Tavern - City of Orussus, The Red Dragon Inn '08

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Fimble grins and Rikitiki perks her head up. She practically flies down the gnome's arm and leaps to the pie on the ground, digging in voraciously.

 

[Knight Otu]

A young, tall man with black hair and grey eyes enters the inn, wearing a glistening chain shirt made of a fine, silvery, and apparently very light material. He looks over the chaos with a mixture of wonder and amusement. Careful not to step into the pie or too close to the frantically drawing man he moves to the bar and announces himself.
"Semabin ai Harudan, of the Zephyr tribe."

 

[Trouvere]

"I met your big brother once," Keldar says, shifting his feet to give the weasel more room. "Now, back to business. I think we decided we'd ask the guild for the names of architects from Fallon. With any luck, there'll be only the one Thyrin hired. Then we need to decide what we'll do about him, bearing in mind he might have been robbed, or might be a nefarious shoveller himself."

 

[Trouvere]

"The other thing we need to do," says Keldar, looking around and counting heads, "is stop walking back here past Tarag's Forge. He can't resist popping inside to pound his anvil. So to speak. Then we have to go collect him before we can do anything else."

 

[covaithe]

"Maybe we could ask Joe to tell him where we went?" suggests Tommy absently. He has been sketching on a scrap of paper, which he neatly folds and puts away.

 

[Solange]

"I would doubt he would be the shoveler himself, but it is not something to rule out," Rapture says. "We should make our way to Fallon though, before word spreads about us asking around. You never know where such people may have ears."

 

[Trouvere]

"Tarag? He does have shifty eyes. And you know, I almost think he had offered his services even before I said we needed a new healer. He did! And once he found the burglars had failed, did you hear him trying to inveigle his way back into Thyrin's tower with offers of joint smithying? He was conveniently absent when we found the tunnel and the shovel, which of course he knew could not for long escape the notice of Keldar. Perhaps he thought he'd not be able to act surprised enough when it was uncovered! Ah hah! But he will still have to come with us. To prevent him growing suspicious. You know what? Keldar Warbray is going to keep a close eye on that dwarf."

Keldar nods.

"Also, we should suspect that architect. If he's in on it, what do we do with him, if we can't find enough evidence to have him held by the city authorities? I'm right, aren't I, that magical messages can travel faster than any horse - we saw Thyrin and Rilithorne talk just like that. We have to make sure he's silenced, or remains unsuspecting."

"I'm wondering if we shouldn't play a double game with him. One or two of us pose as parties interested in having a house built in high Fallonese style. Perhaps you, Fimble, since you'd have a reason to be nostalgic about Fallon. Or, no, I suppose your family's interest in the shovel and seal would be too well known. Perhaps you need to keep a low profile. Galwynn, then. A rich but dull young man with more money than taste. I could pose as his long-suffering loyal friend. Tommy could be his clerk. Rapture could be his.... Wait. I pose as a handsome dashing slightly eccentric young nobleman, Tommy's my friend, Galwynn's my dullwitted bodyguard, and Rapture is my - um, er, my-"

Keldar trails off. "Well, however it works, if he's convinced enough, he won't talk, but we won't learn anything, unless he's distracted enough that we can search his premises; and if that fails, then I suppose we have to make him scared enough."

 

[covaithe]

"That's... certainly an interesting plan, Keldar, Tommy says, with a straight face. "I have another idea. Why don't I find a quiet place to study my spellbook and prepare a spell I picked up from Thyrin called detect thoughts. Then we go talk to this architect and simply ask him about the maps and the shovellers? Even if he lies, I'll stand a reasonable chance of learning something useful anyways."

 

[Trouvere]

"Well, it could work, I suppose," Keldar offers. "But that does unequivocally give away what we're after. We'll probably be tailed by assassins all the way to Fallon, unless we first abduct the man, put him in a sack and take him with us. I can see all sorts of complications arising."

"You haven't been casting that spell on me, have you?" he asks after a moment. "Not that it would matter. Just wondering."

 

[covaithe]

Tommy arches an eyebrow and tries to look mysterious, an effect which is rather spoiled when he bursts into laughter a moment later. "No, Keldar, he says, rolling his eyes. "Respectable magicians try not to use magic on their friends without permission." He glances meaningfully at the remains of Galwynn's pie on the floor. "Besides, I'm not sure I'd survive the experience of knowing your thoughts."