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As Pellius leads the first inquiries on the way from the Devil’s Threads, Adonara hangs back, knowing she’s in a mood. The courtesan’s small pout is uncharacteristically sullen, rather than sultry.
What the silver-tongued singer turns up, though, while hardly lifting Adonara’s spirits, activates her curiosity, and her features smooth. “Certainly, and we wouldn’t want to risk drawing official attention to our new friend, who is so anxious to avoid it. And it’s almost too easy, isn’t it? A distinctive worker at the likeliest place we know to account for an important clue? I wonder if it’s – what’s the expression? – a put-up job.”
The canting expression further hints that she’s beginning to liven up again as she recalls the group’s own recent successes in deception, although the matter at hand instead concerns horribly nefarious activities. “We could start with some friendly browsing, examine their wares, perhaps dangle a hint of piece-work to commission from one of their workers we’ve heard good things about? If things still look decidedly suspicious and we can determine a home address or some of this Mr. Wex’s other haunts, we may be able to persuade him to share a quiet word or two on his own.”
Kira sighs. Why couldn't things ever be simple? "There are spells that can make you look like someone else. Not for long, but maybe long enough. That could also explain why the killer was so bold. Maybe they knew that anyone who saw them would end up looking for someone else."
"I agree we should investigate quietly for now. Pellius' timepiece is a good enough reason to seek out the shop, and if we're hinting at a bigger commission in the future they'll be eager to talk to us. I have been considering getting a calculating orrery for my studies..." Not that she's been studying much lately. She hasn't had time to visit the Academy since her father disappeared.
"I agree. We should start by visiting the shop and getting the lay of the land."
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Adonara takes a deep breath, trying not to let her thoughts get stuck in a rut or worse after her morning and the vision of the spell Haetamon used to help the investigation. “Right. I wonder what else they might have available?”
She tries to think of what sorts of clockwork she could plausibly feign an interest in. A musicbox, perhaps? Unlikely that they’d carry our sort of tune, but then if we’re to dangle a commission… As the group’s path turns onto one of the district’s major thoroughfares and the shops get fancier and Adonara recalls if not her best, at least better behaviour, she’s able to put off the local hawkers and advertisers with better grace than she was the Bleakbridge peddlers, and gleans another detail in the process, that the Vespam Artisans’ trinkets are often magical too.
Before too long, she’s peering in through the door under said artisans’ sign, shaking off, before she enters, the uncomfortable realization that Haetamon’s friend might have been murdered more or less just down the street. All the more reason not to tarry, with a killer on the loose perhaps getting ready to strike again.
A large sign made of artistically rendered letters of iron stands over the broad entryway of the establishment reading, "Vespam Artisans." A raucous symphony of steel spills out onto the street while several skilled metalworkers practice their art within. The bulk of the building's interior is taken up by a large open area that serves as both a workshop and warehouse.
The rancid smell of slurk grease and other industrial chemicals lies heavy in the air.
Ryker pinches his nose for a moment and closes his eyes. Right place for sure, that's a special mix of rancid that is. The kind of stink you sweat out over the course of a week. Opening his eyes, he says to the others, "The lot of us showing up to buy a single item might be suspicious, I'll browse around, but keep an eye on y'all, ok?"
If he gets the go-ahead, he does just that. Otherwise, he'll stick with everyone and keep an eye out for a man with a brace.
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“Lovely,” Adonara nods. “I think we can provide a harmless distraction so you can browse in peace. Let us know who you might find, hmm?”
Her choice of a personal pronoun rather than an (inanimate) object is deliberate and, finally, playful. You can do this, she reminds herself, determinedly. She gives Ryker a few minutes on his own to start his browsing, then breezes through the entryway with the others.
“Hello?” she calls curiously, pitching her voice to be better heard over the noise of the work within, but on a rising tone that coyly suggests that she knows she’s intruding. She looks around, eyes wide, trying to catch the attention of an apprentice or someone who could direct her to a quieter space and whoever it is whose job it is to show off, well, showpieces and talk up what the workshop can produce.
