The Threat Featuring Velhala Tam Taylor
Colt and Velhalla often frequented the Dancing BugBear. They had good food and great drinks, and there was always music. When they weren't on the road for errands for the Black Hooks, they spent a lot of nights here. The Rust Sword, the HQ for the Black Hooks in Baulder's Gate, was a quiet bar. It was a place to drink alone and speak softly with some gentle music in the background. The Dancing Bug Bear was loud and smokey, and there were many laughs. Colt and Vel had a tremendous amount of fun dancing on the dance floor. They were speaking in infernal to each other. Colt still had quite an accent and sometimes misspoke, but he had come quite a ways since she started teaching him. "So Star taught you this dance?" she said with a wide grin. "It was a favorite of her family. I could do this in my sleep, and she never wanted to dance with anyone other than me," Colt said with a smile. "Why's that?" Vel asked. "Because anyone else who danced with her always wanted something," he replied. "I already had everything I needed. A friend. A mentor. A protector." Vel smiled widely, hugged Colt tightly, and spun him around, "You are everything I need, brother. Although I'm the one who protects you." She said, laughing. Colt smiled. "True enough," Colt replied. They both were sweating, having enjoyed the music. However, as the night crossed the next day, someone caught Colt's eye. Colt slowed a bit and gave a nod toward someone. Vel slowed about, but her tail immediately hugged Colt's ankle and squeezed it to let him know she knew something was going on. Colt returned his gaze to her and whispered in Infernal, "I need to step out for a moment." "I'll come with you," She said.
"No," Colt replied, "It's fine. Just trading some information for some coins with a friend. I'll be back in a moment." Colt gave the nod to a young, friendly human waiter. "Jacob, cut in for a moment." Colt pulled the young teenager in front of Vel, left him to dance with her, and immediately slipped through the crowd and into the alley out back. Jacob, a brown-haired young man, blushed immediately. "Uhhhh." "Hi, I'm Velhalla!" Vel said, her eyes still scanning for Colt. "Here, let me show you how to dance." She took Jacob's arm and began to waltz with him, much like Colt had with her on that snowy day so long ago. They continued throughout the song. Jacob was stammering about something, but Vel's attention was locked on the door leading outside. A minute passed. Two. Three. She began to count silently to herself. Once she hit 5 minutes, she broke the dance and bowed to Jacob, "Thank you for the dance, kind sir. You are wonderful." Jacob blushed, "I need some air." "Oh, well, I'll come with you," he said, thinking this was a signal to make out. Vel pulled a dagger Colt had given to her and held it to his chest, "No, I'm fine." Jacob turned white and took a few steps back. He then bowed respectfully. "It was...was... a pleasure, Mi Lady." "Of course it was," she said with a wide smile. She bopped him on the nose with the dagger and immediately went to the door and out back to the alley. .
She stepped through it and turned to the left. Up against the wall, Colt was pressed up against someone. At first, Vel thought Colt was making out and getting busy with someone. It wasn't the first time she had walked in on that. However, as her eyes focused, she could see the figure, an elven female with dark brown hair gripping Colt. One hand was pulling at his hair while the other was trying to draw a blade. That hand was being held by Colt's hand. Colt's other hand was gripped into a dagger plunged into her neck. Blood was streaming out of her mouth as she looked at him with anger.
"You....? You....!" She said, spitting blood into Colt's face. Colt glared at her and said nothing. He twisted the blade and killed her. He yanked it out, and she fell to the ground. Colt panted slightly and turned to face Vel. He lost a little color on his face. Colt and Velhalla had traveled quite a bit together. They had taken lives, but generally in defense of each other or others. Neither one had straight-up murdered someone. Vel, however, had seen Colt kill someone with zero context, and Colt looked a little shocked she had walked in on it. Vel moved towards him, and he took half a step back. His hand with the dagger shook slightly. He tensed up, prepared to bear a punch or a slap. Vel has seen anger in Colt before. She had seen him take a life without regret, hesitation, and sometimes with pleasure. However, this was, up to this point, as she had witnessed, in defense of her or the party they were with. Vel pulled a cloth from her pocket and wiped the blood from Colt's face, "What do you need?" Colt exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment and broke a smile. He pulled from his coat a small crowbar, "Dump that rain barrel and get it over here." He handed it to her.
