#baronyofthesilverwolf

the hard part was having the thanes on call , nearby but not so near as be seen. So they might be a full block back reaady for an emergency call/text as the signal, 'Raisins in the Chocolate Chips'

As for herself, well, she checked even closer spots. Alleyways might be too obvious, but she had time to prep, to put up a 'homeless' tarp she could hide under she hopes

Danica is nearby and on call, ready to come in as the cavalry. Linnea, however, is elsewhere.

Hope Lin is okay she thinks

She has covered her chain shirt in seconnd hand winter gear, her horns under a raspberry beret, the kind you buy in a second hand store. Inn short, she tries to look like a poor person, who is lucky enough o have winter stufff... and then adds a veil to make it even more likely she'll be ignored. A dark brown glass fflask with liquid adds tto the boozer effect

And she is near the store, but outside it- for now, ready to go in after others do as she pretends to be some down on her luck beggar shifigg through the store's garbage. She pretennnded to be a knight for years when nshe wasn't save i nh her heart. She cann fucking act this out

A truck pulls up, an older model pickup, riding low on one side. The reason why is apparent when the driver gets out. It's a big truck, but he still has to duck his head a bit and shift to fit through the doorway of the cab. A hulking figure, at least 8 feet tall, and wide. In the muted light of the streetlamp, his skin has a rough, greyish cast.

Slinking out beside him is an indeterminate mutt with a spike-studded leather collar. An ill-made beast, bow-legged. underbite, scruffy coat, kinked tail and tattered ears.

Parked - in a handicapped spot, no less - they head for the front door.

the homeless lady sways , flask in hand, blade hidden, and hoping her veil makes this needless

They head for the door, and then the large man stops - his nostrils flare - is he... sniffing?

The dog raises his head when the ogre did, and sniffs the air as well, and starts whining... only to get a kick to the ribs. "Shuddup, mutt."

Continuing he tromps over to the front door, which is jerked open with a CHIME! Not a Never, no, but the bells on the door ringing. The mutt slinks after him.

Suddenly VERY glad she splashed booze on herself

"Didn't you see the sign that said 'No Pets'?" Ace says, in a somewhat nervous, joking tone, from inside,

The ogre looms over him, and growls. "Ain't a pet, dumbass."

Ace blanches a bit and nods. "Only the two of you? Where is Stilz? Good ol' Stilz. Not like him to not show up, you know."

The Ogre blinks a few times, then shrugs. "Business. We came to collect." Shouldering his way in through the door, and the mutt squeezes in, just barely avoiding his tail getting caught.

She texts , abandoning the code words , to the thanes: TXT: Dan, ogre and pooka at Ace's. Don't forget we act like Ace is the target. Sprigan missing! Lin! Sprigan doinng 'business' , so hold may have second attempt ... not sure. Have to settle for Ogre and Pooka for now here, Dani. Can't risk Ace

She gets quick responses back!

Danica: I'm coming to back you up. 2 v 1. 3 v 1 if Ace isn't playing straight.

Linnea: On my way to check on the Lady's maid and son. Hope that you are wrong. Will spread the word.

TXT: Okay. Will try to remove damn bell

She takes off her 'disguise ' letting the homless castingns fall behind and she moves to the door, trying to finese the door gently so it doesn't ring that bell, then removee the bell quietly

She rolls her eyes, and instead hums mission impossible very quietly... and sends a bit of magic to stop the clapper and float the bell down as she enters quietly

It works! The bell is quiet as a jarred Never as she opens the door.

Ace has flipped the sign from 'Open' to 'Closed' and turned off some of the lights, to discourage customers. With her Veil still lingering, she finds it easy to sneak forward amidst the shelves and racks, though she has to watch that she doesn't trip over anything.

From back at the register, she can hear Ace talking, jovially, though perhaps a bit louder than usual which might be chalked up to nerves.

"Well, no, you understand, I explained to Stilz. I don't have his money, PER SAY. I do have some treasures in trade, however - very very nice stuff, far more valuable, to our kind, yes indeed."

A grumble, and it seems to take the ogre a minute to parse this. "Not cash?"

Drawig her sword... she moves closer quietly hoping that the wind or AC or whatever is with her . She wants surprise

Lavender sneaks down a side aisle, trying to be silent, and she does happen to notice which direction the AC vent is blowing, and uses it to her advantage. However, one of her hooves catches a bit in between rubber work out mats that line the floor of the exercise aisle, and she stumbles slightly...

But before the Ogre can more than shift, Ace is talking!

