IC: Livonia's Lament (in game - July 3rd onward)

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(Sanya chooses the dexterous, lithe brave)
{To Big-Cheeks-Chipmunk}
"I've travelled far. I'm from Black Rock Basin tribe, but I was taken years back, threw off a horse, left for dead. I slept for years, when I woke up, I healed a brave just by thinking. I've been working as a messenger for a year since. Came here lookin' for the man who took me."
 
between Livonia's Lament and Leaning-Juniper-Shelters-Sage
PC: Sanya
Time: 8:30 AM

Sanya, Big-Cheeks takes the group lead once away from the Limping Acolyte; your brave-escort introduced himself, Smiles-like-Noonday-Sun, grabbed his weaponry & horse, rejoining you ladies upon exit of town. "I'll stay out of your way and let you maidens talk. Just don't stray out of sight from my horse, please."

"Mmm, she somehow brought the prettiest one!" "Oh, Noonday, he almost ended up training under Billy Good-Legs! But a dream brought him to serve the Elders first." "He's already been sent messenger to adjacent tribes of The People near here. He'll know to spot dangers."

"Maidens, this stretch is popular with stagecoach runs -- and any marauding posses. When you see dust cloud trails nearby, gather away from wider open stretches. Stay by bushes, for potential concealment and to avoid trampling. I'll call like a black-hawk twice if I spot something worrisome." He walks his horse out to a good grazing vantage point while you gather sage leaf.

Sage leaf gathering is scraping a stem's side on one side while leaving the rest, working the brush in pairs of maidens. The maidens raise their mantillas to shade their heads, murmuring starts at the look of yours unfurled. You are paired with a timid doe-eyed girl, with Big-Cheeks and a tall girl working the next sagebrush over.

Big-Cheeks breaks the tension, "Black Rock Basin? That's far North, where several valleys are guarded by the massive spirit gate of flat, black rock."

"Kidnapped? Were you to be forced into marriage exchange?" her tall partner asks, Flinching-Egret.

"Ennee! (Tsk!)" Big-Cheeks throws a sharp look to Egret, "Too soon. She's obviously been troubled by a bad man." To you, "Sorry, but not all of us get to travel far, so we hear scary stories from visitors. Important thing is now you are OK."

"I hear the bad man is named Johnny Peacock," your doe-eyed co-worker pipes in, Hidden-Fawn, surprised by her own voice, "Bia'nee' (mom & aunties) were talking about this morning's warning about him and what he looks like." As if a dam broke, her big eyes flag a helplessness in continuing on, "How could you survive such a far fall without help of the spirits? Your healing calling seems to have been thrown upon you! -- oh my, I am sorry, I did not mean it that way..." She recedes emotionally back to work.

Eying Hidden-Fawn with a mix of disappointment yet pride for speaking at all, Big-Cheeks adds, "Well, many of us had mercifully received more gentle calls to the service of medicine, both healing and harmful." Her pair rotates around their brush, they seem to be experience in this task, "Sleeping for years and not dying is miraculous, and your First Waters clothes' patterning only adds to your mystery." She stops and turns to approach you, "And a manhunt on this villain is just the rattlesnake fritter atop red grass rice. But if you want a return to peace of everyday maidenhood, we'll be there to be dei'nee' (female sisterhood)." She offers her hand and forearm to you for clasping in agreement.
 
"Thank you for your kindness, but I believe I should continue on my mission for now. Once my quest is done, though, I would be honoured to accept your offer." Sanya clasps Big-Cheeks-Chipmunk's hand/forearm and smiles.
 
Caden pauses for a moment, considering the bouncer's offer. It might not hurt to make an extra coin or two, who knows maybe a new contact can be established. He nods at the bouncer "I wouldn't mind making a bit coin, show me to the problem".
 
outside Livonia's Lament towards Leaning-Juniper-Shelters-Sage
PC: Sanya
Time: approaching 10 AM

"You missed out on your later child years, such as having your womenhood ceremonies with girls your age, learning the new dances, travelling to the big camp meetups of the year..." Big-Cheeks sympathizes your plight. "Hey, but you are still young yet -- our age! Have you seen the new Quail-Trails-Her-Children dance? Kimima is still the best at it, but busy being a new mother and all. But watch Flinching-Egret here, she really has the steps down." Big-Cheeks starts to make drumming sounds with her mouth and bob her head.

