Noodles After The Heist

Goblintown, midday

Goblintown never sleeps, she only takes a breather every now and then. Today is no different, except for the mists. The close in buildings, random construction and gaslight combine with the mists to form a claustrophobic space. As well, the industrious sounds of the place are muted echos. Without the sounds, it would seem empty and abandoned, with only the occasional person looming out of the mists to indicate that there are people here.

The Goblin is also muted, her normal boisterous energy lacking today. The only thing that seems /right/ with her, is her appetite. Choler munches away on her noodles, chewing quickly on smaller bites, while she reads at a thin newspaper, the 'front page' covered in Khazdul script.

She pauses in her eating, to sip at tea from a large mug. "Even the Khazad are talking about it. Unfortunate for that guard.", she comments quietly.

Loose lips sink ships. It's a term that's got a dozen variations across languages and professions, and Harshad knows at least half of them. So he's sitting next to Choler, munching on noodles as well. "Damn shame," he says in a neutral tone. "A murder in the Noble District? Someone told me the last time something like that happened, it was a invasion of weird face-stealin' undead and adventurers had to come in to clean it out."

He takes a pull from his coffee mug, "What do you think did it? I won't say 'who' cause that's not always the case."

Carrying a different kind of merchandise, a strong blaze nears the pair from afar. A strong blaze, and a smaller one - before a ruddy scaled sith-makar starts to appear. He was carrying a box.

A box with something literally on fire inside.

That didn't seem to worry Aelwyn too much though, who was humming along as he strode forward. Eventually, he spots a familiar face and tilts his head towards them. "Red," He greets out. "What are they reading?"

Choler shrugs her shoulders to Harshad's question. "I don't know, but I suspect it's a person. I mean, aren't the noble's houses well guarded? So that guy wasn't alone, and while not everyone's the sharpest knife in the drawer, you'd have thought if it was some monster attack, one of other guards would have seen or heard something, right? Maybe it was one of the other guards? Maybe an inside job, even? The noble had a bunch of stuff stolen, so says the newspaper."

Another casual shrug. "A shame, as you said. It is going to be uncomfortable for such people what with the guards being out in force for the next little bit." She pops another small mouthful of noodles into her maw. Her eyes widen at the arrival of the sith, and she squints at the box curiously. "Red. What's in the box?", she wonders.

Harshad shrugs. "Nobles do dumb shit too. Maybe they invited in an unpleasant guest? And it's Alexandria, Choler. People are fuckin' weird here sometimes." The half orc scratches his chin, before picking up his noodles to take a bite.

The arrival of Aelwyn gets his attention though, particularly as the box is... on fire? At least inside it? "...Friend of yours?" he asks Choler, before his eyes flick back to Aelwyn. "What the hells are you -carrying- in that box anyways?"

Aelwyn turns his head towards Choler and Harshad, catching in a bit of the conversation. "Ah, this is about the noble death?" The Dragoon asks, then rumbles. "This one wished to get into the noble houses for delivers -" But he shakes his head then, "It is hard market to break into."

Aelwyn nods his head towards Harshad. "Aelwyn, a Dragoon." Then he bonks the side of the box with his glaive. "Flaming cloth." He offers then with a flash of his teeth."

The Goblin offers up the newspaper for Aelwyn to look at. "Just the latest news, some robbery at a noble's house, with a guard killed. Some Augustus person."

Another sip of tea is had, and she glances to Harshad. "Weird? I hadn't noticed." Only her eyes, a slight movement of an eyelid suggestive of a wink, gives away her humor. Another shrug. "Perhaps they are more cunning than smart, but they do seem to accumulate an awful lot of wealth somehow. So any dumb things they do is kept to a minimum, you know?"

CHoler nods in agreement with Harshad's assessment. "Yeah, he's a good sort."

The Goblin is quiet for a short time after Aelwyn reveals the contents of the box. "Uhm... how is the box not catching fire?"

