Vrinn returns to Magnimar

As the adventuring party is led in to the audience chamber to meet with Mayor Goroboras, Vrinn remains quiet and patient, not loosing his temper for completely unrelated matters. As the meeting draws to a close, and the subject of any other business is brought up, the half-elf clears his throat, making his presence known "I may have an item or two to discuss with you, your Grace"

The corpulent mayor turns his eyes from Amal to Vrinn. He looks the half-elf up and down, looking for signs of importance or wealth, and seeing none he frowns. "I see you've added another stray to your party, Amal. Who is this one?"

Raising his eyebrows with a slight smirk, Vrinn takes a deep breath before replying in Amal's stead "You've forgotten me already, good Sire Haldmeer?" the flamboyant tone and hand gestures implying good natured mockery at his own expense "Oh dear, this won't do. This won't do at all!" he talks to himself more than the overweight man behind the desk while pulling a sack from his belt. "A month or so ago..." the half-elf continues, his mannerisms shifting from jovial to deadly serious in an instant before placing the head of Lucretia -the Lamia Matriarch- on the mayor's desk "...I killed another one of those. In this very city. Your city." Vrinn continues "It seems you have a snake problem." he says with all seriousness, his icy cold blue eyes peering into the mayor's own.

Grobaras eyes widen with recognition but then fear of the lamia sets in, he nearly falls out of his chair trying to escape away from the head. "H-Halp!" he croaks, wheezing slightly from shock. Amber grabs the head swiftly and tosses to to a shocked Brill, who dropped to Tovah, who rolled her eyes, shrugged and put it in her sack. Amal fans the mayor who looks near swooning. "Mayor, it's all right. Vrinn!" "W-what..." Haldmeer gapes, pointing a shaking finger at Tovah who hides the head impassively.

Waving his hand in front of the mayor to regain his attention, Vrinn points his fingers from Haldmeer's eyes to his own, repeatedly, in an attempt to have him focus on the half-elf. "Stay with me Haldmeer, look at me, it's just a head, nothing to be alarmed about. We all have one, I just happened to have cut this one off..." Vrinn remarks in a soothing, if slightly annoyed voice.

Spittle from his blubbering wets his lips as he attempts to focus on Vrinn. "Y-you...Th-there's more? There's more?!" Haldmeer tries to get to his posture from his place huddled in the corner. "I'll get more guards, more kn-knights. I'LL CONSCIPT THE WHOLE DAMN NATION!" "Mayor," Amal coos. "Mayor, it's all under control. I assure you..."

With a sidelong glance to Amal, Vrinn sighs and nods at the flustered human "Aye, it's all under control" he agrees with Amal as he places his hand on her shoulder "For now, at least." the rogue states while pouring the mayor and himself a goblet of wine each before sitting himself down on the man's desk. "Now if you'd control yourself your Grace..." Vrinn says looking down at the flubbery man while hiding his slight distaste behind a smile and an offered glass of wine "...We do have business to discuss"

Haldmeer red in the face looks at Vrinn. "What business do you propose? If it's not setting an army upon these lamia, I cannot say I am fairly or even minutely interested!"

Taking a sip of the fermented beverage, he nods approvingly "Of a sort. Naturally, with this being the second one that has dared to try to cause havoc in your grand territory..." Vrinn begins, puffing up the mayor's ego, his hand gestures favouring the larger human "...and both of them have met their ends at my hands, it stands to reason that a man as smart as yourself..." again, moulding the malleable man "...would want to retain my services, correct?"

The mayor looks between Amal and Vrinn. "Are you asking to become my bodyguard or is working with Amal unsatisfactory?" Rhianthus sneers. "It's unsatisfactory for some of us. And you didn't kill the second lamia, she was murdered by the forest spirit." The elf steps forward. "Mayor, it's my position and I'm sure Amal agrees that you allow us to continue our investigation of the recent turmoil. There is a ...larger plot afoot however, we have a few leads to explore with your assistance."

With a sharp glance back to Rhianthus, Vrinn ignores the elven man and continues "I'm not fit to be a bodyguard, your Grace, and while Amal and her team have been more than hospitable I am but a simple businessman. As such, having removed the heads from two Matriachs no less, I have yet to see much profit from the fastidious work that I have personally undergone." Vrinn pauses to sip from his goblet once more. "All I seek is compensation" the rogue continues, looking down at the pitiful man "After all, while Amal and her team are in fact competent, they don't have all of the clues..." he leaves the sentence hanging, the thread of something more left dangling in front of the mayor.

The Mayor frowns moving to take the glass from Vrinn. "Compensation? What kind of compensation! I'm not made of money!"

