The team, having returned to Luther, is tasked with infiltrating their competitor’s headquarters. There is a job fair that day, so Alastair, Rodrick, and Ruby plan to meet up to gather information.
Alastair, standing next to Ragnar (the dwarf), looks around for Ruby.
Jessi: Instead of Ruby, you actually see another lady walk up to you, Alastair--she hails you with a flick of her hand. She looks about 26, trousers and a white shirt, short auburn hair and steely blue eyes. She's got a chain necklace with a simple ring on it. (In an Irish accent) “Nice ta’ meet’choo! Me name’s Sarah Buely.” she smiles and under her voice, indicates, "I'm one Luther's other associates.... from his B class fleets.”
Riley: “B class?”
Jessi: "Ima be helpin' ya with some of the investigative work here. You be the first fella I found of Luther's C class fleets, nice to meet ya. Let me know when ya want to... looks around Make our way in fora tour, like." She winks.
Both of the fellows look at her strangely. Neither catch on that this is Ruby in disguise. She only recognizes Alastair as well, and doesn’t figure out that Ragnar is Rodrick.
Jessi: Sarah kind of scrunches up her nose at Ragnar as they walk, not sure what to make of him. (She’s still not a fan of dwarves, regardless of she’s Ruby or not).
After a very informative investigation inside the building, and an extremely awkward interaction between Sarah and Alastair—where he forced a big kiss on her to cause a distraction—they all leave. On the way out, Alastair stays behind to finish his application to work for Mr. Chatsworth.
Jessi: Sarah walks away perturbed. "Well aren't we havin' a whale of a taime!" She grumbles and leaves without looking back, not wanting to see Alastair again thinking, I’ma sock him the next time I see him.
Chantry: Ragnar goes outside, and as he walks past a planter, grabs a few flowers and puts them together in a small bouquet, then sits down on a bench. "Where be that blasted Miss Ruby?"
Jessi: After about 30 minutes or so, you do happen to see Ruby walking by, eyeing the job fair warily and the people milling around. She is twirling a white parasol to keep the sun off of her, and is wearing a yellow sundress today.
She sees you sitting with flowers and eyes you strangely, keeping a bit of a distance.
Chantry: Ragnar sees you, and stands up and begins jumping up and down on the bench.
"Oi, Miss Ruby! Wait, I be comin' to ye!"
He jumps down off the bench and starts running toward you, and as he goes to run down the stairs he steps on his beard, falls flat on his face.
Chantry: "BLAST THIS DAMNED BEARD!"
Jessi: she backs away hurriedly with her eyes wide in shock. “What in the blazes--who are you?? What do you want with me?” She looks around as if searching for help. She holds her parasol out like a shield, greatly distressed to be talking to a dwarf.
Chantry: Ragnar stands up and attempts to brush the dirt out of his beard, and then snatches the now-crumpled flowers up.
"Ahem. I be Ragnar. Told 'te give ye somethin' nice by our mutual friend Rolland."
Jessi: Mutters under her breath, All these damn men today, what has Terra come to... She eyes you queerly at the sound of Rolland's name. “Did he now?”
She looks around, and slowly steps toward you. “Ragnar...” The names sounds familiar now. “Oh... right.” She lets out a deep sigh. “I swear you scared me half to death.”
Chantry: “Ye. He told me te be nice. Not te scare ye, iff'in at all possible! Guessin' I failed on that'n.”
Riley: At this moment Alastair walks outside.
Jessi: “No no, it's quite alright. Today's just been a bit of a—“ At that moment she sees Alastair and continues in a strained voice. “—A stressful day, is all. I needed some air.” She smiles as kindly as she can at Ragnar. “I apologize for being so jumpy. You're very kind to have brought me flowers, I'm quite fond of them. It's nice to finally meet you.”
Riley: “Miss Ruby! When did you get here?”
Jessi: She stiffens. “Oh. Hello Alastair.” She gets kind of a funny look on her face, but doesn't say anything about what happened, since Ruby wouldn’t have known. “Just... got here not too long ago. Had a bit of a late start today.”
Chantry: Turns around after hearing Alastair. “Ahh, there be the laddie! Ye get the "job"? He signs air quotes at the word job.
Riley: “Yes, and I have what we came here for.” He looks around. “Have either of you seen Miss Sarah? It just occurred to me she isn't here.”