"A lot of times it's inherited. Some own land that have tenants, the tenants pay rent... so the money flows in. Usually." Harshad takes another bite of noodles. "Some make it big adventuring, but that's not as common from what I hear. Usually extra sons or daughters that aren't in line to inherit."

He shrugs at Aelwyn. "Flaming cloth," he repeats. "Ask a silly question..." He sighs, and looks at Choler again. "Told you this place was weird."

Aelwyn taps the box again with his flaming glaive. "Metal. The wood is insulation." The Dragoon explains to the Goblin. "... or so this one was told by the firemaster." He puts down the box and then fishes out a flaming roll of cloth. He gives it a good shake, then lets it fall down to the box. "Hmmh, noble robberies and murders always tend to be full of words and whispers that never reach the mouths of the gossips." The Dragoon leans against his glaive and tilts his hips. "At least back over the Golden Sands." He flashes his teeth.

"Maybe he's making heated bathtowels?", the Gobbo posits, with a shrug. "Still, you need to have some smarts to not lose all your inheritance, to keep it going forward, yanno? You have to make good decisions. So yeah..." Choler inhales another small mouthful of noodles, chewing and swallowing noisily.

She eyes the cloth carefully, reaching out a hand just as its put back into the box. Her pout is only temporary, as she shrugs. "The news leaks out sometimes. It seems like they're asking citizens to come forward if they have information. Must have been something important stolen."

The Gobbo side-eyes Harshad. "I've seen weirder things."

Harshad just raises a shaggy eyebrow at Choler. "Not really. There was this guy back where I came from. Started out the son of a fisherman. Had a knack for numbers though. And he managed to scrape together enough funds to start a gambling house. Proceeded to fleece half the damn noble brats who came through there." He snorts. "I am unapologetically envious. That guy retired almost as rich as a king. His kids were going to law and wizarding schools."

He hmms at Choler, taking a drink from his mug. "Maybe. Or the nobles are demanding the watch 'do something' and this is the best they can do on short notice. Never know what's gonna shake loose."

Aelwyn clicks his teeth. "Tch, even so, what good asking the public could ever do?" He rumbles, then tilts his hips. "This one has not heard of a crew that has scored big by the inns, either." He flashes his teeth. "So either professionals, or lucky fools who stumbled into something they should have not."

Then the ruddy sith-makar glances towards the Gobbo. "This one would not burn their guests, lest asked. What of this talk of inheritances?"

"Maybe smarts skip a generation, hmm?", she says with a chuckle. "And sometimes they just have more money than brains. But if it's the nobles' kids, well, their allowance is already taken into account, so it's no skin off the noble's nose. Kid runs out of money, that's their fault." A toothy grin is flashed. "Besides, best advice my dad ever gave me was, "The house always wins, in the end. Have to know when to cut and run."

"We were just discussing whether or not nobles are smart, in general.", Cholers replies to the Sith. "And the public may have seen something suspicious."

"Don't assume money means smarts, that's all." Harshad hehs at Aelwyn. "Yeah, the best crews don't brag too much, except maybe among themselves. Loose lips, and so on." He taps his fingertips on the stall counter, and nods to Choler.

"Yeah, the house -always- wins. So sometimes you gotta cut your losses. I got told the same thing. But..." He shrugs. "Some people always think they can fly without wings."

Aelwyn looks towards Harshad and twists his lips. "Tch, some people _do_ fly without wings." He corrects the half-oruch. "And money - well, one can either spent it or hoard it. And this one has yet to find a person who has found happiness hoarding the gold to the afterlife - quite the opposite." He flashes his teeth.

He leans down to pick up the flaming box though, hoisting it carelessly over his shoulder. "Still, this one would be curious to know of the robbery - it seems there has been quite a lot of going on in the noble quarter."

"Well, you can... just not very long, and not very far. Generally only in a downwards direction. As what goes up must come down." She giggles before inhaling another mouthful of noodles. "Yeah, I'll bet whomever pulled off that robbery have an interesting story to tell. Or maybe not, and it was just some boring smash and grab or something. I guess we'll never know, though. Unless they pull off another one... that also gets revealed to us."

