way through the crowd.
Reaching toward the center of the commotion, Brack began to speak in uncharacteristically loud tones, attempting to drown out the background chatter from the onlookers.
"I KNOW..." He pauses to ensure he caught the attention of the crowd. "I know exactly what it feels like. To 'ave yeh 'ands broken. To see them go lame and t'pain that follows. To 'ave yeh life suddenly go sideways on account of misfortune." As he speaks, he rolls up the sleeves, letting the light of the torches highlight his wrists. Where his hands met his arms, deep scar tissue covered the skin in thick, fleshy blankets. A tinge of purple could be seen in contrast to incisions made long ago.
"I know what it feels like after too."His voice cracked as he spoke next, "To see yehself unable to carry on t'family tradition at t'forge. To shoulder the burden of yeh family's worry and laments about yeh future. To watch yeh legacy slip right through yeh very fingers."
A moment of silence, "Yeh know what choice I made then?"He huffed, "I left Janderhoff. I left my clan, my 'ome behind. I sought opportunity to make a living on t'fragments of the life I 'ad left. I came to this city. I came to ply what trade I could and make an 'onest day's wage. Didn't let t'politics, t'situation, or even t'crown stand in t'way. T'city takes care of its own, I know yeh all believe that. And like yeh all, I poured my 'eart into this city, 'ell even 'ad a chance to let it forge t'fragments into something new." There was a pang of sadness in that last line, though the dwarf didn't elaborate further.
"Point is, when my life suddenly went sideways, I didn't choose to do something stupid like yeh all might be about to do. And if yeh haven't noticed," Brack gestures to the discord about the block, "t'city's looking real sideways right about now, eh? Best not to do anything yeh may regret..."
Finishing his declaration, the resolute dwarf stood motionless against the crowd.
As if on cue, Brack gave his gruff harumph to Redii. However, underneath the cowl, it was apparent the dwarf was visibly shaking. Unsure of what exactly set the dwarf off, it was evident to onlookers that a nerve had been struck.
"Stay 'ere. I'll be back."The dwarf muttered as he bagn to push his way through the crowd.
Reaching toward the center of the commotion, Brack began to speak in uncharacteristically loud tones, attempting to drown out the background chatter from the onlookers.
"I KNOW..." He pauses to ensure he caught the attention of the crowd. "I know exactly what it feels like. To 'ave yeh 'ands broken. To see them go lame and t'pain that follows. To 'ave yeh life suddenly go sideways on account of misfortune." As he speaks, he rolls up the sleeves, letting the light of the torches highlight his wrists. Where his hands met his arms, deep scar tissue covered the skin in thick, fleshy blankets. A tinge of purple could be seen in contrast to incisions made long ago.
"I know what it feels like after too."His voice cracked as he spoke next, "To see yehself unable to carry on t'family tradition at t'forge. To shoulder the burden of yeh family's worry and laments about yeh future. To watch yeh legacy slip right through yeh very fingers."
A moment of silence, "Yeh know what choice I made then?"He huffed, "I left Janderhoff. I left my clan, my 'ome behind. I sought opportunity to make a living on t'fragments of the life I 'ad left. I came to this city. I came to ply what trade I could and make an 'onest day's wage. Didn't let t'politics, t'situation, or even t'crown stand in t'way. T'city takes care of its own, I know yeh all believe that. And like yeh all, I poured my 'eart into this city, 'ell even 'ad a chance to let it forge t'fragments into something new." There was a pang of sadness in that last line, though the dwarf didn't elaborate further.
"Point is, when my life suddenly went sideways, I didn't choose to do something stupid like yeh all might be about to do. And if yeh haven't noticed," Brack gestures to the discord about the block, "t'city's looking real sideways right about now, eh? Best not to do anything yeh may regret..."
Finishing his declaration, the resolute dwarf stood motionless against the crowd.
Brack's impassioned words quieted the once rowdy crowd, everyone momentarily captured by his words. More than a few in the crowd looked at each other shame-faced or as if chastised by an elder. While a large majority remained in place, some of the crowd dropped their makeshift weapons and left the area. The laborers in the middle had unsure looks on their faces and seemed conflicted whether to stop or continue. The burly woman who seemed to be leading this particular mob blubbered in place, unable to form a coherent reply. Lastly, the noble stayed still on the ground, eyes wide and seemingly frozen in place as well.
As the silence began to stretch for an awkwardly long amount of time, Brack noticed Redii push her way to the center of the ring. Brack watched her eyes linger momentarily on his exposed forearms before stepping towards him as she scratched at her own. "I'm sorry you've had to go through that..." she said quietly to him when he was in earshot, "But, we should probably grab him and go before they get riled up once again." Turning towards the noble on the ground, she began to make her way over to him to help him up.
With a quick word to Mazour, Hutton temporarily leaves the children in the holy man's care and walks directly to the center of the crowd. Not once does he sidestep a member of the mob or turn to fit between two; gently displacing them as he pushes past at a slow but steady pace, he makes his way to join the others.
