'The Puffy Pelican'... Do I know where that is?
"Ah! There you are, Joanna! We were concerned when you left the tavern, and went out looking for you! As you can see, we happened across some trouble, and I think we made it right. Even if I had to resort to parlor tricks and acting." She smiles, and adds, "My people do have a flair for the dramatic!"
Getting more serious, she relates the location of the Puffy Pelican, and agrees that it sounds like a trap.
"Zograthy didn't think that the disappearances along the Shore had anything to do with Nidalese slavers, and I think he's right. Something else is going on... but I don't know what. I think we should check out this lead anyway-- we know it's likely to be a trap, so we will be on our guard. It sounds like they might be expecting you to go alone. If the five of us show up, we just might have advantage in numbers."
Teldon pauses at Joanna's protest, and waits impatiently as the group gathers together. "It might be a long shot but if this Lady Joanna is involved with the abductions she might know something about this ambush, or at least what kind of muscle they employ," he presses, "are we really in so great a hurry to spring their trap that we can't spare a few minutes in the hopes of gaining some knowledge about what awaits us?"
"I'm not sure how much a prostitute is going to be able to help us, but I suppose it cannot hurt to hear what she has to say. Of course, we have to find her first."
She pauses. "Once we find her, how, exactly, are we going to get her to talk? If she ran back into her, um, place of employment, my understanding of this kind of establishment is that one generally has to buy a girl's time..."
She smiles, "Teldon, of the five of us, I think you might be uniquely qualified to make that transaction and not seem too suspicious."
Listening to the conversations of the others, she can't make heads or tails of what they're talking about. She looks at Joanna. "I'm confused. What's a prostitute, and why did you become one?" She turns to the rest of the group. "And why are we pretending Joanna isn't standing right next to us?"
"I don't know, from what I've heard establishments of this sort do not discriminate but rather tend to cater to all manner of different appetites..." Teldon responds in a manner that might almost be taken for an attempt at humor, "but I will make the transaction if you like. And, she may be a prostitute but I have read thousands of reports logged by pathfinders around Golarion and you might be surprised how many have included women of the night who possessed knowledge or skills far beyond what most expect of women of that station."
In response to Nalathi's question he adds, "no, not this Joanna, Lady Joanna is another woman who shares the same given name... although this other Joanna is apparently of noble birth and charging money to have sex with people... I wonder how much they'll expect us to pay for a noble woman, that must cost extra?"
"That-- um, nevermind." Joanna says at Teldon's (somewhat false) assertion.
"I guess we can spare a few minutes trying to see what she knows, but I think we need someone a little better at speaking to people than Teldon, unless he's just been hiding the fact that he has a silver tongue from us." She says with a smirk.
With that, she makes her way into the Shucked Oyster, determined not to let any whispers that may follow in her wake distract her.
The entrance hall to the Shucked Oyster is a room of somewhat faded opulence...crimson drapes hang from the ceiling to conceal the rooms beyond whilst on a balcony, around the perimeter of the hall, a number of gaudily made up ladies are preening themselves. There is a not unpleasant smell of perfume in the air and, at a gentle volume, someone is playing a sweet song on a harp somewhere...
...a voluptuous woman on the balcony notices Teldon walking into the premises and starts to salaciously flaunt herself...and then, when the rest of the group walk in, stops in her tracks... somewhat taken aback. Before the atmosphere becomes too awkward, a lady with a pink feather boa wrapped around her...and little else to protect her modesty... approaches Teldon and asks, "What's your pleasure?", and then looking at the ladies, "...and for the ladies? Something special maybe?"
Joanna manages, somehow, not to balk at the scene that just played out before her eyes, but there was little she could do to keep her cheeks from turning that brilliant shade of crimson that only pale-skinned people seemed to be able to manage. Her expression is politely neutral as she turns to the boa-clad lady of negotiable virtue.
"We are actually here on business. Is there a 'Lady Joanna' about? We would like just a few minutes of her time to talk to her, please, and can compensate her if need be," she tells the woman politely.
"I... Uh... We... Umm..." Teldon stammers before Joanna speaks. At first he seems incredibly relieved that someone else is speaking but his expression quickly changes to a surprised concern...
Did we just walk in here armed and armored and announce that we want to see one of their girls 'on business'? I wish I were better with people...
