Psionic Anti-Crime Squad II: Mind Games [IC]

[Cespenar]

Sam and Ian

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry guys, you're both talking to the same character in totally separate subjects, so I'm going to let Leo/Sam's one take priority for now, since the name drop is pretty important. We can resolve Ian's speech afterwards, or Ian can change target or strategy if he wants.

The woman leans as well, taking it in. Then her eyes open up in a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"Wha- who? But that was a rumor? Wait, really?"

Noticing the surprise on Strongarm's face, the nearby listeners shift in their seats and try to lean in as well. The only non-merc young man voice everyone's thoughts.

"What? What's with the tall guy?"

Lucky

Lucky/Sir Glueklich pulls the investor act immaculately, and even Andrei (if he listens to them) can momentarily believe that the guy is not his squadmate but an outreaching entrepreneur from the eastern Duchy.

"I understand the need for privacy, Sir Glueklich. These are tricky times for both the political and the economic theater. Rumors of allegiances and treason can often end up being one's downfall, even if one's heart is on the right side. Do inform me of your situation when it becomes a bit... clearer, however, because I do like what I'm hearing."

Lucky notices that Lord Coldbrook was giving him the once-over for several seconds now.

"Say, Sir Glueklich, do you dabble in court fencing?"

Moira

"Yup, goes by the name of Strich. A really merc's merc kind of fella. Kinda like Broken Arrow sort, but even more professional. Works for a Lord Lawrence or something."

"Yeah, but I can't make much money outta him as much as I do this gal right here," cuts in Effin from the side. He quickly ducks to avoid a half-mock punch.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

The worst thing Sam could do is stop to explain this to onlookers. Instead she stays focused on Strongarm and makes any eavesdropping potential mind murderers come to her.

"I heard some other tribespeople talking about him the other day. Their Iwar went missing right around the time yours went missing, then turned up in jail for doing the thing. It can't be a coincidence. He's probably still there."

[BtanH]

Andrei smiles at the Baron. "Ex-mercenary at the moment. Raised in a mercenary company, did that for a while. Then got a talent, spent some time learning how that worked and am now looking for work."

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

Seeing that 'Sam' had gotten a reaction, Ian decided to leave well enough alone. It was one thing to get a lead. Quite another to spoil a potential one.
With that, he went to the other mercenaries that Strongarm had pointed out to be on the same payroll.
"Well what about you? Would you care to make a wager about my skills?"
He then repeats the conditions he'd made earlier.
"If I can get two daggers into the bullseye while blindfolded, you'll tell me how to land a job with your boss. If I can't, you'll get 5 crowns for each dagger that isn't in the bullseye. If I take the blindfold off or ask for someone else's help, I forfeit the crowns. Sound reasonable enough?"

[Cespenar]

Sam and Ian

Strongarm seems really surprised, but not 100% sold as well.

"But I thought the assassination thing was made-up? Nah, it can't be true. Why would the Viscount send someone to off the Duchess?"

Seeing that the private conversation is continuing to be private, one of the mercenaries turns to Ian to take his bait.

"Fine," he says, encouraged by the very advantageous terms. "If you wanna lose money that much, I can wager you a meeting with milord Baron Gallagher."

He accompanies Ian to where Moira, Effin and Bullwhip had concluded their game.

Andrei

Andrei can see that the Baron is a bit intimidated by him, despite his manners. He pulls his chair back a tiny amount more, and gestures to Lord Coldbrook.

"Oh, really? You and him must have a lot to talk, then. He's also in the mercenary business, though from a different angle."

Coldbrook throws a blank look at Gallagher that could really mean a lot of different things.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"I don't know! You're the one who said these guys are always plotting something."

Sam was about to suggest that maybe someone else paid Iwar off, but Leolin likes Strongarm's idea better.

"Look, maybe you're right and I'm connecting rumors that don't go together. I still know for a fact that there's a tribesman named Iwar in that jail right now. Maybe you can go ask him?"

[BtanH]

"Ah yes, I suppose he has a bit more experience from the other side of things. What about Baron Gallagher and yourself? I'm sure you do lots of interesting things." Andrei does what he can to avoid being overly intimidating.

Spoiler: Relevant skills

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Dipcy +13

[luckless]

"Uh-huh," She sees the new group approach the target area. What's Ian doing? Still staring at Ian and his crowd, she responds further with forced casualness. "Is the reason you can afford to lose to this guy so frequently because he pays you extra since you're Talented? I haven't heard good things about the viscount's opinion of people with powers."

