With a sinking heart, Celene came to terms with the thought that they would not be able to bring any justice against Vark, especially sensing the threat from behind the constable. One corrupt officer was one thing, but a score of thugs quite another. All they could hope for wes getting safely out of the place.

"Certainly, Constable, I am at your disposal." Slowly raising a petite feminine hand to allow Grogan to help her up on the pier, she hoped he caught the gesture, and was able to keep his balance long enough to let him be a gentleman. If it seemed about to fail, she instead would climb slowly up herself, handing the dress to Alohan if he would take it. Going up, she injected "but these people are with me, I cannot part with them. They are, uhm, my guide here, and my bodyguard, and of course sister Angati of the holy temple of Liir. I would be lost without them.", indicating the rest of the group when landed on the pier.

The watchman leers at her as he helps her up. "Oh, yes, yes. Them too. As long as they get out of our district."

Several rough lads that had been hanging around in the crowd climb down and go to Soller's assistance. They untie him and remove the webbing, allowing the man to get to his feet. The smug grin has disappeared. Wiped off his face by the sight of the dress disappearing off his boat.

Angati watched silently as they were dismissed and the thugs came by to help Soller, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but thought better about it and just continued walking silently with the rest.

They needed to get to the Lady's house before it was too late... hopefully the payment for the dress would help the tailor continue with his business.

Alohan looked between the cleric and constable Gorgon. It was clear justice would not be dealt this day. He leaned in close to the cleric, attempting to keep his words between them, not particularly caring if Gorgon heard anyways. "I be takin' de dress back to Miss Vanderboren. De Gods only know if we be seein' eachother again. Dank ya for all ya done dis day."

With dress in hand, Alohan began to make his way through the crowd, off Barge End, and up Gull Street.

Hearing Alohans message clearly, Celene didn't let go of the dress. Dreading the thought of being left alone with this creep, she looked up at a thought, adressing the constable. "Oh, as I am just reminded, we are urgently needed back with the dress to perform the ritual blessing in time for the wedding!" Lighting up, she added "perhaps you would be kind enough to escort us a way, while we could go over matter between the two of us, even though it will be at a brisk pace? I would be relieved, as we are unused to traversing this district." Thinking it over a second, she adds an less strenious alternative. "But of course, I understand if you have pressing matter to attend to, in that case we could also handle these matters later?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:07, Wed 04 Mar 2015.

Logan kept close to Celene and Angati, playing the part of the guide to Shadowshore, not trusting his comments to help their cause with either the corrupt watchman or Vark.

"Why of course," says the crusty watchman in answer to Celene. If he is disappointed that the young lady will not be accompanying him to do 'paperwork' then he doesn't show it. The crowd grudgingly parts to allow them off the docks, also making way for Logan, Alohan and Agnati to pass by.

As Alohan climbs up out of the boat and onto the docks, Soller's eyes shoot daggers at him. His rough companions are whispering to him, and one of these unsavoury men points at Logan - no doubt telling how the rogue was also involved with Vark's capture. The scared man scowls deeply and stares at the back of the thief as he also climbs up to the dock.

The party makes it to the end of the dock just in time to see Karthach turn the corner and jog into view. The dwarf is red faced and out of breath. "Did I... <wheeze> miss... <wheeze> anything?..." he pants.

With constable Grogan's help, under the watchful eye of Logan, the party make it out of Shadowshore without any problems. The watchman tries to kiss Celene's hand in farewell (unsuccessfully) and also cower both Alohan and Logan with a long, deep glower (also unsuccessfully). Agnati escapes without notice.

OOC: Comments? How are the characters feeling? At least Alohan completed his mission. Agnati came so close...

Angati was furious, she couldn't really blame anyone in particular for they didn't know, but nonetheless... things had gone quite wrong at the end, and she felt the need to explain herself so that it would be avoided if they needed to do anything else together.

