Eklektos will do a quick search of the building's exterior, checking to see what alternative exits there may be. If there are fewer than 3 obvious ones, he'll set Theron to watch one exit and himself to watch another. If there are more than 3 possibles, he'll try to identify the most likely ones and keep watch on those. If the only way in or out is through the front door and the staircase, Eklektos and Theron will take up a position inside the Inn in a bar area or near a fireplace, ostensibly reading his copy of Hymn to the Winds and Waves, but really watching to see if she escapes.
In any of the above cases, after identifying possible exits, Eklektos will repeat the runner trick with instructions to deliver the message to a woman, very tall and with brass-whorled green skin, answering to the name Semenya. He'll send the runner to the warehouse. If the woman isn't there, the runner is to wait for three hours, then deliver the note to the Shrine of Aroden. A silver piece ought to cover that much for a street urchin.
Your search of the exterior reveals a back door, near which several kegs and crates are placed along the wall. There are no other exits that you can find, although there are several windows on both the ground floor and the upper floor.
Inside, the large common room is filled with well-dressed men and women enjoying meals and drink. Still, you have little trouble finding a spot along the well-stocked bar where you can keep watch of both the front door and the staircase to the upper floor. You notice that there are three private dining rooms, slightly elevated from the ground floor, around the common room.
While Semenya is performing her initial search of the warehouse, an out-of-breath boy comes running into the street. He looks you over, then takes up a spot a respectful distance away, appearing to wait for something.
When Semenya emerges from the warehouse, the boy quickly runs over. "Are you Semenya? This is for you." Upon receiving an affirmative answer, he hands her Eklektos's note and then scurries away.
Semenya says "It's all clear here, it looks like." She has the 20 GP of loose coinage. "A couple of lockable trunks that it may be worth getting new keys and locks made for, but they mostly camped here. Looked like it was four people, maybe five."
She hands the note to Arodio. "Tieflings were apparently moving in on their operation. Eklektos has the woman who was leading them under observation at a bar I know."
Piecing together the two notes, Appario wouldn't mind following up with Jalki for more information. In particular, four questions come to mind:
1) Who are these tiefling bastards? 2) What are they doing? 3) Who is V? and 4) What are the actions/purpose of V?
Appario grunts as he strains under the possible answers, lacking way too much information to know anything.
"Maybe we should go talk to Jalki? Perhaps we can conduct more business with her."
"How do you want to handle this, Appario?" Semenya is already describing the route to the bar in question. "Watch and see who she's talking to, or try to get her alone and ask questions?"
"Perhaps she'd accept a job offer?"
Derek chuckles with good humor at Apparios consternation.
"Haha, if she wants to play a part in this little drama, I'm afraid the only other leading role is that of the villain, since we are naturally the heroes, I certainly know I am. And as such the role of the villain is not a good idea for dear Jalki, since in a heroic drama as this, they always die quite messily."
Derek smiles as Semenya and nods in agreement. "Let us convince her that it would be in her better interest to accept a smaller role, I think the role of comedic relief is still open?"
"This is just business. Mayhaps we can buy the answers we seek. She seemed to understand business a while back. Why don't we go pay her a friendly visit?"
When people are ready, Appario will ask Semenya to lead him to the bar.
"Derek, mayhaps you want to talk to the lady? Should you fail, we'll ask Semenya here to get more personal."
Derek tips his hat to Appario and smiles widely.
"Is this another one of your insinuation about my prowess with the ladies? Either way, I shall be happy to assist in this, we need a little drama here I feel."
"I'll wait for Semenya and Derek to have decided how to handle this drama...i'll play the bodyguard, of course;or the bad cop, i love that part"
Semenya says, simply, on the way, "I'm a bit likelier to attract attention." She raises her hand to shield her eyes a bit against the sun. "Westcrown is comparatively free of prejudice, but even so..." She shrugs. "I'm a bit hard to miss."
About an hour after arriving, Eklektos sees Jalki coming down the staircase. It looks like she has cleaned up a bit, and she doesn't have the bag or her swords with her. As a result, she doesn't stand out as much compared to the nobles and merchants frequenting the place.
She goes out on the street, looks around a bit, then finds a messenger boy whom she gives a coin and a piece of paper. After the boy has left, she makes her way to the common room where she finds a seat at a table and orders a meal.
When everybody else arrives, she is close to finishing that meal.
Finally understanding a bit of what motivates Derek, Appario will bow deeply to Derek: "The stage is set, the theater is packed and audience wants a show. This is your cue. Break a leg."
Appario will point out Jalki in the inn and step out of sight, awaiting word from Semenya or Derek.