Pellius peruses the various stalls, trying to see if he can find the one belonging to Varl without being obvious about it.
[i]Ryker and Valekar, just for a moment you can see what appears to be a Tian woman watching you from a rooftop. She sees you looking at her, winks and then disappears.
After a few minutes of looking around Pellius you can see what appears to be Varl's workstation.
After a few minutes more a small, balding man with a fringe of white hair comes forward to you, "Ah, customers, and what can I help you good people with today?"
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Adonara smiles broadly as she produces an introduction that doesn’t stretch the truth too far. At least by her standards.
“We’ve all recently realized – my friends and I –” the courtesan's gesture includes Kira and Pellius especially, trying to give Valekar and Ryker space for their own looking about, “that we’ve been thinking about clockwork of one sort or another, and we’ve heard such interesting things about your workshop. I must confess, though, that my crafts don’t include much metalwork, so I’m curious as to the sort of thing the members of your guild work on…”
She dangles a hint about musicboxes and suchlike knick-knacks, drawing on her ecumenical training – the clergy of Yuelral, among her people, is interested in artifice, constructs, and mechanism – to express enough interest to angle for an introduction to the range of projects and workers in the Vespam Artisans while her interlocutor makes his pitch to her and the others.
"Certainly my lady, well we have a mixed group of artisans here, some work on clocks; others work on music boxes and similar trinkets, right up to some basic machinery, some with enchantments and others without, all at reasonable prices."
Valekar eyes the rooftop warily for a few more moments, then glances at Ryker to see if he also saw the woman. He gestures with his eyes, wondering if one or both of them should try to find the woman.
Ryker gives Valekar the briefest of nods, before subtly tipping his head as a signal for him to follow. She either knows what's up or has a plan. Good thing there are two of us and we can hedge our bets. He's the archer, so he'll do more good up there than I will.
He asks one of the workers a couple of surface level questions about their work before continuing to browse.
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“I’m very glad to hear it,” Adonara says, graciously condescending to lean in conspiratorially as the balding guildsman gestures around the shop. She takes a few steps forward around the room to hint at her interest in doing the rounds as she asks, “And I’m sure you must all have your own strengths and special interests. Who would you recommend for precision work? For scientific instruments, say?”
Remembering Kira mentioning an orrery, Adonara’s glance flickers from her to where Pellius’ attention seems to have been caught by something of interest, and without further delay starts moving over to the singer, calling out playfully, “What have you there, maestro mine?”
Valekar makes his way over to the building where he saw the Tian woman and tries to find a private place to climb up. If he can spellcast without being seen or heard, he casts vanish before climbing,
Pellius looks around at the items on display at the stand set forth by Varl, picking up a few items and inspecting them casually.
Pellius raises his voice as Adonara calls to him, not quite turning away from the stall as he does.
"Well... I am intrigued by the craftsmanship of the items at this stall. Depending, I might have the artisan craft a commission work for me. Come over here, tell me what you think of this." Picking up some item that looks sufficiently complex to warrant talking with the stall owner about time pieces, he finally turns toward Adonara and Kira to show them the item in question.
Ryker and Valekar you make your way over to the building where you saw the Tian woman. The building appears empty. Making your way to the roof you find nothing there except for a single lotus flower.
Pelius you notice that the artefacts such as they are on Varl's workbench are very fine and intricate. You do sense that the smell of slurk grease is stronger here than elsewhere and there is a small strip of leather that is the same colour as the one you found on the body. You think that though fine the artefacts have been rushed, as if the artisan had other things on his mind. The value would not be more than about 50gp, compared to some of the other artefacts in the workshop which would be worth many hundreds of gold.
"Ah yes, Wex. His work is usually good but he is so unreliable, sporadic on his dues and he has not been in all week. He's usually very talented but of late his work seems rushed and of an inferior quality."
If the lotus flower is not *planted* on the roof, Valekar will take it back down to Ryker in the shop.
It does look as if the lotus flower was planted, unfortunately you are unable to recall what it is linked to.
Valekar looks around for any other signs of passage before heading back down.
