Ah, negotiating. Still, that was a level she was comfortable with offering - mostly because of the petty nature of his crimes. She'd have been a lot harder on someone who was in for a real problem. "The visits will still have to get checked by the guards - but you've got a deal, once I've had the chance to ensure your information is legitimate." And now? Now he could start talking.
"Well, if they get lady guards to check," Ford muttered.
But after a moment he sighed. "Right before we got pinched, Nilasa was talking about a deal she was working. She was with Gale, yeah? The flying woman? Well, Gale needs a little oomph...or a lot of oomph, because she's buying wands. A lot of wands. So she gets Nilasa to make contact with the Family. New players here, but they're all over the country stories say, and they had plundered a eldritch repos..repoitoy...storehouse thing from Crisillyir. Dozens of wands, all kinds of spells."
Ford shrugged. "So Gale arranged to buy them. All of them. We asked Nilasa where she got the scratch for that, but apparently some of the Merfey work with her, and they've been combing old wrecks to finance her. So Nilasa set up the exchange. 4th of Summer. They'd meet up somewhere down by the docks, then head to Pine Island for the exhange proper. She was getting some help from a friend she called the House Elf, same one who did her alchemical stuff - potions of invisibility, Fey Peppers, stuff like that. Never said there name though." Ford shrugs. "Find the House Elf, or find the Family docks, and you'll get led to the wands."
Hime nodded as he spoke. That was... quite a lot of potential trouble, and something she'd have to try and disrupt if she could. "And which docks would you say the Family is most likely to use?" Hime asked. There were quite a few of those, after all - and the more she could narrow things down, the better.
"If they're clever? One right out in the open, where no one will think to look. Less clever would be one away from the main docks, but near the river or canals."
Busy docks generally didn't get that much scrutiny, actually - but for a genuinely major transaction, people would probably aim for at least some secrecy. That was probably the stuff at Pine Island, then. Searching the whole warehouse area for a cache of stolen wands would probably be a lot harder than simply meeting up with this... House Elf. Fortunately, she did have the vial that a potion had been in before - if she could figure out who made and used it, she could probably locate the dealer. Ah, evidence. How she loved thee.
"Anything else?" she asked. "Remember, you only get your reduction if it pans out."
Ford shook his head no.
"All right, then." Hime said, standing up and picking up her badge. "Oh, feel free to finish the food at your leisure. They'll take you back when you're done, but there's no hurry on that. Consider it my thanks for your time."
Moving to the next cell you find Travis Starter, waiting nervously, his food untouched. He watches Hime as she enters, taking in her uniform and badge. "Look, I dunno what anyone said, but we been locked up here. Couldn't have done nothing we ain't already here for."
Hime arched an eyebrow. "Tell that to the ones who've found a way to run a little black-market empire from prison." she said. "Relax, though, you're not a suspect. I'm pleased to inform you that, pending the examination of some evidence, you and Ford will be getting out significantly early, and will have some nicer amenities in the meantime. The RHC appreciates those who cooperate with its investigations, you see. What matters to me right now is whether or not you have any further information on the exchange Nilasa set up for the 4th of Summer. No, I'm not planning to bust her - she is, regretfully, dead. My target is those behind what happened to her, and the more information you can give me, the more likely it is that your friend can be avenged. So, would you like to talk? You can eat, by the way. That's yours no matter what." ...And that was a lot of emotional whiplash packed into a few sentences - but then, to a certain degree, it helped to keep the incarcerated off-balance.
Travis blinked in response to the rapid assault of information assailing his brain. "Who told you about..." His sentence trailed off as he realised he'd confirmed it was true. "Wait, Nilasa's dead? Who killed her? Was it Kell? Did he find out she worked for the Family?" Travis looks lost and confused at this point.
"Finding out exactly why she ended up dead is why I'm investigating this." Hime explained. "You see, she was killed at the Danorian embassy, after what looked like a heist gone wrong. I've come across some information suggesting this was connected to more than just a burglary attempt, though, and it's my intent to trace this all the way back to the source. I don't think she deserved to die for what happened, and if you'd like to honor her memory, exposing the conspiracy behind these events if the best thing you can do."
More bewildered than anything else, Travis gives you most of the same information that Ford did, albeit in a disjointed form. He does say that he thinks the Alchemist Nilasa use as a helper is probably somewhere in the Pine Island district, but has no idea where the Family keeps there dock. When asked, he makes a rude comment and giggles.
