IC: CtL 2E New Orleans by Night

[Bennosuke]

Giuseppe's long fingers free themselves from his mustache so that he can excitedly clasp his hands together. "I can get us a lovely table at Belletuaxe's," the hobgoblin says hastily, "They have the best escargot this side of the Tumble Down Market. You like escargot?"

[Haval]

Laura nods. She liked escargot. 'Ok, what the hell.' If she came back unharmed from the Hedge she could handle Giuseppe. 'I'm a little rusty at dates though. And I'm going into the Hedge shortly. How long can you wait?'

[Bennosuke]

"Oh don't worry," Giuseppe says excitedly, stepping around the cart to place a somehow clammy and clawed hand on Laura's arm, "I'll take care of everything. All you will have to do is show up." He gives her arm a squeeze, with his other hand waving away her second comment. "Oh, it is still early morning. I will get us a reservation for dinner tonight. Belletuaxe's is very sought after, but I will get us a table at 7! I can do that sort of thing for you love. Shall I pick you up at your place around 6:45?" he says, rushing back behind the cart where he bends down and disappears behind the counter top. There is the sound of rummaging before he reappears, clutching the most perfect looking peach that Laura has ever seen. It was too large, too round, its flesh pink and fuzzy but almost fragile to the point of transparency. Guiuseppe holds the fruit forward with both hands for Laura, and says, "So, if I give you this, you will meet me tonight for dinner?" Laura can feel the shifting of Glamour in the air again, coalescing at the promise of a new Bargain.

[Haval]

Laura tries not to flinch too much at the feel of Giuseppe's hand on her arm but will look levelly back at the Hobgoblin. 'Ok... I can give you the day.' She had assumed Giuseppe might have been willing to wait for her but being paid sooner then that was hardly unreasonable. 'It'll give me some time to buy supplies and I can leave first thing tomorrow.' For the peach perhaps she could justify the diversion to Giant.

As Giuseppe goes to get the peach. 'Getting a table at short notice. I didn't expect you to be so well connected.' She will reach out to shake his hand as she makes the bargain. 'Give me the peach and I'll have dinner with you tonight.'

[Bennosuke]

"Very good," Giuseppe replies excitedly. His hand wraps around Laura's, and she can feel the electric tingle of of the Wyrd binding their agreement. He hands her the peach, grinning from ear to ear. He says, "I can't wait! I really can't wait. See you tonight." He watches Rachel to depart (unless she has anything more to say), the ear to ear grin still plastered on his mustachioed face.

(OOC: Don't want to assume you are going back to Shadow... but I assume Laura is going back to Shadow with the promised goblin fruit?)

[Haval]

'Thankyou.' Laura replies wondering what she let herself in for.

She'll go back to find Shadow.

[Bennosuke]

The crowd has thinned out just a little when Laura makes her way through the busy streets, back to Old Shadow's stall. The Darkling towered over the hobgoblins and changelings gathered around his shop, and as Laura approached, he turned his bald and bespectacled head her way. A wide and toothy grin spreads across Shadow's face. As Laura pushes her way to the front, he eyes the bag she is holding and says, "I see you have been busy. Would it be too presumptive of me to assume you have got a syrup melon for me?" He clasps his hands together with anticipation, his smile somehow finding space across his cheeks to grow even larger.

[Haval]

'Easy enough.' Laura will retrieve the melon from her bag with a smile and hand it over. 'Hair I'm happy to give up. The dinner I agreed to go on with Giuseppe later might be another matter, but I'll deal with that tonight.'

[Bennosuke]

Old Shadow takes the melon from Laura, grinning at her. He doesn't even bother to inspect the fruit, simply reaching down to store it on some shelf under the stall. "Thank you Laura," he says beaming. He chuckles at the comment about the promised dinner date and replies with a chuckle, "You promised Giuseppe a date, did you? Oh my, I knew that hob was a hopeless romantic, but I didn't know he was going after Changelings now." He shakes his head and pats Laura on the shoulder in a fatherly sort of gesture. The grin slightly faded he says, "I hope it won't be too much of a problem. I'm sure Giuseppe is harmless... but please do be on your guard."