Summoning what little guile he possesses, Teldon gathers his composure and attempts to lie to the unfamiliar woman, "I actually don't know these women, they merely happened to arrive at nearly the same time I did. I've come to employ a prostitute. And," he adds looking Joanna up and down in her breastplate and sword, "since it might be my last opportunity, this Lady Joanna sounds like a fine choice... I did, after all, arrive just before them... I should have first choice, shouldn't I?"
"Teldon! what are you talking about?" Joanna blurts out, her entire face turning the same color as the crimson trim on her tabard.
"Are you addressing me madam swordswoman?" Teldon desperately tries to salvage his rouse, "I'm afraid you have me mistaken for someone else, my name is Viktor and unless you are Lady Joanna I am not here for you."
"Teldon, you do remember my name is Joanna, right? Did you take a blow to the head while I wasn't around?" She asks, as her expression goes from shock to concern. She scrutinizes his faze, looking for the tell-tales of head trauma.
Nalathi follows her companions into the brothel, unsure even what to think about this industry. They sell sex? The idea sort of makes sense; it's an awfully enjoyable recreation, after all. But don't the women-- what were they called? Prostitutes-- enjoy it too? It seems to her that this would be sort of like being paid to eat a delicious meal-- a lucrative job if ever there was one!
"I knew it!" She pokes Teldon pointedly. "She is who you were talking about earlier." This would really raise as many, if not more, questions as it answered, but she decides not to think about that now. She approaches the mostly-naked woman addressing them. "So... you get paid to have sex all day? Man, that's a great job."
Turning his attention back to the apparent purveyor, "Viktor" calmly asks, "Do you have another Lady Joanna, this one doesn't suit my taste."
Zee facepalms. "Look, we just want to ask her a few questions. We'll pay her regular rate."
"Please. We really just talk nothing more."
Joanna expression is one of a woman trying very hard not to just slap the man who just offered her insult.
"Viktor" sighs and hangs his head... it doesn't even matter what this woman says at this point... Joanna has already created all the distraction the prostitute needed to escape... we can only hope that she doesn't run directly to a contact who can make use of our names and physical descriptions in planning tonight's ambush...
"I don't need to endure this shrill attempt to usurp my rightful priority," he announces indignantly, "I shall hire a prostitute from another establishment." With that he turns and storms out.
As soon as he clears the door, Teldon takes off running around the building, looking for any girls sneaking out...
The lady in the pink boa, with a wry smile on her face and slightly arched eyebrows, watches the scene between Teldon / 'Viktor' and his companions / complete strangers play out...this is not the first time a man has come in full of bold intentions, talked himself into an embarrassed knot and fled into the street.
"He'll be back...they always come back", the lady smiles and turns to you, "So, one of you is a 'Joanna'? ...but you want to talk to our 'Lady Joanna'? I've got that right haven't I?", when one of you nods in affirmation, she asks, "May I ask what the nature of your enquiry is? You see, we look after our own here...and, if Lady Joanna is in trouble, then I would rather know...is it about her and those two Nidalese?" She shakes her head sadly, "...The follies of youth...She can be a silly girl sometimes..."
Running out into the street and circling around the building, there is no sign of anyone sneaking away from the establishment. The street (and the lanes behind the Shucked Oyster) are quiet at this time of night...
Hmmm... she does not appear to have fled, unless I've missed her entirely... she's either extremely brazen or actually innocent... I hope she's overheard something she shouldn't have from a client or two, otherwise this entire farcical detour will have been for naught...
Teldon returns to the main street and attempts to hide himself in order to observe anyone who might come slinking out of the oyster.
"So you do have a Joanna..." She jerks her thumb in the young priestess's direction. "Here's ours. No, she's not in trouble, but we're trying to nail down who's behind all the abductions around here, and we wonder if she might know something about it. Can we talk to her?"
"As my friend here says, that pretty much what we want. I apologize for Teldon's actions, I'm not sure what came over him. Joanna's not in trouble, we just wanted to talk to her about the incident outside and some other information we turned up." Joanna looks to the others and adds, "we are on a schedule, though, and as I said we will compensate her for her time. The sooner we can talk to her, the sooner we can leave and be out of you hair."
