Out of the corner of his eye, Cameron notes Izkrael slip into the Inn. 'Hmm an odd one, why does he want to help the streetwalkers but not the sailors? Oh well I'm not complaining, we'll need all the help we can get to solve this murder.'
So this is Drexell. Half-elf, uniform...that's got to be him, thinks Izkrael while silently approaching the half-elf. He tries to overhear the subject of Drexell's questioning: Maybe I can hear something interesting before revealing myself. Then, when he will have a clear idea about the subject of Drexell's interrogations, Izkrael will reveal himself to the half-elf removing his hood. "Mister Drexell, I suppose", says the elf trying as hard as possible to be friendly, "Name's Izkrael. I've been looking for you. Can I have a word with you, in private?". Aware that Drexell could possibly misunderstand his intentions, Izkrael is ready to clarify his motives in a whisper, trying to keep this phrase private between him and Drexell: "I'm investigating on the working girls' murders, and I know you're too. We could help each other, for the sake of Riddleport".
If Drexell agrees to follow Izkrael, the elf leads the half-elf in uniform outside the Blushing Mermaid, where his companions currently are.
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Yes, I'm Sergent Drexell. You wanna a talk with me, gimme some info about the murders? Gimme your weapons, and walk first out of the tavern.Then, maybe I'll trust you, or you'll be paying the price. I ain't no fool... and this is Riddleport, as you said yourself.
Izkrael grins hearing Drexell's words: "Tsk. Suspicion. I should have expected it", but at least this proves him to be a wise man, "So here's what I know, Sergent Drexell: some streetwalkers were killed in the last few days. One of them was known as Lula".
Izkrael looks deeply into Drexell's eyes: "I won't give you my weapons. You're free to follow me outside, and I will work out first as you demand. But my weapons belong to me and I won't be giving them to anyone, not even you Sergent Drexell.".
If Drexell is willing to follow Izkrael outside, the helf would lead him where his companions are. Otherwise, he will just walk away from the tavern, coming back to his companions.
Drexell follows Izkael out of the Blushing Mermaid.
Cameron and the rest see their comrade, with the sergent right behind him, his hand on his short sword and ready to strike.
'Oh! Well there's a spot of good fortune' thinks Cameron as Izkrael leads Drexell out of the inn.
Nodding briefly to Izkrael, Cameron addresses the Gendarme, "Seargant! I don't think we got off to the best start. Allow me, if you would, to make a peace offering.". He offers the generous slice of honey cake wrapped neatly in a napkin, its still in good shape fortunately. "From a mutual friend.", he said.
If Drexell accepts, Cameron tells him, "I regret this is not entirely a social call. It seems some predator is attacking working girls. Desna is very much not okay with that, and unsurprisingly neither is Calistria." Unconsciously he glances at Nessa before continuing, "Unfortunately nobody seems to have seen anything. We know this town isn't exactly Absalom and figured you could use some help."
Nessa walked up and hooked an arm through Cameron's and leaned against him, one wing wrapping partially around to cup his body and said, "Yes, the First Sting has tasked all of my brothers and sisters in faith to hunt down the one responsible. It was suggested by our mutual friend that we should look you up as you were looking into it to and likely weren't getting the help you needed." While Nessa leaned against Cameron she actually kept her hands otherwise to herself, it seemed she was more interested in showing solidarity than any lewd implication this might be viewed as by more...dirty minded individuals.
Drexell seems surprised by Cameron's gift, but when he opens it, his face beams, and for a few seconds you see the child he probably was under the adult.
It's been years since I have tasted her honey cake! Thank you! Well, hummmph..
He tries to regain a more serious composure, but his big smile is still there as he puts the cake carefully in a side bag.
I'm not surprised Calistria and her worshippers try to get even with whoever is stalking the prostitutes. So far we have "only" two disappearances, and one murder. If you catch whoever did this before me, don't let him go. I haven't much details on the two missing streetwalkers, they were very green, it seems. Maybe a client killed them. Lula was tougher and more experienced, so I'm not sure...The three were working the docks, and no body was found so far for the first two. And now, a few weeks later, it's hard to find clues or leads. Even Heldarol knows nothing, but then the gnome isn't tied to the flesh trade.