Finally, Old Shadow will nod his head and say, "Very well. I am sure you are ready for me to hold up my end of the deal. Just one second." He reaches down under the stall again to retrieve a sign made of a plank of wood and string. Painted on the sign reads "Out on business. Be back soon!" in a chicken-scratch of brush strokes.

A number of gathered Hobgoblin and Changeling alike voice their complaints, but Old Shadow waves them away a grin and some mumbled cheery promises. He leads Laura across the market street, passing from oppressive bright sunlight into the cool shade of an alley, created by the space between a bakery and an ancient looking bookshop. Old Shadow ignores the smell of garbage as he shuffles over to a door which presumably leads into the back of the bake shop. He sighs, as he reaches for the door handle, and again Laura can feel the gathering electric buzz of glamour. The door opens with a creak as Shadow announces, "I would like to introduce you to an old acquaintance of mine; a master of tracking and disguise." The smell of river water pours forth from entrance.

Standing in the doorway on hind-legs is a hobgoblin in the shape of a humanoid turtle, of about three feet in height. The crown of its head is intendent like a shallow bowl, and filled what Laura immediately assumes is rain water. But to Laura's bemusement, the creature is dressed in the black robes of an action movie Ninja. The hobgoblin gives a short bow, careful not to spill any of the water from its crown and says, "Leonardo at your service," in an accent that reminds Laura of the Nintendo Mario.

[Haval]

Old Shadow takes the melon from Laura, grinning at her. He doesn't even bother to inspect the fruit, simply reaching down to store it on some shelf under the stall. "Thank you Laura," he says beaming. He chuckles at the comment about the promised dinner date and replies with a chuckle, "You promised Giuseppe a date, did you? Oh my, I knew that hob was a hopeless romantic, but I didn't know he was going after Changelings now." He shakes his head and pats Laura on the shoulder in a fatherly sort of gesture. The grin slightly faded he says, "I hope it won't be too much of a problem. I'm sure Giuseppe is harmless... but please do be on your guard."

'Meaning I'm the first he's tried that with? Should I take that as a compliment?'

Standing in the doorway on hind-legs is a hobgoblin in the shape of a humanoid turtle, of about three feet in height. The crown of its head is intendent like a shallow bowl, and filled what Laura immediately assumes is rain water. But to Laura's bemusement, the creature is dressed in the black robes of an action movie Ninja. The hobgoblin gives a short bow, careful not to spill any of the water from its crown and says, "Leonardo at your service," in an accent that reminds Laura of the Nintendo Mario.

Laura is too used to the Tumbledown by now to react to a turtle with an Italian accent. Perhaps he had literally picked up the accent from Nintendo. But the outfit did give her pause. 'Good to meet you Leonardo. How sneaky are you anyway?'

[Bennosuke]

Old Shadow chuckles at the questions and says, "Oh, I'm sure you're not the first. But take the compliment anyways."

Leonardo rises from its bow to stare up at Laura with its round reptile eyes. It's lipless mouth curls up into a smile, and it replies, "I am no assassin, but if you need someone watched, if you need something stolen, then I'm your Hob!" The ninja turns its attention to Shadow and says, "You need me to do something for her?" before turning back to Laura and asking, "how can I help?"

[Haval]

'Yeah I wouldn't ask you to do anything you don't want to do. If I did I might as well have done it myself.' Laura will launch into an explanation. 'There's a trader named Snigglebutt in the Tumbledown who is paying too much attention to a mortal that's important to me. I think there's a decent chance that he might just decide to take her when my back is turned. I don't have the time to deal with him now but I'd like someone to keep an eye on him while I'm away. If he does try something it would be better to know exactly where the both of them are.'

[Bennosuke]

"It will be a pleasure to serve you my lady," the frog man says, bowing again and not spilling a drop. As he comes up from his bow, Leonardo says, "You can count on me to keep an eye on this Snigglebutt. He will have no idea I am there. I will be like his shadow." Then a thought appears to occur to the hobgoblin. It raises a finger and adds, "How shall I reach you my lady?"

