EP 17 - "Aggressive Negotiations"

[00:00:01] After learning the news of Korvac Hest's death, the party had no time to be deterred as they continued their search for Ethelward Rhone, the next viper in their sights. Iris Elkar, their handler, transported them to the compact capital on Viridian, Porte de Soleil.

[00:00:18] Upon entering the city, they split up as Iris went to secure provisions for their stronghold in the north, while Soraco, Finn, and Kel set off to the port wards to find out if this trading company that was involved with Ethelward still had a foothold within the city.

[00:00:34] Meanwhile, Kayako, Arnor, and Bred went up to the kennel ward, the city's slums, to see if they could find a more grassroots approach. We'll start there with them, having just encountered one of Kayako's former associates.

[00:00:51] Bred will take the lead following the awkward conversation with Kay and her associate, and just sort of be looking for anyone that he can help, as Arnor had suggested earlier and he also knows.

[00:01:04] The easiest inroad for them to be able to talk to anybody is through assistance. That is not, you know, pouring water down someone's throat who doesn't want it.

[00:01:13] Waterboarding someone.

[00:01:15] Essentially.

[00:01:15] As you move out of this commercial plaza and more into the heavily stacked, cramped residential areas here, these just wooden and stone tenements that look shaky, to say the least.

[00:01:28] As you're heading down one street, you do see someone at the far end kneeling before sets of rolls of mats and such.

[00:01:37] They're empty, empty as of now, but they also wear a wide wooden hat hung with a very sparse curtain of herbs and wildflowers.

[00:01:48] A bread wool, you know, looking to Arnor and Kay, sort of signal that and head straight for that plague doctor.

[00:01:54] Did you give us a look?

[00:01:56] I gave you a look that said, hey, guess what? I probably know that. It's like a whole monologue, yeah.

[00:02:01] You know what I mean? I know you know what I mean.

[00:02:04] Good catch. Go ahead and meet with the doctor. I'll search around here, see if I can find anything.

[00:02:11] All right. Hurrying forward then, bread will sort of like hail this other doctor and say, anything I can do to help?

[00:02:17] He stands up from his haunches where he had, you know, been smoothing down these mats on the dirt ground.

[00:02:22] And then as he stands up, he towers like a good foot and a half taller than you, maybe two feet.

[00:02:29] Just this huge elfkin.

[00:02:31] And he goes, oh, lad, what can you help with?

[00:02:36] When'd you get your wreaths?

[00:02:38] And he just points to your hat.

[00:02:40] About five years ago.

[00:02:41] Oh.

[00:02:42] Family trade or?

[00:02:44] Aye, my dad was a doctor.

[00:02:45] What was his name?

[00:02:47] Frederick, why?

[00:02:49] Ah, just curiosity.

[00:02:51] Us compact doctors seem to all know each other, but I can't say I recognize your face, nor that name.

[00:03:01] Frederick what?

[00:03:03] Why is this my brain?

[00:03:05] It's in my pants.

[00:03:08] Aubreen.

[00:03:09] Ah, wasn't compact then, was he?

[00:03:12] No.

[00:03:12] First day on the continent, so to speak.

[00:03:15] Ah.

[00:03:16] I mean, I'd like to employ your help, son, but I can't verify that you know what you know if you're not here with, uh.

[00:03:26] Actually, speaking of the matter, who are you here with?

[00:03:29] Technically speaking, at the moment, I'm a doctor with the Ironwood Company.

[00:03:33] His face gets a little darker.

[00:03:35] Mm.

[00:03:36] His brow furrows and he goes, oh.

[00:03:39] And then he relaxes, visibly.

[00:03:41] No shame in medic work, of course.

[00:03:45] Just, you're young.

[00:03:47] Be on the lookout for more reputable friends.

[00:03:51] I appreciate the advice.

[00:03:53] Still, if you've got time on your hands, I...

[00:03:56] This is grunt work.

[00:03:58] Just setting up triage if need be.

[00:04:01] Maybe.

[00:04:01] Perhaps you can help just smooth down some mats and layout supplies.

[00:04:06] Nothing procedure-wise.

[00:04:10] Ooh.

[00:04:11] Bread has an internal monologue about this, but he will keep that to himself.

[00:04:17] I, sir, I can do that.

[00:04:18] Is Bread's...

[00:04:19] Because it's just her left hand and that's been, like, withered, right?

[00:04:21] Yes.

[00:04:22] Do you cover that?

[00:04:23] No.

[00:04:23] He wears that very prominently.

[00:04:26] Oh, okay.

[00:04:27] Then you definitely get a look from this doctor.

[00:04:30] And after maybe a minute of just doing this menial task, he looks over and gives you a little wag of his finger.

[00:04:39] If you don't mind me asking, that arm there doesn't look so great.

[00:04:46] Doesn't look great, no.

[00:04:48] Looks bloody awful, to be honest, but it's stable.

[00:04:51] I wasn't going to say anything so derisive.

[00:04:55] I don't mind.

[00:04:56] How'd you get it?

[00:04:57] Plague.

[00:04:58] Hollowing.

[00:04:58] Aye.

[00:04:59] Oh, sword, Kip.

[00:05:01] And you lived.

[00:05:03] I did.

[00:05:04] Very lucky to do so.

[00:05:05] No doubt your father's worked then.

[00:05:07] It was.

[00:05:08] He didn't make it through.

[00:05:09] Oh.

[00:05:10] Condolences, child.

[00:05:12] Thank you.

[00:05:12] You're, uh, friends here.

[00:05:14] The other in sorts.

[00:05:17] And he kind of jerks his thumb back to where Kai hasn't been doing much of anything and Arnor's, like, poking around the block.

