Saul turns some heads, but students tell him where to find Professor Glenell. He is pointed to her office/home next to the experimental orchard. One of the students jokes, that Saul is about six hours too early for his meeting with her.
And indeed, she is fast asleep. Dirt in the face from last night's work, sweaty clothes she is slumped on the table, sitting on an armchair. The empty bottle of wine rolling back and forth on the table with the wind.
The office is a mess of books, papers, tools, dirty mugs, mugs with saplings, drawings, notes and whatnot. But the keen eye of the sleuth recognizes a pattern. Any moved piece of paper would destroy the hidden order and give away the meddling.
But it's all about botanics and agriculture. Not normal agriculture of course, there is lots of magic involved. But nothing about devils. The only thing remotely related is an old thick book about summoning outsiders.
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With time to kill, Saul sits down to read through the book on summoning outsiders, paying special attention to anything related to defenses and trying to put it together with what he already knows.... Eventually he gets bored and starts coughing loudly every few minutes... hoping to stir the Professor to wakefulness.
On the noises Saul makes, the professor finally wakes - kind of. With moaning Glenell sits up and holds her back. Only to moan more, as the sun shines in her face. She covers it with her hands and leans forward again, putting her elbows on the table.
With a long sigh, she picks up the bottle, checks that it is really empty and put it upright on the table. After some more time she gets up, checks on her shirt, and wipes her face with it.
As Saul coughs again, she spins around. "You are no student." she states the obvious. "What are you doing in my office?" she demands to know.
Cassius starts to mill about the town and bars, listening for gossip.
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Saul notes the runes, and wonders what they mean. Better explain myself quick, in case that is a spell coming my way.
"Your memory is short, Professor. You hired me a few weeks ago to find your student, Salonius. I did succeed at that job... 100% success rate on my cases, don't you know. In the short time since, he became my closest friend, though a couple of days ago he went missing again. I don't suppose you have seen him...?"
To know what the runes are.
Glenell eyes Saul closely "Was it Gibs Olson?"
"Well who cares. I haven't seen him since you got too close with him. And I don't think it works that way. Just because I lost him and you found him, doesn't mean, I have to find him for oyu this time!" The runes disappear again.
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"Ok. Well, I'm sure if he pops up again he'll find me. But tell me, I've run into a bit of a situation. I was hired to retrieve a document from a... government run building. Guarding the place was a ugly devil woman of some kind. She wasn't a devil, she wasn't a human... she was some kind of mix. Tried stabbing her and she just pulled the knife out and kept going. Any ideas what she could be?"
@Cassius
"No. Doghousing is some kind of torture. They put someone in a cage together with some dogs, and that prisoner has to fight the dogs for the food. It's an outrage! That the government doesn't do something about these self important thugs!" the old man Cassius met on the market at some vegetable stall, complains on the quiet.
@Saul
The table is in front of the building on a terrace in front of a large six paned double door which allows a view on the orchard that begins past the terrace. The orchard has a picket fence, of about five foot height, that separates it from the road to the right. The orchard runs with a with of 50feet for some 50 yards straight away from the building. To the left is an old wall made from boulders taken out of the soil that seperates the orchard from the more conventional agriculture science fields.
Glenell looks around to be sure no one listens in on their conversation. Then she enters the office and closes the door behind her. "Is stabbing government officials your normal everyday business?" Glenell asks.
"Listen Olson. If you're doing such stuff, you can't show up in my offive like that. The last thing I need is a Thrune breathing down my neck."
"And about your problem? I got no clue. I do plants. If you have an issue with a devil, why not ask at a church. Most competent would be the ones of Asmodeus. I'm sure you have their instant attention if you approach them like you did with me."
"If you don't want to go that route, you could try the library. If you're nice to our librarian, she might let you pass and even help you finding something. But this whole university doesn't do devils."
She picks up an apple from a bowl. "You want one?" she asks and throws the one over without waiting for an answer picking up a new one.
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Saul nods, exactly expecting that answer from the professor. He takes a bite of the apple, appreciating the texture of it.