"You....? You....!" She said, spitting blood into Colt's face. Colt glared at her and said nothing. He twisted the blade and killed her. He yanked it out, and she fell to the ground. Colt panted slightly and turned to face Vel. He lost a little color on his face. Colt and Velhalla had traveled quite a bit together. They had taken lives, but generally in defense of each other or others. Neither one had straight-up murdered someone. Vel, however, had seen Colt kill someone with zero context, and Colt looked a little shocked she had walked in on it. Vel moved towards him, and he took half a step back. His hand with the dagger shook slightly. He tensed up, prepared to bear a punch or a slap. Vel has seen anger in Colt before. She had seen him take a life without regret, hesitation, and sometimes with pleasure. However, this was, up to this point, as she had witnessed, in defense of her or the party they were with. Vel pulled a cloth from her pocket and wiped the blood from Colt's face, "What do you need?" Colt exhaled and closed his eyes for a moment and broke a smile. He pulled from his coat a small crowbar, "Dump that rain barrel and get it over here." He handed it to her.
Vel ran over to a rain barrel, popped the top, and dumped the barrel. The half-full barrel spilled water into the alley that puddled in places, but it would likely be gone in 24 hours. She rolled it over to Colt. The two dumped the body into the barrel and put the top back onto it. They both paused for a moment. Colt touched his glammored armor and made it look like he had thrown up all over it. He handed Vel some gold coins. "Help me through the bar and pay the bartender." Colt put his arm around Vel and leaned on her as he walked through the bar, pretending he was almost drunk. Colt loudly said, "All I'm saying is that if you are polyamorous, dating a Changling is like the ideal partner. Why is that hard for you to understand." Seeing Colt drunk and with vomit on his chest, the crowd in the bar chuckled and politely did not acknowledge the spectacle, but everyone watched.
Vel tossed the bartender some gold coins, "I'm going to take him home." "I'm fine. One more drink," Colt wrestled from Vel and headed to the bar, but she dragged him out. As soon as they left the bar, Colt glammored his armor back to normal, and the two walked briskly to the Rusty Sword. Neither one said anything to the other. Both made sure no one was following them but checking in with each other visually. It did not take long for them to reach the rusty sword. Colt glanced at Vel and said softly in infernal, "Meet me in the stables." Vel nodded and departed to head for that location. The Rusty Sword was a Black Hook tavern. Most of the folks that hung out here were members of the Black Hooks or friends of the Black Hooks. Strangers were served but quickly made to feel unwelcome and soon departed. When Colt entered, dozens of eyes were on him, but they returned to their conversations once they saw him. "The usual, Colt?" Danson said with a smile.
"No, actually, I came by to borrow your cart. Vel is passed out on the other side of town, and I must get her back here. I have someone looking after her," Colt said warmly. "Wow? That Tiefling can knock down the rum," Danson said with a smile. "Tell me about it," Colt said, moving from the bar and heading to the stables. He gave a few nods, including Marcus, the leader of the Black Hooks, as he left the bar. Colt entered the stables where Vel was waiting for him. He pointed to a cart, "Help me with this horse." Colt brought a horse over, and between the two of them, they hitched up the horse. They quickly left for the Dancing BugBear. They moved briskly but not so much to draw any attention. They soon reached the alleyway where they had left the barrel with the body. It was still there, and although the two of them struggled slightly, they got the barrel onto the cart and slowly began to take it back to the Rusty Sword.
They took a different route back to the Rusty Sword to avoid suspicion. They wanted to avoid passing the same city guard twice within a short period, seemingly in a rush. It was now quite late in Baulder's Gate. Many of the classier taverns and bars were closed, and the only ones still open were the all-nighters that tended to be a bit rowdy. These locations always had a patrol nearby in case things got out of hand. Colt was mindful to avoid these locations as well. Soon enough, they returned to the Rusty Sword but pulled around the back and into the stables. Colt used the light cantrip to put the area in the back in a dim blue light.
