As Helane steps away, she hears a new argument starting between the inspector and the mate. "This isn't the first accusation of you smuggling, you know. I have half a mind to have this place searched from top to bottom ..."
Helane knows from the letter that the documents should be in the captain's cabin, so she and Beaumont head off in search of it.
Helane and Beaumont find themselves in front of a close door. A brief inspection shows that it's locked.
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Zandirri comes up to the door and attempts to unlock it.
"I've got this"
First will try to take 10 for a 21.
If that isn't enough :
"hmm, a bit tougher than I thought it would be"
If that STILL isn't enough :
OK, this is going to take some time. You might want to keep a look out"
He then takes 20 for a 31
Zandirri's skill with the lock is evident.
The lock clicks satisfyingly and the door slips open.
The captain's cabin is unremarkable, although better furnished than the rest of the ship. Light comes in through small portholes, and illuminates a made bed and a mostly clean desk.
A brief bit of searching turns up the ledgers you were seeking in the top drawer of the desk.
You have the ledgers, and are still in the captain's cabin, having picked the lock to enter.
It's pretty clear after a few rounds of examining the ledgers that they contain evidence of smuggling activity.
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"We have what we've come for. Let's be off before anyone becomes too suspicious. Unless I'm mistaken we still have a meeting to disrupt, no?"
Helane looks awfully pleased with herself, she's even friendly with the rest of the group as she starts to walk back to the top of the ship,
"Fine work with that lock Zandirri, do be sure to lock the door back up as we leave."
You make your way to the tavern mentioned in your letter. You have about an hour before the meeting, which is enough time to prepare just about anything.
The Overflowing Oyster is a dirty, broken-looking building that barely fits between the fishing tackle shop to its north and the junk shop to its south. Hanging over the door is a creaky sign that shows a painted oyster with pearls spilling from its gaping shell.
The interior of the Overflowing Oyster displays a mix of rickety furniture and gaudy decorations, from strands of obviously fake pearls hanging over the kitchen’s entrance to wooden carvings of sultry mermaids and cheap paintings of ships at sea.
The proprietor and barkeep, Paltus Flynter, asks the regulars to call him “Pal” and is always willing to lend an ear. Aside from Pal’s mute younger brother, Gregon, who tends the kitchens, the Oyster has no additional staff.
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Helane shares the information she has on the Oyster with the rest of the party while scanning the building for any obvious signs that the agents they are trying to thwart are here.
Contrary to its name, the dirty tavern is hardly crowded, even during its “busy” hours: at meal times, several local laborers hunch over cheap food and casual games of chance, cursing and muttering to the same old friends about the same old troubles.
The proprietor and barkeep, Paltus Flynter, asks the regulars to call him “Pal” and is always willing to lend an ear. Aside from Pal’s mute younger brother, Gregon, who tends the kitchens, the Oyster has no additional staff.
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Elneth follows her companions into the building's hall, carefully listening to Helane Tes "In that case it might be difficult to make sure for our enemies not to see each other... There are some clues here that might be playing on our behalf and we should discuss"
"They might not know each other. Which means we perhaps can impersonate them, move them to a private room and simulate an alternative meeting for each of them. This option have the risk they might know each other and discover our disguise and the advantage they would think the meeting has taken place and everything can go on normally." Elneth says.
She continues then "The other option is to make sure one of them does not arrive to the meeting. We can take him and hit him until we make sure he will not attend, but that will certainly arise suspiciousness. A better variant might be to make sure one of them does not arrive on time, then slip a message to the one attending saying the other had a problem and will not arrive to the meeting."
"And finally, we have the advantage the delivery is imminent, we only need to divert the meeting for a time, just for this night, and we will be ok. One easy way to achieve it might be making sure the meeting point is not available to them anymore, they will not know where to go then for the meeting. Taking the tavern by fire might be effective but too much. Perhaps impersonating a health inspector and closing the tavern preventively for the night?" the half-elf woman looks at her companions a bit overwhelmed by the possibilities.
"Any other ideas?"
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"Those all sound good dear, but first me must identify who it is that we're disrupting. I'm going to talk to the bartender, perhaps the rest of you could find seating somewhere?"
