"I'm planning to stay aunt, but my offer to help with the paperwork was only meant a temporary one... I'm a warrior now. The Dwarf folk saw to that. I suppose i'm asking for your help, aunt. I'm investigating the "suicide" of Kerst Grath. A few names have come up in connection with foul play. One of those names is "Melira"- I understand she sometimes stays here in the Ramblehouse"?
Cham's interest is piqued by the prospect of inside information on the hottest topic of discussion in town. She readily lays aside the paperwork and lowers her voice conspiratorially. "Melira ... aye, that's a guide from Freedom Town, brings in groups of travelers and vagrants from time to time. I've never liked that woman -- I swear she leaves behind fleas in the beds so we have to burn the straw and restuff the ticks after she sleeps in them -- but her coin's good so I can't turn her away." She scowls. "A trashy Lastwall girl from the mission was in here yesterday accusing a half-orc named Freley. I think he was one of the last flock of wolves in sheep's clothing she led into town. Are those church-folk looking to lay blame on the Ramblehouse? You watch out for their lying tongues ... and you'll tell your Auntie Cham if they're plotting against her, won't you?" she wheedles. "We Small folk need to stick together."
"But the presence of those creatures at the old church was strange and I am concerned about them. It's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt."
"Exactly! I mean with monsters there I wonder where else they might be hiding? I'd hate to settle down on the long john and suddenly find a flood troll saying hello from below! Quicker we get the all of this settled the better."
Ali departs the yard at That 'N' Such, heading for the switchback. Across the road, Kaleb, exiting the Ramblehouse, sees her and falls in with her. As the pair travel through the Inner Gate, they see Marikel and Vhailor already there waiting for them.
The "Dog House" Gorkis Meeson referred to is set well back from the main road and crowded close to the wall of the Inner Gate; Alicia is aware that its real name is the Howling Hound. Though the house itself is somewhat shabby and down at the heels, the placard over the doorway of a baying white dog is recently painted, and the path to the front door has been neatly swept.
Alicia walks up to Marikel, half-attempting to sneak up on him. "Any luck? All roads point toward this place, from our end," she says, jerking her head in the direction of the flophouse. "Want me to sneak in and look around, or are we busting in doors?"
"Want me to sneak in and look around, or are we busting in doors?"
"What? No!" Marikel starts.
He takes a deep breath. "Miss Alicia, Miss Sara advised us a lady here, Miss Urnsul, may have further information regarding this Daktani. Since we've promised not to make trouble and to keep things quiet, it may be wiser to just politely knock and ask. Unless you have any further information to advise against such a course of action?"Marikel fold his arms and waits expectantly.
"You really think they're just going to hand over anything they may know about him or his whereabouts? Several of his friends live here," Alicia retorts. "It would make sense to at least snoop around first, before asking them point-blank."
"Why wouldn't they tell us? They don't need to know we're going to arrest him. Besides, if that prospecting equipment we found belonged to Miss Urnsul (because Miss Sara advised she'd gone prospecting) she may want it back. If it appears whoever we address isn't going to cooperate, then perhaps you can spin some untruth. Or even follow them as they rush off to warn him. Did you have a better lead than Miss Urnsul? We could address them first."
Marikel crosses his arms and glares at Alicia.
"What sort of snooping did you have in mind?"
Vhailor looks from face to face betwixt Alicia and Marikel... then includes his feline companion as equal by cycling through Carbonel's face as well. He's strangely silent though, with an enigmatic smile... as though a thought's wandered through the barn door of his mind and is having it's way with the livestock within.
Alicia sighs and rolls her eyes. "Sneaking in and seeing if anyone's home, for one. But whatever," she concedes.
"Fine. Do you know what any of these people look like? Am I waiting for you here or do you need some kind of distraction?" Marikel grumbles.
"I know this Urnsul you were talking about, and Katrezra, and Daktani," Alicia replies.
"As for what you do...I'd suggest waiting here. Or actually, maybe it'd be better if you go in the front while I go in the back. Knock on the door, make noise and see what you find out when and if they show up," Alicia continues. "If you hear a bunch of commotion, it probably means they caught me. I'll wait 'til you start knocking to make my entrance." With that, the rogue hoofs it for a back door, or, failing that, a window.
"Don't get caught," Marikel hisses at Alicia.
He shrugs at the others as she heads out of sight, counts to 50, then strides over to the front door and starts knocking.
