# Forum > Play-by-Post Games > Ongoing Games (In-Character) >  IC: CtL 2E New Orleans by Night

## Bennosuke

*Prologue; A Dream Forgotten*

_It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
― Robert Chambers, The King In Yellow

Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and dreams are the shadow-truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes, and forgot.
― Neil Gaiman, Dream Country_

Laura found herself in the court of the Yellow King. The lanterns flickered green, casting strange shadows across the blood red polished stone floors. Outside the windows, the sickle shaped moon cast a blue glow blotting out the shining black stars. Laura had stood in this hall many times, though she could not remember its beauty during her waking hours. The great hall was filled with the clatter of silverware, the din of conversation held through a throng of congregants. 

Once, Laura had served here, had lived here, had been someone and something else. Of course, before that Laura had been another someone else, and now... well who was she now? How had Laura gotten here. 

Roused from her musings, Laura casts her gaze across the great hall, only to realize that it is empty. No tables, no courtiers of impossible beauty, no source for the raucous chorus of voices. Though the smell of smoked meats, sugared meats, and smokey lanterns hung thick in the air, the walls of the great hall were baren, the lanterns nearly gutted. The great amber carpet that had once led to the towering throne was stained, tattered and moth-eaten. Laura's eyes followed the carpet up and up and up, to the throne, and she realized she was not alone. 

A figure in tattered robes sat on the throne of antlers and thorns, a towering and familiar figure. Its eyes... all Laura could see were its eyes. Did the King have a face? Did he wear a mask? Laura could not see, or her mind would not let her. Round, white, bovine eyes stared down at Laura unblinking and full of judgement. Something shifted from deep within its billowing tattered yellow robes, maybe an arm, or a squirming animal, or something else, as The King in Yellow leaned forward to address Laura from his throne. "*You left me servant. You betrayed me,*" the King's voice booms throughout the hallway, or maybe simply echoed within Laura's skull, "*You can expect no mercy for your desertion human... but I am curious... why?*"

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## Haval

For a moment it was like she'd never left. This thought had worried her more in the early days of her escape even if it became harder to believe with time. How did she know what she was seeing was the truth? How did she know that she had ever returned through the Hedge or made it back to New Orleans? Perhaps the whole thing had been a lie sent to make her complient while her body continued to serve.

Laura is nothing if not practical and so will check to see what she looked like now. Even when she had been obliged to dress up here she was usually armed. Whether this was really happening or not she would escape again if she had to. Do it enough times and perhaps it would take. What other choice did she have?

The King did make her breath catch in her throat. The sight of him like this had been a big part of why she ran in the first place. If she doesn't have a knife or her sword on her she'll look around for something sharp or heavy. Perhaps she could jam it in the King's eye if he got close enough. Would she even be allowed to do that?

Laura doesn't like to look directly at the King but will address him in his general direction while she looks for a weapon. 'Betrayed you? For leaving? Of course I left. Look at you. It's hard to forget what this place really looks like once you've seen it.'

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## Bennosuke

Laura looks down at her arms to see her familiar pale skin, her thin long forearms and thin long fingers. Had she been wearing any jewelry or nail polish before, they were still there now. She had not always looked like that. Before, when she had lived within these halls, she had been taller with powerful muscles and the body of a warrior, or so she thought. _And before that? Hadn't she had another form before that too?_ But it was too hard to remember; too much had been taken from her! And she had no weapons, no armor, none of her old battle garb. A moment of reflection more and Laura realized she was however garbed in her old courtly robes of crimson red. 

The King throws its head back in a fit of laughter at Laura's exclamation. The sound was rough and mechanical, and seemed to shake the very foundation of the throne room. "*Look at me?*" The King asked, suddenly leaning forward in its throne of thorns, arms body and neck seeming to stretch impossibly in the tattered yellow robes. The motion reminded Laura of a viper stretching its head towards its prey so that it could swiftly strike. The King repeats itself, "*Look at me? Look at you! I am not the one wearing a mask!*" The accusation was so wicked, so confident that Laura could not help herself but look down again at her attire, only to realize that now her flesh was pink, her limbs that of a mortals, her clothing something she would wear in the streets of New Orleans when trying to blend in with those untouched by The Fae!

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## Haval

For a moment, the sight of her old robes seemed to confirm Laura's worst fears. It was something that she would wear on an average day when she wasn't expected to dress up or to fight. The weight of them still felt familiar. She was fairly sure she never wore nail polish back then though. In fact she could remember the day she applied it in her apartment. Laura had half expected the colour to fade away to match the rest of her body. Laura will take a deep breath to steady herself before looking directly at the King for the first time. It was hard not to flinch as he leaned forward towards her.

Aiming to confidence she didn't really feel, 'A mask? Yeah, well it's not like I can turn this off. There's not much call for everything I had to do here in the real world.' That she didn't look like this to most people back in New Orleans was a blessing. Then the sudden change in her appearance registered. Even if she was happy to see herself like this it didn't mean anything. The King was clearly playing with her. Laura wasn't sure if getting angry was a good idea here, but she couldn't help herself. 'Is that it? You're just going to give me back my body after all this time. Are you going to apologise as well?' Whatever she looked like, she was herself, wasn't she? Otherwise she never would have left Carcosa.