Turning to Celene she said "Dear please... I know I have not spoken of this, and thus do not blame you, but do not give my name nor my origins to anyone... let me decide who I want to share it with. Your trust in the law is commendable, but I just would rather remain anonymous when I am around ruffians like Soller or that damned drunkard"... she said clearly including the sheriff in the ruffians part.

"As for the rest, I am not sure what went through your minds when I asked you to take the bag... but I'll tell you why I did, I not some snobby woman that doesn't want to get her hands dirty" she made an ample gesture with her arms, showing the sorry state of her dress from her previous fight at the Tailor's shop "But I cannot be trusted around objects when something might go wrong with them, like getting them broken, thrown around, dropped to the sea, or fed to the dogs for eating... If I try to pick up something like that, or drop it, there is a much higher chance that something will go wrong than if anyone else does it". It was hard enough to accept it as it was, and talking about her sister would only make them more suspicious.

OOC: The game is really fine, do not worry. I am glad that not everything went on perfectly, it allows for more tension and growing in relations one way or another.

For the first dozen step, Celene is quiet and calm, but as their escape seems secured, her face and shoulders slump, and a sigh, almost a cry, escapes her lips. "Have we really gotten out?" she asks in disbelief, turning her head to look back. Adressed to Logan, she exclaims "whatever you had warned us about the place could not have prepared me. The dread from the last minutes still leaves me scared witless."
She shakes her head again in disbelief, before looking up at Logan again,
"did you know any of these people? And now what happens? Can you go back here to Shadowshore safely later?"

Afterwards, when Angati speaks up:

Hearing Angatis reprimand, she quietly replies. "I am sorry, Angati, I did not realise this. I will remember your wish for anonymity next time - if I am able to keep my wits about me. This just now - I just kept talking and talking, hoping to confuse or persuade that oaf to let us away get away safe and unharmed. I fear I would not have remembered it if you had told me thrice."

Shaking off the chill remembrance of the encounter, she adds with conviction: "But in fact it is not really 'trust' I have in the law. It is more.. belief. A strong belief that the law SHOULD be trustworthy, for everyone. But for that, you have to fight! And this recent encounter just proves that. " Her fists clenching, she looks to the sky. " I am just so frustrated that we lost this fight. But live to fight another day, I suppose?"

"And I apologise if you have misjudged you - but I don't understand! Why can you not be trusted carrying things? You are... a bit older than we, but you seem very healthy and solid! Is something the matter with your hands?" Celene looks at Angatis hand, expecting to suddenly see crooked, gnarled fingers.

At next opportunity (after talk with Angati), she addresses the islander.

Turning to Alohan, she now hands over the dress to him, if he will accept it. "Here is your charge, I hope it is still in proper condition. Just before when you asked for it, I.. I froze, I panicked. I dared not let go of it, it was my only connection to freedom, to this less corrupt part of this city." She observes Alohan and his reaction, to try and guess his thoughts.


OOC: begging forgiveness for slipping in a few comments instead of just answering chronologically (to Angati), but I think she'd need to get that off her chest first, and also hand over the dress soon. Hope it's ok? Trying to fit it all in one, to save game time - or should we just keep to single outputs, and take the time for back and forth?
This message was last edited by the player at 21:00, Thu 05 Mar 2015.

Logan smiled at Celene.  "Don't worry about it.  I take it this is your first taste of Shadowshore?  People don't choose to live here if they have other options.  But things'll settle down, given enough time.  Perhaps I should spend the rest of day outside of town.  Vark might take it upon himself to see if he can get a little retribution.  I wonder how important that whole dress thing was to him.  I might be able to guess how far he'd go for revenge.  Surely he wouldn't stoop to..."  Logan frowns, looking suddenly worried.  "I mean, he was just paid to steal the dress, right?  He can't have any skin in the game, so to speak?  I'm sure my mother is safe."  Logan suddenly wheels around, looking in all the alleys.  "Who did I just give a big frak you too, beside Vark and the constable?"  The rogue is clearly agitated thinking about the consequences his mother might pay for his actions.

