Adriel Moonflower's page

Adriel sits quietly for a moment, expressionless and looks at the scrawled map.

Still feeling aimless and without direction, she nods. She knows she will do this and its the right thing to do to help others, but maybe she can leverage even more help. "I might be able to help, and I understand why it needs to be done. You both know I have a slightly unusual skill set."

She turns to Ishani, "You will have to reduce your prices or have a charitable outreach to those in Trail's End if Im to agree to help with this public health issue. Everyone deserves access to affordable healthcare. Secondly a healer also needs to visit a particular address for some orphans on a semi-regular basis. You can consider the actions I'd be about to take as my payment. If you still stubbornly expect money, then the Field Marshal here can give some of my expected payment to the Church in lieu."

Considering Adriel does not know exact details of the priest's plans, she keeps her mouth zipped shut and lets the priest do the talking.

Adriel purses her lips, but stays quiet about the fees. "Yes, let us go now, and see if she will spare us some time."

Adriel leads Ishani back to the Castle, hoping to find the Field Marshal and use her previous contacts to get a meeting.

"It is not only Sarenrites, Pharasmins and Asmodeans that will help you know? Just yesterday I had a Shelynite offer her support for free for a family friend also suffering from the affliction." Adriel replies, making a point about the cost of such vital treatment.

"I think, with some assurances, I might be able to get a meeting with Kroft." She replies, with an arched eyebrow, hoping that he understands her point without her spelling it out anymore than she had already done.

Acro: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Adriel squeezes through the crowd, and with little effort, manages to slip through the doors as the other clerics are all distracted.

As soon as she is in, she looks for the closest acolyte. "Ishani has requested my presence, please can you direct me to him."

"Good afternoon Miss, Jennie said you needed some help and she had her hands full so I thought I'd see what I could do for you. What's going on anyway, your own little one sick?" Adriel asks.

Adriel nods, "Of course, they will appreciate all the help they can get as they definitely cannot afford to pay for the Priests of Abadar to help. I'll show you the way."

Well I have not seen him myself, but he’s broken out all over in red pocks and apparently cannot keep down food or drink. Have you heard of anything like it?"

Adriel sighs, wondering if she has now dropped out of favor with the Captain for some reason before heading to the nearest Temple of Shelyn that she can find to speak to a

"Greetings, may the Eternal Rose bless you this day." She begins, "I am here to seek help or advice about a terrible illness of a child."

"Yes, I'll see what I can do. Stay safe Jennie - just focus on you and little Toby."

With that, Adriel heads out and tries to get a meeting with Kroft to find out more about both the ship, and any illnesses she has heard of.

Gather Info to pick up rumours on ship: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Adriel holds out her arms to hold Tobias, and gently cradles him in her arms as he continues to sleep, giving Jennie a moment to rant.

"Jennie, whatever you do, you need to make sure that you keep your niece way from others, jsut in case its contagious. Don't let little Tobias near her, with him being so young. I...I don't know much about illnesses Im afraid, but I think I could go talk to someone to persuade them to help. Do you know if its just your niece, or have others' got it too?"

Adriel heads inside the Inn, happy that Trinia might have a better chance at life now she is outside Korvosa, but cannot think it a little sad she had to leave the city for that chance.

She orders some Leek pie and a very small glass of wine (she had never really had the money to try this before) and sits at a table getting out the dagger and turning it over in her hands, inspecting the quality of it closely.

How did the girl come into a dagger quite as well made as this?

Adriel's eye twitches as her heart skips a beat. What did Vencarlo mean about being too forceful about Ileosa recently? He can't be alluding to what she thinks...can he?

Now is not the time or place to make such accusations.

She takes the coin purse with a nod and sets out to prepare for Orsini's plan.

"Good to meet you - now let's talk pleasentries whilst getting the hell out of here." Adriel replies quickly with a fake smile plastered across her face. She puts a gentle hand on Trinia's shoulder as if she were close friends, and guides the woman away. "The guards are watching, we need to move quickly, let us just pretend we are childhood friends heading out to the village to see our families."