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## Bennosuke

The King in Yellow rises from his chair swiftly as Laura speaks, before she has even gotten to asking for a request. Stretching out a robe garbed arm the King shrieks, "*Silence! Such insolence shall not be tolerated!!!*" The entire hall seems to shake, as if the King's outburst had triggered an outburst. Trickles of dust and dirt come free from the ceiling and the ghost chatter within the hall silences. "*The King of Carcosa shall not be spoken to by a servant like this,*" The Yellow King continues, though now his temper is controlled, the screaming anger replaced with a white hot seriousness, "*a servant that fled and betrayed her king no less. No, you must misunderstand what is happening here... knight! I have brought you back. You are mine and shall serve me as you once have, though this time... I shall not be so generous with your freedoms.*" 

The King steps forward, reaching edge of the dais and the steps that lead down to Laura. Towering over Laura, The King appears far taller than she remembered, maybe double the height of the tallest human. And now the King is clutching a long rusted chain. The metal links of the chain (_was it iron?_) was woven with long barbed vines, the same wicked Hedge thorns that had ripped Laura asunder during her escape. Hanging heavy from one end of the chain was a large rusted manacle, except this was wide enough in diameter to fasten tightly around some one's neck like a dog collar. Though Laura could not force herself to remember the King's face, _if it was even present or visible_, there was somehow the impression of a wicked wicked grin.

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## Haval

Laura will flinch at the sound of the King's shriek. Any thought of trying to fight had gone away at the sight of the manacle. She will back away from the King if only to keep some distance between them. Whatever else happened she did not want that thing around her neck. She had heard what had happened to other Changelings during their durrance. Everything could always get worse.

'Then... what do you want from me your majesty?' She is playing for time. If neccessary Laura will back herself all the way out of the room. She remembered the layout well enough.

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## Bennosuke

As Laura begins to back away, the throne room explodes in raucous laughter that threatens to drown out her words. The Yellow King continues his approach, gliding forward on something other than legs. The robed figure moves closer at an impossible speed, growing larger and larger till it seems like the Yellow King might expand and fill the entire court. "*Your never ending servitude,*" The King hisses in reply, voice booming so that it shakes the entire castle. Larger clods of dust and dirt, and even a few stones come loose from the ceiling. "*You shall be mine forever,*" The King says, calling Laura by another name that she once went by but now cannot seem to remember, "*You are my servant and shall stay here in Carcosa for ever, and with your help, I shall conquer Arcadia!*" The King was raving madly, bovine eyes round and wild though still Laura could not perceive any face. 

As the throne room continues to shake with the King's thundering voice and growing frame, the massive wooden doors of the hall's entrance blow open, their blood red paint shimmering in a near blinding yellow light that was pouring in through the arched doorframe.

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## Haval

The laughter causes Laura to look around in case there was anyone else here. Perhaps the King was messing with her perceptions, but she wouldn't put it past him to suddenly have guards ready to block her exit. Not that he needed the help. 'Why don't you just snap your fingers then?' Laura spat out defiantly. _If he wanted her back why did she need to listen to him?_ *'I'm not going back.'*

Laura is too focused on the sight of the manacle to just turn and run. As long as she could keep it away from her neck maybe things weren't completely lost. She will try to back out of the room as quickly as she could. Once she was out of the hallway perhaps she could find a weapon. If nothing else it would make her feel better.

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## Bennosuke

Laura gazes across the throne room. Though there are no guards, suddenly the place seems to be filled with guests; towering lithe figures garbed in tattered robes and hoods of dirty blue. They had not been here before! Laura was certain the throne room had been nearly empty, _hadn't it!_" These robed figures were standing around their tables, staring and laughing at Laura, their faces hidden by the most garish, monstrous Venetian masks. 




> 'Why don't you just snap your fingers then?' Laura spat out defiantly. If he wanted her back why did she need to listen to him? 'I'm not going back.'


Slowly, The King raises his free arm, dirty yellow robes clinging flaccidly around a skeletal limb. His fingers pressed together, the King does snap his fingers, and sure enough the manacles appear around Laura's wrists. The metal presses to Laura's flesh, searing with red-heat. The manacles were iron, and they were causing Laura's wrists to bubble and blacken!

The unbearable pain! It was too much, and as Laura collapsed to her knees her vision tunneling, she could hear The King's wicket triumphant laughter, in that far away land of Carcosa, across the Lake of Hali, and the tearing thorns of the Hedge. 

**************************************************  *****

Laura awoke with a start. The memory of her dream escaped her almost immediately, but she knew it had been alarming, and had almost certainly involved her captor, The Yellow King!

Please describe where Laura is waking up. Is it her Hollow or her home in reality, and what does it look like?

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## Haval

Laura wakes up with a scream of pain that is quickly cut off when she realises that she's still in her apartment. The worst part about the nightmares was always not knowing how to take them. Dreaming about her Keeper was inevitable but there was no way of knowing how seriously to take the dreams. Supposedly she was safe in New Orleans but she wouldn't put it past the King to be able to send her messages in her sleep anyway. And there was always the chance that what she had been told about the arrangement in New Orleans was all bull**** anyway. How did she know for certain that the King couldn't come for her whenever he felt like it. Was she living on borrowed time? Once Laura has got herself under control, if reality seemed to be behaving itself she'll get up. She wasn't comfortable trying to sleep after that.

Laura lived in a cramped top floor apartment in a building near Frenchman street. Her friends in the Court of Barter had made her aware of it shortly after she came back. It was sparsely furnished and only a little bigger then a hotel room but the rent was cheap and the mortal landlord downstairs mostly stayed out of her way so she was content. The small balcony was by far the best part of living there.

For the moment Laura will get a drink and slump down on her sofa where she could channel surf. If it was still dark there was a chance that she'd pass out here eventually anyway. Otherwise she'll work on waking herself up with coffee.

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## Bennosuke

It's coming back from the kitchen with her drink (alcoholic?) that Laura checks her phone. It was almost 4:00AM. Tough time to go to sleep and tough time to try to stay awake. But there was also a text on Laura's phone, a message that came in around 2AM, after she had gone to sleep. 

If Laura flips on the TV, there's nothing worth watching on; infomercials, and BS adds, and midnight preachers. 

The message was from Giant, one of a handful of Laura's friends in the Night Revelers. Though his mask showed most a smiling and good looking man of 5'7" with a scraggly sand colored beard and thinning hair, Laura really knew him as a towering tree-man with a voice like gravel echoing as it rumbled down the hillside. 

