Calatin waddles over and examines the item curiously.
"Do you know why Lord Stafford is so interested in this item? Historical interest? Or does he practice the magical arts?", all said in tones of idle curiousity, as he looks at the enjoiner fragment.
"I do not dabble in magic, sir wizard," a haughty, cold voice says from the doorway behind you. Turning, you see a middle-aged man with an imperious look.
"It is a proud relic from my family's history, and though some of my ancestors were foolish enough to sell off the symbol of our birthright, it has now returned and will not leave again." Lord Stafford looks you over, nodding approvingly. "I see you have chosen to discipline that fool of a man you first sent here. Wisely done."
Awgin steps behind Laya for protection from Lord Stafford.
Laya curtsies deeply as Lord Stafford enters. "Lord Stafford, it is indeed a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
She grits her teeth slightly as she continues. "We're very glad that you've allowed us the opportunity to be here to help watch over the fragment. We are concerned, however, that this Shoanti man should attempt to come after the piece this evening. While your security is no doubt adequate to repel him, it could cause a disruption to your ball and we would like to do all we can to avoid that happening."
"As would I. On the other hand, one such as this Shoanti cannot be allowed to dictate the actions of one such as myself." He turns to speak to Markiv. " To cancel the ball because of this one man would be untenable, and to simply remove the enjoiner would do little in preventing him from attacking if he does, as he won't know it has been removed until after he has attacked! Therefore, it falls on you people to ensure that he does not disrupt my daughter's coming out. That is your duty."
Lord Stafford makes a casual, but acquiescent, gesture towards Calatin and returns his gaze to Markiv. "I have business to be about. Sir Taverson will be able to assist you further, should you need it."
He turns and heads out of the room.
Calatin picks up the fragment. The black gold absorbs the light around it a bit more than it should but otherwise, there is nothing remarkable about it physically.
ProfPotts, I know Garidan's waiting for Heward to lead the questioning and that this is probably a dead end, but if you think of anything jump in.
The well does indeed seem to run dry. You might have time to track down the noble that had him thrown in prison, but then again, you might not.
Heward will ask to see Mikobar's cell and give it a quick look.
That done he'll propose, "It's early , but let's go back to headquarters and see if the others have returned. Depending on what we find there, maybe we'll have time to tackle Pinecrest."
Laya leans in close to Calatin to peer at the enjoiner as well. "Mister Taverson," she says, not looking away from the item, "what location in the estate is farthest and least noticeable from the areas where the party will be? I think the enjoiner should be move there. Unless of course, it's this room, in which case it should just stay here. One of us should stay with it and have it on our person. Somebody else should also stay with that person. The rest of us should patrol the estate, but make sure we can always get back to the enjoiner at a moment's notice."
She puts down her pack and pulls out some paper and chalk. Like Calatin, she begins making sketches. She continues to speak as she draws, "We need a means of signalling or communicating with each other that won't interrupt the party in any way, so no yelling. That would tip off our opponent too much anyway. Anyone have any suggestions?"
'The guard said that Mikobar wasn't big and, in fact, was considered one of the smaller inmates,' Garidan notes to Heward once they've left the building and are on their way, 'that in itself is unusual - my people were bred for war, after all, and we are oft noted for our size compared to most human outsiders - Mikobar should, at least, be easy to spot. Did any of your previous witnesses who've seen or interacted with Mikobar mention his small stature? Small for a Shoanti, anyway. If not then...' he pauses for a moment, glancing towards Heward as if uncertain whether to continue or not, but then sighs and finishes his thought, '... though it pains me to say it, we may be looking for more than the one Shoanti.'
Laya leans in close to Calatin to peer at the enjoiner as well. "Mister Taverson," she says, not looking away from the item, "what location in the estate is farthest and least noticeable from the areas where the party will be? I think the enjoiner should be move there. Unless of course, it's this room, in which case it should just stay here. One of us should stay with it and have it on our person. Somebody else should also stay with that person. The rest of us should patrol the estate, but make sure we can always get back to the enjoiner at a moment's notice."