There were only so many alchemists' shops in the city, and fewer still in each district. Narrowing things down by bottle design and such ought to be fairly straightforward. With that, she simply thanked him for his time, noted he could finish the food, and headed out. She had her information, and it was time to start the investigation properly... beginning with finding the alchemist.
It takes several hours to narrow down, and by then it is late afternoon, but you arrive at the Apothecary of Danisca Waryeye. As you enter the shop the Gnome behind the counter looks up, taking in your uniform with a raised eyebrow before asking, "And what can we do for you this afternoon, officer?"
Levels: Eliciter 3, Pactmaker 3, Warlord 3
HP: 10+3 Con
FCB: 1 Skill Point
New Sphere Ability: Illusion Sphere (I feel like illusions will be useful. XD)
Feat: Broken Blade Style (Stance - Ignore DR/Hardness equal to 1/2 level, and assume she'll basically always be in this... XD)
Bonus Feat: Greater Unarmed Strike
Bonus Teamwork Feat: Pack Attack (from Warlord - not gonna see much use since she rarely has allies to buff... XD)
Eliciter Abilities:
Defensive Empathy
Pactmaker Abilities:
Pact Augmentation: Dodge +1
Warlord Abilities:
Additional Maneuver Known (Golden Lion - Warning Roar)
Force of Personality (+Cha to Will Saves)
Warleader (Basically irrelevant Teamwork Feat power)
And I really need to research some stronger spirits. XD
Anyone with a name like 'Waryeye' was probably going to be... hm. Well, the bright side was that she had the force of the law on her side, and store owners tended to cooperate. (The nation took a very dim view of those who benefited from its protection but tried to subvert things to their own interests.)
Instead, Hime simply took out the potion bottle she'd taken from Nilasa and held it out for Danisca to examine. "Does this look like one of the potions you sold?" she inquired, deciding to leave things general for now.
The woman squinted at the bottle. "Yes, Officer, that would be one of mine. Invisibility. I can check the records book, if you like, and see who I sold it to?" She turned to go, and paused. "Oh! Would you like a drink? I was just going to get something chilled. The summer heat is such a pain, now it's coming in." She seems to be telling the truth.
"No need, ma'am - I know who it was sold to, and just wanted to verify." she answered, flipping around the sign on the door to note the place was 'closed'. "And I'll pass on the drink - I'd like to offer you something instead. You see, I'm aware of your connection with Nilasa Hume and some of her... activities... but while I do have enough evidence to bring you in for rather vigorous questioning, I'd like to offer you a plea bargain instead. You see, I have reason to believe there's more going on here than you're aware of, and that thing is why Nilasa is dead. Help me get to the truth of that, and I'm willing to overlook a great deal of activities - like those that might otherwise result in the loss of this fine shop." Overall, she did prefer the gentle approach, and was using that - but it didn't hurt to remind people that there was steel beneath her metaphorical silk gloves. "Or, you know, I could just get a warrant and come back with a squad of Risur's finest, but I feel like that's more fuss than either of us would prefer to deal with right now."
The shopkeep stopped as she turned, looking shocked. "Nilasa has died? Oh, my. I think I need a drink now...are you sure you don't want one?" The Gnome reached for a glass and a jug of cloudy lemon liquid. "No ice, oh dear oh dear," she muttered as she poured. "Of course, I'll try and help you catch her killer, although I'm not sure what help I can be."
"Quite sure." Hime answered sedately. "I'd like you to tell me everything you know about the shipment of wands you and Nilasa were going to pick up for Gale."
Taking a sip of the juice, the Gnome shuddered. "Oh, goodness, not enough sugar." Taking another sip, she replied, "I certainly sold Nilasa the potion. If you give me a moment I can pull the licence details she gave me. As I'm sure you know, I'm not allowed to sell such potions without one - as a rule I don't even make a batch without an order." Pausing, she considered, "I'm afraid I can't make wands, officer. I never really had much call for them, and when I do I can usually recommend a friend or two instead. Isn't Gale the lady behind those fires? Terrible business, that." She clicked her tongue. "You don't think she'd burn my shop down, do you?"
Hime narrowed her eyes slightly. "Is there anyone else who works here in the shop with you? A partner, perhaps?" she inquired. She was pretty certain that Nilasa's contact for the shipment was here, but... well, maybe it was another employee or something. At the very least, this gnome's words seemed a little off.
"My husband has his own business in the building across the way," Danisca replied, "The one across the bridge." She gestures to a second story connecting bridge visable outside of the window.
