City of Broken Dreams: Life's Bazaar

[Amotis]

"Threats? Miss, I think that's unnecessary. But if you will draw steel against me I will not allow myself to draw in defense. Not like this. The gnome has his choice, I suppose. As do you."

Sodi takes a step back and looks at Keygen.

[Toxic Avenger]

"It doesn't have to be this way, Sodi. Keygan does have a debt to repay, but we should let him have a say in how he does that. He knows his own capabilities better than you do."

EDIT: I was going to add this before I noticed your post, Amotis...should I edit?

[PhoeKun]

"Ok, ok, that's enough of that..."

Erica moves quickly to interpose herself between the two, her bandaged hand pointed towards Sodi.

"We can agree we need to go down there, yeah? Let's not do it like this... we need to be a team. I wasn't kidding when I said we don't get to screw this up. Come on, tempers down, guys... Mr. Ghelve, could you please get us that map? And then after, if it's not too much trouble, can you stay up here and guard your shop? I don't know how long we'll be, but if another raiding party sneaks past, I don't want them getting to the city. You can go to the Temple of St. Cuthbert and ask Ms. Jenya for help, if you're scared. But we can't let anyone in or out of here until we get back, all right? Sodi, is that help enough from him? Can we just call this a wash?"

[Toxic Avenger]

"That is exactly what I was going to suggest, Erica, before Mr. Auman here started acting like one of those damned slavers. Thank you."

Looking toward Sodi with a somewhat softened look, especially that she now sees that he has declined to further push the issue, Kate holds out a hand, seemingly to offer a handshake. "Yes, I'd be willing to call this a wash. And I don't want to draw steel against you, Sodi, I really don't...but when I perceive that someone genuinely trying to do what is right is getting pushed around...well...I get angry, as I'm sure you noticed." Her very intense look of righteous anger has finally softened to a genuine smile.

[Dhavaer]

Her Ladyship leans her glaive against the wall and massages her temples. Moral outrage has always given her a headaches.

[Taren]

Rilian looked over at the quarreling group, and then back at Ydresse. With a sigh, he quickly realized that she had the right idea. Unfortunately, he then looked over at the gnome, and realized something else... all of a sudden, he had common ground with the man.

He walks over and stands next to Kate and Erica. "I a-am g-gonna have to side with Mistresses Kate and Erica. I of a-all people know w-what it's l-like to feel like you have n-no options. A-and to do things y-you'd never w-want to. L-let Mr. Ghelve come or s-stay o-or h-help if he wants. I-it's h-his c-choice." He didn't add "like it was his choice to turn me away." that wouldn't have been right. But he certainly thought it extremely loudly.

He turned. "B-but i-if you need someone w-who knows locks. I'm it. I-if you n-need s-someone who c-can h-handle traps, ummm...I, w-well, I-I c-can try to h-handle t-those as well. 'D-don't need h-him for that. I-I good with m-my hands. It's a-all I'm g-good with."

[Toxic Avenger]

"And how about this, Sodi? When we catch those vile slavers, or anyone who has aided them willingly - not under coercion - then I won't stand in your way like that. In fact, you might even have my blessing...within limits."

She extends her hand out a bit further.

"Deal?"

[Baerdog7]

Angelo Rinaldi

Angelo throws up his hands in exasperation.

[color=blue]You know what? Fine. If everyone is so gods-damned paranoid about telling the Captain we have a lead on the children and are pursuing it then we won't tell him. I never said anything about telling him about Keygan's role. Excuse me for thinking we were still working for him.[/blue]

He takes a breath, calming himself down.

As for Keygan, I agree with Katherine and Erica. He had no choice in what he did. Now, I am going to the Temple to talk to Jenya before we get in another fight and let her know what's going on. If anyone else wants to come, fine. I think we should take this time to cool off and get what supplies we need. Let's meet back here in two hours.

Angelo turns on his heel and leaves the shop, walking very quickly toward the Temple. If any of the others had hoped to join him, they better try and catch up.

[Rei_Jin]

Keygan stammers as the group argues, and Sodi gets violent towards him. He backs off as much as possible, falling off his stilts with them dragging in the now too-long pants as he tries to retreat from Sodi.

Please, no! I had no choice!

