A Tide arrises......

[Vinny]

"I am not one to refuse free drinks, but..." he said pushing his captive forward, "Might there be a place a bit more private for a lil'... question-askin'?"

 

"This scallywag says he knows about Vanthus." he says, turning to stare at the man. "Well... what do you want to tell us?"

[Spike]

Arwin shakes the dwarf's hand.

 

"Good ter meet ye, Helger. Ye can call me Anybodys..or ye can call me Anny. But don't be callin' me Arwin.", Arwin says with an almost mirthful grin. "It's a good fing ye done, savin' me neck, else ye'd be 'avin 'im an 'is mates along fer a pint.. an' 'e gets rightly rat-arsed after but 'alf a gill o' cider."

 

Arwin reaches into one pocket, and then into the other as if checking to see that she has not lost anything. She retrieves a small purse which jingles quite merrily when she shakes it. Right about then, the other man who she had heard one of the humans call Vieta asks about a more secluded place to talk.

 

"I was on me way t'ther Parrot ferra few jugs with me new mates.... but if yer lookin' fer somewhere ter make that songbird sing, it so 'appens I own that alley ye was down." Arwin bows deeply as though she were the doorman welcoming a prince into her lord's estate.

[Voladilk]

Tolan watches the exchange quietly, enjoying the sensation of the magical release. I am getting too used to that feeling, he thinks to himself. "Well met, Anny. My name is Tolan Darkshadow." He turns to Vieta and says, "So matey, what have you found here? Let's see what he knows."

[Spike]

"Pleasure's mine, Tolan.", Arwin responds.

 

Arwin had originally assumed that the man Vieta was holding at pistol-point was somehow involved with the band of thugs that had been following her; or at least was unfortunate enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tolan's question to Vieta suggest there might be more to it.

 

"Wot 'e knows? Ye mean 'e ain't wif them?", Arwin asks, pointing toward one of the fallen thugs. "Is 'e yer bounty.. or maybe it's yew wot's on ther flit?" she asks Tolan and his friends.

[Vinny]

Vieta, keeping his pistol against the small of the man's back, turns to Arwin as she speaks. He is silent for a bit, then...

 

"What the hell did you just say?"

[Spike]

"Wot I'm sayin' is..", Arwin begins, this time more slowly and less colloquially, "..is did ye come lookin' for that gent at th'other end of yer pistol... or has 'e come down 'ere lookin' for you? Ye know each other, do ye not?"

[Vinny]

Vieta stares at Arwin then at the man.

 

"Hmm... well, we can let him answer that now, can't we?..." he says, then looks around. Realizing there be a crowd watching, Vieta unlocks the hammer of his pistol and holsters it.

 

"Alright, matey..." he addresses the man he is holding captive. "Let's have ourselves a lil'... chat. I'll tell you what we gonna do... my mates and I, we gonna follow this here orc and get ourselves a drink at whatever watering hole she's taking us. You're gonna come with us, and you're gonna drink with us. And, of course, you're going to share your story about that scallywag arse Vanthus, aren't ya?"

 

Vieta turns to Arwin. "Don't worry, orc. Ya don't have to pay for this one. His drink is on me."

 

Vieta turns back to the captive, a wicked grin on his face. "Of course, you better not cross me, mate. Or I'll have to take back that drink from ya... Even if I have to cut your stomach open to get it... Now, get walkin'."

 

He lets the man go and gives him a firm shove forward, proceeding to follow closely behind this suspicious man.

[haldir]

Tolan

 

As you are talking with the group, you hear someone with a deep voice say "Nice, feels good doesn't it." Looking around for the source of sound, no one appears to be looking in your direction, other then people looking at the aftermath of the battle, but they keep to themselves & go about their business. Maybe it was something else, you not sure. Shaking your head, you continue with everyone else as normal.

 

Vieta & the rest, including Tolan

 

"Good sir, I mean none of you harm & only bring news that might be to your advantage. A drink will be good & knowing the eyes & ears the streets have in the 'shore, the Parrot might be best." he says.

 

A short hop to the Plucked Parrot, you enter the establishment. Inside it's a 2 story tavern/inn, with a large window that faces the bay & the long dock that is connected to it. (if Anny would have went all the way down the dock, she would have went inside first. There are serving girls in brightly colored shirts serving drinks. Also up toward the ceiling there are cages with exotic birds inside them, mostly parrots, where the place gets it's name from, thou all of them appear to have their feathers intact.

 

Finding a open table, you all sit down & a female half-elf comes over. "What can I getcha?" she asks. After everyone orders she leaves & returns with the drinks & collects the coins. After a few drinks, the man, Shefton Rosk starts to talk. "Alright I know you guys are looking for Vanthus Vanderboren. Funny how word gets out that there are 2 men looking for him, epically when those 2 men go into a brothel & don't want anything from the ladies there." he looks at Yarrin & then over to Vieta. "Anyways, Vanthus & I are well how you "good business partners" or were. We were about to set something up, but then he decided to cut me out of a deal & I wanna get even with the scum."

 

At this point he doesn't say more but has his hand out, palm up.

