Breaking badder

[rubyrubyruby]

Ruby is trying to use some inherent gift of no-touchies to keep the insects at bay, rather than some manner of chemical repellent. Turns out Cibugs are made of more tenacious stuff. Playing a game of stop-hitting-yourself, Ruby slaps at insects and stalks away from a conversation with a duo of Shamans that claim to hail from deeper Cibola. A crude map stitched upon some tanned human skin is pinched in her free hand. She looks about hopefully for another she's hoping to meet up with. Her recent donation of a troublesome tattoo and the hindsight that having help with a talented and crazy bio-master would have probably been better means she's attempted to send a messenger recently to have him meet her within sight of Antukt.

Oh /look/ who's arrived! It is the wondermous mister Patches, alchemist and monster maker supernal! He trots along, and has like... two of those dwarf things with him. "It is not terribly simple to get here; the paths I take aren't the best near Amber you know. Ridiculous, of course, but there you have it. Fortunately I've... rectified that to some extent; now I just need to find places obscure enough that... Well nevermind all that; you wished to see me?"

Ruby presses her lips tightly together at the sight of the wee dwarfish hellions, recalling what some of their coloured cohorts got up to during ship-to-ship chaos. She gives a curt nod. She's attempted to cover up a lot of exposed flesh to obscure the sight of her runny tattoos beneath her skin. She moves to join Patches and his helpers. "Maybe we can work tah similar pur-poses then, Truth." She beckons and heads to the path that leads away from Antukt to darker and more dangerous jungle regions. "If you gots a mo-ment, there's one 'o those...obscure enough...places tha could use yer eye. I mean, I seen what you did with a cave in Arden, so maybe you gots an eye for 'ot 'umid 'orrible jungle places. I gots enough problems crawlin under me skin I prefer not tah deal with any 'o it with all these bloody eyes and ears around."

Patches trails along easily enough. "Oh, I've been looking for a new place; that sot in Arden booted me out without so much as a scrap of evidence I'd done anything at all! Just because he doesn't like 'chaos' and whatnot. Wretch. Anyway, I'll have my vengeance on Arden just fine as soon as I can find some likely cohorts to cause trouble. Need a proxy, you see, someone who can lead my creations without me there. And to protect my... arrival point, hmm... Been poking about the docks as well. Met a new friend there while Orelia is laid up; Rowina. Darling creature, but she's adjusting poorly to her treatments. I do hope she survives."

Ruby arches a brow over these new friends. She offers a grunt as an initial response while her brain turns over. The path leading away from Antukt is used enough to not need a Ranger to be needed, but Ruby veers to the south after doublechecking her epidermap. "Aye, findin good 'elp is 'ard these days. Specially tha special koind tha knows their arse from their elbow. Seems tah be a constant in all trades an occupations, aye?" Ruby wrinkles her nose and checks the canopy for snakes before tentatively stepping into all the native leafy flora. "You gots a nose for magic or anythin? Moight be useful up ahead. They say Pathian noses be naturally magical, but they can't smell their own shite all tha same an think it be all roses. Wonder if you could transplant a nostril on each 'o their cheeks if you 'ad tha toime an in-cli-nation." The sounds of insects get very loud, and Ruby hasn't even stepped a few paces when a large shiny object can be seen resting against a tree. It looks as large as a Kite shield, and kinda shaped like one as well. But it's see-through and not metal.

"Unfortunately it's a thing I lack; never really had a need for it until now, though I suppose I could find a use or three." Patches says with a shrug. "Hello there. What's this now? Some sort of glass... well, I don't know what it would be useful for without testing its properties but it certainly looks like a bit hunk of glass." He pauses, not approaching it yt as he looks to Ruby inquisitively.

"Aye, it does remoind me 'o those glass Undine things, loike what a friend makes." Something large, possibly seeming chopper-huge, buzzes higher overhead and shakes the upper canopy of fronds. Like a giant pair of lips doing the motorboat sound. Ruby jerks her chin up, having missed the movement but obviously heard the sound. She had taken a step towards the curved bit of something. The smell of something sulphurous and spicey at the same time is drifting down like a lovely crop dusting. Ruby backs up against a tree to stay out of the trickle that tries to seep past the canopy. The shield-like shape slips and wobbles to the viney jungle floor. It's chitinous, but ludicriously big. "Whut tha fook was tha..."