They took a different route back to the Rusty Sword to avoid suspicion. They wanted to avoid passing the same city guard twice within a short period, seemingly in a rush. It was now quite late in Baulder's Gate. Many of the classier taverns and bars were closed, and the only ones still open were the all-nighters that tended to be a bit rowdy. These locations always had a patrol nearby in case things got out of hand. Colt was mindful to avoid these locations as well. Soon enough, they returned to the Rusty Sword but pulled around the back and into the stables. Colt used the light cantrip to put the area in the back in a dim blue light.
"Careful," he said in infernal as they rolled the barrel with the body down a small ramp into the floor. Colt moved to the corner and removed some hay to reveal a door leading to the Rusty Sword's basement. He opened it, and the two carefully rolled the barrel into the basement. Colt dismissed the light and closed the door behind them, locking it. Colt and Vel could hear the noise and music upstairs in the basement, lit by magical candles. They rolled the barrel to a corner where a table sat over a grate. Vel had never been down here and needed clarification about what they would do. Colt popped the top of the barrel and dumped the corpse out. "Search her. Take her weapons. Take anything metallic off of her," Colt said softly. Vel nodded, and the two immediately began to search her. She had a longsword, two daggers, and a hand crossbow. Vel searched her pockets and pulled out some soaked in blood paper, written in Elven. Colt was removing her rings, locket, and even her belt. She had some iron buttons on her shirt that he also cut off. Everything was placed into a pile.
"I found these," Vel said, handing them to Colt. Colt looked at them briefly and nodded before stuffing them into his bag of holding.
"Alright," Colt pointed to the table. "Help me move this," The two of them shifted a table over. Using a hook, Colt swung open the heavy metal grate. It revealed a dark hole with no light and looked like a pit of nothing.
"What's down there?" she asked, leaning over. Colt instinctively put his arm up across her chest so she wouldn't even have a chance of slipping in. Colt took a boot off the corpse, put the light cantrip on it, and dropped it down. It fell about 60 feet before Vel heard a thud. She could see the boot sitting on something slowly beginning to sink and sizzle. The light cantrip began to fade out. "Some taverns keep a Gelatinous Cube downstairs for food waste disposal," Colt said with a grin.
"I found these," Vel said, handing them to Colt. Colt looked at them briefly and nodded before stuffing them into his bag of holding.
"Alright," Colt pointed to the table. "Help me move this," The two of them shifted a table over. Using a hook, Colt swung open the heavy metal grate. It revealed a dark hole with no light and looked like a pit of nothing.
"What's down there?" she asked, leaning over. Colt instinctively put his arm up across her chest so she wouldn't even have a chance of slipping in. Colt took a boot off the corpse, put the light cantrip on it, and dropped it down. It fell about 60 feet before Vel heard a thud. She could see the boot sitting on something slowly beginning to sink and sizzle. The light cantrip began to fade out. "Some taverns keep a Gelatinous Cube downstairs for food waste disposal," Colt said with a grin.
"How is that allowed and legal?" Vel asked, surprised. "It isn't, but there is a marked decrease in disease, so grease a few palms and no problem. It will take care of the body, clothes, and wood from that barrel, but all metal items will remain." Colt moved over and dragged the body over. "Grab that leg and stand over there. We must lower it in carefully, or it'll get stuck halfway down. We'll be in a bit of a pickle." The two carefully hung the body by the feet and then let go. It bounced off the walls, and then there was a thud. Again there was a sizzle.
"Good," Colt then broke up the barrel and tossed the wood down there but kept the metal rings. He cast a light cantrip on a few pieces to see that the body was already beginning to be pulled into the cube. The Aasimar and Tiefling then closed the grate and put the table back. Colt got the sack and put the weapons, rings, and other bits of metal into the sack. He headed back out the way they came, and Vel followed. They bot back onto the cart and left again, slowly going through town. Vel was a little tense, but Colt looked rather relaxed. She soon surmised that this was not the first time he had done this. They went to a part of Baulder's Gate that she had visited before. There was a blacksmith, the Black Hooks frequently used. Pulling up, Colt knocked on the door. He waited a bit and knocked again.
A sleepy-looking Centaur came to the door, "Yes?" Colt flashed his Black Hooks badge, "Priority."
