15: No more heroes

[Ebiris]

[15:39] <@Ebiris> Amidst the dank and yet almost cosy mess hall of the Lotus Dragons the party confront the maniacal Kersh, who regards the foursome (plus Myra) with a fearsome glint in  his pale eyes as he rocks on his heels, fists clenched and corded muscles straining down his neck as if itching to unleash violence at the merest slight. Behind him stand  two other unsavoury types, their steaming meals of broiled fish and crabsticks forgotten, faces impassive and hands tucked away out of sight. He wants to know why you're  here, and from the looks of it he's hoping your explanation isn't a good one.
[15:43] <@Henrietta> "Penkus and Vanthus are both part of this guild, are they not?" Henrietta asks. "It just so happened that we came across Penkus's remains, and his last will and testament. It was his last wish that someone expose Vanthus as his murderer, and reveal the reason for that crime," she continues. "He put it all in a letter that he wished delivered to the Lady, and gave us the address. So, here we are. Ah, but where are my manners? I am Henrietta Ul Copt
[15:43] * @Henrietta curtsies.
[15:44] <@Henrietta>  I am Henrietta Ul Copt, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Kersh."
[15:45] <@Ebiris> Kersh rolls his neck, eliciting a loud popping noise as he focuses on Henrietta. "A letter, eh. Why don't you read it to me and I'll decide if the Lady needs to know," he suggests, not giving anything away in his tone.
[15:45] <@Rudy> "Oh! I can do that. I can even do it phoenetically," muses Rudy, producing the letter and clearing his throat.
[15:46] <@Henrietta> "Oh yes!" Henrietta agrees. "I do not believe I could do it justice, so this is an excellent solution."
[15:47] * @Rudy proceeds to read out the letter, in the most piratey accent he can muster!
[15:47] <@Ebiris> OOC: make a charisma check, Rudy?
[15:48] <@Rudy> roll 1d20+5 ok!
[15:48] * +Hatbot --> "Rudy rolls 1d20+5 ok! and gets 22." [1d20=17]
[15:49] <@Ebiris> "Go on, then," Kersh invites, cracking his knuckles as he turns a baleful eye on Rudy. As the summoner recites the sordid piratical tale of woe, his expression gradually lightens, while the two behind him look like they're doing everything they can not to crease up in laughter. Kersh has no such restraint as Rudy finishes, however, roaring in hilarity and throwing an arm around Rudy to thump his back hard enough to take thw wind out! "You even did the voices! You're alright, kid!" he grins, snatching the letter away. "Fucking Penkus, always did want to be a playwright or some shit... What's your name?" he asks, giving Rudy a companionable yet bone-cracking squeeze.
[15:51] <@Rudy> "Name's- ugh- Rudy!" replies Rudy, and that's all he can manage with the breath knocked out of him.
[15:51] * @Miranda_Altair applauds Rudy lightly.
[15:51] <@Henrietta> "It felt very authentic!" Henrietta tells Rudy in approval.
[15:53] * @Glenn just grins and shakes his head. "Clearly, you missed your true calling as a bard," he says.
[15:53] <@Ebiris> "Right!" Kersh steps back with the letter. "Park yerselfs down there and relax, I'll go and see if the Lady'll grant ye an audience." He pauses at the door, "Of course, if you go wandering we'll still have to kill ye, funny voices or no," he warns before vanishing, the remaining three rogues sticking around to keep an eye on you all.
[15:54] <@Rudy> Rudy coughs a little, and shrugs. "A bard? Aye, it's what I always wanted, but m'father told me I had to get a real job..."
[15:54] <@Henrietta> "Your father was right," Henrietta quietly agrees.
[15:56] <@Ebiris> OOC: just going to sit around and wait?
[15:56] <@Rudy> OOC: Nope!
[15:56] <@Rudy> "So, what do you do down here, anyway?" asks Rudy, amiably turning his attention to the other rogues.
[15:58] <@Ebiris> "Eat, train, trade notes, get jobs," the female rogue smirks at Rudy as she sits down and resumes her meal. "Torture people we don't like. Murder people who fail the guild."