After a protracted stare, scanning the faces in the crowd and briefly meeting the gaze of any individual with the gumption to look him in the eye, the big man speaks up for the first time in a while and he addresses the crowd on the heels of Brack's speech. Words carefully measured and eyes narrowed.
"Does your occupation make you worth more than the person next to you? Do riots and lynchings make Korvsa better? Stronger? Do they make our streets safer? How will your families react when they find out about what you're doing today? Will they be proud...or horrified?" He pauses to straighten is posture and square his shoulders. "If you live around here, you know me. You know that I've devoted myself to making our community stronger and I'm telling you the dwarf is right: This is not how it's done. Korvosa has enough trouble right now without this mess adding to it. Go home and be with your loved ones. Reassure them that they're safe. That you're safe. That Pillar Hill is and will remain safe. Leave the cutthroat politics to the cutthroat politicians and leave the honest work to honest folks like you and me."
With that, he turns and offers a huge hand to help the young noble up and nods to the others that they should rejoin Mazour and the children.
The crowd continued to murmur as Hutton Crowcreek made his way to the center of the ring. With the crowd's attention focused on the center of the ring, he was - somehow - overlooked despite his size. That was no longer the case.
After Hutton's speech, most of those that had seemed conflicted before clearly were fully chastised. The majority of the crowd quickly dispersed in a myriad of directions leaving only those in the center of the ring and a few stragglers left within minutes. Redii - who at this point had gotten the shaken nobles upright and back on his fit - casually watched the crowd disperse, though it was clear that she was ready to grab one of her many hidden sai at the first sign of trouble.
The ringleader of the mob stared in frustration in disbelief as the crowd dispersed, before turning an angry glare at Hutton and Brack. "I thought you were you one of us Hutton Crowcreek." She eventually commented, drawing Hutton's name out snidely. "Come on, you lot. Let's get out of here." She then barked to the others who were in the center of the ring before walk off northward without looking back. The group jumped at her command and quickly followed after her, glancing back at Hutton and Brack a couple times before turning a corner and disappearing from view...
Mazour swept the children forward as the mob dispersed. He looked on with a raised eyebrows as his new found compatriots chastised the crowd into submission. Arriving as the woman began to turn her gaze at Hutton. Something seemed off. Lady, grant me your sight. The normally violet eyes of the pale elf, took on a silvery sheen as his senses expanded to find... Nothing. Not satisfied, he watched her intently for a moment.
"May you soon find yourself in the Gray Lady's embrace," he proclaimed loudly, with a smile and a wave. "She seemed nice," he said flatly. "Shall we move along then?"
As Mazour's gaze swept across the ringleader of the now dispersed crowd and her companions, he did not feel the taint of un-death upon any of them, or anyone else in the vicinity for that matter; and always welcome discovery. Eyeing the ringleader more closely in an attempt to discern her motives, while he only saw her actions briefly, she seemed to be someone using the mess around her as an excuse to get "justice" for whatever personal grievances she had with the city.
"Tha-Thank you..." The noble shared with the group in a strong Chelish accent once the crowd had mostly departed. He was still quite shaken. "If you hadn't had come when you did... I don't know what would have... Thank you!" His eyes glistened slightly with un-shed tears
"It just didn't seem right was all... Anyway, you're good now." Redii replied look slightly abashed. "What's your name? And can you make it back to your home or somewhere else safely?"
"I'm Amin Jalento. And I was trying to head home to North Point when ended up caught in all... this..."
Redii grimaced and looked back towards the others, remembering that North Point was one of the areas of the city said to be faring worst this evening...
"North Point? Oh dear sweet soul, I think you may want to wait until daylight to go wandering. It seems the streets aren't... safe... tonight." Mazour placed his arm around the young noble's shoulder and swept him away with the children. He gave Redii a look of worry behind Amin's view as he passed, quickly returning his face to it's usual mischievousness. "How about you come with us? I can't promise much, but it will be safe. Oh, how rude am I? I am Mazour Gwun'Tir, your saviors are Brak and Hutton, and then there is our own Redii."
With that, he kept walking toward Hutton's tavern.
Brack gave a deeper-than-usual snort at the Mazour's mentioning of saviors, "Make no mistake Mister Jalento, I wasn't about saving yeh 'ead as much as I was making sure t'good people of Korvosa don't get their 'ands dirtied on account of all the upheaval about t'city. If yeh looking for any kindness from me beyond what t'others 'ave offered, well..."the dwarf let's his voice trail off, leaving the noble to ponder the untold implications Brack was hinting at.
As they strolled further, Brack regards the others with a few questions of his own, "Yeh know Priest for being t'font of sunshine and 'appiness like yeh usually are, yeh keep some pretty dour company." Though he made no mention of her name, it was clear the dwarf was implying the stoic Souma that he had a spattle with not too long ago.
"And you, 'utton, what was that all about back there with Miss 'One-of-Us'? Yeh know her or are we going to 'ave a nice surprise later on?" Though the dwarf's words seemed harsh and sarcasric, his tone conveyed a bit of respect.