[00:05:23] The cameras have gone away, you know?

[00:05:29] They, uh, ironwood too?

[00:05:32] I have a different sort than I, but yes.

[00:05:34] Look, I don't mean to be rude and all.

[00:05:37] But it'd be best if you didn't go flaunting that fact around.

[00:05:42] Particularly not in the kennel ward, aye?

[00:05:45] People here don't quite care for the compacts, uh, extranational contractors, so to speak.

[00:05:55] You ironwood lads.

[00:05:57] The bilgewood folk.

[00:05:59] Eh.

[00:06:00] You're all about rotten dogs, if I'll be honest.

[00:06:04] Uh, not my words, mind you.

[00:06:06] But the public sentiment.

[00:06:09] No offense taken.

[00:06:10] Do you know of any, I don't know, bad run-ins that anyone's had with ironwood company members?

[00:06:16] Oh, there was a spat a couple weeks back, now that you mention it.

[00:06:24] Some rowdy crowd was having something to do with the Karakhan.

[00:06:31] And I believe one of them ironwood lads put him down.

[00:06:36] I mean, sure, doing the city a service, mind you.

[00:06:41] But doing the city a service and always doing that's people one.

[00:06:45] Not exactly the same thing.

[00:06:46] No.

[00:06:47] Not nearly.

[00:06:50] Not ever in Port-des-Solais.

[00:06:53] Whereabouts did that happen?

[00:06:54] Where indeed, where indeed.

[00:06:57] And he kind of just, ah, sits back, looks around a bit, scratches his chin.

[00:07:02] And I believe, if I'm not mistaken, might have been somewhere in Silk Fairy Ward.

[00:07:11] There was an event, you see, on the hills of Chateau de Saumere.

[00:07:19] Little bit of a protest or such gathered.

[00:07:22] You know how it is.

[00:07:23] Discontented populace.

[00:07:25] Aye.

[00:07:25] And then emissaries, as they were, started a bit of a, well, I don't want to say they roiled up the lads.

[00:07:37] But anywho, these kin and such from Aiden Silk.

[00:07:41] Them and their Karakhan company.

[00:07:44] Well, long story short, the boy died.

[00:07:48] Nine, ten maybe.

[00:07:50] At their hands.

[00:07:52] And two seconds later, a snap of the wrist.

[00:07:55] And three of them weren't carrying their heads no more.

[00:07:59] Was this ironwood fella.

[00:08:00] Didn't catch it myself.

[00:08:02] Only the aftermath was called in to handle the kid.

[00:08:05] Not much to handle, though, I'll say.

[00:08:07] No, I dare say not.

[00:08:08] I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker.

[00:08:10] You lose your head.

[00:08:11] And he just like clicks his tongue and strikes his hand across his neck.

[00:08:17] Rather callously.

[00:08:18] Red's used to it.

[00:08:20] Well, I thank you for the advice about keeping a low profile, I suppose.

[00:08:24] It's valuable.

[00:08:26] Hope I can repay it.

[00:08:27] Aye, indeed.

[00:08:29] Might I ask, uh, what brings you here?

[00:08:35] Me personally, I'm here to look after members of the company who get into such scraps as that.

[00:08:40] Aye, I figured as such.

[00:08:41] But what brings the company here, lad?

[00:08:44] You see, and his voice doesn't change much, but his body grows sterner and his face, his expression hardens.

[00:08:54] We don't want more trouble here, Kim.

[00:08:58] No, and I don't intend to bring it, but I mean, they don't tell me anything.

[00:09:01] I'm just the doctor.

[00:09:02] His eyes kind of graze over you.

[00:09:06] And he just gives a heavy sigh and turns back to his work.

[00:09:12] Just the doctor.

[00:09:15] Does he want Bread's help at all, or is Bread sort of like dismissed?

[00:09:21] Because Bread will pay this forward to keep this man in good graces.

[00:09:25] But if he doesn't want him around, then...

[00:09:27] No, as soon as there's like actual work to be done, like a patient comes and seeks help from this man,

[00:09:33] you're kind of, not explicitly, but you garner that you would be barred from assisting in any actual medical attention.

[00:09:43] Okay.

[00:09:43] Bread will remove some of the strands from his hat and not put them on this other guy's hat,

[00:09:49] because he has a feeling he'll probably throw them away.

[00:09:51] But he will leave them for him should he want to use them.

[00:09:55] And he will go rejoin Arnor and Kai.

[00:09:58] As Arnor had been poking around during this time,

[00:10:01] pulling the passersby and peeking into tenements and such,

[00:10:06] you don't really find anything of note.

[00:10:09] The people here know little,

[00:10:12] but you are able to glean a bit of the same information

[00:10:15] that there is an animosity toward these non-governmental organizations, basically,

[00:10:22] and especially as of late, the Ironwood Company.

[00:10:25] You do, however, secure a contact from someone who's able to point you to an embassy in the Silk Ferry District

[00:10:33] for the Ken Majority Karakan Company,

[00:10:37] which is the company that then, upon Bread's return,

[00:10:40] you learn was embroiled in this little squabble that the Ironwood Man weeks back,

[00:10:46] quote-unquote, dealt with.

[00:10:49] It sounds like this company might know more about what we're searching for.

[00:10:53] I was able to learn that the embassy may be,

[00:10:56] that should be our next place of searching for information.

[00:10:59] Let's be on our way.

[00:11:00] So we shall.

[00:11:02] Arnor is going to start leading them out of the kennel ward toward the embassy.