Disguise: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Bluff: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Adriel considers the offer and nods her head slowly.

"Yes, I think I can be her companion for the trip." She replies, her brow furrowing with concern about the whole deal. She was not worried about the deed itself, but how did Orsini even know about her?

Then the penny drops. "I presume that you are also close friends and allies with Captain Kroft and have met with her this week?"

Adriel allows a couple of days to go past after the public humiliation of the Queen, before seeking out Sergeant Tallow, hoping to find him off duty to discuss the other night before he can get the wrong idea. Unfortunately, Tallow is nowhere to be found, as he is working a double shift like so many of the guard, but one of his men informs her of the time he is getting off as he recognised her from the pub.

After completing some more small household errands that day, Adriel heads back to the guards' station with more than enough time to spare - just in case the Sergeant managed to make it back early, but she needn't have bothered.

Sergeant Tallow traipses back into the station with hunched shoulders and a serious expression. As he sees Adriel standing and leaning against the wall, he looks uncomfortable for a moment and glances casually at the others' in the room. "Ah, Miss Moonflower, its been a little while hasn't it? Last time we spoke was the day after the wake was it not?" He asks, with a firm tone.

"Yes Sergeant," Adriel responds with a sad smile and walks over to the Sergeant, so as not to talk across the room. The couple of off-duty guards who were previously chatting here look over to the slightly harrassed sergeant and vacate the room, sharpish. "I hope that you have been well. I suppose that you and your guards have all been kept busy in the past few weeks. I had a request to make of you and thought that perhaps, if I could catch you now, I could - " Before Adriel starts the spiel she had planned earlier that day in order to get the Sergeant somewhere more private, the man interrupts, somewhat briskly.

"Look, Miss Moonflower, I appreciate that you may be in need but I have just finished 16 hours on my feet and right now, all I need is a warm meal before I get back to it tomorrow. My guards and I only have one thing we can focus on right now and that is not any personal favours - Korvosa is needing everything we can give her." The Sergeant starts removing his armor and weapons, putting them away in his own allocated spot.

"Yes, I really appreciate that Sergeant, but perhaps, if I offered you some of my homemade peppered rabbit hot pot then I could convince you to give me a moment of your time? If you dont want to help after you have listened, then I will not hold that against you and will merely be happy that I was able to give you the small amount of help that I can."

Fortunately for Adriel, Sergeant Tallow accepts the offer – or gives in, she wasn’t quite sure, but they find themselves heading back to Adriel’s small kitchen in the hunt for some good home-cooked food. Its fortunate that she had leftovers from her dinner last night. The whole walk home, and during preparation both Adriel and Tallow make small talk as if there is some unspoken agreement between them to not mention the night they last met.

As Adriel puts the steaming hot plate in front of the Sergeant and sits down to tuck in herself, she watches the Sergeant as he tucks in. After a fair few bites in silence, Tallow pipes up. ”So, what is this favour you wanted to ask of me then? Have at me.” Adriel puts her spoon down and takes a deep breath to steady her nerves. She can be faced with mighty enemies, blood, guts and gore and not blink an eyelid but a conversation like this - terrifying.

”In all honesty Sergeant, it wasn’t so much a personal favour as a conversation. About the night we met outside the Castle. I wanted to clarify a few things.” The Sergeant nods but doesn’t say anything in response.

”I…I do a few jobs on the side for Captain Kroft. She is a good woman and wants the best for Korvosa but is aware that the guard is stretched thin. And sometimes there are some jobs better suited for an individual than a well-recognised group of law-enforcement personnel. Captain Kroft and I have an agreement that is supposed to be kept quiet – both she and I would rather people did not know about it.” She pauses, not resuming her food, and watches the man closely for his reaction with nervous anticipation.

It takes him a while to respond but eventually, he replies. ”I trust my Captain, and if she deems this a necessary arrangement, then I am not one to question her judgement. Both you and Captain Kroft can trust in my silence Miss Moonflower.”

”Adriel, call me Adriel.” She replies, with a smile of relief.

