Kei

"Hands of the bea...oh, keep it then as a token of your last day standing." The tall human struggles in the arms of his assailant. Experience tells him he won't be getting out of this one. "Il have your head, you baboon. Can't a man grieve the loss of his family. You're probably one of the ones that killed him. If I find out you ar..." He breaks mid sentence. "Elbiiiin?" His head and shoulders twist around to stare at the young sailor just as he is thrown into the street. Mud smearing his dark green robe, turning parts of it a dirty grey brown. 

He nimbly regains his feet and attempts to rush back into the bar. "Out of my way. My nephew is alive! He's...alive. Praise be to Mask." He tries to flit around the rotund guard, but to no avail. "Elbin! Boy, come here." He screams out in equal parts elation and frustration. Realising the guard and his troupe aren't going to budge, he reluctantly steps back. With a few quick movements of his hands he [Tooltip Not Found] the mud from his robe. "Now, that's better. Boy! I'm waiting"

Elbin looks a little flustered.

"I think that's my uncle from home," he tells Peri. "He's... I don't know why..."

He leaves the thought incomplete as he slips past the burly drunk guard and into the street.

"Uncle Kei? What are you DOING here?"

Kei

A single tear runs down the man's tanned cheek. He rushes to embrace the youngster. "Your ma is all afright. She was beside herself when I sent word that you'd fallen in with the likes of Frithoff. Of all the ship's in the harbour, you picked the smugglers." He clips Elbin in the shoulder. "I came to collect you, well, try to if the captain would allow. When I arrived the town was abuzz with word that the ship had been captured and no crew remained." He gulps as the words fall from his mouth. "I was looking for those responsible here at the bar. I was told they stay here and I want, wanted, revenge. But your alive! Come let's get you passage back to your ma." He begins to walk towards the docks but pauses when he realises Elbin is not following. "You DO want to go home don't you boy?"

Peri:

The halfling, having no pressing business, has enjoyed his night off with a few tankards of Lankus's fine ale.  He was able to follow Gerrard's planning for the first couple of pints, but he's lost the thread of the conversation when the skirmish erupts.  "Aha! Here we go, boys!" He hops up on his bench, ready to whack anyone coming at him, but the instigator is tossed out before the brawl can really get going.  “I wonder if that is the man from the Styes we heard about a few days ago...Should we go help Elbin reunite with his kin?”  Thoroughly confused, he sees Elbin rush out the door toward the stranger and follows the kid out.  He pieces together that the man is some kin to Elbin so he strides belligerently toward the man.  "And just who might you be?  If you're really this lad's kin you've got some explainin' to do about ho you let him sign on with that bunch of vermin!  Boy coulda been hanged!  Shoulda been, prob'ly, but Farbern still needs our help.  So now you're gonna show up and ship him off to some other crew of cutthroats?  We'll just see about that!"  He tries to get to the stranger but Elbin interposes himself.

"I ain' goin' back t' The Styes, Uncle Kei. I got work here now." He glances at Peri.

That's when the fat guard takes a wild drunken swing at Elbin. Punch attack: 21. Bludgeoning damage: 3

 The guard falls flat on his face in the wet gravel, instead, leading to guffaws of laughter from his buddies in the doorway.

 Warily sidestepping the prone man, Elbin continues. "There's good work here, Uncle Kei. These guys were countin' all their money jus' now. Maybe these guys kin git ye' a job, too. Ye' don' need to go back to The Styes, neither!" 

Gerrard:

     Seeing the guard throw a sucker punch at poor Elbin who did nothing to provoke it, Gerrard steps in and stand in front of the prone man.  Though he doesn't pull rank very often, Gerrard is incensed by the behavior of this guard, saying, "So, you want to take a swing at a random patron, soldier?  Could be you're a drunkard and not worth your keep in the guard.  I'll tell you what--stand up and take three swings at me.  If you can land even one, I'll buy the next round for you and your mates.  If you miss all three, you go to bed and sleep it off immediately, and I'll recommend a more...rigorous...training regimen to Captain Farbern for his more portly guards come morning."

