Blood Scales Game

Lorarila watches everything feeling touched that the Mayor has such feeling and love for Leadbelly and the inn. She listens in silent as she sips some water till they leave, getting up to follow the Mayor. "Mayor, I would like your help to commission a nice tombstone for Morgan. As his friend, I would like you to design it and I will pay for it. Such loyalty and friendship, should be honored." Then going back to look for Mo, "Momo, would you be a dear and let me have the Sending Stone? Pretty please."

Mayor Higgins would stop and turn around, wiping his eyes and listening to Lorarila's words. "That sounds like a wonderful Idea. I will see what I can come up with and ask Slag to build it for us.... Thank you again.." The mayor would shake her hand, holding it a moment before letting it go and giving her a nod while tipping the top hat to her. Then he would continue to make his way to his office.

Thimbol’s expression is rather sad, but not for the Mayor’s loss, for his own. The top hat was gone... and Lorarila was still ordering hers over the halfling. ”Oh, uh... Navek, I found this.” Offering a pearl from the gem bag he had found in the chest upstairs. “Not sure what you needed one for, but glad I found one so quickly.” Nodding as he followed Sayre out the door and to the prison. Cloak swaying behind him as he went.

"You're welcome, Mister Mayor... We'll see you later." Navek says with a polite wave of goodbye. As much as he might've wanted to say more, he knew better than to further impede the mayor. The Gnome was going to need his time to grieve sooner than later. Thus, he drug his feet leaving the Inn once everyone was ready, and only picked up the pace as the group properly split paths to meet Payne. 

Walking into the Sheriff's office Sayre acknowledges Payne and explains Leadbelly's death and their ordeal with the inn's clean-up. After explaining those events she goes to the cell where the Lizard man is kept a hard look on her face.

"Has this one given you any trouble," Sayre asks Payne her expression hard looking at the Lizard man and not Payne.

Thimbol put the pearl away as it clearly wasn’t the time and quietly followed the others until reaching the WatchHQ. The halfling had little to input with Sayre explaining the Inn and Leadbelly’s unfortunate demise. Upon reaching the cell however, he walked over as close to the prisoner as he could. “How’s the conditions mate.” Not expecting much of a reply if the gag was still in place or they were just feeling like being uncooperative, but that didn’t stop Thimbol from continuing to talk and talk he did. Almost seemingly as if he was just rambling on and on about nothing.

 “We saw that note pal. You’re running out of time before Shiv comes for you. You won’t be killing the mayor, obviously, but if you help us with what you know we can make sure you don’t die either. Even make your conditions a little more agreeable afterwards. Life ain’t so bad.” The halfling leaning against the wall in his fancy suit. A huge difference from what the lizard saw him in just the other day.

Persuasion: 9 (Ugh *sob*)

Sayre sees that Thimbol talking to the Lizard man and is shocked.

"Thimbol?! Can I speak with you outside," Sayre says moving outside and waiting for the halfling to follow.

Turning to Sayre, Thimbol raised a brow curiously, hesitant to follow, but did so. 

"Do you know that lizard man," Sayre asks her expression filled with concern but her voice low. "Are...are you with them," she then asks her expression full of shock!

“I wouldn’t say I know him. I feel like I’ve seen him around Black Oak, but that was so long ago and he definitely doesn’t look like that same lizardfolk from before.” Shifting in his stance, growing a bit uncomfortable as Thimbol wasn’t the one gagged and in a cell. “I’m certainly not with the Blood Scales. What’s this all about?”

(sorry for not being able to post yet today, it has been busy)

As Sayre makes her way to the WatchHQ and starts talking to Payne about the fate of Leadbelly and your ordeal in the inn, she looks genuinely concerned. "I never had the chance to know Mr. Leadbelly.... I first came to Black oak about 2 years after his disappearance. I appreciate you letting me know though.... I will work to spread the news of his fate and as for what you had to go through getting the place cleaned up... well... I hope you are still planning on continuing your work with the mayor." Payne will say with a serious expression spreading across her face. A moment later she will escort Sayre down to the cells where the prisoner is being kept. So as Sayre makes her way to the lizardfolk's cell, she sees that his gag has been removed as he stands and moves to the door of his cell. Grabbing the bars of his cell he would stick his snout out between the bars as far as they would allow. 

"This one has a mouth on him... I have threatened to gag him again a few times but otherwise he hasn't been much of a problem... Now if you will excuse me, I will leave the group of you alone." Payne's pony tail will quickly whip behind her as the turns and goes off up the stairs.


to be continued... still....

::FLASHBACK::

"Yes, of course we'll stay," Sayre replies looking to her companions and not even waiting to see if they agree. 

INSERT Thimbols betrayal *spoilers* J/K

On the porch of the jail...

Insight PI 13; 14 {these GD rolls tho... 13 passive tho yeah maybe please?}

"He was a local? Does that mean he could have family here still," Sayre asks Thimbol with some curious concern still lingering in her expression and tone.

OOC: Sayre has been in and out of Black Oak since she was a baby with the Tuulatar. Wouldn't she know if there were lizardfolk amongst the townsfolk? I mean I think she would have noticed!!