Patches peers out where he can see the thing. "Oh my, that's rather a large thing there. Is this why you brought me here, to see if I could do something about it?" He looks from the bug, to Ruby, all while stripping his labcoat. He's rather a scrawny looking thing under all that. "I mean, I'll try but... Hm, might need something to throw at it..."

The big bug alights upon one of the tallest parts of the canopy. It is a big boy, as big as an ox, and by the way the tree is starting to bend, almost as heavy. From beneath its hood, glistening proboscis unfurl and seek out some of the hard to access poppies that are just blooming this season. The colour of the flowers is a riot of pink and yellow. As the bug consumes it, its wings give a quick euphoric beating in the air, dispensing that strong smell of spice again. Almost dizzying is that scent.
Ruby frowns and considers how to get at it, or run from it. "Last toime I smelt tha, it was one 'o Caine's ware'ouses. Or before one 'o those secret Shaman ri-tuals." She swallows. "I 'eard there were strange animals out 'ere, near this strange place I mentioned before. Maybe this connected?"

"Oh." Patches says with a hint of surprise. "It's not going to eat us at all." Honestly, he sounds kind of disappointed that it's not ferocious. He hmmms at Ruby's question, padding around under the canopy to observe the beast as best as he may, then posits, "I suppose that's possible, and I do find myself intrigued at the idea this thing may have some useful properties." He then wanders over to lift the chitinous clear dome, feeling it up for a better sense of what it's made of. "Do we wait it out, or would you like it disposed of?"

For now, is there really any need to travel discretely? Niles opts for comfort on this part of the trip through the jungle and the team of escorts with him is acting accordingly. The majority of the five-person accompaniment are a bunch of rough and tumble sorts, each wielding machetes to clear an appropriate path. Niles travels at the core of the group, clad in rugged clothing, thick boots, a handkerchief tied about his neck to minimize the amount of skin showing for local bugs, and some manner of floppy safari hat. "How are we going on pace? I don't care to get stuck out here after nightf---" Between thwacks of those blades, he just makes out the sounds of other voices and holds up a hand to motion for the team to stop while he listens.

RPG: Niles declares that he has the Dramatic Timing (STY-DT) gift.

Ruby bristles at the existence of the bug and she's fighting the desire to have is smashed. "I 'ate bugs." She grinds her teeth. Enamel erosion is halted when a sound like a didgeridoo comes threading through the jungle. The warbly wobbly sound has an immediate effect on the nomming bug, and it crouches and ponderously lifts off like a black armoured bee, tummy full of opiates and looking perky. Is it happy to hear that sound or is it just...oh, it has underside stingers is all. "Let's follow tha big drunk bastard. C'mon...maybe we get lucky an there be a 'ive or somethin. Would love tah smash a 'ive over just one." Her head gets a bit swimmy after inhaling a bit of the downwash, but she keeps her wits about her.

"Ah-hah! Well, let's be about it at speed then!" Patches says merrily, and definitely likes where Ruby is going with all this. Right before her /eyes/, his flesh bulges and expands, bones creak and crack and just... Horror occurs. Okay? Horror. It's as swift as it is jarring, and then Mister Wort is ready to dart along. "Need a ride, miss?" comes the deep rumbling voice she's easily as familiar with as Patches' own.

Wort's big hand is outstretched, dangerously close enough to snatch her up like a rag-doll.

RPG: Wort declares that he has the Hyde's Demon (EOC-HD) gift.

Niles' head looks a bit off to the side to point an ear more toward the source of these voices, his eyeballs pointing off in the same direction to try and glean what they may in their Observant way. As they set off toward this "hive," his eyes narrow and he sets to calculating and pondering. Odds are weighed against options and paths are followed mentally to their probable conclusions. A second or so later, he motions for the group to move along the same way, "Double-time!" The machetes strike back up again and the trail is being blazed on after these other two Cibolan adventurers/fools. He'll leave it to history to decide which they all may be.