To Celene's question Angati just replied "It is related somehow to the temporal disturbances I am attuned to... though indirectly. One day, I might let you know in more detail... it is nothing serious, but it is so, and there is nothing I can do about it except endure it".

Angati looked at Logan, "If you want, I can probably get you a pass for the Shrine, for your mother, maybe she can stay there for a day or so, until we see how things evolve... my take is that Soller is afraid of Vanthus, thats what I was counting on, and it's what made him talk... loosing the steal wouldn't mean a thing, but now Vanthus will be after him. I think he will be more concerned about hiding than about getting a revenge on you or any of us for the time being, and I doubt that he would go as far as killing... I am more concerned though about Vanthus"

OOC: Saving time is top priority I feel in a pbp post Celene, so its great to just group everything in one post.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:35, Fri 06 Mar 2015.

Looking incredulous at Angati, Celene blurts, "attuned to temporal disturbances, what...? You surely must be hiding more within you than what is apparent. But if you do not want to divulge it, let us keep it at that. Should you like to discuss it though, I will be all ears. All phenomena, magic or divine, intrigue me immensely. But I am sorry for your suffering while enduring it."

Listening to Angatis suggestion to Logan, Celene nods. "Vark should be busy with hiding, if this son of the Vanderborens and the Jade Dragons - or was it Lotus?, are as dangerous as indicated. But of course, he might not be above petty revenge. Perhaps Angatis offer is the safest course of action... Should we go and take her with us?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:53, Sat 07 Mar 2015.

Alohan took the dress with a nod, listening to the cleric explain herself. He felt she performed quite superbly -in fact, they all had. He was satisfied. His duty to Amarilde was complete and he would depart back to Remmi. "Ya have done me a great service," he began, turning to all of them in turn. "Without ya magics and bodies, I be back with de chickens. But Alohan needin ya help once more. This not be me city and I be needin' help findin' Amarilde's residence. If ya not doing much dis day, how about helping me find my ko'u aloha."

Sasserine wasn't his home. He probably could find his apartment in Shadowshore -if required- but the greater city was an anomaly to him. If not for his companions, Alohan would be lost.

OOC: Sorry, the gang is called the 'Lotus Dragons'. I've gone through all the posts and corrected the name.

Alohan suddenly remembers that Amarilde said she was going to wait at the tailor's shop for him to return, so he heads back there with the rest of the party.

Bronson's Bridal Boutique is looking in slightly better condition than last time they had seen it. The small dressmaker is in the process of mopping out the ground floor of the shop, and most of the blue dye has been washed away. Amarilde and Remmi are also helping. They have picked up the fabric that had been thrown around and stacked the cloth that was undamaged in one corner of the room. The young bride looks up form her work as the party returns.

"Did you get it?" Amarilde asks. "Please say you got it!" She rushes out to greet them.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:29, Sat 07 Mar 2015.

Bronson puts down his mop and follows the bride out of the shop. He looks at Agnati and Karthach. "And the money that was stolen from me? What about that?"

Karthach says nothing and shuffles his feet.

"I am afraid not master Bronson" she said pausing a bit after this to give time to the dressmaker to make whatever desparate noises he need to utter. "We were really close, almost had it, but at the end, it escaped us... Maybe Miss Amarilde will see the quality of your work in her dress and agree to help you out a bit so that you can retake your business and she can get a good discount on future dresses... I think that might be interesting for you both, but of course... you should discuss that with the Lady and she needs to be really impressed by it... " she said it loud enough so that Amarilde would hear but could still pretend she had not.

Bronson's lips quiver, then his eyes fill with tears. "I'm ruined!" he cries in an anguished wail and then runs back into his little shop, slamming the door behind him.

A smile forms on Amarilde's face. "So you got it?!" she asks with a high pitched squeal.