She puts down her pack and pulls out some paper and chalk. Like Calatin, she begins making sketches. She continues to speak as she draws, "We need a means of signalling or communicating with each other that won't interrupt the party in any way, so no yelling. That would tip off our opponent too much anyway. Anyone have any suggestions?"
'The guard said that Mikobar wasn't big and, in fact, was considered one of the smaller inmates,' Garidan notes to Heward once they've left the building and are on their way, 'that in itself is unusual - my people were bred for war, after all, and we are oft noted for our size compared to most human outsiders - Mikobar should, at least, be easy to spot. Did any of your previous witnesses who've seen or interacted with Mikobar mention his small stature? Small for a Shoanti, anyway. If not then...' he pauses for a moment, glancing towards Heward as if uncertain whether to continue or not, but then sighs and finishes his thought, '... though it pains me to say it, we may be looking for more than the one Shoanti.'
"I don't know. I wasn't part of the team that interviewed the shopkeepers who met our suspect. And he was invisible during the fight last night." Heward frowns. "That's a disturbing thought though. Two of them. One was quite enough."
Thank everyone at Pediment building for their help and cruise to interview Rimblesnuffin about the Shoanti once more. On the way Heward explains to Garidan, "Rimblesnuffin is the gnome that owned the shop Mikobar raided last night. We kept his shop from rolling down into Lowcleft, but I doubt he's really grateful. It will probably have to be torn down. Anyway Mikobar, or his accomplice if there's two, paid him a visit before last night."
Thank everyone at Pediment building for their help and cruise to interview Rimblesnuffin about the Shoanti once more. On the way Heward explains to Garidan, "Rimblesnuffin is the gnome that owned the shop Mikobar raided last night. We kept his shop from rolling down into Lowcleft, but I doubt he's really grateful. It will probably have to be torn down. Anyway Mikobar, or his accomplice if there's two, paid him a visit before last night."
You quickly arrive at the Cherished Chelish ruins. Much of the rubble appears to have been sifted through, and several wagons piled high with dirty, dusty, scraped, and battered goods wait nearby. A few questions of the Watchmen on guard directs you to Kinman. The pale-skinned Chelaxian straightens from his labours (to which he is clearly unaccustomed) at your approach. Heward, he favours with a nod and tired smile, which is quickly wiped away as his gaze goes up and up to take in the Shoanti. He stumbles back, trips on debris and winds up on his bottom, pointing at Garidan and shrieking,
Several other tired merchants look up at the scene. They lock eyes on Garidan and inhuman snarls appear on their faces. A couple of the men grab large boards which used to be support timbers for their livlihoods, and are now simply weapons of violence.
Heward shrugs his halberd off his shoulder and into a ready position leveled at his waist.
Intimidate
All movement stops instantly, and the only sound to disturb the late afternoon heat is the thumping of timbers returning to the ground.
Riv Kinman scrambles to his feet and spits in the general direction of Garidan. "He's still one of them. Filthy savages, all! He's not really going to help you catch one of his own, fool!"
"That's him! That's him! That's the monster than knocked down the building."
Garidan feigns glancing behind himself, to see who Kinman is talking about... ;)
"I'LL SPIT THE FIRST MAN TO STEP CLOSER! This is not him! Settle down and listen. This is Hawk Dancer, who is working with us to catch the man who did this. Mister Hawk Dancer has worked with the Watch before. He is here to hear a better description of the man in the hopes he can pin point who it is. "
For his part the Shoanti stays quiet and allows Heward to do his thing... although he seems to be having a little trouble supressing a smile at the thought of being attacked by shopkeepers armed with broken bits of wood...
"He's still one of them. Filthy savages, all! He's not really going to help you catch one of his own, fool!"
Garidan shakes his head a little, and mutters...
