Martin and Reller (Stik and Kafen) private thread

[Stik]

"Could be that distance is a factor, but it's already as dark as the inside of a dog on that bluff on a normal night. I would suggest what might be a more likely reason: offshore on a moonless night, it is as dark as the inside of a cat on the inside of a dog, making it far less likely that the vessel to which signals are being sent would be seen from shore.

"Junior will certainly not misplace the documents will he? Unless he feels that documents, like monsters, are to be treated as people, and given their freedom?
In any case, I shall endeavour to provide the best possible likeness, Constable, but I cannot promise complete accuracy. Have you pen and ink?"

[OOC] As to Martin drawing the list of codes, how would you like to do this?>I saw the codes weeks (months?) ago. Martin saw them yesterday. And he is probably smarter than I am and, although far more reckless and irresponsible, he does have an eye for detail (a necessary trait in his position). I could find the page with the codes and copy it down, but that might be too easy. I could find it, study it and write it down tomorrow, to account for the possibility of errors creeping in. Or maybe just make an ability check out of it to see if he remembers the stuff accurately?[OOC/]

[Breila]

(OOC: I'd suggest an intelligence check. And please. bothj of you, let me know what your characters plan to do the rest of the day and the following days. The rest of the group is two days ahead of you, we need to plan what we want to play out in this thread.)

[Stik]

Martin sets about scribbling, drawing a fair representation of the symbols and codes from the document he saw the previous morning, although the original document probably didn't have cartoons of busty mermaids in the margins.

INT check (on invisiblecastle.com): 1d20=11. Martin's INT = 15

I -XXX
II X-X- 2
III - - -

"I think that's what it said. Can't be entirely sure, though. I was trying to figure out what the dark elf was wearing under her dress at the time."

[Breila]

"Nothing, probably" is Geraldine's dry comment on Martin's last remark. She holds out her hand to receive the paper, then puts it into one of the many drawers in a cupboard behind her. "Thank you, we will have something to go with if we can't get hold of the original" she says as she's doing that. "Now, if you would please leave my office?" she holds the door open for them.

[Stik]

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Reller," Martin says, making no move, himself, to leave. Only when he notices Geraldine eyeing him does he realize, exaggeratedly: "Oh, me too? Gotcha. Well, you have a nice afternoon. I'll be out, detectivatin'."

Out on the street, Martin says, quietly, to Reller: "Anything seem odd about that to you?
"I noticed that several of the objects on her desk had been rearranged since yesterday. It was as if everything in the place had been stolen, and replaced with an exact replica. And the ink in the bottle smelled faintly like garlic. Keep an eye open. Something might be afoot."

[Kafen]

"Ah, let us see." Reller says with humor. "She must be a twin." He walks out with the other man and asks. "What are your plans, now?"

Pausing, he asks a second question. "When and where is your group meeting if I may ask?"

[Stik]

"A twin. Brilliant! Or perhaps one third of a set of triplets. Now that would really complicate things. My cousin gave birth to triplets, you know. Then her husband grabbed his sword and went out looking for the other two guys. But he isn't very smart."

Martin continues to stroll along, apparently aimlessly, "My plans...my plans. Well, my immediate plans involve talking to some roundheels and then heading down to the docks. Maybe picking up a ploughman's luncheon and then talking to some fishermen. Fishermen are brilliant people, you know. They have a lot of time to think, you see. It allows them to come up with some amazing thoughts."

[Kafen]

"Ah, well. I have this place where we can spend several days fishing." Reller says with a huge grin on his face. "We can have a contest and see which one of us can find the biggest fish to tell tales about, perhaps. Then, we can have a fish fry with breads and batter."

(( Fishing for the next few days work for me... ))

[Stik]

"Fishing is not for me, compadre. It's tedious, and involves a lot of unpleasant smells. And a wise man once said that only a thin line separates fishing from standing around on the shore like an idiot with a stick in your hand.
"But if you like, I can tell big lies about fishing all night long. That's easy."

[Breila]

(I'm listening in. Prompt me if you think I need to say something.)

[Kafen]

"Ah well then, you are already well skilled in the skills required for fishing." Reller replies cheerfully. "Now, the first thing you have to understand about fishing is that the pole is not your friend. It is in fact - your enemy. It senses your every move and works against you. You have to master weapon, the pole in this case, before you can go fishing. Thus, the secondary skill of any fisherman is the story, a tale about the tail, which must come after a round of fishing." He explains as they move along. "This allows us time to master the weapon while keeping out pride - the fish stories are in fact our natural defenses."

[Breila]

When the two men come down to the harbor, they will see very few men and women of middle age. As it is almost noontime, the fish stalls have been packed up, and the fishermen have retreated to their huts and houses to sleep. A few elderly men and women spread out the nets and check where repairs are needed. Children are playing raucusly and scolded, to no avail.

[Kafen]

Reller moves ahead and suggests. "We can get some fishing done over the next few days if you want."

(( Fishing would pass the time. ))

[Stik]

As Martin spots the children playing, Reller's words go in one ear and out the other. "Showtime," he says, quietly.

He check through his pouches to make sure everything is at hand, momentarily regretting not having on hand his mandolin or his duffle bag with the rest of his props, then strides toward the wharf, blowing a loud flourish on his siren whistle as he does.

Once he has his audience's attention, he begins juggling and singing. Mindful of his audience, it is a simple song about counting, but it is not without the hint of darkness typical to a lot of his material - the song is about a tribe of goblins meeting silly ends one by one at the hands of the various hazards to goblin life, including monsters, accidents, and (of course) adventurers.

He follows with a few jokes, then a tale, a carefully crafted tale, about a boy and his friends foiling an evil wizard and his henchmen by telling stories to an adventurer about odd happenings in their small town, and about the rich rewards the children received afterwards.

Then it's more jokes, more juggling, and the high-speed General's song from Pirati dei Madron.

There is a method, here, more than simply his urge to be heard. As he performs, he watches his audience, particularly during the tale of the heroic children. Martin knows well that a properly presented bardic performance can strike the soul of a guilty party so strongly that they would be moved to profess their guilt. And although he believes that none of these children are the villains he seeks, yet perhaps they have seen or heard something that, in order to be like the heroic child of his yarn, they might be moved to tell what they know to an adventurer.
And failing that, he intends to make friends of the town's children, for they can be a useful source of information on a variety of subjects. Adults often forget that children see and hear everything around them, even if they do not understand it all.

[Kafen]

Reller rolls with it, and he sticks around for the show. Staying close enough to catch the entire show, he makes time with the locals and chats with them while enjoying the local gossip.