The Centaur woke up quickly and nodded, "Of course." Colt handed the bag over, "Meltdown, whatever isn't magic. Ingots and wafers." "Of course. I'll be done at sunrise. Will you wait?" He said. "We'll come back," Colt answered. The Centaur nodded and gave him a key.
"Good," Colt then broke up the barrel and tossed the wood down there but kept the metal rings. He cast a light cantrip on a few pieces to see that the body was already beginning to be pulled into the cube. The Aasimar and Tiefling then closed the grate and put the table back. Colt got the sack and put the weapons, rings, and other bits of metal into the sack. He headed back out the way they came, and Vel followed. They bot back onto the cart and left again, slowly going through town. Vel was a little tense, but Colt looked rather relaxed. She soon surmised that this was not the first time he had done this. They went to a part of Baulder's Gate that she had visited before. There was a blacksmith, the Black Hooks frequently used. Pulling up, Colt knocked on the door. He waited a bit and knocked again.
A sleepy-looking Centaur came to the door, "Yes?" Colt flashed his Black Hooks badge, "Priority."
The Centaur woke up quickly and nodded, "Of course." Colt handed the bag over, "Meltdown, whatever isn't magic. Ingots and wafers." "Of course. I'll be done at sunrise. Will you wait?" He said. "We'll come back," Colt answered. The Centaur nodded and gave him a key.
He closed and locked the door. Colt and Vel now went to a different part of town. They stopped in the alley behind a store called "Carlon's Discount Coopery." It was a barrel maker. Colt easily picked the lock and quietly went inside while Vel remained on the lookout. Looking briefly, he found a rain barrel that looked like the one he had stolen and destroyed. He left five gold pieces on the ground. The owner would be upset that his place was broken into, but paying twice what the barrel was worth would likely cause him not to alert the authorities. Colt and Vel loaded it, relocked the door, and casually went back to an alley of the Dancing BugBear. They quietly replaced the barrel. Anyone who came out would assume someone had drunkenly knocked over the barrel and put it back.
The pair then returned to the blacksmith, who was halfway through melting down the items given to him. Colt used the key to let them in and went to the workshop. The Centaur came over to him. "The ring and one of the daggers are magical. I can probably melt them down, but it'll take time to disenchant them." "No," Colt said, taking the ring and the knife. "I'll take care of it. Everything else?"
"Not a problem. The locket was silver. I made it into a blank coin, the other medal is slag. The sword is taking some time, it is finely made, but I'll have it into ingots. It'll be done by down, on schedule." The Centaur said. Colt nodded and left him to his work. Colt posted in the front by the window and stood in the shadows. Vel stood in the shadows across from him. They carefully watched the street as drunks shuffled home or fell asleep in the ally. Soon enough, the hint of dawn began to kiss the sky. The Centaur came out with a bag of steel ingots and a small bag of ball bearings made from slag.
"Thank you, as always." Colt shook his hand and looked at Vel. "Let's go."
The pair then returned to the blacksmith, who was halfway through melting down the items given to him. Colt used the key to let them in and went to the workshop. The Centaur came over to him. "The ring and one of the daggers are magical. I can probably melt them down, but it'll take time to disenchant them." "No," Colt said, taking the ring and the knife. "I'll take care of it. Everything else?"
"Not a problem. The locket was silver. I made it into a blank coin, the other medal is slag. The sword is taking some time, it is finely made, but I'll have it into ingots. It'll be done by down, on schedule." The Centaur said. Colt nodded and left him to his work. Colt posted in the front by the window and stood in the shadows. Vel stood in the shadows across from him. They carefully watched the street as drunks shuffled home or fell asleep in the ally. Soon enough, the hint of dawn began to kiss the sky. The Centaur came out with a bag of steel ingots and a small bag of ball bearings made from slag.
"Thank you, as always." Colt shook his hand and looked at Vel. "Let's go."
