POVERO Chapter Two

[alhoon]

Courthouse
Fild is a bit puzzled by Gertie's reaction and words but shrugs it off. He tells Barth where he's staying (not where they will meet Aldon or anything about their patron) in case the big guy wants to hung out with them later and asks for directions on where he could find the thief-catchers and goes to procure the needed licenses before the meeting.

[ewancummins]

GOING TO MEET THE BROTHERHOOD

MOOK leads Gertie and Tom through the streets, stopping along the way at various places where he chats with laundresses, apprentice boys, street hawkers, and other persons of low status.
The tour cuts through the Market Area and towards the waterfront.

A cool salt breeze blows up the street from the south, whisking away the afternoon heat.

Mook stops near a girl selling shellfish out of a wheelbarrow.
He thrusts his hands into his pockets and fishes about a moment, pulls out a single copper coin, and groans.
"I must have a hole in these pants. Lost at least four follaros. Damn! And I'm so hungry."

[ewancummins]

Courthouse
Fild is a bit puzzled by Gertie's reaction and words but shrugs it off. He tells Barth where he's staying (not where they will meet Aldon or anything about their patron) in case the big guy wants to hung out with them later and asks for directions on where he could find the thief-catchers and goes to procure the needed licenses before the meeting.

BARTH says,
"Right, I got my own business to tend to. Maybe see you later at the Frisky Friar."
He smiles, laughs, and strides off to the east down a side alley.


Fild gets directions. He's told to pull the brazen chain when he gets there.
...


The hall of the Thief Catchers and Lawful Repossessors looks more like an urban stronghold than the office of an ordinary guild: thick masonry walls cut with slits for crossbowmen, reinforced doors, a flat roof. It stands about twenty five feet high and fifty feet wide in the front.
Fild sees a brass chain hanging in the arch of the main door. The links run up through a small gap in the stonework overhead.
The front for itself has two small moveable panels set in it, one at head level for Fold and one a couple of feet higher. Both closed now.

If he stands on his toes, catching hold of the chain is easy.

[steveflam]

GOING TO MEET THE BROTHERHOOD

MOOK leads Gertie and Tom through the streets, stopping along the way at various places where he chats with laundresses, apprentice boys, street hawkers, and other persons of low status.
The tour cuts through the Market Area and towards the waterfront.

A cool salt breeze blows up the street from the south, whisking away the afternoon heat.

Mook stops near a girl selling shellfish out of a wheelbarrow.
He thrusts his hands into his pockets and fishes about a moment, pulls out a single copper coin, and groans.
"I must have a hole in these pants. Lost at least four follaros. Damn! And I'm so hungry."

Gertie looks at Tom with a raised eyebrow. "I'll pay one more time for you but that's it. Don't lie to me about your money. You've none it's plain to see."

She forks over the money and takes some for her and Tom.

"Onward, Mook." She eats her shellfish. as they walk.

[ewancummins]

GOING TO MEET THE BROTHERHOOD

MOOK leads Gertie and Tom through the streets, stopping along the way at various places where he chats with laundresses, apprentice boys, street hawkers, and other persons of low status.
The tour cuts through the Market Area and towards the waterfront.

A cool salt breeze blows up the street from the south, whisking away the afternoon heat.

Mook stops near a girl selling shellfish out of a wheelbarrow.
He thrusts his hands into his pockets and fishes about a moment, pulls out a single copper coin, and groans.
"I must have a hole in these pants. Lost at least four follaros. Damn! And I'm so hungry."

Gertie looks at Tom with a raised eyebrow. "I'll pay one more time for you but that's it. Don't lie to me about your money. You've none it's plain to see."

She forks over the money and takes some for her and Tom.

"Onward, Mook." She eats her shellfish. as they walk.

MOOK leads the siblings to a street-side cafe.
He sidles up to a table where three rough looking men eat a supper of fish soup and crusty bread. GERTIE sees a sap hanging from one man's hip. One wears an armored jack unlaced in on the sides to ventilate it.
The men look up at Mook.

Mook says,
" That soup looks really good. Smells good, too."

The eaters go back to eating, but one seems to be watching Mook...

Mook begins fidgeting. He shuffles in place. Sweat breaks out on his forehead. He edges away--but not far away-- from the eating men.
"Gertie...Tom...let's get out of here. I know a cheaper place."

He hustles off.