The text reads, "_You up? Gotta ask a favor of you. Meet in person?_" Giant was a musician, a guitar player who performed at a lot of the local bars on Frenchman near where Laura had lived. It was Laura's musical background... or at least what she remembered, that had knitted the fabric of their friendship. Giant was often up at all sorts of odd hours; it was pretty likely he was still up.

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## Haval

If it was still dark Laura is drinking a beer. She keeps her fridge well stocked for this sort of occasion and has gradually been working her way through every brand she can find in the local shop. Alcohol was not something that had been easily available in the Hedge.

_'I am now. Where are you?'_ She was happy to see Giant's text. If she could get out of the apartment for a while she could have somthing to take her mind off of whatever she had been dreaming about.

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## Bennosuke

It was still dark, and maybe would be for another couple of hours. The apartment was hot. It wasn't yet summer, but New Orleans started heating up soon after March, and the window unit Laura had installed was only so powerful at fighting off the humidity. The cool air of the fridge was welcome, the beer even more so. Condensation started forming on the glass only minutes after she had retrieved the bottle from the fridge and popped the top. It was from a local brewery, walking distance from Laura's neighborhood, and one of her favorites. It was called Brieux Carre Brewing Co., and while Laura had made it a goal to try all the local breweries, she always had some of BC's bottles in her fridge (though never their cans... which had a propensity to explode if it was too warm).

It takes a couple of minutes for Giant's reply, enough time to take a good couple swigs. It reads, "_****. You just wake up?_" This is of course followed by another that reads, "_Sure. I'm not far off of Bourbon. Could be up your way in maybe ten fifteen... unless there's somewhere you want to meet._" Giant knew where Laura lived roughly, though she'd never invited him up...

(OOC: Brieux Carre does exist, they are awesome, and their cans do explode)

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## Haval

Laura will alternate between sipping the beer and pressing the cold glass to her forehead. She would need to get more of these soon if only to help with the heat.

To Giant, _'Bad dreams.'_ She won't elaborate. _'I should get breakfast anyway. I'm not getting back to sleep. I'll meet you somewhere. I'm buying.'_ Laura will leave it up to Giant to decide where they meet, even if was at a bar that was still open. She could always find a store afterwards.

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## Bennosuke

"_Bad dreams? ****! I think everyone of Us knows about that!_" comes the first text, followed by a second, "_Not much open at this hour. But if ur hungry, Mary's is still open._" Mary's Bar and Grill was a a hole in the wall dive-of-a diner on the East side of the Marigny, mostly frequented by drunks and musicians. The food wasn't great, and neither was the atmosphere. But Mary was a Changeling, an Ogre from the Cayoodle Krew Freehold... most actually called her Bloody Mary because of her appearance and temperament.

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## Haval

_'Mary's will be fine. See you in a bit.'_ Laura quite liked Mary's. It was a place to eat where she could usually expect peace and quiet and she found Mary's temprement and directness appealing. Laura will go and find some clean clothes before leaving the house. She will dress lightly because of the heat but wears a baldric with her sword over her shoulder. The Mask typically meant that people's eyes slid right off it.

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## Bennosuke

Laura heads downstairs and outside. It's actually a little cooler in the open than it was inside the apartment; though the air is humid and thick. At this hour, the streets are much less crowded, though still the odd drunk and burnout wander the streets. Music still plays from a few of the local clubs on Frenchman, but the street gets quieter, a whistful sort of lonesome as you get away from the main drag. Laura keeps her wits about her on the few block trek. These were the hours when the city was most dangerous, though the Marigny was less prone to crime than some of it's neighborhoods to the North and West. 

Fortunately, Laura arrives at Mary's without event. The bar wasn't much more than the squat first floor of a rickety Victorian, the purple paint long faded and peeled from the exposed bone colored wood. A sputtering neon sign in the blacked out window reads "Mary's", and below it an electric martini glass; the only indication this was a commercial joint. 

It's almost darker inside than it is on the street, and the bar's almost empty except for Mary, Laura's date, and a foul smelling drunk whose collapsed and snoring on the bar. Mary's behind the bar, clutching a yellowed romance novel in her watermelon sized claws. Keeping her sharp feline teeth clenched around her cigarette, Mary says, "*Welcome hon',*" without looking up from the book, "*Let me know if you need somethin'.*" Though her Mask is that of an overweight and greasy haired woman whose been on hard times, Mary appears as a massive and grizzled fur covered monster. Her short black snout was a mess of knotted scars, her maw filled with fangs, and her eyes forever pouring a river of blood tears. 

Giant is sitting at a small table in the corner of the bar. It's impressive to see his long limbs folded under the table. As the name might imply, Giant appeared as a towering anthropomorphic tree-man. His voice was like gravel rolling down a canyon, and seemed to shake the bar even though he was trying to whisper. "*Thanks for coming. Have a seat,*" he says, gesturing Laura toward the chair across from him. He turns his long frame toward the bar and says, "*Mary, we're gonna need a bit of privacy if you don't mind.*"

Mary grunts, gives a small nod of her head, but makes no attempt to move, or even look away from her novel. Giant shrugs, and gives Laura a roguish grin.

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## Haval

On the way to Mary's Laura was careful to stay alert. To have someone attempt to mug her would be mostly inconvenient but it was easier to avoid the possibility altogether.

Inside she had to grin at the sight of Giant folding up under the table. He didn't seem to be uncomfortable at least. 'Can I get a beer Mary?' Since she had asked. If Giant doesn't have one she'll motion to him to imply that she'll get him one as well.

Laura will take a seat across from Giant. 'Privacy? Sounds serious.'

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## Bennosuke

In response to Laura's request, Mary mutters, "*Sure kid,*" still biting down on the cigarette clenched between her teeth. Giant has an empty shot glass and a a half empty mug of flat cheap beer, but when he catches Laura looking he chimes in and says he'll have another one. Eyes still glued to her book, Bloody Mary uses her free hand to fill up two tall glasses of Abita and passes them to Laura. She then mutters, "*I'll be in the back,*" before trudging off on squat legs through a door behind the bar into the back room. 