Looking on as Brak spoke, Mazour raised an eyebrow. He reached out to pat the dwarf gently on the shoulder. "I do indeed. But how could I say no... to you?" His eyes glimmered with mischief and he smiled as he reached out to boop Brak on the nose. "Souma got me used to dourness. But she's only as hard as she needs to be. What you saw was heartache, well for her anyway. Not only have I fought and bled with her, I've also met her children. She would have helped if she could."
Brack gave a deeper-than-usual snort at the Mazour's mentioning of saviors, "Make no mistake Mister Jalento, I wasn't about saving yeh 'ead as much as I was making sure t'good people of Korvosa don't get their 'ands dirtied on account of all the upheaval about t'city. If yeh looking for any kindness from me beyond what t'others 'ave offered, well..."the dwarf let's his voice trail off, leaving the noble to ponder the untold implications Brack was hinting at.
Hutton nods down at Amin and further adds to Brack's sentiment as they walk.
"Aye, I've no fondness for the aristocracy, myself. But wrong is wrong and making a spectacle of attacking an undeserving sod doesn't sit right with me." He clears his throat quietly. "Nothing like that's happening in my neighborhood if I've got anything to say about it."
"And you, 'utton, what was that all about back there with Miss 'One-of-Us'? Yeh know her or are we going to 'ave a nice surprise later on?" Though the dwarf's words seemed harsh and sarcasric, his tone conveyed a bit of respect.
He frowns and shakes his head.
"Don't think I've ever seen her before. But I see a lot of people at the Blade, so who knows... I've handled more than my fair share of rabblerousers with mouths bigger than their fists. I don't think she'll be a problem...if she knows what's good for her, anyway. Let's hold on to the misplaced hope that everyone had the sense to head home. We're almost there now so at least there's that."
The party approaches the tavern; a freestanding stone building with a welcoming glow escaping from the partially-ajar, large, bright red front door and a few small, deep-set windows facing the street. A small, swinging sign hanging above the door protrudes into the street slightly. The carved and gold-painted lettering identifies the place as our destination: The Broken Blade. The stone face of the building looks to be roughly ~80 feet or so across and it's hard to tell how far back it goes from here. There's a smaller timber-framed second floor that sits atop the first, set back a bit from the street, that looks like it was an afterthought to the overall form of the structure.
Approaching the door, the solidly-set handle seems to be fashioned in the likeness of the well-worn hilt of a very large, two-handed sword. A smoothed over nub of what could just as easily be either decorative or the actual remnants of a blade protrude about 2 inches from the top. The polished shine makes you think it may be a favored grip for entering the building; rough working hands daily keeping the corrosion at bay.
"Fancy place you have here. Not bad Hutton." Redii commented as she took in the exterior of Hutton's bar. "I'm surprised you're open though with everything going on... I'm assuming that''s not unusual..." she paused for a moment before turning to Amin and the children. "So, hopefully our troubles are over for the night. We're going to stay here at the Broken Blade till morning. Hopefully things quiet down over night and it'll be safe to travel in the city tomorrow." Both the children and Amin looked more than a little relieved to be getting off the streets, especially with a loud *boom* from to the North punctuating Redii's comment. Turning to Hutton, she added, "Let's get in inside. Lead the way..."
OOC: Assuming Hutton leads the way inside...:
Pulling on the sword-hilt handle, the party made their way inside to find exactly the kind of establishment one would expect from the exterior. A semi-dark yet well-lit tavern stood in front of them. Relatively spacious, the center of the space was a large U-Sharped bar with stools which abutted an enclosed interior space with a door; the smell wafting from that area named the space beyond a kitchen most likely. About a dozen (4)- person tables with chairs were spread out in the open area in a way that would've normally allowed for easy movement throughout the bar. To the far left, a mismatched set of wall mounted stair ascended to a second level, though whether it lead to more bar space, an attic, or something else was not immediately clear.
The bar had quite the homey feel. Or it would have, if the Broken Blade wasn't absolutely full of people. A wall of sound hit the party as the entrance to the bar was opened. Folks of all walks of life, from the poor to a few low-level nobles were packed into the bar, split up into smaller groups and engrossed in what appeared to be a serious conversations. A few children were running about to the consternation of their parents are those they bumped into as they passed. More than a few folks appeared rather drunk as well, though the majority who were did not appear to be in a revelatory mood.
"I didn't expect you to have a place so lively." Redii said loudly to be heard over the din. "Is there anywhere we can go in here that's a little quieter?"
Before Hutton or anyone else could reply, a male goliath of an even larger build than Hutton - A double rarity in the human dominated city of Korvosa - moved towards the group and interrupted. He was dressed in all gray and wore a large breastplate covered in scratches and nicks. An emblem that once adorned the center of it was scratched off. "Hutton!" His deep voice carried over the bar, cause heads to turn towards the party's direction. The bar began to quiet - though not by much - as folks recognized Hutton at the door which allowed for the group to hear a feminine voice pipe up from deeper in the bar. "Hutton!?! Is he back Zhox?" a few half-heard shouts of "Move it" and "Coming through" were heard approaching before a diminutive figure burst through the tangle of bodies.