When hoisted up by his shirt, he starts panicking, thrashing about. He wails at the group when Sodi starts telling him about his debt, and obviously (to him) trying to push him into service.

I thought you were the good guys! I thought you were here to help me! Please don't make me go down there, they'll kill me!

When put down, he collapses and starts sobbing quietly into his hands.

When I saw you Rilian, I thought maybe you had found good people to look after you. I'm sorry for what happened to your father, but you don't need to be a thug...

[Taren]

Rilian closes his eyes as he listens to Keygan's plea. What he WANTED to do was to tell the man to solve his own problems and fix what he broke. How dare he ask Rilian for help, after he hadn't been there to help when Dad went away...

With a sigh, he stepped forward, interceding between the rest of the party and Ghelve. He composed himself. He wanted to say something without sounding foolish. "...He shouldn't have to pay for what happened. If anyone hurts him, or if they try to force him to come when he's afraid... I will stop them. I will protect him. As I said, I know what it's like to feel like you have no choices left." He turned back, to stare at Keygan. What he WANTED to say was that Ghelve had contributed to his feeling like he had nothing else he could do. But he didn't.

Because Dad tried to raise him right, and that's what mattered.

Looking down at the gnome, he nodded. "We- no..they... are good people. I'm not good for much... but we'll stop the bad guys. And I'll try to get your familiar back, I promise. You should go to the guards and t-tell them what happened. They'll keep you safe. A-after all, if s-something b-bad happens to y-ou, w-who will make the things t-that keep little c-children s-safe at night?" Looking at the rest of the party, he tried his best to look stern and unyielding despite feeling extraordinary nervous. "H-he'll tell the guards what's happened. A-and what w-we're gonna do. L-let's go s-save the chi-children, o-ok?" Rilian drew his rapier, his white-turned-gray cloak pressed against his legs.

[Rei_Jin]

Keygan looks up at Rilian, and seems to be torn inside. He sits silently for a few moments, then speaks quietly.

I'm sorry I let my fear of reprisals stop me taking you in Rilian. You really are your fathers son, even after everything you've been through.

If you want me to turn myself in, I will. But after this is all sorted out, and the children are safe. For now, I'll stay here and keep the entrance clear for you, and aid you however I can from here.

[Taren]

"I-I'm not doing it for you." He paused. "I-I'm doing it b-because Dad wouldn't h-have wanted you t'die. H-he'd want ta b-beat you in b-business, but n-not l-let you die."

"I w-want you to turn y-yourself in a-afterwards. T-they won't p-unish you. Y-you're too i-important now, the only l-lockmaker in the cauldron. But t-they'll understand h-how it happened." He sighed. "A-and they'll r-remember that s-sometimes you have to c-change their locks if t-they want to be s-safe at n-night."

[Rei_Jin]

Keygan looks at Rilian, square in the eye.

You really don't know how this town works, do you?

You need to know something, something about your father. What was said about him after he died, and even his death. Nothing is quite what you thought.

Your father, in his time, was a great locksmith. When he was younger he made some mistakes though, as all young men do. He mixed with the wrong crowd, got caught up in crime. When he realised what he'd done, he turned himself in and gave evidence against his employers. They weren't very powerful at the time, but those people went on to become powerful figures in the Last Laugh. They're the ones responsible for what happened to him, and his shop, and to you. They put word out, that if anyone employed you, or offered you shelter, that they would be "made an example of". I turned you away out of fear, not out of mistrust. I didn't go to the guards because I knew that they would merely turn on me, and probably sell me out as well.

When I turn myself in, I will be hanged by the neck until I am dead. The townsfolk will accept no less, and the mayor and his toadies will do whatever it takes to keep the taxes rolling in so they can live life in the manner they're accustomed.

I have no kin, no apprentice. All I have is Starbrow, this shop, and a life full of regrets. And yet I'm afraid to die. How ironic.

Tomorrow, I will go and put my will in order with the church of St Cuthbert. Then, once you've resolved the kidnappings, I will turn myself in.

