The Law Never Takes a Day Off

Pale, pearlescent even, in the scale reflections, he ambles down the markets, and taps with his walk-stick in front of him. Tap, tap. Tap-tap. "Alms...alms for the--haha! Ha! HAH!" he says, and picks up his stick. He wraggles at seemingly, the air. "Got you!"

Merek has taken his time to put on his black attire, from the tunic which he wears about, to the robe which is adjusted about it also. He then makes a way to look around in the markets for things to buy also.

It's well after dark, and Seldan walks down the street with Erendriel amid the dark and manalamp-lit patches on the cobblestoned streets. "I know less of this side of the river," he admits, "though I have been this way a few times." He hasn't bothered to light himself up, not yet, and lets her walk half a step ahead of him.

Erendriel doens't need lights, ever. She's the type to make a few Dancing Lights to follow along without even thinking about it, and she'll do so. "I'm not even permanently set up in the city yet, still just emporary until I know where I really want to live, if I eve want to be in the city, or just nearby..."

"Oh! You thought to get me, did you?" the pearlscale asks seemingly nothing. A space of air between two stalls. He waggles his head back and forth in an exaggerated way. The movement tosses keratin-whispers side to side. Makes them wobble and sway. "You did! Hah! And hah-hah! Toad you may be, and sspirit you may be, but this one was there when magic broke! Thiss one was!"

Ahmo gives the air a few more jabs, then a few more for good measure, "Sslime! Take that!" he says, triumphant, and hisses to himself. He's short, this sith-makar. Short, for his kind--and stocky. One could mistake him for a khazad--were one...drunk. Very drunk. A passerby walks past him, and he moves to the side--still staring at Whatever It Is (perhaps it's a gum wrapper). Still staring. He doesn't seem to have noticed those around him, at all.

Merek looks over to Ahmo and blinks a bit, but keeps to himself while he shifts his attention to nod to Eren noticing the woman also.

"Hey!" The voice calls out with a measure of authority. And it's coming up quick behind Ahmo, "You."

The man is about the same height as the Sith-Makar and is already trying to plant a hand and get a look at im. "I know your type. Awful friendly now that you're in the cities, eh? Where were you half an hour ago?" The obvious guardman looks the Sith-makar up and down with a heavy grimace lancing through his features from one side to the other. "Just leaning on society, eh?" He pulls his hand back and brings his one hand down to rest on the pommel of a weapon. Could be a blade, might just be a mace, hard to say with it tucked away beneath the surcoat.

"Outside the city would be a long journey," Seldan points out to Erendriel, although he trails off as his attention is drawn to the mumbling Ahmo. He takes a quick stride to even himself with Erendriel, watching the interaction with the guard intently and, suddenly, warily.

Erendriel nods to Seldan. "I don't mean that far. Like, I mean, I can live where I want. Magic gives me options, you know?" When Seldan is distracted, she also looks that way to see waht's going on. Oh, a guard.

Meandering her way around the markets is Delilah; the golden-haired sorceress resplendant in some new attire after her old clothes got, uhm, ruined (we don't like to talk about that). Right now she isn't shopping for anything in particular, but she has a pair of recently purchased necklaces with pendants on around her neck; one with a white stone, the other a black one. Otherwise, she's eating a peach, and is halfway through it when she wanders into the immediate vicinity; she happens to be looking at the vendors on the left, and Ahmo with the guardsman are to her right, so she hasn't seen what's going on just yet.

"Hrrrmuh. What am I doing? What are /you/ doing, ssoftsskin?" the pearlscale asks. Ahmo squints as he turns back around, and grips the staff to support himself as he leans on it. So old. SO OLD. "Thiss one hass sseen a malevolent sspirit, and sseeks to banissh it. Even now it croakss the namess of thosse it would trick!"

There is totally nothing visible behind the sith-makar. Well, probably! Ahmo twirls one of his tiny claws in a circle, and gestures towards the man's hand. "You--you, yes, yess. You could be usseful. Oh yess--but you would need to be drunk to ssee it!" he says, and then looks over. "Hah! Adventurers! Exactly who we need!"

