Char enters the tavern and finds it crowded, holding three dozen carousers at tables around the room. The bartender is working quickly and furiously behind the bar to meet drink orders quickly enough. The rough-looking man Char followed is drinking and singly loudly with four friends in the corner.
Briefly, she is tempted to return to the linen shop and search the place while he is absent; but then she remembers that the other fellow is still there. Unless this one isn't actually involved, she thinks. As far as I know, Davis' contact was the other man and this fellow might have nothing to do with anything. Damn, I didn't think that glass would be so noisy!
Feeling rather disgruntled and briefly aware that that feeling must be going back to her allies, she orders an ale at the bar, slapping down her 4 copper pieces. She slips into a table not far from her target and attempts to listen in on him, covering her interest by watching an ongoing dart game.
Fyrtor listens and tries to follow what Harold and Turion are discussing, but it's somewhat beyond his rudimentary understanding. "So, do we need to go buy a lead lined box? That seems like something that would raise eyebrows if we go asking for one."
Harold looked uncomfortable "If you say so, sir. I was thinkin' more of a simple locator spell ta find it, and a seein' spell to see us. I realise wouldn't do more than a half mile at most, but that's a lot o' city." Comment made he shot a glance at Fyrtor, nodded, and stood.
"I might go jot this down while I still got it in my head. Maybe review a few things, if we're plannin' a raid for later."
Harold handed over the journal and pulled out a journal, which he started leafing through.
”This talk of scrying has me mighty uncomfortable. Is there anything we can do to protect ourselves? Or for that matter where we are staying? If we could ward even a single room, it would be invaluable.”
You have little trouble finding out that your mark is sharing a tawdry tale he made up about a noblewoman with his companions.
Not long after that, a typically cheerful Melia lets herself in the front door of the rental house.
"Hey everyone, I'm back. How did things ... good gracious!" she exclaims. "What happened here?"
"Movin' furniture." Harold explains "'Least that's what your neighbour thinks. I missed a trap somewhere, got stabbed by a devil." he looks to the others "Just the once though - by the time I'd got the book to safety Janus, Garrick and Khaz had taken care of it."
"We had a look at it, and Janus here has a suggestion. I'm not sure what you want with Johnny..." he raises a hand "Don't need to know. means I'm not much good at strategeezin'. Others wanted to wait for you 'fore we move. Janus says we don't have to worry about gettin' scryed, for now."
"Oh!" he adds "There's a hot drink if you want some. Go well with some cookies..."
Kazador looked expectantly at Mel. He didn’t like the idea of using anything tied to demons, but he trusted the judgment of her and Turion. It didn’t occur to him that he was breaking one of the core tenants of his people.
"Well, violently moving furniture. In a sparring match. But it's not really bad beyond the smell - it took all of...what, 8 seconds or so to get rid of the guard?", Túrion explains, surprised that Mel even noticed there had been combat, and so swiftly.
"Either way, lets bring each other up to speed before deciding on our next steps...rushed actions only bring trouble - I should know..."
Fyrtor cuts in, "First though, we need to decide what to do with the book, if we're going to destroy it, or not, and if not do we need to go buy a lead lined box, or do something else. We're worried that someone might try to use it to divine information about us. I don't like the idea of being spied on."
Melia listens to their account. "Well, I'm glad you defeated the salikotal devil," she says. "I don't know a lot about them, but I've heard the name, and they're nothing to trifle with. Brr."
"While a lead box would be good," she says, "I don't think it's strictly necessary. I'm sure Janus can correct me if I'm misremembering something, but generally it takes an extremely powerful divination to cross planar boundaries, correct? Well, we have multiple magic objects that open onto extra-dimensional spaces, like my haversack."
She pats it. It's so handy!
"As long as the book is in there, it's technically on a different plane of existence, effectively rendering it immune to most divinatory spells. Unless they happen to be cast by someone who is in there with it, in which case they already know where it is and we have bigger problems anyway."
She peruses the book.
"Mint jelly?" she asks. "Huh. Someone must like lamb, I guess."
Once she finishes reading, she says "Now, let me fill you in on what I learned. 'The shop' is a linen shop not far from Davis' house, at the base of the Palatine Hill. He went there shortly after he got home. I tried to listen in on them, but I wasn't able to hear anything from outside, and I almost gave myself away trying to get in." She makes a face. "There's nothing for it -- I'm going to have to learn to pick locks. Breaking the window was far noisier than I thought it would be. I still don't understand how a pane that small made so much noise. I wonder if it was enchanted? Bah."
