The Fire and The Black: Daemonfold [IC]

[Hazuki]

"I can't judge the price if I don't know what it is." Solys says. "But you don't need all three of us for whatever favor you say is so simple, do you?"

[PersonMan]

Sherien shakes her head. "It's meant to be one favor, from any one of you," she says. "But if the terms bother you, you can go."

[Hazuki]

Solys rolls her eyes. "If I hadn't walked in here, you would have made the same offer to these two, but me being here suddenly makes it not worth it to you? My familiar's here, too. Do you require that she agree to an unspecified favor as well, now?"

[PersonMan]

"I meant you, personally, can leave if you don't want to agree," Sherien says.

[Hazuki]

"If these two are comfortable with it, I will." Solys says.

[3SecondCultist]

"Those terms are... acceptable to us," Zyn'era chimes in when the opportunity arises. She has done her due diligence in reminding Sherien of the associated hazards. If the broker wishes to continue with this bargain, the living conduit is more than happy to agree.

[Genth]

"I like your suspicion, Solys. Probably is best for you to go outside and wait for us then." Tsōlg says, a slight smirk crossing his lips.

[Hazuki]

Solys does.

[PersonMan]

As Solys leaves, Sherien nods. "Very well. Now, then," she says, turning to the two who stayed.

Spoiler: Tsōlg, Zy'nera

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"Jerrick left a bit under a month ago - he spent several days trying to find information on a tiefling woman and trying to buy scrolls on the black market before he left. It may be good that he failed at the latter, because it cost him a pretty penny to get a spot on a ship for him and his companion. Some people think he was with a woman, but no one really saw anything but a cloak and mask. He took the Riddlesail to Palin's Cove, then went north," Sherien explains. "And that's all I know. The Riddlesail is in port for another day or so, though."

Spoiler: Solys

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Standing outside, Solys spots someone watching her from further down the alleyway, and before long the figure emerges. A young girl, dressed in the half-rags typical for people living in the slums, approaches her, eyes wide.

"Um, are you - are you, a demon?" She asks.

[Hazuki]

Solys smiles at the girl. "No, I'm a Halgrimite, from the Land of the Linnorm Kings. My name is Solys."

[3SecondCultist]

Zyn’era is silent, looking into the middle distance. For a moment, it’s as though she is not even paying attention to anything that Sherien is saying. Then, quite suddenly, she speaks up.

“We have more questions, if they are acceptable to your mind. Do you trust the word of those of who saw Jerrick and this stranger board the Riddlesail? Can you give us a more exact date of when the ship left Korvosa for Palin’s Cove the first time? What can you tell us about the ship itself, beyond the fact that it makes semi-regular voyages? Finally, do you have any inklings as to what destinations might lie north of Palin’s Cove that warrant sailing there in particular?”

Spoiler: OOC

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I’m going to try a Sense Motive on Sherien here. Not because I think she’s lying, but because I prefer not to take such plot critical information at its word. If we are going to have to sail to Palin’s Cove, I would rather we are sure that’s where we need to go.

Sense Motive: (1d20+1)[16]

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Inside

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Sherien nods. "What you're getting is the filtered version - for every reasonable observation there's an ocean of 'I hear it was young lord such-and-such with the Varisian, Shoanti, Tiefling commoner he got pregnant, and they're running off with his family's gold' to get through," she says. "I've learned to glean the truth from the reasonable-sounding lies and mistakes. As for when the ship left, you don't mean the first time, I assume, just this last one? It left just under four weeks ago, 27 days. It takes about two days to get there, normally. The ship isn't that special, it goes along the coast, takes passengers if they cough up enough, and hauls trade goods otherwise."

North of Palin's Cove? Honestly, not much. Kaer Maga is a nice place for people looking to get away. Otherwise, it's mostly small towns, tribes, and farms."

Spoiler: Outside

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The girl is silent for a moment. "Halgrimt?" She says, slowly. "Oh, I'm Senny. What's - where's the Land of the Linorn Kings?"

[Hazuki]

"It's very far North, and a little West." Solys tells Senny. "What are you doing out here, Senny?"

[Genth]

Tsōlg purses his lips before nodding, curtly, and turning to Zyn'era. "This is good information, if thin. At least we have confirmed he is out of the city."

[3SecondCultist]

Zyn'era does not break Sherien's gaze as the woman answers her questions. Having deemed the broker to at least be not actively lying to them, the acolyte nods her head with some vigor.

"That is correct. We are pleased with the results so far. Thank you, Sherien, for all of your help. We will not forget you."

