With an exaggerated sigh, Dakar rasps a response. "You might try Downmarket or the Meatgate—lots of eyes there may have seen something. Beyond that, I expect at least a base level of competance from those, assisting me.”
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Eadie stands with her chest puffed out, tapping the side of her nose as she gives a knowing nod.
She rolls the front of the bags up to uncover her mouth before reaching for her ear plugs.
“Is this thing on? Testing 1-2-5 …”
“Dakar, can you have Maegan bring the cart round the front? I’m ready to go now – and I don’t want to miss my 12 o’clock at Chima’s Waffle Emporium.”
"Good. If you have time to joke then you have time to work."
None of you detect any signal from the illuminated Dakar, but in an instant your guards return and throw the black bags over your heads, much more brusquely this time.
After the now-expected hour of transport, you find yourselves unceremoniously dumped back in front of Collgardie's. The place looks just as you left it, with the glaring exception that the bound and tied Wymund Pratt has been taken.
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“Wymund, we’re hoooome! Wymund? WYMUND! Come out, come out wherever you are!”
Eadie puts both hands to her mouth as she calls, “As a special treat, I was going to style your hair again tonight. I’ve decided vermillion just isn’t your color. And I bought some hot tar off a very nice Kuthonite vet, in case I nick your ears again.”
After a casual search, Eadie *groans* “Well, bum. Somebody’s taken him!”
“I’m gonna have to buy some more rope now. Dvalin, do you think Mr Dakar will let me put it on expenses?”
"You might try Downmarket or the Meatgate.”
Eadie ponders the party’s next move. “Traber, just how big was the tip you gave Miss Feathers the other day?”
“I’m thinking Upgate in a Meatmarket would be right up his alley – so to speak.”
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“Oh, that goes without saying.”
Eadie flicks her eyes upwards around the ceiling trying to sound as casual as possible – though the constant hopping from one foot to the other might give her away.
“But if you really want to make an impact, you might want to consider getting your hair done too, Traber. AND it just so happens my 1 o’clock has failed to show.”
She wanders up behind the oracle, gently lifting random clumps of his stringy hair as she *Tut-tuts*
“What do you think of vermillion? It would make a powerful statement.”
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Eadie hums to herself as she gathers towels, hot water and henna. She pulls her dagger from behind a greave, licks her thumb and tests the blade’s edge.
Frowning she pulls a well-worn whetstone from her pack and begins sharpening the knife with a rhythmic SHRYP SHRYP across the stone.
“Guys sorry to be a downer, but I think we should stick together for this one.”
Eadie holds her dagger briefly up to her eye before resuming its whetting. “Collgardie’s place is compromised. Someone’s taken Pratt and I’d wager the Shadow Lodge know we’re coming.”
“This has all the hallmarks of another ambush – remember the Shadow Lodge’s goblins on the Halflight Path?”
“I vote to stay together … and then we can all meet Traber’s friend, Miss Feathers!”
Deciding for now to travel in a united front, the six of you make your way over the the dive near the Downmarket border where Crowe and Traber last made Miss Feathers' acquaintance. Sadly, the feathered personality isn't there when you arrive, though the bartender gives you directions to a few more local spots Feathers could be found, with only a slightly arched eyebrow and the smallest of sighs.
Following his advice, it doesn't take you much longer to hear Feather's booming voice call out from a significantly more upscale establishment. "I tell you Karl, almost ready to get down to business!""It's noon Feath.""Exactly, early bird gets the worms!"
Entering the 'Unicorn's Bane', you see Miss Feathers sitting at the bar and chatting animatedly with the bartender as the hulking man sips from a quarter-empty bottle of something. Glancing over at you, Miss Feathers quickly does a double take and turns so fast his bleached wig and crimson feathered boa almost slide askew.