Merek looks to the guardsman, while he shifts his robe about a bit, lifting his brow. He doesn't do anything at the moment, watching also.

The Guardsman narrows his eyes at the Sith, puffing out his chest a bit more, "You did not tell me where you were. Do you really want to cause problems just because your kind found culture?" He shakes his head "Typical.-" He's just about to continue on when he instead spies a different person.

"You!" He points at Delilah, "I knew you had to be behind it. Where did you get that necklace? Where were you half an hour ago?" He's starting to move toward her, pointing at Delilah.

"Chassing sslime, sslime and toad. A beasst that appears when you have too much to drink. Or you have sspecial vission, lime mysself," the pearlscale says, and turns around to look blearly at the lot. Then back to the guard.

"The Beer Fae, guard. The Beer--but ah, ah!" the sith-makar says, and looks keenly towards the guard. And mumbles to himself. He begins to amble down the way, and down the cobblestones, muttering.

Delilah spins around, almost dropping her peach, and having to dart her free hadn up to steady her hat. "...Norrington," she observes, not quite able to keep the distaste out of her voice. "I *bought* the necklace from an outdoor vendor. A half-orc woman who has a cart about," she gestures with her peach, "about half an hour's marketplace browse that way. Why, what am I behind *this* time exactly?" she inquires with an air of deep exasperation. "I mean goodness forbid an adventurer have money and spend it," she adds at a mutter.

Seldan shoots a look at Erendriel. "Just a moment." He changes course and approaches the guard, the crescent moon on a chain around his neck plainly visible in the light of the mana lamps. "What is going on, guardsman? Is there someone you seek?" He watches the guardsman's reactions intently.

"Papers, sers!" Chay says. He has a cart behind him--it's laden with papers. Copies of the Tribune. The rustscale wears a leather smock--one speckled with printer's inks, and carries a spare copy underneath an arm.

"The newss, ssers! A new beasst discovered in the Deep Woods! They ssay it is a toad, ssers, all eyes! A Kulthian cult rumored in the mountains! All in thiss week's edition!" he says. And he lifts the paper, and hoists it overhead.

Erendriel will follow alongside Seldan as he approaches the guard. She doesn't say a word, and inf act bites her lip RATHER hard as she keeps from saying anything at this moment.

Merek looks between the folk there while he looks to the guard. When he notices the others he makes a way to Seldan and to Eren with a nod to them also.

"Don't give me that." The guard goes to poke Delilah in the chest near the amulet, "That's the exact sort of amulet that was stolen not half an hour ago. I have the report of it already and - low and behold - here's one of my prime suspects." He snort and spies the Sith-makar not far away. He looks the sith up and down with another grimace before Seldan catches him with his question.

"A robbery I'm investigating. A jewelry shop-" he eyes Delilah again, "-was just broken into and a number of items stolen. Three necklaces and four rings before the owner ran from the back and the culprits made their escape. Likely /this/ one and her sister."

Norrington looks back to Delilah then, "She's not around to save you this time it seems." A sharp glance to Chay, "And you, where were you half an hour's time back?"

"Sselling papers, sser," the sith-makar says. Chay looks to the side, his gaze fixated on the ground as the guard approaches. "Perhaps you would like one, sser? One might read it to you, sser," he suggests. The tail flickers, just at the tip.

"The Tribune sstaff will vouch for thiss one, sser. Thiss one will fetch them alsso, sser, if you wissh?"

Delilah slides a step back and swats at Norrington's hand instinctively as he poked at her chest. "Hey! Hands to yourself!" She plants her hands on her hips, and scowls at the guardsman. "And exactly how many times, of all the times you've arrested me, have you *actually* managed to prove that I did something? None? Right? You just keep throwing me in jail for the sake of it. Come on Norrington, it must be getting old by now." She glances back and forth between the other people present, and looks back to Norrington. "Don't listen to a word he says. I'm no thief and never have been," she asserts. (Well... aside from that one time but we don't talk about that.)

Erendriel leans over to Seldan, and whispers something at the ear. The answer she gets makes her frown. Shaking her head, she then puts on a perky smile and walks closer to the guard, hands folded behind her back, considering everyone around. But mostly the guard.