Ruby's visible eye bulges at the transformation, and she half turns away as the change runs its course. Ample time for her to be snatched up by the HydeUber.
The airborne collection system makes the earlier Helicopter Huey sound as its wings really get up to speed and it moves along the top of the canopy, its swollen belly scraping the tops of the trees, scratching the itch of its distension. It isn't the only one either. A similar drone and fup-fup-fup sound comes from further west. Another one summoned back to the earlier auditory instrument?

RPG: Niles declares he has Cibola lore of at least level 3.

RPG: Wort declares he has Nature Lore lore of at least level 3.

And so the snatching happens. She's desposited on Wort's shoulder, and then the massive man lopes through the jungle after their prey more like a wild animal than a man. "Right interesting that thing. I don't think they're supposed to get that big, but I hear things about Cibola's wildlife from time to time." Oh yasssss, this will be a most rewarding adventure. "Wot's yor interest in it? After that scent we caught earlier?"

Niles' eyes widen upon catching a glimpse of the Big Boi Beetle in question and the accountant part of his brain immediately appraises the value of it. They snap back to normal then as another voice in his head reminds him never to trust an easy score. Best to let these competitors spring any traps first! The old man communicates with a set of hand motions to advise his group stay a bit behind this... What IS that?! His brow furrows with some frustration at this notion of there being three of them now, what with Wort's voice shifting, but he presses on a bit behind Ruby and her Oaf-Servant/Mount all the same!

"I gots no interest!" Ruby barks overly defensively. Hard to be comfortable being carried along for all manner of reasons. She chafes over being carried, but expedience is the priority. Ruby holds on tight and responds a little more cordially. "Look, I got a bit 'o a wound recently, an we...usual...means 'o dealin with pain sort 'o got...lost. I can't use me tatts worth a damn or they try and kill me an I can't stand tha pain. Tha smell 'o tha big bug made me nostrils twitch. Can't better droogs than 'ere in Ci-bola." She exclaims with renewed defensiveness. "I don't need 'em cause I'm too strong! Pain can't stop me! But...maybe someones moight be able to cap-i-tal-ize on 'em. For a friend. Ru...Roob...Roobert...Roberta Rubberbell." Preeettysmoooth!

The airborne beetle climbs in altitude a little and then executes a twist and dive below the treeline. There's no sound of impact, which probably means something. Just beyond the thick treeline is something that looks like pit-mining. A swirly excavated big hole with tiers of earth to allow non-winged people to go up and down the hole in the earth. Beetles that range in size from people to ox sized are heading in or landing on the lower levels where Cibolan tribal entrepreneurs are playing their song. By their unified attire, they look to belong to a tribe of the realm but curiously lacking obvious fealty to a clan. It looks like they've got the beetles trained to extrude the reconstituted opiates with the application of do-it-now-or-else polearms. The wrangling of beetles and menial work is handled by slaves that are shackled together. At the bottom of the pit is a series of tunnels like honeycombs. A curious collection of people are near the bottom where there's room to stand, test opiates on slaves and offer motivational speeches that no one wants to hear. There's some dandies, street toughs and other buyers...or partners, down there trying to haggle with a tribe leader. It sounds like it is going as smoothly as renegotiating with a cell provider.
From afar, Shane peeks over your should to see how things fare.
It looks like it is Bring-your-own-loot day. Perhaps payment or to try and bid. It doesn't seem very organized because people seem angry, eyeing competition warily.

Once they come to the treeline, and they see what's going on with the tribe and the business end of things, Wort gently deposits Ruby on the ground and leans in /real/ close. "Oh suuuure, Miss. For a friend. Well I do believe you inquired about a way to get rid of those tattoos, and there is a way in mind that could work if you don't mind a little murdering of your own flesh and blood. But as I recall you're a bit squeamish about who has access to your fluids, so there's only so much can be done until you... reconsider your position." He looks out to the drug dealing tribals, and adds, "However, if you're of a mind to get a stand in for now, we can certainly negotiate something on your behalf." Then there's that inhuman gaze of his, glaring right into that eye of hers. "You wouldn't be worried about owing me a favor, would you?"