That’s two people I can hope to trust now, ironically enough both members of the Korvosan guard. Perhaps I judged them incorrectly….

**************
For the next week after the encounter with Tallow, Adriel thew herself in headfirst to trying to feel useful for others. There was still a heavy weight on her shoulders with Teo still missing but she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to find out anything about the Necromancer, Rolth, just now, not with all the other wild rumours flying around about all the other events. She spent some time babysitting Jennie’s new infant, who was just born last week, so that Jennie could get some much needed sleep now she is a single mother. She also spent some time down at the fisheries with the orphans in the evenings, trying to encourage them to just have fun. She actually found herself laughing with them, telling ghost stories and playing dice games. It had been some time since she had laughed, but the children had that effect on her.

When she wasn’t helping others, Adriel doubled down on her physical training schedule squeezing it in where she could, barely giving herself any free time at all. Over breakfast, towards the middle of the second week, Adriel decided that she might benefit some professional tutelage and that, for once in her life could even afford such a privilege. Who better to ask then Vencarlo Orsini? Yes he was likely a bit of a charming scoundrel, but word has it that he certainly knew his stuff, and Kroft had mentioned giving him a chance also.

That morning, straight after breakfast, Adriel did not waste a minute, and as soon as she thought of the idea, she found herself heading to the Orsini Academy with surprising anticipation and looks to book an appointment with Orsini himself.

Adriel cannot allow the inevitable to happen to her peer and yells out in haste amongst the chaos.

"To your right!". She makes herself as small as possible and takes the opportunity that the chaos affords her to vanish back into the crowd out of view so the voice could have come from anywhere.

After she takes a few steps back, her outfit shifts from the previous split red and crimson silk skirt and cream linen top to an emerald jacket and black trousers.

Sleeves of Many Garments.

Adriel feels somewhat better and worse simultaneously, after Kroft's response. She listened, not just listened, but heard her plight and offered good advice, but also - remained distant. Adriel wasn't sure exactly what she wanted from the conversation but knew she didn't feel satisfied.

"Yes Captain, many thanks for your time, and I apologize for taking so much of it considering how long your night is still to come. I will leave you to your duty."

She bows her head slightly and pulls up her hood, slipping away quietly into the night.

Adriel places the large cloth "holdall" she had created containing the body on Adriel's floor.

"Yes, I found the body. Its not the good news you'd hoped for as this is the remains, they've been mutilated and dismembered - this is not going to go down well with the Shoanti." Adriel says, pulling down her hood.

Adriel collapses onto the closest chair and rests her head back, sighing. "Look, Kroft, before we get onto dealing with all of this crap, we need to talk."

Adriel looks up at the woman, half in her armor and momentarily admires her - the obvious physical and mental strength that she must possess is laudable.

"I honestly haven't had anyone I can trust or talk to for quite some time and I think I've messed up tonight - okay, not just tonight - my whole last few months. Right now I'm desperately tired and cannot think straight and I just want - no need - to unload. And maybe you might have some advice." She closes her eyes a minute to calm her emotions again.

Reopening them, she continues, "I don't know how much you know about me, but I need to explain a few things before this will make sense." She watches the other woman's facial expressions closely, to see any signs that the woman knows any of this already. "I used to work for the guard in Korvosa, they were my family, I relied on them and trusted them as you everybody does. At the time, I was raising my son on my own - his na- he wa - Teodore Moonflower." She says, her voice cracking.

"Raising my son by myself, and trying to make an income was not easy, in fact it was f~$@ing hard, but I made it work, at least I think I did."

"Not long ago, my son.... he went missing. He just vanished - it was not like him at all, he wouldn't just up and leave but I know other kids were going missing at the time as well. I searched everywhere for him, I went straight to my unit - my friends, and family at the guard but they did nothing to help." Her lips form a snarl as she recounts her abandonment.

"I searched on my own, high and low, until...I recieved some information from someone - that Gaedran Lamm was responsible. Well, I presume you have contacts that would have told you what happened to Lamm so I won't tell you. But after all that, I couldn't find Teo." She stops abruptly as she says her sons name, a lump rising in her throat, unable to talk for a moment.