"Not a bad fruit, ma'am. I knew S was into botany, so I figured you would be too. But you must have a colleague here at the academy who knows a thing or two about devils. Maybe someone who is more interested in academics than toeing the line with politicians. I would like to talk to a professor, not read a book, if that is possible."
"You talk to me. And I guess that is as good as it gets if you insist to talk to someone from this academy. Everyone openly admittng to deal with devils would lose his or her job the same day."
"But it can't be that hard to find out what is special about that lady. You already know she deals with devils of some kind. And you can't wound her with a normal weapon?"
Thinking about it she adds "Is that someone I might have heard of? That doesn't sound like the typical receptionist."
Fhingle paints at the secret lair while waiting for the others to arrive, going up to the Coffee house he spots Jarithe. Fhingle walks over to him with coffee and two cups.
"Good day, you feeling good today?"
"Ugh, that's awful! Any idea where this is happening?"
Zea walks into the Coffee House, looking for others. Seeing Fhingle and Jarithe, she whispers as she passes them "Something strange happened to me yesterday."
"I've heard, it's in Aria Park, but I for sure won't go and check. You can tell me if you find something out. I've got to go home now to the misses." the old man tells and moves on.
Fhingle smiles then goes and gets a 3rd cup, pouring Zea coffee Fhingle responds. "Outside of all the other strange things going on?"
Zea nods. "Yes. Let's talk about it when we go somewhere more private." Drinking her coffee, Zea speaks in a normal conversational tone. "Mmmm, this is good. Where do you get your... uh... stuff?" Coming from a poorer district, Zea doesn't know the first thing about a luxury like coffee...
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"Well, I don't want to get you in trouble. But since you ask... no, it is no receptionist. A left or right hand of our Mayor, name of Nox. She enjoyed skewering the crowd at the opera house demonstration, if you need a memory jog on that name. If you don't want to be troubled, I can go search the library. Do I need credentials for that? Maybe you can get me in at least?"
"Nox? That name I don't know, but of the strange woman that dispersed the Aria Park protest with her hell hound I have heard of."
"Salonius told about her. Strange rumors that became more and more unbelievable the longer the event was in the past spread through the academy."
"You won't get me into trouble. I'm just telling, that all people at the academy are not interested in devils. Dryads, druids, or some elementals maybe. But I can accompany you to the library."
Looking down her front, checking the stained undershirt she is wearing, she tells "But I need to change first. Get out and wait."
"I will ask Laira, you should join me in the back to ask her." Fhingle gets up clearing the table and leading the two to the back.
Zea nods with mock curiosity. "Yes that sounds like a... delightful conversation..." She follows Fhingle into the back. Once there, she shows her strange new black scimitar that she had concealed. "Someone called for help from a little house by the Fantasmagorium. I went to help and found this sword! It talks!"
Cassius thanks the man and heads to Aria Park.
She quickly cleans herself with a little cloth and puts on the fresh top. Dropping the cloth on top of the drawer cabinet, she turns to leave.
"I'm ready. You have some more details about this woman you want to research?" she asks while leading the way to the library.
@Cassius
In the southern part of the Aria Park is a lily pond. In the middle of it is a pagoda on a small island that is connected to the rest of the park with two bridges. In the pagoda a doghouse is set up. The bridges are guarded by two Chelish Citizen Group thugs on each side. Every pair of them also has a large mastiff on a long leash.
Cassius mills about and loiters, munching on some biscuit watching the doghouse and guards for patterns.
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Saul's eyes widen just a smidge as the Professor walks out of her office, cleaned up. She's a drunk, who spends more time in the dirt than not, but she can clean up. And I am exactly the same...a drunk, more time in the dirt than not. Just a different kind of dirt.
His opinion of her slightly changing, Saul gives a half-bow and gestures her to lead.
"A devil bound human. That is my best guess; remember hearing it somewhere or read it somewhere. But I don't remember what exactly it means, or what power that gives."
"Well, that will make it complicated. But at least it gives an idea where to look." Glenell tells without going into further detail.
She leads to the library, which is an impressive wing of the academy. She approaches an elderly woman sitting like a guardian behind a counter on an elevated platform, like on a throne. "Good morning Priscilla. Be a darling and hand me the key to the poison chest, would you?" she greets the woman.