When Gertie and Tom catch up with him at the street corner, Mook whispers to them both,
"Couldn't do it. Please, please don't hit me. Got a confession. "
When they don't instantly attack him, he hastens to add,
" They made me do it! Those guys were Thief Catchers. Guildsmen. A lot of them are thieves themselves, or were, but they went to work for the merchants. Now they hunt honest thieves like you two. I find stuff out for them, sometimes. They pay me. But I really was in trouble this time, really was in jail with that fine hanging over my head. And when Gertie started asking my questions in the Cant, well, I figured another few silvers just fell from heaven for me. But you seem like good kids. So I couldn't turn you in. Please don't hurt me. I swear I'll pay you back, Gertie!"

[steveflam]

MOOK leads the siblings toward streetside cafe.
He sidled up to a table where three rough looking men eat a supper of fish soup and crusty bread. GERTIE sees a sap hanging from one man's hip. One wears an armored jack unlaced in on the sides to ventilate it.
The men look up at Mook.

Mook says,
" That soup looks really good. Smells good, too."

The eaters go back to eating, but one seems to be watching Mook...

Mook begins fidgeting. He shuffles in place. Sweat breaks out on his forehead. He edges away--but not far away-- from the eating men.
"Gertie...Tom...let's get out of here. I know a cheaper place."

He hustles off.

When Gertie and Tom catch up with him at the street corner, Mook whispers to them both,
"Couldn't do it. Please, please don't hit me. Got a confession. "
When they don't instantly attack him, he hastens to add,
" They made me do it! Those guys were Thief Catchers. Guildsmen. A lot of them are thieves themselves, or were, but they went to work for the merchants. Now they hunt honest thieves like you two. I find stuff out for them, sometimes. They pay me. But I really was in trouble this time, really was in jail with that fine hanging over my head. And when Gertie started asking my questions in the Cant, well, I figured another few silvers just fell from heaven for me. But you seem like good kids. So I couldn't turn you in. Please don't hurt me. I swear I'll pay you back, Gertie!"

Gertie sighs, looking at Tom.

"Mook. I put myself out there for you and this is how you treat us? Man, we need to get introduced to the guild here in the city. Is there one or not? And can you bring us to them? Yes or no?"

[ewancummins]

OUT WITH MOOK THE SNITCH

MOOK leads the siblings toward streetside cafe.
He sidled up to a table where three rough looking men eat a supper of fish soup and crusty bread. GERTIE sees a sap hanging from one man's hip. One wears an armored jack unlaced in on the sides to ventilate it.
The men look up at Mook.

Mook says,
" That soup looks really good. Smells good, too."

The eaters go back to eating, but one seems to be watching Mook...

Mook begins fidgeting. He shuffles in place. Sweat breaks out on his forehead. He edges away--but not far away-- from the eating men.
"Gertie...Tom...let's get out of here. I know a cheaper place."

He hustles off.

When Gertie and Tom catch up with him at the street corner, Mook whispers to them both,
"Couldn't do it. Please, please don't hit me. Got a confession. "
When they don't instantly attack him, he hastens to add,
" They made me do it! Those guys were Thief Catchers. Guildsmen. A lot of them are thieves themselves, or were, but they went to work for the merchants. Now they hunt honest thieves like you two. I find stuff out for them, sometimes. They pay me. But I really was in trouble this time, really was in jail with that fine hanging over my head. And when Gertie started asking my questions in the Cant, well, I figured another few silvers just fell from heaven for me. But you seem like good kids. So I couldn't turn you in. Please don't hurt me. I swear I'll pay you back, Gertie!"

Gertie sighs, looking at Tom.

"Mook. I put myself out there for you and this is how you treat us? Man, we need to get introduced to the guild here in the city. Is there one or not? And can you bring us to them? Yes or no?"

"I'm sorry. I was scared to go into the pit. You can get beat up, robbed, knifed in there! But about the Brotherhood...it's...what's the right word? Defunct. The Thief Catchers busted it, along with some other crews."
He shakes his head.
"I don't like working for their guild. They throw burglars down staircases. Two of them got excited, went too far. They beat a whore till she died, but they paid a witness to lie, say she was killed by her pimp. Thief Catchers nabbed the pimp, dunked his head in seawater till he confessed to one of their bent judges, and then turned him over to the hangman. And they kept all his money."

[alhoon]

thick masonry walls cut with slits for crossbowmen, reinforced doors, a flat roof. It stands about twenty five feet high and fifty feet wide in the front.

