"Unfortunately funds my compatriots and I had given to Morain were on his person when the... event occurred," he says solemnly. Istredd will be able to feel a trill of annoyance because that was his money on that man and in the belly of a sea monster. Maybe they've recovered it? Buuuut..... that's best not to ask. "So they never made it back to the family."

He shifts his weight to another foot, leaning into an air of discomfort, a dash of awkwardness, and a tad out-of-his-depth. He looks smaller than his height would normally suggest. Most people tend to forget that Lucifer does actually know what he's doing much of the time.

"None of us wanted that to happen. I still have nightmares of that creature." That creature is not what keeps him up at night. "The only blessing is that his family didn't have to witness it."

The man is stiff-faced for a few moments more before he relents with a tired sigh. He has other things to be doing, though the coin from Istredd gets palmed into safety and he seems mildly appeased. "If I hear you gave them any trouble, you'll have trouble the next time I see you."

"Of course," Lucifer says earnestly, holding up both his hands. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

They're given directions for further out along the harbor, the best estimate of streets and a shambled home tucked in among the many other fishermen homes.

When they're enough out of visible range, Lucifer groans mentally, like he's expelling the soiled layers of 'ingenuity'. Your story does help the lead-in, he admits, briefly hooking his arm with Istredd's as they return to the narrower pathways, a jaunt in his step to hide the brief offered comfort for what it was before he releases him again.

The difference is Istredd's story is the truth and Lucifer's simply toting the proper, expected words to fill-in the blanks.