After a great deal of super boring human chatter, and an even greater deal of lack of worms Peeko has had enough,
"You are all talking too much, and not to Peeko! So Peeko is going to get some worms from the Wine Smelling Lady. Nobody even thanked Peeko, but Peeko is too kind to point that out. Peeko is too kind."
Pellus rubs his forehead and sighs heavily, "That is fine Peeko. Thank you for your efforts, please tell Pro.. the Wine Smelling Lady what has befallen your Master. And tell her I said to give you... five hundred worms as a reward."
Peeko leaps up in shock! "FIVE HUNDRED WORMS! Ahaahahahahahah! Peeko is rich! Peeko will give you all one worm! Peeko is rich!"
Gleefully the tiny thrush darts off heading for home at the Alabaster Academy. Where he excitedly dive bombs Professor Glenell before perching in her hair and telling her everything that has occurred to his Master.
"And the Old Man promised, promised that you would give Peeko five hundred worms! Give Peeko five hundred worms! Peeko wants five hundred worms!"
Glancing longingly at decanter of fortified wine the Professor takes Peeko outside to the worm barrels and opens the lid of the first,
"But you cannot carry five hundred worms, so how about we keep four hundred and seventy in the barrel for you and I give you ten now?" She asks, scoop in hand.
Peeko narrows his eyes felling his is being tricked by this smelly old woman, but not sure how; but he truly cannot carry five hundred worms,
"Okay Smelly Old Woman! But if you are tricking Peeko, Peeko will poop in your hair!"
"You wretched bird! I am going to drown you in Cognac and cook you!"
"You will have to catch Peeko first! Ahahahaha!"
"I am not putting up with you for days on my own, you nasty feathered rat. I paid a man to find Salonius, go and find him and, hu, "help him" until your master is freed. Tell him he can keep the coin if he keep you out of my hair," Professor Glenell snaps.
"Peeko will do this, but Peeko wants..." the thrush considers the most outrageous thing he could ask for, "TWO CRICKETS!"
"Deal. Now you are looking for Saul Gibson, and you can find him at..." She proceeds to give a description of both Saul and his premises.
The Night Before
Alamara just begins to explain about Shensen and the Sarenrites, when the guard busts into Saul's offices threatening to arrest him. The young paladin's first reaction is to go for her blade, but as Saul seems to accept the intrusion, she slowly relaxes, gritting her teeth instead.
When the guard has departed, Saul seems shaken, so Alamara quickly updates him on the reason for her call. "I want you to help me find Shensen or any of my lost congregation." she says barely holding herself together. When Saul tells her to come back in the morning, she nods sagely, but is elated inside. Finally, someone to help, and a master sleuth at that!
Next Morning
Not knowing where to practice her forms, Alamara does them inside her flat though without the joyful sunshine and connection with her goddess. The flat is small and cramped and not the ideal place for that physical exercise. Finishing up, before she is due to work at the laundry, she scrapes together the few coins she has remaining, that aren't for food or rent, and rushes over to Gibson Investigations to get the search started in earnest. She is surprised to see a thrush continually circling the porch, as if it belongs inside. Saul appears to be out again, so she takes her accustomed place on the stoop, watching the small bird's antics.
Salonius aims to spend his time productively, by formulating the basis of a new spell - though certainly even the best possible scenario is that he can achieve a theoretical outline that he would need to research with materials at hand later.
Hmmm, let us call it Barridan's Magic Fruit. The goal being to temporarily infuse a first or second level spell into a fresh fruit so it can be consumed by anyone.
I would need a short somatic sequence, perhaps tracing a circle with ones finger around the fruit, and a focusing chant, maybe the fruits draconic or Azlanti proper name? Material components would be the fruit itself, as well as a needle to prick fruits flesh and serve as a channel for the infusing spell to enter...
Yes it could work, though it would doubtless have a far inferior duration than a potion, likely only a few hours for a low level wizard, though more powerful casters should be able to make it last longer. You could find a Cleric and have them infuse a few fruits with healing before setting out on a dangerous errand, or let a fighter enlarge himself in battle.
Of course it would be an expenditure of two spell slots for one spell. I wonder if it could be made to accommodate both 1st and 2nd level spells as potential infusions, that would render it more worthwhile. Perhaps even an option to infuse a cleric channeling, or similar abilities, if a holy symbol was added as a focus? Hmmm.
Combining his love of botany with his arcane studies Salonius looses himself in contemplation and is able to pass the time without focusing on his uncomfortable situation.