"Half an hour past, you said?" Seldan glances back and forth between Delilah and the guard. "I am Seldan Padaryn of the Silver Guard, and I will aid you if I can, but if the crime is not hers, I would not see the true criminals go free, for want of a thorough search." He pauses in that to make a tiny shake of his head in response to the whispered question.

Merek looks to the guard, "You should be a lot nicer," he says also.

The guard narrows his gaze at Chay, since he turned to look at the Sith, "The guilt is written all over you, trust me - I'll be asking at the Tribune for your /exact/ route. And if I find that even a hint of a tail drag near that shop - you're next in the prison cell right after her." The guard turns back to Delilah and gives another narrow-eyed gaze. Though he responds to Seldan while glaring at her, "Being able to keep you in jail has nothing to do with proof and everything to do with how slick her and her sister are. If you want to find a common criminal - look no further." He points at Delilah.

A breath, quickened. Two. Then, Chay bows. "That is easily done, sser. If you wissh, sser--this one may fetch an inquisitor, sser. One understands they are sskilled at fetching the truth, sser." The sith-makar keeps his look fixated on the ground.

"Would you prefer that, sser? An inquisitor, sser?" And he looks to Delilah, once, directly, and then looks back to the ground, again. "This one iss ssure sser, if this has happened many timess sser, that it is worthy of an official investigation. It is the leasst this one can do for such a great man, sser."

Delilah leans to the side, looking past Norrington towards Chay. "Peace upon your nest," she greets, "And thank you, but don't get yoruself mixed up with this guard, please. He's really not worth it and I wouldn't want to see one of the People hurt." She takes another step back afterwards, and nods to Merek, "He should be, but I don't think 'nice' is inside his emotional range." The sorceress folds her arms beneath her breasts and humphs. "I'm innocent, by the way," she adds, glancing to Seldan and Erendriel. "I bought the necklace, it's a present for my sister. From a half-orc merchant. Down thattaway. Like I said." She casts her eye back upwards at Norrington, "Of course, it doesn't *matter*, because he's going to arrest me anyway, right? Guilty or not guilty doesn't really matter."

Erendriel puts on her best bluffing face, and steps foward. Raising her voice, but keeping a smile. "Someone was asking for an inquisitor? Is there a need for lawful, orderly seeking for the truth, such that an Inquisitor could be useful to determine the lawful guilt or innocence under the laws of this place?" Her act aimed squarely at the guard.

"Forgive me," Seldan's eyes narrow; he speaks with a strong Myrrish accent. "I am but recently come here, but is Alexandria's law so very different from the Kingdom's that one may jail a man - or a woman - with no proof, solely on suspicion? That proof is not required for punishment?" He shoots a sharp glance at his companion as she speaks up, eyes even more narrowed. Did someone need a distraction?!?!?

-Thoom- -Thoom- -Thoom- The rhythmic steps of a mechanical marvel of monstrous malice stomps down the street. A massive collection of bronze, brass, steel and iron backed by wood. Covered in gears, pistols and springs as well a bladder that goes 'plart' every second step. A large crook necked iron pipe juts out the right side and belches black acrid smoke skywards as the mechanical man tromps on. Two giant feet on small hinged legs take in meters at a stride. Matched by two massive clamp like hands on equally small hinged arms. Atop the device in a control center open to the air is the aptly named Gnome: Disaster!

"Prepare to be amazed by the new Gnomish army! The GrindStompClampPokePokeWarUnitMarkSeven is unstoppable and bring forth a new age of Gnomish.." With a shuddering 'clang' the giant man shaped device shudders to a stop. ".. Shit." The little Gnome expresses as he peers down. Moving the levers and pulling cords in a feeble attempt to get the engine moving again. "This is planned. Yes!" A wrench appears in the Gnome's hand. "All is fine, go back to your pre-amazed states. Prepare for future amazement!"

Norrington looks Erendriel up and down, a half-elf, that alone makes him not want to believe her but not spying a prominently displayed symbol of a religion? Well that just settles it for him, he shakes his head, "You might say it believably, but you look about as much the part of an Inquisitor as she's a cleric for Daeus." He gives a scowl at Erendriel, "But impersonating one on the other hand is definitely reason to send someone to the drunk tank. What Temple did you say, or did I just mishear a halfer just now?"

