04.02a - "Bismark's Homecoming" (post-session RP)

Bismark gathered the group together and explained where the different areas of town are to the party, then excused himself, walking over to Purvis' Patio. There, he saw a jolly tiefling, reddish tint to his skin, a squareish hat, bespectacled and sitting happily behind a large folding desk. The shop was dimly lit and  items of all shapes and sizes strewn about in a vague approach of chaotic order. From the doorway behind him wafted the smell of something wonderful and decadent as the chattering of feminine voices drifted over from that direction. Bismark took another glance around the room taking in the proprietor once again and was surprised to see that the tiefling wasn't wearing a hat so much as ... Wearing a book on his head? "Um... you must be ... Purvis? I was wondering if you..." Bismark paused as he realizes the tiefling still has the same stupid grin on his face."... if you had any rapiers, shields, or studded leathers?"

"Welcome!!!" Purvis said, grinning from ear to ear. He gestured over to the far wall where various arms and armor were hanging. Bismark walked over to look at the wall, keeping a wary eye on the strange tiefling. Scattered along the wall Bismark noted a short sword, charcoal gray leathers and a shield that looks like it is made of Jade.

Bismark pointed to the leathers and shield. "can you tell me about these?"

Purvis took the book from his head and quickly leafed through it. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. The speed leathers are 750g, they grant the wearer a quick burst of adrenaline in combat. The Dragon Kissed Shield is 300. Merely a surprisingly resilient shield even though it seems to be made of hollowed stone.”

Bismark leaned in to take a closer look at the leathers. "hmm, I will have to come back and see you later, Purvis." Turning to leave the store, Bismark told him "nice items, I'll be back,' and when out eyesight of Purvis let out a gasp of sticker shock.

Bismark headed back to where the group was, having just remembered something, and tells them about a couple cheap inns nearby.

Blak asked Bismark, "Which has the best acoustics? If there isn't already an entertainer there, maybe I can get us at least a free room again.  That kept me fashionably clothed and well fed in my later years in Waterdeep and the surrounding area."

"Tha's a good idea.” Brynne added. “Let's get this boy here set up. I like free rooms---more gold fer fun then."

Bismark thinks for a minute. Pointing back towards the outer city, he tells Blak "Outside ze gates in the outer city is a place called the Brimming Tankard. I've been zere before - a lot going on in zere, at least back vhen I was here last. Noisy. a lot of distractions." Bismark smirked as he said this. "However.... if you are looking to make some money, Blak, You might vant to try over at the Golden Giant back toward the black gate. I never been in it myself, but I heard that it's kind of a high class place known for being quality and... of course, expensive. Figure'd you might get better pay or tips in there."

"The Golden Giant..." Blak said, 1 arm crossed over his chest, the index finger of the other hand tapping his chin in consideration.

"Ya. I have some places that I vant to go now zat ve have some time here in town. Vhere should I meet you all vhen I am done?"

"I'll try out the Golden Giant.  If it doesn't pan out, well, I guess the more ruckusy one will do" Blak said, smiling.

“Zere's others around town, but zose are the two that come to mind. I guess if I don't find you before zen, I'll meet you all back at the gate in the morning." Bismark looks to the rest of the group. "Anybody else need to know vhere to find something before i go?"

Able chimed in. "If we need anything we can employ Apos' technique of 'wander drunkenly and ask strangers'

"You people keep wandering off and I have no idea where I am so I have to ask people." Apostrofae pointed out.

Blak seemed to be running things through in his head with a confused look on his face. "I thought we were getting hired on as mercenaries, getting a tatter cart as a merchant, or becoming entertainers for the current wagon train.  Then Bis mentioned we're side-lined for 4 days - guess we missed this one. What's the speed a train moves at? imagine it is slow with all those wagons. Would it be better for us to strike out on our own, and get ahead of the larger cultist contingent? I mean, I can still get that cart, and instead of filling it with tatters, we could fill it with water, rations, beer, and that wishing stuff...oh yeah, Djinn""

Bismark pulled Blak aside and reminded him of how the plan was to go down - and how they are currently waiting for the cultists to catch up.

"Ooooh," Blak says "Sorry, I have a foggy recolection of our meeting with Unthar"

"You were really drunk." Apostrofae told him. “You should stay away from my bottles."