They hopped in the car again and went down to the docks. Colt was friendly with the Harbor Master. Colt walked along the docks. It was very early in the morning, and there wasn't much activity. Walking towards an empty part of the dock, Colt pulled out the bag of small ball bearings and dumped them into the water. Vel watched carefully as he walked through the crowd. Colt said hello to a few familiar faces while she hung back. She watched him slip the ring into the pocket of a Captain who was just about to depart. Then as he moved along, he stopped by a group of sailors and began interviewing for a future column. They shared a good laugh, and she saw him slip the knife into the travel bag of one of the sailors as they went off to leave on another ship. His sleight of hand was incredible when she knew to look for it. Finally, Colt moved by a pallet of supplies waiting to be lifted onto a third ship. There, colt casually dropped the bag of steel ingots into the pile of other things.
Having spread out anything that could be traced back to the dead elf, Colt and Vel got back onto the cart as the dawn light kissed the top of the buildings but did not yet flood the streets. They headed back to the Rusty Sword. An older man on the morning shift greeted Colt and Vel as they came in. "Two coffee's please," Colt said as he sat at the bar, Vel next to him. They both looked a little tired. "With some umph." The old man poured coffee and put some whiskey in there. As they took their mugs, Marcus, Star, and a collection of other Black Hooks came in. They were about to go upstairs for a meeting. Colt generally was not invited to these meetings, as he often caused trouble. Marcus and Star gave a respectful nod to them.
"You two up late?" Marcus said.
"Later than usual," Colt replied.
Marcus looked at them carefully, "Anything I should know about?"
Having spread out anything that could be traced back to the dead elf, Colt and Vel got back onto the cart as the dawn light kissed the top of the buildings but did not yet flood the streets. They headed back to the Rusty Sword. An older man on the morning shift greeted Colt and Vel as they came in. "Two coffee's please," Colt said as he sat at the bar, Vel next to him. They both looked a little tired. "With some umph." The old man poured coffee and put some whiskey in there. As they took their mugs, Marcus, Star, and a collection of other Black Hooks came in. They were about to go upstairs for a meeting. Colt generally was not invited to these meetings, as he often caused trouble. Marcus and Star gave a respectful nod to them.
"You two up late?" Marcus said.
"Later than usual," Colt replied.
Marcus looked at them carefully, "Anything I should know about?"
Colt smiled politely, "Nope. Everything is right as rain, Commander." Only some people were convinced. Star smiled at them, "See, Colt can be depended on." They headed upstairs, but Star lingered back and moved over to Colt and Vel. She eyed them both up carefully. Vel just gave a big smile. Star said something in Elvish to Colt. Colt replied and handed over bloody papers. Star looked a little concerned, but Colt said something else. She smiled and nodded, "Good work." She turned and went to head upstairs. Colt and Vel sat there, and both sighed gently and sipped from their Baulder Gate Coffees (Kinda like Irish Coffee) slowly. Colt felt her tail wrap around his ankle and squeeze it. Colt glanced down and looked over to Vel. Last night was the first time she had seen any of that from Colt. "Do you have any questions?" Vel looked at him and asked softly, "Who was he?" ----- At the Dancing BugBear, Roger tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter. He had arrived an hour ago from Waterdeep and was told his contract would be here. He had finished reading the latest tavern review from Balder Gate's own Colt Sebastian Taylor. The Elvish scout had some information about "someone they would want to know about." He refused to give any more information until he could "confirm a few things." And now he wasn't here. He thought this was information on the whereabouts of Elion ( @Elion - Alias ) , which would be worth the trip. "Anything?" "No, sir," A warlock said, coming out from a corner of the room. "I can't see her."
"And we have a lock of her hair?" Roger asked impatiently.
"She is not on this plane of existence," he replied.
"She took our money and popped into the fey wild, I bet," He said, getting up and paying for his drinks. "Let's get out of here." ----- .
"And we have a lock of her hair?" Roger asked impatiently.
"She is not on this plane of existence," he replied.
"She took our money and popped into the fey wild, I bet," He said, getting up and paying for his drinks. "Let's get out of here." ----- .
Colt paused gently and looked forward, "A threat." Vel squeezed Colt's ankle with her tail, "Not anymore."
They both smiled, looking out the window and gently clinked glasses. "Breakfast?" Colt asked. "Breakfast," Vel replied.
They both smiled, looking out the window and gently clinked glasses. "Breakfast?" Colt asked. "Breakfast," Vel replied.
