Ash was extremely uncomfortable in the apple vendor's presence once the man opened his mouth. He himself had needed a certain attitude adjustment once, so he didn't feel sanguine in judging the man, but... it was like looking into a mirror of what might have been, in a different situation. It wasn't a look he liked.
Besides, the man not only refused to take responsibility for his cart nearly running them over, he actually had the gall to beg for money after it having done so! Ash shook his head, sighing. This wasn't a fellow he'd have an ale with, to be certain.
He didn't look back when they left the man to see Goggh, but he did seem relieved. "Let's see about getting you repaired, Zander. If nothing else, Goggh should hold enough funds for us to do that."
The Keelhauled Dwarf was only a couple of streets away, and this early in the day the place was closed. They had to bang on the door for a while- surprisingly, not drawing the stares and attention they would have gotten in another district- before someone opened the door. Goggh grunted and nodded, moving his enormous bulk out of the way to let them into the empty but somehow still pungent bar.
"Anything to drink? Are we celebrating?" Once everyone was inside, the minotaur closed the door, shutting out the muggy, fishy air. He cocked his head at Zander- a different warforged from the one he'd left with the group- and nodded at Dok- the shaman was known to many in Dock Ward- then turned to clomp toward the bar.
Illendur follows the Minotaur into the bar, Celebrating? I suppose so, no one died and we were able to effect a rescue of the missing gentlemen. He smiles, Have you seen Vordik around? We would like to get paid. Also, any luck on disposing of those things we found?
He sits at the bar, adjusting his blades to not tangle in the stool, and accepts a cold ale from his friend.
He didn't look back when they left the man to see Goggh, but he did seem relieved. "Let's see about getting you repaired, Zander. If nothing else, Goggh should hold enough funds for us to do that."
Zander tilted his head from side to side, and rolled his shoulders. There was a slight popping sound when both actions were performed at once, and once his armor had retracted, dents and scratches could be seen on his body, but he did not complain. "Thank you," was all he seemed to think needed saying, and he accompanied the others on their walk to the tavern.
***
Zander gave Goggh a nod in return, seeming oblivious to the implications of the minotaur's look.
He also stepped into the building, clearly looking around the room with curiosity.
Illendur follows the Minotaur into the bar, Celebrating? I suppose so, no one died and we were able to effect a rescue of the missing gentlemen. He smiles, Have you seen Vordik around? We would like to get paid. Also, any luck on disposing of those things we found?
He sits at the bar, adjusting his blades to not tangle in the stool, and accepts a cold ale from his friend.
Goggh set down a cold ale pulled straight from the tap- the interior of the bar might not be as supernaturally cool as the Yawning Portal but clearly the kegs were enchanted. The huge bouncer nodded. "I found a fence who didn't try to pick my pocket, yeah. As far as the silver goes, I haven't done anything with it but if you want it in small coin I can take it to the closest Kundarak branch and get you all pouches."
He went over to the end of the bar and crouched down, fiddling with something out of sight. After a few moments he came up with four pouches of coins, which he dropped on the bar with satisfying clinks. "Arma took her cut and said she'd be back around later."
The minotaur dropped pouches in front of Illendur, Jixel, and Ash, holding the fourth in his hand.
"Oh, tasty tasty tasty."
Jixel had followed the others in of course, but had kept to the back until the pouches came out. Then, she hurried over to the bar, stood on tippy-toes, and extended a clawed hand towards the nearest bag of goodness.
"Thank you Goggh!"
A happy look followed as she eyed her similarly freshly coined-up colleagues, until they fell upon Dok and Zander. It suddenly didn't feel very fair.
"Ummm..."
Jixel hesitated, before she remembered that this wealth had been acquired before the very fortunate meeting with the newest team members.
"A lot of wealth, with the bars and all. Hard to ahem... administrate, hide, and secure. Does anyone know if there is something we could, invest in? Either that, or I guess I'll need to dig a secret hole."
A rat's nest. A nest of gold. Golden chicken eggs! Such things were suddenly on her mind.
"A lot of wealth, with the bars and all. Hard to ahem... administrate, hide, and secure. Does anyone know if there is something we could, invest in? Either that, or I guess I'll need to dig a secret hole."
A rat's nest. A nest of gold. Golden chicken eggs! Such things were suddenly on her mind.