Clearly a halfling in her early middle years, a tangle of bouncy brown hair framed her perfectly round face. She was dressed in a simple dress and apron that was easy to work/ move around in with her only piece of jewelry being a rather large and gaudy pair of earrings of what appeared to be a shining mountain. "Hutton! Bless Torag you're alright!" she began before planting her hands on her hips. "And where have you been? Things have been mad all night!"
OOC: @Hutton, you know Zhox as your recently hired bouncer. I'll DM you more info on him.
Hutton nods an acknowledgement to Zhox before giving the halfling his full attention.
"Sorry, Miss Marni. Been... Tying up some loose ends. I know I've been out more than in of late, but I think things should start settling back down here shortly. Once all the crazy outside has resolved itself, that is."
He looks to his entourage and then back to Miss Marni.
"Things are a bit hectic in the city right now. Need to make sure this lot is safe and taken care of. Would you mind asking Melrom to get stew and bread ready for everyone? We're taking the tables over there." He jerks his head to the left, near the stairs. "If things get rowdy tonight, might need Zhox to clear the place."
Glancing back at the children, he adds, "Might need to close up a little early tonight either way. Once we get settled in, I'm going to see what I can scrounge up for bedding for the night. The streets aren't safe."
"Oh my, Hutton she's perfect! I... want one." Mazour beamed a smile at Miss Marni as she approached. Noting the tables that Hutton motioned to, he steered Amin and the children quickly to the side. "Children, why don't you take Amin here over to the tables. You'll be taken care of there. Go on now, settle in and get comfy. "
Turning on his heel Mazour turned to face Hutton and Miss Marni. "Where can I help?"
"Son, I don't you could handle her," Hutton chuckles. "Let's get food in our bellies, then we'll gather what we can from upstairs. It won't be a comfortable night, but we'll all be warm, dry, fed, and safe."
"Want one!?" Marni snapped at Mazour though not unkindly. "I'll deal with you in a minute. Now you,..." she continued loudly as she turned back to Hutton, "...you think we're Open!?! People just showed up when everything went sideways, and Zhox trying to shoo people out of here was like a shepherd herding cats!!" She paused to take a deep breath. When she spoke, her voice was softer and calmer. "Everyone was scared, and they didn't want to stay in their homes. You kept telling everyone that you were here if they needed anything, and well, clearly, they listened. Nothing to do about it now but do what we can."
"We're mostly out of food at this point, but we probably have a few scraps left for ye little ones. All ye tall ones might have to settle for broth and whatever bread we have left. No one's been upstairs, so the children can sleep there for the night. Lord knows your bed is big enough for a gaggle of wee ones. The rest of you can probably make room in the storage room in the back past the kitchen."
Before Marni could continue, a fellow standing nearby - a ≈30-year-old man with shaggy brown hair that Hutton recognized as Lazlo Miller, a dock worker - spoke up. "Sorrys to just barge in and such. But yous always said you'd help us out in a pinch. Not quite sure what exactly yous can do with things like they is, but it just seemed right to come here." Many of his fellows nodded in agreement. "And we're still paying for the food and drink, don't you worry. Miss Marni wouldn't have it any other way!"
"You're damn right! I'm not Saint Alika and this for sure is no charity house!" Marni chimed in drawing laughter from the crowd. The party could tell that people were rather tense, but being with each other at the Broken Blade made things slightly better.
"Now you," Marni commented to Mazour after the laughter started to die down. "I remember you and your lady friend making a mess in here." She paused to look back and up at a particular spot on the ceiling. "While I appreciate the offer, you don't look the server type and will just get in the way. If you want to help, some folks came in with scrapes and bruises. Yous could take a look at them."
"And what about yous?" Marni then asked as she looked to the three other adults (Redii/ Brack & Amin).
"I-I can look after the children, as thanks, if that's alright with you all?" Amin commented looking to the rest of the party. It was then noted by the party that half the children had seemingly run off to join the other children that were running about and playing throughout the bar.
"Hutton dear, you don't 'handle' a woman like that. You just watch her go." Mazour paused for a moment before raising an eyebrow to Hutton. "Oh Grey Lady's grace, you dirty boy. I think you... misunderstand," he said with laugh.
When Marni laid into him he had a grin from ear to ear. "You would be right Miss Marni, I am not the server type. Consider them healed." With that he sashayed off into the crowd mingling and checking on their needs. As he slipped away he chuckle. Trained monkey they said. Fireworks are fine... Groetus' left nut Laina, I hope you haven't gotten me killed.
Note - Mazour will go through the crowd healing as much as he can. He's also going to see what the general mood is and listen for any stories about what's going on outside.
Seeing Mazour set himself to his task, Hutton closes his eyes for a moment and shakes his head slowly with a quiet chuckle. To no one in particular, he comments, "That one'll be the death of me, mark my words, whether by burning my place down or whiplash from twisting my own words so quickly. Ice, acrobats, baboons, explosives, and now he even makes me think I'm a dirty old man..." he trails off and shakes his head again.
The big man refocuses his attention on the matter at hand.
