PS Estevan the Merchant's page

That staff? Let me have a closer look... hmmm.. Estevan says, examining the piece. It doesn't look familiar to me, but it is a one-of-a-kind. My advice would be to hold onto it, it might prove useful.

Then, No Levar's question comes in, and Estevan answers: that would be unfair business practice, wouldn't it? I cannot request you to do such a thing. All I can hope for is that you run into her by accident. You'd be more than capable of handling yourselves.

That is indeed it, my ledger. Of course your companion has questions, and he is in his right to ask. Aleena Jerkot has been most troublesome, and every now and then she thinks she can thwart my operation with these... petty thefts. Unfortunately, your associate Balthazar has become the victim of their plans.

Esteban rolls up the credit letter and puts it in a small scroll case. Here. make sure Jerkot's thugs don't get a hold of this, that would be... embarrassing.

I had hoped you would shed some light on the pincher's motives, Esteban says, but I conclude from your reactions that you haven't.

Now, if you would just hand me over the ledger, I can write you this, he says, as he scribbles a note. This is a letter of credit, which can be used for services in any of the Consortium's trading posts.

This'll get you 5000 gp worth of credit between the five of you

Aaah, Balthazar's associates. I've been expecting you for quite some time. I suppose you have come here because you succeeded in retrieving my ledger?

Well, as an associate of mister Thames, I believe you can help me as well, then.

The ledger contains important information on my operations. To have this in the hands of a competitor, especially one as... unpleasant as Jerkot is a disaster!

By the way, I noticed that the door up here has been forces open. Estevan says I've been calling, but there doesn't seem to be anybody around. I would have checked the situation out, but I've had trouble enough getting this far into the building. Thames' lovely associate, Beranda, should have answered. I do hope she is alright.

Yes, of course. You can help me retrieve the item that I've lost, can you not?

Someone has stolen a ledger from my office. the merchant says It's a large volume with a cover of silver scales. It's got a distinctive icon in the lower right corner, which makes it rather easy to recognise: a stylised rendering of a grim gargoyle

I believe it was taken from me by agents of Jerkot's imports, one of my more troublesome competitors. Retrieve the ledger, and bring it to my office on Pride Street, near the Hall of Records. I'll pay you thrice your usual fee.

The door seems to be unlocked, and when it opens, it swing open to reveal a wide staircase, that climbs to a wide landing, and another door.

Smack dab in the middle of the staircase, somehow looking wedged in, is a massive ogre mage, with large ivory horn. He smiles with a broad says then says, somewhat jestingly Balthazar Thames, I presume?

The blue-skinned giant breaks another grin and then continues I've been waiting for you for hours.

Still, I realise you have mysteries to solve or objects to find, or what is it you planes walkers do these days? In fact, the reason I have come calling... he stops mid sentence, then sys Oh, where are my manners! Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Estevan, merchant Lord of the Planar Consortium.