Tsk, he doesn't know anything we didn't already. I hoped he could give us a trail.
Izkrael listens to Drexell's report without betraying any emotion. He nods when Cameron and Nessa speak.
Drexell don't stop there
And you, what do you know? Do you suspect someone?
Alayna is in a pretty good mood, worries absolved, maybe, or just still feeling the rush of her alley-bound tussle. "Eh, we need ta know if ya 'ave any details. I know ya been by our shores ta 'ave a bit o' the jawboxin' but we have a vested in'trest in gettin' ta tha bottom of this briny quagmire." She takes off her hat and adds, "You an' me both know there ain't but a few o' these villains that'd be half in'trested in any o' these Jennys disappearin' an' we wanna fin' the lout that'd take off a lady's 'ead!"
"We know plenty more, just not about who might be committing the murders." Nessa looked at the sergeant and continued, "We were hoping you might know more about it. So far we've turned up little to nothing that will help." She began to fidget slightly as she said, "I want this to stop, I'm scared to walk alone now, especially now that I have Sylee to care for. I want this bastard found and stopped as soon as possible."
Cameron nods at what Alayna and Nessa said, sadly there really wasn't a whole lot of information to go on.
After the others have spoken Cameron adds,"Too bad we don't know more about the perp and his motives, well I assume it's a him. If we knew more it might be possible to set up a sting."
One other thing was on his mind, at some point they would have to return to the Goblin although they had a few hours yet. Still they could come back the next day and the one after that and so on...
Drexell talks, his eyes darting to each of you, his back resting on a wall and his hand still close to the hilt of his sword
We don't know yet if it's an "him", an "her", or even a "what?". Trouble is, it can be anyone. Maybe it's someone who left the town already. But I got this gut feeling we haven't seen the last of it, unfortunatly. There are odd little things, too. The first two girls were close to the docks, and no one saw or heard anything- or wouldn't tell. No blood, little violence, and no bodies. Both poofed out on the same week, a few days apart. Then, Lula died, a few streets from here, farther from the docks so. We found her gory headless body, nearly two weeks after the two first disappearances-and I suspect murder on these two cases too. Not sure we have the same killer.
Looking at Nessa
Who's that Sylee?
Izkrael looks at Drexell with a bored and at the sime time disappointed expression: "I was hoping you could give us a lead, Sergent. You have many questions and no real answers". Izkrael shooks his head looking at Nessa. "Seem like we're not going anywhere. We're not investigators, after all. I would have liked to help with this matter, but no one seems to know where should we begin to search. No clues, no witnesses. And we don't even get paid for this. Perhaps we should stop here and get back to work. Seems to me that if not even a Sergent knows something which truly matters about these murders, we cannot hope to discover more". Finally, Izkrael stretches his neck and says to Drexell: "And you...You'd better relax. We're not here to harm you, nor to harm anyone else. We're not that kind of people. Your hand is too close to the hilt of your sword for my own taste, but I can understand: this city is dangerous...".
Izzy's right. But what else are doin' this eve? Alayna keeps her counsel to herself, wondering if she will get a chance to get drunk, her other plan for the night.
You are not this kind of people, but the streets are full of that kind of people. Do you really think I'm paid for this? Nope. I do it because it's the thing to do. The Gendarmes don't give a s**** about a few ladies of the night missing. You are not investigators but a few more eyes on the street are always useful.
Drexell rubs his neck
At first I thought about someone from a ship's crew. You know, for the girls? A sailor who didn't want to pay, or to pay less. I couldn't pass for a prostitute, but...
He looks at Nessa and Alayna, leaving his sentence unfinished
Maybe we could set a trap, and leave the streets safer?
Nessa sent a nervous glance in Alayna's direction and said, "She's an orphan girl I adopted. I couldn't let her live alone like she was with no one to care for her. I've been making mistakes with her, but I'm trying to correct them so that I can be a good mother for her. I'm moving in with our mutual acquaintance to provide a better living environment for the girl." Nessa brightened up and said to Drexell. "You should stop by and meet her some time."