Egret gives Big-Cheeks a smiling side-look and relents. She starts a gentle skip in place, then the skip ambles to the right a bit, then back to the left, and somewhere she gives a hop! before continuing on her meandering. "Ya ha ha! Rrrrr, ya ha!" a girl hoots and then falls behind Egret mimicking her last steps in a file.

Another pairing from a further bush starts in on the fun, one joining the line and the other standing by Big-Cheeks clapping a layering rhythm and whistling a melody. The three dancers snake about, Egret leading the way, a crazy trail among the sage, and every once in a while -- hop! -- and each follows suit like over a stone in the way. They so look like a cute quail family!

You see Hiding-Fawn finally look up from work, with a smile even, and then she looks to you offering her hand. An invitation to join?
 
Dive Bar next to Fistful of Ingots
PC: Caden
Time: approaching 8 AM

"Thanks hombre. We got a few squirmers who can't take a hint, and we got cleaning to do before we can legally reopen." He leads you indoors and points out the lushes, "Six bone strings (6 cp) for your trouble, extra for less mess and noise. As long as they don't come back in until we're ready, shouldn't be longer than a half hour."

You see two Native human workers hustling some hooded body (alive?) to the back, an Eastern halfling furiously mopping everything down towards this back half of the room, and the Eastern man you came in with going back behind the bar (settling accounts?).

You got a fellow temp bouncer, who looks like he's ready to enjoy his work, but that could be resting bully face. :p You pair look right serious. The six stumble drunks look at you both wide-eyed and three start squirming and falling in their effort to get away from you. Two human men and a dwarf man, apparently made of jelly, the lot of them.

"Oooh no! You gonna take Matilda 'way from me," one sitting lush brandishing a quarter full bottle of whiskey like his best friend.

"No!" another sitting sot violently flops her head, "No, I refuse to let tomorrow start! Leave me to yesterday!" As she toasts herself she accidentally dribbles a bit into her cleavage.

The last is so still he looks passed out, yet with eyes glazed open.

This shouldn't take long? (Your job approach, and in what order?)
 
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Sanya smiles and takes her hand, beginning to dance. (Performance check to dance? If so: 19 + 3 = 22)

"Good! Good! Looks like you pick up steps quick!" It's been a while since you felt so buoyant, so... included, right here dancing in the morning sun with peers. "Ya ha ha! Give me a hop!" Egret tosses back her head in a laugh and then complies with a hop! "Rrrrrr, ya ha! That's where they are, that's where they've been!"

"Aah 'Smiling-Sun', come play the brave hunter following our tracks!" someone beckons your escort out of hiding from behind his horse. He peeks from the horse's flank and flashes that famously warm smile of his. Well hello, is he dangerously handsome! "A fine draught of sweetwater in summer heat, isn't he?" Big-Cheeks-Chipmunk chides you when you catch her look, returning back to keeping beat.

He draws down his smile to just his lips, gives a hand signal for everyone to get out of a wider path, and looks back to town.

Suddenly a thundering approaches, a stagecoach crests the rise Noonday's at, slows only the smallest bit as the driver and his second stare incredulously at your dancing group, and then look at each other in confusion as they race along.

"A ha ha ha ha!" A rise of laughter breaks down the whole impromptu affair as their trailing dust consumes you all. In the concealment you hear Noonday call, "Still need a hunter to track you quails down?" "Only if you promise I'll be yours after!" someone retorts. And another round of laughter goes around.
-----------

As the dust settles your group shares their close calls with stagecoaches almost running them down, when in town, outside gathering, etc. The silver changed everything, what new items and ideas it brought came also a cost. Someone pipes, "I heard there's a new gang trying to settle the Southern foothill outskirts, so as to better raid stagecoaches this way." Smiles-like-Noonday-Sun gives a wry grin and shrugs his shoulders and takes this comment to leave you maidens to your work.

