[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/c08ee43b-ff52-4c30-9975-dc6fcf5910a3.jpg[/img][/center] [h3][b][i][color=00aeef] The Faded Lantern Tavern & Inn City of Guillan, 6:15PM Narrator-[/color][/i][/b][/h3] The Faded Lantern was now in full swing, and the festivities were well under way even though the festival had not yet officially begun, though the people of Guillan need little in the way of coaxing when it came to having a good time. The rain now fell as a consistent barrage of hefty cool droplets, forming puddles in the lows of the cobbles, and the crowds had changed out once already, save for the stragglers, already bound to bench by the grog, Merry, and very, very drunk. This was all normal for the tavern, festival or not. but the streets were still unbelievably crowded, even with the sudden downpour. Festivals always seemed to draw the most magnificent crowds, at least this was the way in Guillan. Lord Vargas Had finished making his rounds and left the rest to his capable staff to finish while he retired himself to his private quarters to prepare for the evening. Upon finding his door he was stopped by a young girl who forwarded him a letter, one which changed his demeanor the instant it hit his fingers. [i]He would recognize that sweet fragrance anywhere... Solange[/i] He had been after this one for quite some time. Vargas was attractive enough, and he had his way with plenty of women, rest assured. But something about Solange made him buckle. What ever it was, it could melt his arrogance in a single moment. A man who was otherwise quite a hard man to deal with, reduced to a bumbling wreck with a batt of her eyelashes. He smelled the envelope intensely, in a single and most awkward sniff before putting it in his coat pocket as he fumbled with the keys to his room, to which he finally retired. Once inside he opened the letter and began to read it as he got undressed to prepare for the night to come. He would surely have to put on his best now after receiving word from Solange. He was interrupted by a great deal of commotion outside. A large wagon filled with the King's guard had pulled up to the square just across the street from the tavern. They began to dismount and dispersed in the crowd in separate directions, while another headed towards the inn. It was hard to make out through the water cascading down the windowpanes but he could surely wager that it was sheriff Gerranti. Vargas scowled and hurriedly dressed and went to meet him downstairs. The music was loud and the crowd pulsated with it. The stench of ale and alcohol was already thick and stifling. Vargas finished sheathing his arm in his jacket just as he stepped out into the rain. Gerranti stood at the threshold already drenched and sopping. [color=00aeef][i][b]"I'd offer you a seat and a full horn, though I doubt you'd accept it."[/b][/i][/color] Vargas said, forcing a friendly smile, playing as though there was not a shared feeling of contempt between them. [color=ed1c24][i][b]"Aye, and you'd be right too."[/b][/i][/color] said the sheriff. [color=ed1c24][i][b]"You might not be on the straight and all but you're not as daft as they say."[/b][/i][/color] sneering as the half insult shot forth from his lips like a bolt set forth from bowed string. [color=00aeef][i][b]"So it's the business then?"[/b][/i][/color] Vargas said, as if it would ever be anything else. [color=ed1c24][i][b]"Aye. Looking for someone. Seems Baron Astly has had a run in with one of your lot. A Neh'miah He'ron, frequents this area and 'roundabouts here an' all, thought maybe you'd keep an eye out or might point us in the right direction. Baron says he made off with a hefty sum, some 2000g or thereabouts. got us working round the clock now a'lookin' for 'im."[/b][/i][/color] Lord Vargas winced at the number. [color=00aeef][i][b]"Ouch, that's a good bit of coin to be losin' indeed."[/b][/i][/color] he said, finding a good bit of joy in the Baron's misfortune. [color=00aeef][i][b]"But you know that you an yer fellas don't do a lot to bring the crowd in 'round here. I don't suppose you and the fellas could fuck on off for a while, you know, make yerselves a bit more scarce, like maybe get the fuck away from my tavern?"[/b][/i][/color] he said, jingling a small purse as he did. Money was a universal language in Guillan, [i]and everyone spoke it[/i]... The sheriff smiled. He knew that Vargas was always good for at least a small purse, [i]it was half the reason he went there in the first place[/i]. A crooked smile formed on his face, like a rotting picket fence.. [color=ed1c24][i][b]"Well now, I suppose we could make our presence a bit less felt then, maybe keep a low profile for a bit. Can't just up and leave, Von Brandt is breathing down our backs on this 'ere fella, but we'll keep it down.. for a while."[/b][/i][/color] he said, as he took the small purse from Vargas. He turned and faded back into the crowd. Vargas could here him rallying the rest of his goons as he did, and he went to make his way back inside. It was hardly even getting dark out and the guard were already out in numbers. Going to be a wild evening for sure, and this would pick at his thoughts for the remainder of the evening. [color=00aeef][i]All services available.[/i] New info circulating in the tavern: A rather large shipment of grain from Marth was discovered to have gone bad in transit due to mold. The entire shipment (2.5 tons) was wasted due to mold spores and now sits at the docks. The quartermaster for the ship has been fired and was nearly beaten to death by the overseer down at the [i]Black Lion Trading Co.[/i] earlier in the afternoon to which many bore witness to. Lots of dockworkers have reveled in it for the better part of half an hour now. The sheriff of the district and 5 guards are now circulating in the square just in front of the tavern, which is to hold a couple of pyres for the festival. A massive crowd has already formed despite the rains, and the guards are making rounds. A sketch on a wanted poster of Neh'miah has been posted on several posts around the square.[/color]