Devils and black sheep, really bad eggs.

[Whizzlesprocket]

She opened her mouth, but the mention of coppers put her on edge. She growled a little, glaring those sharp points at Shen. "Roit. Go see to yer patients, sawbones. We'll talk again, bloody creepy medicine man." She dusted herself off and waited for him to move.

[Marlena]

Marlena had left the warehouse, intent on taking a seemingly aimless wander around the docks. But of course it was far from aimless. The docks were littered with those that she had an interest in, showing her presence there and of course conversing with a few was part of a daily routine now. Running a hand through the thick black waves, she tied them back loosely with a thin strip of leather then took the quickest route through the back alleys to the busy docks.

As she stepped out of the shadows cast by the buildings surrounding her, she heard the unmistakable voice of Abby Whizzlesprocket. The energetic and rather loud gnome that had helped her not too long ago. The tone of voice was filled with obvious annoyance and to save her from whatever person she'd managed to upset, Marlena walked through the people towards her. She raised an eyebrow, but was not surprised to see Abby picking herself up from the floor, she was however, intrigued to discover who had put the girl on her ass.

Stopping just behind the small woman, her eyes went to the man before them, quickly taking note of the fierce looking weapon on his belt and the pipe in his hand before speaking.

Abby, it is good to see you again. Is everything alright here?

[Shen]

Shen slid his thumb and forefinger underneath his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. This was all getting a little too out of hand. He'd just gotten off one rat infested tub of a ship and had no greater want then to eat, drink, get his leg over with someone with the decency to shut up in general and get some blasted sleep once sufficiently inebriated.


He did know however, that he hadn't done a damn thing wrong and was leaning toward throwing the gnome in the drink rather than dealing with another injured simpleton. He looked to the newly arrived Marlena with a degree of reserved interest and then looked back to the tri-cornered hat person, shaking his head.

"Then call your guard. I am a doctor, not a charity worker thank you kindly and I hardly think that the Sentinels will take kindly to any of you interrupting me when I have only just arrived in town. You'll be needing someone to lie of course, given that I've not done a damned thing wrong.

So. What you're sure to call justice I call blackmail and I will say this only once. I am not the kind of person you'll enjoy being indebted to. Because I always collect on my debts."

Shen took out his pipe once more, looked about at the circle of people surrounding him with narrow eyes as he packed it. He then produced a small device, a tube of sorts; and pumped one end into the other. He slid the tube open and deposited a tiny, sparked ember from it into the end of his pipe.

Slipping the odd device into his pocket, then chuffing his pipe into life once more, he then shoved his way through the crowd.0

"Again, I'll be on my way."

[Orp Boon]

When Marlena appears, the men from the ship quickly give slight bows and re-board the ship, taking the last crates.

The man in the tricorn nearly trips over himself as he bounds back into the ship.

"G'afternoon, Ma'am!"

Shen sees a few seaside shops and merchant stalls selling a variety of items: fishing gear, food, navigational gear, ropes, cloth, foreign spices. Further down, on firm ground begins the dirty residences of the dock workers.

[Whizzlesprocket]

((Unfortunately some family issues came up and I won't be on for a long time. Please write me out if you can. Thanks.))

[Marlena]

The gnome dusted herself off and turned, a thoroughly annoyed expression on her face before she grumbled a greeting that Marlena could barely understand. Eyebrows raised, she watched as Abby stormed off in a way that should be hilariously funny, but Marlena was not so silly as to incur the gnome's wrath by laughing. Sighing, a smile on her lips, she shook her head at the little woman's antics before looking up to the man, whom she had no doubt was the one to put little Whizzlesprocket into such a good mood.

The man started to make his way through the crowd, but her interest was caught now. For a man of medicine, he was far from the caring and helping hand type. Turning on her heel, she followed him, light on her feet as she almost jogged to catch up with him. Once she had made it to his side, she stopped him with a light touch on his elbow. Her hand lowered quickly, but she smiled, warm and friendly.

I must apologize on behalf of Abby. I do not know what started the altercation, but I can guess. The woman has an idea that she could steal from anyone. She is good at what she does, but sometimes she needs a helping hand picking out a target. I can tell, she chose wrong when she decided to try stealing from you.

You just came from one of the ships, yes? Trust me, none of the taverns here are worth anything. The food is poison and the drink watered down. Let me take you somewhere. I'll even buy you a drink. I was heading there anyway.

A lie of course, but he didn't know that. She didn't know what other talents this man had, but he obviously worked for money. And she could always use people that worked like that.

[Shen]

Shen looked at her and his expression held a hint of disdain. His mood was hardly improved by the altercation with the gnome and the idiot dock workers and consequently, he was low on patience.

But he listened as Marlena made an offer that interested him. It seemed simple enough, food and drink somewhere reputable. She didn't look like the sort to try and hussle him, not that he was some green farm lad fresh off the boat with too much hope and too little common sense.

So, he nodded as he waved his hand in the direction he had been traveling, pressing his glasses further up his nose with his middle and index finger. There might have been the barest hint of a grin.

"After you then."

[Marlena]

The smile never faltered, even with his obvious annoyance and Marlena was sure decent food and drink would improve his mood further. People talked more when they were happy, and she wanted to know about him. Nodding, she turned and began to walk at an unhurried pace, glancing back over her shoulder through strands of black hair to ensure he was following.

