Dingus will look around for a piece of cloth to wrap the dagger in, before placing it in one of his sacks. If he finds nothing, he will use it to cut a strip from his blanket, and use that to wrap the dagger. He will put the box in his belt pouch, unless someone else wishes to carry it.
"Here. Hand it to me. I will keep up the illusion to draw them away from what you carry. I will be the bait on the hook. You can keep the box when we are done with the deader, specially since it seems you are the only one who can whisper its magic word."
"Careful Dingus, the house o' Nethys might just decide it needs tae hold on tae the poker fer further study. Mighten be best iffin ye dinnae let it out o' yer sight"
"Now we done siftin around in an empty house? There ain't bugger all left here tae be lookin at"
"Aye, Dibbets. Let's be moving on."
Leaving the empty house, you make your way to the center of the Eastern District through crowds of afternoon laborers and shoppers. The scent of cooked food beckons from restaurant doors and street vendors. Especially given the paucity of your Broken Mug breakfast of toast and jam.
You reach the Field of Honor which holds another market for the middle class residents of this district. Jugglers and troubadors make the rounds along with fruit sellers, tailors, and tinkers. Pushing through the jostling crowds and carts which fill the rosestone plaza, you eventually make your way to the eastern edge and stand before the large two-story structure which holds the Halfling Benevolent Association. Despite it's size, it is as unimposing and simple as the folk it represents. It is built in an inconspicuous simple brick design and unadorned other than the large letters HBA over the door.
On the way to the Field, Jim will bypass anyone selling Drowned Man's Fingers and buy some fried fish to eat while walking. Once there, he'll look around in the crowd for Dolo before the group goes in to find Finn.
Dibbets strolls nonchalantly up to the door and knocks (or steps inside if its an open doorway) and waits for someone to question him.
Amazingly this time around, the tall Bekyar Hellhound with the uniquely sculpted hair is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he hasn’t started his shift yet.
The doors to the HBA are open and you pass several of the small folk as you make your way inside. Beyond the double doors you enter a wide pillared hallway. Through the doors to the left you glimpse rows of small tables and chairs and a crew of halflings finishing up mopping the cafeteria. At the end of the hall is a desk with a very efficient looking halfling in a tidy dress and hair pulled back in a bun. She smiles warmly at Dibbets and asks how she can help him.
Stepping up to the desk Dibbets gives his best disarming smile (that probably looks more disturbing to the clerk) "Hullo, I'm a halflin that is in need o' some benevolence. We've got some words that mighten warrent the hearin by tha management o' the house" winking at the lady.
The receptionist tilts her head and furrows appear in her forehead. "I'm...not sure I understand."
Bluff:
"What I'm meaning tae say is that I've got an important message fer the likes that may not be liking me sayin his name out loud down here. Don't let tha clothes fool ye darlin', he'll be wantin tae hear what I gots tae say. Savvy?"
Kaul mugs a grin at the receptionist through a mouthful of a breakfast roll containing dead man's fingers and onions... all food and fangs...
"Hur."
The receptionist smiles at Dibbets. "If you'd like to see Mr. Finn why don't you just say so? Everyone knows he's the president of the HBA. The problem is he's very, very busy."
She flips back several pages in her date book. "I think we can squeeze you in in a couple weeks. What is this regarding?"
Seeing that subtlety is hardly his strong suit, Dibbets tries a little more direct approach "Just write down that he might not recognize his fat friend Haskins now that he aint got a head. We didnae do it, but we got a fair reckon who did. An next time ye see Dolo or Vinari say hi from us"
That message apparently goes over her head, but she writes it down and asks who she may say was calling.
The halfling woman looks up expectantly and then shrugs, "OK, no names then. I'm sure if it's important Mr. Finn will find you."
It's late afternoon when you leave Assad's and Jim finally spots Dolo leaving the rather elaborate villa next to the HBA on the eastern edge of the Field of Honor.
"Hmmm". "Perhaps the Temple of Nethys could still be of use to us". "We need not actually give them the dagger to analyze". "We could perhaps make a sketch of it, or give a detailed description, and see if there is any reaction". "Perhaps this is something famous, that we know nothing about".
Dibbets shrugs his little shoulders, slightly despondent that his idea to go see Finn was decidedly unsuccessful.
Kaul looks down on Dibb's and attempts to brighten his spirits;
"Hur. Never ye mind Dibb's, you little fellas are always busier than a whore on penny hour. He'll get back tae us I'm sure"
Kaul then spots Dolo also...
"Per'haps the Hounds can help us? If Dolo vouches fer us we could see his boss or Finn? If it we're that no-neck blubberhead Vinari I'd say no, but Dolo's an okay sort... fer a thug hur."
To Dingus: "We could give it a go, but best we be wary methinks. Theres a few bodies lying still over it so far, an whos ta say the Nethysites will play fair. Iffin we do go tae see em, best the poker be nowhere near at the time."
To Kaul: "Feh, mebbe" as he drags out a flask for a grog hit.
Kaul pats the curmudgeony halfling on the shoulder and offers him something to lighten his mood;
Stogie Dibbs? Saved one from Assad's... Premium... He said it had been rolled betwixt the plump thighs of Osirion women... You look likes ye need it mor'n me hur."
Shaking his head "Nah s'ok Kaul, keep it - wouldn't want tae ruin my breath" grinning with yellowed teeth and giggling. "Well then, less go see if Dolo's more forthcomin than the secretary of benevolence."
Jim will head over towards Dolo. "Have a moment to talk? A matter came up earlier that I thought you might know something about. "
Dolo nods a greeting to Jim. "Dat a fak and what ees dis matter you be wond'rin' about?"