It is just a loose flower lying on the rooftop. With detect magic you can tell that someone used dimension door here.
Pellius feigns shock over these revelations. "Oh. I see. That is a pity... though now that I am holding this," Pellius looks at the item in his hand a bit closer as he speaks, "the squirrel does show signs of rush. Almost as if the artisan was distracted mid making it. A pity, I appreciate the quality of the leather he was using on other items. Is this Master Wex the only one who uses leather like this or could I get a more reliable artisan to incorporate it in a project?"
Valekar takes the flower back to Ryker. "This is all I found up there." He says. "I did detect traces of a dimension door."
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Adonara softens momentarily at the sight of the trinket Pellius reveals, “How delightful!” She frowns at her guide’s words, and easily slips into the persona of a more exacting prospective client, compared to Pellius’ affability, to make it all the easier for the two of them to play the guildsman off between them.
"Ah yes, Wex. His work is usually good but he is so unreliable, sporadic on his dues and he has not been in all week. He's usually very talented but of late his work seems rushed and of an inferior quality."
“Shocking,” the courtesan says tartly. “Why not send one of your colleagues to rouse him from his haunts and remind him of his obligations?”
Several thoughts occupy her as she waits in quiet hope for a response. Most importantly, that keeping it open-ended might extract a clue as to where Wex is if he’s not at work. Incidentally, she is bound to observe that the fellow appears to have little esprit de corps. She and the other companions, ladies of the night, &c., of Kintargo would never treat each other so shabbily. She also tries to think of an appropriate tune for a music box. Something secular, but not profane, that would go nicely with … a dancer, perhaps? It would do for something to hold a bit of jewelry, I suppose.
"Well I'm glad you like it my lady. Wex is the only one who uses leather like this, he says something about it helping the 'sharpness' of his work, whatever that means. We work here on a kind of commission system, the artisans pay me work here and then sell their wares directly to clients with my company taking 3% of their profits. The system seems to work but it does mean that the other workers don't have the time or inclination to go chasing after one of their number. If you are keen to see Wex for a commission you might be able to find him at his home in Iudemimus Tenement."
When Ryker's eavesdropping snags him a location, he keeps browsing for another moment before walking back out of the shop and standing in a nearby alley. That worked perfectly!
"Dimension door? What, uh, what exactly does that mean?" he asks Valekar while taking a look at the flower.
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"Well I'm glad you like it my lady. Wex is the only one who uses leather like this, he says something about it helping the 'sharpness' of his work, whatever that means. We work here on a kind of commission system, the artisans pay me work here and then sell their wares directly to clients with my company taking 3% of their profits. The system seems to work but it does mean that the other workers don't have the time or inclination to go chasing after one of their number. If you are keen to see Wex for a commission you might be able to find him at his home in Iudemimus Tenement."
“Mmm. One would hardly wish to lose one’s edge, though I’m sure I don’t know how shirking could help,” Adonara says idly, listening politely to the explanation of the guild’s organization, thoughts straying to her own interests in sharp and pointy things.
Patience pays off, but the information is alarming, and Adonara puts all her effort into not betraying her consternation. Goddess deliver us, but that’s where those children went missing!
Calmly as she can, she drags her pretext for the conversation to the forefront of her thoughts. No need to draw unnecessary attention to the group, and the fellow has been friendly and helpful so far. She’ll actually think about what the guild can make. “I’ll bear that in mind, though I think I’d prefer someone more reliable. Who else would you recommend for…”
She quickly describes the vision she’s dreamed up for a music box – an elven dancer, and a tune that she thinks won’t be mangled too badly by being adapted to tiny clockwork – before catching the others’ eyes. If they’ve found something they like, so much the better, and she might come back on her own time, but for now, she’ll use the excuse of at least thinking about commissioning Wex to extract herself without a contract.
Seeing Ryker leave, she’s sure she’s not the only one to draw the appropriate conclusion from the guildsman’s words.
