Vrinn x Hemlock

Having witness the exchange between Synovia and Hemlock, Vrinn decided that he wanted no part in that conversation whatsoever. Instead, he let the two of them talk things through while he snuck around and into Hemlock's office. Pulling out a map of Sandpoint, he began to look over it, making notes of dead alleys, blind corners, and possible escape routes. Sitting back in Hemlock's chair as he scratched at his lengthening stubble in thought, he barely noticed Hemlock's entrance. "This could work, you know..." he said to himself just as much to the large man as he leaned forward to once more look over the map.

Hemlock started just a bit at the suddeness of Vrinn. He eyeballed the rogue for a moment then shook his head. "Yeah? Well..." he stood over Vrinn and raised an eyebrow at his cavalier placement in his seat. He was tired and stressed and this was the best seat in the office. "Move and tell me how you all plan to avoid being killed by this monster."

"It really is a comfortable chair..." Vrinn remarked as he stood again to place his palms on the table, looking over the map of Sandpoint once again only after closing the office door to provide some privacy from prying ears. "I presume Synovia told you about our plan to offer her up as a sacrificial lamb, so to speak?" he inquired. "Either way... If she's going to wait for the killer here..." he began, indicating the chosen spot where Synovia would be "... I'll be on the roof here, and I'm thinking Miro should be here." he continued, pointing to two other spots on the map. "Imahnee would stand out like a sore thumb, so he should be inside this building here, and his shepherding friend in the opposite one here." "Now, if I were a killer, well, an evil killer..." he said with a wry smirk towards the sheriff "...I'd have an escape route planned, just in case things went south. And where Synovia's concerned, well, he'd probably expect a fight, regardless of her display and the rumours I've tried to start about her being on the out. So, if we have patrols around these streets..." he once more pointed to the map, showing his thought process to have the guards close enough to act, but hopefully far enough away to avoid suspicion "...then when it does become apparent that she's not there to give herself up, then the goblin squad placed here, here, here, and here... " again pointing to locations "...will act as runners to fetch the guards to give us back up, or to block off his escape." he concluded with a grin to display how pleased he was with himself. "Thoughts?"

Hemlock listens carefully and nods. "I'll make sure patrols are going as normal. I'll see if Grady can hunt down Shalelu and pull her in but I wouldn't count on it." He rubs his chin. "Think he'll go for it? I mean, this fella seems pretty crafty. Do you think he knows we're setting him up?"

Once more scratching at his lengthening stubble, Vrinn ponders for a moment. "Without knowing who he is or who he knows, we should act on the assumption that he does. The less people who know about what we have planned, the better. Don't tell the guards why their routes have changed. Even Lorran and Armstrong. I trust them, but the wrong word to the wrong person could ruin everything." Letting out a sigh, Vrinn turned to lean against the desk "Of course, this all hinges on the fact that he comes tonight. He could not, simply skulk around and double check if it is a trap, take note of the patrols, and adjust his plan, if any, accordingly Then it's over. Of course if any of us around Synovia are spotted, it's over. And of course without knowing who he is, anyone could be him. So we can't jump on the first person to spring the trap. If we do and it's not him, then it's over. And if we don't realize that it is actually him before he's killed Synovia, then it's over. If the guards don't follow the goblins squad to arrive as back up, it's over..." again, Vrinn let out another of his long sighs "There are just too many things that can go wrong for my liking. If you can get a hold of Shelelu, her full elven eyes would be a hell of a lot better than mine. Plus I dare say she's better with the bow than I am too." he concludes by pinching the bridge of his nose, eyes closed "Ugh. As much as I'd hate to say it, maybe I shouldn't have disrupted my Dad's letter to my mother. If she were here, this would be so much easier."

"I never met your mother but if she's as talented a warrior as Shalelu, I would have been glad to have her." Hemlock motions to the map. "I'll increase soldier presence at all of the exits and put a patrol near the marsh. We haven't seen any recent action from that location but I want to be careful... Curfew's still in place but we'll have a hard time keeping looking-loons and late pedestrians from the area without breaking the illusion."