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Inside

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Sherien nods. "Always a pleasure," she says. "Good luck finding Jerrick, and if you find anything interesting while looking, feel free to tell me," she says with a smile, and makes a small gesture that calls the red-lipped woman forwards. She goes to Sherien's side eagerly, and at a slight nod prepares to lead the two of you back to the entrance.

Unless either has something more to say, both Tsōlg and Zyn'era are lead to the door, and stepping outside to find Hardcheese just by the wall.

Spoiler: Outside

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Senny smiles. "Looking for things!" She says, clearly excited. "Last week, I went, and I was in an alley just like this - and I found a coin! And I brought it back, and mama said it was really good, and helped a lot! So now I'm going to find more coins, and good things!" She proclaims.

[Hazuki]

"Really?" Solys smiles at the girl. "Do you think you could introduce me to your mother? She sounds like a lovely person."

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Outside

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Senny nods. "I could! We're just, over there!" She says, pointing rather unhelpfully at a nearby wall, before starting off, alternating between running and skipping as she goes along the alley.

[Hazuki]

Solys lets Hardcheese slip out of her robes and perch behind some nearby debris, then follows Senny.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Outside

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Senny leads the way, going this way, then that, in a zig-zag pattern, before stopping at a doorway covered by an old, dirty sheet stitched together from two or three original pieces of fabric. She waits just long enough to check if Solys is still there, then rushes in, gesturing for her to follow. "Mama! Hi! I brought someone, she's called Solys, and she's a Halgimright, from the Linworm Kings, and she's so big!" She exclaims.

Stepping inside, having to crouch slightly to avoid having her horns scrape the ceiling, Solys finds Senny excitedly pointing to her, standing next to a woman at most a decade older than Solys. The familial resemblance is clear - the woman shares Senny's dark brown hair and blue eyes, as well as a slight crookedness of the nose. A momentarily forgotten, half-finished wood carving lies before her, a carving knife resting in her hand. The woman's eyes widen as she looks at Solys, craning her neck to look up at her. "Oh - oh my, hello," she says. "Can I, ah, help you?"

[Hazuki]

"Um, yes, hello." Solys smiles a little more awkwardly, now that she's dealing with an ordinary human and not a larval one. "I'd...Senny told me that she was, um, looking for coin, and I wanted to help, but I-I didn't really want to send her off with much, in case of,
well, y'know, anyway, I, um, how much money would you like?" She asks, as she pulls out a hefty sack of gold.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Outside

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"I, ah," the woman replies, seeming confused, staring at the bag Solys holds and blinking. "I - how much? Just...just as a gift?" She asks, clearly still somewhat shocked, though hope creeps into her voice. "I, well...a few gold sails* would do wonders for us."

*A common Korvosan slang term for gold coins.

[Hazuki]

Solys takes out two of the sacks, each filled with fifty gold pieces, and hands them over to the woman.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Outside

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The woman takes the bags slowly, seeming unsure of what to do until she opens one, looking inside. As if suddenly realizing just what is happening, her expression brightens, and she stands quickly. Senny, who had been watching her mother closely, grins and claps.

"This is - thank you!" The woman says, stepping forward to wrap her arms around Solys. While she does pause if Solys doesn't seem entirely comfortable with the gesture, Senny doesn't, rushing over to pull both into a three-way embrace.

[Hazuki]

Solys feels very awkward in the hug, but manages a respectful hand on the shoulder until it ends. "I'm, um, I'm going away for a while,
which is sort of why I felt like, um, anyway, I have lifetime bed and board in The Beaten Rest, in South Shore. It's not massive, but it's big enough for me, and I thought, perhaps, you might like to have it? The owner, Lamps, is very nice, and she keeps it safe..."

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Outside

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"That would - that would be wonderful," the woman says, eyes shining.

"I love boards!" Senny says. "Thank you Solys! I love Halgrights!"

[Hazuki]

"Me too." Solys says to Senny, with only a hint of wistfulness. "But, um. Yes. I can take you there soon,
or you can go by yourself if you need to pack your things?"

[Genth]

Tsōlg finds himself staring down at the hedgehog. Who naturally, is likely staring back. "....Where is Solys?" he asks, a resigned tone in his voice

[Hazuki]

Hardcheese juts her nose in Solys' general direction, then tilts her hedgehogy head at Tsolg as though asking if he's going to follow her if she starts moving. It's a very well-done tilt of the head.

[PersonMan]

Spoiler: Solys

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"Oh, we'll need some time to get ready...Oh! Ah, how will Lamps know that you sent us?" The woman asks, straightening somewhat with a start. Senny seems invigorated by the idea of getting ready, and rushes through one of the doorways into another small room, which seems to be a combined kitchen and bedroom, gathering a few wooden-carved figurines and a ragged cloth to wrap them in.