Intimidation:  10

"Or you could just apologize to my friend Elbin here and move along.  Choose wisely," he finishes.  Gerrard does not draw his weapons.  Instead, he waits calmly to dodge the guard's attacks (Dodge action) should he decide to take him up on his wager.  He will use his parry capability to block any unusually accurate blows from the drunkard.

The voluminous man gets to his feet, sloppily. He seems to ignore your words, but his friends join in with merry delight, trying to goad him into accepting your challenge.

Persuasion: 5

 (OCC: Double natural 20s!)

Game on. The beefy guard takes a first wild swing at Gerrard:
Punch attack: 12  Bludgeoning damage: 3

Gerrard manages to parry the surprisingly good blow. He takes another swing:

Punch attack #2: 6  Bludgeoning damage: 3

 Miss. Gerrard expertly ducks.

Punch attack #3: 7  Bludgeoning damage: 3

 A complete, wild miss.

The crowd roars. The man staggers over to the side of the road and vomits.

Gerrard:

Smiling at the guard’s comrades, Gerrard laughs and says, “Get this man to bed, gentlemen.  Good evening to you.”

Once they are gone, Gerrard says, “It looks like the way is cleared for us, gentlemen, shall we return to our seats and hear Master Kei’s tale?”

An older man with a white goatee laughs and approaches Gerrard, "Yer a fine fighter! Not that that drunken sod was much of a contest."  He lowers his voice. "But that one," he says sharply, his eyes on Kei. "He ain't welcome in here tonight. Bad news. Kid's okay, I guess, if yer vouchin' for him, but maybe hold yer little party elsewhere tonight to keep the trouble down."

Peri:

With all the consistency of the truly drunk, Peri is now ready to defend his new best friend to the death.  He gets in the face (or as near as his height allows) of the goateed man and demands, "And just what gives you the right to decide who stays in our inn, old man? If my friend Keith wants to come in ain't none of you lubbers can keep him out! You wanna try me?"  He closes one eye to keep the weaving old man in focus.  He points at the newcomer.  "This, this here's Elbin's kin, and Elbin's a good lad!  Weren't his fault he fell in with a bad lot..." He starts tearing up.  "Lad never had a chance.  And all 'cuz you lot," he points accusingly at Kei, "didn't look after 'im!"  And once again he looks ready to fight Kei.  Or the goateed man.  Or really anyone looking for a fight.

Gerrard:

Seeing the wisdom in the older man’s suggestion (and the drunkenness in Peri’s), Gerrard responds, “Aye, there’s been enough trouble tonight.”  Turning to Peri, he says, “Let’s go someplace quieter for our conversation, Master Fenwader...It seems the patrons are too riled up to allow a proper conversation to take place in the taproom.  Perhaps a stroll along the waterfront to clear our head, hmm?”

Kei

The whole interaction brings a smile to Kei's face. This place was starting to look like the Styes. "Thank you sir. It's been a while since someone took interest in my well being" he nods to Gerrard. "I have my nephew back. I am not looking for trouble. I mean, I was, but not now. Elbins safe and that's all that matters. I will take my leave if y'all wish to continue your evening here".

He takes Elbin by the shoulder and turns him to look into his eyes. "You really want to stay here boy? Swear to me that you ain't gonna fall in with more smugglers." He continues  "We have to get word to your ma though. And I want YOU to tell her. You wanna be a working man, making decisions and all, then you let your ma know. Deal?"

He finishes his poor coming of age speech and turns to address the drunken halfling. "I'll have you know, this lad is like my son. His da passed many years ago and I've been keeping an eye on him since. He was only trying to help out his ma. Should I have kept a better eye on him, probably. Did I LET him become a smuggler, no way." His voice raising as he goes on. He collects himself and continues "He deserves a better life, and it looks like he might have found it here. Thanks to you lot. I owe you a debt." He bows with a flourish of his robe.

