Getting Grimey

Paige heads down a back stairs into a small room that contains stores. The bartender, Feldspar, is here. "Evening, Ma'am," he says, calmly.

Paige notices two things immediately. The room is well lit and it isn't really cramped, which is surprising for a place like this.

What she knows of architecture also makes it seem odd. Why would anyone have a cellar at a dockside bar? It ought to be nearly impossible to keep dry.

"Damn smugglers already making an inroads here," she chuckles to the bartender. "Why didn't I think of that?"'

She jerks a thumb toward the floor and asks, "Where's it go?"

Feldspar sighs. "Gaming tables, ma'am. Unlicensed but 'armless."

"Anyone currently down there?" she asks, knowing that she's going to have to look for herself.

"I shouldn't know, ma'am. I'd expect they left during the fight, or as they heard us talking out here."

Paige waves her hand. "So, if you'd be so kind as to help a lady with the door, I can make sure to note your assistance to the Crown and no one else," she suggests knowing it wouldn't do well with his employer or the patrons to know he rolled that easily.

He smiles, thinly, and reaches in between two rows of casks and pulls a handle. A dark passageway leads away from the tavern and further down the block. The kegs lining the walls of the passage are of notably higher quality.

Paige procures herself a light in her off hand and her dao in the other, suggesting, "Leave it open for the nonce, eh?"

She advances as quietly as she can, keeping her own senses alert.

Feldspar frowns, "I'll just be following along, Ma'am."

[Barring argument or a bonk on the head for poor Feldy...]

Paige opens a door at the far end, under a different building, and sees a smoky room. The passage was short and led back from the docks towards the city proper.

It's likely a combination of a smuggler's route and a gambling den. Paige also smells the musky odor of opiates, although only faintly.

The room is well appointed, but empty. It looks to cater to an audience that doesn't regularly frequent dockside taverns. At a guess, there's a front entrance that is more respectable ahead.

The room is empty, and quite clean.

"Where's it lead out?" Paige asks, sweeping the room quickly to look for anything that would give her a clue as to the last occupants. "A well-heeled part of town?"

Feldspar considers this. "I'd call it respectable, which was their goal. Can't be too close to the well heeled."

She's headed for the presumed door, even as Feldspar answers. "And if I need a diversion later, who runs the game?"

He smiles. "I can make arrangements for you, Lady Sommers."

She smiles back, suggesting that she expected no less from him, but would've been happier with a name.

The door has a window in it, perfect for observing who may be in the street before exiting.

Which the Warden choses to do. Should the street be clear, she marks well the surrounding doors so she might find this one again, and heads back.

There are riots a few blocks away. This area is probably under curfew, either officially or unofficially.

"No second floor for running girls?" she asks conversationally.

He grins. "Could've been, but the Redhead showed up and scooped up all the best talent. She got some serious backing when she came here from Amber."

Paige runs a hand through her short red locks. "I'll assume you're speaking of Scarlett and not me, as you know I've distanced myself from the trade."

The bartender nods, not even realizing that Paige may think of herself as 'The Redhead'. "Scarlett was at the Mill, but she's doing better in Xanadu. Even if Michelle moves in here, Red has a big advantage." He pauses.

"The King likes gambling, I hear."

Paige nods in return. "Who's the street say her backer is? Heap have his meaty fingers into it?" she asks conversationally.

He snorts. "The street says a lot of things, most of them not just wrong, but stupid. Near as I can tell, it's a bunch of women with royal offspring fighting it out using their connections to the crown to get ahead. Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"Not that there's anything wrong with that," Paige agrees, shaking her head sadly ever so slightly. "Connections to the crown can be beneficial," she hints.

"You looking for any, Feldspar? Because it could benefit us both," the lady offers boldly as she turns to face him at the cellar stairs, leaning against the wall for a moment.

Paige can practically see the wheels turning in the man's head. Quickly, he replies. "I'd like to bring that proposal to my partners. I know it would help, and if they're not smart enough to ken that, I can find new partners."

Paige guesses that they would've been 'employers' before he had a royal connection to buy his way into the game.

