In reply to GM (msg # 120):

Before they get to that point they hear the crackling of Fire and the voices crescendo and end in screams.

Off in the medium distance they see a pillar of smoke.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 121):

OOC: The visual is a 2nd invocation of the ability, requiring more Echo etc.

One of the guards peels off and runs back toward the gates.  The rest will continue on toward the Priest's house (distant fires not being their problem).

Thus you've reduced their numbers but not bought any more time.

In reply to GM (msg # 122):

Titus' smile dissipates as he grasps for the illusions at the back of his mind but is unable to do so.  The column of smoke becomes a pencil and then fades from existence.

Shit...

Titus leaps down from his vantage point and runs to the priests house, just tossing it... making a mess.  He then runs out and cuts off the knot of men.

Strange happenings today all around isn't it.  M'name's Titus I was one of the inspectors from the South who found the priest.

He rubs his eyes blearily.

Been up all night watching this bastard... hate to break it to you boys but he skittered off early this morning.  Tried to follow him but lost him in the crowd.  Heard him sayin something about having a cave up in the mountains not too far from here.  Said he had food water and everythin he needed. 

He starts moving away from the house, gesticulating excitedly

He left in a right hurry about 5 minutes ago... I'm surprised you didn't bump into him on your way here. 
This message was last edited by the player at 15:05, Thu 26 July 2018.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 123):

Brennan glances up, frowning at the horizon.

"Did you...was there smoke there a moment ago?"

He rubs his eyes and shrugs.

"I guess it's just the lack of sleep getting to me. Really need to meditate."

Brennan sips from his chalice quietly.

In reply to Brennan Otthild (msg # 124):

Outskirts

"Out of our way!" the guard starts in, but minor annoyance turns to worry at Titus' story.

"Fuck... the Master of Arms will have our heads for this."

Unless Titus stops them, they search the house, quickly, and are dismayed at what they find.

"Into mountains?  Damnit... I don't want to go climbing..."

The guards kick around the house a few times, then stomp angrily back toward DuckTown.

On the Road

Brennany, Ciryl, and Deev continue their walk, soon to reach DuckTown and swing around on the larger road that circumnavigates it and leads past the shanytown.

In reply to GM (msg # 125):

Titus breathes a sigh.

Well... that was a lot of unnecessary work.  I'm starving.

He goes to find breakfast and then will head off to the docks to claim his new ruffians.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 126):

Fortunately, breakfast and the docks are conveniently co-located.

As the first few fishing boats return (primarily crab trappers) a cornicopia of aquatic-based meals is available.  Titus has his pick of crab stew, oysters, smoked fish, or even more eel skewers if he so desires.

It is convenient too to be outside of the city walls, as recent events have gotten people quite riled.

The guard at the gates has been doubled, and more pace the walls.

Inside DuckTown, Guards have been posted at every major junction, many of which were clearly just conscripted or deputized as they wear little or no armor or badges.  Even the townsfolk have taken up arms, whether a hatchet at the belt or a knife handy, ready for anything.

A paranoid disquiet has fallen over DuckTown, even in the slums, and though it is no less bustling, the humor and candor seems eerily muted.

Titus

And so, Titus takes his lunch in the slum docks under the careful gaze of suspicious men.  When he asks about, he is able to find out that Keller is dead, Burke likely passed out somewhere, and Gheller is hauling stone.

After his breakfast, Titus marches to the stone dock, and find the described man, Gheller, to be a sizeable brute of a man who is currently busy loading enormous stones into a small rowboat.

The Rest

OOC: doing some temporal necromancy and bringing timelines together as quickly as possible.  Let Titus do some chatting and then you'll be able to find him.

Skirting the town, you can feel the unease radiating off of it.  Guards at the wall cast meaningful glances at you but do not engage.

You are not disappointed to lose them behind the first huts of the slums.

In reply to GM (msg # 127):

Titus polishes off the last of his crab stew and ambles over to the docks feeling the nervous buzz of the town and feeding off of it, knowing, its entirely his doing.  He can now wear the prince of swords openly as it is no longer out of place.  He blends into the crowd until he hits the docks and sees the large man.  He waits patiently for him to finish loading the stone he is carrying walks up introducing himself.

You must be Gheller.  He says crouching down on the dock to be at eye level with the man.  We have some mutual friends and some business to discuss... In private.  Can I buy you a meal?

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 128):

Stone Dock in the Slums

"I am..." Gheller grunts, dropping the stone he was carrying.  "Who wants to know?"


"Heard the clerk ate a knife last night.  You pay as well?"

He accepts the offer of food and eats whatever is offered greedily and quickly.

In reply to GM (msg # 129):

Titus smiles wickedly.

One of mine.

The smile fades almost immediately and his accent goes rough

I pay every bit as well as the clerk.  

Look here's the deal.  The clerk isn't the big fish in all this mess.  Shit I'm not even the big fish in all this mess.  Problem is big fish is none too talkative.  So all I know is the clerk made the big guy unhappy, big guy sent me to fix the problem...  Now I gotta take charge of the mess that idiot left behind.

So I need first ta find out what the clerk was doing. I'm not here to rock your boat as it were, heard you were doing a bang up job.

So what exactly did he have you doing?  How did he arrange it?

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 130):

"My boat?!" Gheller asks quickly, casting a glance back toward the rowboat full of stones.  "Who said anything about my boat?  Nothing wrong with... shipping rocks..."

When Titus clarifies that he meant in the abstract, Gheller calms somewhat.