"very well, but before I go in, am I after sex or money?"
Derek looks at Appario with a completely straight face for a moment before grinning widely.
"No no, I speak in jest of course, more seriously however, what exactly am I going to talk to her about? Am I to be blunt and try to sweet talk the names out of her, propose a deal, information for money, or is it something else entirely?"
Appario smiles, but then realizes that Derek knew exactly what he was talking about the night with Amaya.
"We seek four pieces of information that I know about, maybe the others have more: 1) Who are these tiefling bastards? 2) What are they doing? 3) Who is V? and 4) What are the actions/purpose of V?"
Appario waits for others to chime in before continuing.
"Purchase or charm or flatter or negotiate. You know better than I how to handle these folk. If you wish to deal, deal...we intend to get to gardening eventually and whatever information we can get is helpful."
Derek nods solemnly, and then he unbuckles his rapier and hands it to Appario.
Derek will then enter the place openly; he will approach Jalki at a leisurely pace, with arms open enough to demonstrate that he is carrying no weapon.
"We meet again, and this encounter has all the hallmarks of being much more cordial and pleasant than the previous one. May I join you? I have a business proposal for you. Allow me to pay for your meal as an opening bid and to show I am serious."
If she doesn't reach negatively, Derek will sit down in front of her, bold as brass, ordering a portion of food for himself, and of course a bottle of good wine.
Jalki looks surprised, and a little flustered, at seeing Derek approach. "You followed me here? I didn't see any of you behind me when I left.." Trailing off, she takes a moment to compose herself before continuing. "Hah, you show that you have no weapons, yet you didn't need weapons to handle my two companions, did you? I'm not sure how safe I should feel knowing that.. But, I may as well hear you out. If you found me this time, I suppose you could find me again. And this place is expensive enough that I'll gladly let you pay for me!"
Seeing Derek cross the room to the woman's table, Eklektos will walk over to the bar and get something to drink. Then he'll meander to a position in the room behind the woman and across from Derek. If Derek makes eye contact, he'll raise his drink slightly in salute.
Derek smirks a little at Jalki. He also notes Elektos at the bar, but he is far to canny an actor to give him away. "As any actor of note will tell you, in a good play, it is not what your eyes can see that you need to pay attention to, because the eye is deceived."
For a moment Derek will say nothing, leaning back in his chair and sipping the wine, he affects an air of confidence, even nonchalance.
"You appear to be on the move dear Jalki, perhaps sensing the earth growing hot beneath your feet? If you are planning on leaving Westcrown then I salute your good sense, there is going to be some...upheaval soon enough."
Derek puts the glass down, leans forward in his chair and fixes his unusually coloured eyes on Jalki, matching gaze with hers.
"I've got some questions, I'd enjoy some answers to them. Let's take one at the time. Who are the tiefling "bastards"? A group of "entrepreneurs" like you? I'm thinking the moniker might be factual rather than fanciful and it really is a band of tieflings."
Derek's antics seem to have calmed Jalki further, and she sounds more secure in herself. "Leaving Westcrown? I have no plans to do so. On the move, yes.. Someone forced me to move out of my previous quarters, you see. In fact, you were one of them."
Hearing Derek's second question, she grows serious. "Ah, you want information. Yes, you have that right. They are a group of tieflings that call themselves the "Bastards of Erebus". You know, after the third layer of Hell. Who knows why they would imply a connection to that place.. In any case, they are a brazen group of thieves that specialize in nighttime robberies, and some times they take things too far. They always leave behind a wooden token showing a devil's head."
Leaning foward, she continues. "So, I have given you some information. How about you give me some in return? What is this "upheaval" you referred to?"
Appario will remain out of sight, but hopeful that things are progressing well as Derek has not shouted for help nor is the tavern bursting aflame.
"Are we playing "question for question"? It's a fun game, and some people become quite skilled at it, I hear that the sultans of Quadira grants a fiefdom to anyone who can outmanuver them in a game of that."
Derek leans forward, resting his elbows on the table; he then interlaces his fingers and rest his chin on his hands.
"Before I answer your question, let me ask you one more. Would you care to be put on retainer? Since your previous line of work failed you might be interested in making a little more money and with less risk in fact."
Derek smiles, but this time his smile is has a wintery quality to it, and edge that was not there previously and something that is quite at odds with his normally friendly face.
"This is not a singular incident, there will be more...uprooting, there are those that are interested in seeing a permanent change in Westcrown, and unlike some, this is not some toothless organization, nor a empty hope. You could be useful, and the only thing you need supply is information, unless you want to you need not risk your life."
