#elsewhere

How to approach a stranger in a social area? Symon wonders. Zane would know. He would probably approach her casually as anything, maybe offer to refresh her drink. Maybe I could just mildly poison her drink and question her later from a back alleyway... nah, Dagmar wouldn't approve, and I didn't bring any good chemicals along anyways.

Instead, he looks to see if there's a good excuse near them. They're in a casino, is there a game open near the two? Or anything about the Selkie that would reasonably drive his attention her direction - a conversation starter?

He feels a bit dressed down for this ... a dingy kid in a casino where some dress just a bit up. Not that there is a tie requirement. But he searches for something, something... well, there's a video poker machine near them that's unoccupied, or he could , ahaha, well, maybe it wouldn't work, but she pulls out briefly her key chain and sees the Aquaman A on it. Could she like superheroes or was that a gag gift?

A tie requirement? Christ, just get me a noose. Symon represses a shudder at the thought. Still... he combines the two. Moving from the shadows he heads towards the video poker cabinet, reaching into his pocket for some coins to start the game. Oh, butter fingers - he drops the quarter, which deftly rolls over towards the Selkie and Satyr feet/hooves.

"Excuse me." He whispers, raising a hand as well to catch attention to the faint voice in the busy casino.

The satyr looks over first, and snorts "hey kid, I got it" He bends down. THe selkie arches a brow "Aren't you a bit young for this place? Right of ignorance and all... avoid any mortals huh?"

A small frown, and he whispers, "I'm 18. Or will be this year... close enough. Not drinking. And not making any trouble. Just looking for someone."

"Sorry, " the selkie says "I forget how underfed your kith appears" She gives a casual shrug

"THey don't much lilkes folks nosing around here, Kid" THe satyr says, not a threat, more a head's up "Not big on noble agents if you're one of them"

"I'm as common as a cockroach, but yeah, my kith is often as welcome." He says, with a small shrug. "Trust me, this isn't my sort of hangout, anyways. Too bright, too loud." A glance at the Selkie, "I suppose better for some than Vegas - too dry, too inland?"

"Way better than Vegas" She nods "Okay, who are you looking for?"

He slides a little closer, to avoid even his soft voice being overheard. "Selkie. Name of Eamon. Know the guy?"

The face she makes look like she was weaned on something sour "Know him. Waste of seal skin that one. "

"Oh? Why's that?" He asks, politely curious. Adding, "Haven't met him myself, yet."

"Guy always gets into trouble, then brings it to other people. Knows the Dreaming really well though, Dreamcraft for selkie means we use sea trods some never know... and he's good at it, but he's stingy with the trods he knows, but at the same time ends up begging folks for a hand out. SOmeone in trouble? I can feel for. Someone who brings trouble ? Or uses yours to make you their bitch? Not a fan"

A bit blunt, but there you go

"Heard of any recent mess he may have gotten into? I'm here because he dragged a friend into his business." A sour look he doesn't need to pretend.

"Oh his friend, heard her. Gorgeous voice, I didn't think trolls could sing like that. She's making him money right now. I don't know who he ticked off, but the fact he's come to a casino to GET money should tell you how much trouble he's probably in"

He inches a little closer. "Do you know anyone who might have more information?"

"Well, not for sure, but you're not the only sluagh here. Penny Ante is a regular... you might find her near the slots. "

A nod, and whispered thanks... and Symon, quarter in hand, heads for the slots.

Somehow, a woman who looks homless has snuck in and is pumping a coin into the slots and playing them. She seems to exude an image of 'this is how you get poor' rather than 'she could get rich'

and he realizes this must be Penny Ante. Yup, a sluagh

Symon moves quietly over, and offers out a quarter with long, slender fingers, the coin sticking easily to one of the fly tips. "Pardon, Would you be Miss Ante?

"Not if I had a choice" she whispers dryly and puts in the coin. The same coin. Is it vanishing once it goes in to return ot her hand? "But as I don't, yes. I am her"

"I'm Symon." He offers his name freely, even though not requested. "I was told that you may have some information about a person of some interest to me. Uh, I suppose this isn't traditional, I don't know if they even serve tea here..."

"not the sort any self respecting sluagh would drink.." She says with an oddly haunted look for a sluagh, then she tilts her head "Symon the Denier?"

His cheeks flush a bit with embarrassment, just a touch - enough to be a dead give away to a sluagh. "Uh, yeah. That's me."

"Huh, a celebrity... you poor bastard" Sympathetic to the plight of being out there and exposed in that way "I think we can dispense with the tea. Who are you hoping to learn about?" She moves to a more isolated machine

He follows. "A wayward selkie by the name of Eamon. I get that he has a bit of a reputation."

"putting it lightly" she chuckles

"Oh?" He asks, politely inquiring. "Anything particularly noteworthy, especially recent?"

"Oh as a matter of fact... yes. Most recently he's popped a ringer out of nowhere. a songstress skald.... using her to pay off his debts it seems. But it goes beyond that. Eamon's got one in every port, and by that i don't mean lovers, I mean suckers. He swindles worse than an Eshu"

"Trolls are loyal yes, but no dummies... not in my experience, anyways. What sort of hold would he have on her to twist a skald into his service?"

"Way I hear it, she's oathed to him... one of those old motley style swears"

A scowl. " If they're a motley, then don't those oaths normally go both ways? You can't just call in favors, or treat someone like a servant for your whims or needs."

"That's the mystery, isn't it? " Penny ante ponders "Look, she's about to put on a show. Him? I know at least which room he's staying in while requesting 'haven' ."

"Think I could get that room number?"

"Room 39" she says nodding "If this pays off for you in some way, repay me as you see fit. However, from waht I hear of your services, helping you tends to help our kith"

Now he looks distinctly embarrassed. "Good luck on the slots."

"It's not about luck, it's about the example I set. This hold is an unseelie as they come, no problem with that. But it sometimes dances too close to the banlaity of greed. HOmeless lady wasting her llfe here is a check that there are better dreams to chase" A smile of no teeth "Annnoys em sometimes... which is fine by me. "

He snickers a bit. "Stick it to 'em." And he looks around for Dagmar and Gerd.

He looks for Dagmar and sees her... near a stage? The troll is eavesdropping

He slides in alongside out of view.

With a troll friend, he can literally hide in her shadow

Dagmar is eavesdropping, jaw taut.

"FIne, we start the song in a few minutes" A voice says "Crowd is gathering"

"Lovely" her mom answers 'just hope your sound equipment is good"

And a crowd is forming indeed. Dagmar can see them loading up.

Brow furrow.

the musicians begin some soft music... Symon may want to put his earplugs in

And Tove comes out, wearing, well, something more modest than they wanted her to wear, but very jazzy, sparkling and slinky...