[00:11:05] As we're being led by Arnor,

[00:11:08] Kai is in the back and will try to engage in a conversation with Bread,

[00:11:12] and she'll say to Bread,

[00:11:14] You know, Bread, I've been thinking about what you said to me earlier this week.

[00:11:19] What's that?

[00:11:20] I do believe that it is a good idea to be straightforward with each other,

[00:11:24] if we're going to be working together, after all.

[00:11:27] Although, I find it hard to be straight with someone who I barely even know.

[00:11:33] I mean, who is Bread?

[00:11:37] Are there some sort of specifics you're after here, Kai?

[00:11:40] No, not necessarily.

[00:11:42] I just feel like I don't know who you are.

[00:11:44] I don't know you.

[00:11:45] So you're not going to give me a straight answer, are you?

[00:11:49] Well, if you'd ask a question, maybe I would answer.

[00:11:53] It seems that you're dancing around with the words yourself.

[00:11:57] A man of mystery, I would say, even.

[00:12:00] You must be a hit with the ladies.

[00:12:03] Although, I don't know many eligible bachelors who disappear in the middle of the night doing,

[00:12:10] I don't know, talking to walls.

[00:12:12] Vale knows what, really.

[00:12:14] Talking to walls?

[00:12:16] What are you talking about now?

[00:12:18] I'm talking about you.

[00:12:19] It's very hard on a ship to sleep in a cot.

[00:12:23] Let's just say I didn't get a lot of sleeping.

[00:12:26] And had some commotion.

[00:12:28] You were below dick when it happened.

[00:12:31] I don't talk to the walls, Kai.

[00:12:33] I was below dick, making a round.

[00:12:36] What's it matter?

[00:12:37] In the middle of the night?

[00:12:38] Yeah, I'm a doctor.

[00:12:39] And a doctor would have business below dick with the supplies?

[00:12:44] That seems very odd to me.

[00:12:46] Yeah, very often.

[00:12:47] I don't know if you've noticed, Kai, but treating you takes medical supplies.

[00:12:51] Ah, yes, and you've done such a bane-up job with it.

[00:12:54] Not with you.

[00:12:55] Oh, well.

[00:12:56] Oof.

[00:12:57] Never mind, never mind.

[00:12:59] I'm prying.

[00:13:00] I apologise.

[00:13:01] You know, Kai, you might get more information if you're more forthcoming about yourself.

[00:13:06] I'm an open book.

[00:13:08] Ask me anything.

[00:13:09] Well, when you start giving true information,

[00:13:12] then I think you might get the give and take that you so much seek.

[00:13:16] And then Arnor is going to keep walking.

[00:13:19] And Arnor, when have I been false with you or anybody else in this company?

[00:13:25] Honestly.

[00:13:26] Every time you open your mouth.

[00:13:28] Every time I open my mouth.

[00:13:30] I don't know what you're talking about.

[00:13:32] Kai, perhaps it's about time you looked at yourself in the mirror and how you portray yourself.

[00:13:38] Oh, I do that quite often.

[00:13:39] Thank you very much.

[00:13:41] I don't doubt that.

[00:13:42] All I'm saying is if you would quit playing your games,

[00:13:46] perhaps people would be more forthcoming with you and be your friend.

[00:13:52] You know, Arnor, you talk as if I'm the only one who's playing games.

[00:13:57] Not that I am and she'll actually look at Brad.

[00:14:02] But it seems that the lot of you are concealing more that you let on,

[00:14:09] including yourself, Brad.

[00:14:11] Let's just say that when you think no one's watching, well, you get the rest.

[00:14:17] I sure do.

[00:14:18] As you continue your way out of the kennel ward, across the bridge and down to the Silk Ferry ward,

[00:14:23] looking for this embassy that you were directed to.

[00:14:27] A little southwest along the docks, Cal, Finn, and Sorocco have been led yourselves nearer the Silk Ferry ward than not,

[00:14:36] as you skirt the upper edges of the inner ports where these tail sailors have brought you to a warehouse of their company,

[00:14:47] so to speak. And standing outside this little, like, external office of the place where you can look through a window and see someone sitting inside,

[00:14:57] just looking through a whole bunch of documents and whatnot.

[00:15:00] This tale that you beat in the game says, if you want to have your questions answered, perhaps look in there.

[00:15:07] They run almost everything out of the principality.

[00:15:11] Though I cannot ensure that you will find what you're looking for, my friend.

[00:15:17] Very well. This is good enough. Now, I believe we agreed 100 silver, and Sorocco will extend a small pouch full of the predetermined amount.

[00:15:27] And before he puts it into the guy's hand, he says, about one moment.

[00:15:33] You and your men, you work in Port-des-Solay often, do you not?

[00:15:38] We are mostly based here, yes. Not often do we grace the ships with our feet.

[00:15:44] But I believe, I have a feeling, that I will be around Port-des-Solay for some time,

[00:15:50] and I may have some business ventures that would require some manpower.

[00:15:57] If you and your men are interested, I will come and find you, Mr...

[00:16:02] You may simply call me Torrentail.

[00:16:06] Mr. Torrentail.

[00:16:08] Your internal insight check passes and tells you that.

[00:16:13] That is just like a name. It's like John Doe for Talic people.

[00:16:18] Suit yourself, Mr. Torrentail.

[00:16:21] But let me assure you, my business proposition would be quite lucrative for us both, he says as he releases the pouch into the man's hand.

[00:16:30] But if you are not the man for the job, then I will find who he is.

[00:16:35] Good day to you.

[00:16:36] We will see, he says.

[00:16:37] Holding the pouch and thanking you.

[00:16:39] But know this, Lord Ling Castellan.