"Don't take it seriously. He knows his life's forfeit the moment such a gang is upon us. The rest of us have to race our way back calling for help if we ever encounter such a gang. He will die buying us time," Big-Cheek explains. "It's the life of a brave. More important is the ritual, or even more could die. We play our part, too. Come on," she touches your arm as you all head back to work.

(Feel free to further interact with these NPCs during sage gathering. After this we'll call it back to town for Lunch (short rest), [scheduling Sage Gathering] for the next few days, and then free time to make new choices for today.)
 
(Okay, let's continue to Lunch. If Caden is ready, of course.)

(Don't worry, you two are already out of temporal syncopation. This is par for the course in PbP due to life. It gets ugly in time sensitive things like group combat, but that's why we worked on "delegating macros." :smile: )

Elders' Place
PC: Sanya
Time: 12 PM Noon

Upon return your group deposits its gathered medicine ingredients. They understand your manhunt takes precedence, yet they give you [Morning Sage Gathering schedule {8 AM - 12 PM noon next four days}] anticipating a chance to work together again. As the group starts to break up and go home, Hidden-Fawn tentatively asks you, "I must ask my mother first, but I hope you could join us for a midday meal soon!"

(Respond as you like and let me know what you do next.)
 
"I'd be delighted to." Sanya bids farewell to Hidden-Fawn and the others. ((Did you give me a timetable for the sewing circle?)) After leaving the Elder's Place, she's going to go and see if Salty Clem has woken up yet.
 
Caden will attempt to handle them as a group. He will take the most conspicuous spot in the room and quite loudly proclaim "All right you sots, last call's over. You don't have to go home but you can't stay here. Ten seconds and counting until an unpleasant exit is provided".
 
Dive Bar next to Fistful of Ingots
PC: Caden
Time: almost 8 AM

Caden, your warning seems to be well-heeled by the stumble drunks, as best as they're able which is not much at all. They stumble in the general direction of the door, knocking upturned chairs down and making hellacious noise. Your bouncer pal starts "helping them out" to the side alley like dumping squirming calves.

Unfortunately the drunk clutching 'Dear Matilda' gets under the table, afraid you'll forcefully part them, and the dribbling lady joins him trying to 'go back into yesterday'. Glazed eyes doesn't move beyond bodily clenching onto his chair. Obviously your bouncer pal took the easier task so far, after you did the hard work spooking the herd into action. :rolleyes:

(Intimidation worked! Persuade, Grab n Drag, Combat, other?)
 
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returning to the Honey Well
PC: Sanya
Time: after Lunch (short rest), 1 PM.

Sanya, you enjoy your midday meal and head back to give Ol' Salty Clem another chance. On your way, just past Vaux's Tools & Dried Goods Store, you encounter a young Eastern couple -- man & woman, look recently hitched? -- who turn and stand to the side of the boardwalk gaping at you, man covering the woman, letting you pass. He's dressed like an unlucky farmer, (a rather new trade trying their luck on these hard Shoshone lands,) and she's not much better with her simple cotton gown and bare feet.

"{in Easterner Common} Marvel, this native woman is dressed with war weapons! Are we going to be caught in a 'shoot out'?"

"{Easterner Common} Delia, I dunno. Just run to the wagon when I say. Once I load up the seed grain we can head on out to our new farmstead claim."

(Insert your reaction, if any if you can understand them, here.)
---------------------------------

Honey Well
Time: ten past one.

Whew! Chain mail in the desert heat doesn't work too well. Had to stop at the Main Street Well, right mid-center of town, to freshen up. Might be good to be more selective when to wear it during the day, lest [Exhaustion*] sets in. Shade, water, and rest does not come easy in this land.

