It is early evening when the group returns to Kelmarane after a delicious meal prepared by Qilue. Kzrira skirts the palace and market to enter the upper guard tower that remains uninhabited due to the low number of available guards which are concentrated at the market. From there she has a good view of the upper and lower town as well as the road and river.
Amir, Faelar, and Karethas enter the market to find the tavern full and drinkers overflowing onto the benches cheering on a fight on the central stage. A haze of pesh smoke hovers over the scene. The scrawny straggly haired pusher named Kalyx approaches you offering an assortment of drugs for purchase.
Karethas gives the man an uncomfortable smile, "Ummmm...no thank you, I'm afraid I've already smoked too much...Who is that fighting though?"
I look at the scrawny man and the drugs in a confused manner,
Kalyx shrugs and with a loose wave says that a local mercenary has challenged a wandering arena fighter called the Hyena. With a start you realize that the scraggly man is actually a woman as she turns and wanders off to find more regular customers.
The second floor is quieter and the stores slightly more upscale. Zataran's shop is shuttered next to an open tailor shop.
Kzrira continues to watch the grounds, both in the market square and the road leading up. She watches waiting for Undra to enter or leave the area.
Kzira sees some men head out of the market and make their way down to the tannery near the river as the sun sinks behind the mountains. She hears the distant howl of the Carrion King from Pale Mountain now sanguinely lit in the receding light. As darkness falls, she recognizes Hadar and Hadra bringing their flocks back up the road to the ruined walls of a few fallen buildings which now serve as a makeshift corral. The couple retire to a small structure between their herd and the market. A flickering light in an empty window reveals a fire as they prepare their evening meal.
Karethas turns to Amir, "I am not particularly skilled in staying unnoticed, so I am going to go browse in that tailor shop. I will come if I hear a commotion." He matches his deeds to his words as he heads towards the tailor's shop.
Amir will nonchalantly scope out the storefronts to see if there is a way to approach Zataran's without having everyone staring at him while he try to breaks in. (Or maybe I have keys? I imagine we did a certain amount of checking of Zataran to prep him for stashing him in the basement.) Amir will also be sure, at some point where he is relatively certain that he can make the change, to use the hat of disguise to alter his appearance to a younger, more fit soldier type.
I also walk into the tailor shop and up to the assistant, "Excuse me, I am looking for a wedding dress for a Halfling woman, would you happen to possess a dress that could be used as such?"
The upper shops are actually quite quiet as they have little business in the evening and are preparing to close. The tailor looks quite excited as two quality customers suddenly appear in his shop. He bows to Faelar after hearing his request. "Sorrowfully no, my noble friend. But it would be my pleasure to make such a dress. I, in fact, have designed and created many beautiful gowns for the Princess."
Amir steps around the corner and returns in an altered form to use the key he had removed from Zataran and enter his shop.
Amir will swiftly close the door, and pull an everburning torch. He will activate it after he is certain any windows or openings where light might stream out are covered. He will then look around.
I look a little upset, "How many Scarabs would it take to make such a garment? I am also looking to have a suit tailored for myself, one of fine materials that are durable. I travel a lot and it would need to be resistant to the wear and tear of walking and the odd skirmish. Perhaps this could be my new tailors? What can you tell me of the other shops and stalls in here, are there any that you think I would find interesting or any proprietors that are friendly and could be candidates for continued services for coin?"
Karethas tries to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, playing the role of a shopper's bored friend. He stands near the door, half halfheartedly looking at some clothes, but mostly looking out the door.
Kzrira watches the men heading to the old "tannery" knowing that its business has changes slightly in the past few months.
Perhaps we need some type of an accident there. I would hate to hurt anyone, but that place needs to be shut down.
Once it becomes too dark to be able to see the roadway leading down the hill, she climbs down from the tower and heads over to visit with Hadar and Hadra.
Kzrira knocks on the door, and waits for the good herders to answer.
Good evening my friends, how are you doing? How is that mischievous kid we rescued last year doing?
After a few minutes of friendly chatter, her questions take on a more serious note.
I have a bit of a concern. Since I have returned to this good town, I see what appears to be the same illicit and generally evil business occurring that took place with the gnolls in charge. Do you have any knowledge of who could have turned the good princess from her noble quest to rescue Kelmarane, to allowing pesh dealers and brothels to abound?
She pauses for a moment: You are herders, the type of people who others would speak in front of without realizing that you are listening. Yet, I know that every day while you are out with your flocks, you are watching and seeing everything that takes place hereabouts. You can smell out a wolf or coyote or lion stalking your flocks. You see the bandits waiting in the bushes to steal one of your kids. What I am interested in is whether you have seen anyone speaking with the princess? Or anyone strange entering and leaving the town?
The tailor's eyes gleam at the promise of a new client. "I am certainly the best tailor in the region and even Solku, if I may say so. You have no need to look any further. As for a wedding dress, my mind races with the possibilities. You shall certainly save money on the amount of material needed, but I might put the price around 50 scarabs for a piece that would be a wonder."