Turning to his hawk, Garidan starts to talk in strange bird-like noises...
... a moment later the hawk takes flight, circling the destroyed market place. Garidan watches her fly for a few moments, then turns back to the collapsed shop and its owner...
Heward relaxes his grip and raises his halberd's point, and addresses Kinman. "Foolish or not, Hawk Dancer has offered to help, and we don't have a lot of leads in this case. The Watch could give up on ever recovering your piece or we could keep trying to run down the thief. In which case we just need a little more information from you, because your description of this thief is our best bet to catching him. I don't care. I hear the steelhead are biting down at Dunnage Wharf."
"Now. Try to remember exactly how he appeared."
Heward tries to elicit a better description. He'll ask Kinman to pick the man whose build best matches the Shoanti's. He'll prod him for hair style and color (traces of grey), tattoos and scars, anything that might distinguish the Shoanti that Kinman talked to.
DIplomacy (if needed)
Even with that low Diplomacy roll, you can still get enough of a description from Kinman to identify the tattoos as belonging to the Skull Clan, though if they're as faded as he says, Mikobar hasn't been keeping them up properly.
After talking to Kinman Heward looks up at the sun. "It's getting late. We'd better hustle back to headquarters and meet the others. "
Laya finishes up her sketches. "A chime or bell?" she says and nods. "Yes, that could work. We need to acquire some. I think the library is a good place to keep the enjoiner, and I think we should move it there now, not tonight, so at least one of us has to stay there with it." She starts pacing back and forth. "Indeed, I don't think any of us should leave at this point. We need to stay here until tomorrow morning at least."
She stops pacing and looks to Taverson. "Mister Taverson, do you have any bells or chimes?" She pulls out another sheet of paper from her pack and begins scribbling a note with some chalk. "Also, could you have this message delivered to MSI Headquarters? There's a good man." She folds the paper over and holds it out to Taverson. "You can read it if you want. It's nothing secret or sinister."
After talking to Kinman Heward looks up at the sun. "It's getting late. We'd better hustle back to headquarters and meet the others. "
The description from Kinman pretty much coincides with the others you've received. You can be quite sure that can be only one Mikobar.
Laya finishes up her sketches. "A chime or bell?" she says and nods. "Yes, that could work. We need to acquire some. I think the library is a good place to keep the enjoiner, and I think we should move it there now, not tonight, so at least one of us has to stay there with it." She starts pacing back and forth. "Indeed, I don't think any of us should leave at this point. We need to stay here until tomorrow morning at least."
She stops pacing and looks to Taverson. "Mister Taverson, do you have any bells or chimes?" She pulls out another sheet of paper from her pack and begins scribbling a note with some chalk. "Also, could you have this message delivered to MSI Headquarters? There's a good man." She folds the paper over and holds it out to Taverson. "You can read it if you want. It's nothing secret or sinister."
Sir Taverson thinks about that question. "A chime? Well, there's the one in the dining hall used to announce meals to the members of his Lordship's family. It won't be getting any use tonight. I'll have it brought up to you, though if you're all just going to stay in this room, why do you need it?"
He takes the note without looking at it or reading it. "I wouldn't think there would be anything sinister. I'll have your missive delivered at once."
"Thank you," Laya says with a smile. "We won't be staying in this room. We're taking the enjoiner to the library. At least one of us will be with it at all times, but the rest of us need to keep watch."
She looks at the others. "Awgin, you should definitely be on watch. Calatin or I should stay in the library at all times. There may even be useful information about the enjoiner in the books there. Oh, that's a good point. Mister Taverson, will Lord Stafford mind terribly if we take a look through some of his books?"
Taverson shakes his head. "His Lordship didn't say anything against looking through books, so go ahead. Not sure what you're expecting to find, though, but that's your business." He leaves to deliver your letter. Within a few minutes, a servant brings up a small crystal chime.