[00:16:42] We serve lions, not wolves.

[00:16:46] And he walks away.

[00:16:48] Soraka will go ahead and file that away.

[00:16:52] In the trash!

[00:16:54] No.

[00:16:55] As Soraka was finalizing his business with that guy, Finn was talking with Kel in the background.

[00:17:03] Well, it seems there was not exactly a satisfying conclusion to their game.

[00:17:10] But I'll tell you what.

[00:17:11] You won after the trickery of the other man was discovered.

[00:17:15] And he hands you your ten pieces of silver that you won from there a little bit.

[00:17:20] Perhaps I can offer something else for one night to peruse the book that you have taken.

[00:17:30] To satisfy my curiosity, I offer you tales of void and my experiences with it.

[00:17:39] Oh!

[00:17:40] That's good.

[00:17:40] It's a good offer.

[00:17:41] Or is it?

[00:17:42] Kel is gonna try not to show anything on her face, which is, it is kind of hard to see because she is still wearing her mask.

[00:17:50] She's wearing a mask.

[00:17:52] So it is a little hard to tell.

[00:17:53] Finn doesn't pick up a thing.

[00:17:55] Okay, great.

[00:17:55] So you see stoic.

[00:17:58] Anyone else might see like a little tiny bead of sweat.

[00:18:01] And after like a heartbeat, she'll nod and say, all right, fine.

[00:18:06] I'll give you the book later when we're back, when no one else is around.

[00:18:10] Agreed.

[00:18:11] And Finn turns his attention back to Soraka.

[00:18:15] Okay.

[00:18:15] I have been assured by that piece of walking garbage that this is where we need to be.

[00:18:23] So if you would like to join me inside and Soraka will go into the establishment.

[00:18:29] Finn will follow.

[00:18:30] So will Kel.

[00:18:30] You find a diminutive, bespectacled man sitting at this desk.

[00:18:36] The windows are kind of like fogged up by design.

[00:18:39] It's kind of like those glazed windows.

[00:18:41] So you can't see much in or out.

[00:18:43] But there's just this kind of musty atmosphere in here.

[00:18:47] You sweat almost immediately.

[00:18:49] And you just see this little man perspirating as he flits through dozens of little papers and his wet fingers.

[00:18:59] I like that.

[00:19:01] Make that as gross as possible while still being totally innocuous.

[00:19:05] He is.

[00:19:06] And he looks up and like his glasses like just slide down the moisture on the bridge of his nose.

[00:19:12] Ew.

[00:19:13] Oh, we like it.

[00:19:15] Right in.

[00:19:15] We like it a lot.

[00:19:17] And he gives this like wet wheeze.

[00:19:19] And he's like, can I help you?

[00:19:22] What do you need?

[00:19:25] Why is he so gross?

[00:19:27] Good day, sir.

[00:19:30] Ah.

[00:19:31] Would you be able to tell me which of the trading companies have roots over land heading northward?

[00:19:39] Is there a specific company you're looking for?

[00:19:48] Uh.

[00:19:49] The name escapes me.

[00:19:52] But is there perhaps one that has the symbol of a two-tailed fox?

[00:19:59] Not to my knowledge, no.

[00:20:02] Anyone that makes their way across the Dusk Coast.

[00:20:09] This guy is like a slug incarnated in a human.

[00:20:14] Only goes as far as Duskwind or Argenrow.

[00:20:18] Though even these days, I don't think anyone will go that far.

[00:20:25] Not since the trouble in the Blackbark Fen.

[00:20:29] Excuse me.

[00:20:30] Not since the trouble where?

[00:20:32] I did not quite hear that.

[00:20:34] Ah!

[00:20:35] Okay.

[00:20:36] Stop.

[00:20:37] Stop.

[00:20:37] The Blackbark Fen.

[00:20:40] It is east of Argenrow and Duskwind.

[00:20:44] There was some, I don't know exactly, disruption of services between those two settlements.

[00:20:53] I handle here most of the principalities' contractors.

[00:21:01] But I must ask before we go any further.

[00:21:06] With whom are you affiliated with that you seek such privileged information?

[00:21:13] I would prefer not to say the name of my employer.

[00:21:19] Perhaps there are...

[00:21:20] And I will have to ask you to leave.

[00:21:23] And you are sure there is no other way that I could obtain such information?

[00:21:30] You are insinuating that you want to grease my palms.

[00:21:36] I assure you they are well greased as is.

[00:21:39] He played himself.

[00:21:41] I have no doubt of that.

[00:21:45] I was only seeing if there is a way for me to scratch your back in return for scratching mine.

[00:21:53] But if that is completely off the table, then you will have forced my hand.

[00:21:59] I am sorry, but who do you assume yourself to even be?

[00:22:02] I am here on behalf of the Ironwood Company.

[00:22:06] Oh.

[00:22:06] Oh.

[00:22:07] Why didn't you say so to begin with?

[00:22:11] And he turns and he just ruffles through this shelf real quick and then takes out a folder.

[00:22:17] He says,

[00:22:18] The principality of a long and prosperous cooperation with the Ironwood Company.

[00:22:25] Did you know that one time Hector Gomont himself sent a card of condolences to my brother?

[00:22:36] After his child passed away suddenly.

[00:22:40] I do not know if it was Gomont himself, I mean signatures and seals,

[00:22:46] but the Ironwood Company has been kind enough to show my family deference.

[00:22:55] Perhaps I will return the favor with you.

[00:23:00] Yes.

[00:23:00] The information I request is of utmost importance to the company.

[00:23:05] In fact, we are here on behalf of Hector Gomont himself.