"Well well, Traber boy! I knew you wouldn't skip out of town without coming to see Miss Feathers again. You're still here and B's still around so it's marvelous your business is concluded." Miss Feathers breaks out a big grin as he leans forward. "And such a nice outfit you got too! I hope you didn't go through all that trouble for me, did you? Nice enough thought, but a bit like making sure the starting gun's fancy as can be."
He looks behind the oracle, eyes widening before shrugging and returning to his previous pose. "And you brought some more friends with you than just strong-silent-and-shirtless. Well, your purse's as big as before then you can all come down and have a drink."
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"What? This old thing?" Traber says in mock coyness. "I look like a weathered old goblin next to you. Everyone knows that Miss Feathers is the cock's crow." Traber takes Feather's hand and kisses it. "I've been telling my companions about you and they just had to meet you. We should find a place to speak." He lays two platinum on the bar for food and drink.
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Eadie likes this man but discreetly keeps her distance from Traber and Miss Feathers while they conduct business. The warrior slaps two gold pieces on the bar for their feather boa-ed informant.
As the paladin orders, the pitch of Eadie’s voice rises excitedly. “Ooh! Are you having milk, Ali? I’ll have some too.”
Then she lowers her voice gruffly as she says to the barman, “In a dirty glass, please Karl.”
Miss Feathers scrunches his face slightly, at Traber’s words and gesture, causing his cheeks to begin to flush. ”You flatterer. Making a girl blush with that silver tongue of yours.”
He slides off his chair, smoothing out his clothes with his hands and straightening his boa. ”I’d know just the spot, but my normal chambers might be a bit cramped for the seven of us. But for you hon, I’ve got a deal with the Sting shrine down the way. A spacious place, and sound-proof.” He winks. ”So, need a few rounds to fire you up,” he nods towards the bar. ”Or shall we just get to a nice long chat?”
At the bar, Karl gives a snort at Ali’s request for milk, but at the glint of gold he holds his tongue and pours two glasses of the stuff. The paladin’s had fresher, but the liquid is refreshing enough.
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Crowe watches the interaction between Traber and Miss F, seeming a bit more relaxed than the last time in the wigged one's presence. Spying Dvalin and Eadie order drinks, he steps to the bar, allowing his bulk to rest on the edge. The Shoanti nods once to the barkeep, his spression stern and points to the glass that Dvalin is drinking from. "One for me."
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“I’m good with chatting at the temple now, Miss Feathers.”
Eadie asks the barman courteously, “Can I please have mine to go?”
☕☕☕☕
She sympathises with Ali. “I used to get teased by mean kids at nursery school for drinking formula.”
“But when my bones and teeth grew big and strong, didn’t I kick and bite the heck out of them!”
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"My dear, my tongue is pure gold, but unfortunately, i'll have to wait to prove that to you. I have just put down quite a deposit so why don't we start here before going to this other, more roomy place you mentioned?" After that, Traber orders some drink and some food. He flirts and make small talk with Miss Feathers.
Miss Feathers gives a large wink at Eadie, but Traber’s words cause the large man to shrug and relax back down in his seat. ”Sure, we can go that way if you want. Karl, a Feysplitter for the charmer here.” As Karl grabs a bottle and pours a green shot for Traber, your companion turns back to the oracle, hand on his chin. ”So, how’s the City of Strangers been treating you? Hope you ain’t been down to Ankar-Te: those corpses aren’t any kind of comfort.”
During all of this, Dvalin scans the room as he and Crowe are brought two flagons of ale. The pub is fairly crowded considering the early hour, but from the knowing looks everyone gives each other the dwarf senses this crowd is mostly regular customers. One half-orc woman in leather breeches seems to frown while glancing at Dvalin’s belt for a moment before turning back to converse with the other two men at her table.
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Eadie smiles as she waits patiently while Taber and Miss F go through the preliminaries.
*Sigh* Ain’t love grand.
The warrior has a question. “Ali … Dvalin, I guess this ‘Sting shrine’ is a Temple of Calistria, yeah?”
“An old roomy told me that’s where grown-ups have parties. And do fun stuff like bouncing on the beds.”