"Aye, she's a force t' be reckoned wit', alright..." Vrinn confirms, the thought of his mother causing him to reminisce about his homeland, making him slip back into his accent. "Though there's no use worryin' about tha' now if she ain't here. An' tha's what I mean, any of these looky-loos or pedestrian's could be our killer, an' we wouldn't be any the wiser. We'll have t' rely on Synovia's judgement an' when she calls out before we make a move." Vrinn nods, confirming the biggest hole in their plan. "What about you? Surely the Sheriff would wanna be involved in the biggest bust o' yer career?"

"Me?" he snorts. "I'm the badge that caught the Chopper. If I catch the Skinsaw Man, I'm likely to retire." He glances at Vrinn from the side. "Where would you have me, if I was to be interested in helping?" 

"Retire?" Vrinn comments with raised his eyebrows. "And who'd replace th' great and stoic Sheriff Hemlock?" he asks almost absent mindedly as he turns his attention to the map again. "Hmmm... Prob'ly in this buildin' here" he says, pointing to the building on the opposite side where Vrinn said that he would be perched on the roof of earlier, closer to Miro. "If he gets under me and I lose sight of him, you can direct people where they need t' go. If he gets around you, I would hopefully still have line of sight on him" the half elf concludes

Hemlock doesn't answer the first question as he focuses on the map. "Yes... Yes, that could work. I'll have a crossbow and if we can mark the suspect somehow, I can make sure that we can tail him. Maybe a paint bladder that I can throw... Yes."  He slaps Vrinn on the shoulder and almost smiles. "This could work." 

"Aye, could " Vrinn says deeply, staggering slightly under the bigger man's friendly slap. "I'd really like t' throw down some trap, y'know. Tangleweed, trip ropes, nets, an' the like. But the problem of the ordinary people comin' through would prob'ly trip them theirselves on them, the suspect might spot them, whatever else. Though aye, yer idea of paint is good. I'll have t' visit the tanner or abattoir an' see if I can pick any bladders up. Mebbe Imahnee's sheperd friend could part with a few o' his flock. An' I know them two goblins have paint somewhere. Miro prob'ly knows a spell or two t' do it, but sometimes th' old fashioned way is th' best." Vrinn continues, checking off the things he needs to set up some paint bladders. "We could possibly even use a different colour t' mark where people have searched in case the killer does manage t' slip through"

"If we get enough, we can give them to the goblin squad," Hemlock says getting more enthusiastic. "They're fast and hard to see and probably just as hard to dodge..." He pauses. "Goblin guards in Sandpoint...never would have been possible without Bobole and you're goblin girl..." Nodding, he sighs deeply. "Yeah, Yeah, I want to get this son-of-a-bitch."

"Oh, trust me. I'm pretty sure I can get me hands on a few skins..." he remarks with a smirk "Hannah, the healer for th' Kitten, might have a few I can grab. She'd prob'ly be happy t' give 'em t' me too" At the mention of Bobole though, Vrinn's mirthful mood grows slightly dour, once again rubbing his stubble "Hmmm... p'raps I should teach Grosilge how t' shave. Both her legs an' me chin" he says to the sheriff in an attempt to lift his spirits back up with the jest. "But aye, if he comes, we'll get 'im." the half elf declares. "Any last t'oughs before we start gettin' ready?"

Hemlock thinks for a moment. "Make sure you're gear is up to par. I know Miro has magic but if you need any curatives because he's not around get to the alchemist and grab something. We're dealing with ghouls and he might not be alone and that tends to breed chaos. Other than that, I think you're covered."

Nodding, Vrinn stands and heads towards the door "Aye, not a bad idea. I'll do a bit o' preparin' an' let evryone else know th' plan. If ye need me and I'm not at the Dragon, I'll prob'ly be spendin' me last night alive with me wife at th' manor" he concludes before opening the door. Looking back at Hemlock, he gives a respectful nod towards the man before closing it behind him to start getting ready.