[15:58] <@Ebiris> "Don't forget feeding the monsters!" her companion adds brightly, eliciting a frown.
[15:58] <@Ebiris> "Isn't that covered by the last two?" the woman wonders.
[15:59] <@Henrietta> "Doesn't that imply a great deal of failure?" Henrietta wonders as well.
[16:00] <@Rudy> "Well, the profession must have quite rigorous standards."
[16:00] <@Miranda_Altair> "Sounds like you guys need better recruits, I think." Miranda nods along with Henrietta.
[16:00] <@Ebiris> "We have very high standards," the woman sniffs, tossing her dark hair. "Lots of posers around, after all. Especially now."
[16:00] * @Henrietta nods seriously. "What are the requirements, if I might ask?"
[16:02] <@Ebiris> "The Lady gives you an adorable puppy, you have to raise it and care for it for two months, train it to be a loyal guard dog. Then you have to kill it!" the woman stabs her fork down gleefully into her fish. "Someone who can do that, they can do anything!" she snickers.
[16:03] <@Rudy> "Did it hurt?" asks Rudy, seriously.
[16:03] * @Miranda_Altair looks faintly disturbed. "I see."
[16:03] <@Ebiris> "Not as much as when I had to cut off my finger to prove my loyalty," she nods seriously, thumping her hand down on the table with her ring finger curled under her palm to make it look like it's missing.
[16:05] <@Henrietta> "Doesn't it bother you that you could be out, enjoying sunlight, instead of staying underground during the day?" Henrietta can't help asking the question that had been bothering her all this while.
[16:06] <@Rudy> "It's different here, Henri. There aren't any zombies, and being underground could be kind of fun as long as there aren't unspeakable abominations trying to kill you."
[16:06] <@Henrietta> "I think I would wilt."
[16:06] <@Miranda_Altair> "Or giant crabs." Miranda adds helpfully.
[16:06] <@Ebiris> "There's no sun out right now, it's before dawn," the male rogue shrugs. "We'll get plenty of sunlight during the day. Catch a nice tan, show off the tattoos... women love those," he nods, patting his arm.
[16:08] <@Rudy> "Really? What sort of women?"
[16:09] <@Ebiris> "Stupid women, in his case," the female rogue snorts. "You're right, though, it is fun down here. Scurrying about our little tunnels, all the people up above having no idea we're down here..." she giggles happily.
[16:09] * @Henrietta just openly stares at the pair.
[16:10] <@Ebiris> As the party socialise with the cold-blooded killers, Kersh returns after a few minutes. "The Lady of the Lotus wants to have a word with you lot after all," he announces after ambling to your table. "Word to the wise, don't piss her off. Won't be healthy."
[16:11] <@Henrietta> "We'll be on our best behavior," Henrietta solemnly promises.
[16:11] <@Rudy> "Aren't we always?" asks Rudy, rising.
[16:12] <@Henrietta> "That is why I am so confident!"
[16:13] <@Miranda_Altair> "I'll just stay quiet then."
[16:14] <@Ebiris> Kersh leads you along through the tunnels, turning South from the mess hall and entering a room filled with padded dummies on wooden posts, one wall covered in dozens of locks. He doesn't linger, the next room containing another of those terrible arachnid-beetle monsters you remember from the Blue Nixie, chained into an alcove on the North wall and straining said chain as it slavers and chitters, trying to reach you. "Don't mind him, he can't reach ye from there," Kersh waves dismissively, not even looking at it as he continues.
[16:15] * @Glenn frowns at the creature, but doesn't say anything, content to ignore it while it's chained.
[16:15] * @Henrietta keeps an eye on the terrible beast, but doesn't react past it as she follows Kersh.
[16:16] <@Rudy> Rudy keeps Myra between himself and the beast, just in case.
[16:17] <@Miranda_Altair> "So that's what they look like when they're not dead.
