Tesia and Ithelien rejoin the group at the manor. Quintz goes to Tesia. "Any luck with those two girls?"
"A buyer, or a Patron?" Vinccenso replies to the Gnome's retort.
"Not here & not now I fear." He mutters sotto vocce once more to Evelyne.
Six-hundred thousand gold pieces? And the gnome had believed that? Évelyne can't help but burst into laughter. "You... You really believed someone would pay six-hundred thousand gold to a second-rate burglar? One that can't even watch her own back? You could get a high priest of Norgorber to steal something for you for that price," she says, then changes her tone to a less incredulous and more serious one. "Listen, kid. They never intended to pay you. In fact, they probably paid the guy who knocked you out and tied you up," she smiles and leans closer to the gnome. "So... Why don't you just tell us the name of this mysterious "benefactor" of yours? It's not like you are going to lose anything."
Tesia looks at Quintz. She is once again dirty and mussed from the chase, at least her dress is in one piece though. She finds something to lean on casually before replying to his question.
"Well, we managed to grab one of them. The guards assisted in capturing Florence, but they said they could only hold her for questioning for a day. Since they were unable to actually steal the stone there isn't much the law can do with them."
She sighs as she wipes a hand across her brow and massages her temples.
"The other one, Clair, managed to slip away from us. Ithelien almost had her, but the tricky little minx threw some kind of light in his eyes and blinded him momentarily. I couldn't go after her because I was busy with the other one and then I had to go help Ithelien. So, thats pretty much it on our end."
She pauses and looks around at everyone and everything around her.
"So, what about that one?" Tesia points to where the Gnome still sits. "Has she given up any useful information yet? Do we know anything about who put such an amateur up to this kind of heist?"
Ithelien looks about the room, then walks slowly over to Vinccenso. "What's that you have there?" He peers at the map, arching a silver brow. "Huh... Let's see... I wonder if this marks the paths and goals that Quiverpike had in life? Like, one can tell that he was in certain places..." He points at the places that have been crossed out. Turning his attention to the note, he examines all the addresses, including those crossed out, wondering if he had heard anything of them in his travels, or if any had anything to do with significant historical locations, or important figures in the world.
Quintz nods solemnly at Tesia. Fiona analyzes the traces of dirt and determines from the pattern that it was one person. It was as if the person had their feet covered in dirt then put on some house shoes to come inside. Vinccenso quickly recognizes what to do with the rolled up map and lays it over one side globe. The dots seem to indicate several places in Valania, including Corfingham and Trelayne. There are crossed out dots in different countries. Vinccenso also realizes that there should be another part of this map to cover the other countries. Ithelien sees no significance in any of the addresses.
The gnome looks up at Èvelyne. "I'm not saying another word to ya. They won't hold Florence and they won't hold me. So you might as well let me go."
Tesia, already incensed at the thieves arrogance and tired from the days events has had enough and loses her calm reserve. Without another word and before anyone can seem to stop her she strides over to the Gnome picking her up by the front of her frock and lifts her into the air bringing the gnome eye to eye to with her.
"Oh, I don't think we'll be doin' any such thing dearie. Now, let me tell you exactly what's going to happen."
Tesia's voice takes on a soft dangerous note and a tone that none of the others has heard come from her as of yet. It holds a quiet kind of threat that unless listened to carefully is hard to detect. As she brings the gnome closer to her face she tries to convey to the gnome what would be in her best interest to come clean.
"You are going to tell us everything you know about to whome you were going to sell that stone, or being turned into this cities guard with be the least of your worries."
She looks into the gnome's eyes with her own intense blue ones and it is obvious that she means what she says. As far as she is concerned this gnome has assisted the theft of the stone and in the wrong hands it could be used to do great evil, and so to her line of thinking this gnome is no better than the one that actually took it.
"Who might have come in here, and... changed?" Ithelien looks to Dewell, arching a brow. "Does anyone else have access to this house, legally?"
There is too much blathering going on here. Makes it difficult to think...
A somewhat pained expression crosses Vinccenso's face as he observes the various activities going on about him. He refrains from adding another, silently shifting his focus between Ithelien & Dewell, and Tesia, Evelyne & the captured Gnome.
