Misanthropes and neanderthals! hisses Nadja. Are you both unable to think with anything other than your fists?! By all reports this "blight" would tell us what we wanted for a small bribe, yet here you are quick to bash out his brains like a pair of two-copper toughs. Spitting on the ground, Nadja's eyes flash in the gloom. Once again our mission is endangered thanks to the muscle stepping out of line!
Nadja calls out to the gloom with a loud commanding voice.
You all hear from inside the hovel, "Leev eet in da' tin and we'll talk mor!"
Nodding in agreement with Omoro, Nadja reaches into the folds of her voluminous dress and withdraws something that glimmers with emerald hue and flashes in the shade. "This Emerald perhaps? More than generous I should think for a few moments of your time. But you shall be paid for your troubles after! Do not think me a fool." As quick as the gem was within her hand, it's just as quickly gone. Greed can be a powerful motivator if proper channeled as the Runelords of old knew only too well.
A thin hand pulls the curtain to one side and a gangly, disgusting man steps through. He looks and reeks of illness and one eye is clouded over.
"Well, then. What ken ol' Fenster, do fer yew?" He eyes Nadja's sleeve greedily.
Yes... a powerful motivator indeed. Crossing her arms over her chest Nadja stifles the urge to recoil at the ruin of a man, while conversely taking the full measure of him. "I have several questions for you Fenster." Raising a delicate hand she beings to tick off the questions as they come. "First off, my sources tell me the Tower Girls were last seen in your Warehouse. Is that true? And if so, are they still here or have left? Two, do you know the location of or have recently seen a Sczarni woman named Natalya Vancasterkin?" Pausing, Nadja considers her offer to look into any information about the missing persons.Finally, do you know anything about the poor that have been disappearing around Beacon's Point, Dockside and Underbridge?
"They dun left, but I ain't 'ware too. Seen dat wuman , tho. She dun held up inna vacent hous in underbrige."
Fenster grins and crosses his arms, puffing his chest out a bit. "I dun mak th' peeple dis'ppear. Be carful or I might jus' dis'ppear yew too."
He breaks out into a series of wet coughs that shake his miserable frame.
Raising an eyebrow, Nadja casts a quick glance at wretch. You are responsible for the missing vagrants? I think not, if you wish to be paid do not lie to me! Either speak what you know, or do not waste my time with lies! And as for Natalya, you know as well as I do there are several abandoned houses within Underbridge, Fenster. Details, I require details.
Fenster cowers a bit from Nadja. "A'right! I's wazn't th' won ta' dis'ppear peeple. It wuz them blue dwarfies. Seen 'em skulkin' 'bout."
"Nat'lya been sneakin' 'bout 'round a 'bandoned boardin' hous 'gainst the back curner o' underbrige. She tinks she gets 'round witout 'nyone seein', but nuthin' in th'Shadow gits by me good peeper!" He taps the sallow cheek under his unclouded eye.
"Hous is thatta wuy, 'gainst th' wall." He points in a direction about west-south-west. "Last hous in underbrige proper, all bust'd."
"Now, how's 'bout that gem fer ol' Fenster?" He greedily motions to hand it over.
Bertholdt looks at Calendir with big question marks in his eyes. What did you see?
At the inquisitive look from Bertholdt, the half elf responds matter of factly: I did not know what expected us in there, regardless of what we may think we know - he nods sideways at Nadja - So why would I risk entering without first scouting the area, given the chance?
Blue dwarves...? Calendir thinks to himself.
Knowledge (Local):
Tapping her chin in though, Nadja cocks her head to the side. Blue Dwarfs? I don't think he's smart enough to lie about something so unlandish. I wonder if there's something to that, regardless of how odd it may sound.
"Very well Fenster here is your payment." Nadja replies placing it in the box. "But be warned! If I go to this abandoned boarding house and I do not find Natalya there, know that it will bode ill of you. As she turns to leave, she say's over her shoulder. "And Fenster, the gem is uncut and in its raw form. Do not be surprised when you see it. It's how they naturally occur."
Outside of the warehouse
Turning towards Calendir and Bertholdt, Nadja's eyes narrow. "That’s twice both of you have nearly cost us the information we seek! Did you think you could just beat the information out of Fenster?" Taking a long breath Nadja tried a new tactic, forcing herself to speak in a slow, moderate tone, like a man might speak to a misbehaving puppy, or a woman to a child. "I don't know if you are familiar with the city, but killing vagrants and threatening the Sczarni are a fantastic way of being arrested or getting your throat slit. You cannot solve every problem here with a blunt instrument. I'm sure at some point in the near future I will need your assistance, but until then, let me handle any negotiations. Am. I. Understood?"