Ali departs from the group, heading back down the road toward the Inner Gates, but then follows the wall behind the Howling Hound rather than entering the Lower Quarter. There is very little space between the wall and the building, due to the building having already been present when Trunau's defenses were improved; the west-facing windows, which undoubtedly once enjoyed a view of the sunlight glistening on the waters of the Hopespring, now boast only a close-up view of rocks and mortar.
Alicia finds a kitchen window propped open to counter the heat of the oven and figures it will make a passable entrance for her. She waits to hear the sounds of activity at the front door that will signal Marikel's arrival.
--------------------------------
Accompanied by Kaleb and Vhailor, Marikel follows the tidy path to the front door and knocks politely. After a moment, the door is opened by a man who pleasantly asks, "Yes? Can I help you?" While one of his eyes focuses on the visitors, the other appears to be looking somewhere over their shoulders, which makes it difficult to meet his gaze.
Vhailor frowns, looks back over his shoulders, shrugs, turns back to the man, smiles and then turns to Marikel.
Kaleb felt awkward as Alicia and Marikel debated the next course of action. He kept a keen eye on the proceedings before him; and a subtle hand near the hilt of his rapier.
Waiting at the kitchen window, Alicia can hear the front door being answered on the other side of the house.
After a moment, the door is opened by a man who pleasantly asks, "Yes? Can I help you?"
"GOOD MOPRNING... I mean Good Morning. Sorry. I've just come from Clamor. I was wondering if Miss Urnsul was in and we might speak with her? It concerns some prospecting."
Marikel smiles amiably
Taking that as her cue, the rogue attempts to quietly lift the kitchen window and slip inside.
"I was wondering if Miss Urnsul was in and we might speak with her? It concerns some prospecting."
Marikel smiles amiably
"Urnsul...," the man repeats thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I don't know everyone who may be finding shelter under this roof, but you're welcome to come in and ask around."
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Alicia slides the window up without much trouble and shimmies through the gap. She quietly crosses the floor and peeks through the open door to see a corridor running back toward the main part of the house. More doors open off the hallway.
Unable to discern a difference between each door, Ali slips into the corridor and presses her ear to the first door. If, after a moment, she does not hear any noise from within, she carefully opens the door.
Alicia hears nothing through the door. Opening it, she finds a small storage room stacked with crates and lined with shelves.
The next door opens to a dark staircase leading down to some sort of basement area.
Past that, the corridor turns and seems to open up to a larger area, maybe the entrance hall: it seems to be illuminated by natural light, and the sounds of the conversation at the front door are clearer. She catches a glimpse of stairs leading up to another floor and a corridor continuing the other way but suspects she may reveal herself to whomever answered the front door if she tries to reach either.
Hm, Alicia thinks, closing the door to the hallway. Drawing her hopeknife, she does a cursory inspection of the storage room's contents before slipping down the staircase.
"Urnsul...," the man repeats thoughtfully. "I'm afraid I don't know everyone who may be finding shelter under this roof, but you're welcome to come in and ask around."
"Thank you, good sir. We shall. And what was your name?"
Marikel makes his way inside and looks around while asking.
"Thank you, good sir. We shall. And what was your name?"
Marikel makes his way inside and looks around while asking.
"I am Othdan Meriman," he replies, closing the front door behind the Smaller men following Marikel in, "but I hope that any man may call me brother." His eye lights curiously on Kaleb. "I pray you won't take this amiss, brother, but I feel sure that the innkeeper will offer you a roof over your head if you're in need of one. She may not be over-known for her charity, but it extends at least as far as her own kind, Lorris be praised."
Kaleb and Vhailor follow Marikel into a airy but rather bare entrance hall. A corridor leads off to the left, and a set of stairs directly ahead provide access to another story. In the shadows of the back right corner of the room, a doorway provides access to what looks like an annex or later addition to the original structure.
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Alicia makes a quick rummage through the storage room. It appears to be mostly used and patched clothing and shoes, blankets, coats, candles, and basic supplies.
Alicia frowns at the dearth of discoveries in the storeroom. Mindful of the fact that it's likely to be darker in the basement, she takes one of the candles she dug up in the storeroom. She lights it and quietly slips downstairs, hoping that the lesser light than her torch will help keep her hidden from any trouble down below.
"Thank you, brother. Do you know the name Daktani perhaps?"
"Daktani," the man repeats, stopping a moment. "Aye, aye. He's been a guest under this roof from time to time." His good eye looks back at the priest curiously.
Alicia slips through the door to the dark stairwell. The candlelight's weak illumination doesn't reach to the bottom of the stairs; all she can see is the next few steps as she descends.
