Fortune's Favor — IC

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:42 pm

Nyx

Slowly but surely, your shadow makes its way towards the staircase leading up to the tavern's main floor. It appears to lead up to a small landing, with another parallel staircase leading to the building's second floor to the right. To the left of the staircase seems to be an open doorway leading to the main floor. It seems to be in the back right corner of the building, from what you're able to tell.

The voices are louder by the stairwell, and you see someone who appears to be a waitress appear on the landing before ascending the stairs up towards whatever lies on the second floor.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 3:44 pm

"How much?" Ciraco asks the boy, catching his dagger mid spin and slotting it to it's sheathe as he stands up from the wall.

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 4:24 pm

"Your Legio, huh?" Idrig says, interest piqued. "What do they need the coin for?"

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Tue Feb 09, 2021 6:58 pm

"Yes sir!" the excitable youngster says to Idrig, flashing his toothy grin again. "We're raising coin so we can do lots of fun stuff with a Legio! Horse riding, archery, arts and crafts! Lots more! It's super fun!" The energy of the boy leaves you wondering if he helped himself to some of the cookies.

He turns towards Ciraco, looking up with puppy-like eyes and grinning. He pauses and scrunches his face, looking back towards the cart. "Umm..." His face lights up again a moment later. "Oh yeah! It's five silver a box! Oh! Wait!" He scurries over to the cart and holds up the boxes, showing there are multiple varieties. He squints at the boxes, trying to read the Brennisian text. "I have, umm... vanilla canestrelli, chocolate amaretti, fig cuccidati, anise pizzelle, and uhh... Oh, my favorite! Lemon torcetti!"

[SHOW]: Canestrelli: Windmill/Flower-shaped shortbread
Chocolate Amaretti: Chocolate and almond cookies
Cuccidati: Small iced pastry filled with fig
Pizzelle: Waffle cookie with extravagant shapes
Torcetti: Twisted butter cookies

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:14 am

Ciraco thinks for a moment before he pulls out a gold coin and flicks it across to the young boy. "I'll take a box of the chocolate amaretti and a box of the torcetti," he says.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 11:01 am

Narciso watched the young kid excitedly try to sell his pastries and, not wanting to be left out, also pulled out a gold coin. "I'll have a vanilla canestrelli and one of those anise pizzelles." He would hand over the gold coin after Ciraco got what he asked for, not wanting to overwhelm the kid with too many things.

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Feb 10, 2021 4:22 pm

Though a masterful alchemist, Idrig has never been much of a baker or a chef. His mouth waters at the thought of the biscotti, but as he goes to reach for his coinpurse, he remembers his deal with the alchemist. Damnit. I'm spent.

He stays quiet, watching grumpily as the others order.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Thu Feb 11, 2021 4:16 pm

"Pizelle and cuccidati for me," Luca says, grinning warmly at the tiny legionnaire. Alfio smiles and nods, putting the coins into a small pouch and divvying out the wooden boxes filled with cookies. "Thank you!" he says happily. He looks towards Idrig, though, and frowns. He scrunches his face up, hand on chin, as if deep in thought and digs into his cart for an opened box.

Alfio approaches the dwarf, looking up at him and smiling. He pulls out two cookies, a torcetti and chocolate amaretti. "Mama always says I should share with those in need! So here you go, mister!"

He looks towards Nyx next, glancing at her curiously. "Is your friend okay? Does she want any?" he asks, pointing back at her with an extended thumb.

Post by **Fialova** » Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:44 am

[SHOW]: As the sight of the server comes into view, Nyx dissolves her shadow to avoid being discovered.

Nyx comes back to herself after a moment of exploration, and is a bit confused. Where before her companions were alone, now she sees before them a small child.

"Uh, hello," she says to the boy as she approaches, before turning to face the others. "Who is this child?" she asks to any who wants to answer. And where did he come from? I wasn't out for that long.

Post by **ratwizard** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 4:22 pm

Idrig grumbles a thank-you in response, taking the cookies gingerly. Generosity isn't something he experiences every day, and he simply stares at the cookies in his hand with a blank expression. Why would he give me these? It doesn't help him or his little regiment. Stupid kid.

He snaps out of it when the boy mentions Nyx. "Yes, she's okay. Leave her. She's busy."

The woman steps over, and the dwarf sighs. "He's selling biscotti to raise coin for his Legio," Idrig repeats matter-of-factly. "Are you finished?" he asks her, quieter now.

Post by **Fialova** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 5:45 pm

"Oh, cookies sound nice," Nyx responds, somewhat excited at the thought. Hearing Idrig's question, she turns to him and whispers, "yes, I can explain once this child has left." With that she turns her attention once more to the child in front of her, giving the young man a friendly smile.