"I've been looking for him since, whilst doing some work for you and tonight - there was a possibility my boy would have been there - with Lamm's son. I really thought he was....I thought I had the chance of saving him tonight - there was not one sign of him."

As Kroft goes to begin talking, Adriel holds up her hand pausing the woman.

"Look, I will try to figure out what happened tonight later - thats not what Im trying to tell you right now. What I have to tell you right now is ....this" She gestures down at herself and her outfit. "Yes, I go by Adriel Moonflower, but I also go by The Hummingbird, an alter ego if you wish. I have kept it completely hidden until tonight as a protection of sorts - a protection for Adriel - me. It gives me distance from my own actions but tonight, I had to reveal myself to another - besides you. Sergeant Tallow. Can I trust him? Is he like the rest of those guardsmen who abandoned me before? He looked like a good man when he took me to Jennie after the funeral, he seemed to care for his men....but I am not one of his men."

Adriel realises she has just told the Captain of the Guard a lot - probably too much - but she had to explain everything. Someone else in this world had to know and Cressida Kroft is the only woman, hopefully worthy enough, of Adriel's trust.

Whatever clarity that Adriel had been starting to feel in the last few days vanishes as soon as Kroft explains the involvement of Lamm's son and she remains silent and completely still for a few moments.

"Yes." She says simply. When it is clear that others expect more from her, she clears her throat. "Yes, your goals also align with my own and I will find vindication for both you and me Thousand Bones. You do not need to question my loyality or abilities applicable to this deed as I believe my own fate is also tied to this."

Adriel ensures she asks Kroft about the results of the investigation that she had on this Rolth to make sure she is fully informed.

This has to be completed to perfection. No mistakes allowed.

Hoping that she can trust Kroft's judgment about the safe house, Adriel leaves Trinia there for the next stages of the plan. She supposes it is not her personal duty to keep the young woman alive, but in the last few weeks, Adriel's sense of duty has grown from merely protecting her and her son to feeling a larger-scale duty of protecting other vulnerable communities in Korvosa.

That afternoon Adriel heads out looking for a hearty meal somewhere she can sit back and be left to herself. She manages to find a small Inn, relatively left alone by the chaos in the city and tucks into a Spinach pie with Onions.

Whilst eating, she takes some time to take stock of everything that has happened in recent weeks. Everybody needs time to process and for once, she allows herself this short time; she is finally ready. The loss of Teo still cuts deep into her heart but she is learning, slowly, to manage the truth and instead focus on what needs to be done to find him. A clearer mind will help more rational decisions after all.

That night, Adriel puts her head on her pillow and drifts to sleep. For once, her sleep comes just a little easier. Maybe because she is beginning the next stage of grief.

Percepption: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Too distracted by the body splattered over the floor, Adriel doesn't look up quick enough in order to catch any details of the silhouette above.

"Yes, Im going Kroft, we can't have this dissent sown in our city, its not what Korvosa needs right now. Before I go, know this - I saw a silhouette up there, someone definitely shoved him."

With that, she leaves and heads quickly towards the Midlands. Part way there, she takes ten minutes to change.

Vigilante...

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

By the end of Cressida Kroft's spiel, Adriel's mouth is hanging open with surprise and her eyebrows areraised so high they may as well be part of her hairline.

"Please can we backtrack a moment?" She says, "I think I need a minute to process this. Whilst I am not surprised that there is something more going on with the corruption of the upper echelons of power, this seems like a wild theory. Can we start with the basics. Who is Trinia Sabor?"

Adriel bristles at the unpleasantness and vows to herself to return and at least free the poor house drake if she ever has a moment.

She spends a considerable time on her way home to make sure she loses any tail that she may have gained, stopping in any crowded square or market she can find before she heads back to Kroft to arrange a clandestine meeting to share the information.

Doing her best to ignore the house drake, who has likely done nothing to earn its current predicament, Adriel weights up her situation.

"Well, one customer for another might be a fair deal. And I might know one or two things you will find interesting myself." She reaches in the inside of her pocket and pulls out one of the money bags she had created earlier containing 20 pp and weighs it in her hands, awaiting a response.