"As for yourself, I know just the material that would work- durable, yes and fine against delicate elven sensitivities. Yes! Let us get your measurements now!"
The man races through his kit to find a tape measure and pen. "The market is yet growing. The shops on this level hold little of interest to the riffraff below, but for a fine gentleman such as yourself, well, the potion seller next door might have something of interest. There is a purveyor of fine rugs and furnishings across the way and a jeweler who has made a few nice pieces for the Princess. I can perhaps buy some pearls for the wedding dress."
Amir finds the darkened shop a hazardous maze of glass vials and philters that glitter in his magical torch light. A whole wall is covered by a bizarre contraption of bubbling beakers and rubber tubes. There is a sales desk near the front and partitioned corner that contains Zataran's private quarters.
Unless something really grabs his eye Amir will move on to the private quarters and see what might be found out amongst Zataran's more personal effects. (In addition to looking for anything that helps us Amir will keep an eye out for anything that might indicate family or personal friends that we might contact about Zataran's effects/person)
"I hope you can understand when I say that I will pay the Scarabs upon seeing the finished piece. Do not worry about the pearls, the lady is beautiful enough without them." I stand there and let the man take my measurements.
Once he has finished I look to both sides of the store, "Tell me about this potion seller, sounds like the perfect sort of person for my expeditions to get to know."
The tailor takes some offense at Faelar's offer, "Oh, I am most sorry, my friend. A wedding dress for a halfling is not something I could easily sell should you change your mind. I must ask for the money up front."
Amir finds a small bed, book shelves, and a writing desk behind the partition. The books and writings mostly consist of arcane formulae. A journal contains some attempts at poetry and there is a book filled with contacts and suppliers from the capital city, Tiven's Reed, Finderplain, Bug Harbor and Quantium.
Hadar and Hadra appear happy to see Kzrira and welcome her effusively. They are glad to see she remembers dear Rombard and the little goat bleats at her from its perch on a rickety shelf.
To her questions, they have little to offer. "We are simple slaves of the Princess," says Hadra.
"We have no duty other than to care for her livestock," adds Hadar.
"We would certainly never question what the Princess does-"
"Nor spy upon her!"
Kzrira sighs and then carefully attempts to explain her concerns without actually revealing them:
My friends. While I cannot say that I have always held the princess in the highest of esteem, I believe that she has a good heart and would wish that this town succeeded and prospered through good and honest hard work. Yet, when I look at the market place and the tannery, I see brothels, drunks and pesh dealers. This is not the town you travelled across the desert to save and is not the town the princess wished to restore to its former glory. It is almost exactly the same town as it was under the corrupt and brutal rule of the gnolls.
Kzrira pauses and takes a quick drink from her waterskin.
Hadar . . . Hadra, you are good people, hard workers and faithful servants. You would not be spying on the princess, you would be helping the princess. Something or someone is influencing the princess. That I am sure of. I was hoping that you might have seen someone or something which you considered strange, even for one of such great import as the princess. Unusual people visiting her. Strange visitors to the town. Or unusual happenings.
Kzrira reaches up at Rombard and scratches his chin:
I saved your fine kid because it was the right and good thing to do. What I am asking is the right and good thing to do. Can you please help me to help you and this wonderful town?
Diplomacy:
"I meant no offense; my good sir, how about we settle in the middle? Half up front and the other half once I see the end result?"
The tailor nods as he finishes recording his measurements. The Mwangi man in a colorful long tunic and white trousers is tall enough to look Faelar in the eye and smiles. "You seem an honorable elf. Very well, I agree to your terms. Let us shake hands on this business."
"The Infusium next door is run by a red-haired gnome named Zataran. He arrived here with Princess Almah and has been acquainted with her some time. I believe he used to serve as her physician, but he mentioned that lately he has been spurned as she has taken a local woman as her sole attendant."
"I have seen this woman when I have had business with the Princess. She is named Undra and only dresses in a ghastly black burqa."
Amir will pocket the books while looking over the desk and living area one more time for a hiding place. (Money, rare supplies that sort of thing). Otherwise he will make his way out having found little else.
Amir glances over all the strangely colored potions. Surely, there are some valuable magic ones amongst the beakers and vials, but he is no expert and he has heard tales of dire consequences for someone trying an unfinished potion.
The cash box in the sales desk is empty and Amir turns his attention back to looking for a hidden stash in the living area. His sharp eyes finally spot a loose brick and a hoard behind it containing 304 gold scarabs.
The couple wring their hands looking confused. Hadar starts, "I am sorry, brave lady. We do not understand what you need."
Hadra continues, "We are only simple slaves. We only know how to care for the Princess' animals-"
Hadar interrupts, "The men come and go to do what they will at the tannery, but we have not seen gnolls or other monsters."
Once all of my measurements have been taken I carefully pay out the Scarabs agreed on, "How long do you think until the outfits will be ready?"
