"I did notice one thing you didn't comment on," Bellis says, looking up at Zota. "One of them mentioned Andra takes a back way home, which seemed a bit odd to me."
Zota pauses, reflecting, 'His wife said the same, did she not?"
Bellis nods. "She did. It just seems a bit strange to take the main road here and then a different way back, doesn't it?"
He shrugs slightly, which always looks strange on a cat. "But then again, what would I know? I'm just a cat, after all."
"Right, just a cat." Zota shakes his head, 'Let's retrace his steps before we bother the Watch. Let's do the main road and then the back alley." Zota carefully follows the same path as the missing fisherman.
The main road is well-traveled. If there were any clues here, they've likely been obliterated by the passage of thousands of people.
The alley, however, is clearly used only sporadically. It's also not paved, though the fact that it hasn't rained in the last four days means it's hard-packed dirt instead of mud right now. Old footprints are clear in the ground, though it was unclear which were Andra's.
Before they got to far, however, Zota glanced down a cross-alley... and saw two Watch members standing guard at a warehouse back door.
"Trail has gone dead cold, Bellis. To be expected after four days."
Zota looks around, but doesn't see anyone immediately. Likely the presence of the Watch members nearby chased the usual loiterers off--the Watch is always suspicious of people of no fixed abode.
"The trail might be cold, but that doesn't mean there aren't any clues to be found..." Bellis responds.
Zota grunts, "The eternal optimist."
Zota notes that there seems to have been an odd amount of foot traffic in the alley the two Watch members are standing in, judging by the number of footprints in the dried mud.
"Or maybe I just like goading you on," Bellis replies flippantly.
'That I already know." Zota replies, coming up to the two Watchmen. While many in the Watch were corrupt, lazy or otherwise undesirable the mere fact they existed but this plane on a much higher field then his home plane.
He walks up but keeps respectful distance away. "Greetings, Watchmen. How goes the night with you?"
One of the two Watchmen glares at Zota. "Move along, citizen," he growls. "There's an active investigation going on here."
The other one looks at him closely and then says, "Wait, aren't you that... darkling investigator? The one that tracked down those stolen gems? Maybe he..."
The first watchman gives his companion a glare. "Active investigations are not to be interfered in by civilians!"
Zota inwardly sighs.
He nods to the one who recognized him and bows, 'I am indeed he."
"I have great respect for your work, gentlemen. Keeping the streets safe, solving crimes, but surely you must admit refusing help is foolish? I am investigating a man who vanished along this street. I only inquire if your investigation intersects with mine."
The watchman who recognized Zota looks ready to speak, but his surly companion glowers at him then turns back and answers, "There have been no reports of missing persons. Now move along, citizen."
Zota hated dealing with overly official Watch men. They obstructed justice not helped it. He had two options, either escalating it to their superior or simply getting the more talkative man off duty.
The second seemed less likely to get these men in trouble.
"Very well, thank you for your time." he gives the more helpful man a wink then vanishes into the night.
"Now we wait." he tells Bellis, 'We watch and wait, when they come off shift, we get the more helpful man on his own to speak. Settle in, this may take awhile."
Zota goes into an abandoned alley and summons Kokoro, the shadowy, spindly mantis shaped being forming in the soft shadows of the streets.
Zota doesn't want to linger in the Docks at night without his friend. Besides, Kokoro is much better at hiding...
Zota then sends his eidolon to a shadowy corner to hide and watch the two Watch men.
When Zota turns to speak to Bellis, he notices the cat has vanished. Which probably means he's sneaking about somewhere.
After Zota summons his shadowy friend, it gestures at the ground at some odd tracks in the alley he is hiding in.
Zota moves to look at the tracks, leaning over them.
Zota examines the ground in the alley. It's fortunate there hasn't been any rain the last few days, and that this alley is so out of the way, or the tracks would have been obliterated. They look somewhat birdlike, though human-sized, but the more interesting thing is a long, smooth spot that obliterates part of the tracks. It's like whoever made the tracks was dragging something heavy... like a body.
Zota finds that the tracks don't go very far before they turn and end at the back door to another warehouse.
This warehouse has clearly seen better days. The wall is made of weather-beaten old planks, that may have once been painted but now just look gray.
I hope Bellis doesn't get lost.. With that Zota checks for traps..
There don't seem to be any traps on the door, though Zota notices some odd scratches around the keyhole as he inspects it.
He opens the door to reveal an unlit warehouse, with haphazardly stacked crates forming something of a maze.
Zota thinks he hears something off to his right just as he opens the door.
Zota has Kokoro go first, the shadowy creature both stealthier and tougher then he is. The mantis shape, born out of his own shadow, moves toward the right toward the unknown sound.
