Sapphire:Sessions:20180714

On Dark Days 4, Neville Dalton walks through Sapphire, learning the city's layout and looking for work. He finds the Imperial Army training grounds; he recognizes several banners from his time on the eastern front. He stops to watch a blacksmith forging horseshoes, politely waiting to speak to the smith. After an hour the smith, Taren Gibbs, finally looks up and acknowledges the big man. Neville explains that he's not looking to join the army, but he has some blacksmithing skill and is looking for work, whether it be making nails, repairing weapons, or sweeping the floor. Gibbs mentions a few local blacksmiths who might be hiring, including the world-famous dwarven weaponmaster Tron Ironsinger.

Neville sets out again, looking for three things he considers necessities of life: a dog, a light (for the stogies he stashes in his bowler), and a drink. From the shadows of an alleyway he hears yipping and whimpering, so he goes to investigate. Pausing at the end of the alley, he sees a couple of people looking at something on the ground. At first he thinks the people are human children, but when his eyes adapt he sees they are halflings. Each of them wears leather armor and casually holds a long knife. They are staring down into a crate containing several puppies.

Neville -- all 6'5" of him, broadly built, a smile on his ugly face, wearing a long coat, heavy boots, and a pair of weighted leather gloves tucked into his belt -- pauses just long enough to remove his bowler, pull out a cigar, and replace his hat -- strides up to the halflings, indicates the stogie, and asks for a light. The halflings look (way) up at him warily. Neville offers to pay 1cp for a puppy. The talkative halfling, "Toefoot", replies "They're not for sale -- they've got potential." Neville increases his offer... 5cp for two puppies, then 1sp for all five. Toefoot agrees to sell; he takes Neville's coin and makes a show of picking up the crate, raising it high, and handing it to Neville.

As Neville turns to leave, he glances down because he thinks he feels something at his feet. Behind him he hears a chuckle. He pauses and looks back at Toefoot, who grins at him. "Is there a problem?" asks Neville. The other halfling, partly concealed behind Toefoot, answers, "No problem, just cleaning up after the pups. By the way, they call me Cups."

Neville turns away again, this time almost tripping on something he doesn't see. Behind him he hears a grunt. He glances back and this time he sees Toefoot standing in front of Cups, who is making odd gestures.

Neville carefully sets down the crate, pulls on his gloves, faces the halflings, and rumbles, "Now you've pissed me off."