"You're absolutely right, Lazlo. I'm sorry. I've been out of sorts for a while now and I think I needed this reminder of what we build this place to be. All are welcome if they need shelter. But Zhox," he raises his voice a bit to be heard by the goliath and looks over to meet his gaze, "will be very...stern with anyone found to be causing trouble tonight. There'll be none of the usual evening shenanigans that we let slide."
He takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment. "Suppose I need to make some room upstairs real quick. Brack? Redii? Either of you handy in a kitchen? Mind seeing if Melrom needs a hand? Never know if he'll welcome it or tear your head off at any given time so tread lightly...everything back there is either sharp or hot. Once things are set upstairs for the little ones, if we need more food, I can see if there's anything to be scrounged up from neighbors or any shops I can convince to open their doors for me. Otherwise, I think I have some dry rations in my bag. Won't be good or filling, but it'll do in a pinch."
With that, he sets off up the stairs two at a time.
Brack, doing his best to keep a low profile amidst the commotion of the tavern, takes in the sights and new faces with a dour expression beneath the hood of his cloak. If there was any indication his mood might be a result due to a lack of sleep, that hypothesis is dashed as he pulls out the boundless coffee mug and takes a few hearty gulps. Despite all this, there was a bit of ease about the dwarf after the crew reached the tavern, seemingly having began once the children began to get settled in amongst the patrons.
As the dwarf was processing the situation and state of affairs, he was suddenly caught off-guard by the attention drawn to him and the others by the bossy halfing. Brack let the others speak first as he chewed on both the request she posed and Hutton's suggestion of helping Melrom. Then, saying nothing else, he scans past the two to locate the most likely door leading to the kitchen before giving them a shrug and a snort.
"... Yeh, I suppose I can 'elp in the kitchen,"He says nonchalantly as he begins to trudge his way towards the back. Before leaving earshot, he adds in a respect tone,"...And thanks for yeh 'ospitality."
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As if on cue, Brack gave his gruff harumph to Redii. However, underneath the cowl, it was apparent the dwarf was visibly shaking. Unsure of what exactly set the dwarf off, it was evident to onlookers that a nerve had been struck.
"Stay 'ere. I'll be back." The dwarf muttered as he bagn to push his way through the crowd.
Reaching toward the center of the commotion, Brack began to speak in uncharacteristically loud tones, attempting to drown out the background chatter from the onlookers.
"I KNOW..." He pauses to ensure he caught the attention of the crowd. "I know exactly what it feels like. To 'ave yeh 'ands broken. To see them go lame and t'pain that follows. To 'ave yeh life suddenly go sideways on account of misfortune." As he speaks, he rolls up the sleeves, letting the light of the torches highlight his wrists. Where his hands met his arms, deep scar tissue covered the skin in thick, fleshy blankets. A tinge of purple could be seen in contrast to incisions made long ago.
"I know what it feels like after too." His voice cracked as he spoke next, "To see yehself unable to carry on t'family tradition at t'forge. To shoulder the burden of yeh family's worry and laments about yeh future. To watch yeh legacy slip right through yeh very fingers."
A moment of silence, "Yeh know what choice I made then?" He huffed, "I left Janderhoff. I left my clan, my 'ome behind. I sought opportunity to make a living on t'fragments of the life I 'ad left. I came to this city. I came to ply what trade I could and make an 'onest day's wage. Didn't let t'politics, t'situation, or even t'crown stand in t'way. T'city takes care of its own, I know yeh all believe that. And like yeh all, I poured my 'eart into this city, 'ell even 'ad a chance to let it forge t'fragments into something new." There was a pang of sadness in that last line, though the dwarf didn't elaborate further.
"Point is, when my life suddenly went sideways, I didn't choose to do something stupid like yeh all might be about to do. And if yeh haven't noticed," Brack gestures to the discord about the block, "t'city's looking real sideways right about now, eh? Best not to do anything yeh may regret..."
Finishing his declaration, the resolute dwarf stood motionless against the crowd.
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Brack's impassioned words quieted the once rowdy crowd, everyone momentarily captured by his words. More than a few in the crowd looked at each other shame-faced or as if chastised by an elder. While a large majority remained in place, some of the crowd dropped their makeshift weapons and left the area. The laborers in the middle had unsure looks on their faces and seemed conflicted whether to stop or continue. The burly woman who seemed to be leading this particular mob blubbered in place, unable to form a coherent reply. Lastly, the noble stayed still on the ground, eyes wide and seemingly frozen in place as well.
As the silence began to stretch for an awkwardly long amount of time, Brack noticed Redii push her way to the center of the ring. Brack watched her eyes linger momentarily on his exposed forearms before stepping towards him as she scratched at her own. "I'm sorry you've had to go through that..." she said quietly to him when he was in earshot, "But, we should probably grab him and go before they get riled up once again." Turning towards the noble on the ground, she began to make her way over to him to help him up.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
With a quick word to Mazour, Hutton temporarily leaves the children in the holy man's care and walks directly to the center of the crowd. Not once does he sidestep a member of the mob or turn to fit between two; gently displacing them as he pushes past at a slow but steady pace, he makes his way to join the others.