Deception: 15 (I'm not lying. Definitely stretching the truth. I have seen him in the village, probably doing a job. )

"I don't know about a local. He might have been passing through or trading for supplies." Thimbol replied. More curious as to what information Sayre was trying to get considering he never showed himself as someone that couldn't be trusted. Though they have only been together for a short day.

(On phone) 

OOC: I don't metagame bro. Your PC just rolled up on our prisoner and spoke complete nonsense to him (thieve's chant) like it was just another day in the neighborhood! That's suspicious! Sayre's not a dummy and regardless of past behavior that is ODD.

"I can't say I've seen him around," Sayre replies stroking her chin.

Psst... Wreck has she seen him around?

"I would like to talk with him. I have a idea and I am hoping it helps win him over. I just need a few minor things to try, if it fails we can try other means. But if we hurt him, I am not staying to watch. I value the town's safety over his life but I do not agree with it." Plays nervously with necklace, looking at everyone else.

(No one is saying you're metagaming. No one even mentioned that? If you feel some need to randomly bring that up, then that's on you...)

Thimbol would walk away from the pointless inquisition and back to the prisoner. 

(I am going to try to pick up where I left off and answer questions as well.)

As Payne leaves the group with the prisoner, the Lizardfolk will turn to Sayre and give her a toothy grin. "This is nice.. I didn't know that they provided conjugal visits... I appreciate the gesture but I don't think you are my type.." locking eyes with Sayre and returning the hard look she was giving him. 

Just before Sayre is able to respond, Thimbol hurries over and begins talking to the lizardfolk rapdily about nonsense. After what seems like a few minutes, the lizardfolk's grin grows even larger... A moment later he starts speaking back to Thimbol in the same type of nonsense. "You always were a funny one Thimbol... A dead man offering to save another dead man...." His eyes growing narrower but the smile still remaining.. "There is a bounty on your head you know... NO ONE is allowed out of the Bloodscales... A lot has changed since we were pulling small jobs together.. and even more has changed since you bounced... WE know where you are... Maybe you should help me kill the mayor... we could go back to Shiv together... I am sure they would forgive your.... temporary lapse in loyalty..." The prisoner will take a step back and run the claw of his thumb along his throat, never breaking eye contact with Thimbol.

After witnessing the conversation between Thimbol and the prisoner in a language only the two of them seemed to understand or at least.. truly comprehend... Sayre asked Thimbol to come with her outside for a moment. 

As Thimbol and Sayre start to make their way upstairs, Lorarila says that she would like the chance to talk with the prisoner. When she says this the lizardfolk shifts his gaze from Thimbol to her before licking his lips and giving her a wink.


****OK, let me answer a few of the OOC quick*****
Sayre would know that there were a few lizardfolk families in Black oak, as well as a tribe of them that take up residence in the Black Oak swamp... the Lizardfolk in the swamp have do not have a problem with the people of black oak passing through their land on the way to the mountains but are quick to attack anyone they think is trying to hunt on their land, steal their stuff, claim their turf... etc. As for this particular lizardfolk, you probably wouldn't recognize him unless you had spent a lot of time with him since his appearances have changed since he used to live in black oak

****Back to outside*****
So when Sayre asks if Timbol knows that lizardfolk and if he is "with" them, he shifts around a bit, explaining that he thinks he had seen him around town and that he definitely is not with the bloodscales before heading back inside, appearing to be offended that she would even ask such a question. As Sayre listens to his words,  she has a hard time determining if he is telling the truth about everything (his 13 deception verses her 13 passive insite)... You are fairly certain that he is not "with" the bloodscales but are not sure if he is 100% telling you everything he knows about the lizardfolk.

OOC: Just explaining Sayre's reasoning as I would at a table Eremis chill out. Metagaming isn't Voldemort. We can talk about it. We won't die.

Sayre doesn't respond to the Lizard man's disgusting comments before speaking with Thimbol about his associations. Returning to the jail she looks to the others for guidance as how to proceed.

OOC: I am holding off posting more until Shaz and Ran can check in. I feel like the story is advancing well beyond where they could jump in. I'm not the DM Wreck but I'm going to pump my brakes.

Coming back, Thimbol was still thinking about the mention of the bounty on his head and what that value might be. Naturally flattered that there’s a price on his head, but equally worried that he’s still somewhere on the Blood Scales hit list. The halfling would want more time to talk with the lizard and what else they could share. Seeing Lorarila step up, he’d wait for now.

Lorarila will pull some gold and hold it out, "Get me some hot food, there should be a table and chairs in there. I am going to try treating him as a person and speaking with him. He has to be hungry and knows he is between a rock and a hard place. We all make mistakes, we all have things we regret and things we cannot change. There is no medicine for it. So I will make him a offer, to work off the trouble he has caused. We can discuss the time length, but afterwards he is free to leave or to stay. If he proves himself, and works hard. We can shorten the sentence or give him a decent wage for it. So please, let's try to save him. If we can not, we will do what we must to protect everyone. Will you help me?"