As they continued talking Nessa had a rather vague idea start to coalesce, one she wasn't happy with but might be willing to do. She looked at the sergeant and asked, "the two that were close to the docks, how close together were the places where they disappeared?"
"A trap? Now you're starting to say something interesting, Sergeant...Go on". Izkrael crosses his arm and listens to Nessa and Drexell proposals with a much more interested attitude.
"A sting then, I suppose Mistress Pomade would approve. Still it's quite the risk Nessa, are you sure you want to go through with this?" Cameron asked with concern.
The question was how to do this while keeping Nessa safe, but also not frightening the killer away. He asks the Gendarme, "Sargent, you know this town better than anyone I reckon. Is there some place that Nessa could stand on the street, where punters go, but where we can watch without being seen, and come to her aid quickly if needed?"
"Oi, Cam, let's not be so anxious to get ta' sea. Nessa's bound to have a reputation, pardon the pun. May'ap it'd be more canny ta' have me all'a strumpet? I ain't got no dis'tinguishin' features like our girl 'ere." Alayna crosses her arms over her front and nods, "Plus, I can look a' sweet shop without looking like a specialist." And how many nights did I just volunteer ta stand firewatch?
"While I would be willing to be bait Alayna has a point. I do stand out." Nessa considered the issue, "On the other hand no one cares what happens to whores, but they care even less what happens to tieflings. There's also this, how far will you take the role Alayna, will you sleep with them? If not then that will make you stand out even more." She gave it a bit more thought, the gears grinding in her mind before she said, "Of course you could try to demand too much money for your services, you'd be new to the area, and new girls either under or over value their services. It would also help if all the other street walkers would stay in pairs, it'd make them harder to take and you easier, they might go along with it if we explain why to them."
While you're thinking about it, I'll show you all where the first two tramps poofed out, if you agree. It's not too far. Maybe with all you magic you can find something I can't.
With a serious look Cameron, tells the girls in hushed tones, "I can't make the decision of who does it, if at all. But whatever you decide, I'll be there to back you up. Even if you both go or not."
Nervously fidgeting with a deck of cards, Cameron adds, "If we need to narrow down the search I could try a reading..."
"Let's go, Sergeant. Show us the crime scene. Nessa and Alayna can Always discuss while we get moving". Izkrael wears his hood again and lets Drexell to guide the group.
---
Izkrael looks at Cameron with curiosity. Then he approaches the man and asks: "I had no idea that you could read cards...Are you an harrower?".
________________________________
As they walk, Cameron confides to Izkrael in hushed ones, "I have some training in that respect, my uncle Milon thought it important. He said it was part of my people's heritage that should me passed from one generation to the next. Usually drawing cards from a well shuffled deck is governed by pure chance. Harrow decks are different... Sometimes lady luck intervenes, and well the results can be strange. I'm not able to do a particularly powerful reading, but some partitioners can bind the strands of fate with dramatic consequences. Usually I can find out if a particular course of action will have good or bad consequences but sadly no details."
Nessa moved to walk next to Alayna and asked, "So what do you think, do you want to be the bait? Or do you want me to?"
After a few minutes walk, Drexell show you a place on the docks.
You hear the sea water very close to you, and sense in the darkness, the big masses of anchored ships. There are no houses around, and the closest building seems closed and old.
That was somewhere around... Here, that was her turf. She didn't have a good place, as she was just beginning. No one heard something, no one recalls her name. She was young and dark haired, quite skinny. Seemed lost... until someone or something found her.
Alayna thinks about which of her and Nessa should be the bait. "We both 'ave some good and bad reasons we'd be best for it; you'd take the Johnny to the end, and I'd rather as not. But you 'ave a high wind and billowin' reputation - an' like I said, you'd look more a specialty. If tha' villain be lookin' for the unwary and tha' foolish, there'd be more ta' say ta' tha' with my peasant stock." She grins a bit, "Plus, I be used to gettin' dirty; you're jus' used ta gettin' sweaty!" She looks at Cam and his conversation with Izzie. "Mayhap we can 'ave good Lord Hawkwinter do us a reading!"
