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[howandwhy99]

Dram, his father, and Ormand, walked around the Outer City trying to keep their bearings the entire time. It was easy to get lost even outside the city walls it seemed. Dram risked short snatches of conversation with his father when no one was looking. Trailing behind suspicious characters the trio attempted to listen in on conversations. Two brutish and burly looking men made a good target. Their talk was getting dull when all of a sudden one mentioned, “the slaves from Hamfest show some promise for a good price.” Dram’s father nearly choked when he overheard. Dram had to grab him and pull him away before he did something rash. He told Ormand the Redd to track the two, but he came back a short while later with a bloodied nose. Dram laughed heartily when he saw and helped bandage the wound.

Ditching his original disguise, Igor dressed as an aging tanner. His eyes were sharp and he knew several of the signs to look for as he walked through the streets. Entering the Inner City he stayed close to the surrounding wall as the warren of paths and alleys was impossible to follow otherwise. A few lead coins steered him in the direction of a counting house. Behind the back a man smoking a scandalously carved piped glanced at him. Igor made contact. Bartering coins one by one he picked up the local scuttlebutt about the city. He even learned of some contact points for different guilds. Then the man blabbered something he obviously thought was safe to mention. He had just heard “the ore quality and weapons being made for the war effort are a front for the Black Market.” Igor chuckled at how nothing was truly secret in the sewers. He killed the man quickly so he would not let out a scream. Leaving the body with a specific mark upon it, he could only hope it would teach whomever the man’s informant was to keep their mouth shut.

Dalin had different plans in mind. He took his horse and turned back down the road from whence they had come. It took three silver, but he finally obtained a sensible enough map for directions to Clares and the Lady of Clares’ estate. As Dalin rushed down the road alone his mind drifted back to a time when he had spoken with Father Hetrack about the armor.

Father Hetrick: "The 3 rings are the heraldry of Sir Ronaldo of Clares now deceased. The Chalice symbols place him in the Order of the Chalice. A smaller sect of the Order of the Crown."

"They believe in virtue above all else. The Order of the Crown holds allegiance to the Church only in matters that deal with the nobility. In all other matters they follow the tenets of the nobles. Some times this leads to disagreements between the Church and the nobles."

"But since most of the Church comes from the nobility... well lets just say it is family squabbling."

Since the time he had heard Hedrach’s words he had worn the armor whenever possible. Even as fancy as it was, he was proud to show it off. A full two-hour ride later winding around the plots of many large estates, the manor of Ronaldo came into view. Dalin stripped off the false hair and teeth Igor had loaned him. He washed and polished the plate armor filigree a bit too trying to look his best. He had no appointment, but was led in to meet the Lady Clares straight away. To his surprise she was actually quite young and very beautiful. Dalin did his best to act proper, but he did not really know how noblemen acted. He did learn more about Ronaldo. Apparently he had left no heirs. Upon her wish, he recounted some of the tales of his adventures embellishing a little where appropriate.

Then she asked him to stand and pose in the armor of her late husband for her. He apologized for the filigree being somewhat marred. To his surprise the Lady then gifted it to him. “Use it to honor my late husband.” They sat and talked for a while more. Dalin learned more about Clares and the armor he wore. Her Ladyship asked him more about his future travels and if he had news about the war. He admitted he did not know anything having been at Keep Margrave so long. She asked if he had ever met the cruel dwarf Darius when staying at the Keep. She had heard he was using Lord Radcliffe as a puppet. Dalin gulped. According to Lady Clares all the nobles were abuzz about the depraved Darius’s attempt to overthrow Margrave using the armies of the dwarves. It was at that point when Dalin excused himself saying he had to return to the city before nightfall. He was pushing his horse so hard during the run back that he nearly forgot to don his disguise again.