Pellius tsks. "Yes, that leather certainly makes the final product look sharper. Perhaps we will have a chat with him, see if waving enough gold under his nose might improve his work ethic. But perhaps not. I will be back with plans for the time piece I have in mind, good sir. I appreciate your time and patience with our questions." Taking out a gold piece, he presses it into the shop owner's hand with a hand shake and a smile. "I will meet you two outside once you are done browsing."
Once outside, he takes a look at the Lotus Valekar found.
"You found this on the rooftop?"
[i]Over several cups of coffee you hear from the patrons the following:
"...The Silver Ravens are attracting all sorts of strange attention - I heard that Thrune has even hired a Tian specialist of some sort to track them down..."
"Dimension door? What, uh, what exactly does that mean?" he asks Valekar while taking a look at the flower.
Pellius comes out as Valekar is explaining the spell to Ryker. "... And then you just step through and you're there. It closes behind you almost instantaneously. If there is a way to tell afterwards where it went, I certainly don't know how."
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Over several cups of coffee you hear from the patrons the following:
"...The Silver Ravens are attracting all sorts of strange attention - I heard that Thrune has even hired a Tian specialist of some sort to track them down..."
Having once got the idea of something nice into her head, Adonara knows it’s not going anywhere. Left to her own devices, she would happily talk design and commission until the project takes form in a way pleasing to her, but given where Wex lives, that will have to wait.
Politely taking her leave with a promise to return once she decides who she wants to work on her music box, she hurries after Pellius.
Rejoining the others outside, she asks wryly, “Well, gentlemen? Anything catch your eye?”
Her show of good humour lasts only as long as it takes to get out of the line of sight through the doors into the workshop. After that, her voice immediately drops into an urgent, hissing whisper, “I just remembered - from the morning when we met Setrona - word is children have gone missing from where this Wex lives! I suppose there could be another explanation, but right now it’s not looking good.”
Ryker and Pellius you have vaguely heard that the lotus flower is the symbol of a now defunct group of thieves, murderers and cuthroats called the Gray Spiders who were overthrown by the Order of the Torrent. It is rumoured that one of their number, a woman called Hei Fen survived and is somewhere in hiding in the city.
Valekar when the others mention the name Hei Fen you recall that this was someone your mother was looking into.
The overseer gives you directions to the Iudemimus tenement.
"Yeah, Valekar checked on a Tien woman we noticed was keeping an eye on us. She left this flower. Can't say if it is a good or bad sign, but we aren't dead yet," Ryker explains to the others. "Although I hear the Gray Spiders conducted less than savory business. We should be careful about how we travel town and make our way back home from now on," he suggests.
"The Iudemimus Tenement should be our next stop, especially if children are involved."
"My mother was looking into Hei Fen before..." He clears his throat and looks around, saving the thought for later.
"Yes, Iudemimus Tenement next."
Like most of the buildings in Old Kintargo, Iudeimus Tenement is somewhat dilapidated, but built well enough to have stood the test of time. The building is one of the taller structures in old Kintargo; the upper two of its three stories are constructed of old grey wood. A sign reading "Manager" is posted on a door next to stairs leading to upper floors.
"Until the Order of Torrent took them out of the equation. I always was surprised that they let anyone slip through their fingers... I suppose we will have to watch our backs... no telling if she will hold a grudge against us for aiding them."
Pellius keeps to himself on the way to Old Kintargo, not saying much on the way. Children huh... I wonder if the two are related or just coincidental?
As they arrive, he turns to his companions. "Well, how should we play this? As potential patrons or as something else?"
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Considering Ryker and Valekar’s news on the way over to Wex’s flat, Adonara sifts the other rumours she’s heard recently and weighs the balance of probabilities, particularly when Pellius reminds her of what happened to the Gray Spiders. She asks, forcing – more obviously than she would like – her tone to stay light, “Is there a large Tien community in Kintargo?”
“While we’re on the subject of unfortunately coincidences, it seems convenient that someone should drop a sign of the thieves’ guild that our friend the Lord Mayor put about that the Order of the Torrent replaced, and that said someone should be the same, apparently gossip-worthy ethnicity as the specialist he’s hired to investigate the Silver Ravens.”
