Baran had been standing behind Alua and just a little to the right so he could easily put his left hand on he right shoulder. He addressed her in a low voice, but not so low as to not be heard by their host, and asked permission to address the Baron. "Perhaps I might ask a few questions about the Honourable Miss d'Medani?" As he said 'Miss Medani' he squeezed Alua's shoulder gently in the hopes that he might underline his concern for Zelina's situation. He awaited for permission to go further.
He took out his notebook and flipped to the middle. On the left leaf he wrote VIP Disappearance. He did not write her name.
"What may we know about the lead Miss d'Medani was following? Did all of her team disappear with her? Who was the last to speak with her?"
Phin had never been inside House Medani before. She kept her mouth shut and her eyes and ears open as they were led inside. She was very aware of their rear guard who made sure that no one tarried behind more than they should.
Their group as a whole looked more presentable than they usually did and she had to admit that they cleaned up nicely. She did her best to make sure that she remained unmemorable by staying in the background because she was fairly certain that her talents were not welcomed by House Medani.
When the Baron mentioned the break-in, her interest was immediately piqued and she wondered who had had the nerve to attempt such a thing let along get away with it, which was quickly followed by wondering what was valuable enough to warrant someone attempting such a ballsy break-in. Then in passing she can't help but wonder if the break-in had anything to do with the escaped prisoners.
Baron's office did not have many items for Lupi to check, so she decided to concentrate listening to Baron instead.
"...Zelina...", Lupi whispered, and immediately realised she was also someone's lost daughter. "It must feel awful for the Baron to not have a contact to her daughter." Trying to turn her attention to the task, she looked straight at the Baron Trelib, while pondering on if she knew anything about Zelina. She cursed her beer now as she came empty on her tries, but decided to take another sip of the dark beer.
"What may we know about the lead Miss d'Medani was following? Did all of her team disappear with her? Who was the last to speak with her?"
”She was investigating the theft of a silver basilisk statue, that used to stand on the empty pedestal just outside the doors to this office – meaning the thief snuck in all the way to the heart of the manor, unseen, and left the same way. The statue itself is distinct enough that it would be quite difficult for the thief to get off their hands. But we have been keeping tabs on a certain silversmith of questionable repute, one Calinto Mulhar from Silver Marches who has recently set up shop in the city. Zelina believed Calinto would be a likely middleman to help the thief get rid of his stolen goods and went off to interview the man. And was never heard from after. The last anyone heard from them, to my knowledge – and believe me, I made as sure of that I as could – was when she announced her intention to meet with that smith.”
Alua listened carefully, trying to pick up both what the man was saying, and leaving unspoken.
After Baran asked his questions, she asked her own. "Who are the other members of your daughter's team? Who else knew of her intention to visit Calinto Mulhar?" She thought a moment, then added, "Is it usual to deploy your teams away from Sharn? It could be that this theft was specifically timed. How many teams do you have, and where are they currently?"
After Baran asked his questions, she asked her own. "Who are the other members of your daughter's team? Who else knew of her intention to visit Calinto Mulhar?" She thought a moment, then added, "Is it usual to deploy your teams away from Sharn? It could be that this theft was specifically timed. How many teams do you have, and where are they currently?"
'Tracking down those prisoners, I'd think.'
Erix kept his thought to himself, cand concentrated on letting Alua and Baran lead the conversation.
Lupi tried to imagine the theft of the silver statue. She felt there was something missing. "Why would someone risk to anger a Major House for just a chunk of silver." She would have liked to leave the talk to Alua and Baran, but she got curious enough to ask: ""Ummm... was the statue... ummm.. magical?" She also eyed the baron looking for any hidden inaccuracies.
As if picking up on Erix thoughts Baran bent forward and spoke in a low voice to Alua (but not so low as to be hidden from the Baron), "Surely the teams are out chasing these escape convicts. If Mister Saint-Demain hadn't recently fallen into question, he would most certainly be here in our place. Having caught these monsters before. Perhaps the escape was staged? If so then the statue must surely be significant." The bard stood back straight like a proper staff lackey.