Spoiler: OOC

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Modifiers:
sense motive +6
gather info +1
disguise, bluff, diplomacy, intimidate -1
spot, listen +10

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

As he approached, he waved at Moira and the others there.
"Please stay would you? I'd hate for this fellow to call me a cheat when I win. After all, placing two daggers into the bullseye while blindfolded really isn't all that difficult if you know how to do it."
He snatched up a couple of daggers that had been used in the previous game from a stool. He then picked up a rather grungy cloth that had probably been used in cleaning off the tables and tied it around his head firmly so as to cover his eyes.
"Feel free to find a larger cloth or a sack if you suspect that I can still see. Ah, but no need to move out of the way, it might actually prevent you from getting skewered if you're worried about this next part."
He then placed a dagger in each hand and then proceeded to spin himself about.
"Now it helps to know exactly where the target is, but how can I know? I've lost my sight and I have lost all of my bearings. How could I possibly be able to place both daggers in the bullseye?"
He then stopped abruptly.
"Here's the trick to this overly dramatic act," he smirked, "I never said I'd throw the daggers, nor that I wouldn't move from this spot."
He then took several sure-footed steps around some people, both daggers still brandished in front of him before he rammed both into the dead center of the target.
"Having a very good memory helps as well I might add."

Spoiler: OOC

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Ian's using his Touchsight ability to know exactly where things are to pull this stunt off.

[Cespenar]

Sam

As Sam backs down, Strongarm seems to wallow in the process of wrapping her head around this whole thing.

"Yeah, yeah, could do that..." she says, gears still turning in her head.

"So? What happened to that guy?" asks the young worker, now really curious.

Andrei

"Ah, well, you know, our days are never empty, what with the meetings, politics, the overseeing of businesses, and so forth..." the Baron trails off.

Andrei sees that Coldbrook has momentarily been engaged with Lucky instead.

Moira and Ian

"Is that what the rumors say? Nah. Why would he hire Talenteds like us if he were a Talent-hater?" says Bullwhip, shaking her head. She seems honest to Moira, at least.

As Ian pulls his shenanigans and begins his walk, the mercenary starts to cry in outrage, but then realizes that the trick is still somewhat impressive. Also the fact that he doesn't have much stake in this thing helps, probably.

"Hey- hmm. Wait, is this thing see-through?" He takes the cloth and tries to look through it in vain. After some time, he gives up.

"So what's the trick? Are you like a farseer or something?"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"...I don't know." Sam's gaze lingers on Strongarm just long enough to make it clear that this answer is less from her honest opinion and more from respect for privacy. She'll have to track her down and continue this conversation later.

As for everyone else, she lets Li Lin out a little bit to help change the subject. "It could go a lot of different ways though. Who here's been in jail before?" She raises her own hand, suspecting that this crowd would bring in a pretty high percentage. Even if it doesn't, that just makes the joke even funnier.

[Cespenar]

While Strongarm mulls this over, Sam can tell from the fidgeting that she definitely looks like she's going to talk to someone about this -- either try her luck with the jail, or have a chat with Bullwhip. She might even go and confront the Viscount.

The worker boy seems sad at his exclusion from the secret, and given the current state of everyone in the middle table, Sam's question surprisingly results in zero hands. She might have lost some traction with the group, all in all.

[Lynam III]

Lucky smiles at the Viscount and nods. "Thank you very much for your understanding, Your Lordship. This is indeed wonderful to hear. I will relay this to my family, and inform you posthaste of their answer."

Lucky turns to Lord Coldbrook: "Indeed, I do enjoy spending a considerable amount of my free time improving my swordsmanship." Lucky gives a once-over of his own. "You have keen eyes, sir. Would I be off the mark if I guessed that you share this interest as well, Lord Coldbrook?"

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Just me? Huh. Okay then."

Whatever, it's still funny. You just have to imagine, like, an outside observer seeing this and chuckling at how inept Sam is. It's at this point she decides to join Ian and Bullwhip at the other side of the table.

"So, what's going on here? Pin the tail on the bull's eye?"

