The city of Gamulur

Baruman walked down to the docks and leant against one of the wooden buildings used as a port office, watching as another new boat sailed towards the shore to join several already there. They were increasingly frequent, and the local gossip that surrounded them had many both scared and excited. Stories of strange monsters and great wealth that could change your life.

Normally he would be on the shoreline looking to make a little coin loading and unloading the boats, but right now, he just wanted to watch the spectacle of these strangers from many races, several of which he had never seen before. Many wore battered armour and carried fearsome weapons, their eyes continuously monitoring all that was around them.

He daydreamed of the distant shores that they had seen, and the adventures they had, and wondered if he would ever have the courage to do the same. His grumbling stomach brought him back to reality. Well, he thought, they're rich, and they need things carried, at least I can earn some money from them. With that, he strode towards the dock .

Baruman strode towards the dock, heading towards Hakeack, hoping to pick up some work. From the corner of his eye he caught sight of the human that he's seem hanging around the dock before, talking to the strange adventurers and directing them to various locations to carry out work.

The daydreams of the adventurers still lingered in his mind.

I can't just scrounge for the same work every day, or my life will never change, but these adventurers have travelled the lands and faced all types of foe. How could a tiny fool like me ever do that? I can't just walk up to them and ask for work, those humans look really tough! I have no idea what it involves, they would probably laugh in my face!

He paused, uncertain of what to do, then with a rush of adrenaline started after the human clerk. The clerk and humans were heading towards one of the larger piers, jutting out into the river. This jetty was used by many boats every day, and had crates and barrels stacked up along it's edges, being loaded and unloaded from the boats along it's side. Baruman bent low and moved swiftly, darting between the cargo to remain hidden. If he could get close enough, he might be able hear their conversation and establish what type of work they were doing.

Baruman ponders what he has overheard. If these experienced, capable, strong humans aren't getting the adventurous work they want, then why would anybody give a job to a tiny young lad like him? How could he prove that he could be of use to them?

He looks into the freezing cold river running by the pier. The light sparkles on the top of the waves crashing against the wooden jetty, hypnotising him as he struggles to come to a decision. The crash of a chest being thrown out of a nearby boat shocks him out of his reverie. Well, if it comes to it, he's been booted into the icy water more than once before and come out of it OK.

Moving as fast as he can without drawing attention to himself, he scuttles after the clerk, ducking for cover when necessary as before. moving more confidently now, his eyes follow the swaying movement of the clerks pockets, trying to determine which might contain an item of value. The left pocket definitely hangs lower, and sways wider of the clerk's hip as he walks. Hoping this means it contains a purse, Baruman dips into it with his nimble fingers.

Baruman backed out of range of the human's grasp , furious at himself and thinks quickly to see if he can talk himself out of this.

"Innept? There's none faster and stealthier than me, I was just letting you know I'm here! I'm hardly about to steal from my future boss now am I? That's right, I know you're looking to employ a little one, and there aren't many littler than me. You won't find anybody nippier and nimbler than me, and I know how to look after myself, so, What's the job?"

His heart beating fast in his chest, the terrified Baruman tries to look the clerk confidently in his eyes.

Baruman looked back over the shore of the town, still bustling with activity. The old fishing shacks where he had earned coin using his nimble fingers to fix the snagged nets. Hakeack organising the unloading of a newly arrived boat. The streets full of people carrying on with their lives as if they didn't understand that he was about to fundamentally change his life. This was all that he had ever known, but 10 Gold. There was no decision now, he had never come near to having such a large regular income.

"Count me in then. You won't regret it. I get the first 10 in advance yeah?"

He took the quill and carefully scratched out the letters of his name as he knew them.

With the money burning a hole in his pocket, Baruman heads straight to the bakers and buys a meat pie. He devours it quickly, the gravy dripping down his chin, more used to scrounging the stale bread from the previous week that was about to be binned.

Hanks's words still reverberated in his mind. What on earth had he got himself into? What was he going to need to survive outside of the town? Realising that time was passing, and desperate not to miss the boat, he runs around the shops and buys:

New Clothes: strong boots, a warm hat with holes for his ears to poke out of, hard wearing top and trousers with a hidden pocket and a travelling cloak.
A backpack
A bedroll
Rations
Rope
A cosh, hidden in his secret pocket
Lantern
Oil for lantern
Lock picks to replace his worn ones
Small crowbar
Small mirror on a handle
Pliers
Scissors

Baruman looked over his newly purchased items. He had never in his life spent so much money one go! Moving quickly through the streets he heads back towards the boat the he saw Hank heading to.

Athria shifts the pack across her back and tugs at the hem of her cloak. The urge to drop to all fours and scurry along to find a discreet way inside suddenly looms as her tail swishes in anticipation. Her throat flexes, letting the green frills across her jaw and head flare upwards for a moment as a stark contrast to her smooth black scales. But the fear of being seen, of a heavy hand striking her for being seen or failing to provide adequate loot was her old life, and she cut those people loose. She sees the men and dwarfs, their soft vulnerable flesh and their hair; a breeding ground for all sorts of parasites no doubt. They have no claws, those stumpy fingers seem literally pointless. Athria always grudgingly admitted the achievements of these soft-skins in war and materials, but physically she always pitied them. They had work, they had the gold lust and that's what she needed them for. Gamulur seemed a mighty big place, and Athria wanted to start feeling it out.

Every open door is an invitation 'Ria. Save shadow-walking for later

Athria straightens herself up, to her full 5 feet and pulls down the hood as she approaches the guards. She knows how these humans smile but mimicking it with her needle like teeth never seems to convey the right attitude so she keeps her mouth pursed and gives a short bow. She reaches behind to her pack, where a small tree like a bonsai rests in a clothand rope bundle, leaves and branches twining upward. She plucks a fruit and with a flick of her claws cuts it in two. She offers the halves to the guards, while her head is to the side.

"Good Morrow my Fellows. Please, accept a token from the open road. I seek passage to seek work regarding your noble 'Expedition'. Pray who makes decisions about such things?"

Athria's speech is rather smooth thanks to her human upbringing, yet she can't entirely mask her mouth's natural inclination, and there's a couple of clicks and hisses that escape.

Athria's plan seems to be to get inside the city and do some spying on this Corwin. She'll gauge whether he'd be receptive to her joining without money for passage. If not, she'll try and stow away on the next ship

"Corwin? Most helpful good sirs. And as for keeping the peace, it's my intention you don't even know I'm here"

Athria steps forward only to interrupted by the human with the clipboard. Her mouth opens and for a second the human gets to see the dark red of her mouth and the rows of teeth. Her tongue flicks out and she picks up the scents on the air, particularly the sweat of so many humans in close proximity. Her new found freedom makes her urges for fight or flight a little harder to quell but Athria's determined to be counted as worthwhile, especially if she can do so atop riches and finery.

I am Athria. Couldn't tell you where I'm from, I'm something of a former slave. I intend only to be here long enough to move on for good fortunes. And I'm acquainted with Deaf Charlie on Blinker Street

Her last phrase seems a little odd, having pulled it from her former employer. In thieving circles, going to see "Deaf Chatterbox Charlie on Blinker Street" was code for See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, a promise not get in the way of another's plans. Athria doesn't expect any present to recognize the phrase, and if they do then they certainly should be inclined to let her be long enough for any local crime boss to give her a shakedown of the rules. The Lizardfolk looks to the Men and Dwarves, waiting to see if she's done enough to warrant getting inside, and ready to run if not.