"Right," she nods in an unconscious imitation of the Prince Royal or whatever Folly's husband is calling himself these days.

"Before we head back upstairs, I'm going to assume we're on the level with each other and that Grimey, the half-ogre wasn't been hiding in the basement while I'm here with a Crown Warrant, right?"

It was a clean shot, but the alley wasn't exactly a sterile place to take the wound. Robin commandeers the first pitcher of water for cleaning purposes, and Kitten drinks most of the second. He watches with some interest at Raven departs.

Scarlett looks at him, and turns to Robin. "I wouldn't put it past him to exaggerate his innocence."

Robin cocks her head at Scarlett, mild questioning in her green eyes. "This man threatened you and Max, yes? What does 'innocence' have to do with that?"

Scarlett jerks her thumb at Kitten. "Him? He's no big threat. He's not smart enough to be a problem. He's just muscle for a guy who can. Hells, girl, if I held a grudge 'gainst everyone who ever crossed me, I'd have no one to work for me, plus the Halfhand would've hanged me for killing me own kid.

"Not that I'd hire him, he's not my style. But I'd give odds he'll stay away from me and mind, after all this."

Kitten shrugs, wincing a bit. "If I can save my idiot brother, I will. I just want out of this, ma'am."

"Wellll," Robin allows. "You are not my kill. You're Raven's." She lifts a shoulder to Scarlett in condolence. "I'll let him decide."

"Grimey, however, is Silhouette's kill. And I suspect that she will be fine with me as an..." Robin struggles with the word: deputy? surrogate? substitute? "... instrument." is what she comes up with.

"Your brother attacked and beat a member of the Royal Family, Kitten. He cannot be saved." The girl is not so much grim, as final.

Kitten shrugs, his chin getting more firm. "I won't beg you for his life. If that's your justice, then so be it. I hope you never find him."

Even Scarlett is a somewhat taken aback.

"Understandable." Robin nods. "And commendable. My condolences for your loss."

And then, she sets about finishing up the bandaging.

As Robin is finishing up, she hears a familiar mental voice. Her firelizard is back, and is pleased with himself.

As well he should be, because he is wonderful - is Robin's emotion-voice back.

He reciprocates, as do the others, perhaps with a tinge of jealousy.

A moment later, Victor vaults over the back fence. "Oh, that's what you caught? Jerod has Flannel and he's off after Heap, who may or may not be with the Harbormaster. He says 'follow up on any leads on your own.'"

"Ah." Robin nods to Victor as she stands up and wipes her hands off on her thighs.

"Both Scarlett and Kitten agree that this is small game." She gestures toward the man leaning against the well, completely oblivous to her misuse of personal pronouns. "And Raven is off to the Welcome Center to see if Grimmey is there.

"I'm just..." Robin lips press and twist unhappily, "doing support duty."

Victor shrugs. "Five demon hunters split up, only one finds the demon, but the rest help by keeping the one free-and-clear to act. But if this guy isn't important, let him go or leave him here and we can go help Raven."

"Fiiiivvve demon hunters?" Robin teases, "Like you'd ever split the bounty up that much. But I approve of your plan." She finishes as she perks up.

"Scarlet? Are you okay prey-stting? I'm guessing that since we netted Kitten pre-meeting and Jerod's tagged Flannel, your fire-risk is probably pretty low right now."

She grins, and it's not very nice. "It's probably even lower if Kitten here is tied up and they can see 'em. I imagine nobody wants Grimey mad at 'em for burning the kit alive."

"Oooooo." Robin's eyes gleam with the nicety of that thought.

Robin grins to Victor and bounces over the fence in a blur of green and saurian enthusiasm. Once in the alleyway, she gives Peep a chance to strut her stuff and maybe catch up to Ooot and Chirrup in the awesome tracking lizard race. She pictures her cousin Raven, but not in a crowd. Can the lovely Peep get them there?

Peep looks Robin in the face, her eyes swirling. She makes a quick peep, and launches herself into the air. She disappears with a muffled bang.

"I hope that's a good thing," says Victor.