[Taren]

Rilian felt tears running down his face, but he didn't feel like he should be crying. He didn't say anything at first, he just pulled the hood over his face, shading it in shadows. Inside his own mind, he cursed the gnome, both for telling him how rotten the world really was, and for taking away his choice of punishment. He couldn't ask Keygan to die because of what happened... not now. Even if, at his darkest moments on the streets, he had really wished that it would happen. He sniffled, then stopped himself. It wasn't manly to cry. He really needed to stop.

Trying to sound resolute, he took steps towards the path down below the shop. "T-then don't tell them what happened."

He paused for a moment to let it sink in. "Y-you keep molds of all the k-keys you make, correct?" he stressed that last word. "J-just in c-case the b-buyer wants o-others m-made later. I-it's just g-good service, right?" Again, the last word sounded strained. A lot of strange pressure weighed on that last word. Almost as if he was saying something else underneath it. "You were working so hard on other p-people's locks that you d-didn't notice how r-rusty and o-old your own were g-getting. S-someone b-broke in a-and stole a l-lot of your key-m-molds. A-anyone w-with h-alf a b-brain could make a k-key f-from those. Y-you d-didn't report it b-because y-you were afraid. I-it wasn't your f-fault, understand?"

He turned around and glared at Keygan. "I d-don't want you t-to die 'cause o-of this. B-but, if I e-ever hear you t-turned away another p-person in t-true need..." His voice grew very tired. And cold.

"...I'll hunt you down and kill you in cold blood like a dog."

Some warmth grew back into his voice as he turned his back away from everyone. So they didn't see his tears. "So make sure you have good locks, so thieves like me don't get in and steal important things anymore, alright? And f-fix that rusty piece of c-crap you have mounted on y-your front door. Why, if a-anyone looked at it tomorrow, they'd see how b-bad a condition it's i-in, right?"

He started to proceed down. "I-i'll go scout ahead for a bit." It was a blatant excuse to be alone for a bit, but he didn't try to conceal it. "G-go buy s-some food, o-ok guys?"

[Rei_Jin]

Keygan listens to Rilians words, and doesn't even blink. He lets it sink in for a moment, then walks over to his desk, and pulls out a map. Handing it to Rilian, and motioning to Katherine to give him the goggles, he speaks again.

If you're determined to be a hero, you'll need the map, and the goggles. Those... things, they hide better than a black cat in coal shop. And you'll need some way to see, it's awful dark down there. Get some torches, or sunrods. Preferably both.

And I know you want to save the children, but don't go in there alone. You won't come out again. Sometimes, I hear strange noises float up from the ruins. Screams, and laughing. I'm not sure if it's ghosts or another town down there, but either way, you had better be sure you're ready for it.

He spreads the map out on the desk



This is a map of J'zadirune, when we still lived there. I don't know how much of it is still intact, and it doesn't mark traps. I've only explored a little of it, enough to clear some of the traps out, and I've marked a few I couldn't get rid of. I hope it helps you.

[PhoeKun]

Erica stared dumbstruck at the conversation between locksmith and lock picker... well, former lock picker and hopeful locksmith apprentice, really. But that didn't matter. The words floating around the room, however, did. And she had heard quite enough of them. Rilian's desire to be alone was like an aura in the room, but she didn't care. It isn't the best thing for him. In fact, it was downright dangerous.

She makes a bee line for Rilian and, without saying a thing, pulls him into a hug. It's a very light, gentle hug, giving him room to break from it without feeling trapped or awkward. And no, it wouldn't make everything better. It couldn't. But it was better than anything she could say, to prove that she was there for him. She'd already promised. She wasn't going to let the world hurt him. And she meant it.

"No scouting without an escort. You can look, and if you want to stay quiet and ignore me, I don't mind, but anything you do downstairs is going to be with me making sure you're safe. I... wish I knew what to say, Rilian. But, you're not alone, ok? You can talk to me, always."

She said it quietly, and without a smile. Nothing cheesy or anything that said his pain wasn't worth feeling. Just this offer, which was all she knew to do.

[Taren]

Eyes wide, Rilian just stands there, partially falling limp as Erica hugs him. He looks at her face, honestly baffled by how she's treating him. As horrible as he felt, he hadn't really expected her to react like this because of his problems. He didn't try to pull away. He didn't even flinch. He wasn't sure HOW to react, if he should react at all.

