When one walks into the Smiling Imp, the first thing one notes is that it has guards.

Rosiel eyes them surreptitiously whilst walking in confidently. Amarcus follows close behind.

Inside, a richly dressed man smiles at you from behind a well polished oaken desk, "Welcome to the Smiling Imp, m'lady. How may I be of service?"

"I'm here to see Vargas the Thorn."

Vace's flag hangs behind the desk & you can see an immaculate (relatively) common room off to the side, bustling with well dressed, suave looking reevers & agents of Merukis.

"And who may I say it calling on him?"

"Rosiel Rhea."

His smile drains away & he says, "Yes, ma'am, I'll let him know immediately." He rushes upstairs.

Rosiel waits.

A moment later, he comes back down, "H-he s-says he will s-see you immediately, m-m'lady. Th-third door on the left."

Rosiel nods and turns to walk upstairs, towards the indicated room. Amarcus follows. The door you come to is an innate oaken door, as are all the doors up here, with a brass knocker.

Rosiel knocks.

A moment later, the door opens & you find a green eyed high elf opens the door, "M'lady, the master will see you now," he opens the door further to let you in, revealing a finely dressed lesser goblin with bright green eyes sitting on a posh sofa, holding a glass of wine.

Rosiel walks past the elf and helps herself to another seat. Amarcus sits in a chair nearby as well.

"Welcome, Rosiel Rhea. I am Vargas the Thorn," the goblin bows, slightly, "And it my pleasure to have you as my guest. Would you like some wine?"

Rosiel nods, then gets right to the point. "I'm putting together a crew, and you came highly recommended."

The elf brings Rosiel & Amarcus wine. The goblin arches an eyebrow, "An actual reever crew? I'm afraid you must have been misinformed. That's not my line of work."

"Perhaps not. But my quartermaster thinks your skills would be useful to me."

"And who is your quartermaster?" he looks to Amarcus as he asks this, curiously, not expectantly

"Belcorn."

He looks impressed, "Why is he involved in this? I thought he swore neutrality."

Rosiel says, "Perhaps he thought found his prospects sailing under my colors more attractive."

He smiles, "He might well have," his manner of speech is refined, but his voice is that of a lesser goblin, which is damned odd. "What's in it for me?"

"What do you want? Gold? I can see you've already got a fair bit, but I plan to take more. Power? I intend to be all the power that matters on the seas."

He pauses, then looks to the elf, "More wine."

The elf takes his cup & goes to pour more wine. He gets his wine, then says, "I need to know more."

Rosiel drank a bit from her cup only after seeing Vargas drink. Rosiel nods her approval at the wine, "What do you want to know?"

"What are your resources now? What brings you back all of a sudden? Where have you been? What are your plans?"

"Hadn't you heard? I've been dead. Right now, I have a few men and a few tricks. Tomorrow morning I'll have a crew and a ship or the means to get one. After that, I'll get what I need, money, men, ships, weapons, to take down the Ragged Dawn."

The elf drops the wine bottle & looks at you, shocked, "You intend to take out the Ragged Dawn?" The goblin looks at the elf, hesitant. The elf looks eager, anxious, hungry, awed.

The goblin looks like he was looking for direction.

Rosiel looks at the elf. "You heard me. So. Are you in?"

"Beauregard, clean this up," the elf says. The goblin rushes to do so.

"What would you have of me? I mean, I know nothing of sailing." He takes out a hankerchief & wipes off his silk shirt.

"You'll learn. Mostly, I may need someone to handle certain special jobs that your talents would be suited to."

He smiles, "I see. So you intend to engage my services over a long period of time. That will be costly."

"Choose now. Your fee, or a crewman's share in what we take."

He raises his eyebrows & considers, "Beauregard?" He turns to look at his goblin.

"Well, Master, you could charge a fee so high she'd be paying you equal to almost anything she comes across, but she probably won't take that. You could demand a special fee, of course. Taking an equal share could be risky, but..."

"But?"

"But if they do take the Ragged Dawn, sir..."

Vargas nods.

"Any chance I can sleep on it?"

Rosiel considers him for a moment. "Give me your answer tomorrow morning at Manwort's."

He nods. "Two things: if I do choose to join you, for either price, I will need Beauregard with me, & I will need guarantees that, while at sea, I will have... access to new bodies."

"Bodies you'll have. As for Beauregard, what are his talents?"

"He's my manservant & business partner. He's a fine chef, he can read & write & negotiate better than most, he is a decent shot with a pistol, & he knows how to keep secrets & open doors that don't want to be opened. He's skilled with concocting poisons, can speak over thirty languages, & he plays the goblin war drums sublimely."

Amarcus brightens at the mention of chef skills

Rosiel says, "He'll cook for the crew and perform any other tasks that need his skills. Beyond that, his time will be yours so long as you are both aware that if it comes down to it he takes my orders over yours."

Vargas considers, "I think that will work. I will have a firm answer in the morning, Captain."

Rosiel nods. "I look forward to hearing it." She stands and heads out.