“Why, it’s almost as unlikely as a certain shocking, ashen-haired elven courtesan being seen so often in the districts those wicked, wicked revolutionaries haunt.” All levity aside, if someone’s managing to watch us, and it’s not just some remnant gang looking in on violence in its territory, we’ll have to be even more careful.
As they arrive, Pellius turns to his companions. "Well, how should we play this? As potential patrons or as something else?"
The courtesan in question abruptly cuts her canting talk short as the group arrives. She looks around for anything that would make finding Wex easier and quieter – if he’s hung up his sign here, since he’s not going to the shop, or if there are other tenants to-ing and fro-ing…
“Patrons, I suppose, unless there’s another reason we could be visiting that would let us figure out which flat’s his. Perhaps there’s a vacancy?” She checks for notice of such.
Valekar stands to the side, half his attention on the door, the rest on their surroundings, looking out for any further signs of this Tien woman.
Pellius' voice becomes uncharacteristically firm and quiet. "If he is behind the children's disappearances, there is about to be one." Shaking the facial expression away, he beams with sudden fake cheer. "Well, the manager is likely to know where his flat is so that we can ask him about your music box, eh?"
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Adonara nods and knocks with Pellius’ last words, pasting her own smile onto her face again as she prepares to peer into the manager’s den. She has a sinking feeling that Wex’s apparent slacking lately is likely to prove the least obstacle he provides to her securing the trinket she’s set her heart on, no matter what explanation he may be able to offer.
Ryker nods at Pellius' idea and leans against a wall. If the others are invited in to speak with the manager, he makes no move to enter with them, but, instead, keeps his eyes trained on their surroundings for any more spies. Can't let someone get the jump on us. Besides, a simple business transaction doesn't take the whole lot of us, armed to the teeth to complete. It'd be obvious something else is afoot if we all walked in there.
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On the way over, Kira shakes her head at the mention of a Dimension Door spell. "That's something far beyond my level. I don't think I could cast it even with years of study. If this person is interested in us...well, I just hope it's because she wants to be on our side!"
As they approach the Iudeimus Tenement, her lip briefly curls at the state of the place before she pastes a smile onto her face. "I think, in this instance, just asking might be the best way to get what we want." On second thought, she allows her lip to curl again. "Dear, are you sure you need this 'Wex's work? This seems a bit...below your usual standards."
As you knock on the door there is some crumbling, and after a minute or two the door is opened by an old human woman.
"What are you loiters on about? Shove off and find work!"
Pellius tsks. "Good lady, what do you think we are here for? We want work done, and were pointed this way to find the specific laborer. Wex is the man... we need you to point us to him."
He hears Kira's comment and shrugs. "I agree, my friend, but the talent is there... if we can get him to use it. We might need to be a bit more 'hands on' in the management, but he is probably the best one for the job."
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Adonara catches the hint and, while waiting for a response from behind the manager’s door, pitches her voice to be heard through it, “Oh, I don’t know, sweetheart. He showed some promise, at least. Perhaps he just needs some pecuniary encouragement.”
In a place like this, she doubts the superintendent is above angling for a tip even for something as basic as pointing out the right flat.
As you knock on the door there is some crumbling, and after a minute or two the door is opened by an old human woman.
"What are you loiters on about? Shove off and find work!"
When the door opens with an unprepossessing greeting, Adonara feigns obliviousness, nodding her agreement with Pellius and continuing to chat with Kira, “The poor, lonely artist toiling away in their garret, chasing inspiration! Hoping for someone to appreciate their art! It’s rather romantic, don’t you think?”
She appeals to the manager with what she hopes is disarming, wide-eyed innocence. “I think one has to think so, really. Could you direct us, please?”
If nothing else, she hopes a display of sufficient sentimentality will sicken the sour old woman to the point that she offers her information just to be rid of the obnoxiously cheerful elf girl.
Valekar stifles a grin at the interplay between the two and keeps watching for trouble.
"He's not here at the moment, I think he went out around dawn. You can wait for him by his front door if you want, there's a few chairs by the door, he sometimes has clients come here."
This is where a tracker would be handy Valekar thinks to himself.