A look back to Seldan then, "Then you clearly have much to learn, since suspicion is enough to bring someone in and I can hold them for twenty four hours while I make the rest of the case against them." A look to Chay, narrowing of eyes since the scaled one started all this talk of Inquisitors, but of course there was a rather sudden distraction.

The steps catch him a bit off guard and he looks to see what exactly is going on. It seems that there is indeed some sort of large noise and much clatter of gears before the clang means it stops moving. That doesn't stop him from trying to grab Delilah by the elbow to make sure she doesn't try to escape the law in the clamour.

Merek blinks a bit while he looks to all the chaos, taking that in and shifting his robe about him a bit also.

"Your time to do so flies swiftly, guardsman, and you stand and fling accusations. Perhaps you will permit me to aid you." The look Seldan turns on the woman who had been his companion is nothing short of scathing, though. "You are correct about her, however. I will not stand in your way. Where did you say this shop was?"

"Yes, sser," the sith-makar says. Chay looks to Seldan. And to Delilah. "This one understands being taken against one'ss will, sser. Begging your pardon. Ssers," he says. He keeps his gaze fixated on the ground a while longer, after the guard's responses. And after a while, "This one...repeats one's offer, sser, with humility, sser, if there is a concern."

Erendriel folds her arms and hrumphs. "For a guards man you're quick to lie. I didn't say I was an inquisitor. I asked if you needed one. Guard, your own prejudice caused you to assume things. You're assuming things about me. Are you assuming things about them?"

Delilah doesn't move, being herself rather... distracted by the large clanking golem... thing. Instead, she just grits her teeth as her elbow is siezed. "Norrington, when have I *ever* run away from you." She pinches the bridge of her nose with her other hand, and glances back at Seldan and Erendriel. "I mean, if one of you wouldn't mind finding the half-orc merchant I dealt with? I mean she's not someone I *know*, but she has a wooden cart with a couple of mules and I think she said her name was Destcher, or Esther or something?" She shrugs lightly. "I mean, she had arms like she could crush a rhinoceross, you couldn't miss her." She glances back at Norrington, "Look, if you're going to arrest me then get on with it, if not, kindly unhand me."

Repetitious metal clangs from within the giant machine man cause a small door on the left side to open and a device tipped with a blue glowing crystal to emerge. "Activate" A metallic voice announces from the hulking mass. The small Gnome's head popping up and looking around. "No?" Disaster repeats. Then the device continues. "Prepare to.." The Gnome starts wildly swinging his wrench at the control panel infront of himself. "No, No, No, No!" As electrical energy begins to gather around the blue crystal the voice finishes. "..DIE!" And fires a massive bolt of lightning which arcs across the square into a thankfully empty table and chairs set outside a small cafe. The table smokes for a moment then explodes in burning debris.

"Oh dear, oh dear. Wrong kind of amazement! Stop! No, this is not good. Oh dear, oh dear!" Once more the Gnome vanishes within his device, even more hectic banging and wrench use arise from within as bits of burning wood skitter across the street.

The sith-makar fliches as the lightening goes out. Any voice, all sound, caught in his throat--he dives behind one of the stalls. Quick, quick-and-fast!

He gives a snort and a wave off toward Seldan and a glare at Erendriel, "Mhmm. I'm watching you, halfer. You too." He turns to look back at Chay, "I know your type." Delilah of course grabbed most of his attention in that next moment, since she was trying to act innocent once more. "And just because you haven't before, doesn't mean you won't this time. If you just confess to it, it would be much easier on you - but as it is, since you have no one who saw you - I'm taking you in. /AND/ confiscating the necklace as evidence." He tightens his grip on her elbow

KZAP! The table and chair erupt into the explosion and Norrington is visibly torn. He finally lets go of Delilah though and looks back to her, "You stay right there."

The guard turns to the gnome, "YOU! Short one, get down here. Destruction of property, disturbing the peace, unlawful parking of an artificed object, blocking a thoroughfare. You have a lot ot answer for!" He starts to mark toward the Gnome and his invention.