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"Thanks, Mac." Saul flips Karl a copper. Always keep the informants happy. Rule number two of solving a case. Rule number one being, never fall for a client. Of course.
Saul makes his way back to his office, and sees the young dame sitting on the front step, this time with a little bird chittering and boping from branch to branch on the withered shrubs in front of the office window.
"Your pet, Alamara? Oh, no? Strange little thing. Seems excited. Well, let's go in. I need to hang up this hell's blasted picture before they drag me off."
Saul and Alamara walk inside and the little bird comes right on in too. The chittering continues, though Saul doesn't pay it enough attention to realize it is speaking in Common. He pulls a small picture of a bowl of fruit off the wall, and puts the picture of the queen on it. He makes sure it is straight, then he spits on it. For Alamara's sake he says, "Uh... that was because they made me spend nearly all my savings, nothing personal against the queen herself."
Saul starts pacing around the room with his hands behind his back, and starts talking, half to himself and half to Alamara.
"Missing people.... missing people. Too many of them. I was asked to find a missing student of the academy, Salonius Barridan. Seems like he may have been caught after curfew, and I am wondering if the Holding House is keeping after-hours violators there. Probably in there making license plates right now. No idea if they are letting curfew violators out, or if his stay is of the more permanent variety. Like a cement galoshes sort of permanent."
"This thing with Shensen is different. I've heard of the dame, of course. She owns- owned...the Silver Star, and I've heard of her talking badly about the government. Given the connection to Sarenrae, and that the Mayor seems happy to remove all religions here besides worshipping the Prince of Darkness... My guess is that Shensen is somewhere quite secure. As is likely my own partner, Logan Hawkes. I don't know if he is anything more than missing, but I believe in coincidences as much as I believe that Mayor Thrune want to be my best friend. Hawkes had a bit of the blab about him, didn't much like our leaders, and always talking some tale or another about an ancient group called the Silver Ravens, an old bunch of freedom fighters. I'm sure his mouth has gotten him in trouble."
He pauses and takes Alamara's appearance in. "I think I may saunter over to the Holding House. You are welcome to come, but I think it is a dead-end for Shensen and the folks who are more... disagreeable to the new administration. Maybe you should ask around town where the really bad criminals go. Lose the armor; find a dress. Pretend to be a barmaid, or a gossip, or a flirt, or something innocent. Right now, you are about as innocent as a cat in a bird shop."
That reminds him of the little thrush dancing about. Saul looks at it. "Is this thing talking?"
"Peeko is the best at talking! Peeko is talking! Hey you Saul Gib's Son! Listen to Peeko! Peeko is a familiar" the thrush managers to infuse the "f" word with an astonishing amount of smugness, "Peeko's Master is Salonius Barridan, and Peeko has bravely - Peeko is very brave - escaped from the smelly prison with the crazy bleedy eye torture Lady."
The tiny bird flutters about in front of Saul keeping just out of reach.
"Peeko went to Master's family, then to the Wine Smelling Nasty Old Lady. Then the Wine Smelling Lady bribed Peeko with, hahahaha, two crickets. She said to tell Saul Gib's Son that you can keep the money if you keep Peeko out of her hair - but Peeko does not want to be in her nasty smelly hair. Peeko is very useful so Peeko will help you for until Peeko's Master is released in a few days. Peeko will take payment in bugs, but Peeko is very rich so do not worry too much. Peeko is a magnum animus."
"What can I buy at a bird shop? Peeko is very rich; Peeko is rich."
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"What in the holy halls of tarnation is this thing blathering about?"
Eventually, Saul makes out the words "Salonius Barridan" and "prison".
"In a prison? Do you remember how to get back? Show me the way."
To Alamara he says,"It is possible Shensen is in this prison the bird is chittering about. Or maybe she isn't. Do you want to come or do you want to start wearing a dress? "
"Peeko is very clear! Peeko is clear. Master says it is not nice to call dumb people dumb... Peeko knows the way, prison is too big to loose, everything you giants make is too big," the thrush flits towards the door gesticulating to it with his head,
"Peeko will lead the way! But do not get caught! Master is afraid of people getting caught trying to get him out. Although Master probably does not care about you... But the scary murder torture Lady who is not human and bleeds out of her eyes might take a fancy to you and kill you after torturing you. Peeko was not scared of her. Peeko was not scared. But Master was very scared."
"Maybe tell Peeko what you want to know, Peeko is very sneaky! Peeko is sneaky. But Peeko will stay up high."