Dipl: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

Adriel feels a darkness rise within her as she takes in her surroundings. This is clearly a vile monster masquerading as a man, having given into many vices at the expense of others quite some time ago.

"Mr Devargo I assume?" Adriel says, in greeting and takes a confident step forward holding out her hand in greeting. "My name is Miss Moonflower, its a pleasure to meet you. Your name is famous around these parts."

Make nice: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

"I have hear that one of your clients might be of interest to me. Amprei, Im presuming you have heard of him?"

"Simply look for a conversation with your boss. I think I might had something he would be interested in." Adriel says with a smile, trying to be as charming as possible.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Adriel heads to the Goldenhawk first, hoping that is it some sort of place to socialise and tries to pick out any information about the location of Devargo.

Gather Info: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Unfortunately she doesn't gain much from the carousers in the area.

"Oh, that was no problem. I didn't realise that you were at the wake, I presume you knew the guard. Im just happy that the goodbye didn't turn nasty, that is not what Jennie would have wanted for him." Adriel says graciously.

"I hope we meet again sooner rather than later." Adriel is not quite sure why she replied that way - the words just seemed to slip out but they were not unwelcome to her.

She crosses the bridge walks over to the first pier, keeping her head high, not letting any sign of weakness show as she approaches the Den of Vice.

Take 10 Kn Local

Adriel stays quiet as she lowers herself into the chair that Orsini offers. That is until Vencarlo Orsini states that she seems "competent" - at this she scoffs lightly. "Well thank you for openly stating your opinion on my abilities so, but I promise you that my competencies cannot be told merely by my looks and name alone."

Luckily Kroft continues with the meeting before Adriel can hear Orsini's reply.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 At first, Adriel considers asking Kroft for more pay, knowing that this indeed sounds dangerous, but cannot find the right words to explain herself, so doesn't bother, and settles for asking a quick question instead. "What exactly does Devargo like himself if I tried to get on his good side?"

As Adriel goes to head out, she inclines her head slightly as Vencarlo Orsini asks to accompany her. "If you were heading that way anyway, I do not see why not."

Pulling her cloak around her shoulders, Adriel cannot help but add; "Perhaps you could regale me with stories of your competance." shooting the man a sly grin.

Adriel comes up blank when planning on on finding any trustworthy leads about Lamm's son. Having been bought up with working hard every day, she throws herself into being busy and finding some work. It didn't matter that she had come into so much money recently, that money didn't truly feel like hers anyway.

For the first three days after the eventful week, Adriel heads back to Tallow and asks for some odd-job contract work. He was a decent man and she wasn't sure if he was taking pity on her after he heard her admission to Jennie yesterday but either way, he agreed. She isn't sure if he is one of the few decent men in the guard right now, but her mind is beginning to open to the possibility that the guard are not all bad.

Profession: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Profession: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Profession: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

On the third night, she thanks Tallow for the few days work as he hands over her pay and lets him know to call on her if he ever needs any more help, giving him her address.

On the fourth day, Adriel goes to check in on the children in the Old Fishery to check their well-being but it was clear that they didn't really need her. They are making good strides into their new business that they are using the property for and some of the older ones had taken well to leading the others to be truly resourceful with what little they had. She spends all of her earnings from the past three days on some gifts for the kids; a bunch of nice bars of soap, ten new warm blankets and even a couple of folding chairs to furnish the place. Unsurprisingly, the best-received gift was a large basket of baked goods, some still warm from the bakery.

22gp earned in 3 days of work and spent again on the ex-Lamm's children on the fourth!

Feeling at a loss and not knowing how else to keep busy, Adriel then drops in on Jennie, who is so close to giving birth at this point. She helps the widow with some of the heavier duties against the light protests, in the bakery whilst bonding over their mutual stories of raising children. The conversation seemed to do them both the world of good.

Take 10....

Adriel wonders for a moment if accompanying Tallow was the wrong thing to do. Should she be getting involved in other peoples' mess when she has her own to sort out?