Phin mentally retraced the distance from the Baron's office to the outside. Whoever had successfully robbed the Baron must have nerves of steal...or bottomless resources...or it was an inside job. Numerous possibilities flitted through the rogue's mind. It sounded like something Twelve-Fingered Betty would have pulled off but she hadn't taken credit for anything in over ten years. That left bottomless resources, in the form of one of the big three crime organizations, or an inside job.
The elf glanced at the Baron as he shared about his daughter. For his sake, she hoped that it wasn't an inside job.
Phin's mind wandered back to where the statue was stolen from. It would seem like the statue held some significance to their host if he had it prominently displayed outside his office. Was the robbery about the statue itself or something meant to insult the Baron? Or worse, it was all part of an elaborate trap to take his daughter which she assumed was meant to hurt the man before them.
Phin pulled her attention back to the conversation listening to Baran and Alua navigate the meeting.
After Baran asked his questions, she asked her own. "Who are the other members of your daughter's team? Who else knew of her intention to visit Calinto Mulhar?" She thought a moment, then added, "Is it usual to deploy your teams away from Sharn? It could be that this theft was specifically timed. How many teams do you have, and where are they currently?"
”Joherra Riston and Toli Ovion are the two members of her team – both long-time employees and privy to a host of sensitive information. Meaning their trust has been tested time and time again, if that was your concern. And yes, it is very normal for our teams to be sent all over the Five Nations… although it’s not often so much of your people are deployed at the same time, with no teams on standby or even resting between missions close by,” the Baron said. ”As to the names and current locations of our other team members… that, my dear, is classified.”
”Concerning the silversmith, the facts that our people were considering him a person of interest is not a secret among Guild agents and officials, but I do not believe Zelina told anyone about her intentions to investigate him at this point.”
"Ummm... was the statue... ummm.. magical?" She also eyed the baron looking for any hidden inaccuracies.
”No, nothing of the sort. It is exquisitely done, a reward for a particularly sensitive case I completed when I was younger. But… this isn’t the first time the thing has been stolen from me. In fact, one of the prisoners who escaped the caravan, the one-eyed freak, was the one who stole it the last time. And yes, it was Mr. Saint-Demain who caught him. One of the first jobs he did as an independent contractor to the Guild, as a matter of fact,” he said, nodding to Baran.
...offering little when not questioned....
Alua's pale eyebrows went up. "The statue was stolen soon after the previous thief escapes captivity? That hardly seems coincidental. If Victor Saint-Demain was the one who retrieved it last time, we should certainly speak to him this time."
She thought a moment, then added, "We'll start with the silversmith. We'll find her and bring her back, Baron d'Medani."
As the converstaion seemed to be quieting down, Lupi came closer to Baran and Alua and whispered "Ummm... this does not add up... ummm... it is not worth the risk to sneak into a Major House ummm... and steal a silver statue and melt it down for Galifars... ummm... there Must be something else about the statue... ummm... and I feel Baron here knows more..." Lupi did not want to ask more herself, but hoped Alua or Baran might.
"In any case,", Lupi thought, "there is the silversmith. If he really is a silversmith. We are led towards him anyway. If the basilisk statue is not magical as the Baron claims, it must have some other valuable property. Sentimental value maybe, or maybe even the Baron does not know its property. Maybe it is a key or a worship idol for underground cult of changelings. And Vrinn is the high priest. Or someone needs a fancier paperweight," Lupi felt her starting to distract, ", at least the Baron has beer that actually tastes good.", she finished her line of thought and emptied the bottle.
Alua's pale eyebrows went up. "The statue was stolen soon after the previous thief escapes captivity? That hardly seems coincidental. If Victor Saint-Demain was the one who retrieved it last time, we should certainly speak to him this time."
”Mr. Saint-Demain is… unavailable as far as this case is concerned,” the Baron replied, clearly uncomfortable with the topic. ”But if you want to try your luck with him, I won’t be in a position to stop you.”