Fiona looks over the map, but does not find anything historically significant.
The gnome quakes in Tesia grasp. "I never met the buyer. Some drow girl who was working for the buyer set up this plan."
"Nobody but me has access to the house," Dewell replies to Ithelien. "Unless Bill came back from the dead."
Ithelien nods slowly, accepting Dewell's words. "Well, someone should probably check that. Whether he came back from his grave or not. You know, some people do... It's dreadfully expensive, of course, but..." He shrugs, then turns to the gnome.
"A drow, you say..." He murmurs, heart in turmoil. Was that the one he had seen in the crowd at the time of his selection? Most probably... If she was working for someone, it was almost certainly another drow... He takes a deep breath. "Can you describe her?"
"Actually, any sufficiently powerful wizard has access to this house...
They simply choose not to make use of said access."
Vinccenso drawls.
"Black skin, white eyes, creme colored hair," the gnome says. "They all look alike, don't they?"
Tesia looks over at Ithelien at the mention of the drow girl. She attempts to get his attention so that he can hear what's going on. Tesia addresses Ithelien while keeping her eyes pinned on the squirming gnome, but speaks so that everyone can hear her.
"Vous avez entendu ce qu'elle a dit Ithelien? Apparemment, drow, nous avons vu plus tôt a été très occupé. Vous semblé surpris de la voir, serait-il par hasard être quelqu'un que vous connaissez? Je pense si nous constatons que drow elle pourrait nous conduire la personne responsable de cet acte crapuleux. Qu'en pensez-vous? Est-ce que quelqu'un a des idées? "
She looks around the room waiting to see if anyone has any suggestions. While Tesia waits for someone to come up with something, she once again addresses the gnome that remains firmly in her grasp.
"Then why don't you tell me whatever you know about this drow? How did she get into contact with you? Where were you supposed to meet her? Tell me anything and everything you know and I swear on Erastil, no harm will come to you."
Ithelien nods slightly, smiling tightly. He had absolutely no idea what she was saying, until she switches back to Common. A faint sigh of relief escapes him. He hated not knowing what was going on... He should really pick up the language, at some time...
"We were staying in Blackshire, Florence, Claire and I," the gnome explains. "We've done some work before for others and we know how to handle ourselves under normal circumstances. So this drow at the Grey Cloak Inn sizes us up and comes to us this afternoon, asking us if we want to make a big score. So the girls and I are on board for this and she tells us what she wants. We were supposed to meet up with her at the inn when we were done."
Tesia regards Ithelien for a moment, waiting to see if he responds to her questions. When he doesn't she wonders if he can understand what she's saying. Since everyone else seemed able to either speak or understand she just assumed he could speak it as well. Tesia doesn't want to make him feel bad or embarrassed and becomes flushed at the thought of doing so.
Having no idea if he is able to understand her, Tesia decides that it's best to stick to common so that everyone can understand what's going on, and no one feels left out. It's not her wish to make anyone uncomfortable, except for maybe the gnome.
She regards the gnome for a moment before smiling sweetly.
"See there, that wasn't so bad was it? It's always best to be honest and fair with others so that they may treat you the same."
Tesia sets the gnome gently back down in the chair before looking over at Quintz.
"Would you mind being a dear and fetching a guard or two for me to take this one into custody? I have a feeling we are going to Blackshire and I don't need a certain person sending any warnings of our arrival. If Claire hasn't done so already. It's a long shot, but I think we need to do everything we can to get to the bottom of this before something really bad happens. I don't want to make any more assumptions, so I was wondering what everyone thought of that. Is there anyone that thinks we should do something different?"
Before Quintz can leave she beckons him over for just a minute so she can have a quiet word with him.
"Je pense que vous devriez laisser Korbak savoir ce qui s'est passé ici. Il pourrait avoir quelques réflexions sur le sujet. Malheureusement, nous pourrions finir par manquer la fin du spectacle, mais je pense que pour l'instant c'est une question plus urgente. Merci beaucoup , et je suis désolé si notre nuit a été ruinée. Ce n'était pas exactement ce que je comptais quand je suis venu ici. je te vois dans un peu."