Back at the Honey Well you check the porch and side alleys first before going in. The salt n pepper haired fellow is now on the other side alley, wincing, holding his side. "You look familiar. Should I recognize you?" *groans* "Be kind to an old man down on his luck and give him a drink... got this damnable bruise in my sides, I tells you."

[*Exhaustion is a mechanic of D&D 5e, where lack of adequate food, water, exposure to harsh conditions, etc. can wear down your character's strength. Given that the desert heat and heavy metal armors never mixed real well in history, we'll try to represent that, too. Light unmetaled armors, like padded & leather, gives more comfort, but on very hot days even that can wear you out. The high desert also gets freezing cold in the winter, too, so what was once unbearable can change during the seasons.]
 
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Caden will try to reason with the two under the table, he figures they can be talked out. As for the one clutching his chair Caden will offer a brief warning, if he doesn't comply he will just drag him out the door.
 
"Here." Sanya extends her hand and utters a divine word, restoring 6 hit points to Clem- probrably enough to fix that bruise. (Healing Word, 1 spell slot left) "I came about the badgers."
 
Dive Bar next to Fistful of Ingots
PC: Caden
Time: almost 8 AM

You attempt to persuade the two talkative sots under the table, starting with the woman. And for whatever reason, you have seem to have tapped into her sympathy. She tries crawling out, climbing up you for support, and lets you take her outside. The man however jealously guards his 'Matilda' and takes this opportunity to scramble under a booth alcove table, making future things harder.

As you deposit this woman pining for yesterday into the alley, she whispers in your ear, "Be easy on them, they just lost everything." "I know how to find my way around, but them, not so much," she wobbles in your arms as she gestures. "Glassy-eyed in there had his business partner bet their bar behind his back -- and then got caught cheating! -- and so now's left with no bar, no partner, and no living.

"Breaks the heart it does. Partner's offed fair 'n square, new owners takin' the place... well, the ol' ne'er-do-well veteran friend retreats to some long ago lass in a bottle, and Glassy-eyed no longer speaks." She hiccups, "Damn, not again. Anyway, one of a hundred sob stories here everyday." *hic*

"And I hear over half o' them, let me tell you. Name's Belinda sweetie, be seein' you 'round." *hic* "Damn! Next time it's a few rounds from the 'fire well' if you want a little sand in your eye (sob story)." She slops a kiss on your cheek and leans into the wall as she hobbles off. *hic* "Damn!"

Well, them that's left leave you little choice but to haul their ass out. Unless you got any clever ideas... Your partner looks game, done with the previous three, ready to follow your lead.
(If you OK it, I'll move straight to automated grabs and drags of combat)
 
Honey Well
PC: Sanya
Time: ten past 1 PM.

"Oh hey, feel right better, thank you kindly. Even that ringing in my head and pain in my keister's gone. I bet I got jumped -- fuckin' badgers!" He stands, "Name's A-lou-ih-shus (Aloysius) Clementine, fought in the Great War, lost it all, came to the Gold Rush, lost it all, and now here to the Great Silver Rush, and I'll be damned if I'ma lose it all agin'!

"But my friends call me Ol' Salty Clem," he extends his hands out for a shake. "Thing is," he pats his pockets, "thing is, I got badgers spookin' my mules," still patting his pockets, looking, "'bout where I'm gonna start my newest strike." He finally pulls out a paper, looks curiously at it and starts checking all the pockets again quickly. "By gum, this here's just my claim deed! Where's my map? Where's my copper and bone strings (cheapest money)?" He rips off his neck kerchief and throws it onto the dirt, "Aw hell... I paid good money for that survey! Fuckin' badgers!"

Amusing, but you question his broad usage of the word 'badger'.

"Aww, some blasted medicine man back East from the Great War swore I'd never know peace if I struck him and his invading war party down. And ever since them badgers have bedeviled me something fierce. But I won't give in to no curse when I can still fight 'n find my own way." Scratches his head, "Well, I could show you on dirt drawing or show you in person, which is 'bout half a day away up this mountain here. Are ya in?"
 