[16:17] <@Miranda_Altair> "
[16:18] <@Ebiris> It snaps futilely at you but is soon left behind. Past the next door you enter a room dominated by a large map of Salerno, dotted liberally with tiny flags of blue, red, and gold pinned all across its length, a winch and chain in one corner seems to go through the wall to connect to the beast in the previous room. Opening the next door is a small guardpost like others you've seen before, but this one is manned by a hulking pig-faced brute of leathery and decaying flesh, standing utterly immobile and dead-eyed, holding a massive greataxe with no indication of effort or strain. "Lady's right through that door," Kersh indicates a door on the opposite end. "I'll be right here in case you try anything, along with old Zanther here."
[16:19] <@Rudy> "Haha! We won't," promises Rudy, walking towards the door and knocking.
[16:20] <@Henrietta> "And you said there were no zombies here," Henrietta whispers to Rudy, keeping him between her and the undead creature.
[16:21] <@Rudy> "You know what? I don't care if there are zombies, as long as they're not us," mutters Rudy, shaking his head.
[16:21] <@Henrietta> "I'm just saying," she insists quietly. "Underground. Undead. The two are related."
[16:22] <@Rudy> "Well, yes, because if they're above ground, people take them apart on sight!"
[16:24] <@Henrietta> "Above ground has sunlight," Henrietta points out. "Underground has zombies. I know which I prefer."
[16:25] <@Ebiris> "Enter," a soft female voice calls. Assuming the party do, they find themselves in a well lit and comfortably appointed room, smooth plaster walls painted violet a contrast to the bare brickwork of the rest of this place. Elegant silver lanterns provide light, a painting of Salerno harbour dominating one wall - except the flags all show the lotus dragon symbol. Shelves adorned with statuettes, coffers, a crystal ball, and even stuffed animals dot the room, and a plush purple carpet lies underfoot.
[16:25] <@Ebiris> Seated on a stuffed couch behind a low table covered in wines and fruits, sits the presumed Lady of the Lotus. She's a young woman, perhaps Lavinia's age, with long red hair tied in a flowing ponytail, her bare arms adorned with a significantly more elaborate version of the Lotus Dragon tattoo. To her side sits a bright-eyed and hungry looking monster of green scales and long claws, a yellow crest on its head.
[16:25] <@Ebiris> Rising with sinuous grace, the Lady looks over you all with cold green eyes. "So, you're all Lavinia's flunkies that Vanthus has been so concerned about of late? I confess, I didn't expect you to simply walk into my guild... you have guts, I'll give you that."
[16:26] <@Glenn> "Thanks?" Glenn says after a second's thought.
[16:26] <@Rudy> "I'm curious- can I ask what you did expect?" asks Rudy, tilting his head.
[16:28] <@Ebiris> "Initially? I expected you'd have died... Vanthus certainly seemed confident he'd gotten rid of you. Even if you escaped his trap, it would have been enough to deter most from continuing with this path," the Lady replies to Rudy as the zombie closes the door behind you all. "But you didn't... instead you came here, into my home. Hoping for what, I wonder?"
[16:28] <@Rudy> "Well, we had a letter to deliver. It's very important that the mail gets through."
[16:29] <@Henrietta> "And, once delivered," Henrietta interjects, "we were hoping that you might entertain our request, My Lady."
[16:31] <@Ebiris> "Yes, poor Penkus," she smiles mirthlessly. "He was useful, but in the grand scheme of things, Vanthus has offered me so much more than he ever did... and so I can't really bring myself to care. So if you want me to give up Vanthus, you had best be offering me something significant yourselves."
[16:33] <@Henrietta> "In all honesty, I suppose it would depend on what Vanthus has promised?" Henrietta muses out loud. "And whether he delivered on his promises or went on credit, and then, how trustrworthy you find him?"
[16:37] <@Ebiris> "I've had no reason to complain about his performance in any regard," she replies with a somewhat more genuine smile, as the creature beside the couch growls softly, its yellow crest rising above its head. "But it occurs, you only really care about Vanthus because of his insipid sister paying you to do so? I might be able to have more use for a group as resourceful as you than she does. The Lotus Dragons are going to rule Salerno soon - you could do well with us."