"Anyway, when Davis came out again he got pushed out the door by a man -- youngish, about thirty in human years I think, but rather heavy-set. I let Davis go and staked out the linen shop. Not long after another man came out, this one with a scar over his eye. I followed him, but all he did was go drinking at a pub with what looked like some friends."
She shakes her head regretfully. "In retrospect, I should have waited for the one I saw interacting with Davis. Oh well."
"Davis has now informed his contact that the book has been stolen, and probably about the note I left him. So I'm afraid that a deception of Davis based on trying to convince him that his own bosses removed the book is probably not feasible at this point."
"As for what we do now ... I overheard something at the Dripping Quill. Apparently Davis would usually have been there last night, but he went to a party instead because his 'new friend' wanted him to be seen. That suggests that something happened this evening, something that we don't know about yet. Someone made some kind of move, and needed Davis to be free of suspicion. That suggests it was something involving the treasury, though it could be something else."
"I propose that we table this overnight. Tomorrow morning we see if there are any rumors swirling about things that happened tonight. Then we make our plans after that."
Harold perks up "Sounds like that's the shop I've been lookin' into. Signs say it's Reaps. If you're lookin' to break in, I'm good with a pick."
He sighs "Got some sympathy for this Davis fellow. Looks like he's bein' blackmailed. Might be someone could turn him, if they could offer him protection against a gang of assassins with supernat'ral help. Given he's messed up, wouldn't surprise me if he had an 'accident' real soon. Surprised he made it out of the shop. Reaps don't like loose ends." Harold shrugs "Well, didn't. Maybe they've gone soft."
"As f'r the box, I admit I'm not good on book learnin', but I've got a doctorate in paranoia. I don't want the damned thing. if you do want to keep it, I'd suggest you copy it down soon, or break the link or somethin', 'lest they try to fry the pages there already."
"As for rest... It has been a bit of a day. If you want to call it here, I can head back, get some rest, listen around a bit tomorrow and head back? Don't stop on my account, though. I'm gettin' on, but I'm not goin' to slow you down."
”Haste leads to cave-ins, not tunnels. Sounds like this is work that shouldn’t be rushed. If ye think that time n’ rest is needed, then I say take all that is needed.”
"Hm...a pity. I had hoped that we could use whatever information we gained to step up our game and catch them red-handed. Not knowing what is happening tonight is worrying - with Davis exposed and the books capture passed on, I fear that they will take measures to protect themselves and the trail will grow cold."
Túrion idly handles the book, sifting through some of the pages again, before closing it and pushing it towards Mel:"An extra-dimensional space should work fine enough. Just be careful putting it in - if there's any weird resonance or resistance, stop immediately. Also, could you give me detailed directions to that linen shop? Fyrtor and I may take a short rest nearby on our way home..."
"So Janus and I will stop by the linen shop on our way home and see what he can learn, then we get together in the morning and to reconvene and do some canvasing?"
"Fine by me," Melia says, and gives them directions to the linen shop.
You head to the linen shop on your way home. It looks quiet as the evening has grown late. You see the broken window that Mel described and a door.
Before leaving Mel's appartment Fyrtor resumes his alternate persona. He's a little nervous as the two of them walk the still busy streets of the city.
Túrion leads Garick down one or two alleys away from the shop.
"For what I want to do, we need some privacy, but we don't have to be right next to the place. That roof looks good..."
He finds some flat roof or elevated area out of the street levels eyesight, shifting himself, Fyrtor and Nelly there via Dimension door if needed before starting the lenghty incantation for remote viewing.
Before going to sleep, Mel takes out the book that Count Aral gave them and writes a report to him in it.
Arrived in Bannerhold. Established cover identities. Began investigations.
Viscount Alain Turick frequents underground fighting pit. Two of our number met him there, and sufficiently impressed him with their skills that he has hired us to investigate a series of embezzlements from the treasury. Our inquiries revealed one Jonathan Davis, a accountant, has been embezzling the funds and delivering them to a linen shop at the base of the Palatine Hill, minus a cut for himself.
Davis acts at the behest of a nobleman wearing a falcon signet ring, whose identity we have yet to determine.
Pro-human sentiment is on the rise, and increasing restrictions have been placed on the non-human members of Bannerhold, largely at Beaumont's direction. There seems to be an underground operation taking shape to provide aid to non-humans, led by one "Isabella." So far they do not appear to have taken any violent action. We have not yet managed to establish contact with Isabella.