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"Peeko, I just want to get some eyeballs on it. See where it is. See what kind of guards they have. Not planning to break him out or anything. Maybe I'll get up the gumption to talk to someone there to see if and when your master is to be released. No need to be sneaky. I have nothing to hide and have done nothing wrong."
"Peeko is not sure the nasty guards will appreciate sight seeing of prison. Peeko thinks you should be a bit sneaky. But Master already charmed a guard and the guard said it was about a week for them to let people like Master out, and that Warden Sabo from the Temple of Asmondeus tells them who to let out - if the bleedy eyes not human Lady, Ghenemahl, does not pick them to torture and kill."
"Master did get put with some other people for a bit, but Peeko was hiding so Peeko could not see them. Peeko could not see them."
When Alamara hears that Saul thinks Shensen is in detention, her first reaction is: "If they have her, then let's go get her out. By force if necessary! The devil-loving Asmodeans cross the line this time. Hang up their pictures all you like, but taking an innocent woman, a fine upstanding citizen, is too much, even for them!"
You see her anger blaring hotly. As Saul mentions he is going to the holding house and that Alamara can come along, but she must be more discreet, her temperature cools. "How do we free them, Mr Gibson? Finding them imprisoned is one thing, but i need her free. How do we accomplish such? Not with feats fo arms it appears. Do you know a way?"
Then as the little thrush speaks, it appears they have the same goal i mind. Alamara has her change of clothes in her bag, so she excuses her self to change while Saul and Peeko work out the details.
When she returns, her clothes are not grand. Stained from lye and soap, and worn from use, but they stand otu less than the sunburst on her shield. Alamara stands firm, her chin set, ready to go with Saul to this prison.
"Right, fact finding only." Alamara nods her understanding and tramps off after Saul and the thrush to see what there is to see at the holding prison. In the back of her mind is the idea that this might just be more than a fact-finding mission. She ached to get her hands on one of the devil-worshipping guards and show the righteousness of her cause to them. But, Saul didn't need to hear all that...yet.
The Holding House is a stone, one-story, bunkerlike building. One of the earliest constructions of Old Kintargo, it’s also one of the city’s strongest. The Holding House was the city’s original jail, but until recently the structure sat abandoned. The Holding House’s walls feature no windows and are made of reinforced masonry. The building’s gently sloped roof has slate shingles over a reinforced wood frame.
Of course it also has an entrance door, one could knock at.
"To find facts, we have to get inside, don't we Saul?" says Alamara looking at the imposing structure with some chagrin. This certainly wouldn't be easy to fight your way into, so maybe Saul was onto something here. "Want me to knock and see what happens?" Being a novice investigator, Alamara doesn't want to ruin things, but is eager to get answers.
The girl, dressed in her peasant's gear, still has a martial bearing that is apparent to those who pay attention to them as they stroll through the city. Her long blond hair and bright blue eyes turn heads as well, but she is oblivious to the attraction that she may hold for others, her purpose single-minded as it has always been.
Peeko is somewhat dumbfounded by Alamara, but keeps quiet at first, until she suggests knocking, "What do you think you learn inside? How to get tortured? Peeko has been inside Peeko telled you this! Peeko telled you! Wait for Master like good Peeko, Master would say priory planning and preparation prevent piss poor performance - Peeko is good."
He flits back and forth some six feet above Saul and Alamara occasionally turning off to act like an inconspicuous bird.
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"Hold on, hold on, you two. Let me think for a g-d minute."
It's quiet. Too quiet. Knocking on the door at this point may cause us more of a headache than I want. Especially if the bird is right and there is a "bleedy eyes not human Lady" in there. Sounds like another devil creature.
Saul takes in the vicinity. This is Old Kintargo, which he knows well.
"Here is the rub, Peeko. I'm sure your master is in there, as you say. No doubting you on that. The question is; are the other two people we are interested in there too? How active is the place? How many guards? How often do they come and go? Despite what I said earlier, I am having second thoughts on the whole knocking on the door thing. It might make more sense to wait for a guard to come out and talk to one, preferably in a dark alley, than to try the direct approach."
"Let's do a bit of what I like to call a stakeout. We find somewhere to sit and we just watch. And watch. And watch. For hours. These old bones don't mind a stakeout at all. You bird; feel free to flitter around. See if you can find anyway in besides that front door."
Saul looks around to find a good place to sit for a long period of time. Wonder if the houses across the street are abandoned?
