The gargantuan kobold lumbered down the stairs of the Troubadour, his new home and employer. Blood had soaked into the stairs leaving a dull brown to the tan wood. He didn't mind at all, but noted it each time he used them. The floor of the basement was newly remodeled in flagstone. If he was going to work down here he might as well improve the accommodations. The blasted doorway, however, was untouched and remained a large hole in the wall. Easier for him to get through anyway. The hole in the foundation wall was also left open to the sewer. He still had Kobold friends from the Pale Dog Clan that would visit from time to time. Kobolds can be fiercely pragmatic about who they work for and the dangers involved, and his old clan didn't begrudge him working for the 'New Bigs' who cleared out The Den in Backside.
K sat down at the large makeshift table he crafted from the door fragments with pride. Wood was an expensive material to source on the island, which he noted wasn't a purely corporate expense. He grinned at his slightly indulgent allocation and began his work.
Assets to date
- Building - 15,000gp valuation roughly
- Stock - Bar 340gp, kitchen 45gp, basement stores 522gp
- Accounts receivable - 0gp loaned (Dockshay absence noted in this line item). 120gp advance to Hoarfrost Brewing for 6 kegs.
- Petty Cash - Bubble Office 190gp
- Savings - Chest (in hole in floor of basement) 2872gp *all money collected from Bad Ideas before departure
- Non liquid assets - separately stored by Bad Ideas
Monkey's Paw
- Building - 4,500gp valuation roughly
- Stock - unknown (not actively in business)
- Petty Cash - at Troubadour
Shadowshome
- Building - 18,500gp roughly
- Shadowhome assets - Art and precious metals (real, not summoned by pretty lady) 3490gp.
- Livestock - 2 goats (5gp each) 3 rental horses (50gp each)
Liabilities
- Accounts Payable - 490gp to various suppliers
- Troubadour building - 0gp owed, 120gp yearly taxes
- Monkey's Paw building - 0gp owed, 56gp yearly taxes
- Shadowshome - 0gp owed, 340gp yearly taxes
- Loans - 5,000 line of credit from Dokshay (according to Dokshay, cannot find paperwork)
Mr K was just finishing his bookkeeping when he heard yelling from above. The huge creature is slow at most times, but this sounds like a time for reckless speed. He burst through the blown doorframe and launched himself up the stairs two at a time
In the main room of the Troubadour stand a bewildering scene to the kobold. Andrew and his family were huddled by the bar with their hands in the air. He saw them first because of their bright colored clothing. He thinks that might have stood out more because everyone else in the room was cloaked in shadow except one man in a tweed coat and hat. Where were the patrons? Seems they got out already. K noted the lack of collateral victims with approval.
'You, there, uber kobold.' the accent was german, though Mr K only read it as constipated human. 'My you're a big fellow. Don't move or your lipkin die, no?' Mr K could read the room. One of the shadowy cloaked things had a crossbow at Emily's forehead. He put his hands up silently. He didn't really have anything to say at this point and his Crisis Management Active Shooter training seminar taught him to be compliant until you had to fight.
Andrew and the man in tweed argued in hushed words. Mr K didn't really listen close enough, he was too busy assessing where he would bury the bodies when he was done with them. He thought the hole in the sewer was the best choice. Mr K caught something about the Bad Ideas, an Orange Gott (whatever that is), and threats to Andrew personally. Andrew was talking in that intense little voice he uses sometimes, things about not hurting his kin and about this being between them. Andrew impressed Mr K, he was management material all the way. He would give him a high review on his 9 box rating this year.
The exchange of threats having passed, and Mr K having decided he would only stack the shadowy figures in the sewer but use the constipated man's spine as a coat rack, the two parties agreed on letting the mouseingtons be tied up at the bar. This man was 'waiting on a signal' of some sort. He held a dull black box of metal and glass that glowed with letters and symbols on its surface. Mr K was pleased that the mousingtons were being tied up. He didn't want to hurt them accidently. A beep chimed from the device in the man's hand 'Und now de curtains raise' he gestured towards the corner table by the kitchen.
A curiously small gold statue sat on the corner of the table. The gold looked almost orange in the tavern's torchlight.
RRRGGGGGHHHH an unnatural scream broke the silence as one of the shadowy figures violently birthed 2 feet of steel from its midsection. Standing behind the figure was Sir Tomiln with Sir Gerald on his shoulder, the latter throwing acorns at the creature before them. Mr K grinned broadly at his best friend and lifted a table, swinging in as wide an arch as possible. Three Shadow cloaks collapsed into a pile from the impact.
A strange light suddenly bloomed from behind. No time to look. Mr K checked on his friend. He saw Sir Tomlin lying on the ground. Rage filled the Kobold and he made towards the fallen paladin. Before he could move something hit him, many somethings actually, like stinging insects with the momentum of bullets. Two more shadow cloaks swam into his fading vision and he grasped their heads in his heads, squeezing with every ounce of strength he had. He felt their form implode under his fists. He turned towards andrew and noticed the fire consuming the top of the bar. The mousling was straining at his bonds towards the kobold. Mr K thought for a moment 'This tiny mouse really actually cares if I die. I have never had anyone actually care about me before.' With the pragmatic pride of his race, Mr K smiled in knowing he may have just died protecting something he had always wanted to protect, someone who cared for him.
What happened with the Shadowki drug? What was Mr K's greatest Fear? What torment did he fight against, and perhaps lose to, in his mind? It could be that he didn't have a greatest fear. He had already had his greatest hope realized a moment before. That fear, of dying without having found a purpose, that was already something he had overcome. It could be that, overloaded with dozens of doses of the drug, he passed peacefully beyond fear never knowing that his friends were around him, helping him, and risking their lives to save him. Or perhaps, he did know, and that too made him fill with pride and allowed the oversized kobold to let go and float up to the Overflow.
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