Chapter 1: A Knife in Darkness

[Rex]

Lathi

"It would be best if you cooperated and allow us in." Lathi tries to look intimidating.

[ravenn4544]

Og has fists clenched and stares directly at the biggest one - unblinking.

[tibbius]

"Oh, Lyssia, did you hear that? The king cares deeply for their affairs. He personally attended the reading of old Behruz's will. You know they were such good friends!"

[Monsieur Rose]

Xara

"Lyssia, is it? And Remwaz?" She squints her eyes a bit at Remwaz. "Do I know you? I feel like we've met. Yes! At the Temple of Belet-Lil!" She smiles agreeably. "Look, I appreciate your position here. How much did you say was owed to the handlers?"

She barely waits for an answer and continues. "So what do I need to show you to let us in? Or maybe just a peek? I'd be ever so grateful."

Persuasion: [1d20] = 19+5 = 24

[tibbius]

Remwaz' demeanor changed completely. "Honored priestess!" he exclaimed. He blushed. "I didn't recognize you in that cloak." He paused. "I'm sorry I can't answer your questions. We don't have a key to the door, and we don't know how much the handlers are owed. We're just little guys ... so to speak ..." he patted his sturdy belly. "But if you can find Guildmaster Jabdar Laugra, he would know all those things. He has an office nearby, on Jackal between Bracelet and Dagger. Just walk down that way and take a left. There's a pair of hands above the door."

[Monsieur Rose]

Xara

Xara models her new cloak, twirling around. "You like it? It was a gift from an admirer. Thank you so much for your help. You should come by and see me sometime soon." She winks at Lyssia. "You too."

She nods at the assembled group of intimidating men. "Guildmaster Laugra, it seems, may be able to help us. Let's tread a bit lighter this time. We are in the city, after all."

She waves to the handlers, turns, and starts walking towards the office.

[Rex]

Lathi

Lathi follows along. "Well handled."

[ravenn4544]

Og maintains his stare, "If we don't like what this guy has to say - we'll be back to claim what's ours..."

[tibbius]

It was not difficult to find the office of Guildmaster Jabdar Laugra. Above the door a pair of withered hands were nailed to the soft brick wall. Up a flight of stairs inside the door, Jabdar and a few nondescript cronies lounged on beanbag chairs around the walls of a richly carpeted room. Outside the window, the rain increased in strength. A small, lean man stood and crossed the room to close the shutters as the companions entered from the stairs. As they stood at the entrance of the room, another scrawny crony carried a taper around the room lighting oil wicks. The steady yellow glow and sweet smelling vapors of burning olive oil quickly filled the room.

"Well," said the well-dressed man whom they guessed was Jabdar, "what do you want? Who are you?" He absently twirled a hand-sized dagger through his fingers as he spoke. The pale yellow handle of the dagger looked like ivory from far Ikuna. The gleaming silver blade was etched with runes colored black. His eyes flickered to the companions before returning to the dagger. Everyone else in the room also appeared to be watching the dagger move among Jabdar's fingers.

[Scott308]

Ishbak Arus

Treading more lightly this time, Ishbak looks to Xara as she seems to have a sweeter tongue when dealing with strangers than the rest of the party.

[Rex]

Lathi

Lathi waits as well, trying to asses if he thinks he could handle the guild master if need be.

[ravenn4544]

Og scans the room and takes note of those seated but his eyes follow the spinning blade. After a second or two, he smirks and speaks to the other inheritors, "humph - like he doesn't know who we are..."

[Monsieur Rose]

Xara

"Guildmaster Laugra? We've come to discuss the matter of the Behruz warehouse." She motions to the others. "We have been named in his will and request access."

She pauses and looks around the room. "Nice place. The carpets are especially fine. You must see a lot of fascinating items pass through. You know, I'm always interested in new stories to tell my clients. Do you have any particularly intriguing ones to trade? About that dagger, perhaps?"

[tibbius]

"Oh," said Jabdar Laugra, "I wondered why he was late on his rent. Not like him at all. So there is a will? Could you bring me a copy? Then I could see that there was proper authority to open the warehouse. Also there is the matter of the claim for rent, and pay for the guards. Of course there will need to be an auction. Did the will set a date for that? If not, we will do it tomorrow or the next day, depending when an auctioneer can be found."

All the time he twirled the dagger through his fingers, unhesitating and unerring. He gazed at it steadily as the lamplight flickered on the rounded edges of the blade. It appeared to be an objet d'art, rather than a useful tool.

"The dagger?" he added. "It came to me the other day as some things will. Traded for a few coins by a beggar. Maybe she stole it. Anyway, it is a pretty thing and nobody else has claimed it. She said it was a wizard's toy once long ago. I don't know how she could know that."

[Scott308]

Ishbak Arus

The auction is set for three days from now. We'll need to go back to the palace to get a copy of the will. We should get going so we get back quickly.

Ishbak watches as Jabdar toys with the dagger, trying to rack his brain for any detail he might recognize.

Arcana (or History- same modifier): [1d20-1] = 15-1 = 14

[Rex]

Lathi

"Yes, lets go get a copy." Lathi heads back to get a copy of the will.

[tibbius]

Jabdar Laugra continued to twirl the dagger as the newly-acquainted comrades left his office.

- - -

Getting a copy of the will was tedious and annoying. Eventually, toward the end of the day, they tracked down the elderly scribe who had read the will. She grudgingly promised a copy the next morning, for a relatively exorbitant 5 gp fee.

What do you do overnight?

[Scott308]

Ishbak Arus

Might as well head to Behrez' house. I can get the possessions that are coming to me, and Lathi, you can check out your new residence. Xara...are those possessions going to you kept there as well? Unless...we want to go back to the warehouse and try to slip inside?

[Rex]

Lathi

"Yes my new room. Perhaps we could use it for a base to perform a exploratory mission from. I don't trust Jabdar, it wouldn't surprise me if he was clearing the warehouse out right now."

[ravenn4544]

Og happily follows to have a decent place to rest for once. "Will give me time to get a cart tomorrow to help me 'carry' off what I am due!" he cackles greedily. After a while he'll ask ever so sickeningly sweet, "Do you happen to have any food, eh?"