Eadie frowns. “So why would it need to be sound-proof? Wouldn’t other guests want to hear how much fun everyone’s having?”
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The Calistrianites serve their...erm.. purpose. If you have need of their services don't be shy. My lifestyle doesn't have to be yours. However, it seems youre a bit..confused on the subject. Maybe ask Crowe about it before you accept any invitations into a soundproof room.
Ali snickers at something that Archimedes whispers into his ear Oh heavens no, I wouldn't dare besmirch a maiden's honor... he says quietly under his breath.
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The Calistrianites serve their...erm.. purpose. If you have need of their services don't be shy.
"They’re the bee people right? Well I am running low on honey."
Maybe ask Crowe about it before you accept any invitations into a soundproof room.
Eadie nods curtly in response to the paladin’s advice, stands and calls across the Unicorn Bane's tap room.
♞♞♞♞
Once they’re back on the mean streets, Eadie draws her enchanted falchion and keeps a look out for trouble.
As Crowe continues to drink and Ali tries to pass on advice to Eadie, Miss Feathers continues to chat animatedly with Traber. When, after a while of this, Traber proposes continuing their business elsewhere, Miss Feathers gives a big smile as he replies with a wink.
”Sure, let’s take this party elsewhere.”
He waves to Karl the bartender and leads you out of the Unicorn’s Bane and down a few cross streets towards a large building. Painted yellow with black accents and bearing three daggers above the door, the structure doesn’t seem like much from the outside but going in the interior is lavishly decorated with sofas and divans. Miss Feathers exchanges a few words to a red-haired woman before he leads you down a hallway and into a roomy chamber dominated by a large bed, with pillows and a filled water jug and chalices arranged upon a wooden table.
Closing the door, he looks at the assembled party before turning to Traber with another smile. ”So adventurers, what type of adventure is it today then?”
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No matter how secure the room is purported to be, Traber knows that it would be a small matter for someone to be listening in. However, he sees no reason to be obtuse and dives right in. "You probably already know, my dear, that we are part of the organization known as the Pathfinders and that the Pathfinders are not very welcome in Kaer Maga. We do have a tacit agreement with between our organization and the powers of the city for us to perform certain very limited and specific operations here. Unfortuntley there seems to be a splinter group that has chosen to ignore the delicate truce we have with the city. We have been tasked to stop them. What we need is information just who they are and on their whereabouts." He stops there to make sure that Miss Feathers understands (of course he does) and to give his cohorts a chance to add any details they feel he is missing.
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Eadie nods curtly in response to the paladin’s advice, stands and calls across the Unicorn Bane's tap room. “HEY, CROWE-STER! ALI RECKONS I SHOULD TALK TO YOU ABOUT A THREESOME IN THE CALISTRIAN PARTY-ROOM!”
The big shoanti involuntarily spits out a spout of ale as Eadie shouts across the bar. Turning a bit red, he wipes off his mouth with an arm thicker than an average tree branch while he looks straight at Ali, his eyes scrunched and mouth in a scowl. He placed his tankard down adn glances about the room before addressing Eadie. "Hmph. I would not enter a darkened corner of this hells spawn town for all the gold in Durma. Someone tell me when the corpse is through, my earth breaker itches my shoulder."
Crow lifts his mug and Ali and Eadie catch a momentary glimpse of a smirk before the rager downs the rest of his ale in one gulp, then nods to the barkeep for another.
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Eadie looks at Ali wearing a blank expression. “I guess that’s a ‘No.’”
⛪⛪⛪⛪
Before they enter the House of the Savored Sting, Eadie sheathes her weapon.
She gawks at the clerics and lay-folk in amazement, whispering “It’s just like the Pleasure Salon in Absalom, Dvalin. Why doesn’t the High Priestess buy her people clothes?”