Actually, he did kind of react. He dropped his rapier, which rolled along the floor and bapped against a table. And he also sorta-blushed, but that was hardly noticeable with his cloak's hood pulled up.

After Erica stopped hugging him, Rilian sat down in a chair. He wasn't sure whether he should be crying or smiling right now. It was times like this he wished he understood people, most of all himself. He felt terrible, but still...

"Keygan." He sniffled. "F-find a way to be happy. I-i'd like to think your life turns o-out b-better than mine s-started." he turned back to the rest of the party. "I'll stay h-here until we're a-all ready. G-go get f-food and stuff, o-ok guys?" He had resolved NOT to go scouting ahead... he wiped a few tears away from his eyes. "Hey...where'd my sword go?" He looked around for it, not noticing that it was sitting underneath the table he sat at.

[Dhavaer]

Lady Ydresse's tightens, and she looks away from Keygan and Rilian, breathing the tension out. Looking away from them, she walks over to the desk and examines the map.
"Where is the entrance on the map?" She askes Keygan.

[PhoeKun]

"All right. Food, huh? I'll be back, then."

Erica makes a move towards the exit, then stops, laughing nervously.

"Um... hehe... could, er, could someone come with me? I've never actually, haha... done this before... like, ever."

She looks about nervously, not making eye-contact with anyone.

[Toxic Avenger]

{OOC: Possible action, depending on what Sodi says to Katherine's 'deal'... If he shakes her hand, cool...if not, she shrugs and moves on.}

______________

When Rilian first heads toward the the stairs, Katherine is still standing at the top, blocking his path. With a gentle smile on her face, she shakes her head.

"No, Rilian, not alone..." she says just before Erica comes in with the hug. Seeing that Rilian does not back away, Kate joins into the hug herself, although very gently.

She whispers, "Right, no scouting without an escort...voice of experience, Erica?" With a friendly smirk on her face, Kate looks Erica in the eyes, then at her wounded arm, then back to her eyes again. "That could have gone much worse, you know. But I'm glad it didn't."

She turns to Rilian with a warm smile. "And you can count on me as well, Rilian, if you need a friend to talk to...okay...?" With the same smirk that she was showing before, Kate turns back to Erica. "...what, you were going to leave me out of the loop? I'm getting kind of jealous here, Erica..."

Kate lets go and picks up Rilian's rapier. After taking off the goggles, she hands them to Rilian along with his rapier once he asks for it. "Here it is...I think..." She points at the dead skulk's rapier, which she has set down on the nearest counter. "...or is it that one over there?"

_____________

Heading toward the door, Katherine laughs as she says, "What, you've never bought food before? Ha! That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Well, I was hoping to catch up with the lone ranger just in case he sticks his foot in his mouth, but I can educate you in the fine art of...hehehe...buying food, if you'd like."

[PhoeKun]

A large number of the Kate's comments had started making Erica blush, but with her last jab, it looked almost as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her face. She looks every which way for some sort of out.

"Well I... it's just... you see..."

She laughs nervously.

"I never... you know... had to, before."

She finally manages a sheepish, humilated, and pouting look at Kate.

[Toxic Avenger]

"Oh. Right." Kate replies, with the look on her face suggesting that she realizes she went too far with the last comment. "That's not silly at all, then. My most humble apologies, Erica."

Turning back before leaving the shop, Katherine calls out in a singy-song voice, "Oh, Sodi! I expect Mr. Ghelve to be in good spirits when we return!"


With a grin, she turns back to Erica. "So...food, spelunking supplies, and what not... We'd better hurry, then...we have a couple stops to make..."

[Taren]

Rilian took the rapier and the goggles from Kate, mumbling a brief "Thanks." as he does so. Looking down at the rapier, and then at the one the monster had, he wrinkles his forehead. He couldn't really tell if there was a difference between the two. Looking back and forth between the two, he encounters some difficulty.

Eventually, he picks the other one up in his free hand, comparing them closely. As the group starts to break apart, he pulls down the goggles. They seemed odd. With them on, his vision felt funny, he guessed.

"I-I'll stay here while you g-guys get everything done. I-if another one of t-those things c-comes, I'll s-stop it." He wished he was as confident as he sounded. Actually, he didn't think he sounded very confident, either. So he wished he was as confident as he wished he sounded. He looked over to Keygan. "Mr. Ghelve... i-if I r-remember right, you k-know some m-magic. A-are any of these t-things magic'd?"