In the time it takes Laura to bring the two glasses over, Giant takes down his incomplete beer in a series of gulps. He accepts the fresh one from Laura while simultaneously wiping his mouth with a slender branch of a forearm, bark rubbing coarsely against bark. "*Thanks,*" he says, placing the fresh glass down on the table and moving the spent mug and shot over to the side. In reply to Laura's remark he says, "*Well, Mary's trustworthy to be honest. But figured a little privacy wouldn't hurt. Look Laura... I, I mean we need your help.*"

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## Haval

Once she's sat down Laura will sip the beer as much as for the cold as for the taste. 'So if Mary's trustworthy who do you not want to hear about this, whatever it is? I take it it's something that the Revellers might need help with?'

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## Bennosuke

Giant sighs, deep and long, the sound like a strong wind rushing through branches. He shakes his head side to side, the movement requiring him to twist his entire trunk back and forth in his cramped seat. "*No, I want privacy for this is a personal matter,*" he replies. There is a solemnity to his words, his big round eyes staring sadly at Laura, adding, "*More than personal... private.*" 

Giant lifts the mug of beer to his face, and downs the entire glass, though some of the straw colored liquid goes astray and darkens the bark under his mouth. "*It's... my sister,*" he says, though Giant has never talked about any sister to Laura's knowledge.

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## Haval

Laura looks sympathetic. It wasn't as if she had talked much about her own family. She will talk quietly so that Mary definately couldn't overhear. 'Is she ...ok? How long was it.' That Giant's sister was apparently still around was something. Laura had heard the stories about those who had come back to find their friends and family aged or dead.

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## Bennosuke

Giant opens his mouth as if to reply, but instead closes it and purses his lips. He sighs then says, "*No, that's not it.*" He leans forward, his massive trunk of a body bowing like a tree in a hurricane. "*She's gone missing,*" he says, "*for about a week now. I... I think she was taken,*" His deep voice breaks as he says this last part, his already rheumy eyes widening with fear, "*by the Gentry!*"

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## Haval

Laura's breath catches in her throat and she just stares at Giant for a few seconds before she can recover herself, 'Are you sure? I thought we were supposed to be safe here.' There was an obvious way to check, 'Where does your sister live?' Had she been replaced already.

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## Bennosuke

"*Not in New Orleans,*" he replies hastily, but stopping there. He gives Laura a warning stare that suggests that perhaps he does not want to divulge where his mortal family live, but then adds, "*Anyways, a goblin was selling this in the Tumble Down Market,*" and pulls from his jacket an iphone with a cracked screen. "*It was hers,*" he says, "*and I had to pay the goblin an unfortunate amount once it saw how badly I wanted it. Wouldn't give me any information where it was found or when.*"

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## Haval

Laura will acknowledge Giant's implied warning with a nod. She had been suddenly worried about her own families safety. 'Do you know the Goblin's name?' Maybe she had met them already. 'Maybe he only found it in the Hedge somewhere but it'd be a start.'

She wasn't going to be the one to say it and assumed that Giant already knew. There was every chance that it was already too late. Still, it would be better to be sure.

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## Bennosuke

"*The thing called itself Snigglebutt,*" he replies with a straight face, adding, "*Damn wretched creature. Definitely didn't seem like the sort to be working directly for the Fae, but its stall was out on the fringes of the market... where some of the less savory goblins peddle.*" He briefly describes the location of Snigglebutt's stall so that Laura would be able to find it without too much difficulty if she chose. She'd never heard of Snigglelbutt, though the Tumbledown Market just kept growing and there were many goblins and strange folk that she hadn't met yet, being relatively knew to the Freehold.

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## Haval

'I'll talk to him...or maybe lean on him. If he's working in the Market he's bound to be up for trading for the information.'

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## Bennosuke

Giant's lips purse with discomfort again. "*There's more...,*" he says, "*that I could use your help with.*" He studies Laura's face, and it is clear he is fighting with himself in an attempt to get the words out. He says, "*I was hoping you could help me find her... since you are so good in the Hedge.*" His big round eyes, the color of moss, and wet like morning grass, stare deep into Laura's.

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## Haval

Laura replies immediately, 'Giant it'd be the least I could do. All of us might have been a lot better off if we had had someone who would have come looking for us.'

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## Bennosuke

Immediately, almost reflexively, Giant reaches out a big four fingered hand covered in moss and vines, and squeezes Laura's arm. "*Thank you,*" he says fighting back a sob, "*Thank you so much.*" He pulls out his phone, the small black rectangle dwarfed in his giant hand, and after a little pecking and swiping pulls up a picture to show Laura, saying, "*This is her, this is Sarah.*" 

The picture shows a teenage girl, maybe just a little younger than Monica, with wiry yellow blond hair, and freckled cheeks on skin burned a few shades darker than it's natural pale complexion. She smiles awkwardly around a mouth full of braces, wearing an oversized grey Florida University sweater, holding up a piece sign, with a pink and yellow plastic ring around her index finger.

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## Haval

Laura will pat Giant on the bark of his hand as he reached out. The picture will make her freeze up a little. 'Jesus, she's just a kid.' There was Sarah and Monica, but how many children of about that age had the Gentry taken before? How many were they taking tonight even? It wasn't something that Laura wanted to dwell on for too long. 'Giant...if she can be found I'll find her.'

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## Bennosuke

The bluest, clearest spring water begins to flow from Giant's eyes, suddenly filling the bar with the cool smell of fresh grass and earth. "*Thank you,*" he says again between blubbering drunken sobs, "*Please let me know if there is anything I can do! I will gladly join you into the Hedge if it would be helpful.*"

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## Haval

> The bluest, clearest spring water begins to flow from Giant's eyes, suddenly filling the bar with the cool smell of fresh grass and earth. "*Thank you,*" he says again between blubbering drunken sobs, "*Please let me know if there is anything I can do! I will gladly join you into the Hedge if it would be helpful.*"


Laura assesses Giant's size, 'You remember what it's like? Away from the market I mean. You're welcome to come along but there's no garuntee it'd be safe. I've got more experience of the Hedge then most but that doesn't mean I understand it.'