After a protracted stare, scanning the faces in the crowd and briefly meeting the gaze of any individual with the gumption to look him in the eye, the big man speaks up for the first time in a while and he addresses the crowd on the heels of Brack's speech. Words carefully measured and eyes narrowed.
"Does your occupation make you worth more than the person next to you? Do riots and lynchings make Korvsa better? Stronger? Do they make our streets safer? How will your families react when they find out about what you're doing today? Will they be proud...or horrified?" He pauses to straighten is posture and square his shoulders. "If you live around here, you know me. You know that I've devoted myself to making our community stronger and I'm telling you the dwarf is right: This is not how it's done. Korvosa has enough trouble right now without this mess adding to it. Go home and be with your loved ones. Reassure them that they're safe. That you're safe. That Pillar Hill is and will remain safe. Leave the cutthroat politics to the cutthroat politicians and leave the honest work to honest folks like you and me."
With that, he turns and offers a huge hand to help the young noble up and nods to the others that they should rejoin Mazour and the children.
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
The crowd continued to murmur as Hutton Crowcreek made his way to the center of the ring. With the crowd's attention focused on the center of the ring, he was - somehow - overlooked despite his size. That was no longer the case.
After Hutton's speech, most of those that had seemed conflicted before clearly were fully chastised. The majority of the crowd quickly dispersed in a myriad of directions leaving only those in the center of the ring and a few stragglers left within minutes. Redii - who at this point had gotten the shaken nobles upright and back on his fit - casually watched the crowd disperse, though it was clear that she was ready to grab one of her many hidden sai at the first sign of trouble.
The ringleader of the mob stared in frustration in disbelief as the crowd dispersed, before turning an angry glare at Hutton and Brack. "I thought you were you one of us Hutton Crowcreek." She eventually commented, drawing Hutton's name out snidely. "Come on, you lot. Let's get out of here." She then barked to the others who were in the center of the ring before walk off northward without looking back. The group jumped at her command and quickly followed after her, glancing back at Hutton and Brack a couple times before turning a corner and disappearing from view...
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Mazour swept the children forward as the mob dispersed. He looked on with a raised eyebrows as his new found compatriots chastised the crowd into submission. Arriving as the woman began to turn her gaze at Hutton. Something seemed off. Lady, grant me your sight. The normally violet eyes of the pale elf, took on a silvery sheen as his senses expanded to find... Nothing. Not satisfied, he watched her intently for a moment.
"May you soon find yourself in the Gray Lady's embrace," he proclaimed loudly, with a smile and a wave. "She seemed nice," he said flatly. "Shall we move along then?"
Eyes of the Grave (detect undead)
Insight check on Psycho Ringleader - 24
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
As Mazour's gaze swept across the ringleader of the now dispersed crowd and her companions, he did not feel the taint of un-death upon any of them, or anyone else in the vicinity for that matter; and always welcome discovery. Eyeing the ringleader more closely in an attempt to discern her motives, while he only saw her actions briefly, she seemed to be someone using the mess around her as an excuse to get "justice" for whatever personal grievances she had with the city.
"Tha-Thank you..." The noble shared with the group in a strong Chelish accent once the crowd had mostly departed. He was still quite shaken. "If you hadn't had come when you did... I don't know what would have... Thank you!" His eyes glistened slightly with un-shed tears
"It just didn't seem right was all... Anyway, you're good now." Redii replied look slightly abashed. "What's your name? And can you make it back to your home or somewhere else safely?"
"I'm Amin Jalento. And I was trying to head home to North Point when ended up caught in all... this..."
Redii grimaced and looked back towards the others, remembering that North Point was one of the areas of the city said to be faring worst this evening...
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
"North Point? Oh dear sweet soul, I think you may want to wait until daylight to go wandering. It seems the streets aren't... safe... tonight." Mazour placed his arm around the young noble's shoulder and swept him away with the children. He gave Redii a look of worry behind Amin's view as he passed, quickly returning his face to it's usual mischievousness. "How about you come with us? I can't promise much, but it will be safe. Oh, how rude am I? I am Mazour Gwun'Tir, your saviors are Brak and Hutton, and then there is our own Redii."
With that, he kept walking toward Hutton's tavern.
Brack gave a deeper-than-usual snort at the Mazour's mentioning of saviors, "Make no mistake Mister Jalento, I wasn't about saving yeh 'ead as much as I was making sure t'good people of Korvosa don't get their 'ands dirtied on account of all the upheaval about t'city. If yeh looking for any kindness from me beyond what t'others 'ave offered, well..." the dwarf let's his voice trail off, leaving the noble to ponder the untold implications Brack was hinting at.
As they strolled further, Brack regards the others with a few questions of his own, "Yeh know Priest for being t'font of sunshine and 'appiness like yeh usually are, yeh keep some pretty dour company." Though he made no mention of her name, it was clear the dwarf was implying the stoic Souma that he had a spattle with not too long ago.