[Haval]

"How shall I reach you my lady?"

'You have a phone?' Laura asked with honest curiosity. 'Otherwise do you know Mary's in New Orleans?'

[Bennosuke]

Leonardo chuckles and replies, "Of course I have a cellphone." He reaches into his ninja costume and retrieves the newest model iPhone. His lipless turtle mouth pulls back into the facsimile of a smile, before offering Laura his number. "I'll be off," the hobgoblin says merrily, bowing one more time, before bending down into a deep squat and jumping. Like in a Japanese anime, Leonardo's jump volts him high into the sky, where he lands on the roof of the building, disappearing from view.

Old Shadow stands smiling at Laura. "I hope this has been helpful my dear," he says proudly.

[Haval]

Laura will gratefully hand over her number to Leonardo before watching him leave. To Shadow, 'He's very handy to have around isn't he.' On the second point, 'If you say he's trustworthy that's good enough for me. Thanks Shadow. Let me know if I can ever return the favour.'

Assuming that there was nothing else, Laura will accompany Shadow back to his stall before finding somewhere more private where she could call to check in with Giant.

[Bennosuke]

Old Shadow chuckles and shakes his head. "You just payed for this favor," he says with a toothy smile. Once back at his stall, he gives Laura a coy wink before getting back to his work, instantly charming the gathered customers with a warm greeting.

A few minutes later, Laura has found a more quiet corner of The Market and is calling Giant. It is still rather noisy despite her distance from the throng, and the reception on this side of reality was never too reliable, causing the audio to drift in and out. Occasionally, the cell picks up a stray laugh or the sound of bells, like an old hand-radio going between stations. Giant's smokey voice sounds half underwater. "Oh hey," he says eagerly, "you already find something?" Or at least, that's what it sounds like he's said.

[Haval]

Laura grinned back at Shadow, 'Yeah, and if all this pans out maybe I'll do something for you out of the kindness of my heart.'

When she's alone she'll find somewhere to sit down. 'Maybe.' Whenever Laura has made a call like this she has to wonder if anyone else might be listening. 'I don't know if our friend took Sarah but he's definately taking people. He seems way too interested in a friend of mine too.'

[Bennosuke]

There is a pause, but when Giant tries to speak up his voice is drowned out by the raucous clamber of a passing brass band in The Market, and he is forced to repeat himself. Once audible, he says loudly, "So what are we gonna do next?"

[Haval]

There is a pause, but when Giant tries to speak up his voice is drowned out by the raucous clamber of a passing brass band in The Market, and he is forced to repeat himself. Once audible, he says loudly, "So what are we gonna do next?"

Laura will try to speak up in turn. 'Got to prepare for a trip into the Hedge. I've picked something up that might make things a little easier but we need the basics as well. I take it you remember something of what it was like coming through the first time?' From what Laura had heard not everyone did. 'Maybe I can get you a horse?' She was uncertain if even the Tumbledown had a horse large enough to carry Giant.

Spoiler

Show

I'm assuming that going into the Hedge is something like preparing for a camping trip except there's a lot of things you can never actually prepare for. Let me know if it's worth an Int + Occult + Hedge Lore specialisation roll to see if I'm wrong. Maybe there's something I'm forgetting. Otherwise I'd expect we need things like a tent and water bottles.

Laura has Fae Mount so I should take her horse with her.

[Bennosuke]

"I do," Giant replies resolutely to the question, adding, "and I've been back again. I may not be a famed Hedge wanderer like you, but I can hold my own." He chuckles at the mention of the horse, his deep voice booming like thunder rolling through a canyon (despite the terrible connection). "Will we need to make haste then?" he asks eagerly. There is a desperation in Giant's voice. Of course there is. He is after something he loves! "Tell me," he repeats, "what is it you are planning Laura?" Somewhere on the other side of the line is the distant sound of what might me a stray cat hissing, though Laura can't tell if its coming from Giant's side.