Mels picks up the ring and looks at it, considering the benefits; full acceptance into the family, more of a voice in family disputes, status around Kintargo...the list is heavy. Against that, though, are a mountain of drawbacks. Lack of autonomy—she wouldn’t be able to do what she wanted, when she wanted, and with whomever she chose. Endless, boring Court of Coin meetings. Having to, publicly at least, switch back to diabolism instead of simply not thinking about faith (save in private). Having to actually listen to her foster mother. And, worst of all, getting married as a political move. In the end, though, there’s no harm in taking the ring. She quickly slips it on.
"Wonderful, you made the right decision." Eldonna tells with relief. "Don't worry too much about the responsibilities for now, just make sure you don't attract unwanted attention from our new Rulers here in Kintargo. The rest you will learn with time."
"And another worry you might have I can disperse - I'm not going to parade you in front of potential husbands. Just make sure to not leave bad impressions with those you want to choose from later."
"For now I'm no longer keeping you occupied here. Have a nice day." Eldonna tells and gets up to turn to her daily work.
The road in front of the holding house is busy. But there is no bench to sit down. This is Old Kintargo and not The Greens. The houses are all inhabited, but getting cup of water and a seat at the window is no big deal for a few coins.
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Saul is all too happy to give a little old lady a few coppers for permission to drink water in her house and look out the window.
His thoughts go to his constantly running internal monologue... The case, the devils, the brunette dame and the cat, the antsy paladin, the annoying bird... the booze... the woman... the boy. Glad they left town. Wouldn't want them in a place crawling with devils.
Saul keeps looking out the window, watching to see who comes and goes. Guards can't stay in there all day.
Sitting there and watching, Saul finds out that the guards take turns leaving the Holding House for a couple of hours. Two of them leave, and once they're back the next two leave. Looks like the guards are as much imprisoned in this hole as the prisoners. At least most of the day.
"Peeko does not know, probably they are inside, but Peeko does not know. Peeko will take a look for ways in, Peeko will look," the thrush responds before flying in a round about seemingly haphazard bug searching manner around and over the Holding House.
”Something is not quite right…” Meliandri remains sitting at the table for a minute after her foster mother leaves. Then, making up her mind, she grabs Ashana by the hand, half-dragging the halfling into her room and locking the door behind her. ”I need my most formal dress, a pair of shoes I can stand in all day, and three sets of white silk gloves in a pouch. I am going to pay my brother a visit.”
A half-hour of preparations later, a quite dolled-up Mels takes a deep breath, lights a candle, and takes a few tentative steps into the underground basement-archives of the Aulamaxa house. At the bottom of the stairs, she pulls out her first set of silk gloves and tries to slide off the Aulamaxa signet ring. After a few tries, all of which end with it getting stuck at her knuckle, she shrugs and simply pulls the glove on over the ring. ”Pellius? It’s me, Mels.” She holds out the candle in the mostly-dark basement, waiting for a reply.
There is a shingle broken, which allows access under the roof for a thrush. Which allows access to one of the cells.
Pellius opens the door after a time that felt like forever, but was only a minute or so. He smiles at Meliandri and offers her to come in with a gesture.
Peeko contemplates the broken shingle for some time, his tiny brain trying to figure out what his Master would do in the circumstances. The bad men have only been here for a few days so they are not ready to trap Peeko... But nasty rats and spiders might try to eat delicious Peeko. Peeko is surely delicious. But Peeko is brave. Peeko is the bravest.
Steeling himself the thrush cautiously creeps into the Holding House inching along listening carefully and being as stealthy as possible. Eventually he makes his way to a cell and peeks at its contents.
It is an empty cell, with the same interior than the one his master is. A mound of straw as bedding and a scratchy and moth-eaten blanket. And the slit, the small window in the door is open.
Peeko retreats and after returning via a round about route flies over the old Lady's house and gains entry via a rear window,
"Peeko finds a way in, for Peeko, not humans. Peeko bravely went in - Peeko is brave. But it was only an empty cell. Peeko does not know who you are looking for so Peeko does not look, but Peeko can go back... Maybe."
Meliandri moves carefully through the basement, following her foster brother through piles of parchment with scrabbled notes and bars. Pellius might carelessly crush his music, throw it about, and burn it in the furnaces below Aulamaxa Manor, but she’d learned from experience that no one else could touch it without permission. He sits on one side of a piano bench, patting the other until she sits, and then begins moving his fingers across the keys. The keys clunk and clonk, but no notes sound from the grand; its strings are all cut.
