Death in Freeport

[Voadam]

At the Athenaeum

"Hot d**n, how will I strengthen my position if he reads everything I do? And I cannot recover the files with them looking over my shoulders...bah!"

Logan frowns for a moment and then brightens

"Somebody needs to go with Arcata. And I'm sure you know that knowing the language isn't enough to dig up something important in the library. I'm a professional in this.

Anyhow, if Hinjo can give us quick summary of things he found out and things he read, we can stay and research some more and he can escort Arcata.

I don't mean an insult, Arcata, if you want to go alone or postpone the trip to marketplace that's fine. I don't think we should go alone or even separate anymore.

Thinking about it, we should give clerks here interesting leads to follow for us and we should see to marketplace. When we return we can read what they find."

Hinjo seems a little confused but says "My meeting with the assisstant loremaster is in an hour, are you all three going to stay and attend? Or are two going off to the markets? So far I have read about different ceremonies and sacrifices to various gods, for instance they practice a form of divination at various temples where goats are sacrificed using a ritual knife and the liver is cut out to be inspected for omens. I've seen some references to bronze knives used for certain ceremonies and black stone obsidian used for others. The texts use either celestial or draconic depending upon the era and city they are from, there was a period of draconic overlordship and draconic became the imperial and holy language, replacing the earlier celestial based one. Some of the different gods include Shamash, the sun god that the Lothian empire tried to use as the cognate for converting to Lothianism. Then there is Tiamat who was ascendent during the imperial draconic era, Ishtar the war and passion goddess, Ereshkigal the death goddess and Nergal the Hel god, Marduk who slew Tiamat and ruled the gods, Enki his father the god of enlightenment and knowledge who started the Tiamat-god war by slaying her consort. Anyway the texts are over here starting at the little shrine to Enki. I was planning on studying up until the time of the Audience with the loremaster."

 

[Voadam]

At the Broken Mug

With a toothless smile Darkata takes the two golden lords. Dogrynn clears his tab and buys a few drinks for his new friends.

They chat for a while and Scuttlebut is the fact that the Bloody Vengeance left the harbor and many breathe a little easier knowing the cold blooded killer is out of the harbor, they figure fewer bodies will show up tangled on the docks for at least a little while. This morning, they heard tell, they only found two down there, a big orc and the other just some guy. The laborers figure it was likely Scarbelly's work before he took up his next commission to hunt down ships for one side or the other of the Nothern civil war. One jokes that Scarbelly's got commissions from both sides and a free reign to hunt any ship in the northern waters, not that he'd refrain without his privateer writ.

 

[Shayuri]

(OOC - Whoa, did I ever drop the ball here! It updated -way- more than I thought it had! My apologies, guys, I'll try to pay better attention from now on.)

Arcata breathed in a deep lungful of calm before talking. It was really a good thing that everyone here was so inclined to research, but the downside of scholarship was manifesting too. They didn't always translate knowledge to action very effectively.

"All right," she said briskly. "I'm going to the market in a moment here. I think we can agree that having every one of us here all morning is wasting resources. It doesn't take four people to do this."

"Hinjo, I suggest not dropping any names at all when you speak with the loremaster. Tell him your interest is in Uraqi sacrificial rites or whatever subject seems plausible for you to be asking about daggers. Maybe hint that you've found an artifact, but don't get specific."

"Wilbur, if you can help Hinjo with those languages, I'd like you to stay with him. If not, Logan, you can stay."

She took another deep breath.

"Anything I'm missing?"

 

[Neurotic]

Logan Artimus

"Yes, you did. Hinjo, try to get permission to see special collection on the theme. Just don't use that words. Ask for, I don't know, extra resources or privileged client sources or some such. I'll leave details to you. But, regardless if he denies it, don't push too hard. There IS such collection, we know because there is limited, but real traffic of rare books between our two libraries.

Now, let's go Arcata. Let them sort this out."

With that, casting one last longing glance at the library, Logan turns and takes Arcata under the arm, leading her away.

Once out of earshot...
"Do you know this Wilbur fellow from before? Is he part of your original group? He seems little bit off, if you know what I mean. Why would he take offense at priest of Oghma doing research in the library? Or is he just brash like that all the time?"

 

[Graybeard]

Anton orders a drink and pulls up an empty stool. He tries to mingle with the other customers but finds it difficult. For the most part, he will keep quiet and listen to what people say.

 

[Walking Dad]

"I'm glad to help, if this help is welcome." Wilbur answers, looking at the other scholar.

 

[Voadam]

"I'm glad to help, if this help is welcome." Wilbur answers, looking at the other scholar.

Hinjo says "Absolutely, which area would you like to start in? And do you want to accompany me when I talk with the assisstant loremaster or stay removed and just provide me with some questions to ask?"

 

[Walking Dad]

"I'm interested in the Uraqi rituals. And it is maybe better to see the assistant loremaster myself." Wilbur answers.

 

[Voadam]

Broken Mug

Anton orders a drink and pulls up an empty stool. He tries to mingle with the other customers but finds it difficult. For the most part, he will keep quiet and listen to what people say.

There are bits and pieces of conversations that Anton picks up, though not of much direct relevance. People complaining about women problems, low wages, lack of Sea Lord's Guard patrols due to city money wasted on Milton's Folley, and even rumors of the northern continental civil war.

 

[Voadam]

To the city markets

Logan and Arcata leave the Temple and head north to Drac's End, one of the poorer sections of the city as it nears the clear cut edge of the Jungle. Outside the city's official boundaries this area is not patrolled but those interested in mayhem and vice are usually more attracted to the decadence of Scurvytown at the eastern edge of the docks. Closer to the jungles a few plots seek to eke out a little local produce. The pair begin to search for turnip sellers as they continue their discussions.