"Don't give a shit who you work for, don't give a shit about the Clerk," he continues casually.  "He paid me an my lot to distract a couple guards, make a ruckus somewhat, and one time to haul a corpse up to the mountain and huck it into a gorge.  Coupla times he just wanted someone tougher than him walking him around, maybe scared someone would jump him?  I dunno.  Rich fucks do that shit sometimes."

Gheller picks his squat nose while he thinks.

"Also very clear we don't talk to nobody, that if we're talking, we're not getting any more jobs.  Paid extra for that."

In reply to GM (msg # 131):

When Gheller starts telling him he doesn't give a shit about me or who I work for Titus smiles.

Good man.  Smart move.  So long as the gold spends..

As he recounts his various heists Titus winces as if pained.

That dumb fuck... I think thats what did it... that corpse.  Little girl I imagine?  When did you drop it and where? 

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 132):

Gheller scratches at his chest absently.

"Yeah, slender, barely ten I'd wager. Almost a baby.  Were... two weeks ago?  Maybe three?  Hauled that bitch up the foothills yonder to a ravine I know, tossed it in."  He gestures to the east.

In reply to GM (msg # 133):

All right, and when did you distract the guards?  What did you distract them from?

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 134):

Gheller frowns.

"Distract from.... I were doing the distracting, the fuck do I know what he was doing?  You got a job or what?  I don't got all day to sit here jawing."

In reply to GM (msg # 135):

You and I are going to get along just fine. 

Titus says with a broad, his hands blur as he without flourish, just speed, produces a pile of coins, shuffles them, and flicks them into two small piles.  One he leaves in the middle of the table, the other he pushes to Gheller.

He takes his leave and begins hunting for Burke.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 136):

"Allright then," Gheller grunts, all smiles now.  "You need somethin' you let me know."


Titus wanders off in search of Burke.

Burke proves much harder to find, everyone Titus encounters either doesn't know where he is, or doesn't want to know.

Titus eventually locates a low long building made from logs and waxed hides.  After kicking around it a bit, a bleary-eyed man crawls out with a series of grunts.  He is naked apart from his boots, and his body is the long wiry muscle of a fighter.  His multiple scars and cauliflower ears confirm it.

OOC: Brennan and Ciryle met Burke in the Pit earler.

He has a knife if one hand.

"Oo you?" he stammers.

In reply to GM (msg # 137):

Titus takes an appraising look at Burke's figure he taps a finger to his chin absently. 

A friend of a friend.  Did you hear the news about the Clerk?  I'm taking over his operation he... fucked up.

Unfortunately it's been left to me to figure out exactly how, so I need to know what he's had you doing.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 138):

Burke studies Titus for some time, wobbling slightly and squinting in the morning sun.

"The clerk," he states simply.  "He paid me.  Make sure the others leave him alone."

Burke seems to be having difficulty coming up with words.  Whether this is a hangover or just stupidity is up for debate.

"Bodyguard," he finally gets out.

A female voice mumbles something from the low tent, and Burke is momentarily distracted.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:47, Fri 27 July 2018.

In reply to GM (msg # 139):

Titus scratches himself while waiting for his player to stop sucking...
This message was last edited by the player at 16:01, Wed 01 Aug 2018.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 140):

Titus smiles disarmingly, his words at odds with his expression.

Burk... you and I both know thats bullshit.  You've been dealing with the masters... and I KNOW that you were hired to make an inconvenient inspector disappear.  One of your crew died in the process... We know that Keller was murdered, and you have been offered his crew.

So... tell me what masters, exactly have you dealt with... and what other dirty jobs they had you do. 

Titus produces a coin and flips it casually in the air as he speaks.

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 141):

Burke frowns.

"Were an inspector, heard about that, but I didn't do nothing about it.  Heard it went south if that's what your angling at, an Keller were killed on the road a few days past.

The Masters?  Look shitheel, I don't know where you got your ideas, but I don't work for no Masters, they got their own fancy people in DuckTown."  He spits on the ground and scratches absently at his balls.

In reply to GM (msg # 142):

Titus shakes his head.

Its a good thing your pretty Burke.  I was standing right fucking next to you when you made the deal.  None too subtle you are... man came up to you, flashed you a coin told you to make the inspector disappear.  Whoever that idiot was made an even bigger spectacle of it than you...

You were trying to get Keller's gang out of the deal.

See... I've been doing my legwork, don't try to out bullshit me. 

In reply to Titus Blackwell (msg # 143):

Titus now has Burke's undivided attention.  He takes a much more menacing stance, feet planted and ready to start swinging.

"Careful asshole, you don't know shit and you sure as fuck don't get ta tell me what I did.  If you come to arrest me, you better have some real men hidden somewhere!"

In reply to GM (msg # 144):

The man's shifted stance makes Titus lean back in repose and stick his hands into his cloak he looks relaxed, unconcerned and nonchalant.

If I came to arrest you why would I come with all of this song and dance bullshit.  I'd just have ten people dogpile on you and I'd have you in custody.

No.

I'm trying to keep your dumb ass alive.  Look whoever got Keller is still out there, and somebody has been burning through your layers or protection and getting very close to you and the people you have worked with.  Now... if you want that head made of shit to stay on your shoulders your best chance is to work with me.

You lie to me I can't protect you

You don't let me know whats going on... I can't protect you

You don't do any work for me... well then this would be the last coin you'd get from me.

Titus' hand moves impossibly fast handing him a coin, pressing one into his hand and tossing a coin. 

I'm a good friend to have.  So... is there anything I should know? 
This message was last edited by the player at 17:55, Thu 02 Aug 2018.