She thought a moment, then added, "We'll start with the silversmith. We'll find her and bring her back, Baron d'Medani."
”Excellent. Do be aware that I will be taking the Lighting Rail to Wroat at 5:32 AM the day after tomorrow. I really cannot delay the trip, even for my daughter’s sake… such are the burdens of leadership. I would prefer if you could resolve these issues by that time. Now, if there is nothing else I can help you with…”
Baran struggled to recall lessons he barely paid attention to as he addressed Alua, "The communis rex serpentis ... common king serpent? or basilisk ... is native to every environment and it is said their gaze can render flesh to stone ... I believe there are several organizations that use the basilisk in their heraldic nomenclature. A faction of the Heirs of Dhakaan have utilized symbology akin to the basilisk. The Bastards of Menthis duelling club have a basilisk noir beneath a gauntlet argentum. There is a halfling tribe west of the Goradra Gap that has a basilisk central to their banner. And ... um ..."
Baran cleared his head and spoke directly to the baron and ended with a great deal of tenderness ,"That must have been an interesting 'particularly sensitive' case. Is there anything we may know about it? As you know, even seemingly insignificant information may be important. I believe Miss Riversong will confirm that in a missing persons case it is best to find the individual quickly."
"The statue was stolen soon after the previous thief escapes captivity? That hardly seems coincidental...
Phin gave a slight nod as Alua deduced the obvious. A coincidence seemed quite unbelievable. Although why go through such effort for something that they were being told wasn't extremely valuable? Did Vrinn hate the Baron that much? Or maybe he felt some need to retake the item that had gotten him caught to begin with. Either way, there was some unknown motive at work.
Phin attempted to keep her face impassive as the Baron shared his plans to take the Lightning Rail to Wroat. Did his trip have something to do with what happened on the Rail that they had helped to keep from being disastrous? Was he going to be searching for those responsible? Or it could just be a coincidence.
Erix coughed reluctantly. "Begging your pardon, sir. How predictable was it that you'd send your daughter? I think it's safe to assume anyone who can pull this off knows enough to know who she is and that she's a prize - but I'm wondering if the target of the Heist could've been her all along? Rough rule of thumb is most criminals are dumb" He recited "But anyone who can hit you, and do it here, is not most criminals."
"Before we begin," Alua said, "there's the matter of our rate. To keep it easy, we'll charge whatever the going rate is for one of your teams, half up front, and half once we find and return your daughter."
Baran cleared his head and spoke directly to the baron and ended with a great deal of tenderness, "That must have been an interesting 'particularly sensitive' case. Is there anything we may know about it? As you know, even seemingly insignificant information may be important. I believe Miss Riversong will confirm that in a missing persons case it is best to find the individual quickly."
”I’m afraid I’m not at the liberty to share any details about that case, but all of that happened almost 50 years ago, and I’m confident the people who may have taken offense are no longer an issue, nor their progeny.”
Erix coughed reluctantly. "Begging your pardon, sir. How predictable was it that you'd send your daughter? I think it's safe to assume anyone who can pull this off knows enough to know who she is and that she's a prize - but I'm wondering if the target of the Heist could've been her all along? Rough rule of thumb is most criminals are dumb" He recited "But anyone who can hit you, and do it here, is not most criminals."
”Well…” the Baron took a moment to think before answering. ”If, and this is a major if, someone would have managed to keep tabs on our team movements they could have realized there was only one team available to give this case to. But that would require someone with an in-depth understanding of our assets and operation procedures. Anyone with the resources and motivation to do that would indeed be an exceptional kind of criminal. It is improbable, but I cannot say it’s impossible.”
"Before we begin," Alua said, "there's the matter of our rate. To keep it easy, we'll charge whatever the going rate is for one of your teams, half up front, and half once we find and return your daughter."
