Rodrigo froze at the hobgoblin's words, anticipating his next move. When none came, the elf resumed his assumed nonchalance, taking a sip from his goblet and asking, “So, do you write fiction then? Copper-dreadfuls, perhaps?” A sense of unreality came over him. Next thing he knew, he'd be discussing philosophy with a beastman!

Durek continues to drink prepared to help if needed.

Kareth nods almost imperceptibly to Talis, then wends his way to Manfred's table and sits down right at the edge of the bench - one leg under the table, the other out so he is ready to stand up again quickly.

He smacks his hand on the table and says in a loud voice "lemme buy you a drink, man.  I'm having a good day today - what is it yer tipplin' on anyway?"

Then under his breath he mutters to the man.  "I'm looking for an.... item... heard you might be selling".

Gierdon continued to drink his ale, nearly finishing the tankard. He listened to the dialogue between Rukao & Rodrigo, still somewhat uneasy with the hobgoblin.

Talis tried to be nonchalant and attempted to use his keen Elven ears to listen in on Kareth's conversation.  He was unused to such nebulous dealings and was interested in learning how to go about such things in the future.

Rukao shook his head a little, taking the moment to glance over towards his target briefly before answering with an amused chortle.

"Not at all. Just looking for a job. You know, when one of their neighbors has been robbed or murdered, there is little a person with money to burn wants more than someone big, ugly, and vicious who can follow orders, stay up all night and see in the dark to lurk around their house."

Perhaps he had let on too much, but then he wasn't really the kind that did much to mask his intentions and motivations. He preferred to wear his intentions on his sleeve. He paused only briefly before adding.

"But, now and again... other opportunities spring up."

Kareth may not be sure it's really Manfred, but Manfred clearly recognizes Kareth.

A dagger appears in Manfred's hand and he stabs at Kareth while snarling under his breath to his two cohorts, "It's him! Get him!"

One of Rodrigo's eyebrows crawls down his forehead as he processes the hobgoblin's words, then rises again as comprehension dawns. “Ah! You apply for work where there has been crime! La, that is good thinking!” And, surprising himself, he toasts the beastman, then looks over at Gierdon.

Gierdon simply grunts as Rodrigo and Rukao toast. He finishes his ale and stands up from the stool at the bar and glances around the room.

Rukao gives a quick nod to the Elf, seeming a bit put off that the Elf had to consider his words before understanding. He had thought he was making himself perfectly clear. After all, there was, after all, only one other reason he would be reading the crime report sheets.

And, deciding that this Elf so far, seemed more honest than most of his kind, he decided to let him in on his secret. Leaning into the bar, over his mug he spoke in a quiet voice-- one that in all likelihood Gierdon might still be able to hear.

"As for other opportunities..." he slid one of the papers, the one Rodrigo had caught a glance of earlier, "See the murder? The thief who was there when it happened is in the bar right now. I saw his wanted sign. Thing is, he's not the killer. I want to wait for his partner to show up, but I could use some help taking them down."

Rodgrigo, even more surprised at the latest turn of events, considers for a moment. He looks at Anneth's slumped form, then over to the dwarf. "Why not?" he answers. "Let's ask my friend Gierdon to play, too; I'm sure he'd feel left out otherwise." And the elf grins.

Talis was taken off guard.  He was unsure how the man Kareth thought was Manfred would react; negotiate? flee? bluster?  All seemed like possibilities.  Out right murder in broad daylight was not something the Elf had considered.  When his momentary shock passed he leapt to his new friend's aid.

Talis charged over and tried to plow into Manfred's friends in an attempt to delay their ability to attack Kareth.

"I'm still not sure if I trust ya but I'll help. Who's the theif?"Gierdon asked as he looked around the bar. He couldn't really see much being a dwarf, only those immediately around him.

Anneth twitches, and murmurs softly.  She'd heard something about Copper dreadfuls, and murderers and thieves, and...ugh, ye gods, where was she.

An eyelid flutters open.  She was in a tavern.  Around her was that dwarf, Gierdon; the elf, Rodrigo...and that Rukao, who had to have been a hobgoblin.

She and the dwarf intervened against some po-dunk tavern regulars that were bullying Rodrigo around; after some talking, the three decided to poke around and see what was so special about the place.
Anneth wandered into the tavern, acting like she was looking for some friends of hers, and took a seat next to Rukao, and proceeded to (very badly, given her alcohol intolerance) bluff her way around a conversation.  ...then she passed out for a few minutes.

"Nnh..." Anneth rose.  "Thief?  Play?"

Rodrigo looks at Anneth with some surprise, then smiles at her 'recovery.'

"Anneth, Rukao here says there's a thief in the tavern whose partner is wanted for murder, and asks for assistance in capturing the criminal when he shows up. We thought we'd get involved. Would you like to participate in the festivities?"

Durek continues to drink his ale, although his off hand starts to slip towards his axe.

Not surprised that Manfred produced a dagger, Kareth was surprised that Manfred chose to attack him!

He'd been half-prepared for that just the same, and leaped backwards to avoid the attack. He wasn't quite prepared for his two associates to also join the fray. Not the kind of odds he was interested in.

While Manfred struggled to extract himself from behind the table, Kareth decided to help him along. He stepped forward, grabbed the edge of the table and heaved it sideways at the two thugs, hopefully pinning them in place, at least temporarily.

Eyeballing the sudden action across the tavern, Rodrigo asks Rukao, "I don't suppose our poster-boys are a part of that group, are they? I'll need a scorecard to tell the players apart."

Rukao turned and stood up as though he were going perhaps interfere in the bout. In fact, even as he glanced down to Rodrigo and said quietly, "Just follow me." Rukao would have liked to have waited longer, but if he had managed to line up a posse behind him and the bar had already erupted into a fight, it was best to pin down and take in the wanted man rather than continue to wait in hopes of getting two.

Once he began moving, his general movement towards the back corner that Vengo was sitting in could hardly be mistaken, though he didn't make any point of speaking up to announce that he was intending to address the man. In fact, one might easily surmise that he was going over to him to talk.

Grinning, Rodrigo stood up and followed the hobgoblin.

Temporarily distracted by the ensuing scuffle, Gierdon hears Rukao suggest to follow him second-handedly. Seeing him and Rodrigo begin to move, he snaps out of the momentary diversion. "Hey! Wait for me!" he says as h quickly catches up to the pair.

"How could a hedonist and thrill-seeker like myself not like festivities?  I'm in." The Dabbler-in-Arts follows the demi-humans, her left hand ready to grab her whip at a moment's notice.

Kareth's ploy worked even better than he expected. The table slammed into the two cohorts, and knocked the wind out of at least one of them. At the same time, the lurching table caused Manfred to lose his balance and sprawl over the now-upright edge of the table.

In reply to Mysterion (msg # 141):

Talis halted his headlong charge and tried to pin the two thugs with Manfred with the table.

Rodgrigo looks to the hobgoblin for a hint as to who they're trying to capture, since there are so many folks already involved in the brawl.