"It seems traffic may be sparse. Sparse enough, you might by your practiced eye see if this is the usual entrance? Or some other? I've heard it said, an awareness of the habits of humanoids can bring one insight."
"Now, have you questions worth asking for the answers that I am capable of giving... or am I leaving?"
Luca grunts, still frowning. "The tip about her stiffing the rat-catchers ... we'll look into it," he concedes, with a nod toward Ethel. "But you tell your friend not to go sneaking around the back alleys of Leeward. And tampering with rat traps and claiming affiliation with the rat-catchers ... well, he'd better take a lesson from what happened to the old lady: Ziphras might not take kindly to folks not respecting him." He unstraddles the crate, signaling an end to the audience.
---------------------------
Braddon knocks at the door, the impact of his knuckles muffled by the damp rot that has set into the wood. He waits but hears nothing but the distant sounds of workmen carrying from the wharves and echoing dizzily off the enveloping rock walls.
"Were I an alchemist, I might be at something busying and dangerous to put down. Let us go once around the building, lead by Braddon's senses. Mister Kane, I'd insist you come with, but then you'd wonder whether I had plotted you'd remain at the door, in defiance..." Gristav smiles genuinely at Snake, then either follows or leads or goes alone.
(It's worth remembering, as Gristav leaves the precarious stoop, the locked door at the Bazaar of the Seafaring Peddlar. It's entirely possible that Sunday morning is not normal operating hours for a Riddleport business, especially one in Rotgut.)
Braddon bangs on the door harder and longer.
"Damp wood breaks pretty easy," he comments offhandedly to the others.
Phillip nods, freeing his hand from Ethel's leg and standing. He genuinely offers his right hand to shake, pausing long enough to see if the gesture is accepted or rejected. He then adds "I'll speak, and with hope he'll listen. I leave you without offense... and if any other whispers prove worth listening to... I'll see that they find their way to your ears."
He then makes to depart with Ethel, and put a goodly span between them and the building before turning to words.
Braddon bangs on the door harder and longer.
"Damp wood breaks pretty easy," he comments offhandedly to the others.
"You've been with the Gendarmes too long. We're here to ask a favor, perhaps to do business. Come, help by reading whatever spoor, and please, avoid leaving a trail of broken branches. Or planks."
A rickety wooden stair climbs to a cramped stoop protruding from the upper floor and the only apparent door; the lower story is blank and featureless, and the windows on the upper story are sealed behind thick shutters. Apart from the weathered alchemist's sign, there are no signs of life or hospitality."Nice place."
Braddon knocks on the door and waits.
Snake smirks, "You ain't kiddin' about that, bub."
After receiving no answer after several poundings upon the door,
"My guess is he's probably closed."
Braddon looks about.
"Yeah, but closed for how many years?"
He makes his way down the steps and begins to circle the structure, looking for any worn pathways or alternative signs of egress.
"Not closed, only unkempt. One doesn't paint a mine, it might not occur to a dwarf, to care for a wooden structure. Or it may have occurred, and been seen unworthy."
Phillip nods, freeing his hand from Ethel's leg and standing. He genuinely offers his right hand to shake, pausing long enough to see if the gesture is accepted or rejected. He then adds "I'll speak, and with hope he'll listen. I leave you without offense... and if any other whispers prove worth listening to... I'll see that they find their way to your ears."
After only a moment of hesitation, Luca's broad hand enfolds Phillip's Small one and returns a perfunctory shake. With a nod that's as much a warning as a farewell, he swaggers back toward his dormitory, leaving Phil and Ethel to make their way to a less half-orcish part of town.
------------------------------
Going back down the rickety stairs, Braddon begins to case the joint, shadowed by Gristav. From the street-level, the structure is a fortress, displaying blank, lichen-streaked walls on all sides. It appears almost as if the ground has receded on all sides from the building, or as if the building itself has been obtruded by some unknown force below, leaving ten feet of stone foundation beneath a single story turned upper. There are no other ways in or out that the men can see, but in the rough rock of what passes as the back yard, a pair of iron doors red with oxidation are set, as if they might lead down into a cellar. They are closed and appear to be locked from the inside, if they are not rusted shut.
Between the damp and the rough stony surfaces, Braddon cannot discern any signs of recent traffic. It would appear that, if anyone visits the alchemist on business, they must use the wooden staircase beneath the placard of the staff-and-snake.