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## Bennosuke

Giant shakes his big head, wiping the tears from his eyes. "*I'm not worried about danger he says,*" his words sounding slightly more slurred by the beer now, "*I would face down an army of hunters, and my Keeper, if it meant saving my sister.*" He gives Laura stony eyed stare to show he means business.

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## Haval

Laura grimaces at that comment, 'I don't want it to come to that. There's no point in either of us dying if we can help it.' _Or worse._ Somehow running into the King out there would be bad enough, she couldn't say how another Fae might react to them.

There were some things that Giant clearly didn't want to talk about, but under the circumstances she had to ask. 'You don't have to show me, but does Sarah have a Facebook or an Instagram account? I can talk to this Goblin but it might be good to find out if there was anything going on in her life lately.'

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## Bennosuke

Giant nods his head in reply. "*Of course,*" he says, "*I think she had all those things, Tik Tok as well.*" He pulls out his phone and shows Laura his sister's Instagram feed, adding, "*I think Sarah used this more.*" It's mostly just awkward photos with friends and short video attempts at what might be called a Vine. Sure enough, the posts seem to have stopped about eight days ago.

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## Haval

Laura will examine Giant's phone intently before responding. 'Maybe it's good news. Something happened last week but it's not like what happened to us. There'd be something else there posting for her wouldn't there?'

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## Bennosuke

Giant shakes his head again. "*I've heard of others taken, their Keeper failing to leave behind a facsimile. I... I'm afraid of the worst,*" he says, almost pleading with Laura.

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## Haval

Laura will reach out and take Giant's hand. 'Then let's make sure it doesn't come to that. I think we should pay this Snigglebutt a visit.'

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## Bennosuke

Giant squeezes back, his gnarled fingers rough against Laura's skin. He nods his head and replies, "*That sounds like a good start... though I think I might need to sleep some of this off first.*" He looks down at the empty beer mug before grinning knowingly at Laura. He shrugs then after a thought and adds, "*Though maybe it's best that wretched hob doesn't see me with you? Maybe he'd be more helpful then.*"

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## Haval

'Probably true. I don't want him raising whatever price he's going to try and charge me.' Laura grins. She assumed the Goblin might get greedy if they believed this was personal. 'I'm probably not going to sleep much for a while so I might as well head over to the market and look into the hob. He's bound to accept something for telling me where he got the phone. I'll ask around first and see who knows him.' Laura will pause to finish her beer. 'Might try and pick up some supplies while I'm there.'

Before she departs Laura will make sure she has details of roughly where she can find this Snigglebutt in the market and will make arrangements to meet up somewhere once Giant had slept.

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## Bennosuke

Before she can leave, Bloody Mary steps back through the kitchen door into the bar to get Laura's tab. As she accepts Laura's card she says in a voice filled with smoke and gravel, "*You take care of yourself now dear. Don't go rushing into the Hedge looking for danger, just because you can.*" She gives Laura a grin before taking a puff of a fresh cigarette. 

By the time that Laura steps out of the bar, it is almost 5 in the morning. The sky isn't out yet, but the streets have gone from abandoned to simply sparsely haunted. Cars roll through the narrow streets following their headlights, and crunching over discarded trash in the street. Laura passes a lone resident, out for an early morning jog or a walk with their dog. Mortals just starting to get ready for their normal lives. Laura slips past all this like a ghost, or a creature of another dimension. Their eyes slip right off of her. 

Laura moves back toward the Marigny to portal she knew would take her where she needed to go. Spending the point of Glamour, and stepping through the door of a port-a-potty off of Frenchman, Laura finds herself on one of the wider streets of The Tumble Down Market. Despite the hour, the market is already getting busy. No one even notices as Laura walks through the door of a shop into the Hedge. Laura is almost jostled by a pair of Pumpkin Heads, carrying bags of goblin fruit as they push through the crowd.

(OOC: So is Laura going right for Scuttlebutt or is there something she is doing first?)

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## Haval

> Before she can leave, Bloody Mary steps back through the kitchen door into the bar to get Laura's tab. As she accepts Laura's card she says in a voice filled with smoke and gravel, "*You take care of yourself now dear. Don't go rushing into the Hedge looking for danger, just because you can.*" She gives Laura a grin before taking a puff of a fresh cigarette.


'Thanks Mary. I'll be careful.' Laura smiles back. She's grateful for her concern but will avoid mentioning what she's just agreed to do for Giant. _Better me then someone who doesn't know what they're doing._ Outside, Laura tries to ignore the few mortals that are up this early. She's never entirely gotten over the suspicion that someone might be capable of seeing what she really looked like behind her Mask.

Once Laura has entered the market she intends to go looking for information on Snigglebutt from one of the other merchants before she went looking for him. Perhaps there was something specific that he wanted that she could bring with her. Or at least she could do her research before she approached him.

*Spoiler: ooc*
Show


Looking for any extra background that Giant doesn't know.

Laura has Allies (Tumbledown) and Hob Kin for the record

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## Bennosuke

Knowing many that might aid her, Laura first goes to her old associate, The Horned Toad to get more information about where she can find Scuttlebutt. Stuffed into a frilly Regency erra tailcoat of red velvet and lace, The Horned Toad was a giant and warted hobgoblin who helped delegate where vendors were allowed to set up in the market. As his name implied, The Horned Toad had two black curled ram's horns protruding from around a powdered white wig on his crown. Speaking in a croaking French accent, he describes the northern fringe of the market, how Laura can get there, and where she can find Scuttlebutt's stall. 

