The Wrong Guys IC

[Strawberries]

"Since they just got 500 gold pieces, courtesy of the order - half of which came straight out of my pocket, if I might add, I'd really like to see them refuse to talk to me." he answers with a grin. "As for what they could know, I doubt is much. They didn't look like the sharpest swords in the rack. The sewers are still probably our best bet." He grimaces slightly at the tought of going back in that smell "I'm open to other suggestions, however." he adds, almost as an aftertought.

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OOC: Nanoblack, are you there? I know you've already been to see the guards, but unfortunately, Audric doesn't - we never talked about it IC.
On that note, am I the only one feeling the need of an OOC thread?

[Nanoblack]

OOC:

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uhhh i've been waiting my turn to go talk to the guards... havent actually done that yet

[Strawberries]

OOC

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ooops sorry for the assumption, I misunderstood your previous post. What do you guys want to do?

[Ajadea]

Seems like your four ideas are:

1) Go talk to the guards
2) Search the sewers for information
3) Go talk to Frederick's sister
4) Break the tile and cross your fingers

Anything works, really.

[Nanoblack]

Llaars heads down to see Freds sister.

[Ajadea]

Ok then.

Llaars

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It isn't hard to find Frederick's sister's house. She's obviously quite well off. Two floors and an attic, with glass in the latticed windows. You can see a fat, fluffy, white, cat laying on a stack of books through the window on the left side of the door.

When you knock on the door, a short, red-haired woman wearing a stained apron over a plain brown dress opens it. "Yes?" she says.

[Savannah]

"I...would rather not risk being seen. I'll stay here if you want to go question the guards."

[Nanoblack]

He puts on the most polite face a wildman like him could muster. "I'm looking for Ms. Wainwright. Is she home?"

[Ajadea]

Llaars

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The woman nods. "I'll get her. Wait here a moment."

She shuts the door, and you hear the sound of footsteps. A taller, more stately, brown-haired woman opens the door. Her eyes are dark blue, and cold. "Yes?" she asks.

Spot check please.

[Nanoblack]

"Are you Ms. Wainwright? I'm lookin' for your bother Fredrick. He helped me out a few days back with some info on some kids who stole from me and I wanted to see if he had heard anything more."

Spot:(1d20)[1]

Edit: Evidently his eyes fell out...

[Ajadea]

Llaars

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"Yes, I am. My brother lives in the guard barracks over by the west gate. Do you require any assistance from me?"

[Nanoblack]

He smiles kindly. "Maybe some other time. Thank you." Then he heads over to the barracks as directed.

[Ajadea]

Llaars

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The barracks are loud, somewhat grimy, and full of sweat, leather, and metal. It is surrounded by a tall wooden fence, through which you can see three two-story buildings, arranged in a u-shape. In the space between the buildings, guards talk, train, and rest.

[Nanoblack]

He confidently walks into the area where the guards are mingling and looks around for any familiar faces.

[Ajadea]

Llaars

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You can see Jim Skinner, playing cards in a corner with three other guards and winning quite spectacularly.

[Nanoblack]

" Excuse me guys, you mind if I interrupt your game and talk to this guy for a sec?"

[Ajadea]

Llaars

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Jim lookss up at you. "Hey! You're that guy from the sewers, ain't you? What d'you need?"

---
Per request: New shiny OOC thread: http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8942235

[Strawberries]

"I...would rather not risk being seen. I'll stay here if you want to go question the guards."

The paladin looks at her as if the problem had not occurred to him "You'd be under my protection, of course." he says, as if it should have been obvious, then he is silent for a moment. He seems to debate with himself if asking, before deciding himself "I've been meaning to ask. Do humans and elves live together where you are from? I don't want to know where it is" he adds hastly, lest she gets the wrong idea. He seems eager to have the answer.

[Nanoblack]

"You heard anything lately about those kids who ran off with my money or that leafblood from down in the sewers?"

[Savannah]

"No. They do not." Her voice is flat and she does not meet Audric's gaze.

[Strawberries]

"I see." he should probably realize he is making her unconfortable, but he is caught in his own train of thoughts at the moment "How did your parents meet, then? "

[Savannah]

Her head snaps up and she glares at Audric. "Why do you care, human? So you can hunt them down for making a mongrel like me?" She speaks quietly so that no one can overhear, but her voice is full of anger.

She stands quickly, and turns to leave the table.

[FirebirdFlying]

"He didn't mean it like that!" Rowan snaps her mouth shut, biting her lip. "I mean, I think. It's not like, I mean - what has he done to you? Not that - I don't mean offense - oh, never mind." She is slightly red, and looks at the table as if it were the most interesting thing she'd ever seen.

[Strawberries]

"Hey!" Audric jumps to his feet, to prevent her from leaving. He raises a hand as if to touch her, then thinks better of it. "I apologize. It wasn't my intention to anger you" he says meekly. He seems uncertain for a moment, before speaking again, circling the table so that he is facing her "I have a sister, you see. She disappeared six years ago. She was fascinated with elves, so it's possible she went to find them" he smiles sadly "That's why I asked." he finishes, looking Rana in the eyes.

[Savannah]

Rana stops and buries her face in her hands for a few moments. She looks back up at Audric and takes a deep breath, speaking calmly now. "I hope, for her sake, that she did not. You are a strange human, and an even stranger paladin."

[Strawberries]

"Why? Because I care about my sister?" he smiles slightly, motioning her back to the table "I only try to do what's right. Will you tell me something more about where you're from? You know now why I want to know." he asks, his expression open and honest.

When he sits down again, he tries to catch Rowan's eyes, if she raises them from the table for a moment "Thanks for championing me, my lady" he says, smiling at her.

[Savannah]

Rana allows herself to be led back to the table. She sighs heavily. "Fine. What do you want to know?"

[Strawberries]

"I told you. I was interested in how your parents met. If they raised you togheter, how did you grow up" he smiles again "Basically, anything that could help me figure out how that harebrained sister of mine has been living this past six years. I could have nieces like you, you know." even as he is denigrating his sister's intelligence, he is smiling and has a fond expression. It's easy to tell he was very close to her.

[Savannah]

"You want to know about my parents? My life story? Fine.

"A stupid washer woman got herself pregnant by an elf noble. She hid the fact that her baby was a mongrel from her husband for as long as she could, and when he found out the town drove them both out. The girl was eventually taken in by an elf druid, who only wanted a way to embarrass her father. Her mother managed to worm her way back into town, and never saw her daughter again. When her mentor used the woman against her father, her father tried to kill her. She fled and eventually came to the capitol, where she ran into an overly nosy paladin in the sewers.

"That enough for you?" Rana shows no emotion throughout her entire story.

[Strawberries]

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Since you offered... sense motive - (1d20+9)[20]

Audric blinks for a moment, uncertain how to answer "I'm sorry" he finally says "I didn't mean to force you to talk about bad memories." He pauses, then grins at her "If it makes you feel better, I give you permission to yell at me. That's what Naara always did. My sister " he adds, by way of explanation "She said it was therapeutic."