"I... I don't know," says the nonplussed Ranger. "She's never done that before. Though her bigger cousins' can and Kourin might have mentioned something about that." Robin casts a weather-eye toward Chirrup and Ooot. If they're not upset, then she's not going to be either.

Emotionally, they seem torn between going after Peep and staying with Robin. They don't seem upset at all.

[Victor] turns to Scarlett. "Where's my n-, Raven?"

Scarlett says "Big tent in an open square. Head for the cliff wall and you can't miss it."

Cliff wall. Robin nods. She can too find a cliff wall in Xanadu. Maybe even an open square and a big tent. Armed with that knowledge, she heads off -- fully expecting Victor to catch up.

Victor does, before she reaches the end of the alley. It's only a few blocks, no more than a dozen, before Robin sees the big square and Peep. The firelizard is perched on a rooftop overlooking a large white tent. She seems satisfied with herself, as if she's found Raven.

Robin sends her a pulse of appreciation and marvel, but makes sure that Chirrup and Ooot know they're awesome too. Internecine squabbling should be kept to a healthy level, though Robin's willing to let the firelizards determine what a healthy level is.

Robin steps into the square, her green eyes darting everywhere to locate what her little darling knows is.... somewhere.

Robin spots a natural hiding place that would give someone a clear view of the entrance to a big tent that takes up the larger part of the square. Robin has an odd feeling, as if she can see Raven, but she's not actually able to.

Peep peeps, but doesn't leave her vantage point.

What a clever little queen she is, Robin smiles to Peep.

As for herself, the Ranger absolutely trusts her feelings over her eyes. Those darn things have totally screwed her on an occasion or two. Besides, her nautical cousin might have serious hidey-sneaky skills under his belt.

So her job then is... to get to the natural hiding place without startling the herd in the square or twigging any other watching eyes. Tricky... but after a few moments, Robin has picked out her path and shadows over toward the hiding place.

Raven walks into the alley behind Scarlett's and it's hard to miss the Cliff. She starts towards it and walks through the evening crowds in Xanadu's crowded streets for a quarter of a watch. The cliffside area is a mixture of grandiose buildings and ramshackle lean-tos.

The route she took chasing Max runs past several open squares. She remembers one of them had a collection of tents in it. In this mild weather, it's easy to see how people might be perfectly happy to stay in them.

The largest tent looks like it may be a dining hall or meeting room. There are lanterns hanging inside it.

Raven eyes the tent, considering. There's probably a back door... flap... thing, but it's as like as not to end up somewhere just as exposed as just going in the front. Maybe more, if it's for meeting and not eating. And while exposed, she figures, isn't the best place to be when looking for a mountain of man - better the front door than more shrieking girls if it turns out she's got into the kitchen on account of the back door. Best to not start two accidental riots in one night, right?

With a sigh, she ducks into the tent.

The tent is organized as a sort of communal room, with a stage that might be for speakers or might be for performers at one end. There's a couple standing up there. The girl is singing and the man is playing something like a guitar. In the dim light of the tent, a few men are sitting around that side of things. There are tables set up in the rest of the area, where meals are served for refugees. There's no sign of Grimey.

There's a man sitting near the door, who looks up when Raven walks in. "Can I help you," he says. After a brief pause he add "Sir?" That's louder than necessary for you to hear him. The audience for the singer, on the other hand, now knows you're here.

"Aye, that you can," Raven answers dryly. "Nice job alertin' whoever it is you think might be concerned with me being here, by the way. Since I don't see him, though, you might've wasted your breath. Unless you've cleverly hidden him as that stage." She snorts. "I'm looking for a man-mountain what goes by Grimey. You seen him today?"

The man nods back, unashamedly. "Thank you, sir. That guy came by here after he deserted your ship, but we kicked 'em out. The boss wasn't interested in bringing the attention of you officer types down on our little establishment. Probably long gone by now." He looks over Raven. "I might be able to scare up someone who might know where he went, or at least which direction, for a consideration..."

Raven shakes her head. "Best I could do is a promise. I ain't got coin to spend on information today."

He shrugs and sits back. "Suit yourself, Cap'n. If the Navy wishes more information, I'll be right here when they find their purse."