"And you, 'utton, what was that all about back there with Miss 'One-of-Us'? Yeh know her or are we going to 'ave a nice surprise later on?" Though the dwarf's words seemed harsh and sarcasric, his tone conveyed a bit of respect.
Looking on as Brak spoke, Mazour raised an eyebrow. He reached out to pat the dwarf gently on the shoulder. "I do indeed. But how could I say no... to you?" His eyes glimmered with mischief and he smiled as he reached out to boop Brak on the nose. "Souma got me used to dourness. But she's only as hard as she needs to be. What you saw was heartache, well for her anyway. Not only have I fought and bled with her, I've also met her children. She would have helped if she could."
Hutton nods down at Amin and further adds to Brack's sentiment as they walk.
"Aye, I've no fondness for the aristocracy, myself. But wrong is wrong and making a spectacle of attacking an undeserving sod doesn't sit right with me." He clears his throat quietly. "Nothing like that's happening in my neighborhood if I've got anything to say about it."
He frowns and shakes his head.
"Don't think I've ever seen her before. But I see a lot of people at the Blade, so who knows... I've handled more than my fair share of rabblerousers with mouths bigger than their fists. I don't think she'll be a problem...if she knows what's good for her, anyway. Let's hold on to the misplaced hope that everyone had the sense to head home. We're almost there now so at least there's that."
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Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Chapter 018 – One of Us
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
The party approaches the tavern; a freestanding stone building with a welcoming glow escaping from the partially-ajar, large, bright red front door and a few small, deep-set windows facing the street. A small, swinging sign hanging above the door protrudes into the street slightly. The carved and gold-painted lettering identifies the place as our destination: The Broken Blade. The stone face of the building looks to be roughly ~80 feet or so across and it's hard to tell how far back it goes from here. There's a smaller timber-framed second floor that sits atop the first, set back a bit from the street, that looks like it was an afterthought to the overall form of the structure.
Approaching the door, the solidly-set handle seems to be fashioned in the likeness of the well-worn hilt of a very large, two-handed sword. A smoothed over nub of what could just as easily be either decorative or the actual remnants of a blade protrude about 2 inches from the top. The polished shine makes you think it may be a favored grip for entering the building; rough working hands daily keeping the corrosion at bay.
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Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
"Fancy place you have here. Not bad Hutton." Redii commented as she took in the exterior of Hutton's bar. "I'm surprised you're open though with everything going on... I'm assuming that''s not unusual..." she paused for a moment before turning to Amin and the children. "So, hopefully our troubles are over for the night. We're going to stay here at the Broken Blade till morning. Hopefully things quiet down over night and it'll be safe to travel in the city tomorrow." Both the children and Amin looked more than a little relieved to be getting off the streets, especially with a loud *boom* from to the North punctuating Redii's comment. Turning to Hutton, she added, "Let's get in inside. Lead the way..."
OOC: Assuming Hutton leads the way inside...:
Pulling on the sword-hilt handle, the party made their way inside to find exactly the kind of establishment one would expect from the exterior. A semi-dark yet well-lit tavern stood in front of them. Relatively spacious, the center of the space was a large U-Sharped bar with stools which abutted an enclosed interior space with a door; the smell wafting from that area named the space beyond a kitchen most likely. About a dozen (4)- person tables with chairs were spread out in the open area in a way that would've normally allowed for easy movement throughout the bar. To the far left, a mismatched set of wall mounted stair ascended to a second level, though whether it lead to more bar space, an attic, or something else was not immediately clear.
The bar had quite the homey feel. Or it would have, if the Broken Blade wasn't absolutely full of people. A wall of sound hit the party as the entrance to the bar was opened. Folks of all walks of life, from the poor to a few low-level nobles were packed into the bar, split up into smaller groups and engrossed in what appeared to be a serious conversations. A few children were running about to the consternation of their parents are those they bumped into as they passed. More than a few folks appeared rather drunk as well, though the majority who were did not appear to be in a revelatory mood.
"I didn't expect you to have a place so lively." Redii said loudly to be heard over the din. "Is there anywhere we can go in here that's a little quieter?"
Before Hutton or anyone else could reply, a male goliath of an even larger build than Hutton - A double rarity in the human dominated city of Korvosa - moved towards the group and interrupted. He was dressed in all gray and wore a large breastplate covered in scratches and nicks. An emblem that once adorned the center of it was scratched off. "Hutton!" His deep voice carried over the bar, cause heads to turn towards the party's direction. The bar began to quiet - though not by much - as folks recognized Hutton at the door which allowed for the group to hear a feminine voice pipe up from deeper in the bar. "Hutton!?! Is he back Zhox?" a few half-heard shouts of "Move it" and "Coming through" were heard approaching before a diminutive figure burst through the tangle of bodies.
Clearly a halfling in her early middle years, a tangle of bouncy brown hair framed her perfectly round face. She was dressed in a simple dress and apron that was easy to work/ move around in with her only piece of jewelry being a rather large and gaudy pair of earrings of what appeared to be a shining mountain. "Hutton! Bless Torag you're alright!" she began before planting her hands on her hips. "And where have you been? Things have been mad all night!"
