Natalya nods in approval at Cameron's actions
The poor wee beasties shouldn't have to suffer just cos their late master was a ne'er do well, we can let them out later indeed
she moves to stand next to Cameron as he opens the next door.
"Let's hope that food will calm them down."
If they screech like that whenever someone comes in, at least we'll be warned if somebody returns.
This big room smells of old blood, and the ground is covered in sand.
There are eight corridors, four large and four smaller, but each points to the center of the room.
The place seems empty.
Staring one way then the other, Natalya shrugs
So... anyone good at tracking? Knowing which of these is heaviest used would be good, or if anyone's passed this way recently even...
At the center of the room, where the corridors meet, Zahel finds, well hidden under the sand, a strange looking lock on a trap door.
The key must be quite big, and odd to see... or maybe you can try to rig the mechanism?
Cameron walks into the strange room and becomes rather perplexed, "I know little about architecture granted, but this seems uh very strange! Somebody went to a lot of effort to build this but why? Oh Zahel what did you find there?!"
He bends down to examine it and murmurs, "Well isn't that a thing... I wonder if there's magic here?"
He concentrates and whispers a prayer, attuning his senses to the ethereal...
There is no magic at work. Just a mechanism.
"Fascinating. Maybe I can open it..."
Nessa had been very quiet since they'd gotten down here, she was even behaving herself and not causing problems or being her normal flirty self. Why this was is anyone's guess but she was being very serious now. When they found the hatch with the seemingly giant keyhole and Nessa finally spoke, the words popping out of her mouth, "I wonder if Saul's fake hand would fit that? I bet it's about the right size."
"Desna favors the bold, sometimes"
Zahel forgots the first rule amond surviving thieves: "Always check for traps before you try to open something".
But tonight, the stars are rights.
Nothing bad happens.
But even with all his skill, Zahel can't open the lock. It seems it opens only with a one-of-a-kind key.
It takes everyone a few moments to realise Nessa is talking about the hole in the floor and the strange mettalic apparatus at the end of Saul's wrist.
But the tiefling, an expert about "what could fit where", might be right on the spot.
Natalya concentrates as Zahel works on the lock, despite its stubborn reluctance to submit to his tools, he finds the tumblers moving more easily than they should
Cameron rocks back on his heels, bemused "Wait so you think only Saul's fake hand could open this? Surely something like that doesn't come cheap, and Saul is a cheapskate in most things. What in heaven is down there?!"
Therric watches as Zahel fiddles with the lock.
"...want me to try kicking it open?"
"Ya know I aint adverse ta gettin' 'is filthy paw down here. With or without the dreg."
Cameron replies to Therric, "You could try and bust it open, but something tells me if Saul went to all this effort it's going to be sturdy. Just make sure you don't hurt yourself."
Nessa grinned viciously at Alayna's suggestion and said, "With the dreg...dead. He's a threat to Sylee now, he dies as soon as I get the chance to kill him."
Sheesh, tough lock! breathes Natalya.
Well Nessa, if that's the way it goes down then I doubt there'll be many hear shedding a tear, providing income one on side balanced by trying to kill you and yours on the other, no contest really...
She twirls a small knife in one hand
So the only thing left then... where do we find him at this hour?
Therric lines up a boot and kicks at the door...
Alayna guffaws as Therric looks a bit like a parrot striking a window. "I think tha's a bad way ta open the hatch. Let's go find Saul."
You realise that, in two hours or so, the first members of the staff will be there.
Saul isn't in the Gold Goblin, probably. If you want to act, you'll have to be quick.
Nessa yawned as she felt the exhaustion of a stressful night come up on her. She looked at the others and said, "We need to leave, now. It won't be long before the staff start showing up and we don't want to get caught down here. At the moment this could all be due to a rival attacking the place. Let's leave him wondering who did this."