Goggh shrugged. "I can ask around. Arma didn't take any of the trade bars- didn't want to lug around 30 pounds of silver. I can hold it here if you feel the same." He held up the fourth pouch of coins. "This is that warforged's- Pierce. I already took my cut."
The minotaur glanced at Zander and Dok. "Did we make some new friends somewhere?"
Illendur nods, Yeah, they helped us out with the rescue, Dok, Zander, this is Goggh. He considers a moment, and then says to the minotaur, Why don't you hang onto the bars for now, and we'll trade them in as we need to. See these two are why we're trying to find Vordik, to get paid! Illendur smiles.
Zander gave Goggh a nod when he was introduced. "We were able to assist in the recovery of the human. And we were also able to enjoy the hospitality of the North Ward jail. It was an interesting night."
Goggh grunted and dropped the fourth coin pouch on the bar in front of Jixel. "Maybe you can split that, then." He shrugged his shoulders and it was like watching an earthquake roll through a mountain range.
He shook his head at Illendur, a deep, deep chuckle welling up out of his chest. "It's barely breakfast. You think you're going to find that guy out and about? It's either 12 hours early or 6 hours late. He was in here the other night but I wouldn't call him a regular. Try over at the Yawning Portal, maybe, but from the way he drinks I don't take him for an early riser."
Illendur laughs, Yeah you are right, we spent the night in North Ward jail, so got out early. Draining the ale the minotaur provided, he spins on the barstool back to the others, Well, should we take a few hours, and meet back at the Yawning Portal this evening to see what our elven friend has to offer for work and see if we can hunt up Vordik? The half-elf splits the coins in the fourth pouch, tossing some to Dok and Zander, Figure you saved our bacon, owe you this much at least. It'll get you through until Vordik pays up.
Goggh nodded. "That elf from last night? Hmm. If you all are looking for more work, I know some people and can put out some feelers. Come back later and see if I found you anything. I don't think I'll be out in the field with you all but I can be your agent."
Ash chuckled, feeling more relaxed now that he wasn't impoverished. He hadn't even considered that a man like Vordik wouldn't be up so early.
Goggh certainly seemed to be well-connected - and Ash thought he'd earned a modicum of trust. "That's very decent of you, Goggh. I do have a different question, though. Pierce was looking into the matter of missing children. We just had a run-in with a few urchins who haven't seen one of their friends in a while. I'm interested to know if this is organized, or even a real threat to the children of this city. You've got your ear to the ground. Have you heard anything?"
Goggh frowned. "Hmm. I don't know. Don't usually pay much attention to kids, you know? I'll ask around about that, too, if you want." He nodded at Dok. "Your new friend runs a clinic that serves lots of families, you might want to check in there if you want to see how us regular poor, downtrodden Dockers are doing." The minotaur snorted out another chuckle.
Ash nodded gratefully, then glanced at the others. "What do you all say we look into the matter of that child the other children were speaking of? We have a few hours to kill, do we not?"
Jixel had been enjoying the weight of the coin pouch in her little clawed hand, enjoying the satisfying clinky sounds coming from within.
"The children problem? Yes, I'd like to help with that. Fate might be kinder with our outstanding payment, if we do a good deed in-between. Also...
She jiggled her new wealth again.
"There's a round of cheese I'd like to pick up on the way, with my name on it."
Peekee, whose head was protruding from the ratfolk's backpack made a "pokpok" sound, to which Jixel replied with, "Yes, a handful of fresh sweet grains too."
Illendur nods at Ash, We certainly have time to look into the issue of the missing children and then still make an evening 'appointment' with the Yawning Portal folks there. He looks back to the massive minotaur, Yeah Goggh, if anything crosses your ears it would be great to have more work....
Dok, you have any ideas about missing kids? I think some of them were maybe shifters? he looks to Ash to confirm.
Zander had been looking at the handful of coins Illendur had given him. It had been a while since anyone had willingly paid Zander for anything, and that realization had surprised him.
Eventually, he tucked the coins into various pockets in his coat. Unheard by any but Zander, J'r-V'zz made a tally of each coin and its location, for future reclamation.
"I offer our assistance in solving the puzzle of the missing cadets," Zander said, once each coin had been properly stowed away.