"What sort of flavors are you selling? And what is your Legio? Aren't you too young to be in the army?" she asks, the confusion clear in her voice.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:20 pm

Narciso begins eating his cookies happily. "Mmm. These are good!" He says, looking around at the others.

Post by **Namelessjake** » Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:57 pm

"It's like a club," Ciraco explains to Nyx, before the boy can reply. He grabs one of his torcetti and takes a bite. "Yeah, not bad..." he says to Narciso through a mouthful of biscuit.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 2:03 pm

"I'm Alfio!" the boy says with an ear-to-ear grin as he looks up at Nyx. "It's the Legio Piccolo! It's for boys like me to go on adventures and have fun!" He walks back to his small cart, lifting up the variety of flavors for Nyx, all packaged in unique wooden boxes. "Okay! So I have umm... chocolate amaretti, fig cuccidati, vanilla canestrelli, lemon torcetti, and anise pizzelle! The torcetti's my favorite!"

[SHOW]: Canestrelli: Windmill/Flower-shaped shortbread
Chocolate Amaretti: Chocolate and almond cookies
Cuccidati: Small iced pastry filled with fig
Pizzelle: Waffle cookie with extravagant shapes
Torcetti: Twisted butter cookies

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:22 pm

Idrig grunts in approval to Nyx, watching pointedly as the other two enjoy their cookies. With hesitation, he takes a bite out of one — the torcetti. To his surprise, it's delicious.

"Good cookie," he says, wiping a crumb from his beard before chomping down again. He'd be better off joining a bakers' guild than the damned Legion. It's bizarre how these humans rear their children.

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:56 pm

"Oh, that sounds fun," Nyx says to the boy with a warm smile. I wonder if he and his friends get into as much mischief as I did, she thinks, as she gazes over the array of cookies. "They all look so good, it's hard to decide! How much are they?"

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:10 pm

"Yeah! It really is! And I've made so many friends too!" Alfio nods vigorously, a sheepish grin ever-present on his face. "They're five silver a box! They're all super yummy, I promise!"

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 6:44 pm

"Oh, ok," Nyx responds, excited that the price is so cheap. "Then I will take one box of each," she continues, digging through her coin purse and producing 3 gold pieces. She hands them to the boy before adding, "the rest you can keep." I wonder if Alina would like any of these, she thinks.

[SHOW]: Spend 3gp, gain cookies. How many cookies are in these boxes?

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 9:02 pm

"Thank you, miss! And thank you all of you!" Alfio says, putting the coins away and handing a stack of boxes to Nyx. "I gotta go before mama's done with lunch. Bye!" He gives an excitable wave and grins again. He takes a hold of his cart and starts down the street again, disappearing into a side street not long after.

"Right, what'd you see, Nyx?" Luca asks once the boy is out of earshot.

[SHOW]: The boxes have 12-13 cookies. Typically 12, but sometimes you get lucky! The real fortune of Teiros is this extra cookie.

Post by **Fialova** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 10:35 pm

"Bye," Nyx says, giving the child a polite wave as he hands her the cookies and runs off. She stuffs them in her pack for later, not in the mood to eat any at the moment. When prompted she turns to face Luca and Idrig, saying, "well the sewer does run under that building, but it ends in that tavern across the street." With this she points to the Old King's Haunt, which is directly across the way from the abandoned structure.

"The building was pretty beat up and I wouldn't say safe to go in, but there is a path straight to the sewer in the tavern basement. If we did want to get in from here, that is our best option."

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Feb 17, 2021 10:40 pm

Idrig stands up straight, eager to get back to business with the child gone. "Well, it sounds like this Old King's Haunt has what we need. Close to the route, a bit of flair compared to the usual casino dive, and it's got underground access." He thinks a moment longer. "The only cherry on the top would be a perfect place for an ambush."

"Of course," he adds. "We may not need such a thing now that my... alchemical strategy has been added to the mix."

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:35 pm

Narciso puts the boxes in his bag and looks around again. "Well, which of us would actually be the best at bringing him to the sewer? We can't attack him out in public, obviously." He says, whispering it to his teammates.

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:17 pm

"It's simple," Idrig says with a bored shrug. "Some of us can act as his guards. The moment danger arises, we help him get away."

He frowns, realizing the man may have guards of his own. "Though I suppose we will need a way to dispatch his real escort..."

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 7:30 pm

"Before we discuss further, we should find someplace more private," Narciso says. "We should find somewhere to sit, maybe have a drink while we wait."