OOC: @Hutton, you know Zhox as your recently hired bouncer. I'll DM you more info on him.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Hutton nods an acknowledgement to Zhox before giving the halfling his full attention.
"Sorry, Miss Marni. Been... Tying up some loose ends. I know I've been out more than in of late, but I think things should start settling back down here shortly. Once all the crazy outside has resolved itself, that is."
He looks to his entourage and then back to Miss Marni.
"Things are a bit hectic in the city right now. Need to make sure this lot is safe and taken care of. Would you mind asking Melrom to get stew and bread ready for everyone? We're taking the tables over there." He jerks his head to the left, near the stairs. "If things get rowdy tonight, might need Zhox to clear the place."
Glancing back at the children, he adds, "Might need to close up a little early tonight either way. Once we get settled in, I'm going to see what I can scrounge up for bedding for the night. The streets aren't safe."
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Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
"Oh my, Hutton she's perfect! I... want one." Mazour beamed a smile at Miss Marni as she approached. Noting the tables that Hutton motioned to, he steered Amin and the children quickly to the side. "Children, why don't you take Amin here over to the tables. You'll be taken care of there. Go on now, settle in and get comfy. "
Turning on his heel Mazour turned to face Hutton and Miss Marni. "Where can I help?"
"Son, I don't you could handle her," Hutton chuckles. "Let's get food in our bellies, then we'll gather what we can from upstairs. It won't be a comfortable night, but we'll all be warm, dry, fed, and safe."
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Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
"Want one!?" Marni snapped at Mazour though not unkindly. "I'll deal with you in a minute. Now you,..." she continued loudly as she turned back to Hutton, "...you think we're Open!?! People just showed up when everything went sideways, and Zhox trying to shoo people out of here was like a shepherd herding cats!!" She paused to take a deep breath. When she spoke, her voice was softer and calmer. "Everyone was scared, and they didn't want to stay in their homes. You kept telling everyone that you were here if they needed anything, and well, clearly, they listened. Nothing to do about it now but do what we can."
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
"Hutton dear, you don't 'handle' a woman like that. You just watch her go." Mazour paused for a moment before raising an eyebrow to Hutton. "Oh Grey Lady's grace, you dirty boy. I think you... misunderstand," he said with laugh.
When Marni laid into him he had a grin from ear to ear. "You would be right Miss Marni, I am not the server type. Consider them healed." With that he sashayed off into the crowd mingling and checking on their needs. As he slipped away he chuckle. Trained monkey they said. Fireworks are fine... Groetus' left nut Laina, I hope you haven't gotten me killed.
Note - Mazour will go through the crowd healing as much as he can. He's also going to see what the general mood is and listen for any stories about what's going on outside.
Seeing Mazour set himself to his task, Hutton closes his eyes for a moment and shakes his head slowly with a quiet chuckle. To no one in particular, he comments, "That one'll be the death of me, mark my words, whether by burning my place down or whiplash from twisting my own words so quickly. Ice, acrobats, baboons, explosives, and now he even makes me think I'm a dirty old man..." he trails off and shakes his head again.
The big man refocuses his attention on the matter at hand.
"You're absolutely right, Lazlo. I'm sorry. I've been out of sorts for a while now and I think I needed this reminder of what we build this place to be. All are welcome if they need shelter. But Zhox," he raises his voice a bit to be heard by the goliath and looks over to meet his gaze, "will be very...stern with anyone found to be causing trouble tonight. There'll be none of the usual evening shenanigans that we let slide."
He takes a deep breath and thinks for a moment. "Suppose I need to make some room upstairs real quick. Brack? Redii? Either of you handy in a kitchen? Mind seeing if Melrom needs a hand? Never know if he'll welcome it or tear your head off at any given time so tread lightly...everything back there is either sharp or hot. Once things are set upstairs for the little ones, if we need more food, I can see if there's anything to be scrounged up from neighbors or any shops I can convince to open their doors for me. Otherwise, I think I have some dry rations in my bag. Won't be good or filling, but it'll do in a pinch."
With that, he sets off up the stairs two at a time.
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Brack, doing his best to keep a low profile amidst the commotion of the tavern, takes in the sights and new faces with a dour expression beneath the hood of his cloak. If there was any indication his mood might be a result due to a lack of sleep, that hypothesis is dashed as he pulls out the boundless coffee mug and takes a few hearty gulps. Despite all this, there was a bit of ease about the dwarf after the crew reached the tavern, seemingly having began once the children began to get settled in amongst the patrons.
As the dwarf was processing the situation and state of affairs, he was suddenly caught off-guard by the attention drawn to him and the others by the bossy halfing. Brack let the others speak first as he chewed on both the request she posed and Hutton's suggestion of helping Melrom. Then, saying nothing else, he scans past the two to locate the most likely door leading to the kitchen before giving them a shrug and a snort.
"... Yeh, I suppose I can 'elp in the kitchen," He says nonchalantly as he begins to trudge his way towards the back. Before leaving earshot, he adds in a respect tone, "...And thanks for yeh 'ospitality."