Ubiquitous Guard's page

“Aye, you did at that, though I must be barmy for taking you at your word.”

“Letters, you say? Well, it’s a start if nothing else. My runner returned and confirmed that you are indeed in the employ of the Vanderboren’s, by the way. Trust, but verify, as they say.”

“I’m going to release the lot of you into your patron's custody, pending the return of this new evidence. I’m also going to have to ask you to please not leave town until we’ve concluding our investigation. Oh, and for the love of Worgul, don’t go willy-nilly about town accusing nobles of crimes, understood?’

“Thank you again for your cooperation in this matter.”

After an hour or two of fidgeting in the small wooden room, the lone guard looks up at a rap on the door. The Desk Sergeant enters.

Sorry for the delay, and thank you for waiting. I hope you are well.

I sent two contingents of men-at-arms to the location you specified. The alpha group reports the Taxidermist Shop closed “due to a death in the family.” They gained access via the city’s “Master Key,” but were unable to locate the access panel you mentioned. If there was something there, the way stands sealed. Beta group probed the well area, but encountered several hungry crocodiles and were unable to proceed farther into any possible tunnels.

Now, I’ve yet to see anything that calls you a liar, but good men have died following your leads, and a noble stands accused. If you have hard proof, I think you had better produce it now.

Do you wish to have us guide you to the place?

I do, but I can’t. Taking you along would make us responsible if anything happened to you, and we’d lose our only witnesses. Thank you for the offer though. An adequate description of the area should suffice, and we’ll take it from here. We’ll try not to keep you long either, is there anything I can have brought to you or someone we can inform of your whereabouts?

1d20+4=9 - Bluff.

You are fairly certain the man’s original intent is to bury your issue in bureaucracy, but something in your complaint strikes a nerve.

“…thieves guild…noble…interesting,” the man murmurs, checking off identical boxes on each of the sheets.

“What did you say your name was again? These are serious accusations, and I’m going to need you to wait here while I send a contingent to check this out.”

The man whistles to the guards outside.

“Show this man to a holding room, please. He is to be treated as a witness, not a prisoner”

Hopping the desk, the officer shoos the woman out of the door with all haste, informing her your matter is urgent (as she shrills all the while that her matter is just as important), and instructing the door guards to keep her out for the afternoon, at the least. Rid of the woman at last, the desk sergeant returns to his post.

“Thanks mate, I owe you one. Sorry, what’s this about the Dragons? Let me get the proper forms.”

The sergeant retrieves three large pieces of identical parchment covered with black lines and check boxes.

“Nature of complaint?”