The noble lady turns to Agnati. "You can forget about me giving him extra coins old lady. I paid for the dress in advance. It is the tailor's problem if he can't look after his own money," she says coolly.

Alohan stepped forward, box in hand. He did an elaborate bow holding the chest at arms length presenting it to Amarilde with light-hearted flourish. "Ya dress, ko'u aloha" he said simply, waiting for her to take the box.

With his task now concluded, Alohan retreats to Remmi, leaning casually against the wall. [Language unknown: "It naioll ast ce tic Llalpowias na a at derar nianes. Roro es evencecom tio, t alouacan ar notprewas iech astnceset hou astnottraive se ivbe sa caloelto."] He held his wound up for Remmi to see. It was crusted with blood and never dressed but already his dark skin was beginning to repair itself. [Language unknown: "E ennd Pr ie a reelei trahi, oerlattin"]

Angati turned towards Amarilde, she was of a lowly family compared to her birth and even if she was not going to be bringing that up, she most definetly did not feel intimidated in the least by the lady.

So, that remark did it, it somehow woke up the bitch in her, so bringing up all the haughtiness she had been surrounded with since her birth she turned to her "Ahhh... but you see, you fail to see that it was your dress that actually caused the ruin to him... I know, you don't really care for that, and I do understand it..." she paused.

"I can understand a child like you, getting all dreamy about her wedding dress... but to loose all your wits on it ?" she actually giggled at that "Oh... my oh my... to be able to spread such rumours just the day of your wedding" she brought the giggles to actual laugh "To be able to ruin all your beautiful and perfect image just by spreading a few words here and there... how they will love it... but I see you don't fully believe me" ...  she said looking at her, "Let me tell you how I am going to be doing this in all detail my dear child, let's see, it's still early in the morning, that still gives me time to reach Miss Tamara and her niece, they take their usual walk around the park... you know, then it will be lunch at the Griffins, they make a delightful SeaBass marinated in soya sauce... ahh I see you know that dish... anyway, you know how her mother is, and how she absolutely abhors your family... For tea time I'll suggest we go pay a visit to Galatea... Worrin's daughter, you probably know her, she must be about your age or so... anyway, she loves cinamon biscuits, dipped in good rumour such as this... anyway, I think that by the time you say your 'Yes I do'... half the town will know what a sorry piece you are.... ain't that delicious ?"

OOC: (she would have given details of people... harpies known to all, including details that only someone knowing them personally could know). If needed she'd use misfortune on her to believe the lie, though all the details about the gossip would be real

"You child, calling people old without even knowing who they are.. hilarious... and ... here we are... with a beautiful wedding planned, and without having even discussed the price of telling you about who did it... Oh my, oh my... this witless child had not thought about that ? what will your father say when you go back home now ? ... and what a laugh for all this afternoon....".

Her face turned serious... "So.. maybe you want to make amends... a little price to pay to avoid having your wedding tied to the day that people knew you for the witless petty child you are... and... you will even learn who did this to you... which will probably be handy when daddy asks you."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:38, Sun 08 Mar 2015.

Amarilde rushes forward and yanks the small chest out of Alohan's hands. Without hesistation she opens the chest, pulls out the white dress and holds it up for inspection. She sighs in relief when she sees it is totally undamaged. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much my brave man!" Amarilde says with pure joy in her voice. She makes a move to hug him, but backs off when she realises that there is no clear spot in between the fish guts, rotten fruit and chicken shit that covers him.

Placing the dress back in the box, she pulls a small bag from her waist. "This is for you," she says, placing it gingerly in his hand.

OOC: It contains 50gp, your bonus for a job well done Alohan.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:47, Sun 08 Mar 2015.

Remmi raises an eyebrow and looks him over. [Language unknown: Ouatho nion, i wape conatithi wisica ev wi dinhe pro ta pa herconrut mosier thenc kor ntendeeau.]