[16:38] <@Henrietta> "There is the small matter of him conspiring to murder us and leaving us to die to diseased zombies," Henrietta points out.
[16:38] <@Henrietta> "Underground."
[16:39] <@Rudy> "Yes, I can't say I like the fellow very much," agrees Rudy. "Are you entirely certain he can be trusted? He's already betrayed one friend, after all. Betrayal is very bad. Very unmanly."
[16:41] <@Henrietta> "And he hits women," Henrietta adds, frowning slightly. "It is a very unmanly thing to do, my father always said. I think he meant when it happened outside a battle, because father is very supportive of women adventuring."
[16:41] <@Ebiris> "Mmmm... a pity," she shrugs lithely. "Vanthus has certainly impressed me with his manliness," her cheeks flush for a moment, "And he singlehandedly funded most of our recent good fortune. Compared to that, what good are you lot, hmmm?" she taps her chin with one hand, the other resting on her hip just above the bejewelled rapier that hangs there.
[16:43] * @Henrietta frowns again. "Well, he stole from his sister, if that's what you mean, My Lady? And that source fairly dried out now."
[16:43] * @Henrietta glances at Rudy. "I don't think Vanthus is being faithful," she says quietly. "Should we mention that? I don't know if it's considered manly or not."
[16:44] <@Rudy> "Well, that depends on the circles you're walking in. Some women, you know it's just going to be a fling," replies Rudy, offhandedly. "And it's wrong to pretend otherwise. It's either for fun or for life, you know?"
[16:44] * @Henrietta nods seriously, and returns her attention to the Lady of the Lotus.
[16:44] <@Ebiris> She cocks her head. "You're correct there, Ms Ul Copt. I may have to put up with diminishing returns from Vanthus compared to what he initially provided. Well... perhaps I'll give you a chance to impress me, and then we'll see, shall we?"
[16:46] <@Rudy> "When you say 'impress me', exactly what do you mean? We aren't murderers for hire, I'll have you know," replies Rudy, proudly.
[16:46] <@Henrietta> "Maybe it was in the sense that Vanthus was impressive?"
[16:47] <@Rudy> "I think I can safely say that there is nothing he can do that I can't do better, and if I had blue blood, I'd have a fancy mansion, too."
[16:47] <@Henrietta> "Fancy mansions are overrated." Henrietta shrugs. "I'm willing to be impressive, if it's something within my power, all the same."
[16:48] <@Ebiris> "Of course. You sweet-talked your way in here without spilling a drop of blood," she smiles at Rudy, "That's a talent in itself, and one I can make use of." She saunters around the table, close enough now to smell her perfume, sweet and flowery. "We have our own poison-maker here, and he's good. But he's not the best - the best is Rabbani Balg, down in Shadowshore. Convince him to work for me, and I'll point you to Vanthus."
[16:49] * @Glenn raises an eyebrow at the mention of poison-making. Well, this had the potential to be more interesting now!
[16:49] <@Henrietta> "It's certainly something we could try, but could you please elaborate on what pointing us to Vanthus entails? He is not hiding out here, then?"
[16:49] <@Ebiris> "I sent him on a mission outside of Salerno. That's all you'll get until I think you're worth more," she returns to Henrietta.
[16:50] <@Rudy> "I don't mind, assuming you give us a hint as to what incentives we could use to win him over? And I'd like a, well, it's a sort of promise between us if we work together."
[16:52] <@Henrietta> "This is a good point," Henrietta agrees with Rudy. "Would he need to kill a kitten?"
[16:53] <@Ebiris> "Lots of pissant little gangs run Shadowshore. Rabbani'll probably want assurances that we're the real deal - convince him we are, and that he'll be better off with us than anyone who hires him now," the redheaded lady narrows her eyes. "Also, we control the harbour. That means any imports go through us, including rare poisonous animals and deadly reagents. We can get him the best so he can work at his best." Raising an eyebrow at Rudy, she gives him a condescending look, "What sort of promise did you have in mind?"
