A night on the docks

[Akirapryde]

It was a calm moonless night over the harbor. Along the docks, many fishing ships were moored. High above, the clouds of the coming storm cast their long reach over this great norther city. Even before the full force of the rain had come, the first hint of rain had already started to fall. The early morning rains were common for this time of year, the rains were a welcomed sight to the fishermen who were just waking up. The rains meant that the Gods would grant them a plentiful catch today.


Elironda smiled as the long boat came up to the dock. The long boat was filled with paintings, a man child and other items. “Arwen?" Elironda said with a hint of surprise in her voice. She half expected to see the rest of the party showing up to try to teach her about being good. "Like a good second-rate thief. You showed up when all the real work was done.”

[Aria Blackthorn]

Arwen had left the house of the Amazing Cheetah. She had remembered Elironda saying something about innocent people being enslaved. She figured that she meant she had went to the docks to find the cultists.

But when she arrived she was in much disappointment, seeing Eliroda was in a long boat with paintings, other items, and a boy that was tied up. She knew the party wouldn't be happy if they saw the boy.

Hearing her comment she rolled her eyes. "Atleast I have a brain and don't fly to close to dangerous places and get zapped by lighting. "

[Akirapryde]

Elironda sighed heavily. She climbed out of the boat, "I am so amazed by your wit sometimes." She took the rope and pulled the long boat closer to shore, "can I ask, were you born with such a sharp wit or was magically induced in to your being."

"Allow me not to tempt that wit any further," She turned and smiled. As normally, the smile is only painted on. Her emotions were only surface deep. She motioned to the long boat as she continued to pull the rope forcing it on to the shore. "I am not sure what all is in those bags, but you and the others are welcomed to them. The boy and the paintings are coming with me."

She motioned with her finger, "speaking of paintings. I would like the paint brush, if you will." As she waited for Arwen to answer, she searched for a wagon that she might 'barrow.'

[Aria Blackthorn]

Arwen took a moment as she listened to Eliroda and said, "A wit huh? At least I don't smell like a rotting corpse. I'm far from a wit."

Arwen eyed the bags wanting to search through them for loot, but she knew she had other matters to attend to. "What plans do you have with the boy? I could just free them here and tell them where to go for help to find their family. I would like to assist you. Since I have plans for the brush for later." She did not want to give up the paint brush while she was in disguise as Jezebel. If she saw a chance to free people while on the other side she would.

[Akirapryde]

Elironda paused at the corpse comment, then laughed. "Oh!" She stopped and removed a long narrow bag strapped to her back. Her laugh was aimed at setting Arwen at ease rather than a sign of genuine emotion. Elironda brought a hand wagon and commanded the two unseen servants to load the paintings in to the wagon. "When you are disguising yourself, you really need to sell it." She turned to Arwen as she opened the bag. She revealed a severed human leg. It was rotting and smelled like death. "I found a body in an ally way and removed the leg. I let the leg bake in the sun over the day." She tossed the leg and sack in a trash pile, "you have to think of smells when you disguise yourself."

Elironda walked over to a nearby stump. She reached in to the hollowed out stump and removed some leafs and moss. She pulled another sack. She opened the sack to reveal a bar of soap. She walked to the water's edge. Carefully she removed her clothes and started to bath herself. "Good planning, my thieving apprentice, means the world." As she took her quick bath, she continued, "Don't worry about my plans with the boy. It is beyond anything I will allow you or the others to have any say in. His life is mine to decide solely."

She finished her quick bath and put her clothes back on. "As for the brush, I mean to give it to the temple. I believe with all that we have shared with them, they will be able to find a mage that can be trusted. Once that is done, they will be able to duplicate the brush."

With the last of her clothes put back on, she added baking flower and other kitchen scents to her disguise. One of the things that she had done in the past couple of days was to pay close attention to the housekeeper. Her peasant disguise was meant to ensure that it would be very thorough. She turned to Arwen and walked up to her. She moved in very close to the elf, "you smell like smoke and brandy." She carefully picked up the boy and carried him like a mother would carry her sleeping child. She turned and walked from the long boat as a ship in the distance erupted in to flames. "What ever is left in the boat is yours and the groups. I don't care about that stuff."

(OOC: I don't know what would be in the long boat. I know that no gems or coins would be in the boat, as that is in her pockets. The rest would be the DM's call, which I would respect)

[Aria Blackthorn]

Arwen listened to Elironda as she gave her a tip to disguising herself. "I was told to do something about my scent from one of my pirate friends. Though knowing more about it doesn't hurt."

She watched as Elironda took a birdy bath, seeing what scents she added to her outfit. "I know someone I trust that can make a copy of the brush, our mage from Oceanside. I have plans for the brush. Although, now that the boat is on fire I am going to have to go with the back up plan of infiltration."

[Akirapryde]

Elironda glanced to the fire in the harbor, "Instead of smoking and joking, you should have joined me. Instead, you missed all the fun." She turned her face to Arwen and revealed the bruises on her neck. With a nod and head motion to the burning boat, "Do you think that the rest of the cultists will get the message?"

She turned to the simple wagon, "Arwen, you will get your precocious brush back," Elironda said walking to the wagon. With her unseen servant expired, she took the handles of the wagon and started to push it down the road. "Coming," she asked and motioned to help her with the hand wagon.

[Aria Blackthorn]

Arwen sighed for an moment before digging in her bag. "I don't think infiltration at this moment is going to work for me. I'm going have to wait until another opportunity shows itself. I know the party isn't going be happy with what just happened. But I don't think what you've done was wrong."

Arden moved the bags that were on the long boat into the wagon, then assisted by pushing the wagon. "I'll give it to you once we have off loaded the paintings. But if you can wait, then I'll get you a copy and give you that. We are probably going to need two, one for the ones in the tower, one for you, and I'll hang onto the original incase something happens "

[Akirapryde]

Elironda sighed as she pushed the heavy wagon, "I think you are missing my intention. I don't want the paint brush for myself."

She glanced back at the burning boat, "I mean to give it to the temple. Well, I mean our faithful priest who has already done so much for us." she turned her head back to the the wagon and continued to push the wagon down the street. "Unlike the man you work for...." she paused and smiled, "a hell of a guy" she said with a sense of pride in his voice.

"You be quiet," she snapped. After taking a deep breath, "unlike him..the Priest, known as Little Jon, or Father Jon, has given unto us his services without asking for anything in return."

She looked at the sleeping boy and the paintings, "I mean to give him the paintings and this boy. So that his order can take the fame and credit for releasing them and saving this boy from the lies of the cultists." She paused a moment before adding, "This will ensure that his order will shine brightly. And show them our, well, your commitment to their goals and ideals."