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

He couldn't help but draw himself up to his full height, which wasn't all that impressive to an onlooker, as if to teach a class.
"But of course I succeeded! Now the method by which one may perform this feat are numerous. One could employ the mystic techniques of feeling the flow of ki, though some discount this as a delusion and more akin to a Talent rather than some form of heightened state of awareness or being a 'farseer'. Yet another method could be to prepare the scene long beforehand and coat the daggers with the dust of strange stones that seem to 'stick' to certain metals and embedding one into the target, this could be effective but would require a monumental amount of effort..."
He continued to ramble on, listing perfect recall, long hours of practice, and even pure luck as methods to secure this feat.
"Ah, but I digress. I believe you owe me an audience with your employer, yes? I would also love to hear what he's looking for as I would hate to be caught in an... unpleasant situation should he be expecting something that I am unable to provide."

[Cespenar]

Lucky

Lucky notices that there is a certain fitness to the Lord's stance as well. He validates this with a nod. "I do dabble in a bit of fencing, yes, if only for the sport of it. Though I observe better than I perform, admittedly."

"Say, if you are really thinking of hauling big caravans between here and Stahlberg in the future, you'll probably need to hire some protection as well. I can help you not only with that, but also with any problems you might have about crossing the two duchies, especially in this political climate."

Sam and Ian

The mercenary seems a bit bummed out by Ian's lengthy yet vague explanations. He waves a hand in dismissal. "Yeah, sure, just tell him that Jerty vouched for you. Hey, but really, how did you do it?"

Sam arrives just in time to find Ian duping a sellsword with a telekinetic trick. To the side, she can also see Moira with two other mercenaries. The male one, temporarily dubbed "Effin", notices Sam, and grins.

"Ah, you've just missed your chance. These two already lost all their money. Really sad. And this one got tricked by this old man here." Sam can see that even while he talks, Effin keeps a side-eye at the woman, Bullwhip, as if expecting another swing from her.

[luckless]

"Oh, makes sense." Moira says. Maybe the Watch's information was wrong then, either way Moira's at a loss as to how to further this conversation when she's distracted by Ian's display. She's slightly impressed by Ian's ploy, but immediately tunes out when he starts up on another unwanted lecture. At least she's not the target audience this time. As she's trying to think of what to say to Bullwhip, Leolin approaches.

Moira stiffens.

Leolin is more likely to get something useful out of her new friends, but she suddenly realizes she has no idea if she or Leolin or Ian are supposed to know each other, or what name Leolin's going by right now, or Ian, or herself for that matter. Did she even introduce herself? What's her fake name? She better think of something because she knows if she gives Leolin the opportunity to name her, she'll regret it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Modifiers:
sense motive +6
gather info +1
disguise, bluff, diplomacy, intimidate -1
spot, listen +10

[Cespenar]

Moira's social sense hints that, now that she has (sort of) broken the ice with the bunch, they'd be less on guard for any slip-ups that might occur between her and Leolin, but it would of course pay to have some sort of a plan.

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

"Jerty? An odd name, a nickname perhaps? As for revealing my secret, I would expect anyone to know that it is quite a poor idea to reveal the answer to a question without allowing the student some time to contemplate. Plus, a magician never reveals their secrets."
That was quite the claim coming from Ian, as he would have loved to have rambled on about how he'd actually done it or give some story of how he had perfect recall even with the disorienting spinning and his call for people to stand still was so that the scene would remain the same.
However, he knew he couldn't lie very well so he quelled the urge to do so.
"However, if you'll give me a hint as to how I can get in Baron Gallagher's good graces, I'll give you a hint as to how to figure out the trick."

[Cespenar]

Ian

The mercenary seems affronted for a moment. "Hey, Jerty is my given name. My grampa was named Jerty as well."

When asked for the fat noble's weak point, he replies, "Just drop a hint or two that shows you're religious. Specifically of the Church of the Family. He gobbles that crap up."

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Heh." Leolin's happy to see the old professor in top form again, even if it's part of an act. In fact, especially because of that. "We were wondering why he was so cagey about what exactly he did. Must be a retired street magician or something."

She looks to Moira and Bullwhip, having managed to catch the last few words of Moira's conversation as she trundled in. "You two work with Strongarm and Iwar, right? Were you just talking about the de Renlon?"

Moira doesn't have to pretend she works with anyone. Sam is allowed to get the wrong impression of people she's just meeting.

[luckless]

"No, I've never heard of them." Moira responds to Leolin, guessing they're not supposed to know each other. She redirects the question to Effin and Bullwhip. "Those friends of yours?"