Derek chuckles a little, and the previous edge is gone like magic.
"Does that answer your question? Then here is my next one, who is "V"?
"I thank you for the offer, but my allegiance lies elsewhere." Jalki's surprise returns when Derek mentions "V". "You are full of surprises this evening. I'm afraid that is a name that isn't mine to give."
She ponders something in silence for a while, then continues. "You did answer my question, so it would only be fair of me to let you replace that question with something else."
Derek nods a litte at that. "Loyalty is a fine quality, I admire that, no chance of you changing your mind I take it? Oh well."
Derek considers for a moment before speaking again. "Maybe you can point me in the direction of someone who CAN name V?"
He then grins a little. "By the way, you are only half right, I'm not full of surprised...TONIGHT."
"Maybe I was unclear. I know the name, but it would not be in my best interests to reveal it, or to point in revelatory directions."
She thinks for a moment, then seems to come to a conclusion.
"Look. My contact wanted me to check out those tieflings and figure out what they were up to, and by whose "blessing" they could violate the unwritten rules. But, my original plan to do that won't work any more. You say you are interested in seeing a permanent change in Westcrown. While our end goals may not be the same, in this particular case they might be, wouldn't you say? Perhaps, if you handle this tiefling business, my contact would see fit to give you other information at a later date."
"You can take my continued presence on your stage as an indicator that the play is still in motion, continue with the drama. Tell us what else you know of the tieflings and a purple eye may turn towards them, which may spell their doom at the height of the play."
"Were you posted at those streets in an attempt to draw the bastards out? Make a little noise, cut in a little on their racket and try to flush them out? Or maybe it was more of a undercover fact finding mission eh? Reveal your pieces on the game board and I may see fit to add mine to them."
"A bit of both. Several groups of bandits have made themselves more publicly prominent recently, and my contact is interested in finding out if someone is engineering that, and if so, who and why. The idea was to do something of the same, and hopefully get contacted by someone in charge."
"The tieflings in particular have gone way beyond the common groundrules though. While banditry during the day has existed for years, the shadowbeasts prowling the night has kept nighttime bandits away. The tieflings have changed that. They perform their raids during the night inside people's homes, and their most recent raid even included a double murder. There's been nearly ten raids in the past month alone. My contact fears the effect it would have if the people can't even be safe at home during the night."
"I have discovered that they work out of an old temple of Erastil in the ruined part of the city, not far from the wall that divides the ruins from the rest of Westcrown. There's a bell tower connected to the temple where they keep a lookout. The nearest buildings have had their windows boarded up, but I can't say if that's the tieflings' doing or even if there's anything of interest inside. Most buildings on that side of the wall were looted years ago."
Eklektos will merely watch and listen to the events going on at the table between Derek and Jalki, but be ready to move if things go south.
Derek grins in delight and claps his hands together, then he stands up, bows to Jalki and as he does so he kisses her hand, in the courtly style.
"Madame' as the curtain falls I congratulate you on your performance, this locale would be a good place to meet up again once the bastards have been dealt with to inquire about your contact. For now I'll leave you to enjoy your meal. Don’t hesitate to indulge in a bit of wine; it is a good vintage, 76' Brevic red I believe."
Derek will walk over to the bar and pay for his meal as well as Jalki, as he passes Eklektos he whispers.
"Our business is concluded for now, let's be off."
Arodio is bored, but seems like Derek managed to get something useful in the end
Appario readies himself in his black attire for the late night raid on the bastards.
"Come brethren gardeners, we trim at the Temple of Erastil. Make preparations!"
"Hmmm, unless I miss my guess, tieflings can see in the dark. This means that the one in the belltower will be able to spot us if we get too close. We wil either have to take that one out before we aproach, or we will have to find an alternative way inside. We don't want to tip them of before the curtain is raised in all earnest."
Eklektos waits a moment after Derek departs the table before heading for the exit himself. As he passes Jalki's table, he considers leaving a token of his presence, but opts instead to just depart as would the shadow of a cloud.
Catching Derek's comment about Tieflings, Eklektos mentions, "Tieflings aren't the only ones who can see in the dark. My own eyes let me do that as well, and I imagine their sight range is limited. We may be able to sneak in around that limit, or I might be able to spot their sentry and keep us out of his line of sight. I recommend we make haste back to the Shrine for the nonce. Theron may be waiting for us there with more information. Jalki sent a note just before you arrived, and I sent him to track it."
"Good point master Apofysi, we better plan this in some detail, but then again, the sooner we go the sooner we can be victorious. Still, let us not forget the buildings around the place. There may be sentries there as well, less obvious but no less effective. There may also be a secret passage inside the main building; it IS after all a rogues guild."