"I probably should.” Blak agreed. “I think it was that other stuff I got in the Silver Dagger though.  The green shot, the special wine, and then the potent brew. I wish I hadn't had that Djinn though"

Bismark took a few questions and gave them all a rundown of what he knew is around town. When he was sure everyone had the info they needed, he waved to the group. "I vill meet up with you all later tonight or at ze gate in ze morning" and turned to start walking down the street. Bismark ducked down an alley, and seemed to zig zag his way through the streets and alleyways until he came to a modest house in the lower city. standing at the front door, he tilts his new leather hat forward to cover his eyes some and knocks on the door. After a short wait, he called "Frida?"

The door swung open, revealing a woman in her early 30s, hair up in a well kept bun, wiping her hands off on a wet towel. Frida looked Bismark up and down for a moment and then just shook her head and with a wry smile, said "Well hells, Bis, you know you showing up alive means I owe Vik a gold, right?" Sighing she stepped back gesturing inside, "Come inside and tell me your adventures, little brother, I'll put the kettle on.” Bismark walks in and gives her a big hug, lifting her up, and then follows her in to the kitchen

Walking to the kitchen they passed her drawing desk, where sketches of building plans are haphazardly arrayed. "Vell, I never did check in vith you vhen I left, but... you remember Talis, don't you?" Bismark doesn't wait for her to answer, assuming she does. "She had gone missing vhile I vas out on a job, so I vent out right away looking for her. I discovered zat she had been taken by zese dragon cultists, so I tracked zem down to Greenest...." Bismark goes on to explain that he and the party saved the town and now he is working with them against the cultists, how he had Helm appear to him in a vision, and still trying to get Talis back. He points back to the drawings, smiling. "looks like you've got some new projects as vell, Frida."

She let Bismark prattle on while she made the tea as she always did. "I got hired on for a couple of things. Your encouragement really helped. Wish you could see how the city has changed in the last couple years you've been gone. They're really wanting to be way more artistic with the building facades, little Biscuit" she grinned as she called him by his nickname "... as for your friend, i do recall her. A couple winters ago she got herself involved in a weird ... group."

Bismark furrows his brow. "what do you mean? was this after I left town?"

Shaking her head she poured herself another cup, "No, it was about the time you started ignoring everyone except for whatshisface and your training.”

Bismark's face showed a combination of shock, anger, and concession. "Involved, how?"

"You know the type . . . go to late night meetings, start talking about 'changing the world' and other nonsense" She replied, sipping her tea.

Bismark looked like he got punched in the gut, and raising his voice, "Are you telling me she JOINED those cultists???" he stood up and paced, rubbing his forehead.

"You know she always had wild ideas and wanted to be 'a somebody' Biscuit, and who cares what that bunch of wackjobs got into, what harm could they cause?"

Bismark looked flabbergasted. "What harm??? They were attacking Greenest with a Blue DRAGON, took and killed prisoners. Th...." Bismark looks directly at her. "I personally spent several days with 5 kids that are orphans now because of that 'those wackjobs'. Why in the name of Helm's Gauntlet..." he kept  pacing. "I should have stopped her…”

"... Helms gauntlet? The hell kind of curse is that?"

Bismark ignores her for a minute, staring out the window, suddenly wanting to be elsewhere. "Is Vik doing any better than he was when I left? Or has he joined the nutjobs, too?"

Frida Rolled her eyes, "only if they were desperate." she said, beginning to stand up and clean, fastidious as always. "No . . . he's . . . between jobs as he always is.. He's a hard worker . . . when he wants to be."

Still visibly disturbed and fidgeting, Bismark tells her "Vell, I vas going to go and visit him. He is still in the outer city, I assume?"

"There, or drinking by the west docks, 'looking for work'"

"Alright. Thanks... i guess. If I get a chance, I'll stop in before we leave. Take care of yourself, Frida" Bismark says before leaving. He headed out the east gate and into the outer city

"... Bye biscuit"

walking slower and looking forlorn, Bismark eventually gets to Vik's "house"

Bismark knocks on the door, and opens it as he yells in "Vik!"

A curse was heard inside as something gets knocked over and a thumping sound as something hits the door. It cracks open and a squinting face said into the sunlight as his eyes adjusting, "Who's zat zen?"

"It's me, Bismark. I have a little time in ... you okay zere, bruther?" Bismark says with a smirk

"Biscuit? BISCUIT!" the door flung open wide and Bismark was lifted up in a spinning bear hug. "I zam doing VUNDERBLE! Sis owes me a gold!"