Raven snorts. "Ain't the Navy what's asking, for once, but suit yourself. Your loss."

His total inability to consider Raven as anything other than the Navy is obvious on his face, but he says nothing.

With that, she turns and heads back off - at least as far away from the tent as it takes to find somewhere that she can watch the tent entrance and be reasonably not-obvious for a few minutes. Because 'I'll tell you if you pay me,' to her mind, generally goes hand in hand with, 'someone's going to go tattle if you don't.'

There's definite movement in the tent, but no one leaves the tent by the front entrance while you're watching.

Raven notices one of Robin's firelizard creatures perched on the rooftop opposite her position. The lizard is looking right at her.

Raven eyeballs the lizard in return. The problem, she figures, with using critters as scouts is that the damned things usually can't talk. Which means that could be a sign to stay put because someone's coming for her. Or it could be a sign to come on back.

Or it could just have been flying about, decided it was hungry, and found someone it had met that might feed it.

Well, maybe not that last one. After all, if it could be relied on to find people, it was probably smarter than the Vale's cat had been. Raven snorts and mutters, "Nice lizard," in exactly the same way someone might say, "Nice doggie," and starts looking around to see if it was followed here or not.

Raven looks out of her hidey hole and notices Robin casually approaching it. For a royal, she's doing a pretty good job of not being too conspicuous. Except for the flying lizard.

Robin smiles to her cousin and inconspicuously-with-lizard saunters into the hidey hole.

"Victor says Jerod's got Flaunel and is picking up Heap. Scarlett's holding Kitten hostage against unfortunate fires. So I came to hunt. You?" Robin's words are quiet and timed to the ambient noise of the square. It's unlikely that anyone other than Raven could have heard them without sorcerous help.

"Poked a nest," Raven answers, similarly quiet. "Ain't sure yet if it's hornet or mouse. But Grimey was here earlier. And if we care to bribe our way to an answer, we can, but I ain't never been fond of throwing good money at someone who's that willing to announce the Navy at the tent door like that. Figured I'd wait and see who went running. Been quiet so far, and I'm starting to think it's 'cause I'm at the wrong door."

Peep flies down to the hidey hole and lands on Robin's shoulder.

Robin coos and preens to her little darling - she did soooo goood, before turning back to her cousin. "All money is bad. Why not throw it?" says the not-so-civilized one.

Raven shakes her head. "It ain't bad unless it's money for misery and pain and death. Unless you mean to tell me gettin' paid for a good day's work is a bad thing?"

The Ranger tilts her head as she thinks about it. "Having food, shelter, tools, companionship, purpose & hope is a good thing. Confusing those with little metal token is a bad thing. Iiiiii guess I shouldn't say that money is bad. More that it is misleading and trivial...."

Robin sneaks a glance at Raven. That came out as something she could say to Vere. She's not sure it's appropriate for her new and practical cousin.

Raven considers that for a minute. "Maybe," she decides. "But it's necessary. Of those things you just listed? Only one that's truly free is hope." She pauses. "Maybe purpose. Depends. There's some as need help finding purpose, and that might cost in coin or in blood. Companionship, well." The captain grins. "Depends on what you're looking for, don't it? And if you leave money out of it when you lay your hands on food and tools - well, that's called stealing and there's those as don't take too kindly to it. And it's hard to find a spot that ain't claimed by another to set up a free shelter, so you'd be paying for that as well.

"All this, it belongs to people. It ain't a forest. You can't just..." She pauses, eyes both Ranger and dragons with a sort of thoughtful frown, and finishes, "set up a nest."

Robin grins a little and nods at the track Raven's thoughts seem to be following.

"Yep. Though my folk tend to build nests." She says with slight emphasis before continuing. "We, hunt, gather, cultivate and cook food, make tools and share companionship, purpose and hope amongst ourselves.

"Money?" She waves her hand at the marketplace. "That is for beings who have overrun their resources. Or are greedy." She wrinkles her nose in distaste at that last.

Raven snorts softly. "Greed's just wanting what others have got and not wanting to share your own. Littles are greedy about toys and treats. Adults, we're greedy about other things, only we ain't so blunt about it." She pauses, and then adds, "Well, most of us ain't. Point is, though, you can't blame money for being a thing what people who wouldn't last more than two days livin' in a nest have to have around."