"Now why, now why do you think I'd say to bring you all the way out here, Mash, my old friend, my good pal, if I didn't have a deal that was better than cash? Look here, you'll see that I have for you a quite wonderful set of treasures. This harp is magical, once owned by a Satyr bard... and here, this shawl, see how it glitters almost like gold, it could make even a massive brute like you sneak by as quiet as a cloud through a crowded ballroom, with the veil it holds..."

His fast-talking distracts the Ogre, and Lavender remains hidden!

She is able to approach all the way to the end of the aisle, one good lunge away from the Ogre who is now leaning over the desk, peering at the treasures.

One of them looks veeeeeery familiar.

She'd love to strike the ogre by surprise, unknightly or not, but she promised Ace she'd pretend she came for HIM ad make the others believe it. She eyes the treasure that's familar

Why, it's her own goddamn Harp!

Well, that helps my motivation for this scene Her eyes narrow then, blade drawn, she calls out "you rotten miserable thief! Ace, I've got you at last! you'r under arrest!"

Then again, she knew about that. But where did that scarf come from? The box is a rather elegant black and silver design. Didn't she see it under the tree at Yule? No time to wonder about that though...

As the Ogre turns!

"Egads! I'm found out!" Ace is a terrible actor for a Piskey, at least when he's playing a scripted part. "Mercy, o Knight! I didn't steal it, I swear, I just found the instrument!"

"Arrest? You a cop?" The Ogre looms, putting his bulk between the prizes and the Satyr!

"Knight of Silverwolf hold" She says "And Ace is wanted for the crime of theft from our hold's demense... " then feigning realizaition as if notcing him too

The dog have moved behind the tree-trunks of the ogre legs and barks warningly from his safe position...

"Knight? Ha. HA!" The Ogre chortles mockingly. "Singing Goats are no threat to MASH." He pounds his chest in emphasis. "The treasure you claim? Then Ace I claim. We own him by debt. If he can't pay, then I'll take it as MEAT."

"Problem, for you, Mash... the dog you're with? It's the same dog that was used by a puppy napping spriggan. I didn't expect to find you, but you'r under arrest too"

"Well let's not be HASTY!" Ace backpedals in response to the Ogre's assertation

The dog? He makes a break for it! Dashing for the back door!

"Goddamn MUTT." Mash growls, and reaches for his weapon, the hammer that was at his waist... but it's... not there now? Ace looks innocent.

"Here, old buddy, old pal of mine!" As the Ogre starts to look for a weapon, Ace handily tosses the him one! A BAT!

Delorean can now either run after the dog, or deal with the Ogre looming towards her....

Flashing lights are now seen through the window!

She casts "Entrap entewine... damned canine!"

YELP! An entire rack of jumpropes has come to life like a nest of hissing snakes, striking towards the pooch and neatly winding him up!

However, the time taken to work the cantrip means that the Ogre has a chance to attack!

Mash swings the bat down in a heavy-handed bash towards Delorean's head.

The door is kicked open, and there is Danica, backlit by strobing siren and lights, and with her handaxe drawn!

Mash's mighty blow connects, and she finds herself flung to the floor by the sheer force of the Ogre's momentum and mass,...

And Danica reacts, throwing her chimerical handaxe! It flies like an arrow straight and true.... and THUDDING straight between Mash's eyes. He blinks, one.. two... three times, too dumb to realize it... then "Fuck." He falls over.

Delorean feels... a little bruised! She was knocked down, but... is she in shock, maybe? Because other than the initial startlement at the blow, it didn't hurt....

The bat rolls free from Mash's twitching fingers, to bump against Delorean's hoof lightly.

Light is the key term, as it's a plastic whiffle bat.

She breaks out laughing, then says "Nice save, thane. the pooka or beasie or whatever that dog is .. he's the same one that was with the Spriggan, Dame Gladiola identfied..."

Danica has rushed over, and exhales mightily when she sees that Lavender is unharmed. "When I saw him bash you, I saw red." She gives the knight a hand up.

A grunt from the Ogre. Is he seriously still conscious? Yeah, he's weakly flailing a hand at his head, trying to tug the axe out of where it is lodged into a very thick skull.

Danica glances at him. "Don't know when to stay down? Too damn stupid to die..."

She rises up, then stabs the ogre in the leg, hoping to hit a hamstring "Stay down, or I'll cut it off"

A groan as she slices into the meaty flesh of his leg.

Danica looks to Lavender. "You're the Baron's Knight. It's your call. Do I haul him to the Barony, haul him downtown to lockup, or... take him out back, Old Yeller style?"