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Izkrael listens to Cameron with interest. Without looking directly into his eyes, the elf says: "You know, I used to know a Varisian harrower who said she could read my future in the cards. Her name is Cordeliza. The last time I saw her she told me that bot my origin and fate are tied to the Blot, and that I would have found some answers about it if I came here in Riddleport. Until now, her reading has been a complete failure. Nonetheless, I still respect her readings...Even though my faith in them is starting to crumble down".
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When the group arrives to the location Drexell wants to show them, Izkrael begins searching the area using his keen elven senses to try and catch some details that might have eluded human examination.
________________________________
*cough cough*
I will volunteer as well for the deceit too. I can....make myself look differently for a short amount of time.....that may buy us a deception if we put on a show of it.
But I may need the proper street-walker etiquette and lingo...[/b]
As she listened to Alayna's words Nessa considered them, Kruicina's too when she spoke. Finally after working her way through them she said, "I think maybe having Alayna try first would be best, we can have you try if she fails to hook the person we're after and I can try third. I'll help you both get a better grasp of how to act before hand." As they arrived at the scene of the disappearance Nessa took a look around and then cast a quick spell to search for any magical auras she might be able to detect in the area.
Cameron seems a little surprised when Izkrael mentions that, "Oh the Blot! That's kind of ominous now I think about it, although it seems to be a phenomenon that's rather above my pay grade..."
He then answers Alyna, "I could do a plain reading, but unless you had a particular question in mind they are devilishly hard to interpret." He pats a breast pocket and adds, "Still I have my deck, if you want."
Despite his keen senses, Izkrael finds nothing strange, just noting that the sea is low in the port. Whatever happened to the missing prostitute happened too long ago, and left no traces.
Nessa finds nothing magical around.
"Aye, Nessa sounds a fair track. I be needin' a bit o' tit n' leg ta' tempt wit'"
The next morning, Alayna has two tasks. First, make sure she looks the part for tonight's far-flung hope of trapping or at least exposing a kidnapping murderer. And secondly getting Cameron to do a Harrowing for her. Izzie's interest last night got her thinking. I been more than a bit worried about this crew, mayhap Desna can show me through Cam's cards if this is the right path or not. I hav'ta know soon, afore Anderas' ship sails.
The land-bound pirate makes her way to Cam's door, and knocks *rap-rap-rap-raprapraprap* "Cam, the sky's light and it's time ta get some work done! We can sleep when we get to the bottom o' Cossamir's Locker!" When he opens the door she looks him in the eye. I have a question for your cards. Can ya' do me a readin' this morn?"[/b]
There had been something on Alayna's mind for some time now, and he was glad to be able to help. Cameron smiles, "But of course Alayna. These things work best if you have plotted two courses and you're a wondering which way you should tack..." As he waits to hear the question, he gingerly removes a very old pack of hand painted metal sheets. Each plate of copper was no thicker than a finger nail and had been lovingly cared for by three generations of his family.
Alayna steps in and closes the door behind her. She clears her throat and tries to begin. She stumbles over, "I uh, don' right know how ta ask... Mayhap if I just held the cards and asked them, you could just tell me what things might mean. See, I don' wanta' be a draggin' anchor..." Flushing at her own stammering and worries, she wrings her hands, an unseen side of the normally brash and bold young woman. "Nay, I'll jus' ask the question ta you." She moves to the vanity and leans, half sitting, against it, taking the time to compose her thoughts and still her flutter. "I meant wut I said last night, about things feeling too big, and feeling trapped. I wanta know if this place, this crew, this port is where I am supposed ta be." She holds out her hand so she can hold the deck and ask her question, It's how I 'ave seen it work else where.
She takes the cards and holds them close to her breast, and she whispers to them,
Frowning and fighting a tear, she hands the cards back. An' now ya be more naked than you were born...
Cards are put down
The past
The Forge
The present
THe Marriage
The future
The Crows
Suddenly, a fourth card falls on the Marriage, showing an ugly face
The fiend
Cameron looks at the cards, and must speak for them....
Cameron ushers Alayna into a side room, and tells her sympathetically, "I think this reading is best done in private." He sits her down at a table before fetching various things, three candles, three incense holders, three shots of dwarven spirits and his harrow deck.