"I'm of the blood of the Deep Orcs. I see farther in the dark than most. I can act as a spotter and tell others when the sentry is there without being overheard. I will suggest that we scout the place a few times during the day."
"We're here to gather information for the moment. We want to know when they change watches, if at all. We want to hit about an hour before watch change, so that the person on watch is thinking about his bed, and the person who's likely to come on watch is still asleep."
"Sorry, but i have standard human eyes, i see a fu****g nothing at night.And probably it will do no good if i carry lighted torches with me"
While we take time to plan, Appario will ask around for information about the Temple of Erastil.
"I only plan to stay here tonight, so I may not be here when you return. If you leave a note with the innkeeper I promise to collect it before a week has passed." Jalki seems to be in a better mood now than when you arrived.
Theron waits for you at the shrine, where Arael has given him a bowl of meat. As you arrive, Arael lights up. "I wondered if he had just left you all behind! Now that you're here, I have something for you." He disappears into a storage room, then returns with five green cloaks with a large white symbol on the back. You recognize the symbol as "Aroden's Eye", the city's mark. The dottari wear the same symbol in black on a red background, but it looks like this symbol is slightly larger than theirs.
After handing each of you a cloak, he goes on. "Sclavo has told me that the Hellknights have petitioned the dottari for help in finding me and those who helped me escape. So far the dottari have only responded with a suggestion that "if the Hellknights were more diligent at handling bandits and thieves instead of phantom rebels, perhaps the roads would have been safer". The Hellknights apparently stepped on some toes when they demanded that I was released to their custody in the first place." Arael also brings a purse for Eklektos.
When you leave the shrine, Theron leads the way to a pier on the eastern side of the city, where he stops in front of a building bearing a sign that says "Kalen's River Messengers", indicating that the boy went in there. There are two small sailboats fastened to the pier.
The wall that separates the northernmost "Dead Sector" from the rest of the city is 10 ft. high along the majority of its length. There is a gate, but it has been barred since the great fire that ruined the sector. Trying to open it might start a panic, as people would worry about the dangerous creatures lurking behind the wall. Scaling the wall in public would likely draw suspicion.
You remember a place where an unused alley meets the wall. It would give you the privacy to climb the wall without being noticed.
You discover that the temple used to be frequented by conservative shopkeepers living close to the temple. There was a small crypt on the cellar level. The temple has been abandoned since the great fire.
"Something tells me that we are saving Jalki, or at least her mysterious benefactor a fair bit of grief if we take care of the bastards. My guess is they won't necessary be all that ungrateful as long as the information we require in exchange is not too valuable."
"Agreed, Derek. I have no love for the evils of devil-kin and so I would do this on their merits alone. I am ready to go garden...and these new cloaks make me feel like getting them dirty. By the way, would you like some remuneration for the dinner? It was work after all."
Appario readies to go explore the temple.
DM ARE:
"No, friend. He hadn't just left us. He was doing a bit of tracking for us, and I told him to return here when he was done. Thank you." Eklektos then admires the new cloaks that have been created for them.
When the group reaches Kalen's River Messengers, Eklektos stops. "Problematic. If the message went across the river, we don't know exactly where it was headed. Unless one of you can think of a way to obtain that information?"
"I don't have any ideas about following the messenger, Eklectos. Maybe we'll think of a way for after we succeed in our next task: the Temple of Erastil. Maybe in taking care of the bastards, we'll find an item that we deliver to Jalki? Then we track that item?"
Appario looks to others for ideas as well.
After that, he'll return to thinking about matters at hand.
"So, I hear there is a wall before us and the Temple. Can anyone climb well?"
"We can try to tag an object with a scent if we turn one over to Jalki."
She hears his question on climbing and shrugs. "That's not one of my major skills, no."
"It worked well enough before, so it might be worth a try. If nothing else it is a trick with style. But we should not underestimate Jalki, she may have figured out the trick by now."
Derek Shrugs. "I'm no great climber; i would prefer another way IF there is one."
"I, too, would prefer to find another route. Perhaps a sewer would suffice. It seemed to work last time. Theron can climb, but I don't know how he'd fare against constructed walls."
"Skulking through the sewers again? I may want to give that bit of information amiss when I construct a play or a novel out of this ha-ha."
"Ugh. No sewers if I can help it."
Appario approaches Janiven.
"Would there happen to be a rope and grappling hook nearby that I could borrow for some gardening? I almost promise to bring it back."
"Certainly. Use them well!" Fetching a coil of rope and a grappling hook, she continues. "What are you planning? Do you need any help?"