After listening to the description of Mikobar, as Heward and himself make their way back towards the watchmen's headquarters, Garidan sighs,
'It is a relief that only Mikobar seems to be involved, and that the poor description you received before was simply down to your witness's prejudice against my people... I suppose we "all look alike" to people like him,' the Shoanti chuckles, shaking his head for a moment... then his expression turns dark once more, 'On the other hand, it seems that Mikobar was once of the Skoan-Quah - Skull Clan - which would explain his knowledge of the enjoiner... and also suggests that he'd know exactly how to put it to terrible purpose as well. Such things go against the very core of what the Skoan-Quah stand for... but from what we know of Mikobar, that fits the man to a tee...'
Mrs. Brigglespen looks up as Heward and Garidan arrive at HQ. She smiles at Heward and nods to Garidan. "I assume this is Mr. Hawk Dancer. Welcome to MSI. Auriel is upstairs, still sleeping, poor child. A note arrived from the others at Millis Manor, requesting her presence, but I thought it best to let her sleep until you returned. There is some food in the kitchens. Help yourselves, gentlemen, while I wake Auriel."
After about 15 minutes, Auriel comes down the stairs to the dining room. She turns out her pockets, emptying them of the stale leftovers of yesterday's breakfast and brushing the crumbs out onto a spare plate. "You're not a Nice Boy with a Good Future," she remarks to the Shoanti, waiting for Heward to introduce them.
"You won't have a good future, if you can't wake up and do your duty," Heward snaps. He instantly recalls his thoughts last night after the set to with Awgin. Shit. I'm tearing down the team again. She needs a talking to, but not from me. Garidan is right. We need a clear leader. Awkwardly he tries to gloss things over by making quick introductions, "Hawk Dancer, this is Auriel Minick. Auriel, Hawk Dancer is helping us try to locate the Summoner among the Shoanti. He's given us a name to fit the description...." Heward pauses trying to remember Mikobar's full name.
"You won't have a good future, if you can't wake up and do your duty," Heward snaps. He instantly recalls his thoughts last night after the set to with Awgin. S!*@. I'm tearing down the team again. She needs a talking to, but not from me. Garidan is right. We need a clear leader. Awkwardly he tries to gloss things over by making quick introductions, "Hawk Dancer, this is Auriel Minick. Auriel, Hawk Dancer is helping us try to locate the Summoner among the Shoanti. He's given us a name to fit the description...." Heward pauses trying to remember Mikobar's full name.
"Veristan Mikobar?" Auriel supplies infuriatingly. "Pops got that information from the auction house, remember?" She turns to the Shoanti. "He gave a fake address in Rag's End, and we've never laid eyes on him. The only people who have are the Choking Chelish and some smelly street guy, from what I hear. You know him?"
Assuming he gets Mrs. Brigglespen's name at some point, Garidan thanks her, and happily helps himself to the food on offer as he looks about the unit headquarters, poking his nose in every corner he can find - with little regard to anyone's privacy, and a seeming sense of idle curiosity - as he and Heward wait. Zova he lets fly, utter a few words to her first,
"You're not a Nice Boy with a Good Future,"
The large Shoanti man raises an eyebrow, doubtful that the girl before him is a seer of any kind, although always open to such possibilities... but remains quiet as Heward has his say...
"You won't have a good future, if you can't wake up and do your duty,"
... and stays quiet still, not feeling it's his place to intrude on the in-tribe disputes of others... unless called upon to do so...
"Hawk Dancer, this is Auriel Minick. Auriel, Hawk Dancer is helping us try to locate the Summoner among the Shoanti. He's given us a name to fit the description...."
'Veristan Mikobar,' Garidan offers as Heward tries to recall the name, 'his spirit-serpent is known as Wisp. He's a very bad man, a blasphemy upon everything the Shoanti, and his own clan in particular, believe in, and if he gets hold of the enjoiner it will probably be the worst thing any of us has ever experienced...' he pauses for a moment, then grins, adding '... so we'd probably better make sure that doesn't happen.'