[00:23:11] Kind of like squeals a little, but he doesn't open your mouth.

[00:23:16] I hate him.

[00:23:18] I love him.

[00:23:18] He's great.

[00:23:19] I need to know this disruption between the two settlements that you talked about.

[00:23:25] What exactly was the nature of it?

[00:23:27] Well, do excuse now my reticence.

[00:23:32] But that would be breaching some official channels as high as I hold you in regard.

[00:23:40] There is a fee.

[00:23:42] And for that fee, I can give you a copy of this.

[00:23:47] And he pats the folder in hand.

[00:23:49] I have dozens prepared for occasions such as this.

[00:23:54] What is the fee?

[00:23:56] Well, to cover the cost of the transcriptions, the permits from the compacts,

[00:24:04] and the negotiations that will undoubtedly unfold with the company,

[00:24:08] I believe it could come out to just around 6,000 silver.

[00:24:14] 6,000 silver.

[00:24:16] And what do you think Mr. Gomont will say when he hears that you and your family have been extorting his agents?

[00:24:29] Perhaps he will send another card to you or to your brother.

[00:24:35] Roll coercion.

[00:24:36] This will be an opposing check between his discipline and your coercion.

[00:24:40] I rolled 2 successes, 3 advantage.

[00:24:42] Dane, what a threat.

[00:24:43] You got this, Sirocco.

[00:24:45] That is 3 success.

[00:24:46] You see him shiver a little bit.

[00:24:49] And he kind of tugs at his tight collar, holding this folder to his chest and says,

[00:24:56] I mean, would you fault a good businessman for taking a little bit off the top?

[00:25:02] I don't think so.

[00:25:04] No.

[00:25:05] I will.

[00:25:07] I will remove my personal fee from the equation.

[00:25:13] That will be 4,000 silver.

[00:25:18] His personal fee is a third of the price?

[00:25:21] Oh my God!

[00:25:23] It's got such a slippery.

[00:25:27] Very well.

[00:25:29] You may have your 4,000 silver.

[00:25:31] You must simply requisition it from the Ironwood Company offices here in Port-des-Soleil.

[00:25:37] In the meantime, why don't you hand us that file?

[00:25:41] And none of your superiors nor Mr. Gaumont needs to hear of your indiscretions today.

[00:25:48] I'll let you choose again between coercion and negotiation.

[00:25:52] Though I would say this probably fits better under negotiation.

[00:25:55] I'm going to choose coercion because it's slightly better.

[00:26:00] All right.

[00:26:01] And I rolled 2 success and 3 advantage.

[00:26:04] And I rolled 3 success and 1 advantage.

[00:26:08] Big beans.

[00:26:08] Yeah, big beans.

[00:26:10] And he says, oh, it will be no issue here, believe me.

[00:26:14] I will simply wait for the requisition to come through.

[00:26:17] So, I imagine within the next 2 or 3 weeks.

[00:26:23] Simple.

[00:26:24] We kill him before then.

[00:26:25] Where is this coming from?

[00:26:27] Marl's feeling murderous today.

[00:26:28] I don't know why.

[00:26:29] All of a sudden, bread comes out of nowhere.

[00:26:32] And it's like, I think we should kill him before then.

[00:26:36] If only bread would suggest such a thing.

[00:26:39] I know.

[00:26:39] I know.

[00:26:39] Very anti-death bread.

[00:26:42] Bread.

[00:26:42] The anti-death.

[00:26:44] 2 or 3 weeks.

[00:26:46] That is quite a long time.

[00:26:48] A lot could happen between now and then.

[00:26:51] I would hate for anything to happen to you or your family.

[00:26:57] And as Sorako says that, Finn is fiddling with this contraption that he pulled out of his thing.

[00:27:04] It's basically a lighter, but it's just got this very large reservoir of oil on it that he's toying with tauntingly.

[00:27:14] Kind of flicking it on and off.

[00:27:15] Just casually flicking your blowtorch behind Sorako.

[00:27:19] Your magnum-sized bick.

[00:27:23] And Kel kind of stretches enough that her robes open and you can see just like the hilt of her big greatsword and like the staff along her back.

[00:27:30] She just kind of stretches.

[00:27:32] Stretches out her arms and her muscles and just kind of relaxes.

[00:27:36] I'll give you two boosts on your coercion.

[00:27:39] It's like these two guys like crumping in the background to intimidate the slug.

[00:27:45] You know what, though?

[00:27:45] It's intimidating.

[00:27:47] It is.

[00:27:47] We're just background dancers.

[00:27:49] Yes.

[00:27:49] That's all they are.

[00:27:50] Oh, boy.

[00:27:51] Sweet.

[00:27:51] Well, with those two boosts, that is four successes and three advantage.

[00:27:56] Hey!

[00:27:57] Look at that.

[00:27:58] He got three successes and one advantage.

[00:28:02] This man shrinks in his seat and he kind of just smacks his lips and he's like,

[00:28:10] Hey, um, there's no need, sir, to insinuate anything of the sort.

[00:28:20] I think we can come to an arrangement that still leaves us both in admirable positions.

[00:28:29] Why don't we take it down and put it on the fast track for processing?

[00:28:38] Yes?

[00:28:40] Two thousand silver.

[00:28:41] My good man, I am very patient.

[00:28:45] More patient, perhaps, than my companions here.

[00:28:49] I certainly would not dream of any ill fate by following you or those you care about.

[00:28:55] So, what if, instead, you happen to lose that folder and find five hundred silver in its place?

[00:29:07] Silver which you would not need to report.

[00:29:10] My good sir.

[00:29:13] You must understand.

[00:29:16] There are ways that things are done here.