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:17 pm

"I think we should keep following the route," Nyx responds, looking to Narciso with some confusion. "This is one possible location we can use, but there are bound to be others. Why stop here?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:31 pm

"I'm inclined to agree. There could be a much better location towards the other side of town. Especially with the safe house as an option to escape to," Ciraco says, agreeing with Nyx. "Let's assess the whole situation and then come up with a plan once we have all the information."

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Feb 18, 2021 9:50 pm

"Let's find one more that's near the Villa, then one at the end of the route at the beach. It's best to cover all the bases." Idrig points at the map where the route begins to veer left, further into the city. "We should check here."

[SHOW]

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Fri Feb 19, 2021 7:31 pm

Narciso shrugs. "I'll follow your lead." He says, choosing not to push the subject.

Post by **ratwizard** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:10 am

Idrig begins to lead the way toward the spot he indicated, pushing through the bustle of traffic on the street. After I do this job, I'm gone. Just need to make it through.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 8:20 pm

Narciso would walk casually behind Idrig, keeping an eye on the street around them to see if anything out of place caught his eye.

[SHOW]: Perception: 9(1d20) +7 = 16

Post by **Namelessjake** » Sun Feb 21, 2021 9:44 pm

"Let's go," Ciraco says finishing the last of his torcetti and tossing the box into the gutter, before following after Idrig and Narciso.

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:00 pm

"Let's get a move on then," Luca says with a quick nod. With everyone in agreement, you continue down the busy streets, making your way towards the section of the parade Idrig had pointed out.

In contrast to the plazas and Redoubt's outskirts, this section of town appears to be much more residential, serving the local community with homes and local shops not specifically targeting tourists. You spot an occasional restaurant or inn, but it's a notable difference from livelier portions of Teiros.

Luca points down the street, where the road opens up into one of the main plazas in town. "That's Piazza Fama. Most of the theaters and live entertainment venues start popping up there. Worth a look, maybe?"

On the edge of the plaza, you can already see a building with quite the imposing sign. Written in thick red letters, it reads, LA FARFALLA CREMISI. A young woman stands out front, twirling about in a flowing red gown. From a distance, you can tell that she has a mask on shaped like a butterfly.

[SHOW]: As you're approaching the location Idrig suggested, you notice a strange concentration of birds flocking around the area, more than you'd normally see in other parts of the city.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Wed Feb 24, 2021 5:54 pm

"Perhaps. We're looking for sewer entrances, right? Was that what we agreed on?" Narciso made a small noise of disgust but quieted himself. "Like last time?"

[SHOW]: Are we heading in the vague direction of the hideout we were discussing earlier?

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Feb 25, 2021 1:27 pm

"A combination of sewer access and a tavern we think the Prince is likely to visit," Ciraco says in reply to Narciso. "That's ideally what we want anyway, if it even exists."

"La Farfalla Cremisi," he says reading the sign aloud. "That should be worth a look, they're clearly getting ready for entertaining during the parade."

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Feb 25, 2021 3:12 pm

"Farfalla?" Idrig asks, turning to Luca. "What's that mean? Is this a drinking hall or casino?"

Post by **Namelessjake** » Thu Feb 25, 2021 3:17 pm

"Butterfly. It's called The Crimson Butterfly," Ciraco explains to Idrig before Luca can response. "With Terios the two aren't often dissimilar," he adds with a laugh.

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Feb 25, 2021 3:20 pm

"Right," Idrig says, irritated he didn't already know that. But then again, if I've stayed in this shithole long enough to learn the language, I've failed myself.

"Alright, after you, then. Let's see if it's a good spot to grab our mark."

[SHOW]: Should we roll something here to scope it out for sewer access / ambush spots?

Post by **Fialova** » Tue Mar 02, 2021 6:07 pm

Nyx frowns as she sees the woman outside in her mask, thoughts of her own working past flooding back, and she hopes that the performer is in a better position than she used to be in. "Yeah, this might be a good spot to look," she responds to the others.

[SHOW]: Would Nyx know anything about this place? Should I roll to know?

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Wed Mar 03, 2021 12:06 pm

[SHOW]: Feel free to roll whatever you'd feel applicable. Streetwise/dungeoneering for sewers, streetwise/history for knowledge of this place, etc

Post by **Namelessjake** » Wed Mar 03, 2021 2:47 pm

Ciraco makes his way towards the entrance and the twirling woman, keeping an eye out for any signs of the city's sewers nearby. "Are you open?" He asks her once closer, motioning towards the building's doors.

[SHOW]: Dungeoneering (I wrote streetwise in the roller as I'm a dumb): 12(1d20) +5 = 17

Post by **ratwizard** » Thu Mar 04, 2021 12:35 pm

As Ciraco takes point, Idrig takes a quick pass of the surrounding alleyway, looking for any sewer access while he jogs his memory.