Robin tilts her head, her brows furrowed as she looks out over the market. Her mouth opens and closes a couple of times as her minds darts down various aborted thought-tracks. "You... Are you saying that because people are weak and wanting they use money as nests? And that that's okay?"

Green eyes dart to Raven, bewilderment clashing with the desire not to offend therein.

"Yeesss," Raven hedges, "and no. I mean, I don't know as how I'd be saying people are weak too loudly, and nesting in money don't sound anything but uncomfortable. Maybe it's more that they use money to build their nests. Like this." She nudges a nearby wall. "Betcha they didn't go out and cut this wood down themselves. They paid someone to give them the wood. And maybe they didn't know how to build a wall, so they gave someone - maybe the same person, maybe not - money to put the wall up. And the same with the roof. See, lots of folks are good at one thing, but not maybe at things that would let them build their own place. Pretty sure I'd make a damn mess of it, for one. So they give the people what can a bit of money to do it for them, and it gets done, and that's that. Ain't nothing wrong with that at all."

Robin nods. "Labor share. But with metal tokens, instead of trust and companionship."

Then she fluffs out a big sigh. "It's hard not to find that contempt-worthy. But if I want to stay in civilized lands, I suppose I'd better learn how. Thank you for sharing, Raven." A glimmer of sadness dances across the girl's eyes before she casts her gaze back over the marketplace.

Even at this hour, it's not deserted, although it's quiet. It may not be fully used as a market until Amber stops sending people through. The tent seems like a bear's den. It would be a great shelter if it wasn't full of bear.

"Hmmmm." Robin hums to herself.

"I'm getting bored. Which means bad idea time. How 'bout I go into the tent and try really hard not to start a riot? You can watch this side and maybe Vic can take the back?"

"You mean like the first riot we didn't start?" Raven asks dryly. "Probably a really bad idea to not start two in one day. Somebody'll notice." She shakes her head and chuckles. "My plan don't seem to be getting anywhere. Ain't sure you going in is the best way, but I guess it's time to try smoking 'em out. Without actual fire, if you don't mind."

Well, there's at least one thing that Sailor and Ranger can agree on. Uncontrolled fire? Very, very bad.

She grins and nods to Raven, "No fire."

Popping out of the hidey-hole, Robin flashes a quick hand signals towards Victor's position, asking him to circle around to the back of the tent. And yeah, it's obvious that these two have hunted together before. Often.

Victor moves like a deer through the square, quietly but quickly. He's soon out of sight on his way to his position.

Then Robin bounds toward the front of the tent, her expression shifting between maniacal grin (she loves bearding the bear in its den) and serious (must be civilized when dealing with the city-folk.)

Raven eyes the departing Ranger, assorted tiny dragons, and brand new uncle and mutters, "Two riots," with complete certainty. And then she shifts herself off to another hiding place, one with a good view and a slightly better route for barreling across the empty space and into the tent. For if and when she needs to. Probably when.

Raven finds such a place, and stays at the ready.

Robin steps into the tent entry and blinks as her eyes start adjusting.

As she's getting things sorted, a voice comes from a table near the door. "Good Evening, Ranger. Can I help you?"

It's a loud voice, and it almost certainly carries to the few tables towards the other end of the tent. It's dark back there, but Robin can see movement.

"Maybe." Robin allows. "I'm looking for Grimmey too. But I'm less patient than my nautical cousin."

Robin doesn't seem to have any doubt that people will know what's she's talking about. Despite past experiences.

He smiles, greasily. "That's good to know. Is your purse more open? Cause the favor I was gonna do him is still for sale. Grimey ain't here, but I might be able to find you someone who knows where he went. Two hundred Royals."

Robin tilts her head, her nostrils flaring as she reaches for scents and sounds within the tent. Speaking slowly to give her eyes more time to adjust, she responds to greasy with an easy Ranger drawl. "Two hundred Royals? Seems like a mighty thin trail for that much.