"...ssers? Is everyone okay, ssers?" Shaken. Chay coughs from his position from behind...something. Coughs again, and hacks from the dust. Then, the sith-makar goes quiet after that. There's the sound of hands hitting leather.

Seldan nods to Delilah, firmly and with jaw set. "I shall. Half-orc merchant, you say?" He's about to start off in the direction indicated when lightning cracks across the square, and he throws himself to the cobblestones, the bolt missing him by mere inches. He rolls over, and gets up with a, "What in ... ah." A last glance at Erendriel. "I must see to this, I will return." And with that, out he goes, in the indicated direction.

Erendriel looks at the guard, seeing that TECHNICALLY he didn't have her, and she'll follow along with Seldan, getting out of the way, as impressive as the lightning is...

"Fine," Delilah snaps, "But you'd better log that you've taken *MY* necklace and at the end of the twenty-four hours when you can't prove that I did anything wrong and you have to let me go, I'd better be getting *MY* necklace back." Her eyes narrow, and she folds her arms once more. "You know, one of these days, I'm going to convince a magistrate that you ought to be paying me for my time, for all these trips to the jail you drag me off on. Though I suppose that wouldn't cost you any more than I'm sure you regularly lose playing at cards." She shoots a grateful look to Seldan, and opens her mouth to say something, when there's lightning and horror going on. "Streuth!" she yells, instinctively throwing her free hand up to shield her face. "Cripes! Easy on the lightning!"

Merek looks to the guard while he nods to Delilah also.

"...escuse me, ssers," the sith-makar says. Chay re-emerges, half-covered in dust. Gilead's symbol hangs on his chest in front of him. A badge of office, for all to see. "This one apologises, ssers. Given one's respect of the Watch ser--and your dislike of the People, sser--one had intended to politely visit the Temples and offer an alternative, sser."

"--but there is too much at stake, sser. This ssituation eesplodes into chaos, sser. The TRUTH is at stake, sser. Circumsstances have forced us together, sser."

Chay looks to Delilah, "This one offers his sservices as an Inquisitor of Gilead, sser. One is fully ordained, and recently testified on the matter of the Mask in Alessandria, ssers. One's testimony and one's sskillset are assepted and recognized within the Ssity of Alesandria, at its Temples and its Government ...sers. If sshe accepts this one's sservice, one will be willing act under the Auspices of Truth, sser. One may compel truth through the courts, sser--even from you, sser."

"Are you ssure the necklace sser, is the exact one you remember, sser?" Chay asks. He looks to the side as he says so.

The small Gnome stands up in his machine and looks down imperiously at the guard. "What? The law of this city dares to challenge me?" He slides his wrench into a holster on his hip. "Fool! I will only be judged by my peers! The highest intellects of the age! Fear the rise of the Gnomish mind!" With a quick yank Disaster pulls a cord beneath his chin and a meter long wing erupts from his back on each side. "I shall return in force! I shall always be free!" Then with a quick leap from the devices top.

"Aaaarrgh" -splut- The little Gnome belly flops onto the pavement below as the wings almost instantly break. The little round artificer groans on the ground, a shuddering left hand producing a small notebook, and the right a stubby pencil as he begins to make a note. "Bigger wings." The two broken ones shudder on his back, making him look like an extremely depressed leather gargoyle. "I need a moment, ow.

The guard stares up at the Gnome, and then as he bellyflops onto the placement he rushes over to put some gnome-sized cuffs around the gnome's wrists. A heavy frown down at him, as he tries to plant a knee into his back to keep him still. "Well, then I guess I'm your peer now." A shake of his head and he looks up to Delilah, but he's preempted to instead catch a look at Chay.

"Yes, I'm sure it's the one I am thinking of." Of course, maybe it wasn't the one that was /just/ stolen, which Chay seems to be hinting at. But all the same there's another shake of his head, "I don't need /your/ testimony, I don't need the swamps brought back into the courts." Another squint. Bolide has partially disconnected.

