'I don't quite know what you want from me Julian.' Pen stated bluntly as more thieves guild members continued coming into the library, piling up dusty crate after crate box. 'What am I supposed to be looking for in these?' he lifted the lid of a box and grabbed a handful of the battered parchments inside.

'I acquired these from the estate of Sally Redbridge.' Julian stated, rubbing his hands together for warmth. Winter had made the journey from Redbridge to the Protector's Keep harsh. 'The final heir of Baron Redb...'

'Define acquired.' Pen interrupted.

The head of the Thieves Guild looked deflated. 'They were on auction.' He said, not quite in his usual tone of gusto.

'Did you win the auction?' Pen asked. He waved his hand. 'You know what.' He interrupted himself. 'I don't want to know, I already know, but I don't want to.'

Julian put an arm around the ageing Teifling's shoulder and reeled him in. 'That's the spirit Pen, that's the spirit.' Pen's spirit was not lifted by this gesture.

'As I was saying, final heir to Baron Redbridge.' Julian continued. 'That's The Baron Redbridge.' Julian looked to Pen, expecting him to get where he was going with this.

Pen did not get where he was going with this. 'O...OK?' he said politely.

'As in Baron Redbridge, the one who left a hoard so vast it's said to be more vaulble than the entire worth of Alberton.' Julian said with the enthusiasm one would expect when confronted with such riches.

'Jullian, that's just a legend.' Penn rolled his eyes. 'People have been looking for that hoard since he died 350 years ago, there's a reason it hasn't been found.'

'Cause the secret has been passed down the family line hidden elaborately is a series of seemingly random documents that no one has had access to until now?' Julian answered as more boxes of said documents were piling in.

'No, it's cause it's not real.' Pen stated, attempting the lower Julian's expectations.

Julian sighed, his breath visible in the cold library. 'Pen, look, I've heard the stories, same as you since I was a boy.' Julian pulled a pipe from his cloak and began pacing. 'When I grew up, I dismissed them as just stories, legend and myth But what if.' He looked directly at Pen. 'What if there was a bit of truth to the story. What if Baron Redbridge was as paranoid as they the story goes. What if he did have a vision of Redbridge being burned to the ground. What if he did hide a vast fortune to rebuild Redbridge should that time come?' Julian was eye to eye with Pen now.

'Fine.' Penn sighed.

Julian clap his hands. 'I knew you'd see sense!'

'This isn't seeing sense.' Pen raised his hand to stop him. 'This is entertaining a childish notion.'

'That's the final box, Guv.' a guild member informed them, their voice muffeld through a heavy woollen balaclava.

'Excellent.' Julian throw his outer robe from the chair he had rested it on to his own back in a single motion. 'Well Pen, I'll leave you to it. Send over a message once you find something.'

'Whoa hang about.' Pen furrowed his brow. 'I didn't come out the womb knowing how to investigate, this'll cost you.'

'It's fine, Gideon owes me a favour.' Julian said putting on his thick gloves.

'That's great, do I look like Gideon?' Penn moved his arms out to welcome an inspection. 'Your welcome to ask Gideon to look through these, but I know him well and he's more of a stab first read up on it later kind of guy.'

'Urgh fine.' Julian removed his gloves and dug into his coat for his coin purse.