Whack! Whack whack! The fury of the machetes is slowed as Niles' group approaches the landing site, now moving up quite close on the heels of Ruby and Wort. A hand lifts in a small gesture, indicating to the others that they ought to hang back as he takes the lead himself. With both hands out and empty for a soft approach, he presses on through the foliage, adopting a pleasant sort of smile. "Why hello there. It seems we've both been tracking the same quarry." Quarry that landed in a quarry of sorts! Hah! His eyes dip down over toward the proceedings below, sizing them up quickly before they snap back to Wort and then Ruby as recognition sparks in his mind. "Perhaps if we pool our efforts, we might strengthen our hand in this negotiation?"

RPG: Niles declares that he has the Orator (SKL-OR) gift.
RPG: Niles declares that he has the Silver-Tongued (PPL-ST) gift.

Ruby frowns and narrows her eye. She rubs at her sternum but doesn't try to pat her own head at the same time. "Well it sounds loike we talkin about trade now, somethin I never squeamish about, Truth. Tell you w-" She breaks off as Niles makes his approach and unholsters his tongue. She's taken by surprise and has to switch mental gears. She grunts, but at least 3 is a good lucky number. Ruby clears her throat and looks to Wort to try and gauge if he can swing with a threesome, not counting minions. "Ne-gotiations, aye? Aye, you seem ~familiar~. Uh...what makes you think we interested in this 'uge pile 'o wealth an drugs down there? We could just be lost." She understands how lame this sounds of course and can't sell it. "I mean, I didn't even bring me purse. An besides...oh my bog, this doesn't even smell legit down there. Scallywags an no goods, not loike us upstandin citizen 'o civilization, Truth."

There is an instant where Wort is pure reaction. Pure animal. Pure instinct. And that purity is nothing short of raw murder when Niles happens to pop in on them. The giant man whirls about, and stops himself /just/ shy of making physical contact with the intent of ripping the man's head right off his shoulders. Fortunately for Niles. "Since you seem to know this man..." he begins, as Ruby's words sink into that mind of his which is now clearing out the fog of war and drum-beats of adrenaline, "...I suppose he lives, for now." He straightens, showing his truly impressive height briefly before sinking into a hunch again, and breathes deeply. "Is it... normal? For your 'upstanding' citizens to be engaged in... /any/ of this?"

Fortunately for Niles! Being a bit ready for a potential negative response, he lays it as cool as a cucumber in a bowl of hot sauce. The aged negotiator manages to keep his reaction to Wort's aggression to just a pulling back of his head on his neck to create an extra inch of space. "Lost? And you just *happen* to not die in a Cibolan jungle *and* wind up here, of all places?" Eyebrows raise in a skeptical manner as he looks between the pair. "Do I? I get that quite a bit, I'm afraid. We may have seen each other at Court. I do try to keep my finger on the pulse of Amber." His eyes shift over toward Wort again and he nods, "Too kind, too kind. For upstanding citizens? That depends on your definition, but no, not ordinarily. But they do have a highly valuable product on hand and the market is a bit starved for it, at present."

RPG: Niles declares that he has the Card Shark (SKL-CS) gift.

Ruby folds her arms under her chest. The name to face might be clicking in her head. She glowers, feeling caught red-handed for some reason. "Not gonna debate tha. I 'ate debatin." She sucks in air past her teeth. "This ain't any 'o me busy-ness, cause I don't get intah all this stuff at all, Truth. But you roight, this is worth somethin." She can't penetrate Niles' look and along with his assumed accumulated years, she seems to give great consideration. Oh, and all that smooth talk of course. And Wort's here! What's the worse that could happen with a hulking murder machine. That's what her not-pokerface might transmit in facial tiks and tells. "'Ere be tha thing...lets say I want what they got, I ain't greedy, Truth. I wouldn't mind takin a small amount for...me friend, loike I said. But I don't wanna pay, an I sometoimes don't think some people deserve possessin certain things, loike they should belong in different more practical 'ands..." she trails off.