[00:29:20] Perhaps you may have eluded the eyes and ears of the compact.

[00:29:26] But I assure you, they hear and see everything in these walls.

[00:29:35] Kel and Finn, I want you both to do hard vigilance checks.

[00:29:41] That's three difficulty.

[00:29:43] And I'm going to give you both a setback since you were more focused on being intimidating bozos in the background.

[00:29:49] I still like that.

[00:29:51] Hang on.

[00:29:52] So, that's three purple and one black?

[00:29:54] Three purple, one black.

[00:29:55] Okie dokie.

[00:29:57] Finn rolled two success and three threat.

[00:30:00] And Kel rolled one success and one threat.

[00:30:02] All right.

[00:30:02] Both of you do notice that this man has been, like, mashing a button underneath the desk for a while now.

[00:30:10] He's a mechanic button.

[00:30:13] And no one has come to his rescue.

[00:30:15] But it's definitely too late to do anything about it.

[00:30:17] As these double doors that lead into the warehouse proper, like, slide open.

[00:30:23] And you're greeted by about two dozen enormous bodied men and women, kin, human, sanguine.

[00:30:32] And one of them, this elfkin who looks positively monstrous, like eight foot something,

[00:30:40] has his hand on the upper part of the doorframe and leans down so he can see you peering in.

[00:30:46] And it's like, Arceus, is there a problem here?

[00:30:52] I don't know.

[00:30:55] Is there a problem here?

[00:30:58] And he looks back at Siraco.

[00:31:00] Siraco will scan all of these newcomers and he will say, no, no problem, none whatsoever.

[00:31:09] Good.

[00:31:09] If you will give me but a moment to confer with the others in my group, we can provide you with what you have asked of us.

[00:31:20] It is...

[00:31:22] I believe.

[00:31:22] And correct me if I'm wrong, Arceus.

[00:31:25] I am but a simple foreman.

[00:31:27] But Clause 6, Subsection 3E of the Ironwood Charter, with our humble trading company,

[00:31:37] puts forth quite strict stipulations on sudden processing and payments.

[00:31:42] What was it, Arceus?

[00:31:44] Six thousand?

[00:31:47] Oh, four thousand.

[00:31:49] It is...

[00:31:50] Four thousand silver.

[00:31:52] Why don't you pay the man and take your things and go?

[00:31:55] Very well.

[00:31:57] Then, if that is the sum, again, I must confer with the others in my group.

[00:32:05] Give us but one moment.

[00:32:07] Very well.

[00:32:08] Siraco will turn around.

[00:32:10] Finn, do you remember that I asked you to make more of those contraptions, you know, from our return from the boar hunt?

[00:32:20] Yes.

[00:32:25] Kel is just rubbing her forehead, just like, oh, God, I should have gone with the others.

[00:32:32] Always go with bread, baby.

[00:32:33] You could have had the tea and you would be well on your way.

[00:32:37] So...

[00:32:37] I wouldn't be talking about planting a bomb.

[00:32:41] It's not a...

[00:32:42] It's a flash bomb.

[00:32:43] It's a smoke bomb.

[00:32:44] Yeah, a flash bomb, yeah.

[00:32:45] Um, do you perhaps have one?

[00:32:52] Finn...

[00:32:55] I'm flipping over a player point.

[00:32:59] Oh, shoot.

[00:33:00] Finn just silently reaches into his bag, tosses it into the door or wherever the rest of the people are, and says to Siraco, you have five seconds.

[00:33:10] And he's walking out.

[00:33:11] Kel's leaving.

[00:33:12] Kel's out the door.

[00:33:13] That was not what I wanted to do.

[00:33:15] He doesn't know that.

[00:33:16] He has his own narrative he was playing.

[00:33:19] This is the same man who lit sheep on fire to cause a diversion.

[00:33:25] All right.

[00:33:26] As Finn just rolls this thing, this, like, little metal contraption across the floor, and then Kel immediately bolts for the door behind her.

[00:33:36] Siraco, why don't you make a strength?

[00:33:40] I guess it'd be opposing brawn.

[00:33:43] Let's see.

[00:33:43] Because you are being grabbed.

[00:33:45] Oh, how strong are you, buddy?

[00:33:46] He's being grabbed right now?

[00:33:48] Yeah, you're being grabbed by the eight-foot kid.

[00:33:50] Oh, shoot.

[00:33:51] If you would have just let me finish, Finn.

[00:33:55] That was your fault for asking Finn for anything.

[00:33:58] You give this guy way too many ideas.

[00:34:01] He ain't ready to part with any of his money for what's just a bunch of these wet papers.

[00:34:05] Yeah, I was going to say, Kel is not giving you a single cent of silver.

[00:34:09] Fucking no way.

[00:34:11] I wasn't going to pay the man, but we were going to get the documents first.

[00:34:17] Straight up killed this man.

[00:34:20] All right.

[00:34:21] So it's just straight up brawn.

[00:34:22] I can't, like, slip out.

[00:34:24] It's not Slugman that's grabbing me, is it?

[00:34:26] Because he's greasy.

[00:34:28] That's like...

[00:34:29] He'll slip through his sausage fingers.

[00:34:32] Yeah.

[00:34:32] Like a greased wiener.

[00:34:33] You just slip right through those fingers.

[00:34:35] Just like a...

[00:34:36] Get the grease wiener.

[00:34:37] I said it's the eight-foot kin.

[00:34:40] Yeah, this will be an athletics check.

[00:34:41] And you're going to get a setback because this is not how you wanted things to go.

[00:34:45] All right.

[00:34:46] The eight-foot kin got seven successes, one advantage, and two triumphs.