"Lady Joanna is indeed available, although you can be pretty sure she has nothing to do with the abductions...shall we say one gold for five minutes of her time?", gesturing to a young woman on the balcony, she calls, "Lady Joanna...these ladies have some questions for you"
Sashaying down the stairs, 'Lady Joanna' takes her time walking over to you...this is someone who is clearly used to people watching her...and playing up to it. The girl with the pink boa whispers something into her ear, you overhear words along the lines of 'this is what you get...let this be a lesson for you...'.
"Ladies...may I introduce 'Lady Joanna'? ...five minutes...okay?"
"Understood." Joanna says before giving the lady with the boa a crown (gold piece). Once they are somewhere they can talk without having to worry about being overheard, she begins.
"What were you doing with those two men who almost got killed?"
"Why didn't you speak up about them?"
"Have you heard anyone mention meeting at the Puffy Pelican?"
"Do you know Natalya Vancaskerkin?"
"Do you know where we might find her?"
Joanna keeps her voice polite and friendly, if a little distant.
Ziomarra watches the conversation silently, content to let (our) Joanna take the lead. She watches the other Lady Joanna carefully as she responds.
'Lady Joanna' sheepishly answers your questions as you ask them...with the girl in the pink boa standing nearby at all times,
"What were you doing with those two men who almost got killed?"..."I was going back to theirs...they said they'd pay more if we went back to their tent...I was going to stay for the night....we're not meant to, and someone saw...I never meant to get them into trouble"
"Why didn't you speak up about them?"..."I wanted to...but the boss wouldn't let me...she said it would be bad for business"
"Have you heard anyone mention meeting at the Puffy Pelican?"..."The Puffy Pelican? That shut down a few years back didn't it? I haven't heard anyone mention it...sorry"
"Do you know Natalya Vancaskerkin? Do you know where we might find her?"..."Natalya Vancaskerkin? I've never heard of her sorry...is she a prostitute?"
...she appears to be absolutely genuine in her answers...and quite contrite about her mistake leading to trouble for the sailors.
"No, at least not now," Joanna says to the other Joanna's last question, "Thank you for hearing us out. Just remember that it's better to be honest and admit mistakes rather than to be silent and let them cause others harm." Without anything further to say, she turns to the girl in the pink boa.
"Thank you for your time and help. I believe this should be more than enough to compensate both of you."
Joanna gives the other Joanna and the girl in the boa two more crowns each before leaving.
As the women emerge from the brothel, Teldon steps out of the alleyway in which he's been 'hiding'. As they draw near he quietly remarks, "I apologize for running out, it took us long enough to gain entry that I feared Lady Joanna might try to flee the premises once again. She didn't, so I assume she didn't have any involvement with the real slavers? Did she have any useful information at all?"
Before his questions are even answered he absentmindedly adds, "I'm not familiar with this Puffy Pelican, so someone else will need to lead the way as we talk..."
"I believe that I know where it is located."
Ziomarra leads the way.
She nods at Teldon's explanation. "Good idea. No, she didn't really know anything about the slavers or Natalya. Those guys just wanted her for the night. We're heading to the Puffy Pelican to see if it might be more helpful." How many of these places are there? she wonders.
As they walk Teldon speaks again, "if we're expecting to be engaged in combat soon perhaps we should discuss what we are capable of, and how we might best work together... I can throw several more of those bombs you saw earlier, but as you've seen the damage spreads from the point of impact so I need some space to use them effectively... And, I can use this longspear to defend myself but I am no warrior."
"I have magic that can affect the minds of the weak-willed. I hypnotized those gremlins earlier, and will not be able to do that particular trick again today, but I do have some other tricks to use. And when magic fails...
She stands back, and removes one of her scarves, which she starts twirling around. At first you don't get it, but then you notice that within the fringes of the edge are several razor-sharp blades. She then folds the blades back and puts the scarf back on.
It is getting close to ten o’clock when, after all of the excitement of the lynch mob and the Shucked Oyster has subsided, you walk up a darkened road towards the ‘Puffy Pelican’. Squatting on the side of the wharf, the single storey building has clearly seen better times…the faded sign of a Pelican atop a lighthouse hangs precariously on a single rusted chain whilst a light wind coming off the sea opens and shuts the window shutters. The quayside is devoid of life at this late hour, the only sounds are the wind, the waves and the creaking of the moored boats. Rising in the sky, a half-moon dimly lights the quayside.