He lights the candles and arranges them in an equilateral triangle on the table. Offset by 60 degrees is another equilateral triangle formed by the incense holders. Inside at the very center is the harrow deck. He and Alayna chant several traditional prayers to Desna. He then shuffles the deck of harrow cards once, twice and thrice, because three is the magic number. He then invites Alayna to cut the deck while he murmurs another prayer, "Oh great dreamer! We humbly request the wisdom to see a portion of your grand design. Let this woman Alayna, chart a path through your great tapestry, show us how the cards lie!"
He then douses the three candles and deals face down three cards in front of her. With some trepidation he tells her, "The first card represents the past, lets see. Ah the forge. This most likely about your time on the ship, although it might apply to your current situation here. It represents strength through diversity, or strength from many sources united against a single trial."
With a bit more certainty in his voice he tells her, "The next card represents the problem at hand." He turns it over and grins, "Ahh. The marriage, well I think that card speaks for itself! But what will the future hold, weal or woe?"
He reveals the final card and turns white and gasps, "The crows! Oh my Alayana, I'm so sorry that's horrible. It represents murder, theft, and the violent loss of that which is loved."
A gust of wind, suddenly enters the room, extinguishing the candles and unbidden a final fourth card lands face up on The Marriage. He shouts, "By all that's holy, a terrible omen! The Fiend! A devil that devours the masses of the innocent, and can represent the deaths of many in a disaster. Oh Alayna, I'm so sorry. I had hoped for good news but this... Nothing like this has never happened before."
With their efforts coming to naught for the night Nessa turned to Drexell and said, "We'll help you catch whoever is doing this and will work on setting a trap. I'd like you to be present when it's set so why don't you plan to either stop by our friend with the honey cakes place or expect a message from said friend on where to meet. We'll likely be leaving from there so it may be better to just meet there if possible."
Once things were arranged Nessa looked to her friends and said, "I need to get home to Sylee. Would someone mind walking me there? No sense in tempting the kidnapper with a lone tiefling strumpet." When she made it back to Caithlyn's Nessa entered and asked the doorman, "Where are Caithlyn and Sylee at?"
Alayna frowns in thought. Suddenly, the truth of revelation strikes her.
She places her finger on the Forge, "Aye, this is me. My past an' my strife. It gave me will and some small breeze o' wisdom."
Her hand traces the edge of the Fiend and flicks it away, showing the Marriage again, "And this. This be Me, an' You, an' Nessa, an' there be Sylee in the middle, trapped between two worlds. It is what made this core o' strength, she be be the beam tha' the ship'll be built 'roun."
Changing hands, she points with her left index finger, "An' here is where Izzie and Kruci come to us. We 'ave somewhat worth savin' and Desna sends us help. Krucina, she be shadows and Izkrael hunts shadows. We need them, because of this," She picks up the Fiend and waves it before Cam's eyes, "Desna sent us all here, now, for this." Alayna drops the offensive card and wipes her hand on her pant leg. "Something wicked this way comes. We are here to stop it. How will a priest, a demon, an outcast, a shade and a sailor do it? Who knows. Desna? Tha' damnable cypher mages? Pirates and thugs like Zilcher?"
She stands and crosses the around the table, takes Cameron's handsome face in her hands and gives him a sweet kiss on his forehead. She smiles and winks then leaves the room, letting the door click closed softly.
After Alayna leaves Cameron blows his cheeks out and mutters, "Whoo boy, Desna that was quite something... Wasn't expecting that twist for sure." Cameron's feelings where complicated, on the one hand there was something about Alayna but on the other hand such thoughts somehow didn't seem appropriate.
Shaking his head Cameron wondered what to do next. For one thing there was the stakeout, but then there was the Goblin. Somehow he knew that story wasn't over yet. The Goblin at best was unlucky, at worst, well it was cursed. It had to be their employer, Saul had made a lot of enemies. Cameron was pretty sure somebody was ripping the Goblin off, there no no proof of course, but it was under his nose and it pissed him off.
With a heavy sigh he collected his prized harrow cards and tidied up and left the room.