"...sser. I'm afraid you misheard me, sser. This one sserves the Temple of Gilead, and City of Alessandria, sser. One ssought to ssserve the Truth, sser. Your disstaste for the People is well-known, sser, as one is given to understand from your records, sser. However, as you have let thiss ssituation dissolve into Chaos, sser--we cannot let a lesser emotion sser, ssuch as prejudice, to interfere with Truth, sser. As a sservant of the Truth, I am ssure you understand that, sser."

"I would have preferred to have fetched a /human/ inquisitor, sser, to reduce this rissk of emotion interfering in the investigation, sser, and would have gladly done you the courtessy. Sser." If you had not fucked up, ser. Chay keeps his gaze quiet, and impersonal. Apologetic, even.

"However, sser, we have thiss ssiatuation as it is presented, sser. If sshe accepts this one's sservices, then we are to both tesstify before the courtss sser, under their ausspices, and one will be given the obligation to Compel the Truth, sser, as one has done in previous cases in this ssity, sser."

Delilah watches as Norrington rushes off to arrest the poor gnome, and sighs, shaking her head. "Give him a break, Norrington, it was an accident. If he can't afford to pay for the furniture his creation exploded, I'll cover it. I've got the money." She pauses, quirking an eyebrow upwards. "Most of which is secured in the bank, mind you, where the likes of you can't steal-- err, I mean, 'confiscate' it." She holds up one hand in front of herself, making a show of examing her fingernails, before she turns and nods her head respectfully to Chay. "I would be honored to enjoy the aid of one of the People." She smiles, "I gratefully accept your services."

"WAH!" The little Gnome offers up a mix of a groan and a squeak. "There will be a reckoning!" Disaster sputters out, overhearing Chay and directed towards the guard. "Yes! Chaos! Fire, lightning, armies of the blood thirstiest of Gnomes! Gnomzerkers! Wielding the ElectroThaumicCannonMarkSix!" There's another squeak as the knee goes into his back. "Ack!" The little Gnome starts coughing and makes a plaintive little noise of pain. "You may be on top today! But one day, one day I shall owww." The little Gnome lays his leather covered head on the pavement.

Norrington stares at Chay a little longer, staring at him, as if sure that - somehow - the Sith-makar insulted him but not sure how he can actually prove it to arrest the jungle-living inhabitant. He sucks in a bit of hair between his teeth, "No, that's alright, but don't run back off to the jungle for now - stay in the city." He moves off of the gnome and help the gnome up to his feet while looking toward Dalilah.

"You're coming though, stay in front of me - you know the way." A little smug smile at his quip of just how much a criminal she is. He keeps the gnome out in front of him too while he starts in the direction of the jails.

"...as you wish, ssers. Understand sser, in one's capacity, one is compelled only to sseek the Truth, sser," to Delilah. Chay looks at the ground as he talks, and as the man walks away with the gnome. "Sser! If you are at all uncertain of the amulet sshe carries right noow, sser. Perhaps you sshould wait before making your casse, sser." ...he would be sweating buckets. BUCKETS. He looks directly at the guard.

He KNOWS. Ser. That you are lying. Hunger shows there--at that, the scent of a lie. The chase of it. Open your mouth, sser. Let the lie come forward. He can't help it. Just lie. Please. In the courts.

Just a little. It would be delicious. Ser.

Delilah bobs her head to Chay, "Of course, I would *love* to have the truth found and exposed for all to see, thank you very much Ser." She watches while he makes his exit, before looking back at Norrington. "...What, only bring one pair of handcuffs?" she inquires. "What a pity. I suppose you'll just have to trust me to walk to the jail, then." She turns around and starts walking; within a few steps, she stops for about ten seconds, long enough to buy a replacement peach from a vendor for the one she had been eating but dropped, paid for with a few copper. And then she resumes her stroll, moving at a pleasant pace, taking in the scenery as she takes a bite.

"Ack!" Disaster sputters out as he's lifted. "This is intolerable!" There's another groan from the little Gnome as he's forced to march. "This will not be forgotten!" He's quiet for a long moment as they march, his face caught up in a grimace as he's forced to work muscles sore from the impact. "I think I need to pee." He finally adds in a plaintive tone