Stretching to full height, he grinned. "Good boy.". Turning to leave, Relan paused for a moment then suddenly turns back around, "Oh, one more thing" Reaching down and he grabs the mans face with one hand.
With cold steel in his eyes, he glares into the man's fear-filled eyes. "If i ever find you trying to capture anyone as slaves again, or helping anyone who does, I will find you and..." he lets the threat trail off into the darkness, leaving the words unspoken. Dropping the man's face he moves away from the man.
The party heads back towards the giant spire. In the wee hours, there's very few people on the streets but as you transition out of the district, a Watch patrol carrying a lantern accosts you. After a few moments of discussion, they recognize Plutivarch and escort you ther rest of the way to the Arvensoar. Snapping off a quick footman's salute, the patrol leader resumes his duties and they quickly disappear into the night.
Surprisingly, inside is still somewhat busy with several of the same people in the waiting area. The clerk, however is different and also recognizes Plutivarch when you drag him in. A few quick words to a messenger and very shortly an obviously tired Watch Lieutenant comes out carrying a leather pouch.
She smiles at you and tosses the bag to Relan, which clinks with coins "It's nice to finally catch this scoundrel. I'm Lieutenant Kasadei. Thanks so much for the assist. I don't think I've seen you all before. New to town or just to bounty hunting?" she asks good naturedly.
Relan catches the coins one-handed and smiles back at the Lieutenant. "Just looking for some missing people, and this lead brought us to you. We could use some information, if you have time", he gives a roguish grin, "And perhaps we can discuss the details after your shift."
Lorlenn smiles at Relan then turns to the Lieutenant and continues the explanation, "Our investigation involves a person of interest to the Pathfinder Society, in association with a request for assistance from the Lord Mayor's office. We understand that you are very busy, but we were wondering if perhaps the person we seek was apprehended by your guards. Her name is Natalya Vancaskerkin. She's a dark curly-haired woman with olive skin who wears a red headband along with traditional Sczarni garb. She is thin but well-built, and of average human height."
Btw i withdraw the offer of drinks if she is not human or is homely. Well not human will be ok if shes still good lookin ;)
She listens to your questions and then answers with a wry smile, "We'll be here a while filling out some documents, so sure a few questions to help pass the time can't hurt! I know of Natlya, she's a small time burglar. Runs with the Tower Girls. News to me that she's gone missing. Not surprised, though. The Sczarni tend to keep to themselves, don't often report missing people to the Watch, you know. Tower Girls themselves are probably your best bet to find her."
Lorlenn nods while looking thoughtful, "An individual with whom we spoke today also mentioned that Natalya ran with the Tower Girls, but he says there was a falling out; that the gang is also looking for Natalya. We would, of course, still be interested in finding out what they know, but unfortunately..." He looks back to Lieutenant Kasedei, shrugs and says, "Unfortunately we don't know how to go about contacting them."
Relan flashes Kasedei a smile, "I dont suppose you have any idea where the Tower Girls like to hang out? Or as my friend here suggests how we could get their attentions?"
She smiles back at Relan, enough to be nice, but sticks with the business at hand, "The Tower Girls fell into some hard times recently, and it looks like their old haunts were all overrun by a rival gang. Not entirely sure who, yet. We heard they were squatting in a warehouse in Underbridge near the water. Took up with a local ... celebrity ... Fenster the Blight. Kinda guy that hires out for pretty much any job as long as the money's right. It's right here, in particularly foul part of the city. The currents swirl up trash and refuse from the boats and people on the bridge and it gathers on this small jetty of land behind the warehouse." She points to a large map she has on the wall.
A clerk comes in with a stack of papers, an inkwell, a couple pens, and a pot of sand. Kasadei motions for you all to sit and start filling out the pertinent data to make your bounty legitimate. "Next time it should be much quicker since we'll already have records on you."
"I guess Underbridge is our next stop... and these gangsters won't be so welcoming."
Lorlenn nods at Braelex. "In the morning though, I think. Even in Underbridge, sunlight will be to our advantage, and I could use a rest."
Facing the Lieutenant again, he says, "Thanks for your assistance. If there is ever a need to contact us, please leave word for us with Lady Heidmarch at Heidmarch Manor, but if it's urgent, a message sent to the Cynosure Tower will likely reach me sooner."
Relan gives it one last go, "And if you need anything else, you know for your reports or whatever, you know where to find me.", he grining playfully like a man who has taken his last shot. "And a goodnight to you, Lieutenant Kasedei." With a long bow he departs the room with the rest.
Finishing up the paperwork takes about an hour for all of you. Once you're finished, Kasadei escorts you to the lobby, shakes her head at Relan just slightly with a half-smile and then immediately moves to the next group of people in the waiting area.
Looking at his companions Fulmen suggests, "I think we should get some rest. It's been a long day. Perhaps we can go back to the Society and find out more about the Tower Girls then head out to Underbridge tomorrow?"