Jim describes the deader. "Brother Peg-Leg said he'd heard of something like it in Saragrava, have you ever heard the like? "
With a shrug Kaul stows the stogie for later and wanders with the crew over to Jim & Dolo to hear the Bekyar's thoughts;
"Dolo. Hur. Where's yer no-neck Taldan sidekick?"
Dolo is quiet for a long time. Then he nods reluctantly and makes the spiral of Pharasma over his chest, ”Yes, I know of dis ting. It is called Tuyewera. It ees a very bad Juju. When dere ees a man among the Zenj who practices de dark magic, dey tear out his tongue so he will speak no more evil and cut off his legs so he can no more walk and spread his evil. Dat man soon die and dat be de end of him. Sometime dough, de bad wendo come into de dead man or a Mchawi wizard come and make the dead man hees slave. The Tuyewera now steal de tongue to speak lies wid de other man’s voice. It make you come to it and den it steal your breath. It hide in the dark and no like the sun because it stolen tongue rot away every morning wid de sunlight.”
He pauses and adds as he pats the ornate darkwood club at his side, ”Tuyewera not much hurt by regular weapons. You need magic to keel eet. If dere ees Tuyewera here dat ees very bad.”
At Kaul's question, Dolo smiles. "You like Vinari, eh? Maybe you make good partner for heem den I don' have to listen to hees big mout' all night." He glances at the sun. "Time to work now. You watch out for de Tuyewera." With that he starts to continue west across the Field of Honor.
Gripping his scrimshaw symbol tightly Kaul appeals to the rest of the group:
"See... See..! I says it was bad ju-ju when we entered that skinbag's hovel... Iffin it's after us we needs tae either up ships an leave town or find it an end the deader fer good..."
Dibbets starts a staring competition with Kaul...
Kaul stares back at Dibbs intensely for a short while, then breaks into laughter, concerned that the pressure might cause the little fella to let another one rip...
"You win Dibbs hur... So lads what next?? We cross swords with the deader, put an end tae him or lie low until we're in better shape tae deal with it?"
"Since we are standing around scratching our heads and nether regions. Let's find some walking food and a quiet spot to talk and think."
Once they find a roughly secluded place. "As we puzzle what to do next, might as well lay another mystery on ya." the Groom will proceed to explain all the details from the encounter under the wharf and their talk with their landlord.
As Dolo heads to work, Jim says, "Thanks for the tipoff, mate."
On the way back over to the Broken Mug, Jim remarks, "At least someone's heard of these things...I think we should try to top the wog and the deader sharpish. If Dolo's right, the deader won't come out until after dark or it loses Beedle's tongue. Freeport's way too big for us to find him during the day...let's get some grub and set a trap for 'em if they come after the Groom tonight."
Kaul listens intently at the Groom's tale and Jimmer's tactics, nodding and "hurring" as he does.
:
"Hur. Trap it is... Groom's the bait wit the empty box? Per'haps we could trap tha box - should they get it, they gets a nasty surprise...hurhurhur."
Dibbets stumps along uncomfortably fast on his uneven legs, eager to sink his teeth into some more free grub.
The crew makes their way back out the rickety pier that supports the equally dilapidated Broken Mug as the Groom finishes his ghost story. The evening crowds haven't shown up yet so you can enjoy a meal in relative peace. Dagrit shows up once the food is served with a bemused look on her face.
”Ah, you’re back then. You had a visitor this afternoon. Charming fellow. What was his name? Garundi I believe...tailored yellow suit and a cane. Jol Totra, I think that was his name. He said you might have something for him. I told him he was welcome to have a look upstairs for you. I hope you don’t mind, he was such a nice gentleman."
Eyebrow raised suspiciously but not wanting to let on too much "Did this fella stick around some or say summat else? Or be leavin a way we could get in touch?"
"No, he didn't stay long. He said he would catch you later. Such a gentleman, I'm honestly surprised he is a friend of yours," she observes with a raised ginger eyebrow in return.
Dibbets pokes his tongue out as far as it will go and then goes crosseyed in an attempt to make sure it's still there. He then returns to messily consuming his repast with vigor.
Kaul rubs his scarred brow, and swears under his breath.
You catch the words "ju-ju", "feckin", "yellow robed"...
Lots.
"No, he didn't stay long. He said he would catch you later. Such a gentleman, I'm honestly surprised he is a friend of yours," she observes with a raised ginger eyebrow in return.
"Oh, we only met the worshipful Oriental gentleman last night, though I understand we knew some of the same people before that."
Once Dagrit is clear, "Are we going to put some sails down that there is a mean blob of summoned fat waiting for us upstairs?" the Groom pokes at the crab on his plate. "I got the feeling that we are the crabs and this place is the pot."
Kaul mugs a toothy grin at the gang
"If its a porker upstairs then want me ta go pop it again? Hur... Lessen o' course its the stumper... then we all go..."
"Let's go at least give the rooms a check. Then we can worry about where our polite friend awaits us." the Groom pushes his half-eaten dinner aside. The memory of whatever that summoned creature from last light, kills off what was left of his appetite.
After heading upstairs, Kaul and the Groom soon return to the table. "Well, he was up there a'looking today. But we know he didn't find what he was after."
Exploration of the upper deck finds that although beds have been moved and things tossed around, no vile symbols of unspeakable horror have been sprawled across the walls.
Jim eats heartily, still trying to recover from the stirge attacks. "Seems to me that we should await our evening visitors on land. This place has too many holes and only one way to walk to it. What troubles me is that the wog and the deader might be holed up close, an' they've seen us come here already. Shall we take a peek at some of the local housing?"