[16:55] <@Henrietta> No need to rear pets and murder them, check. That should probably make recruitment easier! "Could you offer him one of those deadly reagents," Henrietta asks, "perhaps as a show of good faith? It might entice him sufficiently, if it is rare here."
[16:55] <@Rudy> "Ah, it's quite simple, really. Calling Lavinia 'insipid' is quite unkind, don't you think? She pays us on time, and even ahead of time, so I can't really approve of such words.. but essentially, you're planning to take over Salerno? It's not really my business, but do leave her out of it, would you?"
[17:00] <@Ebiris> "Vanthus asked me the same thing," she smirks at Rudy, "Even if it was after calling his sister many unkind things himself. I think it was jealousy over the inheritance talking, though... so long as she doesn't cross me, I've got no reason to care about her." Turning and strolling back to pat the green scaly beast on its head, she goes on, "As for reagents... Yes. Tell Kersh to get you a sample of Burnstone. That should work as a carrot if your words can't sway him."
[17:02] <@Rudy> "Yes, well, I expect Vanthus is very jealous of people who are just better than him, as well," replies Rudy, nodding. "Very well, I think we can handle this one without a single casualty."
[17:02] <@Henrietta> "Physical proof goes a great deal to support one's case," Henrietta notes. The letter certainly helped them here. "Thank you, My Lady, for entertaining both our requests."
[17:04] <@Ebiris> "I don't really care just so long as Rabbani isn't among the casaulties," she retorts dryly as she turns around and gestures to the door. "And don't try to run off with the Burnstone. That would upset me."
[17:04] <@Rudy> "If I ever upset you, it won't be in such an uninspired fashion, milady," replies Rudy, tipping an imaginary hat and turning to depart.
[17:05] <@Henrietta> "It would trouble me greatly if this somehow resulted in casualties," Henrietta admits quietly to the others. "It wouldn't, would it?"
[17:05] <@Ebiris> Back outside Kersh is waiting, leaning on the wall opposite the immobile sentinel.
[17:05] * @Henrietta does have a hat to tip, and does so properly before catching up.
[17:07] <@Rudy> "Ah, Kersh, my man! Would you mind lending us some Burnstone?" asks Rudy, cheerily. "We've got a poisoner to woo over to your side."
[17:08] * @Miranda_Altair grumbles quietly under her breath.
[17:10] <@Ebiris> "Sure, come on then," Kersh waves you on amiably, dispatching another thief off on the errand as you run into one by the training room. Said thief meets you at the ladder you entered by and hands it to Rudy - it's a jagged fist-sized rock, weathered and grey on most sides except one where it seems to have broken off, revealing a shiny crystalline interior of dark brown. It feels clammy and unpleasant in the summoner's hands, making him feel vaguely ill.
[17:11] <@Henrietta> "Any instructions about handling it?" Henrietta inquires.
[17:11] <@Rudy> "I think 'not in your hands' is a good bet," mutters Rudy, wrapping it up in a scarf and passing it to Myra.
[17:11] <@Ebiris> Kersh shrugs. "Fucked if I know. It's supposed to do a number on spellcasters, but I think you have to do stuff to process it first."
[17:12] <@Ebiris> OOC: Glenn can roll alchemy to know stuff
[17:12] <@Henrietta> "Alright!" she agrees. "How do we actually leave? And return? Must we break in every time?"
[17:13] <@Glenn> roll d20+10 alchemy! what is that delicious sounding burnstone!
[17:13] * +Hatbot --> "Glenn rolls d20+10 alchemy! what is that delicious sounding burnstone! and gets 23." [d20=13]
[17:13] <@Ebiris> "We don't trust you enough to tell you the other ways - no hard feelings, right?" Kersh grins. "We'll tell Nemien to let you down, but if you broke any of his shit you'll have to make that right yourselves."
[17:15] <@Rudy> "I guess I can work on fixing his window..."