”To equate pay to that of our teams, we’d first have to establish your level of skill and seniority, and besides, the wages for missions – on top of pay for days between active assignments – are determined after the mission, taking into account level personal danger, the importance of the task and other factors,” the Baron countered. ”I’m prepared to offer you a flat rate of 1000 Galifars, not including reasonable expenses and a bonus for a speedy resolution of the issue – do recall the time limit of day and a half before I have to leave the City.”
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Lupi muttered "... a day and half... maybe we should go to the silversmith right away... an early purple worm gets the bird... an old goblin saying..."
Erix nodded "As you say sir. That'd be major surveillance, or an inside job sir." Erix stared off into the distance for a second "I'm thinking you'd prefer we assumed not an internal job, as you'll be checking that end yourself. Can I assume that in the highly unlikely and hypothetical case where that bore fruit you'd let us keep chasing a dead end rather than risk any exposure of your internal security's operational details?" he sighed "Hypothetically, of course. Can I then suggest that - while we have security here in this room - we work out a code phrase to call us off, and a code phrase to keep us going? And that if either phrase is used we just quietly follow the instruction and don't ever raise it again?"
Baran waited for the Baron to reply to Erik's comments and then, with his heart in his throat, he spoke. He asked his question as if thoughtless of any break in decorum and it came out as sort of a blurt, "Did you object to Saint-Demaine's rough upbringing? Is that why he wasn't accepted into the family?" Baran watched d'Medani's reaction to that last phrase then quickly looked to Alua as if remembering himself, "Oh, I beg your pardons." His apology was meant for both the Baron and his boss. "It isn't related to the case, it's only that it was rumoured Saint-Demaine was applying to the Warning Guild ... and I was curious ... my apologies." Baran didn't expect the Baron Trelib d’Medani to answer such an impertinent question but whatever split second reaction he had might hint at a truth.
The young man worried about a backlash from such a question and he cowered a little. Whatever he tried to hide, he was truly aware of his position and d'Medani's power ... it's just that, sometimes, Baran knew himself a 'fool'. He would never find greatness amongst the colleges. And it was a fool's job to question power.
”... but all of that happened almost 50 years ago, and I’m confident the people who may have taken offense are no longer an issue, nor their progeny.”
Erix nodded "As you say sir. That'd be major surveillance, or an inside job sir." Erix stared off into the distance for a second "I'm thinking you'd prefer we assumed not an internal job, as you'll be checking that end yourself. Can I assume that in the highly unlikely and hypothetical case where that bore fruit you'd let us keep chasing a dead end rather than risk any exposure of your internal security's operational details?" he sighed "Hypothetically, of course. Can I then suggest that - while we have security here in this room - we work out a code phrase to call us off, and a code phrase to keep us going? And that if either phrase is used we just quietly follow the instruction and don't ever raise it again?"
”We shall indeed be looking into the possibility of this being an inside job. If that turns out to be the case, you can expect me to tell you that much and nothing else. But even thought there is a compromised asset within my House, that does not mean I won’t find my daughter and the stolen statue both found, so you may focus on those tasks,” the Baron said, sounding well pleased at Erix’s offer of discretion. ”If our internal investigation results in useful leads, you can trust me to let you know.”
”As for passphrases… assume that you are to keep going until told otherwise. And in case I need you to stop and we are somewhere that is not secure, I will find a way to include the words “Brelish honor” into the conversation. Or to a written message sent to you.”
Baran waited for the Baron to reply to Erik's comments and then, with his heart in his throat, he spoke. He asked his question as if thoughtless of any break in decorum and it came out as sort of a blurt, "Did you object to Saint-Demaine's rough upbringing? Is that why he wasn't accepted into the family?" Baran watched d'Medani's reaction to that last phrase then quickly looked to Alua as if remembering himself, "Oh, I beg your pardons." His apology was meant for both the Baron and his boss. "It isn't related to the case, it's only that it was rumoured Saint-Demaine was applying to the Warning Guild ... and I was curious ... my apologies." Baran didn't expect the Baron Trelib d’Medani to answer such an impertinent question but whatever split second reaction he had might hint at a truth.
