Touching base quickly with Lileone, the party locates the financier's place. Her abode is a massive marble pool surrounded by stained glass windows that shed dazzling green light throughout the water. Unfortunately it looks like the meeting is going to be on her terms. Despite your urgency, she demands that you wait roughly half an hour in her atrium before receiving you, I am moving to a more suitable audience chamber for our meeting."
When you are finally allowed inside, the sizable brine dragon greets you properly. The dragon’s scars are covered with patches of brilliant sea anemones. "I apologize for the delay, but decorum must be maintained. Now, what can I do for you?"
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Simon grows increasing bored as time goes on before entering the space. When the party finally opens the door, he rolls his eyes, but quickly puts on a smiling face for their host.
"I understand about decorum. Presentation is everything, and I appreciate the effort!" Simon shakes his arms to display the clanging armbands and other jewelry he has.
"Greetings. My name is Simon." Simon looks around and at back at the dragon a few times. "Pardon me, but it's not every day that we get to converse with a dragon." Simon bows, and he notably doesn't mention anything of the scarring... at least as of yet.
"We believe you were involved in helping get supplies for an expedition for a person named Zahra? We are investigating what went wrong with the expedition. Don't get me wrong... we aren't blaming or accusing anyone and you are not the first we've questioned. We just wish to get to the bottom of it."
"Can you tell us exactly what you did for Zahra and perhaps some of the supplies you gave her?"
The dragon snorts a bit, clearly enjoying having her ego stroked.
"I know Zahra thinks there was internal sabotage, and honestly, there areseveral tribes of sahuagin that live in the Lambent Bloom. I opine that the caravan disaster was due to outside aggression instead of internal treachery. Non of my contributions were anything special beyond having the funds to cover things like Yuka's submersibles."
Some of you might now about Sahuagin:
Sahuagin have a strong affinity for sharks, allowing them to telepathically communicate with the creatures.
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I see, yes that could explain some of what could have happened, given that sahaughin can communicate telepathically with sharks. Presumably this would include the whale sharks used to carry the supplies.
Anwar smiles at the dragon, it is a slightly fixed smile, he has never been quite this close to so ferocious a creature.
We do appreciate any help that you can provide to learn what really happened and fix the subsequent problems.
"No, I was not. It is not my way. I work through others."
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"Would you be willing to help in the restoration of the reef? Whether directly, or ...through others?" asks Oggil reasonably enough.
"It is after all your home, and it would reflect poorly on such a magnificent dragon to have such a blight on your doorstep."
<- I think our diplomacy checks to aid in the reef restoration are different from the main ones, if not, then ignore.
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"Agreed. If more people pull together to do this, it is more likely to get done... and I am sure it could only help to enlarge the respect due to, and influence of, those that participate."
Recalling what was said about Sahuagin...
Varian frowns.
"Anwar, sahuagin are also prone to beneficial mutations, such as four-armed sahuagin or spined sahuagin. Vialesk is known to have a tribe of prehistoric sahuagin among the ranks of its army. Rumors also speak of rare sahuagin mutants known as malenti, who are identical in appearance to aquatic elves but share their kinfolk’s bloodthirsty nature..."
He then chews his lip thoughtfully.
"Simon said that the shark said that a 'shark with arms and legs' put the markings on it... and Mr Quorra had a shark with the same markings... it would be awfully convenient if he was an 'aquatic elf'..."
The dragon snorts, but then thinks for a bit, "I can see that it would enhance my standing to be attached to something that undoes the damage... I suppose. I won't do it alone though. Dirty work is NOT how I operate."
The dragon pays attention to Varian's musings, but she seems done with you.
The party hustles over to Yuka's workshop. The man is inside, seemingly oblivious to guests. He is a handsome dark-skinned man, wearing goggles, gloves, and a thick eelskin jacket lined with many pockets. Once he looks up from his work he smiles wide,
"Welcome! What can I do for you? Do you need to rent a submersible? I've got the best in the city, and good rates too!"
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The gnome steps up again probably after a couple nudges from the party.
"Hi! Name's Simon!"
"Actually, we are with Zahra and wanted to ask you a couple questions about the expedition where you provided alchemical protections and submersibles for her."
"We were wondering what kind of materials you used for the expedition." Simon leaves this intentionally vague to hopefully get him to say whatever he's going to, without leading on too much about iron.
"Oh..... that. Look I'm sorry, I fell asleep when the attack happened. You're free to look at the submersibles we used, but I'm not sure what I have to offer."
The subs are in good working order, and there's nothing odd about them.
As for what I brought, let me see." Yuka goes and grabs his ledger to check. He flips through with a frown, "Nothing much, it was just the subs."
The ledger has something written over and over again. It's sloppy, and not in the clean handwriting of the rest of the book. If you catch this, you can try diplomacy to have Yuka show you the ledger properly.
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Simon inspects the subs some. "Appear to be quite fine machines if I do say so. And in good working order. Nice handiwork!"
He gets nudged from Anwar and the winks back, ledger in hand pointing out portions to Yuka. "Yuka, would you mind helping me clarify what this ledger says? I'm having trouble reading it. Differences in Human and Gnomish handwriting, probably."
Yuka looks puzzled, but not alarmed. He sheepishly hands over the ledger, "
Not sure what you're looking at."
It looks like he's been importing a huge amount of ironflame powder for a buyer. The sloppy writing looks simply hasty. A Craft (Alchemy) check will give yo details of ironflame.
Varian knows that Ironflame is a compound that burns VERY hot, and VERY fast, and can do so underwater. In the quantities here, it'd be a massive explosion....
As the elf looks at the ledger, he sees only that Yuka had it delivered to "The warehouse".
"I didn't ask. All I know is that I have it directly shipped to a warehouse. The price point was REALLY good, so I couldn't say no..."
Yuka looks genuinely distraught. "I can give you the location of the delivery if it'd help."
Indeed, he gives you the address forthwith (and it matches the ledger.)
"That's about it. I can't think of anything else."
"I suppose I could use my submersibles to help. I'm super busy though. Not sure I'll get to it.
Yuki nods and takes notes, but based on how he absentmindedly shoves the paper into a pouch, you're not certain he'll remember.
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"When you light the fire of wisdom, you warm the pure water of your Path. I do fear however that such a pile of powder may not be destined for a wise outcome."
"Within the waters, sound carries." notes Oggil. "And when word of the abilities of your craft to help in an operation like restoring the reef gets around... surely there will be even more business come your way.."
The additional words don't seem to make Yuka any more excited. (You think it's more absentmindedness, and less dispassion.)
Still, a solid lead that something is amiss has finally made itself made. Even if it doesn't appear related to Zahra's mishap, it's all the party has.
The address brings you close to the Glass Pit. The warehouse is a large building with two stories.
The warehouse is typical for an agent's travels. It looks closed up, and there are no signs.
Rogar looks, and doesn't see anything trapped, though he can confirm that the door is locked.
A few people take interest, wondering what you're up to. It looks like if you don't want to draw attention, someone is going to need to stealthily unlock, or break down, the door.
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Zora spins, skirts twirling around her. "Let me take a look, fellas.
Why don't we all move over her, you guys distract anyone passing by, and I will take a look."
Once it is less obvious, Zora will non-nonchalantly approach the door.
She looks at the lock, takes a few picks out of her hair, and sets to work on the lock.
Anwar scans the area, noting no one in particular watching, but he does here the sounds of people moving boxes inside.
Zora keeps a very low profile, and after a couple of false starts, opens the lock to the warehouse...