She touches the trident on her back. "In my home tribe, our most effective tactic when something big threatened was to have someone get underfoot and stab from underneath. This throws the thing off-balance and the others can hit it easier. Since I was one of the smallest, that was usually me." She pauses. "Of course, that really only works when it's surrounded. And if no one else will be close, I'm not sure how effective that would be."
She looks around as they reach the Pelican. The place seems strangely deserted. "I thought these places would be more popular at night."
Zee answers Nalathi's question, "This one went out of business years ago, and the building was abandoned." Looking around for a possible hiding place, she says to the rest of the party, "I would suggest we find a place where we could hide while watching the building. If the rumor Joanna was told is true, we have two hours."
She pauses, and asks the group, "Or, do you think it would be a better idea to check out the building now, before the alleged slavers are due to arrive? If we learn the layout of the building, the slavers wouldn't have that as an advantage if this turns into a fight."
"I am a priestess of Iomedae. I am capable of holding my own in a fight and bolstering my allies, as well as healing their wounds." Joanna tells the others. Her tone is even, not boastful.
"Zee has the right of it, Nalathi. I say we check things now, and perhaps prepare an ambush of our own," she suggests as she keeps an eye out for anything unusual.
"Joanna, how confident are you that this is a trap?" Teldon asks. "This will not be advisable if they do have a hostage, but if it is only a trap... I could toss a bomb in through the window and if there is enough dust, old linens, and dry wood the would be attackers will be forced to flee from the ensuing fire. We could attempt to bottle-neck them at the entrance to negate their numbers, or lay an ambush of our own in the street; in either case, it should take away any advantage they were hoping to gain from ambushing us inside..."
Then, noticing how quiet and empty the street is, he adds "we should probably find a spot nearby where we can safely prepare ourselves with any beneficial magicks we possess before we are observed."
Nalathi shakes her head at Teldon's suggestion. "No, too much noise. Plus there might be a back way they could escape from somewhere, how would we catch them? Better to search the place quietly, so that if there's anyone inside they won't know they've been found." She smiles. "That's where I come in."
"Very, he kept asking how many of us there would be and seemed to be on edge about something, and if it was his son, I'd think he would have lead with that. No, I'm pretty sure this is a trap, and I'd rather not burn any buildings down, Teldon. Having my hair singed once today is enough, thank you!" Joanna glares at the alchemist, and the smell of singed hair seems to get just a bit stronger.
"He seemed to be worried about there being too many of us. I guess that if it is a trap, it's one meant to catch a small number of people, like a small guard patrol, or a group of adventurers looking for the cause of the disappearances. At any rate, we need to take whomever this is alive, so no big explosions or raging fires, got it?"
"That's unfortunate," Teldon replies, "I'm afraid that without my bombs I'm not very effective in combat... but I'll stand behind those of you who are more competent and offer what aid I can with my spear."
There are several here who can use magic on us... perhaps I'll postpone my research into extracts usable by others and begin experimenting with bombs that have a more controllable blast, or which do not rely on combustion for power...
"If things begin going poorly, though," he adds, "give the word and the bombs will fly."
"And I don't think we can rely on your plan for ambushing them in the streets either. If we beat them here, we should be able to set up an ambush and take them down quickly, and hopefully before things can get messy."
Joanna turns to Nalathi and asks, "How close do you think we could get without being spotted?"
Nalathi purses her lips in thought. "Depends... how are you at hiding?" Looking at the bright plate mail adorning Joanna's chest, she waves a hand before the woman can respond. "Eh, don't answer that. Probably our best strategy would be for me to scout ahead and you follow at a distance." She takes another look at the exterior of the building. "And let's hope the inside of that thing is still sturdy."
"I don't think we've beaten them here at all," Teldon replies, "I was saying we could ambush them in the street when they fled out of the burning building. Perhaps I misunderstood but it seemed from what you told us as if you were supposed to believe that we only had until midnight to rescue the boy... that would mean that they were expecting us sometime between when you spoke to the old man and midnight, wouldn't it? If that's the case then they are certainly in there waiting for us right now. Of course," he concludes with a frown, "it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong this evening."