RP:A Little on the Short Side
This is a Devout's Guild RP.
Summary: Larz and Kyori back at it again in Lithrydel Vice.
The Jester's Gambit
The Jester's Gambit is in many ways a subtle testament to those who most often step through its modest oak door. The room is long, narrow and low, warmed even in the depths of winter by a homey-looking hearth of river-stones midway along the western wall. Small round tables of smoothed wood, each graced by three or four cushioned chairs of the same material, are organized on a sawdust-covered floor in a way which allows the staff to move with relative freedom among them. At the far end of the room, a long bar of teak hosts more than two dozen barstools, many of which seem to be occupied no matter the hour. Most visible surfaces have been polished until they glow, imparting a warmth to the room quite apart from the relatively friendly chatter of its patrons and the attentive barmaids who make sure that no thirsting tongue remains parched for long. The scents of baking bread, hearty stew and pipe-smoke overlay the more yeasty aroma of hops, suggesting at once that this watering-hole also doubles as a popular eatery, where the gnaw in a hungry belly might be assuaged for a small bit of coin. Any traveller who enters can expect a quick smile and welcoming words from the proprietor, a round-faced little man by the name of Finley, whose eyes seem to twinkle with merriment no matter how dark the tidings he hears.
Largakh had already gotten some good leads from Enchantment and had it on good authority that the ‘ogre’ he’d been looking for headed this way not that long ago. So, as usual, he decides to find his way to the tavern and politely excused himself through the small crowd of hobbits to make his way towards the bar counter so he could ask, “hey, how are you? I’ve been asking around about an ogre, has anything odd going on here lately?” Finley quickly starts to give the half orc details on what has been going on and Larz adjusts his light leather armor before taking out a folded up piece of parchment and bit of charcoal to write said details down.
Kyori doesn’t have an excuse to be near hobbits. Honestly, he didn’t even know they had a name. He was just milling around, trying to see if he could get anyone to read the map he’d ‘happened upon’ if happened upon means slipped anonymously under your rented room. Penelope told him to go to the library in Cenril but…the warrior ended up here, at the Jester’s Gambit, instead. This place needs more signs. He’d arrived before Lars and was bent over, hassling an older hobbit man to look at his map when the half orge walked in. The old hobbit waved the spellblade off, puffing on his tobacco, unhurried by Kyori’s desperation. The blonde tussles his hair in frustration. He wasn’t illiterate. The map maker could have just written the directions. Sapphire eyes glint up to catch sigh of the familiar face and Kyori smiles despite himself. “Yo! Lars!” He waves a hand overhead; he’d been kneeling in the floor to talk to the old man. They are, after all, the tallest people here. The warrior dusts off his knees and wades impatiently through the sea of hobbits that he didn’t know were called hobbits but that’s most definitely what they are called. “What’s up man? Friends of yours?” He holds the wrinkled letter in his left hand.
Largakh’s gaze is drawn by the appearance of the ogre he’d been looking for and the reason he knew it was is because the barkeep’s own gaze looks unsure and startled all of the sudden. He stands fully just as Kyori also spots him and he offers a brief nod, but as soon as the ‘ogre’ saw the two men, he backs out the entrance in attempts to escape. “Hey, Kyori,” he pulls the long bow that had been strapped across his torso, “ready to help the devouts guild catch a bully?” He chuckles and in only a few long strides, he clears the tavern and heads outside to see the back of an ogre running away from them. With a quickness, the orc pulls free a binding arrow and notches it before taking aim, but hesitates to bellow to the miscreant, “I will give you only on chance to come quietly!” The ogre glances over his shoulder, but keeps running and in doing so, give Larz the answer. By now, a small crowd had gathered outside the tavern to watch the commotion unfolding and that’s when Larz released the arrow. THUNK! The arrowhead sinks into the wood of a tree after passing through the ogre as if he were an apparition. Yellow eyes widen in surprise and glance to Kyori while strapping the bow across his chest again so they may sprint after the escaping ogre.