"He gave a fake address in Rag's End, and we've never laid eyes on him. The only people who have are the Choking Chelish and some smelly street guy, from what I hear. You know him?"
'Do I know "a smelly street guy"?' Garidan blinks, thinks for a moment, then shrugs, 'Several, I guess, depending on your definition. Can you be more specific?'
'Do I know "a smelly street guy"?' Garidan blinks, thinks for a moment, then shrugs, 'Several, I guess, depending on your definition. Can you be more specific?'...
"No," Auriel sighs impatiently. "Mikobar, the bad, bad blasphemy man. Do you know him? Why does he hate everyone so much?"
"No," Auriel sighs impatiently. "Mikobar, the bad, bad blasphemy man. Do you know him? Why does he hate everyone so much?"
'I know of him,' Garidan replies, 'as to his motives... what makes you think he hates everyone? Have you learned something of his personality that may help us against him? I understand that he's twisted and evil, and cares nothing for my people's culture... but I couldn't say if he acts out of hate, a desire for power, or simple insanity... Although it may be helpful to know for sure.'
"Last night," she tells him darkly. "He already had what he came for; we couldn't stop him; he had nothing to gain from knocking the shop down. But he still tried to send it down off the cliff onto unsuspecting people below -- people who have nothing to do with his damned enjoiner. Robbery, I understand; covering your tracks, I understand. But killing people and destroying things for no reason...?" She shakes her head. "Look, he can knock over jewelry shops all he wants. I don't really mind seeing people like Rav Kinman get screwed. But he doesn't have anything against the people in Lowcleft. Hells, most of them are Varisian, not Chelaxian; they'd get along with Mikobar better than Kinman. But he wanted to kill them anyway. Just because he could."
'Maybe you got closer to catching him than you thought,' Garidan suggests, 'and toppling the building slowed you down. Or maybe he was showing off. Maybe he did want to kill people... but then again, maybe he just didn't really think, or care, that they happened to be there. If killing was his main concern there are more populous buildings in a city of this size he could already have targeted. Do you know that Mikobar has nothing against the denizens of Lowcleft... or is that, perhaps, your own feelings projecting a little? If you know anything for certain I'm sure it will help us to catch this man. Random speculation will probably help less...' the Shoanti man pauses, then shrugs, adding, '... but you're the Watch - you don't need me to tell you these things.'
Getting lost in thought a moment more, Garidan adds,
'Besides - if he summoned the spirits of the earth to knock down the building, then he'd probably need to be near them to call them off. Chances are he just wasn't around after he got what he came for, and didn't care what happened to the building... or the people.'
"We don't know anything," Auriel answers testily. "I thought that was why you were here. Besides, he was there: He moved them. They were in the basement; he already had the fragment; they went away. Then a few seconds later, they were outside, pushing the house over again."
"We don't know anything," Auriel answers testily. "I thought that was why you were here. Besides, he was there: He moved them. They were in the basement; he already had the fragment; they went away. Then a few seconds later, they were outside, pushing the house over again."
'Oh, I think you know more than you realise,' Garidan replies, with a grin, 'the trick is keeping that seperate from simple speculation. The fact that Mikobar re-summoned the spirits of the earth, for example, is very interesting. Were there any other witnesses to all this who may have spotted Mikobar himself? Does the Watch employ dogs for tracking, for example? If one was present I'd like to question it. Otherwise, perhaps we could see if one could be made available: if Mikobar likes to remain unseen an animal's keener senses would seem to be a benefit in tracking him down...' pausing once more the big Shoanti scratches his chin for a moment, then glances towards the kitchen, '... oh, and flour - everyone should have some flour if we think Mikobar is going to be invisible.'
As preparations get underway, Markiv snaps his fingers, springing from his chair. "If Veristan likes to be invisible, we need some way of countering. Lord Millis' guards at the entrances should employ some means of ensuring that he does not gain entrance under invisibility. Perhaps some velvet ropes across the doorways? And we should all get little pouches of flour from the kitchen."