"WULL NOW!" Wort begins with a cheery rumble in his tone, and rubs his big ol hands together with a bit more glee than might entirely be necessary. "So then let's see if we have our motivations all out on the table, hm? The most righteous and wonderful Lady would kindly like a little nip of something available, and I /presume/ is entirely willing to lend a hand should things get dicey - and since she's lead everyone to this opportunity, it's hardly an imposition to grant her such a boon." He then looks over at Niles, "And you of course smell an opportunity for profit, and likewise are willing to negotiate our way into the enterprise." He looks over at the cluster of people where negotiating is happening. "And I am happy to have my own hand in things, mm? I'm a little bit of everything, including the ability to concoct some lovely alterations to the local fare." Here's where he... shrinks. Becoming the man Ruby knows well as Patches, her favorite (in his mind, anyway) alchemist. "If needed, I can provide a sample and demonstration of something unique I have to offer in /very/ sparing quantities. Shall we see abou taking over this enterprise, my good... I don't believe I caught your name. I may have been... distracted."

Niles nods at various points through Wort's summation of the current situation, adding an affirming gesture here or there for good measure. An eyebrow raises as he transforms on back to Patches. Well, there's the third person he had heard. "Quite right. I am certain that the subject for which Her Highness is looking out for will be as well served by this partnership as will we all." Another nod is given about the missing of a name, "No doubt, but I admit I hadn't thrown it. Just call me Niles." Turning a bit, he lifts a chin and looks down his nose toward the proceedings, taking in the current dynamics at play and assessing the strengths of those already present and engaged in negotiations. "Alchemist. Plenty of muscle. A Princess of Amber. At least on Minosian Captain. Unimpeded access to Amber. And the means to ship freely throughout shadow. In both directions. I think we've plenty to offer that the others could not. Handshake agreement, then? Even split?" He turns back to the others, ready to offer up a hand. No doubt to Ruby, first.

Ruby slowly offers her hand for a shake or a Thundercats, Ho! exchange. "It seems tha a bloke named Frank be our fourth silent partner. Always on tha level is Frank, even if 'e be invisible. 'E lets us all be understandin one another, roight?" she rambles. "In tha spirit 'o Frank-ness, this all sounds good. Frankly, I don't think these bozos be runnin their busy-ness correctly an I bet you two would use it tah its full potential. It only fair, if I can invoke Frank." She chews on her bottom lip. "Sounds loike we only need tah decide 'ow tah ~liberate~ this situation from tha unworthy an wasteful. Go in clever with a surprise...Go in 'ard an risky? Somethin tha can combine our strengths?"

"Oh, he offered to negotiate terms..." Patches says with a nod over toward Niles, and waits for others before extending his own hand to shake agreement. "... I say we see what he comes up with, and be ready to make swift and harsh example of anyone who won't let us have our way."

This revelation of completely taking over the operation doesn't appear to phase Niles too terribly much. He simply scrunches his lips and nods while looking back down at the situation. "Ah, they *do* say that upper management eats too much salary. Trimming the fat is certainly in order. Ordinarily, I might take my time about things for a more surgical approach to an acquisition, but I think we have some options here. We can start with a straightforward negotiation to get in closer and size them up. Let's find who is at the tippy-top and take their temperature, but I would bet we should just cut them down quickly and assert control. With any luck, they have a greedy second. If they don't see reason..." Niles' eyebrows lift, hopefully conveying the idea.