Honey Well
PC: Sanya
Time: quarter past 1 PM.

"Well then, how shall I call you?" he asks for your name. "We should head out tomorrow morning, because we'd be traveling half at night going up steep trails if we left now.

"By tonight get what you'll need to travel & make camp and tomorrow meet me at the Main Street Well by 8 AM breakfast. It's been hot lately, carrying extra water'll never hurt. Oh, and you may not wanna wear that metal stuff while we travel, you'll burn up.

"Keep it for the badgers, though, them bastards can be right nasty! I'm off myself to get ready, see you tomorrow!"

(questions, comments, new plans?)
 
"My name is Sanya." (As Clem Leaves) "Farewell!" Clem may notice Sanya seems perturbed, if he has a good passive Insight. (I'd say DC 13 unless there's a method for determining the DC)


After this exchange, Sanya will begin gathering supplies. Will there be any expenses involved in that?
 
Caden will make a cautious attempt to chat with the glassy eyed fellow. Maybe knowing a bit more of his situation he can reach him well enough to convince him to leave for the evening.

As to the other, Caden sees no other option than to simply offer him one last chance to go and failing that drag him out.
 
Caden, how are you persuading Glassy-eyed & his veteran ally, what are you offering to persuade? Are you going to pick a side, help covertly, bribe, just sympathize?

Sanya, you know a waterskin (half gallon) is half a day needed water -- on a not-hot day. Hot days like now need double, two gallons per day. Buckets carry up to 3 gallons (25 lbs). Barrels up to 40 gallons (334 lbs.) which tends to be weight prohibitive without draft animals.

Your passive Survival tells you what could be useful: tent, dagger/knife (for your rope or whatever), hammer, crowbar, blanket, candle lamp or lantern, chalk, extra sacks, and some sort of alarm system. You might not be able to afford all this, so prioritize the water, shelter, lighting, and alarm as you see fit. Thankfully you have room from your Shoshone people cousins, so you don't have to bring all your valuables with you.

Now would be a good time to prioritize what to stash, what to take, and what to buy in the future. It might also be a good time to think about lighter armor for a future investment. Travel is 1/2 Day, Clem says; he might be bringing mules; you don't know how long you'll stay, but you assume short.
 
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For the moment Caden will try some good old fashion sympathy. Sometimes people are more willing to cooperate if they feel like you are on their side.
 
Sanya will purchase: a tent, dagger, crowbar, blanket, a candle lamp, two waterskins, and spool of fine thread. She will also prepare Create or Destroy Water and Purify Food and Drink during her next long rest (replacing Inflict Wounds). She'll wear her common clothes during the trip, leaving her chain mail behind. Will she be able to fill her waterskins from the well for free?
 
For the moment Caden will try some good old fashion sympathy. Sometimes people are more willing to cooperate if they feel like you are on their side.

(Sorry, I rolled like shit. I got a 2 for Glassy-Eyed, and 1 for 'Bottle Lass' guy. They are none too pleased. Reaction roll: 15 + (-1 CHA); good reaction, but not persuaded.)

Caden, this is a lot of work for some copper, but it is revealing how ruthless the slums' dives can be. Your whispered sympathies do draw out a reaction: you get a baleful glare then, realizing you are a sympathetic bystander, they resume their escape into stupor. You sense they otherwise like you, but the subject is too sore; you're ignored as a courtesy to avoid violence.

You feel you could have the advantage in persuasion if you side with them more, but nothing as far as a counterattack, for now it would be suicidal -- two drunks and an ad hoc ally versus an "orderly transfer of business," not a chance. Knowing one sot is a veteran also gives pause as you have no idea how lethal he's in battle, drunk or not. And then there's always walking away or asking more money; the new proprietor said nothing about this in the gig.

What do you do?
 
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Geraldine's
PC: Sanya
Time: just past 2 PM

Sanya, you arrive into a far more lively place than was your breakfast. Half the tables are taken and the piano is jogging out a light tune for the remaining luncheoners. Not seeing an obvious large gathering of sewers in this main room, you ask the bartender for directions. (It's not Grath from this morning, but a human woman named Georgette. Seems like your mystery has made the rounds as she gives you a smile and directions.)