(OOC: Allies used) 

She would have to do some more "snooping" though, if she wanted to learn more about the hobgoblin, and that might take a little more effort.

(OOC: With Market Sense and Hobkin, please roll Presence + Persuasion/Socialize at +3)

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## Haval

Laura had always found the Horned Toad's accent deeply entertaining to be around but hadn't yet got round to finding out where he'd acquired it. Perhaps the Hedge in France was full of Goblins who sounded like that.

*Spoiler: ooc*
Show


Presence 3 + Persuasion 1 + Bonus 3
(7d10)[*3*][*9*][*7*][*8*][*2*][*4*][*3*](36)
Any 10s
(7d10)[*1*][*7*][*5*][*2*][*4*][*4*][*8*](31)

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## Bennosuke

After asking around some of the side streets and less frequented alleys of the Tumbledown Market, Laura is able to find and corner a feral little hobgoblin named Mud. Despite its name, Mud is an albino white rodent thing, with bat like ears and a hairless body (except for the long curls sprouting from it's elongated nose). Mud was a scavenger of the market, and a known thief, scurrying around the shadows in a stooped posture, or on all fours till it found a cart or basket to pilfer from. But, because of its prolific exploration of the Tumbledown, Mud was generally good for a tasty morsel of information or gossip. 

Once Laura had Mud cornered in a vine covered dead end, it hissed and whined. "*Pleeeez! No hurt, no hurt! I help you yes?*" it spoke in a terrified and shrill voice, it's long nose twitching.

(OOC: Two successes, so I'll let Laura get two pieces of information on her mark)

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## Haval

Laura will approach Mud carefully. She's fully prepared for him to try to rush past her if he felt threatened enough. 'Mud' she says levelly. 'I'm not going to hurt you as long as you help me out. Give me good information and maybe I'll owe you a favour at some point.' 

If Mud doesn't try to get away she'll lean down a little. 'You must know a lot of people in the market. There's a hob called Snigglebutt. He found something I'd like to hear more about. What sort of business does he do and where does he get his stock?' Even with someone like Mud she'll try to be careful over what she says.

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## Bennosuke

Mud takes a small and trembling step back from Laura, inching into the shadowy back of the alley. Hands still up the little hobgoblin says with guarded curiosity, "*Favor? You do favor for Mud? What favor?*" It's voice is like a squawking parrot. 

In reply to Laura's first question, Mud replies, "*Snigglebutt is no good! No no good! He takes things from The Hedge to sell at the market. He works with the Gentry! He takes bribes and sells information to them!*"

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## Haval

Laura will stop to consider what someone like Mud would actually want for a favour. 'I don't know. What do you need? I could get you some decent food I suppose. What do you eat anyway?'

On Snigglebutt, 'What kind of information does he sell to them.' Hobs dealing with the Gentry wasn't unheard of, but it was hard not to take offence at those who did.

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## Bennosuke

For just a moment Mud's eyes widen with a desperate sort of hope. "*Goblin fruits,*" the pathetic thing hisses, "*I eats goblin fruits.*" As it says this, saliva begins to dribble out of the corner of Mud's lips. 

In reply to Laura's real question, Mud replies hastily, "*I not know. I not know; it only rumors!*" Mud eyes the changeling nervously, then says, "*But the rumors is that Snigglebutt helps The Gentry with their captures. But Mud never said these. Is rumors, yes?*" It shakes its bony hands up before it's face in a gesture of caution.

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## Haval

Connecting Snigglebutt to the Gentry would only confirm Laura's worst fears. 'Meaning that he might be the type to lure mortals into the Hedge and steal their stuff? If it's true I can understand why he'd keep that quiet. I'd say it's not just me who might have a problem with that.' Whatever Mud might be doing at least he didn't seem to be working with the gentry

'I'm looking for someone Mud. If anything comes of it I'll definately owe you one, but otherwise maybe I'll see what I can pick up when I'm next in the Hedge.'

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## Bennosuke

Mud nods its head nervously, giving Laura a very forced grin. The hobgoblin says, "*Yes sure. What would you promise Mud in return?*" It's rheumy eyes seem to flash, or maybe even glow orange for a split second, and a true and greedy grin spreads across its face. For the first time, it takes a curious step towards the Changeling.

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## Haval

Laura doesn't step back as Mud moves closer. 'Goblin Fruit. Sometimes I can find it growing out there in the Hedge.' She'll watch his reaction closely. 'I'm heading out there again soon. If I find anything good out there maybe I can trade you for it when I get back.'

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## Bennosuke

The pathetic Hobgoblin nods its head with excitement. It replies, "*Yes, yes! I find anything out about Snigglebutt, and you give Mud goblin fruits! Yes!*" It lashes a veiny pink tongue across it's long yellow needle teeth.

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## Haval

Laura can't help but focus on Mudd's teeth but doesn't take it personally. She had seen worse.'I can't say how long I'll be, but if you need to find me ask around at the Exchange. Someone will be able to get in contact.' Laura had had a lot of reason to use the Exchange in the past and knew a fair few people who dealt there regularly. 'Otherwise I'll look you up.'

If there was nothing else Laura will go looking for Snigglebutt.

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## Bennosuke

Following the directions provided by The Horned Toad, and by Giant, Laura makes her way toward the outskirts of the Tumbledown Market. By the time she had parted ways with Mud, the streets were beginning to swell with opened stalls and the bustle of patrons; Lost and Hob alike. Laura pushes her way through throngs of busy shoppers, past strange barkers advertising stranger wares. 

At one point The Tumbledown Players lead a procession that blocks Laura's progress towards the outskirts. Their boisterous brass instruments honking an upbeat blues inspired rhythm that would make any Second Line proud, playing call and response to the dark skinned singer crooning about the rocky love between a Fox and a Leather clad rocker. The music drowns out the frenetic chorus of the market vendors. At another point, Laura is grabbed by the wrist and pulled into the stall of a towering portly fish monger, whose face was that of a red speckled carp. 