Ruby puts on a thoughtful expression, which might appear confused. It brightens as Niles is selected to be Face-man, which means less crosshairs on herself, to her thinking. "Alroight." She turns to peer over the lip of the treeline to eyeball those gathering and arguing and haggling.
There appears to be a wagon load of product ready to be removed from the site, being helpfully collected by slaves. No wagons around, so the backpacks and rigging may suggest menials to hike it out. Unless there are unseen resources to airlift or transit them. What has been brought by the three separate interested (and contesting) parties as payment appears to be tradeworthy luxury items, weapons and currency of different denominations. The middle offer looks to be getting more hairy eyeballs of interest by the current squatters on the beetle-opiate-hive. There's enough security within the tiered excavation to give the three hagglers pause. Crossbows and blow-thingies, knives and spears. The beetles look like if made upset, but currently they appear more a system to collect and process than be predators.
Ruby grunts, "Wish I'd brought a cannon or three." She concentrates on one of her limb-covering tattoos that's all runny mush at the moment. The amount of painful feedback she comes from just tentatively brushing against that possibility has her quit while she's ahead and suck in a harried breath. "I don't gots any way tah sneak up, so aye, I guess it'll be tongues first, an see 'ow far we get. Wish I 'ad a better disguise. Can't be 'elped."

Patches waggles a hand her way, "Just wear my coat; it'll cover up any of that nonsense you got on that delightful flesh of yours. I can't imagine they'll find little old me all that intimidating." He smiles, broadly, creepily. "But yes, let's go. See how mister Niles here handles negotiations, and failing that we murder some people."
Patches adds, a moment later. "Murder. You know, that's a really nice sounding word."

"Agreed, though I don't see why those two things should be mutually exclusive? With any luck, we can talk our way up close and perhaps by lopping off the head it will be enough shock to put us where we'd like to be. The competition could be an issue..." Turning back toward the jungle, Niles raises a hand and waves his team on in, raising a hand to the others at the same time. "Try not to get too jumpy just yet, they're with me." Looking back to the incoming mercenaries, he motions around the perimeter. "Spread out and cover us at range. Be ready for the signal. If we can't get near the leader, he is the priority target. Otherwise, focus on the other buyers. Their collective payments will become *our* payment to the new local manager. Between the carrot and the stick, I think our offer will be something they cannot refuse."

Ruby accepts the coat, holding out like one would while shopping before finally tugging it on. She readjusts where her knife was holstered behind her waist, having to shift it to a more traditional draw strapped to her thigh. It might be around this time she notices the value of Niles having come with his own discreet party. "I not likin gettin too close without bein able tah make me skin iron, but I ain't scared or nuthin, Truth. An you can call be Rudy if it isn't so. Blast these bloody tattoos." She tucks away anything extraneous and prepares to fall in step, or descent as it were. She asides to Patches, "If anyone looks eager enough tah carry a rumour, I inclined tah negotiate with me knife if an advantage presents itself. Or need a 'unt afterwards."

Patches says somewhat ominously, "Oh I doubt anyone would dare carry a rumor away from here, would they? And if they did, I'm sure Mister Wort would merrily tear off their head and drink deep of their bodily fluids." He strolls along as though he and she were long standing bosom companions, perfectly comfortable with her /and/ this Niles person they're suddenly in cahoots with.

A plan was hatched, Preparations were all in order, and Niles delivers one final nod to the mercenaries to send them on their way. "If anyone survives to carry a rumor out, neither they nor the rumor will live for much longer. Of that, I assure you both." Through his coat, the aged sailor pats a few places, double-checking the presence of certain items as he follows along with Patches and Ruby on down to begin the meeting.

The trio is spotted on their way to where the bigwigs are having a chinwag. There's some confusion over this, and the security of the place is looking to their head honcho for some sort of decision. The trio is so different in appearance and with no weapons drawn, indecision is enough to allow them even closer.
One of the bidders of the black market goods turns and places his hands on his hips. He's a dandy, and not dressed for the jungle but for opulence. Still, there's something about the way he carries himself that doesn't speak of high morals. "You invited /another/ at the same time? For Devil's sake, you add insult upon insult, Chief."
The other bidders, one that looks better suited to the underside of the lower city, squints and stays purse-lipped and silent. The third is a pale woman in ill health. Very wrinkled and aged, and like an old cobra allowed to drink a polymorph human potion. She snaps, "They bring nothing. I see no chest or chain of slaves. Whomever they are, kill them. I will dissolve the bodies, Chief Slythe."
The Chief, named and spoken to enough times, is the fellow dressed for Cibola and appears a native. No obvious tribal markings, some ritual scarring and wearing minimal garb. He has a cudgel attached to his belt that looks like it belongs in the fist of real murderer and is stained with fluid. He's relatively tall and fit and his two stone eyes shift from Niles, to Ruby, to Patches. He offers a smile, showing onyx fangs. A deep voice, "Come, come...no one likes a turn away customers. Hospitality is Cibola's name, is it not?"