”Beautiful, isn’t it?” Pellius cocks his head to look Mels in the eye. When she nods, he rips the written music off its stand, balls it up, and hurls it toward the back of the room. ”No one must ever know what it sounds like.” He takes a moment to recover, fingers moving across the keys as he keeps his eyes locked on hers.. ”Why are you here?”
Mels takes a deep breath, giving her brother’s bandaged body a quick hug and then sliding her now-puss-covered gloves off. They go into the pouch and another pair goes out, though she keeps them off for now. Instead, she shines a light on the signet ring. ”Mother seems to have decided that I would be a suitable ‘eir with some work, and since you are...indisposed...and Kosti is five-”
”She’s five? I haven’t seen her since she was a baby. Tell her to come visit me. Tell her it won’t be like last time. Tell her I’m sorry.” Pellius’s fingers keep tracing their paths across the keys as Mels pulls her gloves back on.
”Yes, she is five. I will tell her, but she cannot make that decision. Mother can. Now, I need advice. Mother has never considered me as a good heir until now. Why would she do that with the current political situation?”
"You got the speech and a ring too?" Pelius asks, checking himself at her hand, but the gloves cover her hands already. His ring lies besides the keys on the piano.
"I don't know. I liked her speech though. But I don't think I'll come out of my kingdom." he states while his fingers scurry over the keys without making a sound.
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"Well done, Peeko. We will describe who we are looking for, and you will go back in and look for them. You don't need to talk to them, or anyone. Just look and come back. Ok? We will find you some worms. Five of them. Oh, and just poke your head in at your master, ok? Make sure he is okay? "
Saul and Alamara describe Shensen and Logan Hawkes.
Here's hoping.
Peeko is lucky. There is no guard in the cell area at the time he comes in and he can easily check all the cells.
Peeko tilts his head nods several times and repeats Saul's descriptions back before setting out again. Cautiously reaching the cell again he peeps out of the door slit and once he determines the coast is clear and no guard is currently looking his way flits between the cells peering inside each in turn.
Very quietly the thrush begins whispering, "Logan?" At each cell looking for a reaction, before anxiously checking for guards.
Peeko gets surprised reactions from both guys that are in the cells currently, but it's hard to tell if they are Logan, as they don't answer.
Annoyed by the constant stupidity of humans Peeko ensures he can give a detailed description of each potential Logan before heading over to Salonius and filling him in on events.
He then returns to Saul and Alamara and fills them in on his discoveries.
Peeko gives his report and it is clear that there is no female in prison, and Saul is 70% sure that Logan also is not in the prison.
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Saul takes in the report. Up to now, Alamara has been waiting quietly, a fact which has surprised him greatly. Figured a young firebrand like this wouldn't have any sit in her. Figured she would rush the prison when we first showed up. I was prepared to just walk away... Guess there is more to her than I first judged.
"Patience pays, Alamara. This wasn't a dead-end, not exactly. We have good intel that one of our three missing persons is certainly here, one is certainly not, and one is probably not. Figured that coming here, but now we know for sure. Bet that is enough to earn the two simoleons from the old professor."
Saul sighs, adjusts his back and shoulders, and stands up. He grabs his longspear, which he uses as a walking stick. He leaves 3 coppers on the old woman's table and calls out a thanks.
"Ok, princess, I hate to take this method, but I think we need to get more involved if we are to learn anything new. This is my plan. We wait until two goons leave the slammer. We tail 'em, just for a few blocks. Just enough to get away from the prison. Wait until they get to a quiet street, or better yet, a back alley. Then I bribe them. Five silvers each if they tell us about the joint where the more dangerous prisoners go. We tell them we just want to know where our friends are and if they are alive. That's it. No violence, unless they turn on us. No lying. The straight up truth is the best way to make a squealer sing."
"Peeko, yer a good bird. I don't have any worms on me, so I will owe you. Not sure if you want to, but interested in coming along?"
”’Mmm.” Meliandri thinks on her brother’s response for a while, silently fidgeting with the ring under her glove and listening to the clunking sounds of the keys. It’s clear that Pellius isn’t going to be able to help her decipher her foster mother’s intentions, but after preparing herself for a visit, she doesn’t feel she can just leave.
