They went their separate ways for the next few hours. Aloth and Kana paid a visit to the Hall of Revealed Mysteries while Edér and Sagani decided to see what Admeth's Den expedition hall had to offer. When they all met back at the inn for their evening meal, they exchanged discoveries.
Huani was full of news about the ciphers - their methods, their connections, their finely honed ability to gather information from the world around them. Sagani and Edér talked about the wall of postings in Admeth's Den. There were requests for bodyguards, couriers and adventurers of all kinds; they figured that answering a few could bring in some coin and a lot of information about the city. Aloth and Kana, in turn, thought the Hall held many possibilities: historical documents, scholarly studies, reports on strange events in the area, odds and ends of esoterica that could throw light on the mystery of the Leaden Key.
In a few days' time they had settled into a comfortable routine. First thing every morning, over breakfast, they checked the figurine for Sagani, though all they learned was that Persoq had a strong aversion to landmarks. Then they split up - Huani spent her mornings studying at Dunryd Row and her afternoons combing the archives with the other scholars, while Sagani and Edér spent the day in the expedition hall or doing odd jobs around town, keeping their ears open, grabbing the others if they needed help on an assignment. In the evening, they met to eat and confer, checked the figurine again, and went to bed.
They'd been in Defiance Bay for almost two weeks when Sagani barreled into Dunryd Row one morning, Itumaak at her heels. She was known to the ciphers there - she'd taken an interest in their tracking methods - so they didn't tackle her to the ground, but they did follow as she ran through one room after another until she found Huani. "Sorry!" she said, grabbing the godlike. "Docks! Now! Hurry!"
They raced down to Ondra's Gift, Huani trying - and failing - to get some idea of what was going on. The dwarf headed for a warehouse marked as belonging to the Vailian Trading Company, where they almost barreled into Edér coming from the other direction with a very confused Aloth and Kana in tow.
"We too late?" he asked, panting.
"I don't know. Come on." Sagani pushed the warehouse door open and they piled inside.
It was a lavishly-furnished building. Rich wood paneling lined all the walls, acting as background to elegant desks, impressive bookcases, highly varnished tables, and brightly dressed, perfectly manicured employees, who dazedly watched the ragtag group push past them.
Sagani led everyone through the front offices and into the main warehouse where a middle-aged human was giving orders to a group of laborers. He wore sparkling rings and silk clothes, but the silk was patched in places and his face was pinched and harried.
"Verzano! You're all right!" Sagani said, coming to a stop in front of him.
"All right?" He turned to frown at his unexpected guests. "Yes, of course. Were you able to deliver the package?"
"This woman showed up," Edér put in, still fighting for breath. "Said she was a Doemenel. Didn't seem too happy with us."
"And she said she'd be paying you a visit. I don't think she meant a friendly one. That's why we brought them." Sagani gestured to the other three as the warehouse workers scattered left and right. Verzano's eyes went wide.
"The Doemenels were there? But - but I was so careful, always following the verlavita. They couldn't have known!"
"What's going on?" Huani demanded. "Who are the Doemenels? And what delivery are you talking about?"
"An old merchant family," Verzano murmured, beginning to sweat. "Still powerful, and quite... unforgiving. They were only some bitter squash seeds - I thought -"
There was a bang from the front of the warehouse and they all jumped. The heavy tread of metal boots sounded from the rooms beyond. The connecting door flew open and in stalked a woman with golden eyes and a magnificent feathered head. She bore a large, crimson-hilted sword and was clad in elegant, but very functional, armor; on her shining breastplate was the mark of the Five Suns.
"Well, well. Is this your last day among the living, Verzano?" she said, both angry and amused. The merchant held out a pair of shaking hands.
"Your timing is impeccable, Tella Pallegina. The Doemenels are after me. Please, you've got to stop them."
She snorted. "As if any of this were ever in my hands. The Republics considered your business worth protecting based on its success. That success depended on cooperation with the locals, like House Doemenel. You've lost that... and the favor of the ducs."
He made a strangled noise and dropped to his knees. "Have mercy, Pallegina. I don't stand a chance against the Doemenels. I've brought failure and shame on myself, but you can't mean to watch your countryman die like a dog."