I put my coin-purse back and stretch my legs a little with some light walking, "So this Zataran is both a potion seller and a physician? He is definitely someone worth knowing then, I am guessing that like yourself he has little to no competition in this town? I wonder since this Undra has been the Princess' attendant has her health been good, mentally and physically? I only ask as if she is declining or making bad decisions, then I know that this Zataran is the person I should speak to." I smile at the man and wait eagerly for his reply.
Amir hesitates for a moment but resolves to take the pouch, if anything for safe keeping. Putting the brick back in place Amir frowns at the concoctions and the room in general, this task had not revealed all that he had hoped though perhaps the books contained more than he initially discovered. Anxious to not overstay Amir moves to the door and checks to see if Faelar still has the other shopkeep's engaged. If it sounds like they are still talking Amir will leave and lock the door behind him.
Hearing Faelar and the tailor still engaged, Amir slips out and locks the Infusium. He gives Karethas and the elf a high sign.
The tailor assures Faelar that he hasn't much of a backlog and will make hos order a priority. The outfits should be ready in less than a week.
He shrugs at Faelar's further questioning. "The Princess seems healthy enough. I have not seen Zataran all day though. That is unusual, so now that you mention it, perhaps he is tending her. It could be serious if she called upon someone other than her black clad seer."
"Perhaps we should speak to him once he returns from tending to her wounds then? I shall be back within a couple of days, see you soon my friend." With that I bow and take my leave of the shop with Karethas and meet up with Amir further down the corridor.
Meeting up with Amir, Karethas glances furtively to either side looking to see if they are being observed. "So, did you find anything pertinent to our investigation?"
Amir shakes his head as they move on, Precious little. I took Zataran's books of forumulae and contacts so that we might see if he was the type to hide information. I also found his life savings which I thought prudent to take so that if we find his family they will have his wealth and if we are to bury him ourselves we can make a deposit with his person in the Great Vault. HAve either of you discovered anything of interest?
I look to Amir and nod, ~"Unfortunately the tailor wasn't able to tell me anything new. He did notice that Zataran had not been in the store all day and mentioned that it was unlike him, but I did not say anything. The only other thing I found out was that the tailor finds Undra's garb to be ghastly, which is to be expected seeing as he makes high quality clothes."
Amir, Faelar, and Karethas retreat to dimly lit stairwell leading back to the ground floor. Though some of Zataran's belongings have been collected, it does not seem that much new in regards to Undra has been learned.
Once Kzrira finishes speaking with the good, albeit rather unhelpful, goat herders, she heads off to find the rest of the group.
When she finds them.
We need to follow Undra and see where she goes and what she does. Amir or I could track her, but there is always the risk of getting caught. I want to know if she speaks with someone else. Clearly something with claws, likely something that flies, killed Zataran. I am sure that Undra is tied to this and she would have to speak with someone to contact this flying monster.
The group confers outside the market. The only light on this moonless night comes from the lanterns held by the sentries stationed at the palace doors and the light pouring forth from the open doors of the market. Only Faelar can perceive anything at all by the dim light of the stars.
The only grace in my following her is that I might shroud my true identity with my hat so that even were I to be discovered, I could hopefully hide who I am...perhaps that is our best option? What of a summoned creature? Something swift and stealthy that might tell us more? Is that magic available to us?
Karethas smiles, "I could summon something to fit that description, but it's time on this plane would be short. Certainly not long enough to make it practical to use in such a manner. A scrying spell would serve that purpose better, but again, they only will last 10 minutes or so. The best option would be if I had a familiar, but alas I have not pursued such an option."
While the group continues discussing plans, the palace doors open and a familiar black clad form passes through the light held by the sentries. Beyond the ring of light, only Faelar can sense the movement of the dark form against the dark night for she has no source of light yet moves effortlessly without a hesitant step down the road to the lower town.
Kzrira sees the supposed former slave and begins to follow before realizing that the others are still behind her. She stops and turns to the others:
If we are going to follow this thing, now is the time. I cannot see well in the dark, but we must find where she goes and with whom she speaks.
Seeing the moving form I whisper to everyone, "Over there, a certain someone has left the palace and is walking around in the dark with no light, walking around as if it were light. They are heading to the lower town, we should quietly follow and see what we can learn about them."
Seeing that Kzrira has also seen the figure I start to quietly follow them.
Stealth:
Faelar follows the dark figure through the ruins though he is slowed by the humans struggling with their limited vision behind him. By the time they reach the lower town, he is on the verge of losing the fast moving figure.
Without turning around I whisper to my friends, "I am losing her, should I go on ahead and signal you if I need assistance?"
Kzrira looks to Faelar: Do you have one of those spells that let people communicate over long distances? We need to follow her, but also we know that something slaughtered the good Zataran. While you are stronger in combat that the old alchemist, I would not want you to have to face a tough foe by yourself.
"I have a spell that can allow us to communicate about 150 feet, not that far I am afraid. I could follow her and send you the signal, then use my abilities to go into a defensive stance, until you arrive?"
That would be a wise choice. We shall follow as best we can. Use your vision to follow her.