"We don't know anything," Auriel answers testily. "I thought that was why you were here. Besides, he was there: He moved them. They were in the basement; he already had the fragment; they went away. Then a few seconds later, they were outside, pushing the house over again."'Oh, I think you know more than you realise,' Garidan replies, with a grin, 'the trick is keeping that seperate from simple speculation. The fact that Mikobar re-summoned the spirits of the earth, for example, is very interesting. Were there any other witnesses to all this who may have spotted Mikobar himself? Does the Watch employ dogs for tracking, for example? If one was present I'd like to question it. Otherwise, perhaps we could see if one could be made available: if Mikobar likes to remain unseen an animal's keener senses would seem to be a benefit in tracking him down...' pausing once more the big Shoanti scratches his chin for a moment, then glances towards the kitchen, '... oh, and flour - everyone should have some flour if we think Mikobar is going to be invisible.'
"There were a whole damn street full of witnesses," Auriel replies, "all peeking through their frilly curtains and not wanting to get involved. And I haven't heard or seen anything about dogs since I've been caught up in all this. You'll want to ask him," she points to Heward. "He's Mr. Straight and Narrow Watch Guy. Oh," she recalls as she grabs some portable food for her pockets as well as a plate full for now, "the fat man's owl was there. It seemed to know more about what was going on than I did." She grimaces at Hawk Dancer. "But I don't speak Owl."
"He won't get away this time." Awgin is visibly more excited than a moment before.
"Although something like that would impede his Lordship's actual guests...not something I suspect he would countenance. Still, perhaps one of us with an active detect magic should be present at all the entrance points to the house. Nothing we've seen suggests that the man has teleportation abilities, even limited ones, so he probably has to get inside the house the same was as the rest of us."
"Unless he just summons his creatures from outside a window, of course. We should have the guards draw the curtains of all the windows of the unused rooms. You have to be able to see where you're summoning your creatures to. Unfortunately, earth elementals can just glide through the stone of the ground to get inside, and there's very little that can keep them out."
"There were a whole damn street full of witnesses," Auriel replies, "all peeking through their frilly curtains and not wanting to get involved. And I haven't heard or seen anything about dogs since I've been caught up in all this. You'll want to ask him," she points to Heward. "He's Mr. Straight and Narrow Watch Guy. Oh," she recalls as she grabs some portable food for her pockets as well as a plate full for now, "the fat man's owl was there. It seemed to know more about what was going on than I did." She grimaces at Hawk Dancer. "But I don't speak Owl.""We don't know anything," Auriel answers testily. "I thought that was why you were here. Besides, he was there: He moved them. They were in the basement; he already had the fragment; they went away. Then a few seconds later, they were outside, pushing the house over again."'Oh, I think you know more than you realise,' Garidan replies, with a grin, 'the trick is keeping that seperate from simple speculation. The fact that Mikobar re-summoned the spirits of the earth, for example, is very interesting. Were there any other witnesses to all this who may have spotted Mikobar himself? Does the Watch employ dogs for tracking, for example? If one was present I'd like to question it. Otherwise, perhaps we could see if one could be made available: if Mikobar likes to remain unseen an animal's keener senses would seem to be a benefit in tracking him down...' pausing once more the big Shoanti scratches his chin for a moment, then glances towards the kitchen, '... oh, and flour - everyone should have some flour if we think Mikobar is going to be invisible.'
Heward grimaces. "Yeah. We should have polled the neighbors last night. I was too beat to think of it." He grins slightly at the doubly efficient use of 'beat'. "We don't have time now. The others should be back very soon. Hopefully they've talked Stafford into letting us stay and watch the enjoiner."
He glances down at his gear. "I'd better clean up a bit on the chance we'll be gracing His Worship's party. Can one of you give me a hand with this?" He reaches for the laces and buckles of his mail.