"I wonder what would happen if I just offered a 150 Royal bounty on him..." her green eyes roll toward the Greasy Greeter.

He nods, getting into the negotiation. "Why, the same as if you offered me 175 Royals, except it would take you quite a bit longer and you'd have to wade through many a crazy lady who say 'em in an alley talking to her cat. Surely a 25 Royal expediting fee would be worth your while. I can get you information within a half-watch, whereas your method might be regrettably slower." He smiles.

"Probably," Robin allows.

"Another track might be," and here she raises her voice to match Greasy's announcer voice, "I let it be known that I have his brother Kitten at the place we first met. And if Grimmey ain't here..." the Ranger shrugs non-chalantly, "I'll go back there and ask Kitten again -- a little more strongly -- where he might be."

He nods. "Oh, yes, that's an idea. But he might lie to protect his kin, he might hold out long enough for the big 'un to escape. Now I don't care what happens t' either of them, so long as I get paid. It's still the better deal to pay me off than to hope you can torture him into giving you the intelligence you need in a timely fashion. If he even knows." He smiles at that last, having apparently just thought of it.

Robin tips her head as she looks at the man.

"Now I see what Raven meant. Giving you money would only reward your behavior. And... I think I'd rather fail than encourage that." She finishes with a wrinkled nose of disgust.

Turning away from Greasy, Robin heads deeper into the tent, sniffing and listening carefully to see if she can pick up the trail of the troll she got so intimate with the other day.

Greasy shrugs and Robin goes further in. "Price goes up tomorrow," he says at her back.

The Ranger remains aware of where Greasy is and his intentions. Otherwise his words are just breezes blowing through the tent - interesting in their effect but having no meaning.

Robin walks in and mostly what she smells is food, unwashed people, and a certain stink of desperation. It's not even clear that Grimey has been here, much less that he's left a trail taht could be followed. There are two men at a back table who spend their time staring at Robin.

Robin's meandering path around the tent eventually takes her in proximity to the starers. As she nears the table, she raises an eyebrow. Are there things that need to be said? Or are the men merely curious?

One of the men gestures to the seat across from them.

[Assuming she sits (if Robin ignores them, all this gets chucked)]

The two men are nondescript. Robin can't imagine a city setting where they would seem out of place. Thinking on that, it seems intentional--it's somewhat like camouflage.

The first one says. "You're very noticeable here, Lady Ranger."

"It's our job to notice things," says the second man.

"For people," clarifies the first one.

Robin takes the seat, but she's definitely on the lookout for any funny business. The memory of Hartwell causes a brief smile to dance across her lips - she still owes him a broken jaw.

"Weelllll, I ain't subtle," she grants. She tips her head to the side, willing to listen, but not having any questions at this point.

The first one nods. "It can be a useful tactic."

"Allows one's allies to sneak around the back, for instance," the other says, guessing. Robin thinks he's guessing, anyway.

"But sometimes it's good to have someone noticing things to not be subtle about," says the first one.

The first one looks towards the entrance. "Not everyone is as unsubtle as your friend by the door."

The second one leans in. "In the end, we're all the King's men. Our patron likes things to be orderly, calm, and predictable."

The first one leans next to him. "Bluntly, how may we help you so that you do not have to disturb matters here?"

For a moment, Robin's brow furrows. Then she categorizes the two's dialogue as a 'word-fog' and vows to herself not to stroll down whatever cloudy paths they are pointing toward. Jumping to conclusions would be bad here. Despite that, she can't help an interior giggle at the men's 'spy-games' - 'Our patron' indeed.

"Blunt is good." Robin nods, feeling safer with that. "I would like to find Grimmey. I would really rather not start a riot or disturb matters. But I also don't want to owe favors or betray confidences or... reward human trafficking." She wrinkles her nose in Greasy's direction.

"Not here," says the first man.

"He wasn't welcome here, as a fugitive from the crown," adds the second.

"Down the coast, away from the new Rangers," the first one says.

"He's not likely to be far into the forest. He's more of a fringe person than a woodsman."

The first one nods. "One or more Rangers could easily roust him."