No, its the right thing to do.

"I....I know how hard it is to raise a child on your own." Adriel replies, not bothering to hide the pain in her eyes. "I really didn't need that and know that you very much do."

I was vastly overpaid for that job, and this man lost his life over it.

Adriel glances back at Tallow, hoping he is not paying too much obvious attention before opening up somewhat.

"I can't say I know what you're going through, losing a partner with a little one on the way. I know a lot of people will tell you it will all be okay and I don't want to do that because sometimes thing will be hard and that wouldn't be fair to you."

She swallows, trying to find the right words, knowing that they are not easy.

"But maybe - if you ever want somebody to listen to when you've had a really hard day - then you could talk to me? I know you don't know me, but I know that all I wanted when raising a child by myself, was someone to listen. Just sometimes."

Giving up on the rumours for tonight, that are getting Adriel nowhere, she gives up and heads on home to try and get some rest, even if it was not all that satisfying.

Early next morning, Adriel heads to find the Sergeant. "Im sorry its early, but I didn't know when you were going to speak with Jennie, and I thought I'd come with you just to offer a kind smile. I know what its like to be faced with raising a child on your own."

Adriel lets out a long breath releasing her tension, not realising she was holding it before. Not wanting to stay around and impose on the men's wake much more, she sidles out through the hustle and bustle of the bar before it gets too rowdy and heads home.

She wonders the streets slowly, in the general direction of her home but changes her mind after just a couple of minutes. She tries to tell herself that she doesn't want to go home because she is not yet tired enough but she knows that she is also avoiding those nightmares again.

Adriel heads back towards the Fisheries area and heads into a dive bar or two, trying to find anything she can about Lamm's son in as casual manner as she can.

diplomacy - Gather Info: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

"Adriel, my name is Adriel." She replies calmly, holding palms up gently towards the man and stands slowly taking a step away. "Sergeant Tallow invited me tonight to say goodbye."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Adriel thanks Kroft tersely given the circumstances. She is not sure of Kroft's appraisal of her own skills but remembering she might need the money and resources if she is to find her son and this job pays well. At least Sergeant Tallow seemed better than previous guards she had previously worked with and been let down by when most in need.

She doesn't flinch when Tallow joins her on the way out, walking stride by stride alongside her.

"Yes, thanks Seargant, thats kind of you to offer. Thats the least I could do to thank him for his aid today. Perhaps you might know of where I could send a donation for part of a collection for his family? I think I owe him that. Im sure his wife and children will need it."

She will send 100gp as part of a donation, as she very much owes it.

Adriel, not bothering to wipe her self off tries to take her revenge so that the guards to not fear she is useless.

Rapier: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 161d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

"Get this foul thing off of me!" She yells.

15/36 HP

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Adriel tries to squirm free but the tentacles hold on tight, squeezing the air out of her lumgs.

Rapier: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 131d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

"Dont you worry about that, stand alongside me." Adriel retorts as she leaps forward with drawing her rapier in one swift movement from its plain scabbard. Unfortunately her rapier does not make contact with the target.

Adriel looks torn. One the one hand, she did everything she was supposed to in order to earn Kroft's trust which should be enough for what she needs. On the other hand, seeing how her guards operate in person would be very useful - if they're anything like the guards she has had to rely on before that might be a deal breaker.

"I'll go" Adriel responds shattering the temporary silence hanging between them. "I want to see how your men operate too before we agree to take this agreement any further. Think of it as a way for them to prove themselves as well."

Adriel sleeps uneasily that night, as she does every night, her dreams filled of happy memories of Teodore but time and time again he is whisked away from her grasp.

She gives up trying to sleep before the sun rises and puts her mind to the day ahead of her.

At a reasonable time, she heads out in search of Cressida Kroft. It may be that she has not found enough information to satisfy the woman, but that is not for Adriel to say - she wasn't exactly specific with what she wanted to know.