Glancing to Aelwyn, she shrugs. Taking a sip of her tea, she leans forwards a little. "I wouldn't know. It's generally a gossipy place, but stuff like a robbery isn't usually announced. Why, what have you heard?"

Harshad reaches up to rub the bridge of his nose. "Choler, it's the noble quarter. A robbery and a murder? That's news. And it probably pisses them off, since suddenly the 'rough stuff' isn't confined to Goblintown, or the lower trades, or... well, you get the picture." He snorts. "Time for everyone even remotely doing something iffy to go to ground or make sure they're squeaky clean. Bet there'll be watch raids soon."

He tilts his head at Aelwyn, then nods. "Yeah, gold may make the world go round but it won't keep the reaper off your doorstep forever. Might as well enjoy it -- otherwise, what's the point?" He points to his noodles. "I'd rather have this than something I can't eat."

Aelwyn turns towards Choler. "Tch, there is this something this one is looking into in the Noble's... far worse than simple murders and robberies." He says, then tilts his head towards Harshad. "That is true. Yet, if there is a robbery and a murder, something has gone horribly wrong."

There's a long inhale from the the draconian then. "Ah, this one wished to hear rumors of this. This one would wish to know more of why and who's of this robbery." He sways his tail sadly. "Yet, delivering boxes it is." He taps the box with his glaive.

Choler grins toothily at Harshad. "Well yer noodles are gettin' cold." Hers are nearly finished, and she casts a covetous glance at Harshad's. "Raids?", she wonders. "Huh. Well, maybe we'll hear more about this soon?" Another lengthy sip of tea is had, and she pours herself another cup. "And honestly, they shouldn't be surprised people would try. All kinds of adventurers here, and nobles have all manner of wealth. Surely there will be those willing to attempt 'rough stuff' in any quarter of the city." She frowns faintly, and placates herself with a final mouthful of noodles. "You hoard gold so that your children have a better start in life than you had."

The Goblin grins at Aelwyn. "Delivering packages is probably a lot quieter and safer than all kinds of other occupations, Red. Especially sticking your nose into noble's business when robberies and murders are happening."

Harshad looks at Choler, but just shakes his head and starts eating again. "Sheesh, try to talk, then get lectured about not eating..." He munches his way through a good portion of his bowl before speaking up again. "Eh. There's always intrigue. Fact of life, you got money and power, you're gonna get dirty dealings."

He smirks faintly at Choler. "Yeah, that's why there's some cities where they don't let freelancers work. You either join their guild or they run you out of town -- if you're lucky. Nobody likes foreign sellswords and finger-wagglers wandering around thinking they can wipe their asses with the laws."

Aelwyn flashes his teeth at Choler - his teeth widening into macabre. "Ah, this one has slipped into far worse places than few gilded buildings and fancily dressed personage of wealth." He flicks his tail again, then tilts his head at Harshad. "Ah, freelancers in the open are always bound to such discrimination, this one supposes. Thankfully, the road is long with many stops."

Speaking of the road, Aelwyn bows his head, "This one shall carry on. Enjoy one's meal," He greets, and heads off.

The Goblin blows Harshad a cheeky kiss, "Aw, come on, I am just ribbing ya, and you know it." Her head bobs in reply, "Yeah, IF people know you have power and money, they will come looking for a piece." She rubs her cheek and lifts a hand to wave to Aelwyn. "Alright, take care then, Red. If you have any news to share, you're always welcome here, yeah? Be well!"

Nodding to Harshad, she turns to offer up her empty noodle bowl to the Oruch, a little finger wiggling for another. The Oruch chuckles. "Ever the open stomach."

"Yeah, I hear certain guilds of the stabbity stab variety are like that too. Work for them or be found floating in the river."