Body tense, Alicia decides it's better to leave the door open a bare inch as she takes the stairs step by step.
"Daktani," the man repeats, stopping a moment. "Aye, aye. He's been a guest under this roof from time to time." His good eye looks back at the priest curiously.
"Excellent. I've heard he knows Miss Urnsul. Is he still about? Do you know where I might find him. Maybe he can direct me to her."
Marikel smiles amiably.
"I, uh," the man replies, "I'm not sure. I believe he left: picked up a job with a wilderness guide, I think it was. Yes, I'm sure he told me he was leaving town a few days ago. You could leave him a message, if you like."
There are shelves full of cracked dishes and glassware; benches and ink-stained desks are heaped up every which way; a dozen old maps are hanging on an iron frame. You see an old-fashioned cast iron stove, its pipe disassembled, a leather couch with stuffing coming through the cracks in its hide, and a heap of soiled rugs. Despite the clutter, there is a definite path cleared through the refuse leading away from the foot of the stairs.
One seems to be an old map of Trunau, prior to the building of the Inner Gates. Another shows the region before the Hordeline was overrun; you can find Bloodmarch Hill well within the former boundaries of Lastwall. Several other maps depict the whole of the Mindspin Mountains, the range spilling off the edge of one map to continue on the next.
The maps in the front, however, appear to be surveyors' documents diagramming various mining operations into Bloodmarch Hill. If the torn scrap of parchment you found in Mr. Freley's room at the Ramblehouse was a map of mineshafts, these documents could very well be the original from which it was copied.
"I, uh," the man replies, "I'm not sure. I believe he left: picked up a job with a wilderness guide, I think it was. Yes, I'm sure he told me he was leaving town a few days ago. You could leave him a message, if you like."
"Thank you, Brother. If I cannot find Miss Urnsul I will take you up on your kind offer."
Marikel bows his head politely and heads further into the building.
Marikel bows his head politely and heads further into the building.
A corridor leads off to the left, and a set of stairs directly ahead provide access to another story. In the shadows of the back right corner of the room, a doorway provides access to what looks like an annex or later addition to the original structure.
In the corner, where the wall you've been following meets another, is a rusty, seven-armed candelabrum, still holding the stumps of thick wax candles, bearded with drippings. The path turns and heads back in the general direction of the stairs, as if you are at upturn of a letter U.
His eye lights curiously on Kaleb. "I pray you won't take this amiss, brother, but I feel sure that the innkeeper will offer you a roof over your head if you're in need of one. She may not be over-known for her charity, but it extends at least as far as her own kind, Lorris be praised."
Kaleb smiles wryly. "I am most grateful for the information, brother." he replies as his eyes scan the room. Kaleb's hand is no longer near the hilt of his sword but his posture is still a little tense, coiled almost.
The Halfling follows Marikel but if the priest is forced to look one way or another, Kaleb searches the alternative.
As you turn away, you catch sight of a tiny glimmer of light and a hint of movement ahead of you, up the cleared path.
Vhailor smiles blithely as Carbonel perches upon his shoulder. The cat stretches and in doing so rubs up against the gnome's earlobe. Twitching and tilting his head he tries to dissuade an itch from settling in... only partially successful in that task, but likely making himself appear even more eclectic than his visual adornments do already.
Marikel heads for the corridor to the left, and once away from Othdan Meriman mumbles quietly to the others.
"Our friendly Brother there knows more of Daktani's location than he professes. Let's not push the point just yet. We've plenty of other leads."
He heads up to a nearby door and knocks politely.
Meriman makes no move to follow the group as they take the left-hand corridor. They pass a clean but plain sitting room, furnished with patched and mismatched chairs and couches, before the hallway turns and presents them with a handful of doors on either side. Marikel knocks at the first which, after a moment, is opened by a sleepy-eyed half-orc who greets his visitors with an inquisitive grunt.
Marikel knocks at the first which, after a moment, is opened by a sleepy-eyed half-orc who greets his visitors with an inquisitive grunt.
Marikel looks somewhat abashed at waking the half-orc.
"I'm so sorry for disturbing you, sir. We were looking for Miss Urnsul. Are there other sleepers about? I'll try and avoid waking everyone."He gives an apologetic smile.
The half-orc waves off Marikel's apology. "Urnsul's room is upstairs. Third door on the right."
You see neither movement nor the glimmer of light you saw before ... but somehow you can't shake the feeling that you're not alone down here. You think you hear a soft, slight sound of something shifting out there in the darkness.