[00:34:50] Oh, no!

[00:34:53] Oh, no, Noah.

[00:34:55] I don't think there's any way you can beat that.

[00:34:57] What'd you get, Noah?

[00:34:58] I got one success.

[00:34:59] No!

[00:35:01] That hurts!

[00:35:03] That hurts.

[00:35:06] I'm alone.

[00:35:10] This guy straight up crushes you, trying to contain you.

[00:35:15] Oh, no.

[00:35:16] Oh, shit.

[00:35:18] That was heartbreaking.

[00:35:20] When he does so, I'm going to say Seraco is going to close his eyes tight.

[00:35:26] That is 100% allowed.

[00:35:28] Kel makes it out the door, and then you are, like, face-to-face with six more of these dock

[00:35:35] worker types, and then Finn bumps right into your back.

[00:35:38] And then a second later, there's just this deafening flash and a boom from behind you.

[00:35:43] The dock workers in front of Kel and Finn are partially blinded.

[00:35:47] The only thing you can hear is this intense ringing in your ears, and they're afflicted

[00:35:53] by this same condition.

[00:35:54] Everyone within the office, except Seraco, is both blinded and deafened, and this guy is

[00:36:01] going to make a real quick reactionary check to see if he loses his grip on Seraco, but

[00:36:07] he is able to keep Seraco in his clutches.

[00:36:10] Can I try to escape this guy's clutches biting and clawing or maybe pulling out a hidden dagger,

[00:36:16] which I do have?

[00:36:17] If you want to elevate it to that, you're more than welcome to.

[00:36:19] I'm going to spend a story point and say that I put my cape back on after dealing with

[00:36:25] those other dock workers, and now that it's back on, I'm going to try to slip the cape

[00:36:30] off, like unclasp it from my shoulder and slip out like a greased wiener.

[00:36:35] I'll let you use that story point, no check required, but he is going to just flex his hand

[00:36:42] on your shoulder.

[00:36:43] As you unclasp your cape, losing that garment in the process, he squeezes down on your

[00:36:49] shoulder just as you slip away and you feel like your bones pop and you suffer an agonizing

[00:36:56] wound, critical injury.

[00:36:58] The difficulty of all your brawn ability checks are upgraded by one until the end of the encounter.

[00:37:04] Youchers.

[00:37:05] Pinches a nerve.

[00:37:06] Yeah, basically.

[00:37:07] Oh my gosh, he must be part Vulcan.

[00:37:09] It's an agonizing wound.

[00:37:11] If Kel and Soroko and Finn want to break out of this dazed line of dock workers outside,

[00:37:21] you're going to have to roll athletics and barrel through them unless you want to start a fight.

[00:37:25] Can I grab the folder and use...

[00:37:28] These talents are coming in clutch.

[00:37:30] Can I grab the folder and use the talent tumble and suffer too strain to disengage from all

[00:37:40] engaged adversaries?

[00:37:41] Yeah, you'll still have to roll to get past the guys outside.

[00:37:45] But that allows me to quickly grab the...

[00:37:49] What are we rolling?

[00:37:49] You said it was athletics?

[00:37:51] Yeah.

[00:37:51] Since they're dazed, I'm going to give you a boost.

[00:37:55] This will be three difficulty.

[00:37:57] So four for you, Noah.

[00:37:58] Finn knows he ain't the most physically imposing guy, but Kel is a tank and he was already behind

[00:38:04] Kel anyways.

[00:38:05] So he was going to like stand behind her and like shove her, kind of use her as just a

[00:38:09] meat shield.

[00:38:10] I was going to grab you and go.

[00:38:12] I was going to like reach back and just start going.

[00:38:18] Well, then why don't you roll twice for Kel and you can take the higher, kind of like

[00:38:23] advantage.

[00:38:24] Okay.

[00:38:25] I'll take a success and a threat.

[00:38:26] That'll cover Finn too.

[00:38:27] And Sarako got one success, three threats and one triumph.

[00:38:32] Okie dokie.

[00:38:33] I'll let you decide how that triumph is spent, Noah.

[00:38:37] But I will say with these threats, I'm going to cash those in as setbacks for future roles

[00:38:43] if this goes past this round.

[00:38:45] As soon as the blast goes off, Finn just braces himself up against Kel and just says,

[00:38:50] go run.

[00:38:51] And all she hears is, that's true because you can't hear anything, but he does just

[00:39:01] like lean behind her and just push as hard as he can in a direction.

[00:39:05] Kel's going to reach back just like she didn't get blinded, but she's definitely a little,

[00:39:09] her ears are ringing.

[00:39:11] She's going to grab your arm and just try and shoulder check forward as fast as she can,

[00:39:16] trusting that Sarako can get himself out of whatever the hell's going on behind her.

[00:39:20] Actually, I think Kel would probably assume that Sarako is behind Finn somewhere and that

[00:39:25] we're all just beelining it out of this area.

[00:39:29] With those successes then, you are all able to push your way past this human barricade here

[00:39:36] and just break free onto the streets as your ears slowly recover and you can already hear

[00:39:42] someone shouting behind you, get them!

[00:39:45] With my triumph, Sarako would like to lead the others down an alleyway that has some

[00:39:50] scaffolding.

[00:39:51] And as soon as they're clear of it, he wants to see if he can bring down that scaffolding

[00:39:56] to effectively block the way of any pursuers.

[00:39:59] Give me a hard streetwise.

[00:40:01] That is one success and one threat.

[00:40:03] With that success, you are able to do exactly that.

[00:40:06] And you hear these yells behind you as this just like clatter of stone and wood collapses.