The Private Room

As you enter, you catch the sewer's gaggle all in a fuss over scheduling Sunday. Some are still pushing for a civic show of pride for the town, hopefully something Temperance-minded to finally settle this land into something more civil. The majority of the room quiets at the awareness of your unexpected visit (you are very late). Thankfully your morning acquaintence spots you, rescuing you into a whirl of introductions:

"Oh, it has been awhile since we've had one of The People grace our circle! Normally they prefer weaving techniques, but we keep frequent exchanges..."

"Look at those patterns. I've never seen the locals sport such an embellishment. They say every symbol comes with deeper meaning in their culture. What's this leafy one here, dear? ..." [points to a pattern unknown to you]

"I still think we should make for Nanette's Sunday. Her parlour is the most spacious and in the shade. I'll bring my latest experimental tisane..."

"Well, please bring a sachet of chamomile, too. Last time a few of us left with heart palpitations. And as I normally have never been so excited by sewing, I presume it was..."

"Don't you think a banner declaring a bar once a week on Sunday free from liquor a worthwhile civic galvanizer? Think of all the children who could play in public at our feet. Quietly, of course..."

"Of course! ..."

What are you interested in talking about? Making an impression? Doing? Learning?
 
Sanya will head over to her acquaintance and ask her about basic sewing technique.

"Ladies, not so much now. Give our newcomer some air lest she has a fainting spell." Your acquaintence shelters you to a table and the women break up sympathetically, giving you space. Asking where to begin brings out her pride and she calls over another whom she says is the most patient cross-stitch primer teacher. "She even aids our school mistress here, teaching embroidery to the young once a week."

As you work with both women, you discover this is a very complex discipline building upon a strong foundation -- like most stuff in life. Requiring better dexterity would help you, but it just means more time would have to be applied to eventually match proficiency. This will take months of instruction and practice to be truly proficient, but it is also relaxing in its own way.

(Anything more in particular? Characterization, building relationships, listening for general rumors?)
 
"Oh yes, Sanya dear. It really is quite rewarding seeing those little faces see their labors bear fruit." She's watching your performance on the running stroke, a good basic stitch for basting and quick repairs, giving pointers as needed. "Naturally most of the boys are impatient to play. But we do our best trying to keep them entertained indoors from the afternoon bar fights that spill out into Main Street."

"You know, it has been only in recent years that we've come together as a community to build a school." She starts a sampler on how to do the running stitch around curves, "Be sure to keep steady tension, and remember: heel-toe, heel-toe. That keeps the cleanest look, even if it just a basting stitch."
 
"Thank you! This works far better. It's excellent that there's a school, though. A lot of places don't have anything like that." (Did the woman tell me her name?)
 
"Thank you! This works far better. It's excellent that there's a school, though. A lot of places don't have anything like that." (Did the woman tell me her name?)

"Oh we are quite proud of our school. One of the few towns around to have one, besides Onerous." She beams you a smile, and then points to your work with approval. "I hear your people have your own method of instruction. But your people here have been kind enough to embrace our Easterner method, with such an influx of us."

Dropping tone seriously, "It's because so many who've came have the silver fever, children were getting neglected, running into trouble, dying... Too much, too fast, and few good examples. What is it that we leave the next generation from which to learn?"

She turns to you, "You do not have to be involved in our Temperance against alcohol, but I do hope you can see how it is our little step, educating others through action. By settling all these immigrants by good example, we can perhaps stop the violence." She smiles again, yet you realize it is a forced smile that's seen disappontments.

(She has given you her name in the abstract. But I have not created it yet because I do not know how constant you will pursue this relationship. Speaks as if you know her name, and if you want more facetime with her I can give her one.)
 