[Rei_Jin]

Keygan wanders over and looks at the rapiers, frowning for a second.

Well, your one isn't, that I can tell. The other one might be, but if so it's doing something wonky with magic. It might be a residue from the... thing, whatever it was, but it might be magical in its own right.

I'd need to spend some time studying it to be able to tell you better, but it's a well made rapier if nothing else. Helps you strike more true. I'd use it for now, and when you're done down there get it looked at.

The cloak that thing has though, it's definitely magical. Helps you blend with the shadows and such, I've seen them before a few times. I was hoping to get hold of one myself, it would make a great curtain for the shop.

[Taren]

"Huh." Rilian puts his own rapier away, and holds the other one. It does FEEL a bit different, he guessed. Keygan's advice was probably wise. If anyone else desired the rapier later, he'd give it up. It wasn't as if it was actually his.

Looking down at the cloak the creature had been wearing, he bent down and pulled it up off of it. Then he looked down at his second-hand cloak. It was frayed and torn in places, especially towards the ground. The bottom was covered in patches. He frowned. "I n-needed a d-decent one a-anyway." Draping his old cloak over the fallen monster, he swept the new one around his back. "D-do you k-know how it w-works? I d-don't know anything a-about magic. A-and what sort o-of b-being is Starbrow? W-we'll save i-it too if w-we can, I p-promise."

[PhoeKun]

Erica stares at Kate for a long moment, her face slowly melting into a smile. And just like that, all was forgiven. She pauses just a moment to inspect the two swords causing Rilian's current conundrum. Eventually, she points to the (former) skulk's rapier, tapping it with her index finger.

"This one's much prettier. It suits someone like you pretty well, Rilian."

She grins, and holds up her bandaged hand.

"Plenty sharp, too." she adds, sticking her tongue out playfully.

And with that, she finally heads for the door, waiting only for Kate.

"All right, shopping time. Hehe, this is kind of like an adventure in itself. Lead the way, ok?"

[Rei_Jin]

Starbrow is a rat, mind you he's quite intelligent. I can feel his presence now, he's within a mile of here, and he's cold and hungry, but otherwise okay.

And with the cloak, it works innately. It will help you hide and move quieter, as well as allowing you to disappear into the shadows once per sunrise when you will it so.

[Taren]

Rilian nods, then sits down in front of a window, waiting for the others. He doesn't really have anything else to say, or to do. "We'll get him b-back." He stretched out his feet. He had no intention of going anywhere.

Without saying anything else, he turns to face the window, letting his mind wander. The Last Laugh... it said something about how vindictive they were that they would ruin his father and then wreck his life as well. He clenched his fist as he sniffled. They would get what was coming to them eventually. Blood would be shed for the blood already spilled.

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine grins at Erica. "Mmhmm...shopping's always a fun time...don't get to do it often enough." She steps out onto the street and looks around for a moment as she gets her bearings. "Well, I think it'll be easier if we go to Skie's first, then Zanathor's. This way!" She grabs Erica's hand as she heads off toward Skie's Treasury. "I still have the blades from the muggers, too. They dropped 'em, so I'm assuming they don't want them anymore...maybe we can unload those and get a few more things that we'll need down there..."

Once they're far enough from Ghelve's shop, Katherine says, "It's nice to get a little break from...get a little break like this, even if just for a bit. I need to get my mind off what just happened. I...don't like losing it like I did back there, even if it was for the right reasons, you know? I can usually keep my emotions under control, but for a few seconds I was almost seeing red. I'm glad that Sodi stepped down, and that you stepped in, Erica. I don't want to think about what would have happened otherwise..."

[PhoeKun]

Erica smiles understandingly at Kate.

"Don't worry about it. I mean, we all get upset sometimes, right? I remember a few years ago when one of my favorite figurines got broken, I got so mad I almost broke Daddy's nose! Talk about losing your temper..." She laughs.

"But, breaks are nice too. You're a good person, Kate, and even if just for a couple of hours, you deserve the relaxation." She nods, as if agreeing with herself.