Once they’re inside their allocated chamber, Eadie has very little to add to Traber’s enquiries. “One of the leaders of this so-called Shadow Lodge is a spell-caster named Wymund Pratt. He was abducted from a safehouse in Bis in a well-organized raid this morning. Any idea who took him and why?”
“Also Miss Feathers, you said this room is soundproof. So how come we can hear each other?”
Miss Feathers' expression cracks as Traber lays out their mission. He large man sighs heavily, then walks to the table and pours himself a glass of water. He takes a big swig before replying, frustration barely hidden in his voice.
"Well, that's a way to rev a girl up before slamming 'er down. News, gossip? That's all your after? Fact you can come here and stick to that proves to me you need this place more than ever." Miss Feathers nods towards Eadie. At least that one seems eager enough-though even an old soul like me'd feel a bit odd about it if you're truly that confused girl.
Miss Feathers sighs deeply, then slouches down onto a giant pair of pillows, his pose as casual as you've yet seen from the entertainer. You're hurting Miss Feathers' pride something fierce, but...fine. So, Pathfinders. You're the lot with those compass badges, right? Yeah, I've seen a few of you around the way. Never heard of that Pratt prat, but it's a big city after all. But occasionally a working girl gets around some, sees some of those baubles of yours. Fact one of your lot may have come to see Miss Feathers herself last week. The man puts a hand to his chest in mock appall. Not so sure what means I should get involved in a family squabble though. At least that one knew how to appreciate a catch
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“It’s waaaay more than a family squabble, Miss Feathers. Indeed, Dakar and Besel Ardoc have joined forces to encourage us to clean up the Shadow Lodge in their town.”
The young warrior’s eyes harden like the steel she wields. “I’m pleased to hear you have some information for us. Traber has paid you well for it. It would be great if we could report how helpful you’ve been to Mr D and Big B.”
Eadie then stands and guards the doorway, drawing her falchion and keeping an ear out for trouble.
Miss Feather's eyes widen a fraction at the mention of Dakar but his mood remains sullen. "So, you got the wrath of Gods coming down on you and decide to drag me along? Thanks."
He looks at the six of you in silence for a moment. In the blink of an eye, Miss Feathers' smiling disposition returns. "Ah hell, man was a lousy tipper anyway. More ways'n one. So: about three days back II met up with a man with one of those badges of yours." Miss Feathers nods towards Dvalin's wayfinder. "We talked shop for a bit around Chimera Market out in Eastgate. I seen him once or twice around there from a distance since. Strange fellow, caster by the dress of him. Human always muttering to himself."
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“Dude gotta name? Say where he lived? Did you go there on business?”
The young warrior’s eyes narrow. “Was anyone with him? Unusual for a caster to be alone in a town as tough as Kaer Maga. What was he muttering? For example, did he mention a god? How much he loved fire? Goblins? What?”
“What can you tell us about Chimera Market? Any way to approach it without being seen? Any good hidey holes where we could set up an ambush or Observation Post?”
Eadie’s voice retains its intensity. “Miss Feathers, we’re going to win this one. After we do, I would like to be able to tell Dakar you didn’t keep anything from us.”
“Dude gotta name? Say where he lived? Did you go there on business?”
"Names aren't exactly a guaranteed part of this." Miss Feathers says with a level look at Eadie and a smirk. "I can tell you every time I've seen him he's been sporting around the same tacky yellow and purple cloak. That alone should be enough of a crime to get you on him. Also had a real fine rod with him - dangling on the outside of the belt of course."
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Eadie scrunches her face and *shrugs* like a teen-with-attitude. Duh. Like, where else would his rod dangle?
“So that’s all you’re gonna give us, huh? For your sake I hope it’s enough.”
Eadie waits to see if the others have any more questions before heading for the exit. “Directions to the Chimera Market for the Fashion Police (btw that’s us) would be nice, Miss F.”
She glances at Traber. “Oh, and if you could stay Mummy about what really happened in this little room, I’ll be sure to let Mr D know how cooperative you were.” It’s now the young warrior’s turn to *wink*