[17:16] * Quits: @Henrietta (~corwin@p11811120.orange.net.il) (Ping timeout)
[17:16] -> *Glenn* When treated with the blood of a magical creature and ground with a cold iron tool, this can become a powder that when inhaled by a spellcaster inflicts a -10 penalty to their caster level. It comes from Hildspir and the dead magic plains there.
[17:19] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Kotono
[17:22] * Yomi is now known as Henrietta
[17:23] <@Henrietta> "I was planning on paying for it!" Henrietta says proudly.
[17:24] <@Rudy> "Really? Thanks!"
[17:25] <@Ebiris> And so up the party go, the Taxidermist's Hall still quiet in the darkness, leaving them free to leave as they please and make whatever plans they like...
[17:25] <@Henrietta> "It is the least we can do after breaking in!"
[17:26] <@Henrietta> Lavinia's mansion seems to be the first destination. There's hardly a need to wake Lady Vanderboren for such news, but they could call off any rescue parties at the very least, perhaps through her maid.
[17:27] <@Rudy> "You know, if we handle all this, uh, headhunting, could that make us party to murder?" muses Rudy. "These are criminals we're working for, now! Supposedly."
[17:27] <@Henrietta> "Working with, not for. It is an important distinction," Henrietta says sagely.
[17:27] <@Miranda_Altair> "If you three are seriously considering this, you'll find yourselves doing it without me."
[17:29] <@Henrietta> "This is a man that poisons people," Henrietta says reasonably. "He will just be doing it in the employ of a different crowd. I don't really see the difference, here. Could you be more specific, perhaps?"
[17:29] <@Rudy> "I don't think it means very much at all, actually," replies Rudy, rubbing his head. "As long as we can quickly secure Vanthus like this, I don't think it's really a problem. After all, yes, people will get killed anyway- wait, uh..."
[17:29] <@Glenn> "Oh?" Glenn looks at Miranda questioningly. "I do have some reservations, but this is a lead on Vanthus after all, and all it involves is convincing a man to move for the most part. Like Henrietta says, he'd do his job regardless of employers."
[17:30] <@Henrietta> "Plus Glenn collected poison just the other day."
[17:30] <@Miranda_Altair> "A lead on Vanthus is great, but these people are bandits! Actual bandits! Not even romanticized bandits that fight against an oppressive government! They enjoy killing people! They're awful! I won't have any part of this."
[17:31] <@Rudy> "They're a bit too organized to just be called bandits, don't you think?"
[17:32] <@Henrietta> "Vanthus apparently has plans that helped the Lady of the Lotus move onwards. If we were to remove him from that equation, I presume it would have a negative impact on their overall designs," Henrietta reasons, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that a good thing?"
[17:32] <@Miranda_Altair> "You're right. Organized crime is so much better than plain banditry, Rudy."
[17:33] <@Rudy> "Yes, it's organized! Organized criminals are better off not hurting people, like bandits are," replies Rudy. "Anyway, it's a bit difficult to just say 'no', now. What would you suggest we do, if not follow through?"
[17:33] <@Glenn> "What do you wish to do, Miranda, though, if not follow up on this lead? Bring them to justice somehow? The situation seems pretty complex and likely to turn volatile. I think Henrietta and Rudy did a decent job of moving things to our benefit if nothing else," Glenn notes.
[17:33] <@Miranda_Altair> "By handing them an expert poisoner and taking someone with little left to offer from them, Henrietta?"
[17:34] <@Rudy> "I mean... I suppose we could just rat them out," admits Rudy. "I was kinda just saying things to keep us from getting set upon in there."
[17:35] <@Henrietta> "I said that, but I didn't really mean it. I'm sure Vanthus is vital to their plans in some form, and I was trying to downplay it, actually," Henrietta responds. "And it really doesn't make sense to me. If they genuinely need this poisoner's services, they can hire him properly themselves. This is not a job that only we can accomplish."
