Hunter follows up the hill and around the corner closer to the castle where the king stays. The road wraps around a small hill on to the other side of the docks that are not connected to the Sunset Promenade. He comes down the hill and spots his Cousins operations right away. A few Caravans near the edge of the city are stopped in front of "Dusk Market".

Piper does not notice anyone following them. As a matter of fact most of this town seems to flow into the middle of town. She guesses taking a look at the traffic that while many of the shops seem in better shape this is obviously the more rich part of town.

As you step into the Dusk Market you are greeted by tons of travelers all looking for equipment, supplies or both. A dwarf behind the counter is trying to greet everyone but falls short of meeting everyone glaze. By the side of the door is a rather big half-orc that seems to mean business but he says nothing only smokes on a pipe.

Hunter paused inside the door and looked around with interest. He strode up to the counter and smiled charmingly at the dwarf. "Percy Gallagher to see Sheldon" he said.

Jenkins stayed close to Hunter, one hand nervously clutching his belt as she stared around wide eyed at all the customers and wares, Quite possibly she was sizing up potential marks for pick pocketing and general opportunistic theft.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:29, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

After a few long moments of taking a look over things after Hunter went into the shop, Piper held on as Mosii hopped his way down to the ground.

As another customer went into the shop the big cat insinuated himself almost underfoot and slipped through the door.

Once inside the pair padded through the shop.  Piper took a look at what was available for sale (not that any of it would do her much good) while watching Hunter as they slowly wove their way towards the man.

The Dwarf looks at hunter with one good eye and a grumpy face. "Ah. Wait your horses."

The grumpy dwarf stated before going to the back of the shop. Out from the back of the shop comes a man with a clean face. Short brown hair with a noble appearance to him.

"COUSIN!" says the man to Hunter. He walks around the counter knocking the dwarf back into the wall. He greets hunter with a warm hug that crunches his equipment to his body.

"Why Percy! You look worse for ware. What has gotten into you these days. Tell me, traveling the country side did you see much on your way here? Welcome to my little slice of the heaven."

"The Old Wolf threw me out" Hunter said cheerily. "He called me a wastrel, a ne'er do well, a no good nobody born to hang. I am now a Soldier of Fortune, a mercenary adventurer, a gentleman rogue."

"In a pique of temper I boarded a ship and came here to seek my fortune, only it seems that the endless well of Father's coin has dried up. Remarkably quickly, in fact. All gone, after one quick voyage. And yet... funny thing, I seem to enjoy living on the streets, living by my wits. No dreary balls or business deals, no stolid counting advantages. Women seem different too, they are quick to tell you what to do and what not to do and treat you as an imbecile, instead of preening and batting eyelids and saying how wonderfully brave one is. Truth be told, it's rather refreshing."

"As to what I'm doing now, old chap, I am hunting rodents of unusual size and temper. There seems to be a plague of them in this town. I have discovered that there is quite an operation going on, there appears to have been an invasion by a group of infernals who are feeding potions to regular street rats to increase their size and rage, and using that to spread chaos and disrupt the town. So we are making progress with the investigation, but unfortunately I seem to be rather under armed. I need to be much better equipped to continue."

"How are you, Sheldon? Business seems to be thriving, why I had no idea you were running such an operation! How's your family?"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:46, Wed 06 Dec 2023.

Sheldon looks you up and down, "Cousin. Your misfortunes seem the plenty right now. Business is booming and the family is, well. You know, I always keep mums and pops at arms length. They aren't found of my merchant spirit says it brings too much drama to the family. To be honest, while everything looks amazing, truth be told I am worried."

Sheldon puts him arm around Hunter before noticing Piper on the ground by the cat. "By the gods? What is that?!", he seems shocked to see Piper.

The grumpy Dwarf from behind the counter comes running, "What is it s.......by the gray beards what is that?" The grumpy Dwarf grabs a broom and seems ready to swoosh Piper out the door.

Hunter looked down. "That's Piper. She's with me. She is a splendid creature, a mouseling who rides a cat. She was taken captive along with me and some others by these infernals, and she battled bravely and valiantly to get free. She is more than she seems."