Yawning slightly, Cameron mutters, "Yeah she's right. Lets get back to Caitlin's and see if we can't get some sleep... Don't know about the rest of you but I could sleep for a week. Oh I wonder if we can put the back door key back where we found it? Or should we leave it open?"
Before they leave, Cameron gets some more food from the kitchen and puts it in the animal's room.
Therric stifles a yawn. "Might as well--I managed to wrangle a day off outta Saul. I should put it to use." He says with a quick glance in Nessa's direction.
I should ask Caithlinn where a good restaurant is in Riddleport...
So where else would he be if not at work or his bedroom at work? It's nighttime for Blot's sake!
mutters Natalya crossly.
Probably up to no good.
"Maybe it would be best to put the key back."
Putting the key back into the kitchen, you go back to Caithlinn's place, for the second time in the night.
You don't know why, or how, but you feel the mood in the street has changed.
Usually, at this time of the night, the street are very dangerous. Thieves, thugs, press gangs, and who knows what kind of other creature roam the street of Riddleport.
There is a common saying telling that "you can spot every kind of evil human being in Riddleport by night, except the Gendarmes".
Strangely, every kind of miscreant gives you a wide berth tonight, and you reach Caithlinn's house without troubles.
Someones open the door for you, a face you are too tired to recognise.
You get to the rooms upstairs, and hit the sack.
Hours later, you awoke, to the delicious smell of Caithlinn's cooking.
The Gold Goblin is probably open by now. You feel better today.
Therric makes absolutely certain that he's the first one out of bed in the morning. After dressing, he heads downstairs to Caithlinn's breakfast table.
"Your hospitality, as always, is quite appreciated, ma'am." He says with a smile.
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you a question..."
I hope you realise you are most welcome in my home. I'm listening, Therric.
She crosses her slender legs..showing some skin
Sitting up from the sofa where she'd fallen asleep on her arms, Natalya's hair is in somewhat of a disarray. After a haphazard attempt to tame it with a brush she gives up and joins Therric at the table, cutting herself some fruit and chewing it slowly as she stares at the wall.
"Alright... my question is this." Therric clears his throat before taking a bite of breakfast. "...where's a good restaurant in Riddleport?"
He glances back towards the stairs to see if anyone else is coming down. "I want to take Nessa somewhere nice for dinner, and I kinda want to surprise her."
After such a long day Cameron more or less collapsed into bed and slept through most of the day. At first his sleep was untroubled, but then he started dreaming, reliving the horrors of the previous few days. Tumbling from one dream to the next, trapped. His dreams twisted stranger still he was convinced he was awake, yet still sleeping. A dream of the lucid sort where the normal rules do not apply and anything can happen and did. Eventually he fell back into a deep sleep and all was quiet for a time.
Blearily he opened his eyes and immediately realized two things, first he had a terrible hangover and ached all over, second he wasn't in his usual guest room. "Ugh" he moaned softly, "Why is there a marching band in my skull?" This was meant to be a rhetorical question and he was most surprised when a certain, rather attractive elf answered him. Noting the empty bottle by the bedside cabinet he groans, "Oh I see, elvish spirits. Apparently I'm, a lightwight. I don't remember how I got here, not that I'm complaining..."
Looking very much worse for wear, Cameron finds his way down to the kitchens. He sits down heavily and tries to answer Therric, "Well there's the Three-Billed Duck near the arena. Never been there, it's a little pricey. Looks cosy enough though, most of the tables are set for two in private booths."
As he says this he absentmindedly shuffles his deck of cards and cuts and shuffles them again. "Cut the pack for me will you Therric? Lets see if the gods approve of your plan." After Therric cuts the deck, Cameron deftly fans out the deck face down and turns one over.
Seeing the deception of a splendid castle with banners flying, Cameron smiles broadly, "The Keep, a good omen. It represents quiet, unshakable strength that withstands any hardship. Like a relationship eh?"