Kyori's posture stiffens when Larz's bow appears. "Whoa," he says with concern, trying to follow the other's male's gaze to the far side of the room. A very panicked individual is bee lining for the door. Oh. He understands. "Don't need to ask me twice." He chuckles, letting the half orc lead the charge. It was his quarry. The warrior'd missed the speed of the man's arrow in the chaos of Cenril's streets, but here it was plain to see how much power Larz put behind his arrows. Not only was it a damn good shot but it split through that guy like nothing he'd ever seen. He makes a mental note to work out more and waits at the orc's side before they pursue the perp. For now, he leaves his sword sheathed, but his right hand twitches in preparation. When necessary, he could sling it out with a second's notice. Whoever the bully ogre was, it looked like he had friends. Two other men with swords burst through the brush right behind their injured mate, blocking the way for Larz and Kyori. Or, Kyori would say, attempting to. "I'll take low if you take high." Made the most sense; Larz had a Warhammer bow. The warrior runs at the ogre on his side of the brush and dips down at the last second, sliding on slick leaves clean through to the other side. Once behind the man, the spellblade's sword clicks back into it scabbard (when did he take it out?) and the man he'd attacked cries out and stumbles. Kyori's pulled the blade free in transit and sliced the man's tendon in his right leg. He wouldn't be walking any time soon.
Largakh grins down at Kyori as they are sprinting towards the henchmen and gives a curt nod before clotheslining the opposite ‘friend’ of this assailant. “I believe we are looking for a male shadow gnome and the ogre was just a mere illusion.” He pulls his long bow back out and begins to stealthily stride one way while motioning Kyori to take the other path so they may look for the illusionist quickly. Keen senses pick up random scents, one of which being a strength potion that had recently been opened and possibly consumed. Narrowing yellow hues scan the area for partings in bushes or broken twigs and his tapered ears take in the myriad of sounds coming from the small patch of woodland they’ve happened upon. Keeping his bow notched to be released at a moments notice and a level head about him, he continues on his path while making sure to keep an eye and an ear out for Kyori in case their paths cross, but while he’s on his own and alone… something caught his eye. It was a spirit of a dryad, one that looked as ancient as the frost mother he’d encountered in Frostmaw and she’s pointing to a small hovel as she harshly whispers, “what you seek is in there, mother killer.” The half orc scowls and looks around before motioning Kyori over after the apparition dissipates. “I think he’s hiding in there,” Larz whispers to Kyori while looking to the hovel at the base of two trees, “I think one of us should go around back in case the little guy tries to escape again, but be on high alert because I think he’s taking strengthening potions.” If Kyori wants to bust in the front door, kick ass and take names then Larz would be happy to be the guard out back, but he’s just honestly happy to get this scum caught and taken care of. Once they establish their positions, Larz heads to his own while being very careful not to make any noise just yet.
Kyori knew he wasn’t the smartest, fastest, most build dude in the world. If the orge was an illusion, it fooled him. Why wouldn’t it? You’re easily fooled, aren’t you hero? The spellblade smirks as the other man collapses under Larz’s bow and swerves out to stay behind him. His eyes are a brilliant, feral blue. He smells it too. The potion is fresh and the twigs are snapping loudly in his sensitive ears. Kyori breaks off from their shared path to sweep out and close the target in. He only swings back when the dryad speaks, pretending he couldn’t hear it. Why had it said ‘mother killer’? Stashing that complex question for later, the warrior nods. “Take the back; I’ll wear him out if that’s the case.” And that’s just what Kyori intended to do. He made as much noise as he could; literally kicked the door in and screamed for the owner to ‘show itself’. Larz would hear from his position, no doubt. “If you’re just a short fella, I’ll have mercy on you.” He chuckles, trying to rile the gnome’s rage. Aaaand that did the trick. Out of the corner of his eye, a blurred shadow crashes into his shin. Kyori stays upright but mumbles impatiently, unsheathing his sword and drives the metal point into the dirt floor. Child like hands dig into his foot and start to lift him. The spellblade mutters a second more before the floor quakes in one violent burst of energy. The gnome, no longer wanting to play if magic is involved, runs towards the back door and straight into Larz’s grasp.
Largakh crouches behind a bush and thankfully his green skin helps in camouflaging him while he waits for Kyori to smoke the gnome out. It’s a success as the little guy is heading right for him and Larz wastes no time snatching the little guy up before binding him in magic dampening shackles. With a sharp whistle, a large bird carrying a cage flutters down and Larz guides the gnome to get inside of the little looking jail cell. The bird takes a letter in his beak that Larz was holding out to him before taking off to the skies toward the sanctum, then Larz grins at Kyori, “again we seem to make a good team. The devout’s guild thanks you.” The words from the dryad spirit keep playing over and over in his head, but outwardly the half orc doesn’t seem bothered, “I’m going to head to Cenril and get a drink, care to join me?” After their work today, they’ve earned it! “First round on me,” figuring he’d sweeten the deal. If the offer is taken up, great, but if it isn’t then that’s fine too and he has no qualms on getting a drink all on his own.