Waiting until they are out of sight of the walls of Boss Croat's compound, Ethel offers in a low voice, "Well, that was going all right until he found out the half-elf isn't a rat-catcher. I can't imagine why he'd think he could be; the rat-catchers are all so filthy and shabby."
Between the damp and the rough stony surfaces, Braddon cannot discern any signs of recent traffic. It would appear that, if anyone visits the alchemist on business, they must use the wooden staircase beneath the placard of the staff-and-snake.
"Can't even see a way for the rats to get in. I'd say it's wait or break, unless you've another place to go."
"Ratcatcher now, are you?", Gristav jests, jostling the proscenium. "No very much better place. Shall we check at the mission, see what might be needed? That would leave us close enough to come back here, and knock again afterward."
Nodding slowly with a reflective look upon his face Phillip agrees "Aye... though one can never be quite sure with Braddon. Give me ten minutes and a reason and I could likely convince the man he was Ustlavic royalty." showing a forced smile before asking more gently "Would you like to check on Almah and Maddy now?"
"Yes," Ethel answers decidedly. "They'll be glad to hear Boss Croat has another direction to look in and that it appears to have had nothing to do with me, just stingy old Betta pinching her coins too tightly. What happened to the rat dog? Did they kill it, too?" she asks a tad too cheerily.
"The mission? Sure. Let's see if the rats have returned."
Braddon scratches the pommel of his short sword with his thumb.
After a short nod and beginning to steer them in the right direction Phillip responds "Unfortunately no... the dog survived the event." pausing a few moments before continuing "I'll see you to the flat... but then I have a need to be onwards, the Goblin will be opening again tonight and there are matters that need attention..."
Ethel seems to share Phillip's disappointment in the dog's continued existence. When they arrive at the front door of the girls' boarding house, she asks, "Will you come up and see them, Phil? Or do you have to go?"
Leaving the house in the damp shadows, Braddon, Gristav, and Snake find the filthy streets and decrepit buildings of the sunnier sections of Rotgut almost cheerful by comparison. They make their way a few blocks to the northwest, navigating by the bell tower of Rag's End peeking above the neighboring roofs. The ramshackle would-be mission looks much as they left it from the outside, down to the broken window above the main entrance and the shards of glass covering the stairs leading to the front door.
"I'll come up, spend a few moments to close any questions they've got... then I'll need to get moving."
"Let's keep walking past, gentlemen.", Gristav says softly. "The stairs were swept clean, and have been re-littered with shards. A careful observation is suggested, before a caring presentation. We do have another entrance. Two, even?"
Ethel and Phillip climb each flight of stairs and then take the ladder to the ceiling hatch leading to the halfling girls' attic flat. As Ethel lets herself in, there are cries of welcome and relief from above; as Phil follows her up, he sees Almah hugging Ethel, while Maddy, Olin, and Ewart are hovering in the background.
"I'm so glad you're safe," Almah sobs.
"There are half-orcs out looking for you," Maddy advises her, with a curious glance at Phil as he climbs into the apartment.
Disturbed by Gristav's info, Snake looks around the entrance, curious as to why that would be. "Possibly to keep intruders away," he offers with no real conviction behind it.
"Or keep the shoeless inside? Like as not, it's the penitent, replaced the painful path. There's the other door, and the tree, we might enter by, with surprise if not stealth, though we might aspire to such. A trespass we might apologize for, weighed against a politeness we might regret. You've declared me unwelcome, let's start with your forgiveness, and then Braddon's scouting."
With a wry debonair smile Phillip answers Maddy "Which is from whence we've come... and they aren't looking anymore." pausing to offer nodded greetings to the others. He takes sense of the situation first before spending any further words...
"Really?" Maddy replies with an arch of her eyebrows. "How did you manage that?"
"Or we could just walk through the front door." Snake avoids the glass - brushing it aside if need be - and opens the door, peering in for any sign of trouble.
Maintaining his untroubled and positive disposition Phillip shrugs and answers "As you would expect I suppose... with sitting and talking. Why? - what have you heard to expect anything different?"
Snake carefully makes his way up the glass-littered stairs and pushes the door ajar. Except for the bloodstains still noticeable on the plank floor, the interior of the mission looks similar to his first visit. No one is immediately visible.
----------------------------
Maintaining his untroubled and positive disposition Phillip shrugs and answers "As you would expect I suppose... with sitting and talking. Why? - what have you heard to expect anything different?"
Maddy shrugs. "A person rarely hears of reason winning the day in Riddleport. Usually it's threats or money."
"Now, Maddy," Olin puts in, "a man like Phil can be very persuasive, I'm sure." He gives Phillip a friendly wink.