Patches keeps /his/ yap shut for the time being; the stage belongs to Niles, so he can talk them all even closer to the others. He does smile back at the Chief, though, showing his own inhuman traits; fangs, plus those creepy eyes of his, and let's not forget the clawed hands and feet.

The experience of a great many years colors Niles' Observations on the way down, carefully eying the others to suss out the power dynamics and political currents they may be walking into. "We are here to make our own humble offer to your Chief." He nods with approval and a pleasant enough expression toward the guards as they are allowed through. There forward, his attention remains on the Chief, so kindly identified and pointed out by the competition. Said competition is largely ignored as he presses forward, trusting in others to handle them appropriately. "Chief Slythe, it is an honor and a privilege to be welcomed and, might I say, it is a most wise decision to entertain all offers. After all, while we may be the last, it is without question that ours is the strongest proposal you will here today." A hand gestures dismissively behind him toward the goods already offered. "These are small tokens. Simple things. All simple enough to acquire and offer, but I am sure that a Chief with wisdom and vision such as your own wants something more for himself and his tribe, no?"

The bottom of the excavated area shows more details of the place. Ruby finds it hard to believe that it was the current squatters who managed it as the care and quality of work looks done via high quality tools and manpower, or some manner of arcanis hocus pocus. The lines seem too clean for insects, but she's been very wrong before. Another beetle comes skimming the treetops to swoop down to one of the exposed holes in the earth, trailing the scent of exotics.
The business men, and woman, have their offerings near to hand. The dandy has a sumptuous chest of jewels and gold coin. The street tough has brought weapons folded in cloth with blades and barrels showing from where one has been carefully pulled back. The old crone in robes has a set of vials on display carefully cradled in a straw-lined crate. The lower city ganger raises his hands and backs off. "Three was a crowd already. I'm taking my toys and leaving." The old woman would smile at a competitor backing out, but Niles has dismissed her small token and this has her want to spit venom.
The Chief checks his smile, as Patches seems to have some rather odd qualities himself. Niles has greased him up a bit and he beckons. "Very well then, you've whetted my appetite. What exactly are you offering? Keep in mind, when I sent out my offers, it was for a portion of what we can produce. And who do you represent then? I don't care what you do with the product as long as you keep this a secret. I don't need the Bregari or the others trying to tax me."

Patience is something that, well - it's a bit of an odd thing for Patches really. ONe the one hand, the chaos touched aren't exactly known for their rational thinking, but then he's an alchemist and a monster breeder, which one doesn't exactly get to be without patience. So... Patches waits. And grows ever closer.. and then with horrific sounds and visuals, he becomes that... thing, Mister Wort. There's a bellow that is either a war cry or just a scream of murderous delight, and he leaps at the Chief to rip into the man.

"A group of well connected investors from Amber. Our offer is... three fold. First, is the very access and anonymity this sort of operation requires. No need to go through Ennisport if the Navy won't inspect your cargo and the Exchequer will give you a pass, hmmm?" Niles can hear the crunching of bones and the smile that forms then is a genuine one, rather pleased at Mister Wort's timely arrival. "The second is strength for your tribe the likes of which is truly rare in this world or any other. For your warriors and beasts alike." Seeing something on his shoulder, he brushes away what must surely be some manner of insect before sweeping a hand over toward the other competitors. "And finally, I offer you these gifts and a sacrifice of blood to seal the pact and please the gods."

The Chief has some shrewd dna mixed in with the rest of him, and he's not above seeking the best deal above all else. So he's got a lizard smile quirking up the corners of his mouth as Niles suggests how he can have his cake and eat it too. Niles' wordsmithing and deal making has the Chief starting to nod in agreement, a thing not unnoticed by his tribe.
He's opening his yap to add a verbal agreement, much to the growing horror of the competitors, and the street tough not yet removed from the scene. Everyone gets to make an embarrasing horrified face when Wort balloons into being and leaps at the Chief who bares his fangs and tries to back away while reaching for his vile club.
Ruby doesn't have time to formulate a great plan and so reacts on instinct, rushing the old crone's carefully packed crate of vials and giving them a mighty kick to send them towards her.