[00:40:12] You are free right now.

[00:40:15] But with that threat and with the threats that Finn and Kel accrued as well, you have not

[00:40:20] lost the trail.

[00:40:21] Now, coming across the bridge from the Kennel Ward into the Silk Fairy Ward, which is this

[00:40:27] just complete stark opposite from where you were.

[00:40:30] Potted plants and flower gardens and opulence all around.

[00:40:34] Bread, Kai, and Arnor hear shouts, we'll say, coming your way.

[00:40:40] And then not too far away, you hear just like some noble people gasp and scatter a little

[00:40:46] as this big like billowing cloud of dust comes out of one of these alleyways and you see

[00:40:52] Sirocco, Finn, and Kel just barrel out the other side, like spitting and coughing.

[00:41:00] And all of them kind of locking eyes respectively with each other and you across this like little

[00:41:05] plaza where the bridge connects.

[00:41:08] Kel's going to keep running.

[00:41:09] If she thinks that they're not clear yet, she's going to keep running.

[00:41:11] Yeah, you know you're not clear.

[00:41:12] You know that they know where you went and they're just going around.

[00:41:15] Kel is still booking it.

[00:41:16] You hear like a freaking bull roar or something as the eight foot like elf kid just like crashes

[00:41:25] through the rubble of the scaffolding or something like that.

[00:41:29] Yeah.

[00:41:30] Sirocco will keep running and he is not going to run towards them.

[00:41:33] He's going to find another alleyway because he doesn't want to, you know, he doesn't want

[00:41:38] to implicate them in all this.

[00:41:40] I was going to say, Brett's probably going to like tilt his hat down so that you can't

[00:41:43] see his face and be like, I don't know them.

[00:41:45] Yep.

[00:41:45] Yep.

[00:41:45] That's exactly what Kai was going to do.

[00:41:47] Arnor is just going to let them pass too.

[00:41:50] Perfect.

[00:41:51] We all just stand there.

[00:41:52] You said the scaffolding came down.

[00:41:54] So is there like an, is there an obstructive view or can they still see us where we are?

[00:41:58] They lost sight of you, but they know where that alley is going to come out.

[00:42:02] If they can't see us, if that is the case, Seraco would like to run past the others.

[00:42:07] So Arnor, Brett and Kai.

[00:42:10] And to one of them, he is going to try to do a quick handoff.

[00:42:14] He's just going to hold the folder out without slowing down.

[00:42:17] Just like smack it into his chest and hope that just on reaction, Arnor will grab it and

[00:42:22] not frigging hide it in his shield or some crap.

[00:42:27] Arnor, a bit shocked as Seraco and the others came out of the blue and he had something shoved

[00:42:33] into his chest.

[00:42:34] We'll assume that said thing is actually of import and the reason why they're being chased.

[00:42:41] And so he finds a way to maybe pretend like he's like tucking in his shirt or something and hide

[00:42:46] said folder between his person and his shield.

[00:42:49] And then Seraco sprints on.

[00:42:51] So if they cannot currently see us, Kel is going to stop running next to the group, next

[00:42:57] to Kai and Brett.

[00:42:58] She's going to rip off the outer cloak, get the staff and the sword off, take the mask

[00:43:03] off, try and like toss it into an alleyway, take her hair down.

[00:43:07] And she's completely different because this is just like a person on the street.

[00:43:12] And because I know that Brett is also blonde, he is now my brother and we are just walking

[00:43:17] down the street.

[00:43:18] So Kel is going to grab the side of Brett and say, if anyone asks, we are brother and

[00:43:25] sister.

[00:43:25] Just please play along.

[00:43:27] What in Veil's Hells happened to all of you?

[00:43:29] I'll explain later.

[00:43:30] I'm just begging you, please play along.

[00:43:33] As you guys are walking, you just see on the side of the street, an old beggar man.

[00:43:43] As soon as he burst through the barricade, he saw Seraco running towards the group, saw

[00:43:48] that he did the handoff, kind of had this mental click of like, all right, that's good.

[00:43:53] And he just kind of similar to Kel, he's able to tuck more things into like his side

[00:43:57] satchel than, you know, you would think.

[00:44:00] Rolls up your pant legs, turns your vest inside out.

[00:44:03] He actually takes his dagger and he like cuts a few slits into like the sides of his

[00:44:08] pants and his shirt.

[00:44:10] This guy's committed.

[00:44:11] When has Finn ever not been committed?

[00:44:14] And he just ditches his satchel into a pot of a plant and then sits down on the side

[00:44:22] of the street.

[00:44:23] Like hangs your head.

[00:44:24] Yeah, exactly.

[00:44:25] Yes.

[00:44:25] Exactly.

[00:44:26] Arms for the poor.

[00:44:28] As Finn adopts this disguise and ditches his stuff and Kel does likewise, saddling up

[00:44:35] next to bread and Arnor stows the documents and Kai is just like there with a look on her

[00:44:42] face.

[00:44:43] I assume infinitely amused.

[00:44:46] Oh, she's infinitely amused and she is acting as she normally does above these people.

[00:44:53] Finn and Kel just aren't making eye contact.

[00:44:56] We're like, I don't know you.

[00:44:57] We've never met.

[00:44:58] And right as Sirocco dips out of sight in this plaza coming up from the road, coming

[00:45:04] from the inner ports is a group of about a dozen dock workers led by this towering

[00:45:10] kin that then just shouts into the air, find me these shit stains.

[00:45:16] And they scatter into the Silk Ferry Ward, leaving you all behind.

[00:45:21] direction of the wind.

[00:45:21] And I'll see you next time.