[17:36] <@Miranda_Altair> "That's why I kept my mouth shut until now. Did you hear that woman from the beginning in there? They enjoy murder. They enjoy it! Whether or not it helps us complete our task, I can't in good conscience commit to helping a group of thugs, however organized, take take over a town."
[17:36] <@Miranda_Altair> "Even if they're ultimately unsuccessful, I don't doubt that innocent people will die for no good cause other than for Lavinia to get her brother back."
[17:36] <@Rudy> "You could say the same thing about most things they might ask us to do," replies Rudy, uncomfortably. "We're still the ones who actually do it, and I don't think saying 'it would've happened anyway!' reduces our culpability."
[17:37] <@Henrietta> "What, you thought they were going to take it over? Militarily?" Henrietta blinks. "I thought they talked about eliminating the other guilds. Of other criminals."
[17:38] <@Rudy> "Didn't you see the picture? They want their flag all over the harbour, I'd say," replies Rudy. "I don't know exactly what they want, but do you think the hegemony of a single criminal organisation is a good thing, anyway?"
[17:38] <@Henrietta> "Less people will be fighting and dying, and in a decade or two, it would fall apart?"
[17:38] <@Rudy> "I mean..." Rudy stops to think. "I don't really mind doing this, you know, but it's a case of personal safety, here! Being on the wrong end of some mob war is the last thing I want."
[17:39] <@Miranda_Altair> "I don't want to work for them at all." Miranda frowns.
[17:40] <@Miranda_Altair> "I'd rather find another way."
[17:41] <@Henrietta> "If we abduct Vanthus for his sister, that Lady of the Lotus would seek revenge and have Lady Vanderboren killed."
[17:41] <@Rudy> "I'm not sure there is one. Look, what d'ya think those folks will do if we skip on them?" replies Rudy, crossly. "We're a liability then, a liability! I'm starting to think that some short-term arrangement's gonna be best for our good health. If we don't, then, well, sticking around town's a bad idea, you know?"
[17:42] <@Rudy> "And I certainly don't want to run away and leave Lavinia wondering why she got stabbed in her bed, either..."
[17:42] <@Henrietta> "Slit throat, I'm thinking."
[17:42] <@Rudy> "The only real alternative is heading to the guard and turning the lot of them in, and I'll bet they have a few soldiers complicit in their dealings to boot."
[17:44] <@Glenn> "That's what I was thinking of when I said this situation is complex and likely volatile," Glenn agrees. "For now, our best course of action is to play along. Hopefully we can bring them to justice later...but if not, at least we haven't risked making the situation worse right now."
[17:44] * @Miranda_Altair sighs. "I suppose that would have likely happened anyway had we not found these people. Damnation. I hate bandits."
[17:44] <@Rudy> "Er, let's not consider this in terms of justice. I think that's not a good way to think about it," replies Rudy, raising a knuckle to his forehead. "But I do think we should play along for now, yes."
[17:47] <@Henrietta> "And honestly, we're not doing anything terribly wrong. The taxidermist is apparently complicit with them. Does it mean I can't buy anything from his store, because it would fund their nefarious deeds?"
[17:47] <@Miranda_Altair> "Well, yes, that's exactly what that means."
[17:47] <@Rudy> "Yes, what we're doing is just a little bit wrong," agrees Rudy, with a nod.
[17:48] <@Glenn> "Well, we're no shining beacons of heroism," Glenn allows, deciding not to argue the idea of justice and such.
[17:49] <@Henrietta> "You heard that Lady. She controls most of the harbor. Are we to avoid getting any imports? Should we convince Lady Vanderboren to stop any naval trade she might have?"
[17:49] <@Rudy> "If we were strong and noble heroes true, I think we'd look to do something about that," muses Rudy. "But it's not good to pretend we're things that we're not."
[17:51] <@Henrietta> "I don't think it's possible to eliminate crime."
[17:52] <@Rudy> "If this conversation continues, I'm going to start sounding like my father," proclaims Rudy. "And becoming that sort of moralizing bore is very much on the same level as death, so let's call off the guard and go and get some sleep for now."