Escaping this, Laura finally reaches the fringes where the market streets are quieter, and the rare shopper sticks to shadows trying best not to be recognized. 

Snigglebutt's stall is a spread out mess, seemingly made of old sneaker boxes and plywood. A folding table is covered in all sorts of odds and ends; tarnished pieces of jewelry, baskets of withered goblin fruit, a fine looking umbrella, a number of sad looking stuffed animals, and the like. Hunched over in the stall, chewing hot gristle off of a long charred bone (lord knows from what creature), stands Snigglebutt. The hobgoblin is maybe just under five feet tall; a bipedal dog-lizard covered in a mix of soft green scales and shaggy brown fur, and dressed in a pair of tattered and dirty denim overalls. It eyes Laura warily as she approaches, its nostrils flaring as it scents her. Only when she is near enough does Snigglebutt say in a gruff voice, "*Want something?*"

(OOC: Please also give me an Int + Streetwise roll)

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## Haval

On another day Laura might try to take what enjoyment she could out of the market, but her dreams and her business here made that difficult at the moment. When the fishmonger pulls her towards his stall she'll poilitely but firmly leaver it's fingers off her wrist.

Once she reaches Snigglebutt's stall Laura can't help but notice the stuffed animals. Had they had owners until fairly recently? 'Window shopping' she'll reply. Laura will try to assess how much of Snigglebutt's wares might have plausibly been recently taken from a mortal kidnap victim. She'll also be on the look out for anything that Snigglebutt might use to defend himself in an emergency. He didn't seem like the type to have flunkies to protect himself but who could tell.

*Spoiler*
Show


Laura awkwardly has no streetwise so I think that's minus 1 for the lack of a social skill
Int 2 (-1 penalty)
(1d10)[*4*]
Any 10
(1d10)[*2*]

Wits 3 + Composure 3
(6d10)[*1*][*8*][*4*][*10*][*9*][*6*](38)
Any 10s
(6d10)[*2*][*6*][*3*][*8*][*4*][*9*](32)

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## Bennosuke

Laura can feel Snigglebutt's eyes following her as she studies the wares on the cart. The stuffed animals on the cart are matted, tattered and dirty. A stuffed octopus missing a button eye smiles up at Laura, despite its grievous injury. A floppy eared rabbit in overalls eerily similar to the Hobgoblins, sits with its head bowed heavy as if in tired mourning. They are mundane objects mostly, nothing clearly made of magic fabrics or carrying some overt sign of coming from Arcadia. However, a frowning lion doll with broken yellow crown catches Laura's eyes. This carries the shimmer of Glamour. Closer look confirms for Laura that this is likely a Token, a piece of shredded soul, torn from a mortal as they crossed through the thorns of The Hedge. 

"*Ah, you have a good eye,*" Snigglebutt's low voice interrupts Laura's studies, his hot breath reeking of smoked meat. "*I found that Lion during one of my journeys through the Hedge. That is no ordinary doll!*" the hobgoblin says proudly. 

(OOC: Laura gains no additional knowledge on Snigglebutt from the failed Streetwise roll)

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## Haval

Laura will force herself to ignore the Hob's gaze as she browses his wares. Getting angry might make her feel better but it wouldn't neccessarily help. 'You opening a toystore?' After he admits to the lion doll being a Token, 'That's obvious. You know, you don't usually find something like this just lying around. Did you happen to find anything similar close to where you found it? Something like that should be quite valuable to the right person.'

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## Bennosuke

The hobgoblin chuckles at Laura's remark about opening a toy store, a throaty grinding laugh. "*Just things I find in The Hedge,*" it replies, breath still hot on Laura's face and neck. To the rest, Snigglebutt adds, "*I find things here, and I find things there. Some things maybe ain't so valuable, but others are. Sock that disappear into the drawer, old childhood toys, all sorts of things fall through the cracks and end up in The Hedge. Sometimes they are left behind by wanderers like yourself, personal belongings that get caught by the thorns or fall out of a pocket. Lost things, you know... to someone they are all worth something.*" There could be a terrible implication in the last words the hobgoblin had said, though of course it was impossible to say what any hobgoblin ever meant, they and the Fae were always so used to speaking in riddles and half truths.

As Snigglebutt rambles, Laura's eyes are drawn to a small wallet; more duct tape then leather. Opening the wallet almost instinctively, Laura finds a Driver's License belonging to none other than Monica, her headshot a scowl. "*Oh, that one I found in The Market actually,*" Snigglebutt says with pride, seeing Laura's interest in the wallet, adding, "*All things out on the tables are for sale... for a price.*"

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## Haval

The sight of Monica's licence made Laura feel sick. When had she last seen her anyway? Techically she had met her the first time when the girl had wandered into the market so perhaps the licence had been dropped then. But mortals often made it into the Hedge, and sometimes something lured them in. 

Laura will hold onto the wallet and turn towards Snigglebutt with a fixed smile on her face. She is taller then the Hob and will stand over the creature. From what she understood of it now the universe would respond to her if she approached it in the right way and she meant to claim some authority here. 'And yet sometimes it's easier to take a more active role in making acquisitions isn't it? Finding things lying around is all very well, but it'll only get you so far.'

*Spoiler: ooc*
Show


Should check before I roll it. Can I use Mask of Superiority (p.128) to pose as a representative of Arcadia who might be a potential customer? If it makes more sense to have used the contract before the scene started then I'll rethink.

Otherwise, what would be the consequences of just taking Monica's wallet? I feel like robbing Goblins might cause Wyrd related problems.

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## Bennosuke

*Spoiler: OOC:*
Show

Laura is down to 8 Glamour. She gets two successes. So if Laura is posing as a member of Arcadia, we will have to pretend/assume that Snigglebutt has been much more obsequious, attempting to appease her any way possible. 


