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Message: <blockquote data-quote="haiiro" data-source="post: 1683785" data-attributes="member: 1891">Clues in the RubbleThe Follies returned to the rubble pile and began searching around in earnest. While some tried to uncover the blockhole, others scanned the outlying areas for clues. They turned up several items of interest: a torch stub, which smelled strongly of smoke and ash and faintly of honeysuckle; shreds of canvas, some still bearing paint; and a tiny rune, crisply etched into one of the remnants of Alger's door. In addition, they also cleared the area over the blockhole -- but Algaer was not inside.The blockhole was not empty, however, and Cupric used a bit of sleight-of-hand to retrieve a leather pouch that was half-covered by sand. While this was going on, Vicktor identified the symbol on the door, which looked as though it were etched by acid: it was a mark of death, often used by thieves and assassins.Peeking into the pouch while screened from view by the other Follies, Cupric found several wooden tokens, a carved brass object and a letter:Hail and Well Met, Lockmyre. My regrets, but I do not have the work you’re looking for. I deal in the fire of dragon’s breath, not in the flames of artists' brushes. Perhaps one of the many fine shops that line Avent Row will have what you seek. (Signed, Algaer of Dracon Row)Returning to Thissiken's shop, the Follies asked exactly what he'd like them to do for him. What he wanted seemed fairly straightforward: find out who blew up Algaer's shop, and keep him (Thissiken) safe. In exchange, he would set them up with lodgings at Selgaunt's premiere inn, Pub, for two tendays. Yes, just "Pub" -- "Roomsarevery difficulttoget!" Also, he could provide them with information about the city.Sensing that this might not sound attractive enough, he asked the Follies when they entered the city and at what time of day. When this was related to him, he said, "Then the guards on the gate would have been Skyclads and Blackcapes -- and I can tell you that for any time, any day." Pleased with this sample and with his offer, the Follies agreed to help Thissiken.They gave him one of their feather tokens, which he had used before, and told him to use it to contact them in an emergency. Some considerable effort was spent making him understand exactly what was meant by "emergency" -- for example, people asking him questions about paintings would not be an emergency. They also arranged to meet him at Pub one hour after dark that same day, so that they could get their room keys and begin learning about the city from him. Still somewhat distraught, Thissiken insisted that they walk him back to his shop from Pub afterwards, and they agreed.At this, Thissiken returned to the back of his shop and closed the small door behind him. Cupric took this opportunity to send a brief message to Agrafion, who had requested that they get in touch with him within ten days of reaching Selgaunt, or once they had made contact with Thissiken -- whichever came first.The dreamborne accomplished this by opening the door and pretending to have lost the sleek raven that darted from his hands and streaked off into the sky. While he was doing this, Jaehn used detect magic to establish that the peculiar brass token -- a small, flat object on which was carved some sort of fire or wind emerging from a doorway -- radiated very faint conjuration magic.After sharing what had been found in the rubble, and discussing some of what Thissiken had told them, the Follies arrived at a plan. Since Thissiken had mentioned that another drakesmith, Martooth Battlebrow, had also spent some time with Algaer, they wanted to try and track him down. As the wooden tokens in the pouch from Algaer's blockhole turned out to be tavern tokens for a dockside bar, the Copper Cup, that also seemed like a good place to visit. Lastly, Cupric needed to acquire an instrument -- and of course they had a performance at dusk at Farry's Port.With all of this in mind, Tuggle's Follies stepped out of Thissiken's shop and prepared to do some detective work.</blockquote>

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