Ash shook his head. "I haven't heard anything concrete, but I would expect shifter children to be targeted. They often have less developed networks in the city than others, and fewer resources."
"Do we just go barge into the house that the children mentioned, or do you folk want to investigate more?"
one is down on Tower Trail near East Torch Tower, close to South Gate,
one is on Tarnished Silver Alley near the corner of Sea Lion Street, in the shadow of Thronehold,
one is not far from here, on Cod Lane, and
one is up at the end of Book Street where it could possibly have a view of the Honorable Knight.
They family traces their titles to Breland but they have resided in Throneport since before the beginning of the Last War. The ir'Cassalanters money comes from finance- particularly venture capital and private lending.
"There be a bunch of do-gooders opening orphanages since the war. Call themselves da 'Houses of Hope'. Dey have four of them in da Dock Ward."
"One near south gate, one just down the way on Cod Lane, one over on Book Street, and one at the corner of Sea Lion and Tarnished Silva'."
Illendur nods at Dok, Sounds like a good place to start, anyone know anything about the 'Houses of Hope'? Shall we head that way? the half-elf nods his head in the direction of the closest one.
Jixel hadn't really been around these traps long enough to be familiar with orphanages and the like. Thus far, they hadn't really featured in her occasional "work", either. She was always up for something new though, and the best way to learn was to tag along with friends!
"Yes! Hope is always a good thing to find. Almost as good a cheese monger."
"I can show da way to the orphan house on Cod Lane." Dok suggests.
"Couldn't hurt to take a look."
Dok takes a moment cast a spell and heal cut he still had from yesterday.
Still a half-orc in bloody clothes, a torn coat, and a battered top hat.
But at least he doesn't have any open wounds.
Cod Lane wasn't far, and the group was standing before what looked like it had once been a ship outfitting business not too long ago. Now, the large two-story building had been given a coat of white paint and the former wagon yard was covered with grass and held a gaggle of young children at play. Unlike the urchins who had just tried to mug them, these children were clean and in freshly laundered clothes.
As the group made their way from the gate toward the front door a modestly dressed young human woman approached them. A few of the children looked their way but most just kept playing, leaving the adults to their business. "Hello. Can I help you?"
The ratfolk lass was at the back of the assembled and strange gathering. Well she assumed it was probably unusual, for suched a mix bag of adults to come knocking on a place like this' door.
Funnily enough though Jixel quite liked children, and not just because she could speak with them at eye-level.
Ash took a small step back, leaving Illendur at the front - and indication of whom he thought should take the lead. He did speak up, however.
"Good morning, miss. May we come inside to discuss a matter with you privately?"
Illendur glances over his shoulder at Ash, realizing he's now in the front when the shifter speaks. Turning back to the woman,Ouch, might as well just get it out and over with he asks, What my friend is trying to say is that we were investigating some missing children in the city and we were hoping you could shed some details on it for us?
"Um... you could go inside and speak to Miss Catherine." She glanced at the group's weapons and strange equipment. "She might be able to answer your questions."
"Don't worry lady ... we'll keep da mud off'in ya floors."
Amazed to witness her companions really struggling to come across as law-abiding, and child-friendly citizens, the ratfolk woman decided to squeeze between a few of their legs and join the front ranks of this imminent disaster.
"Oh, thank you! I'm sorry about these folk's armaments Miss, I assure you that we are only here with the very best of intentions. You see... we ran into some lovely children earlier today, and they insinuated that something worrisome was going on."
She puffed up her chest a little, in a proud and friendly manner.
"You see, eventually everyone realizes that the time is ripe to try and give something back to the community. For us, that day is today. Oh, and I do adore other ripe things too. Fruit, especially."
Jixel winked, one woman to another.
The young woman smiled at the friendly, unthreatening ratfolk and Dok, who in spite of his ragged clothes seemed nice enough. "Oh, no. Thank you for checking, of course, but there's nothing bad going on here. We're happy to have anyone come and volunteer." She gestured at the clean, healthy, well fed and apparently happy children playing in the yard. "We're housing and schooling as many children as we can. So many orphans from the War, you know." She shook her head sadly.
"I can take you inside, but only for a second. I'm the only teacher out here right now. But I'll make sure someone takes you to see Miss Catherine. She's the director."