"Well, that's a good sign, isn't it." Therric takes another bite of breakfast. "So, where's the arena?"
"Well, that's a good sign, isn't it." Therric takes another bite of breakfast. "So, where's the arena?"
Whilst demolishing some bacon sarnies, Cameron replies, "Not far from the waterfront on the eastern side. Honestly you can't miss the arena, it utterly dominates the area. The Three-Billed Duck is on the western side of the arena, depending on when you want to to take her, you might want to book."
Nessa, tired after a very long day, had crawled into her bed with Sylee and stayed sound asleep well into the morning.
Therric is quite attentive when Cameron explains where the restaurant is. "Really? Hmm... what are our plans for today?"
Cameron replies, "I'm not really sure. Well at some point somebody is going to find Bojask, and there'll be a commotion. Separate to that is the question of what's behind that locked door, the one we think Saul's fake hand opens. I think Nessa wanted to get it."
"I know I want ta have at it. At least to clear the rats from our bilge. Saul 'as got ta be cast off like so much flotsam."
Natalya nods, her expression a little more awake now she's on her third cup of strong black tea.
Well no matter which way you slice it, we have ti find Saul to get access to the key. So head back to the Goblin?
That night, Zahel slept like a log; when he got up, his mind was a little clearer. He stayed in his bed for a few minutes, staring at the ceiling, wide awake as he remembered their macabre discoveries. Wondering if Larur's death could have been avoided.
We did our best. And Bojarsk has been clear: if he was ordered to murder him, then Larur didn't have a chance.
Or at least, this was what his rational mind was telling him; yet he was still bitter. He had been payed for a job, and he had failed to do it. With a sigh, he got up, spent a few minutes preparing his extracts, and studied his formulas, hoping that it would distract him a little bit from his feeling of guilt.
Eventually, the investigator joined his friends in the kitchen, looking well-rested but troubled somehow. He nodded at Natalya's suggestion:
"Saul will need to return to the Gold Goblin eventually."
"Aye, we can set our sails tha' way an' either complete our bit a' mutiny, an' have at the rat's quarters ourselves, or see if he surfaces. I be thinkin' tha' the staff may 'ave more loyalty ta us than ta' Saul's black heart. 'Special if they know wha' 'e did ta our mate Larur." Alayna is very serious when she says this. Nothing worse 'an a rotten cap'n ta make seas rougher than they are.
It was nearly midday when Nessa finely woke up, Sylee had long gone out of the room to play but for some reason the tiefling didn't feel alone. She felt another awareness nearby, one that was both familiar and strange at once. The mind was slow and contented but seemed aware of her too, it was very...strange. She looked up and realized that she was looking at herself somehow, at least she thought so. The image was strange, it was orange and red and blue, not what she knew. With a shake of her head things snapped back into place and she found her self looking at Zith. The venomous serpent had risen up on it's coils and was looking at her and somehow she knew it was Zith who had been looking at her. She approached cautiously and when the snake bobbed her head up and down once in acknowledgement she opened the cage and put her hand in it. The snake's tongue flickered against her fingers and then slowly coiled around her arm as Zith made her way up to Nessa's shoulder. Coiled now around Nessa's shoulder and neck the serpent brought her head around and flicked her tongue against Nessa's nose before settling into place. Wonderingly Nessa didn't worry about putting the snake back in her cage, content to know that Zith wasn't going to hurt anyone and if she was, Nessa would know it. The two went downstairs and joined any of her friends who were still there for lunch.
Cameron nods, "Lets hope you're right about the staff Alayna. Besides we need to go back and let those animals free. They should be alright for a while, but they'll starve before long."
Cameron notices Sylee coming down, he calls out, "Good morning, there are nice things to eat!"
Sylee heard Cameron and squealed in delight as she ran down the stairs saying, "Honeycakes!" She reached Cameron and climbed up on the seat next to him holding her plate out for him to give her some of those delicious pastries she loved so very much.