”How did you…” the Baron muttered, clearly surprised at Baran’s insight, then sighed and leaned back in his chair. ”My compliments to your sources. Yes, Victor did seek employment among our elite inquisitives, but the way he handled himself in a personal interview with me… Hosts, the arrogance in that man! Yes, he might be the best there is, but anyone who demeans my master inquisitives to my face just to prove a point, that he’s better than them… well, needless to say, I refused his petition on the spot! He didn’t take that very well, and on hindsight perhaps I should have handled the matter in a different way, but as things stand, I doubt he’d andwer even if were to send for him.”
”We shall indeed be looking into the possibility of this being an inside job. If that turns out to be the case, you can expect me to tell you that much and nothing else. But even thought there is a compromised asset within my House, that does not mean I won’t find my daughter and the stolen statue both found, so you may focus on those tasks,” the Baron said, sounding well pleased at Erix’s offer of discretion. ”If our internal investigation results in useful leads, you can trust me to let you know.”
Erix nodded politley. "Thank you sir."
With that he realised he had somehow started to move from operational security to negotiation, and settled back to let those better suited take over.
As they'd run out of questions, and time was of the essence, Alua stood. "We'll get to work immediately. Your trust in us has not been misplaced. We'll find your daughter, and the statue." Alua hoped she was telling the truth.
They were led from the Baron to an undersecretary, who provided them with an advance in order to begin their investigations. They were then speedily escorted back out to the street, past the dozens of men and women hurrying about their daily tasks.
Once the ornate door closed behind them, Alua said, "Shall we all go to the silversmith first? Or should we split up, and some of us try to track down Saint-Demaine?"
Phin tried to compartmentalize all the information that had been thrown at them. The Baron told them that the original case had happened fifty years ago so they had something to go on to look into the original case. Surely something that important, even though sensitive would have found its way into the papers or some sort of news.
Then there was still the issue about whether this was an inside job or not. The elf did have another question that hadn't been asked so she dared to make her own voice heard in the room, "Baron, do you have any reason to think that Saint-Demaine may be involved in the theft?" And possible kidnapping? but she left her second question unsaid. "Maybe he thought that you'd turn to him again since you did the first time."
As they were getting ready to take their leave she made a request, "If you would allow, Baron, may we take a look at the area where the theft occurred? I'm sure your people have been very thorough but a few more pairs of eyes may not hurt."
----
"Shall we all go to the silversmith first? Or should we split up, and some of us try to track down Saint-Demaine?"
Phin looked tentative, "I agree we should start with the silversmith but I think we should stay together. Since a criminal may be involved that can take anyone's face, splitting up is risky."
"I'm with Phin." Erix added "For at least a little while we have made some really, really talented enemies."
Then there was still the issue about whether this was an inside job or not. The elf did have another question that hadn't been asked so she dared to make her own voice heard in the room, "Baron, do you have any reason to think that Saint-Demaine may be involved in the theft?" And possible kidnapping? but she left her second question unsaid. "Maybe he thought that you'd turn to him again since you did the first time."
”Victor?” the half-elf exclaimed in surprise. ”Girl, the man has his issues and carries an ego large enough to dwarf the Argonth itself, but he’s made a career of catching criminals, not committing crimes,” the Baron scoffed, shaking his head at the very absurdity of the suggestion.
As they were getting ready to take their leave she made a request, "If you would allow, Baron, may we take a look at the area where the theft occurred? I'm sure your people have been very thorough but a few more pairs of eyes may not hurt."
”Help yourselves,” Trelib d’Medani agreed, waving his hand to suggest the meeting was coming to a close and he had other pressing matters to attend to. ”The empty pedestal is right outside the door.” His hand made some motion behind his desk, hidden from sight and mere seconds later there was a respectful knock on the door, followed immediately by one of the Medani guards opening it, ready to escort you to the front door. ”These people will be taking a look at the crime scene on their way out,” the Baron said to the guard. ”Now get on with it. You aren’t paid by the hour, you know.”