She gestured at the front doors. "Just follow me." The young teacher led them inside, to a well maintained foyer. It looked like someone had renovated an old office building into a residential school- there were what looked like classrooms and common areas on the ground floor and older children were walking up and down the stairs with books in their hands, chatting amicably.
"One second," said the teacher. She waved down an older girl in her early teens. "Melina, come here please. Thank you. These folks would like to speak with Miss Catherine. Could you show them the way to her office?"
Melina nodded. "Yes, Miss Eliza." The teacher nodded back with a smile on her face and turned to beam at Jixel. "Melina here will take you right to Miss Catherine. I've got to get back out there. Have a nice day!"
The young woman looked shyly at the group as Eliza headed back outside. "If you'll follow me, please?"
Illendur nods in acknowledgement of the shy young woman after waving goodbye to Eliza. Please young miss Melina, please show us the way. Tell us how do you like this place? Everything seems so clean and nice?
Jixel was pretty chuffed that her backing of Dok's comment, had led to the nice teacher woman being a bit less defensive. Allies were important, and even the ones in places you never expected to go! Yes, the ratfolk might have been in sewers before, but not to rescue people. Orphanages and schools were whole different thing! At least they smelled better, and so far the residents seemed much more polite too.
With Melina to escort them, Jixel kept up her smiling and upbeat manner, looking from side to side here and then to get a feel for the place.
"Thank you for taking us Melina, we look forward to meeting Miss Catherine!"
Illendur nods in acknowledgement of the shy young woman after waving goodbye to Eliza. Please young miss Melina, please show us the way. Tell us how do you like this place? Everything seems so clean and nice?
Melina smiled at the good looking, well dressed Illendur, brushing a hand through her hair and touching a bright blue butterfly hairclip over her ear. "It is nice. I have friends here and the teachers are ok. The food is good, and I have a room with just three other girls, and they give us an allowance once a month. It's, uh, a lot better than where I was before." Her smile faltered for a moment and she shook her head at whatever memory had flitted through her mind.
Jixel was pretty chuffed that her backing of Dok's comment, had led to the nice teacher woman being a bit less defensive. Allies were important, and even the ones in places you never expected to go! Yes, the ratfolk might have been in sewers before, but not to rescue people. Orphanages and schools were whole different thing! At least they smelled better, and so far the residents seemed much more polite too.
With Melina to escort them, Jixel kept up her smiling and upbeat manner, looking from side to side here and then to get a feel for the place.
"Thank you for taking us Melina, we look forward to meeting Miss Catherine!"
Melina seemed perfectly genuine, if a little nervous being around a group of adults including a warforged and shifter. "Of course! Here, this way." The young woman gestured at a hallway and took them past a few classrooms full of children in uniforms working away at their lessons. At the end of the hallway was an office door where Melina knocked and then opened the door at the muffled reply.
The office on the other side of the door wasn't anything special, an un-converted office with hand-me-down furniture. Behind the desk, though, was a woman of surpassing- if somewhat alien- beauty. She looked even younger than the young teacher Eliza, but her presence was far more self-assured than Eliza's. Miss Catherine somehow dominated the room without moving or doing anything but sitting behind her desk.
She smiled at Melina. "Hello, Melina. Who are your friends?"
The schoolgirl dipped into a quick curtsy. "Miss Eliza asked me to bring them to you, Miss Catherine."
"Excellently done, then, Melina. Thank you. Go ahead and get to class." Melina turned and jogged back down the hallway at the dismissal and Miss Catherine regarded the odd group in front of her.
"It's too much to hope you've come to deliver a big donation, I suppose?" The school administrator gave the group a small smile along with her question.
"Good days to ya there, Miss Catherine."
"I'ma bein' Tarley and these be my friends."
"We'uns be lookin' in on those that care for the small folk and seein' what we'uns can do ta help."
Zander did his best to look non-threatening, and was, in fact, fascinated as he took in the training techniques for the cadets around him.
He did not seem to pick up on anything abnormal about "Miss Catherine," (most human-adjacent humanoids looked the same to him, anyway).
J'r-V'zz was quietly tracking the numbers and movement of every life form within a 40' radius, and had little to say regarding the female, other than to note her with the yellow karat that meant "affiliation unknown" in the small display that hovered in the corner of Zander's eyesight.
