Sapphire:Sessions:20180728
Chalker had been called by his brother Frederick to the Dolyenan Embassy to discuss trade between Dolyena and Sapphire.
Ahn-Lee learns that Cinnamon Brandy LeHigh had escaped from the imperial prison. It is likely she took the item Ahn-Lee had been planning to steal, a suit made of spider silk. He heads over to a potion shop to see about buying a Magic Resistance potion from Azzhik.
Alastor's day began normally. He had been out early gathering herbs. He enters the potion shop, gives the herbs to the lizardman behind the counter, and takes delivery of some elixirs.
Ahn-Lee, as is his wont, sizes up the newcomer: human male, mid-20s, scruffy brown hair, blue eyes, whisker stubble. A crystal hanging from a cord around his neck is marked with a symbol of Delsa, as is the fine knife sheathed at his waist. Ahn-Lee strikes up a conversation, learning that the other fellow is named Alastor Wyncent and he is apprenticed to an apothecary named Jules.
A couple of rough-looking men (SO, OG) enter the shop. It soon becomes quite obvious to Ahn-Lee that they are casing the joint and are waiting for Ahn-Lee and Alastor to leave. As though by agreement, Ahn-Lee and Alastor step back, blocking the door. The shorter thug, SO, backs away from Azzhik's snarl and bumps into Alastor, who grabs SO, puts his knife to his throat, and says, "Do you want to die today?" SO: "No... Let me go and you'll never see me again." Alastor: "What's it worth to you?" In response, SO pulls a knife and OG draws a shortsword. Ahn-Lee fast-draws a knife and stabs OG in the throat. Alastor stabs SO, and SO screams as Alastor twists the knife.
Alastor: "Drop your weapons and your money." The thugs comply, SO whimpering, "We just got to Sapphire." Alastor: "Now get out. There's a healer down the street." Ahn-Lee collects 6cp; Alastor gets 5cp and a sword. Ahn-Lee offers to buy Alastor a drink at the Boar's Head; Alastor says he'll be there in an hour. Alastor pawns the sword for 1gp 5sp.
Ahn-Lee and Alastor while away several hours chatting and drinking at the Boar's Head. Around 4pm Chalker writes to Ahn-Lee, "Emmy wants a body. I might have to kill someone." Alastor thinks it odd when Ahn-Lee takes out a book, chuckles at something he reads, then writes something.
Deciding to take Ahn-Lee into his confidence, Alastor asks if he knows anything about a conspiracy against the Apothecary Guild. Ahn-Lee vaguely recalls someone taking out a contract on a certain apothecary a year ago. Alastor says there has been "degradation of ingredients" and that some guild members have been "bumped off." "We are preparing for the worst."
Chalker again asks Rory if there's any way he can acquire the ship confiscated by the Empire. Rory thinks it unlikely, but he will inquire in a couple of days. Well into the evening, Chalker finally returns to Envoy Manor, speaks with Jeeves, gets cleaned up, and relaxes. Jeeves informs him that "Miss Shawna" had been by.
When Bajeeter comes on shift, he tells Ahn-Lee that there has been talk of Shawna out catching rats. Also, Khalid was looking for Ahn-Lee a few days ago.
Ahn-Lee notices, at a table in the corner, Jax seated with three other people. Ahn-Lee gets up and walks over. Jax claims he wasn't expecting Ahn-Lee and motions him to a seat. "My mother is irritable and doing unwise things. Father asked me to help.... You're a catalyst, a member of a catalyst group. You can help leverage my mother to a better place."
Alastor approaches; Jax dismisses his acolyte and Alastor seats himself. Ahn-Lee tells him, "This is Jax. He's kind of an asshole." Jax: "I get it honestly; my mother's a bitch." To Alastor, Jax says, "If you follow your suspicions, you will benefit the empire." Ahn-Lee to Jax: "Only keep yourself hidden if it's not to my detriment." Jax pays for their dinner and drinks. After Jax departs, Ahn-Lee advises Alastor, "I wouldn't recommend you talk to him again."
Shawna arrives at Envoy Manor and introduces Chalker to Neville Dalton. Chalker is quite impressed by the variety of skills Neville can claim.
Alastor lip-reads various conversations. In particular, a woman named Pamra wants her husband killed. His name is Caleb Bond, he is "the third son of a minor noble," and he is a wealthy merchant.
Ahn-Lee opens his Journey Book and reads a message from Shawna to come join the gathering at Envoy Manor. Ahn-Lee writes back, "I'm bringing a friend."
The group enjoys food and drink while they catch up on each other's day. (Chalker, of course, checks Neville's and Alastor's Auras.) There is discussion of the Apothecary Conspiracy (Chalker is openly skeptical and says Alastor is probably delusional), Pandemonium Guild (increasingly active in Sapphire), Mother of Night (Shawna describes how she first met Neville and killed a priest of Charesoon), and CBL's incredible escape from prison (allegedly, she seduced a guard; witnesses report seeing a light in the sky).
The party breaks up. Alastor heads home. Neville goes looking for a nightcap. "What are you famous for? Give me two." Ahn-Lee notes that both of them are being followed away from the manor.