RPG: Ruby challenges a difficulty of 7. Ruby chooses Force and the gifts BLD-OB and STY-UN. Ruby succeeds.

RPG: Niles challenges a difficulty of 7. Niles chooses Wits and the gifts STY-SW, STY-UE, and STY-UN. Niles overwhelmingly succeeds.

RPG: Consumed Wort's token G1Y 'Hyde Draught' for a +6 bonus.
RPG: Wort challenges a difficulty of 7. Wort chooses Force and the gift BLK-SC. He expends token G1Y. Wort overwhelmingly succeeds.

The problem is, that reaching for that vile club takes time the Chief just doesn't have. Wort, bellowing, is plainly riddled with the black writhing marks of the same hued Road that just won't go away, and snaps the Chief up and just thrashes him about like a rag doll. One of those stone eyes lands in the lap of the old crone, another pops out and lands with a thud in the path of the thug that's attempting to leave. Worse for him, Wort jerks the limp body of his captive around so hard it tears from the head and lands with a meaty thud right into the Thug.
There is one, final juicy thump of the body as Wort slams it into the ground beside him, and then he takes a step toward the bidders. "ONE. MORE. MOVE. AND I WILL RIP OUT YOR RIB CAGE AND SLURP UP YOR ENTRAILS LIKE JADEAN FUCKIN NEWDULLS!!" You know, just in case anyone had any sort of ideas. He /especially/ eyes the old crone. "I bet yew taste like beef jerky, doncha?"

Like a conductor before an orchestra, Niles had his hand up and gesturing at the competition. As he drops it, those first notes fly from the instruments as crossbows from above fire off at select targets below. Two arrows go straight through the chest of the street tough competitor who was just a bit too far from the safety of a dark alley, putting a dent in his hopes for escape. For a man over a thousand years of age, the Sea King moves with all the vigor he had in his youth, dropping a hand to cleanly draw a saber as he rushes fast and hard at the dandy. With no pause, no words, and no hesitation, he lets loose a flurry of strikes designed to take the competitor down quickly, with no regard at all for things such as chivalry, honor, or common decency.

The bloody mess that Wort has pulpily produced makes eyeballs want to pop of the gathered tribe. The horror of it makes trigger fingers twitch but not commit, apart from some premature bolts being let loose. Shouts and cries of alarm from slaves as well as they all shrink back and seek what limited cover they can find. The pit is laid out in such a way that gives little cover to anyone, and a real kill zone for anyone with the benefit of elevation.
The street tough gets a head in the back as he tries to climb away, and then is reaching up to touch the new iron adornments that violently jut through his chest. He gurgles something as life rapidly drains from a body that won't respond. He falls down a tier, twitches and goes still.
The dandy seemed to be relying upon wealth to be his armour, and perhaps the holdout storm pistol behind his cloak in a pinch. His hand moves behind him but he's cut down far too quickly to make good on self defense. The quick lightning dispatching of him is probably more of a mercy than the cibolan chief. His fancy finery stains rapidly with his wounds and he crumples.
The old crone gets a few vials in the chest along with the crate. She's on her ass, trying to both rip off her disintegrating robes and search for a counteractive to the solvent as she cowers from Wort's promise.

Ruby raises up a forearm to ward off accidental splish-splash from broken vials, crouching and trying to assess the situation. She's got a heck of a bulging eye going as well. Almost everyone else, apart from friendlies, seems to be in a state of shock, vomiting or making stains in their pantaloons. "Drop yer arms or they gonna get sliced or torn off!" The insects still coming in fly herky-jerky with the scent of blood and gore, buzzing in agitation but not wanting to land near such things. Some collide and start a head-butting match in the air, like there was a dominance thing going on. All the action making their opiate-addled senses all chaotic.