Jixel wasn't going to push her luck. Like a mouse approaching cheese, wary of a trap, she approached some individuals carefully. Not everyone liked ratfolk, so she needed to assess Miss Catherine carefully. For now, Jixel remained behind the others, leaving the honest Dok and smooth-faced Illendur to hopefully do the talking. Furthermore, Jixel didn't really know much about kiddies going missing, other than what she'd overheard between bites of an apple. Damn, that had been a good apple! Hopefully Catherine was a good apple too. Not that Jixel had any intention of baring her teeth.
The kalashtar woman smiled back at Dok. "Oh, I know you." She stood up and came around from behind her desk to shake Dok's hand. Miss Catherine was a tall, willowy woman with a slim build that was reminiscent of elven slenderness but the fluidity and grace in even just a few steps was otherworldly. "You're the man who runs the pop-up clinics. You're doing a great service for the community. Did you come to check in on the children? We have a nurse on staff, but if you wanted to run a clinic here we would be happy to have you."
Dok didn't know her, but apparently his own reputation preceded him. Unfortunately it didn't seem like she understood exactly why the group was there.
Illendur will attempt to clarify their reason for being present, Thank you Miss Catherine for seeing us today. We were following up some tales of missing children in wards of the city, and we were wondering if you could provide us with any information you may have heard about kids going missing. Maybe some of your students have heard of old friends disappearing or the like? We would be interested in trying to help find any missing children, if your facilities would be able to support them?
Illendur asks as nicely as he can for being a heavily armed and armored half-elf.
Miss Catherine shook her head sadly as she perched herself on the edge of her desk. "Sadly, children go missing every day in this city. Between literal monsters, humanoid ones, and simple neglect, we estimate at least one or two disappear every day. Simply gone without a trace, or found dead in an alley when someone cares to come look." The beautiful kalashtar sighed. "That's why lord and lady ir'Cassalanter started this program in the first place, to do what we can to house, feed, educate, and nurture the most vulnerable among us."
"If you're looking at specific wards, we focus our efforts on Dock Ward and Field Ward, as those are the wards with the least resources already in place. Say what you will about the Thranes but the Church of the Silver Flame has done a remarkable job housing the homeless in a short time in their sector of the city. And for their part, the dragonmarked Houses are fairly draconian in policing the homeless out of their part of the city."
"Are you looking for a particular child? It's a big problem with any number of causes and multiple ways to approach it." She glanced at Dok then the rest of the group. "Forgive me if I say that you don't look like the sort who are looking for a... systematic approach to helping children in need."
"Is there anything you can tell us about the house on Book Street?" Ash ventured, doing his best to look innocuous.
Our quiet friend knows more about this then we do, But please forgive him for being shy. Illendur adds, trying to soften the situation if possible...
"The House on Book Street?" Miss Catherine cocked her head curiously at Ash. "Of course. We try to keep the children near their old neighborhoods so as not to make the transition too disorienting. There are 4 Houses of Hope in Dock Ward, one at the east and west end and two nearer the center. This House and the one on Book Street are the two central Houses. The Book Street House is run by Sister Narcy- she actually used to be a nun of Boldrei, but everyone still calls her Sister. She's wonderful, everyone loves her." The kalashtar woman smiled just talking about this former nun, clearly fond of the other woman.
Her smile faded a bit as she went on. "So you're looking for one of Sister Narcy's children who went missing?"
Ash nodded. "It may be nothing. It's just that the street children are worried," he explained, not trying to curb his Thranish accent. "We promised to have a look on their behalf."
Miss Catherine paused. "Well, it could be that their little friend just wasn't around to play with them anymore. The smaller ones get less leeway when it comes to free time spent off-grounds. Or if they were especially bright or had a way with animals, the child might have been selected for the farm. It's in Amphail."
The kalashtar sighed. "We try to let all of the children know the kinds of services we can provide and opportunities we can offer, but we just can't take everyone. There are so many in need and we only have so much space. It's probably just a misunderstanding."
"I'd be happy to introduce you to Sister Narcy, if you'd like to talk to her."
Illendur nods at Miss Catherine's suggestions, We'd be happy to meet your colleague. We just wanted to make sure that anyone who worked more closely with children than we do knew about it. Maybe she can help to put our fears to rest even further.