"We were able to give them some information," Ethel replies, with a bit of an irritated edge in her voice, as she removes herself from Almah's embrace, "that pointed them in a more likely direction than a disgruntled former employee." She shoots Phil a look that clearly asks if she should tell the others about the rat-catchers or keep it to herself.
Phil gives the slightest shake of his head to suggest to Ethel that less is more when it comes to discussion on the ratcatchers. He covers the motion by turning to words "Indeed... so there's little need for lingering concern." pausing for a moment before returning Olin's wink "Trust me... apparently I'm persuasive."
"Evidently, Maddy drawls. "You've 'persuaded' Ethel so much we've hardly seen her in days. Although I trust you used different methods on the half-orcs?"
"That's enough, Maddy!" Ethel snaps. "We all know you're jealous. You needn't be any more obvous about it."
"Oh, let's not fight," Almah warbles anxiously. "We should be celebrating good news."
Dropping some of his good humour, yet keeping a veneer of civility, Phillip chuckles dryly at Maddy's insinuation. He offers a wry smirk before confirming "The methods were the same... naught but words." pausing a moment before moving on to Almah's offering "Aye, and there's always much to be celebrating... shall I be seeing you this evening when the Gold Goblin reopens it's doors for a second night?"
Braddon peers about warily before following Snake up the steps.
He draws his short sword in greeting.
Dropping some of his good humour, yet keeping a veneer of civility, Phillip chuckles dryly at Maddy's insinuation. He offers a wry smirk before confirming "The methods were the same... naught but words." pausing a moment before moving on to Almah's offering "Aye, and there's always much to be celebrating... shall I be seeing you this evening when the Gold Goblin reopens it's doors for a second night?"
"Yes, let's," Almah agrees quickly, eager to paper over the nascent squabble. "What do you say, boys? If it's safe for us all to go out without anyone being taken into custody."
"Fine by me," Maddy shrugs carelessly. "I'm always up for a good time."
Glancing around, "All clear," he tells the others as he walks in. "I'd comment on how we each should check different parts of this place just to be on the safe side, but the last time we did that..., anyway, let's check the kitchen first before we go upstairs." He then heads toward the kitchen.
Raising an eyebrow towards the men of the room Phillip adds "Drink, games and dancing... can hardly go past that right?"
"The kitchen is the hearth of a home...", Gristav mischiefs, turning his staff about his hand while he turns himself about his axis, making light while surveying the dark, looking about for changes since his last visit.
Raising an eyebrow towards the men of the room Phillip adds "Drink, games and dancing... can hardly go past that right?"
"Well, if the ladies are going, they'll need escorts, won't they?" Olin replies with good cheer.
"We 'missed' the action last time around," Ewart points out. "I hope your boss won't be employing bandits to make up for any losses the house suffers at the tables this week."
-------------------------------
Braddon, Gristav, and Snake carefully enter the building. As was the case last week, the forms of sleeping vagrants occupy the pews beneath the mosaic of the Dawnflower's symbol in the chapel. The dining room, however, is disused, and there is no smell of warm cereal on the stove this time around.
With a slight shake of the head Phillip sighs before replying "Unfortunately I believe we'll have to make do without the blood and terror this week."
"We might not be heroes here...", Gristav mutters.
"But we might just fit right in," Snake responds while he's making his way around the corner to make sure the entire kitchen is clear.
Braddon says nothing but follows at a distance, weapon still in hand and looking about cautiously.
With a slight shake of the head Phillip sighs before replying "Unfortunately I believe we'll have to make do without the blood and terror this week."
"Or it went to your workplace instead of Phil's this week," Maddy remarks to Ethel flippantly.
---------------------------------
Braddon, Snake, and Gristav cautiously round the blind corner into the kitchen. The room is dark and abandoned, the cupboard and pantry doors standing open where Gristav removed the alchemical equipment and supplies. It looks as if others have been through and removed anything else of either nutritional or resale value; even the stacks of grime-encrusted pots are gone.
With an edge of iron but without overt threat Phillip flippantly adds "Who knows Maddy, perhaps it'll settle on yours a week hence."
"Nothing. Literally. There's nothing here. Time to check upstairs." Snake takes his leave of the kitchen and heads over to the stairs to make his way up.
Having not been ahead of Snake, Gristav is closer to the stairs, and, changing course when Snake does, get to them first. Rising, he fails to call ahead, half expecting the stairs to announce his approach to whoever may be listening.