Any insights you may have would be appreciated.
Janus teleports Nelly and Garick quietly to a nearby rooftop with a good view.
An hour after you have written, you see words appearing on your own pages.
It is possible that Turick means well for the kingdom. Whoever is behind the thefts must be a well-placed noble. If you can verify where clear evidence of their involvement could be found, I could request an investigation. King Stephen would not appreciate my request unless it proved right.
Meeting Isabella may prove valuable.
After that he draws his bow and Nick's and arrow. "I'll keep watch while you are in your trance."
"You and Nelly both.", Túrion smiles at Garick, then finds a convenient pose next to a wall before starting a repetitive sylvan chant.
Harold spends a little while in front of the fire, leafing through his books, making notes as he finishes the teapot off. Eventually, hospitality overstayed, he apologises to Mel and heads off for the night.
He takes a circuitous route, passing within line of sight of the linen shop, then via the gate and finally to an inn, where with a trembling quaver and a cough a ragged man who looks nothing like Harold begs the innkeep to let him stay in the stables for the night, out of the coming rain. He shows a silver coin, apologising for the amount, excusing himself that it is his last.
Not silver though, the innkeep sees with eyes much better than the old beggar's - eyes apparently poor enough he cannot tell debased silver from the much more expensive material. Enough to get near any room in the inn, but the innkeep magnanimously keeps the coin and offers a room in the hayloft.
Harold accepts thankfully. Up there he has privacy. Privacy enough to do readings with some safety. Privacy enough to read his books and shiver at how close he came to falling victim to a Reaps trap.
Hope the description was okay? Essentially spending gold for a room, but tried to make it more flavourful.
At Mel's: spend 15 minutes to grab Beast Shape and Bit of Luck.
Passing the shop: Burn 2 4th level slots & SS to get Insect Scouts. to see through. Use FS & Ritual to get CL to 14.
On the way back: Vanish,
In the hayloft:
Cast Bestow Insight (+4 insight) to perception.
Depending on what is still running...
See Beyond, Heightened Awareness, Bestow Insight, Tears to Wine.
Perception is 9 + 5 circ + 2 comp + 4 insight +5 enhancement = 25.
Cast extended Ears of the City (last pearl) = CL 9 = 18 rounds.
Not sure how long it has been since the various events, so not sure what bonii still apply.
Use SS to ward area with Alarm.
Insect Scouts should track him down eventually.
Sleep fitfully, and probably have nightmares. If nightmares can be the images from the Ears of the City & Insect Scouts, so much the better.
Janus places his sensor inside the linen shop and hears dice clattering on a table and occasional satisfied chuckles or disgruntled grunts. He also hears a gruff voice say "Ah stop. I can't lose any more money like this. Pass the bottle."
Janus briefly updates his companion on what is happening, briefly walking to get feeling back into hands and legs, before settling down against the wall once more:"Here's hoping we didn't miss anything relevant..."
Janus casts the spell twice more. On the first casting, he hears "Pay better be on time this week." Then an extremely off-tune drinking song about a horse that could dance.
On the second casting, he hears snoring and dice rolling every now and then.
wow...
"No use. They drank themselves into a stupor and are falling asleep. Lets call it a day and head home..."
Janus shifts the group back into a back alley.
There was little else to be done today.
"Ok, let's go get some sleep."
You decide to call it a night and see what happens the next morning. When you wake up, there seems to be significant agitation on the streets.
You convince some people who seem to know a bit more to share their information with you. In hushed tones, a guardsmen explains "Something happened in the royal treasury last night. A massive amount of jewels and other valuables were stolen. The place is buzzing like a kicked wasp nest. Everybody is under investigation."
Mel reads Count Aral's words, tapping the back of her thumb to her lips.
"Turick may mean well for the kingdom, perhaps," she murmurs. "The question is ... is what's good for Iustia good for the world?"
I do so dislike deceiving the people of Bannerhold, Mel thinks as she prepares her disguise for the day. But ... nothing much for it. I mean well. For them, as well as my own kith. Ostara, help me find a way through this dark thicket. She feels a brief warmth, like a fond glance as she ventures out to see what has occured overnight.
Unfortunately, she begins her enquiries too early in the day. Melia's irrepressible cheerfulness accomplishes nothing but annoying people who are still half asleep. "Morning people," she hears one shopkeep muttering as she leaves.