”Victor?” the half-elf exclaimed in surprise. ”Girl, the man has his issues and carries an ego large enough to dwarf the Argonth itself, but he’s made a career of catching criminals, not committing crimes,” the Baron scoffed, shaking his head at the very absurdity of the suggestion.
Phin bristled slightly at being called girl but never responded to the Baron's dismissal of her question. Seemed like Victor wasn't the only one with a huge ego. Who better to know how to commit a crime than one trained in catching those who do? If Victor was angry or bitter enough at having been rejected by the Baron, what better way than this to get back at him? But Phin let the issue rest.
Once dismissed, the rogue made a bee-line for the pedestal to take a look at eye lines and the rest of the surroundings in relation to it.
"Please stand back and let Phin, elven-eye, who can burrow through secrets with the power of her gaze alone, have space to do her fine work!" No one was near - he was making a spectacle. As soon as someone came close he spoke to them directly. "Be it a Dwarven doubt, or the hair from a bald footed Halfling, she will ferret it out!" He moved to another spectator, "Not a statue's whisper, nor a wall's breath can hide from her keen ear! She can smell trickery and taste a misplaced memory! Silence! Silence please!" He was the only one making noise. "Serra, I implore you to keep your armour from clinking!" The man he pointed at hadn't been moving. He begins to whisper - loudly, "See! See how she takes in the scene! A brilliant mind behind the instinct of the panther!"
Baran had his hands out and ushered people 'away' from the scene in such a way as to gather as many people around them as possible, like a carny barker. He was trying to talk-up the agency while putting the roguish 'streetwise' on the spot. He enjoyed the joke of it, knowing she disliked the spotlight in such formal settings. Simultaneously, he knew when the pressure was on she always rose up to meet it. A grin leaked out the side of his mouth as he glanced back at her.
Lupi did not discuss with Trelib d'Medani any more, just nodded and smiled, when he asked them to hurry to the mission. She was mostly worried about Zelina's fate as she still remembered all too well the day she was about to get eaten by monsters. "We need to hurry", she thought.
She was about to hurry along, but when Phin started to examine the pedestal and Baran started his bardic performance, she also stepped in "...Maybe I can help too..."
Baran’s running commentary did indeed catch the attention of several servants and clerks, much to the bemusement of the sentry tasked to escorting you out, but at least her efforts were not fruitless. To Phin’s keen eyes, it was clear that the area had already been extensively studied – her nose caught the dusty smell of the powder often used by inquisitives to test for fingerprints. As she leaned closer the silence left by Baran’s now whispered monologue was suddenly broken by a source-less sound of silvery bells, causing Phin to start, knocking the pedestal out of its set place – a persistent alarm spell woven around all of the display pieces, your temporary guide explained as you waited for the noise to subside.
As Phin reached out to move the empty pedestal back to its proper place she made a lucky discovery, however – a pinch of grey powdery substance on the ground behind the pedestal, previously hidden by the marble stand.
Alua smiled as Phin discovered the powder. For the sake of the audience that Baran had expertly lured in, she said, "Well spotted," to the elf. "Erix, do you have a sample jar?" She waited for the amateur alchemist to pass one to Phin, then said, "We can analyze this back at headquarters."
"I do. Hang on..." Erix patted himself down before coming up with a small empty tube and some tweezers. "Try not to touch it."
"I do. Hang on..." Erix patted himself down before coming up with a small empty tube and some tweezers. "Try not to touch it."
Lupi watched keenly as Erix took the grey substance and put it into a tube. She was a bit familiar on how to examine strange substances, but had none of the equipment needed. She was almost about to touch the tube, but Erix was faster with his warning. Lupi had to step back one step to keep her for getting more excited and waited eagerly for the results.
"Ahhhh! And now we watch 'The Rock of Sharn', both bulwark and chemist of some note, analyze the strange substa ... oh, he's already completed ...", crestfallen, he whispered to Erix, "Could you have drawn that out a little longer?"