She gives Quintz a small apologetic smile before he goes.
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Fiona squirrels her eyes at Tesia for a moment before shrugging. "I dinnae unnerstand that language, can we stop directin' it about? I'm not tossin' m'bi-lingustics arround, sheesh."
After hearing what the gnome says, her eyes brighten and she looks to the others. "There's a lead. An' in all good mystery novels, a good clue leads t'nother clue." She casts an excited face to Faulkes. "What'd'ya think? Wanna crash the inn at Blackshire and try to unravel this mess with me? Worse than a night on the town, but, eh, better than goin' home without the girl?"
She looks to the others. "Time's of the essence, so, if we're gonna try to cut 'em off at the pass we should go now, eh? Leave her for Dewell an' the guard, let's get a move on?"
"Again so sorry bout the confusion. I'm with Fiona on this though. We should go for it and see what we can find before the trail goes totally cold. What does everyone else think?"
Tesia looks around for a moment before continuing.
"Just to be on the safe side, whoever is planning on going to Blackshire should go and get their...belongings before heading over there since we don't know for sure what we might run into. We could all meet at the Bald Bard's Inn and Tavern, in say an hour or so. Giving everyone that wants to go a chance to collect their things. I'll wait here with Dewell and our guest until Quintz comes back with the guards and then I'll grab my things and meet you over there."
Ithelien nods. "Remember, though, that the orc wanted to talk with us..." The elf points out quietly. "This is more important, but someone should tell him that we are doing something... Preferably in a way that won't offend him. Erm, I apologize sincerely, sir, but... what's you're name?" He asks the aasimar, then continues regardless. "You know the orc, yes? So could we possibly rely upon you to talk with him?"
Before Quinz (or anyone else) can take the gnome away, Évelyne speaks up. "Nobody's taking the gnome away. We need her to lure the drow to reveal herself. The drow will suspect something if she doesn't see the gnome."
After a moment, she continues: "Well, if there isn't anything else, I'll get going. See you at the Bard. I can take the gnome there, if anyone else doesn't want to," she says, then gives a look at Verrill. "And you're coming with me. Otherwise I'd worry all the time if you're being stabbed by tieflings or something, he he."
Before Evelyne can do more than turn toward the door, Vinccenso interjects. "You are ignoring a strong probability."
"Who better to have 'out thieved the thief' as-it-were...
than the very agent who knew she was going to be making the attempt."
Quintz blinks twice. "So am I fetching a guard or not? The gnome would probably be safer with the guards if the drow double-crossed her and, even if she did not, the gnome becomes a liability in such a situation. I'll go have words with Korbak in the meantime. If Faulkes is going to be hanging around, he can fetch a guard if you want."
The aasimar bows his head slightly and makes his way out. Faulkes runs a hand through his hair. "I'm inclined to agree with him. He doesn't seem like he'd steer us wrong."
He then turns to Fiona, a smile on his face. "This will be a strange date indeed."
Verrill nods at Èvelyne. "My things are at the Grey Cloak Inn, so going along wouldn't be much of a hassle. Perhaps I may get to know more about you in the meantime."
Évelyne turns back to Vinccenso and Quinz. "Well, if we are going to the tavern, we are going to suppose that the drow had planned to double-cross them at a later date, and someone else did the knocking-out and tying-down. Otherwise, why the hell would she go to the their meeting place, when she knows that no-one will arrive? To giggle evilly?"
Ithelien pauses, frowning. "I would like to meet this drow... Regardless of whether or not she intended to betray them, I think some of us should visit it. Perhaps disguised? It may also be a chance to catch Clair, assuming she might go there to meet her drow patroness."
"Or confront the woman..." Vinccenso interjects absently, his face a mask of contemplation.
Odd...
Is what the seers were concerned for? If so, is it certain that had anything to do with it?
"I agree," Évelyne says and follows her out. During the trip to the inn, she indulges to Verrill's wish to learn more about her, but intentionally leaves out some of the more colorful details. (such as being a cleric of Lamashtu)
"...But since there aren't cults of Rovagug or undead occurrences every week, or even every other week, most of the time I'm just sitting at home. Which can get a little boring sometimes, but such is life. You just have to try to think of something productive to do."