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Omoro listens to Nadja's tirade, his head bobbing as he hears the ice in her words. He turns to Calendir and Bertholdt as she finishes, speaking in hushed tones. "There is more than that as well. If our employer is to have a useful operative within the Sczarni, it is imperative that our actions do not appear to be linked to hers. Large waves made here could become a tsunami by the time they reach shore. The deadliest dagger is the one your enemy never knew existed. I am certain there will be a time and a place for the threat of violence, if not the employment. But those times have not arisen yet."
Tapping her chin in though, Nadja cocks her head to the side. Blue Dwarfs? I don't think he's smart enough to lie about something so unlandish. I wonder if there's something to that, regardless of how odd it may sound.
1d20 +9
1d20 +9
1d20 +9"Very well Fenster here is your payment." Nadja replies placing it in the box. "But be warned! If I go to this abandoned boarding house and I do not find Natalya there, know that it will bode ill of you. As she turns to leave, she say's over her shoulder. "And Fenster, the gem is uncut and in its raw form. Do not be surprised when you see it. It's how they naturally occur."
1d20 + 11
Outside of the warehouse
Turning towards Calendir and Bertholdt, Nadja's eyes narrow. "That’s twice both of you have nearly cost us the information we seek! Did you think you could just beat the information out of Fenster?" Taking a long breath Nadja tried a new tactic, forcing herself to speak in a slow, moderate tone, like a man might speak to a misbehaving puppy, or a woman to a child. "I don't know if you are familiar with the city, but killing vagrants and threatening the Sczarni are a fantastic way of being arrested or getting your throat slit. You cannot solve every problem here with a blunt instrument. I'm sure at some point in the near future I will need your assistance, but until then, let me handle any negotiations. Am. I. Understood?"
Raising an eyebrow at Nadja's response, Calendir puts his greatsword away, and calmly responds, staring straight into the eyes of the beautiful woman : Nadja, on the one hand you are misinterpretating my behavior - I merely scouted the warehouse, I did not attack nor even threat anyone, so relax a little. I did what I believed to be correct, making sure that none of us are placed in harms way, and I will do it again.
Do not confuse me with a little boy that you can lecture, what it seems to be happening here is that you are not giving me credit for my skills, or actions, and that needs to be changed - if by any chance, it was not Fenster in there, your actions would have put us all in danger by giving away our actions and our presence, however I am not scolding you for it now am I? Getting closer to Nadja, he adds - I will do everything in my reach to make us safe, yourself included, regardless of what information that may cost us - dead men and women tell no tales, alive ones can try another day. Once and for all, understand that we are all equals, ALL perceptions are welcome - you can criticize me in a constructive fashion, and with the understanding that we are all doing our best, otherwise you will not be heeded. Am.. I.. Understood?
"Calendir, it is you do not understand. We are not all equals. Some have proven themselves more useful than others. It was I who opened the Paradox Box. It was I who found out that the "Tower Girls" had been previously seen in this warehouse, and it was I who got Fenster to reveal the location of Natayla." Sneering Nadja gives a dismissive gesture at the half-elf. "you have done nothing so do not presume your supposed worth. I will be very clear now, since your clearly incompetent. Our mission comes first. Not you, I or anyone else. Do not endanger it with you reckless actions, or I will be forced to take steps that you will regret."
Nonono, it was US that opened the Paradox Box, It was I that remebered where to find Amazing Zogarthy, and overall we are working together, each one with our strengths. For me you have proven competence at nothing except mouthing off - you are WRONG, we ARE all equals, and just so that it is perfectly clear, so far I have found only one incompetent in this group, at least to what regards teamwork, and that one is YOU. I do not presume my worth, I know my worth, whereas you seem to have an inflated perception of your own. And last, I'll state again, the mission is not above my companions, and do not even presume to threaten me again, or you will be the one doing all the regretting around here...
Laughing Nadja mocking claps her hands. Bravo, bravo. Haha I'm so sorry. Calendir. Exclaims Nadja wiping away a non-exsistant tear. This is world of haves and have nots. The good guys do not always win, and hard choices need to be made. We are not some merry band of fellows. We are here for one reason. To do our job. We are all replaceable. I'll do my job Calendir, and that's getting us the information we need, no matter how distasteful I have to go about it. Don't attempt to stand in my way. That's not a theat. No... That's a promise.
Amused by Nadja and Calendir, Raven stands nearby, watching and listening to their 'discussion' with a slight smile on her face. Seeing Bertholdt begin to walk away, she instead decides to follow him, curious how long it would take for them to notice.
