Nodding at Unmei's statement, Annett looks thoughtful for a second. "Perhaps we can play on their sympathies a little bit." She says. Slipping her hooded cloak off, she quickly rolls it into a tight ball and stuffs it under her tunic low over her belly. Rubbing her eyes for several seconds, she makes them red and start to tear up to give her the look of a young woman whose been crying much of the evening.
"A worried, abandoned wife and young mother..." She looks at Unmei, "...And her auntie who are searching for her missing husband and soon to be father."
With a nod towards Took, she continues. "Plus, her brother, who being unable to keep his sister from venturing out to find his lazy brother-in-law, gathered some friends, and even a watchman, to help keep an eye on her with the streets so dangerous these days."
She pulls out a couple of Volo's gold coins. "If sympathy alone doesn't work, then we simply use the old standby and offer a bit of coin, 'our whole life's savings,' to try and get 'my precious Vloon back.'"
Glancing around at the others she asks, "What do you think?"
"The last thing we'll need is a meetup point. Somewhere nearby where we can regroup and discuss what we learned."
Dacknar gets a smile on his face.
"My kind of place."
"Well, that's....I don't know that the building is safe to be in."
"I'm not sure it ever has been"
Looking at the state of the bar, Annett wrinkles her nose and shakes her head at the sad state of the place. "Our patron apparently likes his watering holes to have a more devastated atmosphere." She says.
Checking her rough disguise one last time, she starts to conjure up a few more tears. Approaching the entrance she turns to Took and exclaims in a sobbing cry. "Of course I'm going in there! We've tried all the other pubs and that one man said Skewered Dragon. I'm not giving up until I find him even if the building falls down on my head."
Opening the door, she wipes tears from her face, giving the room a quick look before walking over to the barkeep. Her gait is slow and swings side to side as one arm gently holds her oversized belly. Sniffling softly, she takes a deep breath when she gets to the bar.
"Ex...excuse me sir." She says with a few emotional breaks. "I...I was wondering if...if you could help me? You see my husband is missing.....He hasn't been home for three nights now...and...and with the b...ba...baby on the way....well I'm terribly worried somethings happened."
A few more tears start to run down her cheek which she tries to wipe away with the back of her hand before giving the bartender her best doe-eyed and distressed look while she waits for him to respond.
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The bartender looks hard at Annett as she plays out her ploy, giving her the thought that he may not fall for it, but when she mentions the baby she sees a slight shift in his stance. It is subtle, but she is sure she saw it.
A tense moment passes before the barkeep speaks, Mah third were just born the day afore yesterday. What's yer husband look like, lassie?
Kaine goes into the bar and looks for a game of cards to join.
A bit of hope seeps into her eyes as the bartender shows some sympathy. "Oh bless you sir. He's a handsome man, about this tall." She says, holding her hand a bit above her own head. She goes on the describe Floon and adding Volo at the end.
"He may have been with this other fellow who looks more well off. An old friend." She says with a slight frown. "I didn't really want them to go out drinking that night. What with all the trouble on the streets...I just had a bad feeling. You ...know how women sometimes just k..kn...know things. But...but I didn't want to be jealous or to stifling. I mean...I really do think a man needs a drink with friends now and then. But...but...."
She trails off and reaches out for Unmei's hand as though the other woman could easily understand her problem while stifling a few more sobs before turning back to the bartender dabbing her eyes with her kerchief.
Took trails into the bar an peers in as of looking for a friend.
After about 10 minutes Dacknar heads for the door to go in
Time to see if they know who I am and if not it's time for them to learn As a smile go across his face. He quickly changes the smile to a snarl since the dread Pirate Dacknar is not a happy fellow.
Pushing the doors open he steps in doing a quick look around. Good the girls are talking over there, so I will have a seat there across the way to keep an eye on them and the others.
Dacknar move to a table where he picked to get the best view of the bar and has a seat. (if someone is sitting there he leans over placing his hand on top of the patrons drink so it won't go anywhere and whispers in the patrons ear) "Get out of that chair now while you still can."
When the seat is clear he sits down and drinks the left behind drink.
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The little man sitting at the table looks up at Dacknar, fear in his eyes! Y-yes sir.
Kaine steps in and sees the card game going on in the back corner. As he approaches the table, the dealer looks up, one eye permanently squinting, Ye have enough fer the buy-in? 10 gold dragons.
The barkeep thinks, Three nights ago, ya say? Ah remember two nights ago, there was a couple o' fops come in and gamin'. After the one with the funny hat left, the other met with the Neverember lad for more drinks... maybe that one was yer husband?
"Oh yes!" Annett says hopefully. "That sounds like him and his friend. I always told him that outfit wasn't very becoming, but he always wanted to fit in with the higher class set." She adds with a shake of her head and smile. "You're the first one who we've found who has seen him."
Letting a puzzled frown cross her face she looks around at the scattered bar patrons. "But that's odd. I've never heard him mention a 'Neverember' before. I don't suppose you could point him out or describe him to me? Maybe he knows where he got off to next or if something happened?"