”’Ave you ‘eard the changes the new mayor ‘as declared?” Meliandri spends the rest of her morning and much of her afternoon discussing Kintargo’s politics with Pellius. Through it all, his fingers move across the keys in undecipherable patterns, though he seems engaged in the conversation more often than not. Eventually, Meliandri’s stomach starts to growl. ”I think I will raid the kitchen before supper.” Another hug and change of gloves follows. Finally, Mels ascends the stairs out of Pellius’s basement and returns to her rooms, where she orders a bath and a change of clothes. It’s disappointing to her that she hasn’t left the house all day, but there’s always tomorrow…
"Do not worry Peeko is very rich, he does need your worms. Peeko is rich. Master said to stick with you, but not put Peeko's self in danger, so Peeko will come. Peeko will come! Peeko is very helpful for following, sometimes Master will be looking at a handsome man and then Peeko will follow the man and find out where he lives and Master will be very cross, but secretly pleased and turn red," the thrush responds cheerfully.
"Peeko could lend you some worms. They are both tasty and useful. Sometimes Peeko will drop them in the hair of his enemies, or mix them into the Stupid Wine Smelling Old Woman's pie."
"Well Peeko can drop something but Peeko thinks this is a terrible idea. Master says Peeko's best defence is being "just a bird", if birds start doing bad stuff then the guards know to watch for birds... Better if Peeko flies ahead into an ally and calls out Dottari Guards are dog f*$%*!g inbreds who smell like Owlbear droppings then clever Peeko flies away before they see him. See? Peeko is clever!"
Alamara understand patience and decides to wait out the "stakeout" with the master sleuth. When Peeko returns and says Shensen is probably not in the Holding House, Alamara doesn't know whether to be glad or sad. If not here, she may not be custody at all. Or she may be in a worse place...
When Saul suggests confronting a pair of the guards, the paladin nods along. "I agree with your methods Saul Gibson. Lying is not the way. But, if the men will not tell us what they know of Shensen and the others, they may require some "education" that all who do not follow the path of Sarenrae need from time to time. These friends of Asmodeus may not tell us true, but I can be quite persuasive..." She cracks her knuckles to stress the point which is not so subtlely made.
"Come Peeko, you are a brave bird, and I would be honored for you to ride on my shoulder should your wings tire of carrying you." If the bird allows it, Alamara will stroke his feathers under his chin as a reward for his bravery.
"Ahahahaha! You are a nice Lady! Good character. Peeko approves! Peeko approves of you," Peeko leans in to chin skritches, his eyes almost closing in contentment.
"But Peeko cannot ride Peeko needs to maintain his.. anon... anomanity? Uh, Peeko needs to be an enormous mouse? Something like that - Peeko does not remember because Master is too boring. Ooooh Peeko look, I can graft an apple to a pear, blah blah blah. Master is boring, but also nice, Peeko loves Master. Peeko loves boring Master."
Perching on Alamara's shoulder, smugly, the thrush waits until a viable target appears and then rushes out of the back window before beginning a discrete aerial surveillance.
As clever Peeko forgot his clever idea as fast as he got it, Saul just follows the guards in a safe distance, with Alamara and Peeko in tow. While walking, a patrol of the Chelish Citizens’ Group crosses your path.
Finally the two guards turn into a small backstreet, which is as close to the desired situation as it will probalby become.
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"You set, Alamara? If things go south, you might want to try to get around them to cut of their escape."
Taking a breath, Saul calls out, "Ho there! Pardon me, fellows, I have a deal that may interest you."
Assuming the guards stop and turn, Saul and Alamara approach to a distance of about 15 feet and stop, not wanting to appear threatening. Saul pulls out his rather light purse and fishes out a gold piece.
"I've been asked by a concerned friend to look for a missing person. This gold piece is yours if you can tell me where the fools are sent who dare speak out against our Lord Mayor. I simply ask because I intend to find out if this person is still alive, to give the friend some piece of mind. Nothing more, nothing less. But... well, look at that, my purse has another gold in it. If you can tell me anything about persons named Hawkes or Shensen or Salonius, I'll just have to give you that one too."
!!! max !!!
The charming words and the shiny coins easily persuade the two guards. Though they look surprised someone is willing to pay for this obvious information. "The really bad boys go to Castle Kintargo, as always."
"I don't know about Shensen, but I think Barzillai Thrune is a big fan of her! He has a statue of her in the opera. Hawkes I have never heard and Salonius...?"
His companion jumps in to help "Isn't Salonius that lanky guy we have in the Holding House? Nice guy. His s~!+ smells like roses and his piss like fresh spring water. Literally. Was caught outside during curfew. Depends on the mood of the boss when he'll get out."
With all told from the top of their head, they ogle the coins, waiting for them changing the owner.