"I applaud you vigilance, though I am inclined to feel we are secure enough here to not need such precautions.
However, if you insist, wake me when you feel a need to be relieved."
Morning comes, and you exit the hostel chamber as Zea is about to leave with the urchin's corpse... now bundled in a blanket rather than the ghastly inscribed sinews.
"I've wrapped him in something a little nicer. It will be a modest ceremony of course, but he will be put to rest with some respect."
"Thank you again. We won't forget what you've done here for us."
"If you do not mind, I would like to take part in the ceremony.
It seems...fitting."
"You needn't feel obligated, but if you wish...."
Zea takes the remains to the crematorium... a small roofless stone chapel tucked between tenements against the south wall.
An older tiefling in modest plain robes says a few non-denominational words over the body... something about the community as a living thing the blood of which flows through even the nameless.
Two attendants prepare the pyre.
After a few minutes of standing respectfully my the burning remains, the elder tiefling speaks with Zea briefly. He then approaches.
"A few more of these deaths without a word from Thrune, Devil's Nursery would have rioted. The Dottari's response would've been a nightmare. I appreciate your actions in putting this to rest... though I suppose we may never why or how this all came about. You take care now... be safe."
"If there are no outstanding concerns to see too, shall we...?"
"Agreed. Back to the Nest." Said Idril.
When you arrive, Rexus greets you with bad news... and gestures for you to follow him.
"Part of the wall in the storeroom crumbled about an hour ago... slight cave-in.. lost one of Forvian's men. They've just left.. through the sewers out of Kintargo to bury him at his family homestead. They'll be gone at least a week."
At this point you come to the southmost room.. the storeroom, and see the damage - a ten to fifteen foot wide gap in the far wall and adjacent portion of the ceiling. The Fushi sisters are seated.. drinking at a nearby table, and give solemn nods in greeting.
"I don't know..." Idril said, but paused as something caught her eye. Peering at the rubble more closely, she frowned.
"But there are tool marks around the rubble here.
"The rockfall... It was deliberate!" She exclaimed.
She turned to the rest.
"But why?"
"Both pertinent questions, but I do not believe we have enough information to make either an educated guess, or draw a reasonable conclusion.
So let us break down what we know.
There has been a rockfall, and tools were involved.
We suspect it was deliberate, but we do not currently have any suspects.
Have I missed anything?"
Rexus eyes Erodel's discovery, and comments...
"These tools are too small for any of our members. So.. at least betrayal is unlikely." He shrugs after his minor consolation.
"Can we dig the rubble out?" Mused Idril aloud, looking at the obstacle.
...Hm.The gnome investigator scrutinized the tampered stonework with a critical eye....Sabotage. Now what creature so small benefits from causing such unnecessary strife. Mayhap we've got another malicious fae or gremlin amidst us?
"Always a distinct possibility.
From here on, we may have to keep a keen eye out for all manners of threats, large and small."
The Fushi sisters and Rexus all look around as Bastargrae brings up fey and gremlins.
Rexus then shrugs. "Well I suppose I should get back to the documents... very close to having something new, I think."
Later, Laria Longroad stops in to inform you of new supporters.
"A couple of them are from Devil's Nursery. Your aide convinced them of our worth."
After some preparations, the Fushi sisters set out to wrangle up some gold for the cause.
Indio spent some time going over the ledgers.
With a meticulous hand and precise movements he made notes of every transaction and recruit.
Hmmm, these books could at a later date become a liability.
I shall have to spend some time developing a cipher to better protect the information herein.
"I am pleased to report that the current figures are...adequate."
The next day you meet the new supporters. The tieflings from Devil's Nursery are particularly vocal about their desire to aide the Silver Ravens after what you'd accomplished in their district.
When they speak of the tension which had been growing, one of the others (a human dockworker named Morgar Manthai) mentions how he's seen a rise in conflict elsewhere - his old watering hole in particular.
"Clenchjaw's has grown downright rife with vicious brawls and talk of insurrection. The owner Rinston Jon - who goes by Clenchjaw hence the pub's name - has always kicked all that sort of trouble out the door. Always been apolitical.. low-key... but now nightly brawls. Sad to say, but no doubt the Dottari will soon put an end to it all with spilt blood and iron shackles as you'd feared with the Nursery."
Asha is happy to help Rexus with the documents again, leaving the investigation of the mysterious breach to the others.
At the mention of disturbances elsewhere and talk of brawls, she looks a little uncertain, but thoughtful.
Idril looked at the money and grimaced.
"We are sure going to need more than THAT." She declared.
Hearing the dockworker, Idril frowned.
"What could we do to help Clenchjaw? Try to act as extra security? I don't see how anything we could do would help... Maybe we should go ask him."
"Well, if an establishment have become a focus for this sort of trouble, it means that the area is unstable.
However, it also means that the dangerous elements would not be spread out too far.