"And did Nilasa visit him, particularly in the last few months or so?" Hime inquired, pressing for more information. The more she knew about their actual circumstances, the better.
"Almost certainly, dear. They were friendly." The Gnome smiled slightly. "We can go and talk to him, if you would like?"
"Just give me a moment to let the rest of my team know once we get outside." Hime said - lying through her teeth, of course, but she figured it wouldn't hurt to have the gnome believing that other people were waiting on her. She wasn't ex- oh, all right, she was expecting a bit of trouble, given all the underworld connections she'd heard about here, and the threat of a certain amount of imminent force could help stop people from doing something stupid.
The Gnome looked non-pulsed. "Team? Well, I'm not sure I'll have enough baked goods for you all, but certainly. If it makes you feel better or such. Would you like me to wait here for you, or shall I come with you? Or shall I just meet you at my husband's building? He keeps the street doors locked and is deaf as a post, I'm afraid."
"People tend to get nervous when they see officers. I think it would be better if you introduced us." Hime answered. "I thought it would be less disruptive if I was the only one that came in." Stepping outside, she gestured slightly, creating an illusion that flashed green-green-blue before vanishing. A simple enough signal for her purposes. Time to go meet this husband, then...
Danisca led Hime up the stairs, and towards the bridge. As you entered a short section of corridor before the bridge she suddenly darted forwards, slamming the door on the bridge with a resounding thud. Above, these was a small click, and yellow powder wafted down into the room.
"Whoops." Danisca's eyes went wide as the powder, which had momentarily threatened to send you into a deep, hypnotic slumber. With a brief pause she turned and bolted across the bridge.
[ooc]15 feet, to the door across the bridge.[/ooc[
In a flash of power, Hime was gone from where she'd been - and instead, she was in front of the fleeing halfling. "There's nowhere you can go that the law can't reach." she said bluntly, looking at her target. "I really do suggest that you surrender before you make things any worse for yourself."
"Oh, dear, yes," Danisca said, blinking. "Teleportation. I always wondered if we should protect the house against that, but my husband thought it a needless expense. Still, I suppose it's rather pointless to protest now, isn't it? What is it you want, officer?"
"First of all, I'm sorry to have to tell you that you're under arrest." Hime said. "You have the right to remain silent, although I don't really recommend that you take advantage of it. Use of body-affecting chemicals on officers of the law and attempted evasion afterwards are crimes, but the RHC tends to be much lighter on people who are willing to cooperate. If you'd like to avoid prison, I suggest you start telling me things that are useful to hear. Quickly. I may even be willing to overlook your... unwise actions."
Allowing the cuffs to be slipped onto her wrists, Danisca said simply, "Well, dear, I do have have a few things I suppose you should know. From what you've said, I presume you know about the shipment? The wands being brought in? I presume that's why you visited my shop today. What is it exactly you would like to know about them?"
Hime raised an eyebrow. "Everything you know, of course." she said. "This helps to corroborate information between people who have been talking about it and ensure as many details are covered... and the more accurate and useful your own testimony is found to be, the more merciful the nation's courts are likely to be."
"Well, let's see...a large cache of wands is being brought in by the family, and is being sold to Gale. Nilasa arranged it because she has connections to smuggling, although honestly I think the dear was making out her history to be rather more spectacular to impress people. We'll be leaving from the Family's dock near the Nettles, then to Pine Island where they've hidden the wands. Or perhaps they're bringing them. Nilasa wasn't very clear. Then we were to hand over quite a lot of gold - we asked if they would take silver, but they preferred coin and bullion - and then deliver the wands to Gale. I assume she wants to use them for something spectacular, you know how some people can be, but Nilasa said she was going to arm some of her followers with her for self-defence. Oh, I'm not so choosy, so Nilasa was going to give me some of that silver, but honestly I was just trying to help the poor girl out."
"Mm." Hime answered, not giving an actual, official acceptance to her claim that she'd only been trying to help. She did, however, move towards the closest guard post so the assailant could be taken into longer-term custody. "And where exactly is this dock?" She had no intention whatsoever of searching a whole district.
Danisca gave exacting instructions on finding it. The ship will be captained by a man named Deorn Feldborn, and the ship herself is the Slive. They'll be departing 2 hours after sunset on the 4th.
The afternoon of day three. The ship was carrying Danisca, Nilasa, some members of the Family and the cash. They were meeting on the island to swap the cash for the wands and return.