Chantry: “Eh? That lassie you was wit? Haven' seen 'er!”
Riley: “Hmmm... Maybe she went back to Mr. Luther's already.”
Jessi: Ruby stiffens, but tries to act natural. “Sarah? That sailor girl from the B class fleet? I suppose Luther must have sent her here to help. Perhaps she left... she's quick to wrap up business. You didn't give her a hard time, did you?” She glares a bit at Alastair.
Riley: “No, why?”
Jessi: She remains somewhat icy. “Just good to keep up our pleasantries with the other class members, is all. Class C is the lowest of Luther's fleets, and the higher classes deal with tougher jobs...typically. So we wanna be nice-like to the others, helps build connections for advancement, if'in you stick around long term.”
Riley: “What do you mean typically?”
Jessi: “Well, if Luther is having us scout for a job here, it's likely to be a tough'un. One that he'd normally give to a class B or A fleet. It'd be unlikely we'd get a crack at it.”
Chantry: “I'm not too sure wha' all 'appened, but there was a bit'a ruckus while we was doin' the job... Somthin' about not bein' ov'r sommone, or such. I kinne be bothered ta pey any attentin te the squabblin'. I had me back turned, watchin' the door, so's all I know is what I 'eard.”
Jessi: Ruby scrunches her nose, and looks over at Alastair. “Oh?”
Riley: He looks slightly puzzled by Ruby's reaction.
Chantry: “You'll 'ave to ask 'im.” Ragnar motions in Alastair's direction with his chin, causing his beard to fly up and around his face. “DAMN THIS THING!”
Jessi: “She lost her fiancé a few years back in a sailing accident...bad business. She doesn't typically bring that up in casual conversation is all. Perhaps I'll check on her later. We have lunch from time to time.” Ruby becomes a bit distracted by the beard.
Riley: Alastair looks more puzzled.
Jessi: Ruby eyes Alastair, knowing he’s trying to pretend nothing happened, but can’t say anything further.
Chantry: Ragnar pulls his beard down and out of his face. “What'd ye do, Boy? Ye make 'er mad or sommat?”
Riley: He gets a sly smile on his face. “Miss Ruby... how did you know he was talking about Sarah being over somebody, and also that she was behind that door?”
Jessi: “Oh, that's…” She looks flustered as being questioned now, and looks over at Ragnar. “That's what he just said happened. That she was bringing up not bein' over someone or somethin', and I just know that's something that's been bothering her.”
Riley: “He didn't say her name.”
Jessi: “Oh. Sarah's name? Ha, you mentioned her name when you came out.” She smiles at you, playing the game. “You asked if we'd seen her.”
She twirls her parasol. “I just put two and two together, is all...”
Riley: “That she was the one who made the ruckus?”
Chantry: “Nae, I said tha' the two uh you made a ruckus in tha' man's office. I 'as standin' guard an' heard lots a' noise when 'e came back.”
Jessi: Ruby looks at Alastair slyly. “Well I figure, not sure why else there'd be a ruckus. You bein' as wiley as a den of foxes, Alastair.”
Riley: “What does that mean?”
Jessi: “Just your questionin' me, all funny like.” She turns away. “But it sounds like that sneakin' and foxin' around got us some answers for Luther... good job. We can deliver our findings to him later this afternoon. Good'ay, gentlemen.” She smiles at Ragnar and twirls her parasol over her shoulder again, as she walks away down the sidewalk.
Riley: “Looks over at Ragnar... I think she's hiding something.”
Chantry: “Oh Moradin, all this talk is makin' me head feel like a damn anvil... Eh? Ye sayin' sommat to me?”
Riley: “Nothing... come on I'll buy you a drink.” He looks over at you. “Just ONE!”
Chantry: “A drink, ye say? I'll make sure it's a big'un! Giant-size like! He holds his hands out in front of him and gestures like he's grabbing a small barrel.
Riley: “I meant a pint.”
Chantry: Looks at Alastair with a hint of sadness in his eyes. “Oh, ye mean a breakfast mug? I guess tha's better 'n nothin'.”
Riley: Pauses for a bit and says softly, “What do you know of dragons…?”