Reaching into her pouch, she shyly pulls out a single gold dragon and slides it over to the bartender. "I know people usually provide a tip for this kind of help and I'm terribly grateful for your help and kindness. I know it's not much, but with the baby on the way, coin is a bit scarce." She says with a slightly embarrassed shrug.
"Sorry, was looking for some real gambling. I'll leave you folks be."
It wasn't that Kaine didn't have the money, he just didn't like the man's attitude. Plus, with that much money involved, he'd have to focus on the game much more than he'd like.
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The barkeep clears his throat, It's prob'ly nuthin'. Didja try checkin' with the Watch? Maybe he is sleepin' it off in the drunk tank? Um, I gotta help dese people.
He nods at Unmei, indicating that he wants to talk to her, separate from Annett...
Once off from the young woman the barkeep says quietly, I don't know about yer friend... Them folk often hang around Candle Street. Rough bunch, wear the mark of the winged snake. Don't know if yer friend's husband is still breathin'. Unless he's rich, then maybe ransom'll keep 'im alive...
"Oh dear! Five men...." Annett says her voice trailing off as the bartender moves away. While he speaks to Unmei, she slowly makes her way to the entrance and slips back out the door into the night.
Moving a bit away from the Skewered Dragon she waits for the others to emerge and gather before sharing what she learned.
"So Floon and Volo were here, that's for certain." She says and then gives Gramm a look. "But what's interesting and likely news to the watch is that after Volo left, Floon apparently hooked up with a member of the Neverember family. I couldn't remember at first, but I think there's a Ranier or something Neverember, son of the former Lord Neverember." With a quick shake of her head and shrug she continues. "Doesn't matter I suppose. The important part is that they were followed by five men as they left the pub. So this maybe more than just finding Volo's friend. It could be a nobleman's son is missing...or involved in the disappearance."
Having been denied his easy out for observing the area, Kaine decides to get a table and order a drink, while he listens to the conversations around him without actually looking at anyone.
Gram takes notes as Annett and Unmel share what they've learned.
If Floon was with Lord Nerverember's son when he disappeared, it's likely that he wasn't the primary target of abduction. That doesn't bode well for Floon if thats the case.
Giving a good five minutes after the last of his party left the bar, Dacknar walks out. As he walks past the group he whispers
"I shall fallow ye all. jus' wants t' make sure ye don't 'ave a tail fallowin'. Gramm ye wants t' go wit' me?"
And Dacknar keeps walking for a block and ducks into an ally way to keep an eye on the party and the bar.
Gram rubs his index finger across his niw closed eyes in pensive thought...Come to think of it... He says as he ooens his eyes. ...I've arrested a few criminals before bearing the mark of a winged snake. They were all Zhentarim. I knew they were being more brazen as of late, but kidnapping a noble? They must be getting ready for a major power move. We need to pick up the trai on these guys before the worst happens.
He snaps his gaze around the bar looking for anyone with a winged snake tattoo.
Pulling her rolled up cloak out from under her shirt, Annett suppresses a shiver as she slips the garment back over her shoulders. "This damp air is chilly tonight." She says while pulling the hood up over her head. "Thought I would freeze to death in that run down bar, not to mention having to waddle around like a bloated walrus."
"So it looks like the Zhents are involved with something...and the something seems to be big enough to bring them out from their usual methods." She says, a long delicate finger slowly tapping her lip as she thinks. "Floon and possibly the young Neverember seem to be mixed up in it all, or are just innocents caught in the crossfire. Either way I doubt we've got enough to go to the watch with yet." She adds with a questioning look to Gramm.
"Assuming that's the case, then it seems like our next step is to check out Candle Lane and see if we can find the snake's nest." Nodding to Rakdon she grins and adds. "Then we can either try to deal or if worse comes to worse, let Dacknar workout a bit by knocking some heads around."
Not having learned anything of value, Kaine waits for a few minutes then joins the others outside.
Agreeing with Annett. [B]"You're correct in your doubt. We dont have enough for the Watch to take any specific action. We need suspects, probable cause, a target. So far all we have are rumors. Hopefully we can find something more solid to act on at Candle Lane."[B]
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Gloom envelops a narrow alley as dark as a dungeon — and as odorous as one, too. Nearly all the streetlamps have been smashed. The only light that pierces the darkness is a faint flickering from down the lane, like a distant candle.
This is Candle Lane... How would you like to approach?
EDIT: I guess what I am asking is, do you want to take any precautions?
Dacknar fallowing the group from a safe distance to make sure they are not fallowed.
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Across the street from the lone street lamp is a large warehouse, with a gated yard that can be barely seen in the dim light. The area is littered with large warehouses as this is the Dock Ward, after all.
Dacknar, with his darkvision and sharp eyes, notices that the yard has several large crates stacked up but is eerily devoid of guards. He would at least expect someone disguised as a homeless bum watching the front...
Kaine makes it to the rooftops and looks down below, and from his vantage sees no sentries.
Rakdon steps in a puddle and curses to himself, but notices nothing else...
Dacknar catches up with the group, draws his greatsword and whispers to them.
"Somethin' be wrong, where are th' guards? Stay sharp this could be trouble."