She shook her head at him in slow pity. "Verzano, Verzano... why are you wasting your precious breath on me? My orders come through the ambassador, and through the ambassador, from people you should be honored ever gave a moment's thought to whether you live or die. You don't seem like the sort to petition the gods to keep him out of Hel, but perhaps you should reconsider. I see they've already sent another of 'their own.'"
The words were bitter with sarcasm; she turned and raised her eyebrows at Huani. The Watcher took a half step back under the intensity of that gaze.
"I- er- " Huani looked at Edér and Sagani. "Well, I assume you didn't grab us because you thought we'd enjoy standing around and watching this man be brutally murdered, so - " she looked back at Pallegina, " - yes, I suppose we're some sort of answer to prayer. We'll protect him."
The paladin threw back her head and laughed. "Ha ha ha! Oh, Verzano, you have a saint looking out for you after all. Just don't come knocking on the embassy door. Understand?" She stepped across the room to give Verzano a light slap on either cheek, then turned to Huani. "Do as you will. He's no longer my concern."
She stalked out again. The adventurers were laying out a hasty battle plan when they suddenly ran out of time - through the open loading doors of the warehouse walked five armed intruders. The five adventurers swiftly moved to take up protective positions in front of Verzano, which gave the thugs pause. They glanced at their leader, a very well-dressed human with a rapier at her side and a wide-brimmed hat tilted at a rakish angle. She regarded the opposition with narrowed eyes.
Huani stepped forward. "Representatives of House Doemenel, I take it?"
The woman nodded slightly. "We are. I don't believe we've met, godlike, though two of your associates are... familiar to me. I am Danna Doemenel."
"My name is Huani. I understand that you're here to punish this merchant, Verzano, for transgressions against your house."
"Quite correct." Danna ran one gloved hand along the sheathed edge of her rapier. "He's crossed us before. This is where we draw the line."
"Are you open to a proposition?"
The noblewoman looked at her thoughtfully, at the others behind her with their weapons ready, at Verzano, and at her own pack of swordsmen. "I am a reasonable woman. What do you propose?"
"Verzano leaves on the next ship headed toward the Republics. Everything he has is yours. I understand that you would prefer to make an example of him, but think about the example it will set when you try to kill him... and fail." Huani's voice was even, but a few of her companions grinned to show just how much they were looking forward to it.
"If you accept my proposal, you still make a statement, you lose none of your hirelings here, and you may even turn a profit. Reasonable?"
There was a long pause before Danna let her hand slide from her weapon. "I think we can accept that arrangement. I claim this warehouse and all its contents for the Doemenels. And his purse - now. Throw it here."
Verzano complied with trembling hands; Danna weighed the purse a moment before pocketing it. "This had better be the last time we see your face, Vailian." She gave the man a cocky salute and led her group back the way they'd come. Verzano nearly fell over in his relief.
"I - I can't thank you enough, aimica. I've got to get out of here. I only hope - I'm not much use to anyone as a deckhand or a cabin boy -"
"Here." Huani reached into her own purse and counted out a few golden suoles. "Use these to buy your passage and get back on your feet. Consider it a loan. Pay it back, when you can, to the steward of Caed Nua."
"Thank - thank you!" The merchant clutched the money to his chest, looking dazed. "I will. There's a ship leaving with the next tide. I promise I will be on it, and - and please, look out for yourself."
He hurried through the offices and out the front door, only stopping to collect his feathered hat from a peg. When the five adventurers followed they found the paladin, Pallegina, waiting outside. She gave them an appraising look.
"It's done, then," she said. "Verzano plays with fire and someone else always pays the price for it. Your charity is more than he deserves. Still, at least I don't have to deal with him anymore. For that, I'm grateful.
"Whether you intended to or not, you've done the Vailian Embassy a service today, ridding us of him. I work closely with the embassy to protect our interests and I think there is more you could do for us. Officially, I mean. We can go together and I'll introduce you to the ambassador." She strode off without waiting for a reply, but there was no need - the group of adventurers followed in meek obedience.
They were led to one of the largest embassies in First Fires and ushered into a meeting with Ambassador Agosti. He was politely grateful and did, indeed, suggest a few more matters they could look into for a small consideration, with Pallagina acting as go-between. As the days went by, this proved to be an excellent arrangement - they began moving in slightly higher circles and gaining a better reputation than they had in expedition hall work, slowly bringing them closer to archive access.
