07.14L A Prime Direction

The goings on of courts
kitsunenotsume
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07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by kitsunenotsume »

Ratheven Square is rather busy for a Friday as the locals run errands and pressing tasks forestalled by the week's festivities. The cobbles and fountain still bear clean snow in corners and under eves, but most areas largely trodden and slurried by a day and a half of traffic. The fountain burbles softly, the serpentine weaving of constituent pipes, struts, and spouts deflecting and refracting the noon-day light into a brilliant sunburst pattern that shimmers on the tiles below like living fire.

Visible down the street, a different design is alight with a similar blaze. The upper surface of a hanging log is speared by numerous shards of yellow and orange glass fused together into a frozen inferno, making it a trivial matter to locate the Gingerfire Patisserie. The private bakery is pulling brisk business, going so far as to advertise serving "Delicacies hosted at Tir-Na Nog'th"* according to the standing chalkboard outside. The counter is manned by a pair of youths kept busy taking orders from both the customers and a tiefling who pops out from the kitchen infrequently. A few of the patrons will politely and discretely take their leave at the approach of strangers in particularly outlandish garb**, but most of the occupants are largely busy with their own drinks, desserts, and distractions.

Among the latter group is a familiar face - the messenger from earlier sits near the one of the windows in the back, looking through a half dozen brochures. She has her feet kicked up on the table, celeste-tinged hair pulled out from her shawl and cascading level with the seat, and is apparently enjoying flipping through a pamphlet about a mountaintop get-away***.

_____________________________________
*: Anyone who was at the soiree would recognize replicas of various refreshments, but any chef signatures are absent out of professional courtesy, as noted here.
**: Such as conspicuous levels of red or "Being an overly large raven"
***: Upon closer inspection, all the papers are advertising week-long vacations and resorts to various locales. The Raven might also note that she is sitting directly across from the table Caelund was at earlier.

~: This is setting scene for the continuation of the Burning Spiders investigations. When people arrive, feel free to post.
Brian C
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by Brian C »

As planned Gabriel will arrive a bit early. He's changed to local clothing that is primarily middle class. He has a small tunic(light tan) and breeches(same dark brown as his cloak) with some black leather armor over his torso as well as arm and leg bracers made of the same leather. He's left his weaponry behind. Gabriel's wearing a coin pouch(1/4 of the way full) on his left hip and scroll case on the right hip. A brown wool cloak is closed over, covering everything and the outfit is finished out with a pair of black leather boots.

Gabriel is approaching various local shopkeeps and stall owners with a sketch of conspirator #2 asking if anyone saw where he came from and who he was with. The questions aren't aggressive and small purchases will be made to grease the wheels.
The Raven
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by The Raven »

In contrast, the Raven will arrive just about on time, having used the available time for further "investigations.*" He will wait for everyone to assemble.

* - "Investigations" not necessarily related to the task at hand.
kitsunenotsume
Missing Some Marbles
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by kitsunenotsume »

Many of the regular stalls are absent owing to the festival at the Castle, but the brick-and-mortar shops and more utilitarian businesses are carrying right along. After a nearly-complete lap of the square, Gabriel's queries illicit mostly negative replies, with a few apologetic "Yeah, I've seen him once or twice", but nothing particularly revealing. None of them seem to know anything about a partner, though last on the circuit is an odd pair of stalls situated across the road from one-another.

Situated next to the fountain is a wagon emblazoned with the name "Tink Tank", run by a wiry man armed with goggles, an assortment of small tools, and a sharp voice who barks out a sales pitch as Gabriel approaches. "Pots polished, pans repaired! Watch winding wound and working! Knives and chisels ground like new! You, sir, look like you could use a fine walking cane - a gentleman's accoutrement if ever there was one. A fine selection shod from the branches of Forest Arden. Walk where you want and still whack a wi-"

"Stop harassing the man, James. Everyone knows that a true gentleman's accessory is a fine blade." The tinker is cut off by the smith across the way, where the burly storekeeper motions to his own stall. Much of the booth is cluttered with heavy tools and pending orders, but his arm points to the rear of the mess at a display of brilliant swords hanging against a deep red felt.

Gabriel turns from his approach to the wagon to give the smith his attention. "The swords are lovely. I have one that I would like to bring to your for maintenance. I have an ancient sword very similar to that one" He points to an eastern-style short sword among the display. "Are you able to refold to get rid of weak spots? It's seen centuries of wear and tear."

The smith gives a moment's pause, before replying with mercantile assurance, "Certainly, Sir. It might take a while, and I'd need to see the blade in question, but I can assure you Sir that we can bring any weapon back into it's best glory"

"Could I ask you to take a look at this picture as well? I'm trying to locate the man he was attending that sweet shop with earlier today. I'm wondering if you saw which direction he ran and recall what he looked like?"

He looks over when you hold up the picture. "Oh, him, yes! A thursday regular! Always show up like clockwork, they tend to stop by for breakfast over at the Gingerfire. Think he went thataway this morning?" He points away from Feytown towards a side-alley.