Robin tilts her head and Listens to the two gents as well as watches their eyes, listens to their breathing, feels for the twitches of hands or any other tells. Are they telling the truth? Or sending her on a wild goose chase?

They seem to be telling the truth. Maybe they're just good at seeming. If it's a lie, it's hard to tell why they'd say something that easy to be caught at. Of course, they don't seem to be mentioning that one Ranger (other than Robin herself) who came across Grimmey in the woulds would have a bad day of it.

Robin sits back as she thiiiiinnnnnkksss about it.

"Okay," she nods. "I'll just get off your trail then."

Standing, she nods her farewells to the two and strides toward the door of the tent.

The loudmouth doorman waves as Robin exits.

Raven is visible as Robin exits. She's talking to another sailor.

Once outside, Robin whistles an 'all clear' to Victor and then heads in Raven's general direction. If it looks like her cousin isn't interested in the company of crazy Ranger with firelizards right now, she'll stride right on past not even giving the sailors a second look.

Robin is in the tent for an unusually long time, and there is neither smoke nor shouting nor signs of flight. Raven takes the opportunity to survey the square, as best she can from her hidey hole. Surprisingly, she recognizes someone from the Amber Navy across the square. Captain Pinch was a miserable man and worse commander, but he married well and left the service for his own ship over a decade ago. It's not clear why he's here, trying to pretend he's not. He's talking to some locals. He's probably arranging a smuggling run.

Well, now. Raven eyes this little chat for a moment, and then eases herself out of her hiding spot in favor of the shadows. Hopefully she can get close enough to hear what's going on before someone notices a Navy captain acting sneaky.

"... cost you extra for that. If I don't know what I'm carrying, I don't know the risks you're puttin me in." Pinch always was a sharp bargainer.

"You'll be paid well, assuming you can do your part of the job." The man he's talking to would stand out in most crowds. His green-tinged skin suggests Rebman ancestry.

"Yes, I will. And I can get your goods out of Amber and into Xanadu without either Harbormaster being the wiser..."

"Then we're agreed." The two turn and depart. Pinch is coming directly towards Raven and Raven has to duck back to keep from being seen.

Raven follows him just far enough that it's reasonable to pretend she wasn't in ear shot for that little exchange. And then she announces casually, "Now there's a face I ain't seen in a while. Captain Pinch, aye?"

"Raven!" he says, covering his surprise well. He holds out his arm to clasp with Raven. "I heard you'd made good. Is your Mother in town, lad?" His grin is unpleasant...

Raven snorts and returns the clasp. "Can't imagine why you'd want to know; the damned woman is more trouble than anything. How's that pretty little chit of a thing you talked into buying you a boat? You ever smuggle her off on special trips like you was swearing you would?"

When she spots Robin heading her way, she signals that the Ranger is more than welcome to join the party. After all, it's not a truly proper game of harrass-the-smuggler if there's only one person playing.

Pinch demurs, quickly. "Oh, lad, no. I've married well. My wife doesn't like being at sea. Best of both worlds, I have. Would you be looking for a wife, now that you've come up in the world? Pippin has a cousin who's of marriageable age."

Robin nods, alters her path and before you know it - crazy Ranger with firelizards.

"No prey today, cousin," she pipes up cheerfully. "Word is our fellow's down the coast aways. And not in quick striking range. Sooooo, who's your friend here?" She grins toothily at the idiot who is trying to hitch Raven up. Best to disabuse folks of that idea as quickly as possible.

Raven nods at the news. "Ain't going to complain about that too loud; he ain't one to run into in the shadows unexpected-like. This is Captain Pinch, what used to be in the Navy before he found a wife. Seems like he had business down here too." She eyes Pinch. "'Least, I assume that was business. Didn't think it right to interrupt."

"Yes," he says. He doesn't add anything else.

"Ah." Robin bobs her head, "Hmmmmm. Raven? Are we here to witness the start of another riot or are we going to walk back on the streets this time?" Robin seems fine with it either way, she's just checking for her cousin's druthers. And she's not twitching slightly with impatience at being stuck in a city talking to people, oh no.

"Didn't know there was one ready to start," Raven answers. "Captain, I guess I'll have to catch you later."