Chantry: “Dragons?! Ye mean them treasure thievin' overgrowed lizards?! I know tha' they be a dwarf's enemy, an' tha' they be awake cause'a man and elf bein' stupid a real long time ago...”
Riley: “You mean there are dragons today?”
Chantry: Ragnar shrugs. “Who knows, really? They live for a damn long time, they do... I be guessin' they may be a few, could still be alive, but I 'aven't heard naught but a rumor 'bout em... 'an tha' was a while ago... Probably 'fore you was e'en born!”
Riley: “Well... I think we have the location of a dragon lair. I'm going for it whether Mr. Luther approves or not.”
Chantry: “Well I'll be a bearded 'alfling! Iff'in that be true, we'd 'ave more than enough stuff for Mistah Luther's museum, an' enough leftovers ta' line our pockets for at least yer lifetime...”
Riley: “I will make a few copies, but I think that I'll leave out the location.”
Chantry: He strokes his beard in thought. “There just be the problem of the dragon... iff'in it actually be a dragon den. I 'eard stories when I was a lad 'bout em. Fierce, they is. Melt yer skin right off, 'e will. Not a foe ta be taken lightly...”
Riley: “They're gone though, right?”
Chantry: He shrugs again. “Kinnae say fir sure. Like I said, they kin live fir a damned long time...”
Riley: “Well... how do you kill a dragon?”
Chantry: “But... iff'in yer set on goin' after it, ye could count me in... Nae, I kinnae say that I do. but I bet I know sommone who does... Not too keen on talkin' with 'im, though...”
Riley: “Let me guess... Roderick?”
Chantry: “Pah. That 'alf pint? He migh' know how to kill a lot o' things, but a dragon ain't one of em. Nae, sommone worse than 'im. 'Sides, how can I talk with meself?”
Riley: “Well... you have different personalities.” He pauses. “So who is this person?”
Chantry: “I'll introduce you iff'in we meet 'im... an' pray tha' we don't.”
Riley: “Well... let's get that pint.”
Chantry: “Ye, let's go drink.”
Riley: He looks down the road, “Should we invite Ruby?”
Chantry: “May as well... she looked like she coul' use a drink.”
Riley: “Not that she would drink...”
Chantry: “She may suprise ye, laddie.” He begins walking to the pub, and again trips on his beard. “DAMN THIS THING! IFF'IN I DIDN'T NEED IT, I'D CUT IT OFF!”
Riley: “Why do you need it?”
Chantry: He rolls over and looks at Alastair. “Ye ever met a dwarf tha' didn' 'ave a beard?”
Riley: “No... But couldn't it be... well... shorter? Maybe just to your knees?”
Chantry: “ye, it could... but what's the use? It won' stay tha' way. Next time I shift ta' Ragnar it'll just be this long again... an' as thick an' coarse at it is, there be no point in takin' the time ta' cut it.”
Riley: “So... you can't change it to be a tad shorter? You just shift that way?”
Chantry: “Stands up and dusts off as best as he can Nae, it don't work that way. It might, if magics weren' broke. This be the way me dwarf form be. kinnae change it.”
Riley: “Did you think about braiding your beard to a shorter length? Be fashionable and it won't get in your way.”
Chantry: Ragnar looks at Alastair with a confused look. “Tis already braided... I dunno how ta get it shorter again.”
Riley: “Well... when ladies braid their long hair it gets shorter sometimes... I don't know how they do it...”
Chantry: “Anyway... ye said sommat abou' a drink... Let's go find Miss Ruby and then a bar...”
Riley: “Where did she go?”
Chantry: “Points up the road Tha' way. Ye go find 'er, I'll find a bar.”
DM: The two of you catch up to Ruby and invite her to go along with you to the bar. It gets late into the evening, and you each have had your fair share of drinks...except Ruby has been sipping on tea the entire time, citing that it's unladylike to get hammered drunk after dark.
Riley: Alastair exclaims, “Well I needn’t remind you I’m not a lady.” He drinks, happily becoming hammered drunk.
Chantry: “I told ye, never try un' keep up wit' a dwarf when e's drinkin!”
Chantry: “I'm gonna go sleep now. Barkeep, I be wantin' yer best room! add it to me tab, I'll pay ye in the mornin!” He stumbles to the bar and then upstairs.
Riley: “I'd like the room that looks... that looks... nice?” Hic.