"Fine. 40 gold. His name is Gaedran Lamm. At around 10pm tonight, he will be found drinking in The Dock Masters' Tavern with two of his lieutenants two streets down from Westpier 17. Sometimes he is early and sometimes he is late. Watch him and follow him out, or lure him out, thats up to you. Don't worry about the lieutenants, I only want Lamm gone."

Adriel drops 40 gold begrudgingly on the counter.

"Don't mess it up." She says, before turning her back and leaving the butchers and letting out a breath. She didn't usually have to think on her feet quite so much. Her plan is to turn back up to this place at around 9:45 when she knows the men would have left already so there is less of them here when she scopes the place out. 40 gold isn't too much to pay for that.

In the meantime, Adriel does a little bit of shopping to help prepare with some of the money she repurposed from Lamm.

+1 upgrade to rapier, +1 upgrade to armor. Cloak of Resistance +1. Costs 4,000gp

"Fifty gold? Thats a bit steep if Im telling you exactly where to find them don't you think?" Adriel questions, bargaining with the man.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

"I heard on the grapvine that Vancaskerkin is the best. Could I request him for the job?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

"Oh, Im sorry, I just wondered if I was lucky enough to catch any of the night's special cuts." Adriel replies, not breaking eye contact with the man.

Adriel joins the lengthy queue and tries to fit in with the crowd. She stands on her tip-toes and peers down the line, trying to ascertain how long it is. "Terrible business this." She says to the person in front of her. "We're clearly all in the wrong business eh, if we only got into the food trade ourselves, we'd be rich right about now!"

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

She watches the men serving the meat carefully, and tries to listen out to those around her.

Adriel flashes an amused grin back towards the Field Marshall and then leaves, quickly and quietly, doing her best to go unnoticed by those around her.

Adriel needs a game plan so hails a carriage back home to piece her thoughts together.

This whole situation was certainly an impossible conundrum.

On the one hand, Adriel would do best to use her former position on the guard to try and complete reconnaissance the old-fashioned way - as a spy.That would work well as she could go in as herself, Cressida would be nonethe wiser to her her night time activities, and all would be well.

But none of that sounded like Adriel Moonflower. What is really needed here is The Hummingbird.

The Hummingbird who has had the experiences of the last few months on her missions to uncover leads on her Teo's wherasboouts. The Hummingbird who managed to put down Lamm and his gang. The problem is that the Hummingbird can be messy.

Eventually Adriel decides to go under the canopy of the night in the company of The Hummingbird. Kroft never need know if she keeps to the shadows for reconnaisance only

Before preparing for that, Adriel takes some time in the afternoon to try to find the owner of the Butchers shop and ask a few questions...

GI: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
If she cant find the shop keeper she will talk to local vendors.

Adriel nods, she can see why this woman is certainly no politician, but very much appreciates her style. It feels good to know the feeling is mutual.

"Yes, let's consider it a trial run for the both of us. However, I'd like you to keep this between you and me for now."

Adriel reaches out her hand as if to shake, but knowing she changed the deal slightly, holds back for Cressida to agree before finalising.

"An Agent of the Guard." Adriel says, stiffening at the unexpected proposition thinking back to how little they supported her in her initial time of strife.

"I doubt you are aware, however I used to work for the Town Guard a while ago. I chose to leave." She says, halting for a moment shifting her weight from one foot to another.

"I am all for supporting the City, as I agree there is a lot that needs fixing but I think working for the guard does not necessarily allow one to do that."

"What kind of work are you thinking of? What are your goals with doing good in this City?" Adriel questions for a moment, then grimaces slightly when she realises she has sounded as if she was interrogating Cressida Kroft. "Not that you need to answer of course" She adds, hastily.

Take 10, kn local

Adriel is swept away by meeting the Queen, who was very charming and it uplifted her to see such gratitude. She barely gets a word in edgeways before the Queen retires and she meets Cressida.

"Nice to meet you Field Marshal, I have heard of your impressive feat. I would happily accompany you to the Citadel to talk further, however I do not know anymore of this brooch Im afraid."

Reward for brooch - The coffer proves to contain twelve gold ingots, stamped with the royal seal of Korvosa. The coffer is worth 50gp. The ingots total 1200gp.