[Haval]

'Famed is pushing it. I just lasted longer then most out there.' Other then in the broadest sense it was hard to believe that anyone was capable of being truely knowledgable about the Hedge. 'I really just need something to find the trail of whoever took Sarah. You know what a Faerie Peach is?'

[Bennosuke]

Laura knows enough to surmise they probably won't be traveling for more than a few hours. Basic gear should be enough; good boots, maybe some rope, a flashlight and the like. You could never predict what you'd run into in the Hedge, but part of the fun was figuring it out on the fly! I don't think a roll is really necessary here.

There is a pause on the other line, and Laura can almost imaging the man's eyes going wide with amazement. "Of course I have. How much did you have to pay for one of those?"

[Haval]

'Not much, but I'm having dinner with the guy I got it from tonight.' Laura replies sounding amused. 'Normally I'd try not to waste any time on those sorts of deals but I'd say this is important. I'm hoping that the peach will get us started in picking up Sarah's trail.'

[Bennosuke]

"Well, hope it's not roofied... or cursed," Giant says in an off-handed way that is meant to be funny, but probably just comes off as incredibly insensitive, all things considered. He pauses for a moment then says, "Well, if we have to be back by night, we should probably head out soon. Where and when should I meet you?" though the "you" is drowned out by the sudden clanging of a church bell that rings five times, each gong growing more and more distorted.

[Haval]

'And go back on his side of the deal? He'd know better.' As far as Laura understood it a bargain was supposed to have weight behind it. 'The Sans Merci is fairly close. How soon can you meet me?'

[Bennosuke]

"Eh, give me a half hour, and I can be at the French Market," Giant replies, "just let me know where you want me to meet you. And uh, let me know if there's anything you want me to bring."

[Haval]

'You'll want the sort of things you'll miss for not having them. Decent boots if you got them and a flashlight should be enough. Maybe spare batteries just in case. I'll see if I can find us some rope but if we need anything more complicated we can always come back here for supplies.'

[Bennosuke]

"Can do," Giant says, adding "see ya soon," before hanging up.

Thirty minutes later, Giant's arrived at the French Market. His massive tree legs are stuffed into a pair of hard-worn blue jeans, rolled up around a pair of hiking boots. Ironically, Giant's got a red and black checked flannel overshirt on, making the Changeling appear half-tree, and half-lumberjack. To boot, strapped onto his faded yellow Jansport is a well used woodchopping hatchet. It's dark metal head is slick with a layer of blade oil. He's got a stern expression on his face, and he keeps opening and closing his hands in a way that belies his anxious eagerness. "I'm ready when you are," his voice booms over the sound of the market.

There were many paths that led out of The French Market and onto various trods that wound through The Hedge. Of course, Laura knew all the best ones.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

So let's start with a Hedge Navigation roll. For review in case necessary, this counts as a Chase with Laura and Giant rolling against The Hedge itself. I will have Giant act as an assistant to Laura for the purposes of this Chase. Our first roll will be Wits + Survival, of course + whatever successes Giant gets. The goal successes is 8 -1 for wyrd, +1 for mild time limit= 8 successes goal.

Giant's assist roll (5d10)[3][7][3][7][5](25)

The Hedge's pool is 5-2+2 (5d10)[5][7][9][5][8](34)

Edit: So Giant offers no additional dice, and the Hedge gets 1 success

[Haval]

Laura had dressed lightly when she had left her apartment this morning but she has her rucksack with her. Since returning to New Orleans and joining the Court of Barter she has become practiced at carrying a bag full of small items that she could use to trade for whatever she might need at short notice. In this case she'll exchange a battered first edition copy of 'IT', a necklace and a couple of DVDs for some non perishable food, a water bottle and some rope. Everything else she carried on her at all times by habit.

She's dressed in jeans and a Saints t-shirt worn under a dark green jacket and the scabbard containing her sword. The original boots that she had worn in the Hedge had long since fallen apart but she has picked up replacements that she tends to wear most of the time anyway.