[SHOW]: Streetwise to check for sewers, and if I've heard anything about this place: 7(1d20) +8 = 15

Post by **Fialova** » Thu Mar 04, 2021 8:35 pm

[SHOW]: Streetwise to see if she knows anything about this place: 13

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Fri Mar 05, 2021 2:49 pm

"For you, darling, we're always open," the woman replies to Ciraco, winking at the man. She opens her arms in welcome before gesturing towards the door. "You're welcome to come inside. Our lovely butterflies on stage would be thrilled to see you. Unless you'd prefer something more intimate." She places a hand on Ciraco's chest. "But that can be arranged too, bello."

[SHOW]: Looking into the plaza, you see a small grate built into the cobblestone, leading you to believe the sewers are running directly below. You recall a nexus of sorts from the sewer maps, with tunnels branching in every direction from the plaza. However, you're unable to see any sewer entrances visible from the outside world.

[SHOW]: You're unable to see any sewer entrances visible from the outside world. However, you do see a small grate built into the cobblestone in the nearby plaza. This leads you to believe some tunnels are beneath.

You're vaguely familiar with the Crimson Butterfly, though you've never had the displeasure of visiting it. You recall seeing flyers advertising some sort of nonsense event it was holding. You recall something about live dancers, discounted drinks, and a night of passion.

[SHOW]: You recall walking past the Crimson Butterfly on multiple occasions on your way towards the Carnevale most days during your employment. Much like today, you recall someone dressed in red luring guests inside. From your understanding, it's an entertainment venue where scantily-clad women dance on stage for a lonely audience, a vulgar display so unlike anything you'd expect in your homeland. You also recall they have half-priced drinks in the mornings.

Post by **ratwizard** » Fri Mar 05, 2021 3:32 pm

There's got to be a way to get down there from here, Idrig thinks, eyeing the grating. He circles back around, stepping close behind Nyx and Narciso. "Tunnels run under this street. Do we think our friend is the type to be drawn to cheap drinks and erotic experiences?"

Post by **Fialova** » Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:42 pm

Nyx shrugs in response to Idrig. "He is young, right? And a... wealthy individual," she continues, almost saying 'prince' aloud before catching herself. "He might not just because of his status, but who knows? If he is known to frequent taverns, he might like this one too. They have cheap drinks in the mornings, from what I recall." Though who would go to such a place in the morning, in broad daylight? Shouldn't they be hiding their debauchery? I guess not, in Teiros.

Post by **ratwizard** » Sun Mar 07, 2021 11:11 am

Idrig shrugs. "To be honest, this city makes me think a raunchy dancing hall would be the best place for a young, wealthy, powerful man like he." He peers back up at Ciraco and the hostess, watching their exchange. "We'll keep it on our shortlist for now."

Post by **Namelessjake** » Mon Mar 08, 2021 8:53 am

"I think we'll make do with the butterflies on the stage today," Ciraco replies with a smile, before heading back to the group. "Well they're open, should we take a look around inside? Hopefully we can find what we're looking for," he says, joining their hushed conversation.

Post by **FinalTemplar** » Tue Mar 09, 2021 3:22 pm

"I'm not against it," Narciso whispers. "We can try anything at this point."

Post by **ratwizard** » Wed Mar 10, 2021 3:22 pm

"Lead on, bello," Idrig says to Ciraco, gesturing forward. "We should be looking for ambush spots, back entrances, any way to get clear of the rabble once things are on."

Post by **Scratcherclaw** » Thu Mar 11, 2021 2:58 pm

"Enjoy the show, darlings," the woman out from says with a wink, gesturing towards the building's open door as you file inside. The air within is stale and smells of cheap liquor and perfume, a telltale sign of the sort of establishment this is.

As your eyes adjust to the dim lighting within, you take in the whole establishment. Centered against the back wall is a T-shaped stage, lights and arcane effects centered upon it. Three women dance on the stage, wearing meager pieces of cloth that barely cover their well-exposed skin. You hear the constant beat of the drum, but you're unable to see any musician playing. Another dancer appears from backstage, taking a spot in the T's center.

"Let's take a look around and see what we can find," Luca says, scanning the establishment.

Small tables, barely seating more than four, are crowded around the stage. Most are empty, unsurprising given the time of day, but a handful are occupied by lonely men and women.

A small bar takes up the leftmost wall, its stools barren but an elven bartender mixing a drink of some sort behind it. He looks up as you enter and offers a quick wave before turning back towards the drink he's mixing. "Take a seat wherever you'd like and I'll be right with you," he says without looking up. On the opposing wall, there are plush benches flanking an unmarked archway.