Smirking, Vrinn nods "Ahh, there in lies the problem. While you may not have coin in your coffers available, I'm sure there are other things..." he begins, pausing pensively, almost coy "...As I mentioned earlier, I am a businessman. Perhaps a sawmill or something of the sort. I'm sure the city owns a townhouse or two that it doesn't need. And I'm sure that my wife would be delighted to hear that she has a store when she can sell all her fine clothing and outfits here in Magnimar." Vrinn states, leaning in close to once again peer into Haldmeer's eyes "Wouldn't you agree, your Grace? A happy wife leads to a happy life"

The mayor narrows his eyes. "You were with that duplicitous halfling, his partner. He tried to swindle me to get much of the same as you profess to desire how," he growled dangerously. "Hear me, half-elf Cheesewright. It was by the mere grace and skill of my men that your halfing friend  didn't swindle me out of a single soiled copper. How do I know you can be trusted." A derisive sniff comes for Rhianthus. Amal nudges him warningly but his sneer of disgust does not abate.

Giving a snort at the mention of Miro, Vrinn simply just shakes his head "I never did like that tiny little man..." he begins, leaning back, relaxed, unperturbed by the mayor's sudden suspicion, nor by the elven sneer "...as evidenced by the significantly better company I keep to these days" his statement accompanied with a warm smile as he looks around the room at the gathered party. "As for his swindle..." Vrinn begins, pausing as a look of anger crosses over his face momentarily "...you weren't the only one that he swindled that day, my friend. I lost as much, if not more, than you did" his statement complete with a glare that could kill, the room growing somewhat darker, the shadows seeming to deepen around the half-elf.

The mayou strokes his moustache and beard thoughtfully considering the brooding elf. He remains silent and in consideration for a long while. Titus Scarnetti has asked me for the sawmill and given his troubles in Sandpoint I told him he'd be doing me a favor by taking it but you can have the townhouse, I'll have the deed transferred over you to you. If you do find a building you want to buy, I'll be your partner-" He casts an appraising and careful look at Vrinn. "I'll be taking 60% of the profits you understand."

The shadows once again drawing back into the corners of the room, Vrinn gives a short mirthful laugh "Oh, you're such an enthusiastic jester, Haldmeer" the half-elf's flamboyant mannerisms returning for a moment before his features turn stony, the shadows encroaching on the room even more, unnervingly and eerily darkening it during the middle of the day. "I don't think I made myself clear, your Lordship. The sawmill, the townhouse, the shop. All three. No strings attached. Else like any other good businessman, I take my business elsewhere. The Calistrians, perhaps, might have sufficient payment for my information..."

Amal raises her hand in concern, "Vrinn..." The Magnimar mayor looks around the room recoiling from the shadows. Almost involuntarily, he grabs the curtains of a nearby window and throws the back to cast more light in the room to defeat the magical shadows.  Not seeing the shadows recede, he gazes are Vrinn with concern. "You're blackmailing me? I'm the Lord Mayor of Magnimar..." He says incredulous. "What do I tell the Scarnetti's? They're a powerful family. I can get you a shop, I suppose, but the lumber mill. I...I can't! I'd lose a very powerful ally!"

With nary a glance of acknowledgement towards Amal, Vrinn's gaze remains steady on the mayor while letting the darkness abate ever so slightly "Fine. You can owe me a favour to replace the sawmill. Remember Haldmeer, I don't tend to back out of deals" despite the smile that spreads across his lips, Vrinn's features remain concrete. "Do we have an accord? A townhouse, a shop, and a favour" the half-elf confirms, his hand extended for a handshake.

The Mayor looks at the proffered hand and hesitates before looking up and into Vrinn's eyes. "This makes us partners of a kind, Cheesewright, but wer are not friends." He takes the hand, his expression neutral though a hot anger burns behind his eyes. "A townhouse, a shop, and a favour equivalent to the cost of purchasing the sawmill."

"Wonderful!" Vrinn exclaims, letting go of the mayor's hand as soon as politeness dictates, not enjoying the (presumably) sweaty, clammy skin against his, letting the darkness abate, the room becoming brighter instantly "That's glorious news! We need another drink to commemorate our new partnership" the half-elf's mood jumping back to his jovial self "And of course the necessary paperwork needs to be signed, doesn't it Grobaras" his statement punctuated as he pours himself another drink

"I find myself suddenly weary," the lord-mayors says in a deep, rumble. " Perhaps you can see yourselves out. " Amal grabs Vrinn's hand, stopping  his pour. Her expression is hard. "Yes, Your Grace. We will  be leaving."

Taking Amal's hand in his, he nods in agreement "Very well, I can see my new partner has had a tiring day..." he notes before finishing the goblet of wine. "I'll be staying at the Magnolia Inn, in the Naos district. Please have the paperwork delivered to the front desk there poste haste. I do hope we can begin our relationship on a positive note" he comments, turning to leave with Amal (Also for the record, I've deducted 100gp from my inventory for a week's accommodation, Vrinn will still stay at the Oasis but maintain appearences at the Magnolia, checking the front desk for the documents and deduct another 100gp for having an independant lawyer look over the paperwork)