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Caden isn't one to quit on a job, so he tries a new tact. He will try to approach the subject again, this time siding with them, even relating some (fabricated) story of how he himself had been screwed over by a business partner before in an attempt to gain a rapport with them.
 
(Caden. Where do your sympathies truly lie for this approach? Are you trying to Persuade them with a new tact that taps into an Advantage -- as your Passive Insight sees it? Namely: committing to their cause some sort of future payback. Or are you trying a raw Deception roll, (no Adv or DisAdv)? There's embellishments and then there's lies. :smile: )

-------------------

Sanya, you receive effusive praise, as your new teacher whoops, reaching almost hugs you, carefully settles all your needles aside, then clasps your face kissing your forehead. "Oh you darling child! You don't have to make an old nag of a woman happy, but you did it anyway. Bless you!

"Ladies!," she calls attention of the group, "We have a fellow sister interested in the cause!" Others whoop and some rush to hug you and pool around another like-minded soul.

"Upstanding propriety begets admiration, a price worth more than base acquisition!" a voluminous robed woman stands, preaching.

"This merits a commemorative sachet, I think a spiced nosegay!" another hurries off to stitch a new project.

"Oh some of us, we do try to be good neighbors to your people! 'Virtuous woman is a price above rubies' and all that." (you've never heard of this saying.)

"We should do an embroidered banner with which to parade down Main Street! Think of the rousing solicitation to nobler virtues!"

"We could work on it, maybe even finish for an end of August celebratory picnic! What a coup, a rallying emblem of accomplishment!"...

You've seemed to have tapped into a fervent vein. :smile: They are giving you
[Expectations: "Temperance Banner Picnic" Committee Schedule] over the next two months. You've suddenly realized your newfound popularity has also tied up a significant chunk of your upcoming time here at Livonia's Lament!
 
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Caden is willing to insinuate that he might be up for helping them out in a more substantial fashion. It would be good to make some solid connections here, and having someone indebted to you is never a bad thing.
 
Dive Bar next to Fistful of Ingots
PC: Caden
Time: just after 8 AM

(Good thing you had Adv. on that, because I roll really baaad! :smile: Perhaps in the future you may want to use the chat room dice roller.)

Caden, you whisper to the stuporous man insinuations of willing future help, which finally prompts a response! He looks right at you, unnervingly more sober than he's been letting on, "Alley, now!" He snaps his finger at his remaining drunken friend, stands and leans on you as if he's about to be sick.

It has to be an act. You can easily deduce his steadiness is far too controlled for his feigned drunkenness. His friend follows crawling, helped out by your mercenary gig-ally. "{Human Easterner} I wanna kill them sunzabitches," as you reach the alley, "but they have too many in their gang..." As you steady him to a wall so as to maintain the pretence of his vomiting, he makes retching noises, spits, then looks you sideways. "{Hu East} What do you know of the Tumbleweeds? They're Easterners who took over some Paiutes braves from up by Onerous and are pushing down into here. Amazing what a little cheating at gambling can get you among the naive."

His ally, bottle in tow, joins him asking, "{Hu East} Kent. Kent! Can't we go back East now? I don't care if we hang. I'm just tired of pulling punches, letting 'respectable' scum live. Matilda's gone and all I got is a hangover from chasing her memory." He swigs the last four shots left in the bottle as if it was water, then tosses the bottle. Hmm, both hold their liquor dangerously well.

"{Hu East} Not yet, Maydoff. I'm feeling my blood rising, cold. And if this man here meant what he said, perhaps we don't have to pull punches for much longer."

Your gig-ally is getting nervous seeing these two sots suddenly sober enough to hold conversation. He also, from his looking askance back and forth, doesn't seem to speak Human Easterner. It's up to you how much you want to clue him in. You all have to wait around here a few minutes more, keeping drunks from going back in, to get your payment and go. He goes to the bar's front, guarding it from walk-ins.

"{Hu East} You know him well?" Kent thumbs back to where your gig-ally went. "What's yer names, and why should we trust you? How much blood've you really seen? Tell me where I can find you when I'm ready."
 
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