Cassan Bridge was a fairly unremarkable shopping district, unique only in the small community of human immigrants from the Shadow Marches who made their homes and livings there and had done their best to emulate their native architecture, showcasing shops and small houses built on often rickety-looking wooden stilts above the streets. But now, with the streets filled with festivities and people enjoying a chance to blow off some steam, and traditional wide-brimmed straw hats and knee-length platform boots were a distinct minority. Not so the usual sellers of snake-blood wine, fried toads and roasted lizards-onna-stick – they were clearly making a killing, selling their exotic wares to the people filling every major street.
It took you nearly two hours to make the way down from the lofty heights Dragon Towers down to the middle levels of Menthis Plateau, and night was fast falling when you finally located a sign depicting a somewhat faded star with the words “Shining Star Silver”, next to an ascending stairwell, leading up to a building rising 20 feet above the street level on a set of stilts.
As you made your cautious way up – both the stairs and the wooden platforms supporting the building proved rather sturdier than they looked to an untrained eye – you saw a faint glimmer of light shining through a grimy window and a placard claiming “Yes, we are open!” handing from a nail next to the door. There was no answer to a knock but the door proved unlocked when you tried the handle. Inside, however…
The shop looked like as though a team of horses had galloped through it. Fine silver spoons, bowls and knives were strewn about the floor. A display case laid broken against one wall, with glass, splintered wood and silverware spilling out like the guts of a disemboweled enemy. Towards the rear of the shop was a small black iron furnace with glimmers of fire still burning inside. Tongs, small hammers and other tools sat on a table next to it, along with many wooden and clay molds of various sizes and shapes. The air was filled with a strange mixture of smells, of hot metal and… something more. From behind one overturned table, at the back of the room, peeked a boot, but whether it had been separated from its wearer you could not see from your vantage point at the entrance.
As soon as Phin saw the state of the store, she knew it wasn't good. She held the others back with her arm and said quietly, "Cover me. I'll check it out."
Phin crept forward quietly through the wreckage that was the silver store. She made slow progress towards the boot at the back of the shop, ready to react at the slightest threat.
The iron stove gave her an idea of how long ago this all happened. Once she cleared the store for the others, she would need to take a look inside the furnace to see if someone used it to try to get rid of evidence.
Is there a way to analyze the powder now? I just assumed we'd need specialized materials. Regardless, only Erix or Lupi can do it...
As Phin went inside to investigate Lupi asked Erix to see the tube with the grey powdery substance. She turned the tube around, shaked it a bit and tried to look it against the light of a torch, if it would reveal its mysteries to Lupi.
While the others tried to find a way to remain inconspicuous while hovering on the tiny platform before the silversmith’s shop’s door or on the stairs leading up to it, Phin crept inside on soundless feet… well, as soundless as the situation allowed, considering the sheer amount of discarded possessions and shards of broken glass and wood and ceramics littering the shop’s floor. She thought she managed relatively well, however – at least nothing sprung from behind toppled tables to assault her, nor did she hear any sounds of sudden movement beyond her line of sight.
It didn’t take her long to declare the small shop safe to enter. The boot she had spied belonged to a body of a slightly-past-middle-aged man whose features suggested to some orcish blood in his ancestry. Not that it was easy to tell, as even a cursory glance was enough to tell the man had been beaten to death and then someone had decided to make sure not to risk leaving the job half-finished.
Erix looked around at the shambles of a shop. "Well..." he said hesitantly "On the positive side, I reckon this was a lead. Poor bastard. Everyone be careful - there's enough crud on the floor we might be able to check for traps - er tracks. Sorry, slip of the tongue."
"...a certain silversmith of questionable repute, one Calinto Mulhar from Silver Marches..."
"...Joherra Riston and Toli Ovion are the two members of her team..."
Lupi instinctively walked to the man with some orcish origin. When closer, she sighed in relief noticing at least the body was not Zelina. "...I wonder... if this is the silversmith...", she mumbled mostly herself. She looked at the corpse for a long while.