"Where do I get permanent invisibility? That would avoid that you have to share the reputation. And your enemies stay solely your enemies." Tauriell asks.
"Just put Niamh in your backpack. She can cast invisibility on you every time someone approaches us." Abomentolor suggests.
"That solution is cheap. But it's not permanent. And I don't think that she wants to live in my backpack." Tauriell replies.
"How about a wand of invisibility from Lini. It's not permanent but it wouldn't protest to be put in your pocket." Gwenhwyfar comments.
"Then let's go there now." Tauriell replies and changes the direction. Entering the shop that is just two blocks away she greets Lini. "Hello Lini. How are you?"
"Ah! There you are! I'm already waiting for you. I need to check on Artoo." Lini replies and catches some supplies.
"Before we go- do you have a wand of invisibility?" Tauriell asks.
"I think so. Just check in the box." Lini replies and moves outside the door. She puts down her stuff and waits for Tauriell to come, that she can lock up the shop.
Tauriell looks through the magic sticks and grabs one labeled invisibility (16 charges). Seeing Lini waiting she hurries out of the door "Got one." she says holding the wand up.
"Shall we be on our way then? I need to get back to the temple to look at finishing clearing the space for the orphanage and finding building materials and such."
"Let's move to my lair. I want to see it's progress!" Abomentolor urges the others. "You're coming along, aren't you?" he asks Jimmy and Gwenhwyfar, eager to show off with his new home.
"That is what I just said." Jimmy says with a sigh
"Yes you have to see it. Compared to that derelict the temple is in pristine condition." Tauriell teases the gnome.
Abomentolor ignores Tauriell's comment and happily leads the way to the Shadow Clock. As they approach the large tower he boasts "See. Isn't it great."
Even in the shadows of Underbridge the polished brass plate with 'Abomentolor' written on it in huge letters can be seen from a block away.
"If you only consider the dimensions of it." Gwenhwyfar comments looking at the holes in the wall of this run down tower.
"Are you compensating for something?" Jimmy asks trying to keep a straight face
"That's all minor renovation issues." Abomentolor plays them down. "Once my artisan team is done this will all be bright and shiny again."
"Sure." Abomentolor replies to Jimmy with a grin. "The world ignored me most of the time. I'm going to make it really hard for the world to keep that habit."
As Isabella hears the talking she comes out of the tower in an overexcited mood "Hello Abomentolor. Good thing you're back. I made some plans but you have to approve them first." she says holding out some papers with sketches on them.
Noticing there are more people she adds "Oh, hello. I'm Isabella. Nice to meet you." offering her hand.
"Hello. I'm Gwenwhyfar." Gwenhwyfar replies taking the offered hand.
"Jimmy." Jimmy says shaking as well
"Let me see this." Abomentolor replies taking the notes and starting a discussion with Isabella about the details. Mostly because he doesn't get it from the sketches.
Tauriell takes a short look inside the tower. "There is not much to see yet. They installed the first stair." she tells Gwenhwyfar and Jimmy. "But I'd like to come along with you to take a look at what you are planning."
"Hey. I'm also here. Will someone give me a lift please? I don't want to wait for the stairs to be finished." Lini complains.
"Oh, sure." Abomentolor replies and casts fly on Lini. He then turns back to Isabella and disappears inside.
Lini flies up the tower and in under the roof. She checks on Artoo, winds him up and refills the tool compartment with fresh components.
Then she takes a look at the clockwork. It looks far better than yesterday. All of the rust is gone. "Artoo, you're really a piece of jewelry." she praises him her eyes gleaming with joy.
"Sure thing Tauriell, Abomentolor seems to be bust so shall we head there now?"
Artoo removed the rust from all the accessible surfaces and oiled the axles as far as his he had oil to do so. As soon as he gets it refilled he continues with that. With his other arms he busies himself checking every wheel if it would move already to be able to reach the surfaces where the gears mesh.
Suddenly Artoo pauses, turns towards Lini and points to something specific in the gears where the remains of two rotten and torn off ropes hang from two pulleys.
"Yes please. Now that I'm still free to go. Later I will have to babysit our megalomaniac gnome that he doesn't get killed so let's use the time." Tauriell replies following Jimmy and Gwenhwyfar.