With a deep bow, the half elf adds: Thank you for your appreciation - the hardest choice one has to make is looking out for others, looking out only for oneself, or no one at all, using whatever task is at hand as an excuse, is easy. For me, none are replaceable, not even you Nadja... And by the way, you should avoid making promises that you will never be able to keep.
With a wink, Calendir turns his back on the witch, walking towards the others and away from her.
You all follow Fenster's directions to the house that Natalya is supposedly hiding out in. It sets neck to the wall of the Seacleft, debris stacking up to one side of the building. The structure itself has seen better days. The roof seems to be whole at the moment, but most of the shingles are gone and the entire thing shows signs of rot. A small, single-story entry room stands at the front of the two-story building. The windows are all boarded up, preventing anyone from getting a good look into the place.
Hands on her hips Nadja examines the dilapidated building. Not the most comfortable of places, still if I was on the run the stench alone might be enough to ward others off.
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Omoro regards the building warily. It looked like many of the surrounding buildings in Underbridge, but that was the point of a safehouse, wasn't it? Moreover, the house had a sentinel of some sort inside. The lot of them had to have been noticed, but he didn't want the guard to know he'd been noticed yet. He chanced that at least one person in the group would know the ancient tongue of Thaasilon, and said a few words in that dead language.
"I don't know if any of you understand this, but there is someone watching us from within the house. Make no action on this yet. I will be breaking off and scouting around the side to find another way in."
Perception:
Noticing the figure above and not understanding a word from what Omoro had just said, Calendir looks inquisitively at Nadja, nodding his head ever so slightly in the direction of the window where he has seen someone.
Nadja gives a crisp nod at Omoro before quietly wispering.
She then turns slightly towards Calendir nodding in understanding. Turning her back slightly to block her hands view from the direction of the window she motions him towards Omoro with a quick gesture indicating that he should follow the Tengu.
Let's see if you really are as good as you claim Calendir.
"Last I heard of her, she was in Rag's End. Things turned south for her after your father died, Pharasma bless his soul. I'm not sure as to where exactly she is, though." He sighs. "Lost touch."
Silently nodding at Nadja, Calendir follows the lead from Omoro, tailing him as discreetly as possible:
Stealth:
You notice two windows in the northern side, one more in the eastern, and a door on the southern side. The door is isolated enough from the entryway on the western side that you think it'd be pretty easy to sneak into the door without being noticed by the sentries.
Inside, the place is dimly lit and comprises of a few tables and numerous shadowed booths. A quick gaze at the floors shows that there's nothing on the floors at the moment, something that is not evident by smell alone. A rough-looking varisian woman, her face etched with a couple of scars stands behind the bar, leaning back against the countertop behind her. She wears a red scarf on her head, keeping her hair in check, and a heavily stained apron. A knife hangs from her belt.
"Welcome to th' Boar's End," she says with a thick varisian accent, and not an ounce of care. "What ca' I do for ya'?"
Calendir follows Omoro's lead closely on his toes. When they approach the building he points to Omoro and the roof, then to himself and the window.
Raven waits with Nadja while Calendir and Omoro scout the building. Once the duo are out of earshot, she remarks to her.
Stepping out of the alley with Raven in tow Nadja puts a false smile onto her face.
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Omoro grimaces as he surveys the delapidated house, then shakes his head. He mimes climbing, then mimes breaking something in half. He holds two feathered fingers out, then brings them down to the palm of his other hand with a soft meaty smack. He points at himself, and gestures towards the northern windows, while he indicates Calendir and the eastern one. He then heads towards those windows, attempting to surruptitiously peer into the room beyond.
Let me know if I need to make another Stealth check.
"Five cop'er." She holds out her hand. There is a grin splayed across her face.
Calendir silently heads to the eastern window, peering inside as stealthily as possible.
After surveying the scene, Calendir heads towards the direction where Omoro went - if he finds him, he will address him in hushed tones:
That room is empty - we should attempt to approach the southern door, but we cannot forget that we are, by all accounts, trespassers... And I am not in the mood for another tirade from Nadja - let's scout for any possible hostiles and head back to inform them?
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Satisfied with his surveillance, he tracks down Nadja and Raven, finding the pair walking arm-in-arm amongst the market stalls. Omoro examines in particular the jewelry the two Varisian women are discussing. "Quite a lovely piece. Silver. Very shiny." He reaches into his belt pouch and withdraws a paper fan, opening it to hide his speech from anyone that might be watching them.
"There is a door to the south that appears to be unguarded. I only count two thugs inside, but there has to be more than them there - why guard such a rundown place otherwise? That door would be the best entrance into the building. Those of us that can be silent could go ahead, subdue the guards, and open the front door for those of us that are less subtle."