A few more minutes pass and The Fence just continues staring. He's relaxed a bit, visibly anyway, but he's still keeping a wary eye on everyone.
"So now what? Ya' gonna' kill me for the few silver I got in my pockets? I can't help you any, if that's what yer' after. I just run the bazaar here. I'm a business man, not a soldier."
Vandis frowns and turns away, "Do what you will with him." he says to the rest of the group.
"Knocking him out seems best to me. I know his type. He'll be scampering all over and telling people we're here otherwise."
Dagobert considers the Fence.
"It does seem to me that someone who knows as much as you must know a good bit about the layout here. Traps and so on, if you take my meaning. Now, before we put you nicely back to sleep again, how about telling us about those? Rats know about traps and they're good at avoiding them," he adds for the benefit of his companions.
"The gate is trapped," says the fence. "Also, I wouldn't mess with that fountain outside. One fella' tried to pry those ruby eyes out and took on a horrible curse. He couldn't pull a single job after that without gettin' caught and punished. Finally fell on his head trying to balance on a rooftop and now he can't even lace his own boots."
"Tsk tsk. That's all very well. But we're not outside with the fountain and the gate, now are we. You can see that for yourself. I'm making allowances, as keeping that otyugh when you could have been using healthful rats tells me you're a bit wanting in the top storey, but it's inside we're interested in."
Kenneth returns with the ledger. "Before you knock out dear Arthuro, perhaps we could ask him to elaborate on these curious entries."
"Oh no, no. I'm not knocking him out. I was thinking our big fighter who has no known name might enjoy it more."
Dagobert looks furtively at Kenneth and whispers - "Might cheer him up... he seems a bit mopey."
Arhturo looks thoroughly miserable at the prospect of another concussion. He's still bleeding from several wounds.
"That's just the transfer of some goods in the last month or so. What about 'em?" he asks in regard to the ledger. "There's stacks more ya' know."
Arthuro then looks about slyly. "As for the otyugh, ya' know they're just like giant rats with tentacles, right? They behave in much the same way. I can see where rats might be more advantageous, though. What would you know about finding some healthy ones to use instead?"
"Rrrrraaarrggggh!!!!" Vandis snarls, "Not you as well! What is it about you city trash and rats?!" before grabbing the Fence and shaking him.
"Ah, now you're asking a sensible question. The sad thing is, that what I'm seeing here is a serious case of advanced nest infestation. The rodent population as witnessed by me recently is not of a good standard and will be far from effective as a scavenging unit. If you want to attract proper rats, I'd say you need to clear out whatever is causing that widespread disease.
I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but in my professional opinion, the rats here are pitiful. There's no other word. Tragic really. I'm looking around and seeing a wasted resource. Now, I'm not a chap to cause upset and alarm, but to my way of thinking, this Beggar King of yours could well be at the bottom of your rodent problems."
Oblivious to Vandis's outburst, Dagobert launches into an enthusiastic discourse on the ways and habitations of the city rat.
Arthuro appears to be listening intently.
"This is very interesting me, please go on. What could we do to improve the...uh....problem? I didn't think there was any way to IMPROVE a rat population."
Insight DC15:
Dagobert sighs.
"This goes against the grain, but I get the feeling you're not as interested in rats as you make out. We can have another chat about them once you've recovered."
Then he knocks Arthuro out again.
"He's not a professional. I also have a little feeling he's waiting for something or someone." he adds in justification to his comrades.
Vandis mutters "These Punjarans are crazy..." to himself.
"You don't know the half of it, my large, intimidating friend."
The halfling keeps his eyes on the entrance to the junk room from the alley.
"Perhaps we should be moving on before his nightly customers begin to arrive."
"Eh? Yes." Kenneth seems a bit distracted. "Let's be about our business." He tucks the scroll with the curious entries into his backpack.
Arthuro crumples to the ground before he can make a retort. As he slumps forward you see that he was starting to undo the ropes a bit in addition to his stalling.
Other than your presence, the demesne is still surprisingly silent.
Arthuro crumples to the ground before he can make a retort. As he slumps forward you see that he was starting to undo the ropes a bit in addition to his stalling.
"Very sneaky. Not my kind of person really," concludes Dagobert.
"To my way of thinking, there are likely to be traps inside as well. Probably more people too. Shall we go and find out?"
You draw aside the ratty blanket to find a simple cot is crammed into a small, dirty nook. Roaches scurry out of sight beneath the matted quilt and into cracks in the plastered walls. An unlit lantern sits at one end of the bed, atop a rotting wooden crate.
The window on the eastern wall is tightly shuttered, but obviously leads to the alley outside.
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"Dannad, chum, it might be handy to have that window open, but I'm a bit leery of it. We'd be obliged if you'd check it out for us."
Galad continues to stand there silently.
Galad stands silently off the side, perhaps keeping an eye on the alley entrance.
Dagobert surveys the scurrying cockroaches while Kenneth, close behind, suggests Dannad take action.
Dagobert looks contemplatively at the roaches.
"This little chaps have a place. Now, I'm the first to admit they don't have the charm of the average rodent, but they're very functional. Great survivors."
Realising he's lost his audience, he looks at the rest of the room.
"Anyone fancy having a little look-see?"
Other than the roaches, the room shows no sign of life. Hints of the outside miasma leak in slightly through the shutters.
"Well now. Let's take a little look around."
Dagobert potters carefully into the room and looks around. Arthuro looks like the type to have hidden rat poison to him.
"Dearie me. What an unhygienic mess."
-
Dagobert begins poking around Arthuro's belongings.
Dagobert keeps his hands and feet firmly to himself and waits for the expert to take a look.
Vandis broods.
Dannad tiptoes into the room, looking for traps or other defenses left for the unwary.
"I'll see 'bout that window, although it seems to go back the way we came."
Dagobert thoughfully nudges the crate with his foot and then steps back.
Dannad's quick glance around the room turns up nothing out of the ordinary.
Dagobert nudges the crate, but only manages to send more roaches scurrying about.
-
Dagobert takes a closer look at the crate and opens it, holding the lid at arms length.
"My thanks," Kenneth makes a small bow to Dannad before unfastening the shutters. "Always good to have more than one route out."
Daggobert moves the crate about and pulls out a small leather pouch that jingles slightly.
Dagobert:
Kenneth opens the shutters to reveal the alleyway outside. The fountain is very close to the left and you can see the other wooden door on the other side of the alley. The miasma from outside quickly spreads into the room and the lantern starts to flicker and sputter.
Kenneth closes the shutters. "Well, well, look at that."
Kenneth closes the shutters. "Well, well, look at that."
With the shutters closed, the miasma spreads and begins to dissipate.
Dagobert holds out his finds
"I'm not a Fence of course, so I wouldn't know for sure, but he doesn't seem to be that good at his job. Unless this little chap is more than meets the eye, of course."
-
1d20+7 -
Dagobert's expert knowledge of the arcane arts reveal...nothing. The brooch is made of silver and may be worth a couple gold pieces, that's all. Beyond that, nothing is out of the ordinary.
"Very pretty. Almost rat-shaped when you come to think about it. Apart from the wings and the general elongation."
"Yes, I suppose you're right."