Pallagina was completely formal with them at first, but she began to relax as she learned to trust their skill and tact. Eventually they were sitting down to tea with her in the embassy, telling her about the strange paths which brought them all to that place. She listened patiently and, when they were done, sat back in her chair, regarding them all with wry amusement.
"Truly? Secret organizations? Conspiracies? I thought Dyrwoodans had more sense. Though, now I think of it, only one of you is native here, correct?" She tilted her feathered head at Edér. "But if you are set on this foolishness, I have a suggestion. Look here."
She beckoned them into a nearby room where a large map of Defiance Bay hung along one wall. "Here is the temple. And here," she moved her dark finger in a large circle, "is the district of Copperlane. Do you know what lies beneath it?"
"Sewers," Edér said. "We heard talk about 'em in the expedition hall. Some folks died when they flooded a while back."
"Yes, sewers, drainage, a place to collect and send away what is unwanted. The Aedyrans knew how to build a city. I am sure you could even find plans, either in the palace or the Hall of Wael. But plans would not show you everything. No wise builder puts their secrets down in ink."
She moved her finger back to tap the ruined temple. "Followers of Woedica would not leave themselves with only one way out. I fully believe a part of your tale - that there is, or was, another way into the sanctuary, most likely through the tunnels and catacombs. But is it still there?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's time to find out," said Huani. "Someone will know how to get beneath Copperlane. Who's coming with me?" There were four volunteers immediately. The godlikes looked at each other, one skeptical, the other eager. "You don't want to come and see if your guess is right, Tella Pallegina? Or - just maybe - if ours is?"
The paladin's golden eyes narrowed, but there was a gleam of interest in them. "Why not?" she said at last. "Maybe I can finally do something more interesting than playing nanny to merchants."
A few inquiries led them to a rusted iron gate in a back alley of Copperlane, and from there a worn flight of stone steps brought them down into the tunnels. Not surprisingly, they were dark, damp and musty, the watercourses full of runoff from the spring rains. Broken stonework and rubble choked most of the side passages. After several dead ends, they came upon something else - a dead man, battered, bloody, slumped against one of the slime-coated walls.
"There's a spirit here," said Huani, starting forward.
"Oh! Wait! I want to hear."
"Me too!" Kana and Sagani grabbed her hands and they walked up to the body while Pallegina shook her head in disbelief. There was a long silence.
"We've got... something," Sagani said at last, turning back to the group. "I think those were passphrases. Kana, do you remember them all?"
"I certainly do. Listen carefully, my friends:
State your name and purpose. - My name belongs to the gods and my hand to their service.
What company do you seek? - I seek the company of shadows, that our labors may remain secret.
Tell me of your labors. - To see that the craft of kith and wilder does not disturb what bones the gods have buried.
How do we know your purpose? - You shall know it by the confession of my tongue, the deeds of my hand, and the oath on my soul.
And how is your oath guarded? - It is sealed by the Leaden Key.
He grinned. "Appropriately mysterious and dramatic, is it not? Now, about the numbers he mentioned - directions of some kind?"
Huani nodded. "They were. I saw the turns as he counted them off. I think I can follow them." She bent down and removed a peculiar mask and hood from the man's head, giving them a disgusted look before trying to wash them off a bit with her waterskin. "Hmm. This is going to be a tight fit."
"One of us could go," Edér offered, but Huani shook her head.
"No, I can pull the information from their minds without asking questions. I'll be a bit more conspicuous but, I hope, less suspicious."
She pulled the hood on as best she could. Edér, Sagani and Kana started laughing at the monstrosity which resulted; Pallegina rolled her eyes, but her skepticism was fading fast; Aloth backed away, wringing his hands and looking increasingly nervous.
"Wait back by that last grate we saw," Huani said, her voice muffled. "If I'm not back by the time the light fades, well... go back to the inn and come up with a plan B." She about to set off when a strange voice sounded in their ears.
"Back, ye clod! Those hooded fyndes are nye to be trusted."
They turned to Aloth in shock. His hand was pressed against his forehead, as if he were in pain. "It's nothing," he said in a strangled voice. "I'm fine."
She went. They waited, some pacing restlessly, some talking in low whispers. Aloth sat huddled in a corner, his head in his hands.
The light through the grate was growing dim when Huani came bounding back, pulling off the hood and mask with obvious relief. She held up her hands before they could start asking questions. "I'll tell you - just not here. And not at the inn, either. Let's go back to Caed Nua. It's... safer."