Harshad grunts, waving a hand to Aelwyn by way of farewell as he's involved in polishing off his noodles. Once he's done, he grins at Choler. "Yeah, there's some places where you either work for them or you don't work. The most the adventurer's guild does here is hook people up with jobs for a modest fee. Easier than having to put up posters: 'will stab monsters for food'."

Seeing his bowl is empty, he ponders, then gestures for the oruch to refill his as well. "Might as well make it for both of us," he rumbles. "Nothing better than a good meal in peace and quiet." He looks around at the misty Goblintown, which even now is still beset with noise, shouts, and so on. "Well, you get the idea."

She's two mouthfuls into her new bowl of noodles, and she nods with a grin. "Sometimes it's stab monsters /for/ food, but yeah, I get the gist of it." The Gobbo eyes the area too, nodding again. "Nothing like a good meal with a great friend." A sandaled foot reaches out to nudge Harshad's leg. "That's you, by the by."

Choler slurps back a mouthful of tea, eyeing Goblintown once again. "Imagine a whole city of this, instead of a single, dead-end street? Imagine a whole city of Goblins."

"Ambitions, Choler?" Harshad teases a bit, fistbumping her in turn. "It'd probably be noisy, lively, and interesting. Probably want to build it out of stone though; let's be honest, sometimes gobbers and fire have -issues-." He pauses. "Well, no more than oruch or arvek, but it does seem to crop up more."

"Your biggest problem would be seeing if anyone wanted to be mayor or whatever. Maybe you could do a rotating position, or a city council. Get everyone involved so nobody feels left out."

She laughs at his suggestion, shaking her head. "I don't think I'm that good of a builder, you know? I'd live there, certainly, but I don't believe I'd be all that good at creating something like that. A temple, maybe? A nice house, sure." Choler rubs at her cheek thoughtfully. "But it sounds like a nice place." She lets out a huff of breath. "Thinking of being on a council is just... uuuugh. Nothing really goes well when stuff is run by committee."

Harshad shrugs. "Yeah, but who do you trust with all the authority? Back with my old gang, we -all- talked out what we were going to do, and everyone got their issues, good or bad, out in the open. We all got along great -- well, not great, but nobody tried to knife anyone in their sleep. That's about as much as you can ask for sometimes."

"I can't blame you for not wanting to deal with the details though. Probably boring as shit. And I couldn't build a house to save my life. Still..." He looks around. "Places like this, make me think of where goblinkind live. Maybe I should go there someday."

"That's what's great about this place, for all its ups and downs. It's got a little piece of everything, you know?" A little hand pats Harshad's arm. "Well, I don't have any issues with you. I have no desire to knife you at all, sleeping or not." Another slurp of tea is had, and more noodles disappear into the Goblin's maw.

"But yeah, running a city must be a real pain in the behind, you know? So much stuff to do. I'd rather someone who likes doing it, do it."

Harshad snorts. "Yeah, but then you might get someone who likes it a little -too- much, and that's a problem." He sighs. "Wonder if there's a solution." He looks at his bowl contemplatively, then shakes his head, starting to eat again. "You handled that well, by the way." He doesn't say -what- Choler handled well, but then he probably doesn't need to.

She taps the side of her nose, and shrugs lightly. "Thank you. I thought it a good deflection." Her shoulders roll in a shrug. "As for the authority thing, who knows? You want someone to have some interest and take it seriously, and they have to be properly rewarded. So that they don';t become corrupt. It really is a lot of work and I think the temptation is there to simply take what you think you are owed, yeah?"

Harshad gives a tusked grin. "Yeah, but the problem is, who decides what you are owed -- and how much? There's always con men and skimmers who'll help themselves if they think they can get away with it." He rakes a hand through his hair. "Question for the ages, really."

He looks around cautiously. "I need to talk to you later, after lunch. Sit down and discuss some stuff if we're going to work together." His lips twitch slightly. "Get my drift?"

"Your place or mine?", she wonders. "And yes, I get it." She makes a gesture, drawing an imaginary zipper across her lips. "I've got nothing else going on today, so, whenever and where ever." Choler grins.