Which means that merely visiting the locale, and "keeping our ears to the ground" may very well be more than enough to find out either whom might be responsible for the troubles, or what is the root cause."
"If it is a person or persons, we might see about gaining their aid.
It is quite possible that it is merely a feeling of helplessness that has them acting out, and if put to constructive use might disperse with the problem altogether."
Morgar bows his head in gratitude.
"Good. It'd be good if you'd be able to sort it out."
(It is in Yolubilis Harbor Y,5 - roughly 3/4 of a mile away)
"Sounds like the brawls occur at night. Shall we go during the day and speak to the proprieter when there isn't so much going on?" Idril asked the rest of the team.
"That sounds like a good idea. I know the area a little, so I should be able to find this place without much trouble." Asha replies to Idril's proposal.
Raising funds is a bit hard when your only wares are tea, Bastargrae quipped.I'll try hard though some assistance would help.
You arrive at Clenchjaws mid-afternoon. The modest but well-maintained pub is the structure nearest the north end of the bridge. There are just a few inside.. all at the same table.
A burly stubble-headed man stands as you enter. "Welcome."
He nods to a waitress approaching from the back "Aylie will help you.", and covers his mouth as he yawns. "Pardon me." He nods with a smile one might not expect from such a brutish face as he moves to rejoin his table of patrons.
Bastargrae nodded and tipped his hat in greeting,ambling about the unfamiliar establishment with curious intent.He looked from the rafters to the floorboards for anything of interest.
Idril leaned towards the burly stubble-headed man.
"Are you the one known as Clenchjaw?
"A little birdy told us of some of your troubles. Troubles WE might be able to... help with." Idril said meaningfully.
Indio walks over to an empty table and flags down the waitress, doing his best to blend in and ask the waitress a few questions on the sly.
"Greetings to you m'lady Aylie, please, stay a moment if you are not currently occupied?"
Clenchjaw gives Idril a curious look.
"I am..." he gestures to the few men at his table to indicate he's currently occupied in conversation.
"If you are staying for a bite and drink, we can speak in a moment, yes?"
Aylie nods to Indio as she directs your group to a table.
"Oyster, clams, and a few variety of fish on the menu. Ale, mead, red and white wine to drink."
"And what's on your mind, sir?"
Taken aback, Idril said "Oh, yes. Of course." She said, sitting down.
"Um, the house special please, and a white wine." She said to Aylie.
Indio favours Aylie with his most charming smile, adding just a touch of the rake to it.
"I am partial to fresh oysters, especially together with some white wine."
Indio then makes a show of looking around before turning back to meet Aylie's gaze.
"It appears a rather quiet afternoon, is it often like this?
Perhaps it gets more lively later in the evening?"
First impressions, how do you react to these innocent sounding yet loaded questions?
Aylie shrugs "Oh.. We had a decent crowd for lunch. And yes... it is livelier in the evening." She cocks her head slightly... as if wondering if there was more to Indio's question.
Dear Miss, I do believe my compatriot means that have you noticed anything more curious than the norm. As though...say...some mischievous force compelling things. Perhaps you've got a resident sprite or mayhap a spirit stirring things up?
Aylie chuckles lightly "Oh no sweetie... I don't think so. We've had some trouble from some unruly customers, and I'd hardly call these oafs spritely... just some drunks getting into brawls. Normally Rinston would've thrown these guys out, but he's been turnin' in early for some time now. I admit, I'd hate for this place to get a bad reputation, but I hope things'll get back to normal once Rinston does. Hopefully a couple good nights rest'll do it."
She takes orders from the rest of you before heading back into the kitchen.
"Hmm." Wondered Idril as Aylie walked away.
"I wonder if the problem lies in Clenchjaw. Could he simply be ill, or maybe influenced in some manner?" She said quietly to the others.
"It is far too early to dismiss any possibility.
And as we are here, we may be able to assist master Rinston.
Tonight, I would think he may just get a good nights sleep after all."
Not long after your food is served, more and more customers arrive. By the way they interact with Aylie and Rinston, most are regulars. By six o'clock there are a dozen patrons seated at the tables and at the bar.
To fill time, Idril tries to make small talk.
"Are there any opera fans here? When it was running of course."
Indio hides an amused smile by dabbing his lips with a silk handkerchief.
He well remembers how Idril all but preened at being remembered when they had first met.
"I do have a tendency to enjoy the occasional visit to the higher arts. And opera is certainly one of them."
"Oh, my master enjoys opera, he does, but myself I can't say I've had the pleasure." Asha's contribution to the conversation is rather shy and she keeps glancing around the room.
As her mead arrives, she toasts Rinston, using the opportunity to cast an appraising eye over the man. "Your health, master Clenchjaw!"
And how is his health, I wonder...
"Well, I suggest both of you take the opportunity to visit the opera at least once in your life time.
Perhaps as a celebration when all this nonsense is over and done with.
It is important to experience new things in life, even things you may not enjoy or expect to enjoy.
That is how you grow as a person."