By lunchtime, Melia's cheerful demeanor has grown a bit strained under her repeated failures to elicit anything more than common courtesies from the people of Bannerhold. Around lunch time, she seeks out Fyrman. "Oh, Fyrman," she says, flopping down on a chair in his rented apartment. "I got off entirely on the wrong foot today. Could you ask around town to find out what's going on? Puh-leaaaase?"
She bats her brown eyes fetchingly.
Woken at dawn by an irritatingly conscientious young lad sent to tend the horses by the innkeeper, Harold spends a few hours in his hay-strewn sanctum doing readings after re-purposing the bale of hay he used as a pillow into a table.
Finally the boy finishes his chores, and Harold descends the rickety ladder, keen to depart without being seen.
As soon as his feet touch the ground he sets off to Miss Melia's house, hoping he hasn't missed anything.
Fyrman blushes slightly upon Melia's request. "Of course, it's no trouble. There's a couple of shopkeeps that seem to be friendly and the boys selling street food seem to have a knack for hearing the latest. Um, care to join me?"
"Sure! I can help, even!" she says, springing to her feet to accompany him.
Happily, everyone seems much more awake and more tolerant of Melia's perkiness when they com around again.
Kazador had never been know for being entirely subtle. And his attempts at gathering information proved that without a doubt. By the end of his attempts, all he had managed to do was procure information about the weather and several places worth eating.
You gather your information then all meet at Melia's apartment to discuss your next steps. Kaz has heard about an excellent savory pastries establishment nearby.
As Mel and Fyrtor reach her appartment he finishes off the last bite of a pie he'd purchased. "Well, that was fun," he remarks. Stepping inside he continues, "I should take you with me more often Mel. Folks drop their guard when you start batting eyes at them, makes things easier."
Once everyone has gather he safe what they learned. "So we learned from a guard that something happened in the royal treasury last night. A massive amount of jewels and other valuables were stolen. He said the place is buzzing like a kicked wasp nest. Everybody is under investigation.
Given that I think we'd best touch base with the Viscount. He'll want an update. I haven't spoken with him since we started investigating, but this is going to mean we need move some I think."
Upon realising he has missed Mel Harold silently curses the stablehand who kept him 'prisoned in the loft, then recants. 'Not his fault though, just not used to having a schedule.'
Rather than attract too much attention he turns to shopping. He buys a few bags of flour, a large jug of milk, two loaves of hot fresh bread, a basket of eggs, a jar of sugar, a hock of ham, a wrapped packet of flowers and a gossip sheet hot off the presses.
Having made some effort to clean himself up a little, he returns to wait nearby and read. 'Bit me head off once already, I'm not breakin' into her house!'
When he senses the others approaching he waits for them to enter, then moves to the door and knocks. In a loud enough voice for nosy neighbours to hear he calls "Morning miss Melia. I got that stuff you wanted."
"Oh good!" Melia exclaims upon finding Hal on the door. "Bring it all in. Oh, flowers! How nice. The place could definitely do with a bit of color. You're such an obliging errand boy! I hope you didn't forget the truffles."
After he is safely in and the door firmly closed behind him, she adds "Fyrman and I were just discussing Davis and Viscount Turick. It seems that last night while Davis was out on the town in plain view of many people, someone robbed the royal treasury! They made off with quite a lot of gems and valuables. Quite a fuss going on over there, it seems."
"Meanwhile, I've had word from ... our highly-placed friend whom I don't believe Hal knows. He thinks whoever is behind it all must be a highly placed noble. If we can identify the perpetrator and find clear evidence of their involvement, he can lean on the King to conduct an investigation. We'd better be right, though, otherwise we'll likely be squandering our friend's influence."
"He also thinks Turick might be well-intentioned. I am not sure. There are too many puzzling things about Viscount Turick. If his aims align with ours, well, perhaps he might be a useful ally. But I want a great deal more insight into his intentions and methods before we commit to anything like that."
"Fyrman, do you know how to get in touch with Turick? And should we all go? Or just the you and Khaz? He knows you two, at least a little. Having the rest of us show up might make him more cautious."
"He agreed I could bring on others, but I'm not sure there's a need for all of us to go. It might be good to bring you along though Mel, since you have seen the most during your reconnaissance. He has a man fighting in the ring every night of the second and sixth days of the week. We're supposed to contact Aral through him.
Khaz had a pretty memorable fight when we went last time. He'd draw attention if he came back and fights again. That can be good or bad depending on how we handle things."