"How do you get away with all of that? Admit it - you put a charm on our headmaster!" Priscilla accuses Glennel and hands over a key.
"You know, no one can resist me when I'm awake, clean and mostly sober." Glenell replies with a smile that could melt a rock and a short side glance at Saul.
She waves Priscilla good bye and leads the way through the shelves, where at the back in the last corner a part of the rectangular hall a smaller room with a heavy door and a very well made lock house the literature that is not for everyone to see.
"Welcome to the world of magic and stuff that is at best dual use, if not outright evil." Glenell tells showing the shelves with ancient tomes from all over the world. "I have no clue where to search exactly but we have a desk, and a chair, and four hours of time, as you woke me early."
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Saul's jaw drops a bit before he recovers. "You...ah... should try staying mostly sober more often, ma'am. It's done wonders for me. The name's Saul Gibson, by the way. Of Gibson Investigations."
"Stick around and help me for a few hours, gorgeous, and I'll treat you at a nice coffee place that I know of. A nice break from booze."
Saul does his best to approach the research job with charm and enthusiasm, trying to impress Professor Lidia while searching for any sign of "devil-bound".
hours
"Your pickup lines are really lousy. I hope the coffee that you offer is better. " Glenell replies. She grabs a random book to flip through the pages and sits there for Saul to bounce ideas off her.
In exchange the human gets some special abilities. They can see in the dark, their skin hardens, can't be hurt by fire and heal so fast, that it is almost impossible to kill them. Only weapons blessed by calling upon good deities or magic that reflects the will of good deities can end them. .
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"Devil bound... Fire doesn't do anything... Heal... yes.. yes... This explains her. It says that we need weapons that channel the power of a good deity.. Yes, that makes sense, to help sever the connection between the human and the devil who holds the contract...Ha ha! Yes! This is her secret! We did it!"
Saul tries to lean over and impetuously kiss Prof. Glenell on the cheek.
Glenell takes some notes of her own about a complicated process of growing a plant into a creature. She nods at Sauls comments or throws in a question when his conclusions make no sense to her. But in the end she has three books for her own studies about the sinister ways of using nature.
As Saul jumps up in excitement, she gets up too, to take a look at what he found.
As Saul attempts to kiss her, she turns away and puts her hand on Sauls face, to thwart his attempt and hold him at arms length. Taking her hand back she tells "Listen Olsen. You're not dumb and you don't look bad. That is good enough for me to give you a chance. But so far you found two ways already to screw up with your mouth."
"So for the time being, I suggest you reflect on what you want to say before you open your mouth and everything else you want to try with your mouth you ask first. Okay?"
"If you have everything you need about that devil woman, we should leave. I have to give a lecture soon. I'm done at six o'clock. You'll find me at my office. If you're late, I may be already drunk." she tells. She opens the door for him to leave.
"Hey you! Move along! Or you get some taste of our dogs here." one of the thugs shouts at Cassius.
As the man held here shortly risks a look out of the doghouse Cassius gets a glimpse on who it is.
Cassius tries not to show recognition and leaves.
Glenell gives Saul the we'll see smile. While he leaves she looks after him seizing him up. Well grown. Some pruning on the manners and that tree might be a nice addition to my yard.
She closes the door, locks it and walks back to Priscilla. "Here's your key back. And I got a bowl of cherry apples that need eating in my office, if you like some."
After some small talk with Priscilla, Glenell collects her papers for the afternoon lecture and is off to the auditorium.
The smell of coffee and freshly bakes pastries fill the air in the Longroad Coffeehouse. Laria is bustling around with a tray serving these delicious goods. Maybe a dozen patrons are sitting at the tables for a late breakfast or an early lunch.
Three of them are Fhingle, Jarithe and Zea who sit at a table in the back corner.
Zea nods to Jarithe. "I didn't want to draw too much attention but I say we go back there as soon as we can before they beef up the guard. But we better check the place out and make sure."
Zea glances at the newly-eager Saul. She shrugs. "Sounds good to me. But I don't have more than a few silver to my name."