Elbin looks at his feet, uncomfortable and silent.

The gang in the tavern seem unsure if they are pleased that Gerrard may be leading them elsewhere, or disappointed not to see Peri take on a tavern full of Guard. Their short attention spans quickly lead them back inside out of the biting cold for more ale. It's late afternoon, and the sun, where it might be in the gloomy overcast dome, is setting.

Peri:

"Aye, he's not a bad kid.  I was worried for him, is all.  I've seen men hanged, and it's always a terrible thing, but when it's a young'n..."
He tears up, drifting toward maudlin now.  "Yer a good uncle, t'come lookin' fer yer kin.  Man's gotta look out fer his kinfolk.  Poor lads, never had a chance, and hoisted all the same..." His words drift off and he begins shuffling in the direction of the bridge.  "Gotta check onna ship.  Damn pirates, and damn Butter, and Farbern too! Whole lousy cargo's prob'ly gone now..."

Kei

"Was there something in particular you wanted from the cargo Mr.... Hmmmm, seems you all know me but I haven't a clue as to your names. And, come to think of it, isn't there four of you? Yes, two dwarves, a human and a smart ass halfling. That's the word around town, but in this place, everyone's either drunk or lying so who really knows."

Gerrard:

"Ah, yes, introductions, then.  I am Gerard Feldern of Seaton.  For Master Peri Fenwader here, we prefer the descriptor 'wise-cracking'.  Brother Dwal Fiercehammer works at the mines and is notoriously difficult to track down, and Master Qivys was staying with us at the 'Goat but seems to have gone missing.  The quiet one here is Master Oceanus--he does not speak much of the Common tongue, but I can translate into Elvish should you need me to," offers Gerrard by way of introduction.

OOC:  How much of the Common tongue is Oceanus picking up?  Gerrard has spent quite a bit of time with him these past few days and would be happy to help him get a working knowledge of the basics.

Oceanus knows a small handful of common words, but that's all. If there are specific words or phrases you'll want him to learn - for example short, shouted instructions during combat or in other dangerous situations - he's willing to learn them. He's prepared to stick with your party, if you'll have him, at least until the mystery of lizardfolk is settled. He's ready to jump into a goblin hole tomorrow, or wherever you choose to go, in the meantime. He definitely wants to scout the old lizardfolk lair, but he is biding his time until the Council meeting. (He'll need Gerrard's translating help at the meeting.)

Peri is enough under the influence of alcohol and adrenalin and bravado at the moment, that you worry he could cause a situation at the docks if he shows up at the ship after dark in his current state.

Elbin, meanwhile, is looking for excuses to retire to his room for the night. While appreciative of Peri's offer to get him a job, and genuinely glad to see his uncle, he seems quite uncomfortable with this new collision of his family and hometown drama with his new life in Saltmarsh. 

Peri:

He vaguely recalls Gerrard mentioning going to the waterfront, so he heads out at a brisk (but not straight) walk.  As they cross the bridge he remembers seeing the Snapping Line near here.  When they reach it he veers toward the doors.  "We can talk here!  This is a good talking place!"

Gerrard:

Remembering the last time they went into the Snapping Line, Gerrard is a bit reluctant, but he reserves judgement since they just basically got kicked out of the place where they are renting rooms.  If it seems too raucous as they approach, he will steer them elsewhere.  "Where are you planning to stay for the night, Kei?" Gerrard asks.

Kei

"Thanks for your concern Mr of Seaton" he says with a wry smile "but I have lodgings here in town. As to you little friend, perhaps a bunk would do you better than a boat at this hour. Thank you both again for saving my nephew from those cutthroats. I do owe you a debt. If you need anything whilst in town, let me know, I have....connections here." He winks, rather blatantly, at Gerrard. "Shall we reconvene in the morning to truly go over the offers you have organised for my nephew. Plus, to buy you both a meal."

Without waiting for an answer he turns to Elbin "Come young man, you have a message to send to your ma." 

(@DM)