He intrigued her because he did not look like a man of medicine. He looked more like the type that would be at home among the members of the Tryst. The dark look of him, the evil weapon he carried and that scar across his chest gave no impression of someone that could give you medical aid, other than quickly removing a limb should you have a splinter.

She led him through the crowds, weaving between people with ease, though some seemed to move of their own accord from her path. Slipping between buildings, she wandered into an alley, the main street of Wistvale visible at the other end, and the tavern she had mentioned across the street from them. Lifting a hand, she pointed as she slowed slightly, allowing the man to step beside her.

There, they even have rooms that are clean and not infested with cockroaches.

[Shen]

Shen stopped beside her, lighting his piper once with that unusual item before slipping it in his pocket once more. He didn't appear to be in any hurry either, but his eyes narrowed as he studied the tavern building. He was only analyzing and not offended of course.

"Hm. Better than some of the backwater towns I have had the displeasure of visiting of late."

He gripped his pipe and smoked some more, thin, white tendrils curling from his lips. He hadn't turned to face her but was quite obviously studying her at this moment, looking her up and down without expression. After a time, he looked back to the tavern.

"Shall we?"

[Marlena]

Marlena's lips drew into a slight smirk as she noticed him looking her over. Her weapons were sat on her hips. She'd taken to wearing pants more, rather than dresses that easily got in the way during a fight. Not that she got into many. No. She was rather adept at diffusing hostile situations and that saved a lot of time.

She remained still until he indicated to move on and then stepped forward through the people that went about their business, not stopping until she had reached the door of the tavern. Leaning against it, she pushed it open and ignored all those within except for the bartender. The man was paying very little attention until Marlena arrived. Whatever he was doing was suddenly of no importance as he stepped over to her.

Turning to the man who she had brought here, she smiled sweetly.

What will you be having?

[Orp Boon]

The portly bartender wrings a towel almost to threads in his hands. He is sweating enough to soak his collar and he keeps looking around the room and out the front windows. He wears a plain white shirt and well worn and stretched pants. If his suspenders could talk they'd be screaming in pain. His receding hairline seems to be racing away from his waist.

"Whatever you want is free f-for you and y-your um guest, but I uh need to talk to you, ma'am. In uh private."

[Shen]

Shen looked entirely unconcerned with the apparent urgency of the barkeep and looked about, finger tapping his chin.

"I'm going to venture to say you don't have Faedark."

He knew they didn't. It was an exotic drink, brewed by the Dark Elves of the Underwood. He's spent enough time there to grow familiar with the food and drink and that particular alcohol had the peculiar after affect of making the drinker glow when innedbriated. It was an aquired taste.

"I suppose I'll be drinking alone after all."

He gave the barkeep a not an entirely friendly stare and then turned his back on both him and Marlena, looking for a seat that wasn't occupied already.

[Marlena]

Marlena glared at the barkeep and tapped her fingers on the counter, her annoyance easily seen. She turned her head and gave the man an apologetic smile, before turning back and taking advantage of the hospitality that had been offered.

Send the best of what you have to the table he sits at, and make sure there is wine there for me. This had best not take long.

Turning again, she sighed and held out her hand to the man that had begun to walk away.

Sometimes business gets in the way of pleasure. Find a table with room for two, I shall join you shortly. The name's Marlena, by the way...

[Shen]

Shen stopped and looked to his side, not turning fully to look at her. The fire light glimmered across his glasses, a strange, almost eerie thing that covered his eyes. He smiled at that moment, hardly cruel but his lips twisted, not terribly kind.

"A delightful name."

He didn't offer his name, but instead found himself a table, toppled over two spare chairs and took one, leaving the other for Marlena to return to.

[Orp Boon]

The barkeep takes a look around the room before he grabs a serving wench by the sleeve as she passed the bar.

"Make sure no one leaves without paying and we are not bothered."

She nods questioningly and the bartender gives her a light shove to encourage her back to work. He looks back to Marlena.

"Please, walk this way, ma,am."

The barkeep leads her beyond a curtain in the back of the bar. He walks down a dark narrow hall and opens a small wooden door and reveals some wooden stairs leading below ground. The portly barkeep grabs a lantern and gestures to the stairs.

"Watch your step, ma,am."

At the bottom of the stairs the man is drenched in sweat. Between heaving breaths he lights the room from his lantern. The ceiling is made of large support beams under the floor of the tavern. The walls are covered in storage of ale and other drinks in huge barrels on shelves.

"Sorry to pull you away, ma'am but I needed to talk in private. Last week a group of men came in and wrecked the place. They said the required fifty percent of all profits or they'd come back and do it again and there'd be blood.

I couldn't go to the Sentinels because our drinks don't just have alcohol in them and I don't trust those blue-hoods. I'm so glad you came because I was afraid to leave the building. You seemed like the kind of girl who would help me out. Can you do anything to help me?"

Back topside, Shen is served by a voluptuous wench with a top cut about two inches lower than any lady would have it. She pours him a few glasses of different drinks, an ale, some wine and something green. She sees his pipe and inquires,

"What do you smoke? We may have something to to make your day a little more, tolerable."