[Outkast Samurai]

Yarrin leans forward resting his elbow on the table and looks Rosk dead in the eye. "Well at least you have shown that you have a good ear for the street. As to your good buisness relationship with Vanderboren that could go either way. Are you so certain that he was cutting you out or perhaps it was you that was looking to double cross him, and if you get the chance, us."

 

He turns to look at Veita, "What do you bet he'd sell us out at the first chance? I rather hate the thought of walking into a trap."

[Spike]

Arwin pays the half-elven serving girl for the first round of drinks as promised, but as the conversation turns to backstabbing and revenge, she pays for another round and listens to what is being said in hopes of some new prospects for herself.

 

"Vandeeborn? I 'eard that name not so long ago. Coupla 'igh-muckities got burnt up inna fire, right?.... Or praps they was done in, sez I.", Arwin interjects as she finishes a glass of warm beer. "Wot sorts o' gettin' even are ye seekin' ter do?"

[Vinny]

Vieta listens intently, being the one sitting next to Shefton.

 

When Yarrin addresses him, Vieta nods. He draws his gun and puts the muzzle against Shefton's kneecap, clicking the hammer back. All of this is done under the table, so no one in the crowded inn can see.

 

"My mate Yarrin 'ere has a point... you know what will happen if you double-cross us..." he hisses.

 

Vieta's thumb clicks the hammer back audibly.

 

"Keep talkin'..." he orders.

[haldir]

"Hey look, mate, a man gotta eat & the way you do that here in Shadowshore is either by killing a lubber for his gold or you deal. I'm not one for killing, so I'll deal." he says to you, Vieta.

 

After a bit he decided to carry on, thou you can see he is dissapointed that no coin will be exchanged.

 

"Let's just say, Vanthus & I were gonna do some illegal trade. And, with something like that, you gotta keep your eyes & ears open, never know when the law might be after you or in this case two men wanting to get ahold of Vanderboren. I mean if the guy is of noble birth, he decides to drop anchor & leave his posh place to make it on his own. Now he has people asking for him." Shefton, rubs his chin for a sec. "Sadly, Vanthus wasn't always like this, he was a good egg, but lately he been in a pissy mood so to speak. So, Vanthus decided that this deal we were gonna do is too big for the both of us & he wants to take it all. He throws me into the street, gave me a good lick across the face with his fist too (he shows you a whelp on his right cheek, that appears to be from a fist). Told me "Get atta here rat!! I don't need you anymore." with that Shefton slams his fist on the table & says "I want to see the guy humiliated for what he did to me & I figured hey try & find the guys that were looking for him. I followed the two of you, yesterday into the Empty Grave. I wanted to talk to you there, but I didn't wanna get involved with no bar fight, so I left. I wanted talk to you there, but there was someone outside waiting for me & I had to flee."

 

"Back to Vanthus, I can lead you to our or his now hideout. He leans in a bit & lowers his voice & starts to say something but the serving girl comes over. "You want anther round??" & he pulls back & says "I do." If anyone else orders, the half-elf takes the order & get the drinks & returns. He leans again & says with his voice lowered again "The hideout is over on Parrot Island." He looks around. "You know the abandoned smuggler tunnels below the isle. He is there. Come to think of it, he is probably still there, waiting for that deal to go down."

 

After a bit he says "I can take you to a secret trap door that'll lead right into his place, backdoor even. He won't even know your coming! It'll cost yah thou." & again he puts out the open hand.

 

Shefton looks at you Anny & says "Yes, Vanthus Vanderboren is the son of the two that burned in the harbor about a month ago. He has a older sister as well. That info I'll offer for free."

[Vinny]

"Cost us? COST... US? We buy you drinks, and now you want us to pay you???" Vieta says in an outburst. He stands up violently, knocking over his drink, one hand grabbing Shefton's wrist and pinning the man's hand to the table, the other drawing the pistol and putting the muzzle against Shefton's palm.

 

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blow your damn hand off, mate!" he roars, uncaring about the crowd.

[Voladilk]

Tolan listens to what Shefton has to say and then, letting some sparks dance across his knuckles and a bright gleam in his eyes, says, "I am game. I would like to get to the bottom of what is going on here."

[haldir]

There are some looks by some of the patrons & finally a serving girl come over. "Is there a problem?"

 

As you point the gun at his hand he says "Drink is fine, but I'd like to eat as well, plus maybe get a room for the upcoming night. Vanthus took my coin before he tossed me out on the street, besides I know where he is exactly on Parrot Island. It's not like there is big sign that says "Vanthus's Hideout." Shefton saying this outloud, not caring how hears it.

 

"Not to mention, without my aid, you'd be running around totally lost in those tunnels below the island. Have you ever been down there? I didn't think so."

 

he pauses then adds

 

"I thought so"

 

"Here, you warf rat. Take yer gold & lead us over there." Heleger says tossing a 5 gold pieces onto the table.

 

"Well now, at least the dwarf has some sense. That's all it would have taken, mate, that's all." he says to you, Vieta. "Now can we go back to being a bit civilized. I'd like to take care of the @$$ myself today." Shefton says after gathering up the coins.