Ahn-Lee sneaks up on one of the spies, who is looking for a messenger, and startles him. The spy was following that person "because he left the envoy's house... Tate Patel hired me to observe the manor and to follow anyone 'new'.... I'm to send information by runner to a bartender at the Cheap Book." Ahn-Lee recognizes the name Tate Patel, a member of the Thieves Guild who is supposedly dead.
Ahn-Lee lets the spy hire a runner, then follows the runner to the Cheap Book, takes a seat at the bar, and orders a drink. He asks the bartender, "Who does the message go to?" "None of your business." "Can you be bribed?" asks Ahn-Lee, laying down a silver piece. "A man contacts me. Name is Dan. Average height, ugly. Talks with a Saracene accent."
Around 2am Alastor takes his potion and goes to bed.
Around 4am, Ahn-Lee follows the last link in the chain to The Hawks Tavern & Inn in the southern part of the city. (The man is alert but Ahn-Lee avoids detection.) It's a very nice building, two stories high. He notices there's someone on the roof watching the inner courtyard. A light comes on in a room on the second floor facing the inner courtyard. Ahn-Lee climbs up to the roof, uses a sleep needle on the watcher, then climbs down to the second-floor window.
The shutters are closed, but Ahn-Lee can hear three people talking about having people followed and "poking the bear". Someone says "Activate the wards," and Ahn-Lee decides this is his chance to break in. He slams into the shutters but gets an electric shock. He tries again and they shatter, but his head is spinning and he feels nauseated.
Two goblins are sitting on a bed, two humans are starting to react, and a male elf is staring at Ahn-Lee with one hand raised. Ahn-Lee starts to lose his grip, but he is able to leap inside the room. One of the goblins (G1) pulls what looks like a stone from his belt. Ahn-Lee fast-draws two knives and hurls them at the elf, who dodges both and smiles at him. G1 throws the rock as Ahn-Lee retreats back through the window, landing lightly on the ground.
G1 comes diving out the window and Ahn-Lee shoots him with his small crossbow. As G1 lands and scrambles to his feet, Ahn-Lee is already jogging away and reloading his crossbow. G2 and one of the humans (H1) follow but immediately lose track of Ahn-Lee. Ahn-Lee circles back, sneaks up on the human, stabs him in the neck with a sleep needle, then slits the man's throat and escapes.
Next morning (Dark Days 5), Shawna and Chalker breakfast at his manor. Alastor goes out gathering herbs and chances upon some rarities. While working around his new house, Neville is told that someone followed him home last night and watched the house.
Chalker visits the shrine to the Mother of Night. Again he finds the hag playing with a deformed puppy. The hag transforms into a beautiful woman and moves face-to-face with Chalker as she speaks. She admits "Santash and Solash are not pleased" by her latest activities within Sapphire.
Chalker goes to the Imperial Prison and is escorted in to interrogate Ganson Warness, the Pandemonium Guild member that Neville and Shawna had sent to jail. Warness's attitude is completely different from the other night. Chalker lays his chain around Warness's neck and questions him. Warness repeats that his guild contact is Tate Patel. He had been in Wicera for several years "converting" people for the guild, including several Barons (he names Waverly and Scott, and six others). The ship he sailed on was called Sweet Spot. He has already confessed to killing seven people in Sapphire and expects to be sentenced to execution.
Ahn-Lee spots his friend Khalid, sneaks up on him, and picks his pocket. "Hey, Khalid, heard you were looking for me."
Approaching Neville's home, Shawna sees the shadow of a lurking spy wearing a Pandemonium Guild medallion. She writes a note in the Journey Book, then captures the spy, who gives the name Garret Reeves. Chalker arrives and has Neville tattoo Reeves's calf with a large Pandemonium Guild symbol. Reeves claims he has belonged to the Guild for ten years and works for Tate Patel. His assignment had been to stake out Envoy Manor and the Dolyenan Embassy, looking for a "robed guy." Chalker knocks him out and turns him over to the imperial guards.
Danny, a ten-year-old boy, has been following Alastor around most of the morning. When the group meets at the Boar's Head for lunch, Danny complains to Ahn-Lee that Alastor is "boring." Alastor gets an idea -- he can make a good bit of money by being mugged. Ahn-Lee informs Chalker that PDG has five watchers on him at all times.
Shawna and Neville go to the registry so Neville can sign the title to his new house.
With Ahn-Lee going on ahead, Chalker and Alastor head for The Hawks. Jax appears and Chalker tells him, "I talked to your mom." Jax says something like "I have to get her away from here." Chalker tells Ahn-Lee, "You just missed Jax." Ahn-Lee responds, "Good. He's learning."
At The Hawks, Ahn-Lee points out a few drops of dried blood from one of his victims. The second-floor window has already been repaired. Alastor lip-reads some conversation, but it's all merchant talk. Chalker lays down a silver and looks at the registration ledger, noting that Tate Patel, Logan Miles, and Aaron Trayman had signed into the same room. He gets the room number.