Will use up CLW before resting on whoever needs is the most.
You all split for the evening to rest, Lorlenn putting off his proposition on living arrangments until the next morning. Meeting up at the base of the Grand Staircase, you head into Underbridge. Seedy taverns, poorly run brothels, and rat-infested gambling dens compete with salt-blasted tenementbuildings and cheap flophouses in Magnimar’s most dangerous district. While the majority of Underbridge’s roads are little more than muddy gaps between slumping shanties and decaying shacks, evidence of the Magnimarian founders’ attempt to bring civilization even here are evident in short stretches of broken cobblestones. The larger paving stones that once lined the major streets (placed during the city’s foundation when visions of Underbridge as a slum had yet to manifest) have all long since been dug up and sold off.
You pass by the Shadow Clock, one of Magnimar's monuments that doesn't give boons. Rumored over the years to be haunted by all sorts of unsavory things, it's more recently the supposed location of an exceptionally intelligent and very disturbed creature called the Scarecrow. Legend has it that the Scarecrow is a wizard's experiment with creating a flesh golem gone wrong
Mumble Mumble Scarecrow,
Alone in the maize.
Sleeping in the daytime,
A stitched man he stays.
But when the moon she rises,
Up Mumble gets.
He shakes his hands at first
And moves his feet the next.
And when the dog is snoring,
And when you’re fast asleep,
Mumble Mumble Scarecrow
Will find you good to eat.
Moving along the streets through the shadows of the massive Irespan above you, you see mobs of workers corraling stone golems hauling massive blocks of stone back out of the district. You eventually reach the partially collapsed warehouse on the shoreline. The stench reaches you even before you see where the tidal currents have cause the filth and refuse of the city to collect in stinking clots along the shore.
The building has a relatively large open area within, but only the corner seems occupied. A sort of crude shelter from rowboats (one or two of which might still be almost seaworthy) and timbers leans against the warehouse’s frame. The entrance to this hovel consists of a pair of skiffs leaning against each other to create a triangular “arch” from which a moldering remnant of a ship’s sail hangs like a curtain. Sitting next to the entrance is an old sea chest with a broken lid. A sign leans against the front of the chest—“LEEV A GIFT AND WATE OUTSID.” A dented tin platter sits on the ground before the sign.
You recall the procedure: leave a gift on the tin platter, wait for Fenster to come out and examine the gift, and if he likes the gift, he’ll do whatever you need him to do.
"Mmmm, charming," Braelex comments, wrinkling her nose. "How much, do you think?" She brandishes a copper piece.
Lorlenn says, "I used to frighten my children with a nursery rhyme that deals with the creature that purportedly lives here." He then recites it for the party:
Mumble Mumble Scarecrow,
Alone in the maize.
Sleeping in the daytime,
A stitched man he stays.
But when the moon she rises,
Up Mumble gets.
He shakes his hands at first
And moves his feet the next.
And when the dog is snoring,
And when you’re fast asleep,
Mumble Mumble Scarecrow
Will find you good to eat.
After he's done, Lorlenn says, "Before we leave this part of town, maybe we should investigate the Shadow Clock? Maybe the rhyme is accurate; maybe Mumble is the reason people have been disappearing?"
"Mmmm, charming," Braelex comments, wrinkling her nose. "How much, do you think?" She brandishes a copper piece.
"How about a silver?" Lorlenn pulls a silver piece from hiding.
"Hmm, yeah ... I got nothing." Andel has been sullen and distant since last night.
Relan nods at Lorlenn's suggestion, "If the Tower Girls dont pan out, the Shadow Clock seems as good a lead as any."
Lorlenn places the coin in the tin platter and the party stands around a bit. Andel opens his mouth to say something, just as a wretched creature crawls out from the hovel. A moving pile of filthy rags, you're barely able to determine that it is sentient let alone it's exact race, but you guess it's human and probably male. The wave of body odor and spoiled food makes you gag as he comes out. He sniffs at the coin, pushes it around a bit as if looking for something else and then snorts, picky at his rheumy eye and shuffles back into his shelter without a word or glance at any of you.
"Anyone got any food? Or beer?"
Fulmen looks and Relan and scratches his chin in a thoughtful way. "Relan, I think it would be worth checking out Shadow Clock one way or another. There's often some truth to legends and myths used to scare young children."
Looking down and the pathetic piles of rags that just wondered off, "Natalya must have been pretty dedicated if she was running with this sad gang. Who would willing live in such conditions. Maybe that's why she had a falling out with this group. We need to find someone and interrogate them. Let's follow this sad little man and see if he leads us to someone less pathetic."
"Not sure I want to face that thing's odor full-on," Braelex hesitates. "Call it out again."