Glancing at the crates, it looks like they hold fabrics--cheap fabrics, like canvas, wool, and linen, rather than anything expensive like silks.
Kokoro weaves between the crates, until he finds a small spot that has been cleared out, almost a room with crates for walls. Within, he sees two tengu and a tied-up man.
Zota looks at the scene and puts together a simple plan.
He has Kokoro move up by the sleeping men, claws extended, ready to attack. Zota stands slightly behind them, out of reach but visible. He holds a finger up to his lips to tell the tied-up man to be quiet .
Once all is ready Zota roars, "What is the meaning of this! Lay down your weapons!"
The tengu squawk in shock at Zota's sudden shout, then notice the dark shape standing over them, barely visible in the gloom.
"We no have weapon!" One of them protests, spreading empty hands above him as his eyes dart back and forth, trying to make out what's going on.
Before they can say more, the tied-up man shouts, "Liars! You conked me from behind! They're just trying to fool you!"
Liars..of course..
"No one move, or you'll regret it. If you live long enough." Kokoro seems to ripple in the darkness, a vast threatening shape.
"Now, you, what is your name?" he asks the chained man. "Speak quickly."
As he talks I use Mage Hand to try and root through any gear the tengu have.
"Andra," the man answers. "Now, are you going to set me free?" He seems oddly belligerent for a captive.
The tengu stay very still as Zota roots around. They've both got small bags, and there's an assortment of mundane gear scattered around in the small room formed by the crates. Tengu aren't unheard-of in Absalom--of course, just about every race shows up in the city at some point. A few are in crime, but these two don't have any of the usual signs pointing to a life of crime, that Zota can see, at least.
Zota looks at the chained man, and is puzzled. Not only is the man a bit overly aggressive but unarmed guards? Whoever heard of such a thing.
"No rush, friend." he says to the man, wondering what exactly was going on here.
He turns to the tengu, "Who are you and why are you here? Why is this man restrained?"
"I'm Jaigh," one of the tengu says. The other, in a more feminine voice, says, "I am Shamkia"
Shamkia continues, "And he attacked us! We were just minding our own business, and he jumped us! But the guards would never believe he attacked us, so what else could we do?"
Zota suspects she's not telling the truth.
"He attacked you yet he is the one tied up? Right?' He turns to the chained man and asks, "Andra, what is your wife's name?"
A crude test but the best he can come up with right now.
The tengu opens her beak to reply, but is cut off by Zota's sudden change of subject.
Andra seems surprised by the question, but answers, "Merori's her name. Why d' you ask?"
Suddenly his voice and expression soften. "She sent you, didn't she? Is she all right? She eating well?"
Time to find out Zota gestures to Kokoro. "Skewer them if they move." He says, pointing at the tengu. It is unneeded but it should make an impact on the birdmen.
After this he starts to free the fisherman.
The tengu stay very still as Zota frees Andra. Up close, Zota can see the callouses on the man's weatherbeaten hands.
He sits up after being untied. "Thank you, sir. Been tied up here four days after one o' these bird-brains konked me on the back o' my head."
'So, what happened? Why are you tied up" Zota asks, adding, "Why are they unarmed?"
As far as Zota can tell, this man looks, acts, and smells like a fisherman who's been tied up for days with only occasional opportunities to stand.
"I was just walking along, going back home, when one o' them bird-folk snuck up behind me and konked me!" Andra exclaims. "Woke up here all tied-up, with them arguing in their sing-song bird language. Won't say what they're keeping me for. And I know they has them some knives and clubs! They just keep 'em hid."
Zota nods, 'Are there others? Where are the weapons?"
Then, as he releases the man, "Any idea whey they kidnapped you?"
"I haven't seen any others, and how'm I supposed to know where they keep weapons or why they grabbed me?" Andra seems annoyed by the questions. "I just want to get home and see these bird-brains in jail!"
Zota casts Detect Magic over the room, looking for something to explain this mystery.
"You know it isn't that simple, Andra. I have to figure out what happened, and then we all have to go the Watch, give reports, the whole deal. I'm sorry, but that is what the law requires."
The fetchling is uneasy. Something isn't right here.
Andra harrumphs. "What else is there to figure out?"
Zota picks up some magic from a heap of rags in a corner.
"Why they kidnapped you, for starters and if there are any others. Please remain still." The summoner takes two steps back, and then casts Mage Hand on the pile of rages, rummaging through it.
Andra glowers at Zota, but stays still.
It doesn't take long before the fetchling sees gold peaking out from beneath the rags. A bit more rummaging reveals a sizable cache of jewelry hidden in the corner.
'What's this?" Using his magic, he fully reveals the pile of jewelry.
Turning to the tengu Zota barks, 'What is all this then?"