With her usual air of over confidence Helane walks over to the bar and waits for the bartender to come over while she mumbles something and makes a few arcane motions with her hands. When he does finally come over she tries to ply him for information.
"Pal, hello dear man, how are you today? I was wondering if you could help me on a small matter. You see I have a few goods I need moved between here and Absalom, and I'm supposed to meet a Kortos agent here, but I've forgotten the description I was given. You wouldn't happen to know of any Kortos men here today, would you? I'd be grateful if you could point me in the right direction, discreetly of course, so my rival in the trade don't catch wind of my affairs."
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"Wait just one moment before you do that! I'll try to keep the other guy occupied."
Beaumont moves to the far side of the bar, readying his violin. He starts up a lively performance, altogether too fancy for this sort of establishment, hoping to turn some heads, and keep Gregon's attention away from Helane.
Paltus starts to protest, and then his eyes glaze over slightly. He smiles at Helane ... and action his face doesn't seem accustomed to. In short order Paltus has described not only the Kortos agent, but also his grocery, his cooper, and his contact in the pearl trade.
Beaumont's performance captivates his audience. The few regulars and Gregon are thoroughly fascinated.
Helane sees no one in the bar matching the description of the Kortos agent. Paltus confirms he (the Kortos agent) has not yet arrived.
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"Well, that seems awfully brutish Zandirri! We made it onto that boat without trouble, why shouldn't we be able to convince one man that he missed his meeting? Perhaps we can try to convince him that the location has been changed at a moment's notice. Or one of us could even pose as an Aspis agent! Maybe Pal could convince him to leave, he is very helpful after all. At least for now."
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Brutish? Moi? How silly. Just efficient. Still, if she can manage this without me that works for me. She'll be the one killed if things go wrong, not me. Boy, though, she is confirming every opinion I've ever had of the nobility. I really hope she is lying about being Varisian. I thought better of my people.
"A touch on the violent side, perhaps, but I'd hardly say Brutish. After all, I wasn't going to kill or even seriously injure him :-).
Still, if you'd prefer another approach I'm fine with that. I'll let you handle that since you're obviously much better at lying to people than I am. I'll just hang around in case things go wrong and you need a "brute" to bail you out"
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"The inspection suggested by Syrak I like as a first plan. We can try to place some vermin in the tavern while the inspection is there and force them to close" says Elneth thoughtful "Then as plan B Helane can try to talk the Kortos agent far from the tavern. And if none of those work, we still have plan C with Zandirri hiding from a corner ready to brutish him out. Just letting him unconscious for some hours and simulate a thievery should be enough if the worst happens."
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Rozella looks around as her companions seem to have things in hand. She takes a seat with Syrak and have an ale while the others finish up.
She heads out when the others do, she than looks as plans are discussed.
I understand that a well placed placed is at times easier than trying to play nice with someone. However, I will go with whatever the group decides as a whole. No matter what, we need to prepare quickly.
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"Well we know this meeting is happening soon, how do you suppose we collect some sort of vermin in time to close down this establishment? For now I will ask Pal to way lay this Kortos Agent, while one of you gets the authorities or finds this vermin you need."
After saying her piece Helane goes up to Pal and requests that, if the agent arrives, he should tell the man that his meeting has been rescheduled until tomorrow due to complications on the docks.
The group decides to find ways to shut the establishment down. They've discussed alerting authorities to the fake pearls, and the health department to vermin (to be introduced). As a backup, Helane suggested someone try to identify the Kortos agent and delay him.
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Helane goes over to Pal, and gives him instructions about telling the Kortos agent the meeting is postponed. Pal nods actively. Helane is such a good friend.
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Elneth nods to Helane and Zandirri and adds "I will then look for the authorities to try convince them for an urgent inspection"
As so the half-elf leaves the spot and looks for the city council authorities "Sorry to introduce a topic like this in such a blunt way. I do not usually like to bother with this things, but a citizen has a responsibility upon its community, isn't it? I just come from the Overflowing Oyster, the place is so dirty, full of all types of critters I do not want to even remember about it. Please, go inspect that place urgently, I fear if not dealt this very seem night that place may extend the very same filth plague through all Korthos..." Elneth says while trying to show herself very concerned about the topic.
If the attempt does not seem to work, Elneth will not get rude, just show disappointed and go back to the tavern looking to help with another of the plans.