He frowned as an afterthought crossed his face. "Jenkins, don't steal from Cousin Sheldon or from this place" he said sternly to the grubby goblin underfoot who happened to be eyeing up a plump trader's fat purse.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Thu 07 Dec 2023.

Piper scaled Mosii's head to stand upon it, which put her nearly eye level with the dwarf given the feline's size.

"As Hunter stated, I have been involuntarily drawn in to looking into whatever is going on in this city.  A most unwelcome first experience to someone looking for a bit of hospitality having come visiting from abroad."  She explained.

Turning her attention towards the dwarf and his broom she stated plainly, "I'd put that back behind the counter sir, or I will have you eaten."

The dwarf's face twist into a strange gasp while also trying to stare at the mouseling at his face.
"By the gods. A talking rat.", he stumbles back broom in hand and takes his place behind the counter, ever so slightly looking towards the way of Piper.

Sheldon seems assumed by the mouseling. "Good play chap. Let us take tea in the backroom." He walks Hunter and Piper towards the back of the shop far from the praying eyes of the people shopping inside into a little room with a small tables and some chairs. He grabs a few glasses and puts them out at the table. "Sadly, I don't have one your size little mouseling but I am sure that you will make due, such a resourceful creature."

He grabs a bottle of something that looks like it's likely a very fine wine and pours into each of the glasses and then slumps into his seat.

"I wish you came at a better time cousin. While business is booming this is true. These rats are simply destroying the city. I myself have had to resort to hiring the same infernals that you talk about. But my normal jobs are drying up. I fear Stormharbor might become a town of tombstones if we don't do something."

"Fire them" Hunter said promptly. "The infernals are causing this. Nobody knows this, but it's true. So if you tell them, or that Dwarf out front does, we could lose our opportunity to fix this. It would make our work much harder."

"No, wait." He took a sip of wine, considering, idly swirling the ruby liquid round and round the glass. "Don't fire them. Keep them close. Be friendly to them. Talk to them, ask where they are staying, what they do in their free time. Not like spying, but like friendly, casual like.

In the meantime, talk up the doom and gloom, talk about closing and moving out, but even so, quietly buy up stock in struggling businesses, and then, when the moment is right we storm their castle even as you fire your guys and lead a general hue and cry blaming them for everything and we run the bastards out of town. And you've ended up doing rather profitably out of the whole thing."

"However" Hunter paused again, taking another sip, "This is a very good drop, by the way... However, this may be rather risky. It seems there was a group of us that were marked as we entered town. All of us were individuals who didn't know each other. But we were marked and waylaid and captured. They said some tosh about a prophecy and something something, which if it's true, or at least if they believe it to be true, then they may be following us and watching us. In which case it would be most dangerous for you to have infernals on hire and also be seen to be supporting and helping me. It might be better to say set up an account at the Iron Anvil to let me resupply myself at arms length. I currently have rooms at the Tempest Tavern, you can get word to me there. Or just fire them, tell them times are hard with the rats, you're thinking of closing...

"Anyway, I've heard of this prophecy, so I suppose I should tell you. But personally I think it's a load of tosh. How could a prophecy predict a bunch of random strangers as diverse as Piper here and myself? More likely they just grabbed people new to the city, people who would not be missed if they disappeared. For what reason, who knows." He glanced at Piper and back to Sheldon as a thought crossed his mind. "Maybe they were going to turn us into monstrosities akin to the giant rats." 

Sheldon looks at his cousin with an uneasy glance, "You haven't changed. Not one bit. I will tell you this, the infernals are a rather interesting group of individuals. I don't think they are all part of this elaborate scheme you suggest. Many are simple vagabonds which leave them with little coin in their pocket and that dear cousin is called opportunity. Obviously someone is taking these poor souls and using them for their plans. I will tell you...I don't believe in prophecy much either."

Sheldon stands up from the table and looks his cousin up and down. "Well the day is getting away from me and I need to get back to the counters before that terrible dwarf runs everyone off. Old dodger is loyal but has the personality of a cave troll. Is there anything I can help you with while you are here?"