"Excellent. I'll bring it here on my next trip to the square. In the meantime," Gabriel palms three copper pieces, "If you have the time to give me a description, I'd be glad to make it worth your while."

He nods, accepting the coins and starts off with a reasonably accurate description of 'Allan', including various average and nondescript features.*
This promps the Tinker to butt in. "Oh, one of the breakfast crowd? He went towards Feytown, and he shows up on Fridays, Horace. Did you forget the date again? Got his order of pastries and went down that street there."

"Thank you. I believe I'd like that walking stick over there, the tall one. It looks nice and strong." Gabriel points to one big enough to be a Bo staff as tall as his shoulders - about 5'6 - and hands the gentleman a silver piece. "Is this enough?"

James looks it over, slightly stunned but recovers quickly. "It'll certainly do, Sir! Any traveler's tools you'd like attached?" He tucks the silver piece away quick enough that is reasonably easy to determine that he's pretty sure the staff isn't worth that much.

“A wooden bowl and spoon would be great." He pulls out a sketch book and a pencil. "Would you have two minutes to give me a description of the 'Friday man'?"

James looks a bit confused, but nonetheless sets to locating a wooden bowl and spoon among his various things to tie to the staff, handing it across once he has done so. "Never knew his name, but he shows up every Friday and has breakfast and leaves alone. Comes in from various places and leaves various other ways, but always Friday around mid-morning"

"Thank you very much. DO you remember his height, hair color, any distinguishing marks?"

"Hrmm, a bit taller than this staff, brown hair, brown eyes, nothing particularly distinguishing. Overall pretty unremarkable."*
"And I still see 'im first, even with your silly goggles! Has breakfast with his friend, " the smith calls out across the road.
The tinker calls back "You can't even keeps your days straight, you heat-addled lump. He never shows up with anyone."

"Thank you both. I'll come back when I'm ready to have my sword seen to."

The pair nod and offer parting words in turn, before returning to their reasonably friendly competition of recalling details of other local patrons.

______________________________
*: Both Horace the Smith and James the Tinker give very similar descriptions that don't quite match, but would be reasonable for different people describing an unusually average individual. It's also rather clear that they both think they are correct, but are clearly each false to some degree and more than happy to prove that the other is wrong.

OOC: Conversation was run over IM. Also serves a nice trial run for how coloured speech works in a conversational post. It also occurs before Raven arrived, but I was delayed in formatting and verification.
Brian C
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by Brian C »

"Hello Raven. Shall we get a table while we wait for Spellbinder?"
Spellbinder
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by Spellbinder »

From across the square will see a figure approaching. He is wearing a battered black leather jacket, faded blue jeans, an equally worn pair of leather boots, a black knit cap and a red scarf. Between the hat and the scarf, only the eyes are visible. One would assume that Gabriel and Raven have enough Warfare or Psyche (or both) to recognize the body language as being Spellbinder.

He approaches the pair and bows to them. "Greetings my lords. May I offer my assistance? You may call me...Justin." Much quieter, mostly to himself, "Yeah, that will work for now." One can't help but notice the amused twinkle in his grey eyes.
Brian C
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by Brian C »

"Pleased to meet you Justin. We were just about to meet with the proprietor. Join us for snack! We'll figure out the best way to assist us." As his head dips he winks at you just before looking down. "Have a seat!"
Spellbinder
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by Spellbinder »

Spellbinder turns the chair around backwards and sits down. "Well I think I'm ready for just about anything at this point. Of course the universe does tend to take statements like that as a challenge. Oh well, living dangerously has gotten me this far."

"Nice staff by the way. Maybe I should consider one. ...nah, would be a little too Tolkien I think."
kitsunenotsume
Missing Some Marbles
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by kitsunenotsume »

After some time waiting, it becomes clear that the proprietor is not in fact meeting with the group. Instead, the courier in the back of the shop eventually looks up, signs in resignation, and pads on over to the table that the trio are seated at. She seems rather reluctant, but shuffles through her satchel* and extracts a blank manilla envelope and offers it towards the two who actually have hands. "Gentlemen. Mister Jay apologizes for the inconvenience," she explains, "but another matter has arisen that demanded his immediate attention. He left this for you, along with a request to, and I quote, 'Try not to break anything too badly'."
[+] If opened, the envelope contains
two papers - one is a full sheet of unusually cool paper bearing a picture of a clean room with curving walls, it's only apparent features being a detailed lectern situated in front of a podium decorated with a number of circles on its upper surface;
The second is drawn on an index-card, and shows a man and a vulpine looking across a moonlit hillscape.
*: She doesn't need to actually find the item as its right on top, but she uses the moment to steady herself before concealing her anxiety behind an attempted professional demenor.

OOC: Sorry about the posting delay. Work got messy, so I've been focusing on cleaning that up - which has unfortunate repercussions for my hobbies.
The Raven
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Re: 07.14L A Prime Direction

Post by The Raven »

"Well, I suppose that makes things easy enough then." he looks at the trump. "I'm ready to leave when you are."
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