Once at the Inn, she enters her room for a minute before coming back to the common room, now clad in a chain shirt and sporting a rather large sword on her back.
Faulkes flags down a guard before chasing after Fiona. The guard takes the gnome into custody after having a talk with Dewell, who lays the blame on the destroyed door squarely on Morwenna. Everyone departs to their respective inn rooms and gathers their gear before meeting at the Bald Bard's Inn and Tavern.
As the group assembles, Quintz approaches with Korbak. "Korbak wishes to ask you something since you are going to Blackshire."
"I can speak for myself, Quintz," the orc says bluntly. "Apparently, Blackshire has quite a few dealings going on, in addition to your own dilemma. One of my advisors was seeking a little "entertainment" there and has yet to return. This concerns me because he was carrying a fair amount of money and he is also weak when it comes to ale and comely women. Given that my dealings with Hakim have fallen through, the last thing I want is to heap more shame upon my clans while I am here. If you happen to find him, send him back here."
"This might be easier to do if we knew of whom you speak?" Vinccenso replies, his eyebrows rising invitingly.
"His name is Tarok the Lesser," the orc grunts, perhaps with a hint of satisfaction. "He stands about six foot tall, by your measurements. His skin is gray, adorned with tattoos, and he has one broken tusk. He should be easy to identify."
"Of course..." He bows his head politely. "It is our pleasure to aid you in any way we can." He is wearing his battle gear, though he looks at his back with a small sigh, wishing his quiver was still with him. "We should seek him at the brothel, then, yes?" He looks to the others. "Assuming they have one there." He wonders idly where he might find such an orc if said orc were interested in wine and women, searching through the variety of road's tales he's heard of the town.
After being satisfied that the gnome has been dealt with in the best possible way, Tesia goes back to her room to change and collect her things. She changes back into her chainmail armor and grabs her war hammer before heading back to the inn. She sees no point in taking anymore chances with such a lovely dress. If I am to be put in these situations, I might as well be dressed for the occasion.
Tesia goes to the stable at her Inn to check on her horse before heading to the Bald Bard Inn and Tavern. Once she knows he is well cared for, she heads to the other Inn to meet up with everyone there and listen's to Korbak. Tesia nods her head at Quintz and then Korbak at Ithelien's statement.
"We will find him and send him back to you as soon as possible."
She looks around the Inn for a minute,"As soon as everyone gets here and we are all together, we will head over there."
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With expedience, Fiona re-equips herself, sheathing her scimitar in her hip sheathe, re-fixing her dagger to be at her side, strapping her quiver over her shoulder and covering it... By the end, she's returned to her cloak and cowl, bandana hiding the flecks of red hair inside the hood. Holding her bow and stringing it, she hopes that the magic will keep it from deforming.
She meets with Faulkes outside her door, hurrying into the common room to hear Korbak speak. As he does, she notices that in strapping on the remainder of her armor, she's hidden her skin again-- gone from a pretty girl, at least in Faulkes eyes, back to a Keeper. She gives him a smile as they wait, listening.
"Will do," she says, bowing to the orc dignitary.
Turning to Faulkes, she says "I'm glad you decided t'come with us, but I wish I could have put yer tasks first. I promise I'll be at yer side when it comes down to who's headin' with ye intae the forest." She holds out a hand playfully. "Let's shake on it before we get down to brass tacks about horses and carriages and how-we're-gonna-leg-it-tae-Blackshire, eh?"
Vinccenso's gaze passes over his chance-wrought companions, noting each item of martial splendor individually.
How very like Annalisse...
Ithelien thinks upon what he's heard about Blackshire, he recalls hearing about some "houses of ill repute" being quite popular there.
Faulkes takes Fiona's hand gently. "That's alright, Fiona. I need to look into that forest anyway before heading there. I don't want to be caught unawares. Blackshire's about a mile or two away, so it shouldn't be hard to get out there if we have to walk. I don't think most of these carriage drivers are too eager to step on anyone's toes, much less suspicious fellows."