"WHY do you and Frida insist on calling me that?" Bismark said, reaching into his pouch. "Oh yeah, she mentioned that - here." Bismark pulled out a gold coin that he brought on Frida's behalf. "How've you been, Vik?" Bismark says, patting him on the shoulder. "Find any real work yet?"

Giving the coin a little kiss Viktor pocketed it. "Probably ze fact that ven we met you ver trying to nick a biscuit from da's plate"

"well if he didn't mean it to be taken, your da shouldn't have left it laying around" Bismark joked.

Viktor jumped in with a laugh "'... ve ver sitting vat ze cafe table across from zat whorehouse STILL eating"

"and zen I took ze biscuit and Frida and I vere able to eat as well, no?" Bismark said, smirking. "Are you doing vell, Vik? Frida tells me you've been down on the docks again."

"Down on my luck and down at ze docks, yes. Verk is just zo . . .BORING" Viktor said with a wave of his hand. Honestly I'm just glad Frida came along as part of ze package deal. She definitely got all the smarts and ze looks"

"you can be a real ass, you know zat, vik." Bismark looks around. "Look at yourself. Look at zis place. You could be more zan zis, brother."

Viktor ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "Perhaps"

"Vhat vould you father say if he saw you now?"

"MY father? OUR father, brother. He took you both in when your mother died even though he was not well off and did ze best he could. But, you are right . .. as always. He would be disgusted with me as I am"

Bismark puts his hand on Vik's shoulder. "We love you, brother, we just know you are capable of better zan what ve vere. Have you tried sailing? Maybe a life on ze high seas is more exciting?" Bismark says with a grin.

"Truthfully? That's one of ze reasons I've been hanging at ze docks so much recently. It would be wonderful to finally have an adventure like we always talked of ven we ver kids. But too many have more experience than I, and all that is available is to be a deck hand on a fishin' boat. Who would want zat life?"

"Oh gods..." Bismark laughed "Do you remember vhen ve stole ze boat from old man robbins?"

"And we learned that your sister could outrun us?" Viktor said with a laugh.

Bismark continued, speaking through peals of laughter, "and of course who could svim ze fastest. Vould have been nice to know it vas at ze docks for repairs, before ve vent and sunk it." Bismark started laughing hysterically.

Joining in the laughter, Viktor glanced around for a bottle that actually contained something, shaking one that gave a small sloshing sound, he proffers it to Bismark.

Bismark shook his head and pulled out his own bottle, taking a swig. "Adventuring is exciting, to be sure. Dangerous, zough. And got some bad news from Frida, too. Apparently Talis vent and joined up vith those dragon cultists."

"That's old news, brother. How wrapped up ver you with your sword training that you didn't even notice?"

Bismark turned solemn and a moment of silence went by before he responded. "Apparently, quite. Her group is who I must go and fight soon, brother."

Laughing and not noticing the change in Bismark's demeanor he finished the bottle in one quick pull. "I can't imagine zat being much of a fight. They never impressed me. Hells, i'm sure Frida could wipe the floor the that lot"

"Zey are much more dangerous zan you think. Zey attacked Greenest vith an actual dragon. Frida is not quite zat tough."

VIktor looks at Bismark incredulously, "An ACTUAL dragon?" Bismark nodded, saying nothing. "And you slayed it?!"

Bismark gave a weak laugh. "No. Ve had to vait it out until zey left."

He shakes his head and looks at the ceiling, thoughtfully. After a moment he said, "Frida vould have slayed it."

Bismark punched him in the arm, grinning. "Vell, I have other errands to run, brother. Vas very good to see you again. I hope you find some good vork soon." and then reaching into his coin pouch, and pulled out 10 gold, putting it on Viktor's table. "ZIS is for necessities and getting equipment for your next job. it is NOT" and bismark taps Vik's bottle. "for zis. understood?"

"I understand. But zis?" Viktor said pulling the first coin from his pocket. "Zis is for zat"

Bismark smirked and laughed. "Vell zat you vill have to take up vith Frida the dragonslayer." he said as he gave Viktor a hug and walks for the door.

"As always, brother, thank you. I will do better. I promise. I hope you return soon to tell me more of your adventures" Viktor told him. "I vill have some of my own soon. Promise"

"Until next time, brother."

Bismark left the hovel and took his time walking around the outer city for a while before heading back to the east gate and back toward the lower city.