Lini takes out her journal and takes notes about the progress, what supplies and what amounts of them Artoo needs to be able to do such repair work. And a list of spare parts missing for this specific project. "What I need to find is away for you to communicate better. If you could talk all of this would be much easier." she says. If se talks to Artoo or herself is not entirely clear.
As Tauriell, Jimmy and Gwenhwyfar are gone a squad of eight city guards led by Captain Kasadei arrives at the Shadow Clock.
Kasadei shortly admires the brass name plate and knocks at the open door. "Is Abomentolor Goblindburner here?" she asks in a demanding tone.
Oriana turns around and looks at the Captain with a grim face. That's what she is paid for by Abomentolor. And a friendly face is hard to imagine with her.
"That is me." Abomentolor replies looking up from the plans and handing them back to Isabella. "I know you. We've met once or twice. But sorry, I can't remember your name."
"It's Captain Kasadei. I have some questions. There were reports about a fight in Low Cleft. And your name came up in the investigation." Kasadei explains. "What was your involvement in that?"
"Wonderful. Even the City Guard knows my name now." Abomentolor gleams.
"There were some thugs who wanted to cash in 'rent' for the temple of Sarenrae by beating up one of the guys working there. I managed to track that attempt down to it's root and payed that guy a visit. Maybe you know him. He lives in a blue wagon and has a large fish tank in there. It turned out this guy wasn't interested in talking that out. So I made it clear in a 'language' he might understand better."
"But to talk openly: I expect him to try to come back at me. And if he does I'll put him six feet under. Does that answer your question?"
Kasadei looks at the gnome in disbelief "You payed a visit to Jaster Frallino, the head of the Gallowed?" She shakes her head. "But you can't run around town and start your personal wars. And we have a justice system. If you have problems you call the guard and we solve them. You have to accompany me to the Arvensoar for further questioning."
"Will we meet this Frallino guy there? To hear his side of the story too?" Abomentolor asks.
"That is none of your business." Kasadei replies.
"I thought so. Once you're willing to take the known criminals to the Arvensoar I might consider visiting you there to answer some questions. Until then you're out of luck. I have better things to do with my time." Abomentolor gives back.
Oriana has a hard time to hide a grin that is sneaking on her face.
"Either you come voluntarily or I'll make you come." Kasadei threatens and gives her guards the sign to ready themselves.
"You and what army?" Abomentolor asks now with a serious face.
"Let me tell you a story." Oriana interrupts the conversation. "I could stand here with 20 battle hardened Gray Maidens. Not such commoners in armor like you brought here. But I wasn't there to call of the fight against that small man here. And now all that is left of my platoon is Helanda. Because she wasn't there for the fight."
"I have no doubt that the City Guard will manage to keep the upper hand finally. But right now you have the choice if you want Abomentolor as an ally or an enemy. Choose wisely because the wrong decision comes at a high price. I had to shovel 19 graves because of such a wrong decision." she tells with a dead serious face without the slightest sign of an emotion.
Kasadei gulps visibly and her men are getting uneasy.
"Alright then. I'll talk to my superiors and they decide what to do here. Someone will come to talk to you about that." The 'hopefully not me' between the lines easily recognizable.
"I'll be here." Abomentolor replies with a smile.
Kasadei commands her men to follow and leaves without another word.
"You're really good." Abomentolor tells Oriana. "They will remember that for a long time. And it's much better than actually burning them. Why didn't I come up with such a brilliant idea."
"Because you're a stupid little dick full of yourself."
"And just to be clear: I won't help you kill these guards. I don't care if they take your sorry ass and put it on a stake for display. I only helped because I don't want to see these good men go up in flames." Oriana tells, glaring at him. She then leaves to let off some steam somewhere else.
Abomentolor looks after Oriana with a puzzled expression on his face. But he shakes it off and turns around to Isabella "Can we continue with our planning?"
Isabella stands there pale like a bleached bed sheet her mouth open. "I think I need to sit down." she replies and takes a seat on a pile of wooden beams.
"Why?" Abomentolor asks. "Did you eat something bad? You look sickly."