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

Ian looked a bit affronted by the 'street magician' jibe.
"Come now, let's not be absurd. My ability to perceive what others cannot is no mere parlor trick. It is a gift that has far greater uses than simply as amusement."
He returned to giving the mercenary his hint.
"As I just stated, I was capable of using one of my senses constantly and with an exceeding degree of accuracy despite the temporary loss of my sight. There is your hint, it wasn't my eyes."
He then left the gathering of mercenaries, it was getting late and Ian had only gotten one tentative lead so far. It wasn't a guarantee that getting an interview with the Baron would net him any results. However, he was already here and might as well get something accomplished.

[Cespenar]

Moira and Sam

Effin also redirects the query onto Bullwhip, who checks Sam out and shrugs. "Yep, I work for him. Why? You want a spot, now that the big guy isn't around?"

Ian

The mercenary points a finger and grins. "Aha, so you were using something like a Talent, right?" he says, but at this point he's just grasping at straws, so Ian can leave without any issues.

As he moves across the room, however, he notices a subdued scuffle at his old table -- the one he sat earlier and lost some money. It looks like one younger fellow was in the process of grabbing his winnings, while the burly worker type across him holds him by that arm and doesn't let go. Ian can hear the problem easily as he approaches.

"You filthy cheater! We said from the start that this was a trick-free game!" Ian can deduct that he probably refers to the usage of Talents.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

"Ha! No, I'm good; Fluffy's a handful as it is. I actually wanted to ask about Iwar. Do you know what he was supposed to be doing before he wandered off? It turns out I know his sister, and she's been looking for him."

That's all true! One hundred percent ninety-five percent true.

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

The old man simply smiled at the man's suggestion before he walked off.
Hm, maybe I shouldn't be as careless next time. If he could guess at it, maybe I'm not as sly as I once was.
The sudden shouting woke him from his reverie and triggered his usual irritation.
What. Now?
He turned to the two squabbling gamblers and walked over.
"Might there be a problem?"
Of course there is. Why wouldn't there be?

[Lynam III]

Lucky considers Lord Coldbrook's proposition. "That's actually something we haven't given much thought to as of yet. But it is certainly true that we will need some protection, and hiring locals instead of people from Stahlberg might have many advantages. I am certainly intrigued."

"Would you mind giving me more details on what can be arranged?" He looks at Andrei who is engaged in a conversation. "For instance, would the guards include Talented like our friend Andrei here? That would certainly provide a lot of extra protection, but I am unfamiliar with how much such specialist would cost."

[Cespenar]

Sam

Bullwhip cocks her head, surprised at the coincidence but taking it in stride.

"Oh, Iwar? I really don't know about his job and whatnot, but he was to meet a contact in the Arena, I think. Before the last tournament, I mean. Sort of like a sub-contract thing? We didn't really talk much, that guy is... not really much of a conversationalist. Ugh."

Sam can see that Bullwhip's hand goes to her head, as if to alleviate a headache or something.

Ian

The grabbing fellow glances sideways at Ian briefly as not to lose his focus on his prey.

"This guy is a godsdamned wei- Talented! He's been calling our bluffs the whole day, without fail, and we agreed that this was supposed to be a trick free game!"

The younger guy (or the "grabbee") does something like a mixture of a grimace and a grin. "Uh, maybe you guys, just... suck at bluffing?"

Naturally, the worker doesn't take this nicely and shakes the man violently, trying to make him drop his winnings. But the younger man keeps holding on to them. Still, Ian can see that a scuffle seems not far off.

Lucky

Lucky can see Coldbrook examining Andrei for a while, but then returns to Lucky with a slow head shake.

"No, I'm afraid our methods would be simpler and to the point." Taking Sir Glueklich as a real potential client, he gestures him closer to talk a bit in detail as to what a deal would entail. He basically mentions the package including a small group of caravan guards with its size depending on the shipment's size, and the necessary documents and palm-greases he has to make in order to let a possible shipment pass both control points of the two Duchies. Lucky surmises that the man definitely knows people in the Stahlberg region as well, and also, if he cares about the business part of the thing, that the costs begin to fly up as the size of the shipment gets bigger.

[Dr.Gunsforhands]

“So, wait. He was supposed to be in the arena? The contact didn’t come back saying he didn’t show up or anything?”

[luckless]

Leolin's question doesn't register with Moira as she stares intently at Bullwhip, lips thinned.

"Does she get them a lot, the headaches?" She asks Effin quietly. "Do you know for how long?"