The hobgoblin stiffens at Laura's words. It hastily bows its shaggy head and blurts, "*My Lady, I swear I would never steal from any of mortals that I have led to... to our Lord.*" Snigglebutt is trembling, but it keeps its head lowered, perhaps anxiously awaiting some sort of physical punishment. The hobgoblin adds, "*I took this off of a human in The French Quarter. She was alone on the streets at night. She said she had no family. She... she would be an excellent subject of our Lord's Court! Please, take the wallet, it is yours for free.*"

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## Haval

Laura dismissively looks down her nose at the Hob. It wasn't hard to act this way. She only had to channel her memories of the Yellow King and let Snigglebut draw his own conclusions. 'That would be sensible. He doesn't take well to being disrespected. Best you don't do anything you wouldn't want him hearing about.' 

She'll hold up Monica's wallet, 'I appreciate your work ethic, but I have a personal interest in this one. She has much to learn, but she is _mine_.' Laura will emphasise the last word. A Fae would be possessive about the people that they considered to be their property wouldn't they? It wasn't pleasant for her to think like that. 'Where is my squire at the moment?'

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## Bennosuke

"*I don't know,*" the Hobgoblin says in reply. Something crosses Snigglebutt's lips like a smile, but far uglier; lips curling up and back to expose gapped hook teeth, and it says, "*But I can find her for you if you like. Was waiting till I got the word from the big boss. But you give me a day and I'll git her for you. Would be even easier if you let me use that wallet.*"

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## Haval

Laura frowns and looks levelly at the Hob. After a moment, 'Oh I don't think that's neccessary. I feel like you would upset her in a way that would make her less useful to his majesty. When the time comes I will deal with her myself.' She'll put Monica's wallet away. 'Of course if the word comes down to pay her a visit and you decide to go and see her without me ..' Laura glares at Snigglebutt with all the hatred she feels for someone who was willingly involved in taking people to Arcadia. 'I will be _upset_ with you. The King is powerful and dangerous but he is far away. I come to Tumbledown all the time and you will not be able to hide from me.'

*Spoiler: ooc*
Show


Presence 3 + Intimidation 2 + Wp 3
(8d10)[*1*][*1*][*3*][*7*][*7*][*1*][*5*][*6*](31)
Any 10s
(8d10)[*4*][*10*][*10*][*8*][*2*][*8*][*8*][*5*](55)

Really want a way of judging if he's lying with his response

Wits 3 + Empathy 1
(4d10)[*1*][*10*][*7*][*10*](28)
Any 10s
(4d10)[*2*][*5*][*5*][*1*](13)

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## Bennosuke

The hobgoblin's eyes narrow, and he does not recoil from Laura or her words. "*I bow to your master My Lady,*" he hisses, forked tongue darting out from fanged teeth, "*not you.*"

(OOC: Laura is down to 4 WP)

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## Haval

While she was talking Laura had reached over her shoulder to draw her sword from it's scabbard. She does this with the ease of much practice. Once she had drawn the sword she'll reverse the blade towards the ground but it is clear that she can handle it very easily in spite of it's weight.

That Snigglebutt appeared immune to her threats wasn't the end of the world. 'That's the way it should be, but I'd say you might want to consider being politer to his majesty's representives in the future, if only to keep yourself alive. Perhaps I should reconsider and we should both pay my squire a visit while I'm here to oversee things.' Perhaps he would appreciate the offer to show off his skills at finding people?

*Spoiler: ooc*
Show


Have to try to balance obligations to Giant and Sarah and the need to protect Monica from possibly getting kidnapped while Laura is distracted.

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## Bennosuke

Snigglebutt raises a single hand, palm out in the gesture of "stop". Forked tongue flicks between lizard lips several times before the hobgoblin says, "*As you wish My Lady... I will let you know if I hear anything else.*" The creature's voice is flat, and its round yellow eyes dart from Laura to her sword and back again.

(Successes added due to the drawn sword)

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## Haval

'Oh, when the time comes I'll likely come looking for you.' Laura doesn't put her sword away but she doesn't make any obviously threatening moves with it either. 'When you take the new recruits, whereabouts do you normally meet my colleagues to hand them over? I'll find out eventually but it'll save me some time if you tell me now. I heard there was a new one taken just recently? Tell me about her.' Laura is fairly sure that he was responsible for the disapearance of Giant's sister but would like to hear details.

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## Bennosuke

Snigglebutts head tilts to the side, confusion and maybe even suspicion crossing its snouted face. *Nah nah,* the hobgoblin says raising an arm, *Its not like that. I dont work for The King, like you know. I justs help out every now and then, if the opportunity strikes; yah know what I mean?*

Snigglebutt seemed to be studying Laura and her response, like the hobgoblin was starting to pick up on the fact that Laura wasnt whatever she was pretending to be. Laura can feel the threads of the glamour bound mask she had woven stretching and starting to come undone.

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## Haval

'Well lets hope that you're rewarded for that.' Laura mostly looks angry. For a moment she thought about letting the glamour collapse by itself just to see how he would deal with it. Perhaps it was more useful though to have this one alive where she could find him again if she needed to. 'I'm sure I will be in touch.' She'll sheathe her sword and leave without looking back. A true member of the Fae wouldn't have thought anything more about acting that way, so if nothing else it might help to maintain the glamour for a while longer.

Initially Laura will seek to lose herself in the market but she is paranoid enough to be curious if Snigglebutt had chosen to follow her.

*Spoiler: ooc*
Show


Wits 3 + Composure 3
(6d10)[*7*][*6*][*7*][*7*][*4*][*8*](39)
any 10s
(6d10)[*4*][*3*][*4*][*5*][*7*][*5*](28)

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## Bennosuke

To Lauras relief, she sees no signs of being followed. Without thought, she returns deep into the heart of the tumbledown, which has only grown more busy and alive. Barkers call and reach out to grab her attention, and the throng of people has become a near current of pressed bodies of all different shapes and sizes.

----------