As Fulmen makes to follow the creature into it's home and Lorlenn digs around for some food, the druid pauses as Braelex's suggests calling it back out. Too late, however, as the poor thing stands up somewhat straight and stares malevolently at Fulmen standing in his threshold, "Oyy! Youz brakin' n here? Whatchoo wan'? Ah'll nock ya heed offa youz, Ah will. Izza eezy. Leev a gift ... gimme sumpin. Ah do ya rite. Ah bait gobbies or testa poshuns or cleen trash. Gotta gimme sumpin, do."
He stands and takes a boxer's pose as he speaks.
Relan nods in agreement with Braelx, "Do we really want it to come back out?" Sighing in defeat he searches his pack and comes up with some food, "I got some trail rations."
"Or perhaps he just wants some junk."
"Probably wants more than a single coin," Braelex mutters, then calls. "Come out, Funster. Tell us what we want and we pay nicely."
Fulmen drops an empty potion vial and then looks through into the room, wrinkles his nose and spouts "Bah, I'm not wasting my time with this." He gathers his stuff up and joins the rest of the party. The man, however, follows him out, tentatively. He blinks and stares around as if seeing the party for the first time, "Sho' da pay .. sho' me. Ah dooz whatchoo wan."
Fulmen turns back around and stands there studying Fenster. After a few moments he says in impatient tone, "Allright, we pay, but you better be able to serve us." Fulmen pulls out few gold coins and places it on the ground, not risking touching the foul creature.
After some thought, Fulmen adds a couple of fish hooks, chalk, and his whetsone to the pile.
The man scoops up the coins and the rest of the items Fulmen leaves and bites a coin. Satisfied, he comes out of his shack grabbing a seat on the broken sea chest. He looks up at you all, "Whatchoo wan' Fenster ta do?"
"Fenster, we're looking for the location where members of the Tower Girls hang out. Would you be able to lead us there?"
"Maybe you can draw us a map of the place, if you know the layout?" Lorlenn retrieves a quill, a piece of parchment, and a bottle of ink from his scrollcase.
"Aye, ya stinkin' squab, we needs ta know where them Tower Girls be.", he says menacingly, ending with sticking out his tongue while waggling his fingers, thumbs in ears, at Funster.
I wonder if this devil is blind in both eyes...
Braelex takes another step away from Clarence.
The man? looks around at everyone and scratches at his scalp, thinking, "Ya, Towr Gerlz. Ah nose dem. Ah'm dere lan'lore!" He thumps his chest proudly, "Hanna seen mos of dem in a bit, do" He resumes digging in his hair, pulling out something small and wriggly which he scrutinizes closely, then crushes between his finger and thumb and pops into his mouth.
"But dey be bak! Evrbudee cum bak ta Fenster!" He grins broadly.
In response to Clarence, Fenster shoots his hand up, forefinger and pinky finger in the air, with the thumbs curled to touch the middle fingers and the back of the hand facing Clarence.
The very rude gesture (akin to the middle finger) is called shooting the tines. It stems from the devil-pact nation of Cheliax to the southeast and can be extra rude if held under the chin
"What happened? Why did they leave?"
"Ah dunno ... mebbe dey foun sum uddr hous ta hole up. Dat one gerl git dem all ta go.". He looks a bit dejected.
"What one girl?"
"Natya ...er ... Nalta ... er ... Nat-ee-lee-a ... sumpin like dat" He struggles with the Varisian pronunciations.
"Natalya is their leader? If you know anything about they're whereabouts tell us. Or at least tell us where they were staying. They may be in terrible danger. Also, when did you last see Natalya?"
Fenster blinks as he answers questions from all the different party members but keeps up with it, "Herz not da ledr. Herz jus find a new place but na go wit ... hey, wate a secon. Yous nose herz? Yous says herz name rite. Whatchoo wan wit herz?" He appraises your gear openly, licking his lips, "Whatchoo giv Fenster ifun Ah tellz yous wer Ah seen herz?"
Fulmen looks around at his companions and shrugs.
Lorlenn frowns a little while thinking about his gear, then pulls a small steel mirror from his pack.
"Do you like secrets, Fenster? This shiny will let you see around corners, and if you are careful, without others seeing you!" Lorlenn twists the mirror around to cause a reflected beam of light to trace around the room.
"If you give us the information that we seek, without lying to us again, you can have this."
Fenster's good eye gets really big as he stares, "Is Magik?" he whispers. He continues to eye the mirror as he says, "Ahrite, Ah tells youse Ah seen herz. Herz not wit udder Towr Gerlz. Dunno why. Herz neer. Ah sho youse or Ah drawz." He tears his eye away from the mirror to point at it and boasts, "Inna Shado, nuttin' gits by me gud peepa!"
Lorlenn shakes his head, "Not magic; good construction." He buries the mirror deep in his pack again and says, "Tell us where to find the Tower Girls and take us to where Natalya is. Then you get the shiny."