Fild is surprised. He looks around not sure he wants to enter this unwelcoming building. He cannot fathom why a guild, let alone a guild of thief catchers, would be under attack. Perhaps they inherited it from someone paranoid.

He moves to the door and pulls the bronze chain. And waits.

[ewancummins]

thick masonry walls cut with slits for crossbowmen, reinforced doors, a flat roof. It stands about twenty five feet high and fifty feet wide in the front.

Fild is surprised. He looks around not sure he wants to enter this unwelcoming building. He cannot fathom why a guild, let alone a guild of thief catchers, would be under attack. Perhaps they inherited it from someone paranoid.

He moves to the door and pulls the bronze chain. And waits.

GUILDHOUSE OF THE THIEF-CATCHERS AND LAWFUL REPOSSESSORS.

A muffled clatter and ring sounds from somewhere on the other side of the reinforced door.

The top panel slides open. Closes.
The lower panel set in the door opens.
Eyes stare out at Fild from behind a glass pane backed by fine wire mesh.
"What do you want?"
The voice seems to come from one of the fluted brass ornaments of the metal reinforcement of the door.

[alhoon]

GUILDHOUSE OF THE THIEF-CATCHERS AND LAWFUL REPOSSESSORS.

"I'm here to attack and conquer this fort and turn it to a playground for my evil offspring." Fild says sarcastically. He still is in a somewhat bad mood.
"To apply for the necessary licenses to become a thief-catcher of course! why else would I be here? You have made very clear that you like your peace inside this place. Although I would recommend a deep trench filled with chthonian horrors to complete the image."

[ewancummins]

GUILDHOUSE OF THE THIEF-CATCHERS AND LAWFUL REPOSSESSORS

GUILDHOUSE OF THE THIEF-CATCHERS AND LAWFUL REPOSSESSORS.

"I'm here to attack and conquer this fort and turn it to a playground for my evil offspring." Fild says sarcastically. He still is in a somewhat bad mood.
"To apply for the necessary licenses to become a thief-catcher of course! why else would I be here? You have made very clear that you like your peace inside this place. Although I would recommend a deep trench filled with chthonian horrors to complete the image."

"We have no openings for new apprentices now. So get lost, runt."
The panel snaps closed.

[ewancummins]

TITUS, ALFONSE, AND DAMIEN

LEAVING THE FRISKY FRIAR

Titus raises an eyebrow. "I would imagine, if the watch took them into custody." He scratches his chin. "Come to think of it, I recently interfered in a robbery in progress. I never saw the ruffians, but I did see the work the did to one of their victims. An arrow to the head." Titus shakes his head. "It was only by the Speakers mercy I was able to resuscitate him. You don't suppose that could be related to the robbery the others were investigating, do you?"

Alfonse sighs. "Yes, that would have been them. As I said, overzealous, but I'm afraid the man you saved may have been a thief himself. The others were in the process of pursuing the rest when they were arrested."

Damien says,
"It was in a little vineyard with a building. Rundown place, west where the town thins out. Where was this robbery you came across, Master Titus?"

[ewancummins]

OUT WITH MOOK


Gem growls at Mook.

The man scuttles back. He glances from the dog to its half-human master, and back to the growling animal.
Gem barks.
Mook flinches.
He settles his gaze on Gertie.
"Hey, now girlie, I did warn you both about the Thief-Catchers. Come on, don't get so angry. I' ll pay you back."
He grins, tugs at his dirty collar, and shifts his weight from one foot to the other.

[steveflam]

GERTIE, TOM, GEM AND MOOK


Gertie gives Mook a stern but not hostile look, like if she were his mother.

"You'll do more than that. Now you work for me. Go do what you're good at. And report back to me this evening at the Frisky Friar. And I am sure you'll

find some way to bring me back my money. Or else maybe Gem might get a hankering for Mook nuts. Now get out of our sight."

ONce he slinks off she turns to Tom. "Oh well, no guilds. Guess we better head back to the Inn and see what everyone is up to."

[alhoon]

GUILDHOUSE OF THE THIEF-CATCHERS AND LAWFUL REPOSSESSORS

"We have no openings for new apprentices now. So get lost, runt."
The panel snaps closed.

Fild sighs and pulls the chain again, and bangs the door for good measure.
"I don't want apprentiship you oafs. I just want the license and I'll go my merry way and leave you barricaded in your fort."