12 nightal
Walking through the same doors hours later, the place had doubled in occupants, and was twice as loud. Students filled the tables, or at least it was assumed these were students. Most were on the young adult side, all drinking, and the usual rousing. Several tables had card or dice games happening. Jinx spotted the barmaid from earlier, dressed for work but hanging around a table of six, and leaning against a male gnome.
"that one," she pointed after elbowing the elf to take lead. Zyne followed Tahlethar, intending to appear as an apprentice to the elf. The dwarf was on the younger side, not much older than the students, and so it was not too hard to play along.
Lilla smiled as she spotted the elf and dwarf and waved them over. Nudging the gnome she was leaning against, "these are the talent scouts."
Bryac gave a look of uncertainty to the two "masters". But not wanting to lose an opportunity, he greeted them.
Giving his full name, titles, and a handshake, Tahlethar returned the gesture to the gnome. The human next to the gnome, oldest looking, motioned for the elf and dwarf to join. Another one of the students at the table introduced everyone to the talent scouts.
Having to speak over the noise, "Lilla says you are here for tomorrow?" the gnome Bryac, asked of the elf and dwarf.
"Very much. We," indicating himself and Zyne, "are invited to tomorrow's events. And are in need of replacing our numbers. So we are recruiting graduates. This city produces good mages."
"Who are you with alimarif?" the gnome asked with genuine interest as he sat his drink on the table. The others took interest and leaned forward to listen.
trying to think of an arcane guild name on the spot, "I am not sure many would have heard of us," then leaned forward, motioning for the six to lean in as he whispered, "we are a secret guild from Sespech, trained at Daggerford's Sorceller's Encapsulate." A name he was sure was legitimate.
Byrac's interest grew. He had heard of how the now independent kingdom, Sespech, had a ban on magic. It would make sense to not have heard of this 'teacher' who was recruiting. The idea of bringing magic to a land it was illegal had an appeal.
Tahlethar managed to hide a sigh of relief at the bluff; he half expected the gnome to know too much for it to work. He continued, "if we hope to change it, I need mages of skill."
Lilla returned to work to finish her shift. Byrac began chatting with the elf and dwarf about life in the Academy, his friends joining in as well, everyone helping to make an impression. Though as they spent time with the kids, Zyne and Tahlethar's consciouses began to nag on them about what they were going to do and how much they were going to ruin this man's future. Zyne discreetly began counting out what coins he could spare and would hope to compensate the gnome for what his party was going to be doing. Maybe he could talk with Lyra about this mission, get her to fix him up or compensate the gnome for ruining his chances. Tahlethar internally debated whether to follow through with the mission as he fidgeted with the vial in his pocket. Then a ruckus from another table drew everyone's attention.
"cheater!"
Jinx was curled up on a rocking recliner at the fireplace. Her cloaked wrapped around her, she looked to a casual observer taking a nap by the fireside. She did have to fight with herself not to give in and relax, the chair rather comfy. But she had work to do. From her spot, she could see many parties, and equally in a place to hear three older looking students telling stories and sharing gossip after a little wine loosened their lips.
"it's true. The guards caught another. This time notary Imsh Feng"
"The half orc merchant out of Benhi's Express?"
"Yep. Accused of being connected to one of the thieves' guilds, Swarthy Scimitar, I think. At least the rumor says. Guards cheer they found a mole."
"I'd hate to be involved in that."
"that's why we are students and not apart of the guild wars."
Ears perked up and she uncurled herself, "guild wars?" Jinx asked, turning to the closest table with the students chatting, attempting to join in on the conversation.
The three scowled at an intruder, and not just an intruder, but a non-local and non-human one. But one of the students at that table remembered seeing the catfolk in the tavern earlier today, remembered her going around, friendly, and chatting with everyone. And more importantly, her story about being a refugee. His family had come from one of the now destroyed calishite cities, making them refugees at one point. That pity twords her, he allowed the tabaxi to join in the conversation, motioning for her to turn the rocker to face their direction.
"You are definitely not from here," the second student who didn't hide his contempt for her. "So why should this concern you," he got up, clearly annoyed, and headed over to the bar counter. The third student at the table leaned back in his seat, arms crossed, but said nothing.
The kinder student indulged the cat woman, "the details are not known among the masses, but everyone hears whispers of the secret Masked Shadows and another 'Black something' are in war. Been going on for a while. Not long after the defeat of the genasi," he, hmph to himself, thought something was interesting but continued, "the guild war has been impacting and spilling out on the common folk. People caught between the factions. Problem is information has been sparse. And no one finds anything until it effects them directly."
"til now, with a mole?" Jinx inquired more, "rumors of who the mole might could be connected to?"
"Guards are keeping that hush-hush. Wisely, on their part I suppose," the silent student finally speaking.
The tabaxi tucked the information away, "what started the war? Or rather, why is this different than usual city competition?"
"Competition is putting it lightly. Dangerous rivalries more apt description."
The former refugee student seem to think on it a moment, "Nothing different really. One of the prominent guilds, a balancing force between everyone, been absorbed or dismantled by one or both of them. The concern I have is them accomplishing a monopoly and take over. It then would only be a matter of time before they come for the mage guilds. As to what started it, is it not known, to common folks anyway. We only know the two main parties because of a leak."
Young enough to appear as a student, the disguised Zarae went about mingling among tables near the target gnome's table. One table had an intense card game going on. As she walked up, the oldest of the players threw his card to the dealer, losing his small bet. Beside him the winner collected the coins with the largest grin on his face. Another player had a coin twiddling between her fingers.
"I'm done," the losing man sliding his chair from the table, snatching the pitcher and heading to the bar.
"hey, knife ear," the female next to the round's winner, and currently with the most coinage, called to the lurking disguised drowess. No disguise could hide her elven grace or form. "up for losing your coin in Hand of Fate?" a condescending grin on her face and motioning for Zarae to sit. The drowess hesitated, before taking a seat to join. Cards were dealt and bets were made.
"Name?" the girl asked, "I'm Anagora yr Yasheira el Erispar, call me Ana" a relatively short human female and clearly the leader of the group, "this is Lex, Ralf, and 'B'. the sore loser over there," pointing to the man at the bar, "is Zuhulu." A wave from each as their name was called. Lex was playing with several coins when a nudge from Ralf made him enter his bet for the round. B studied the elven girl joining them, suspicious there was something off about her. but the game called for her attention and so she focused on her hand.
"Solana," Zarae made up on the spot, "from Cormanthor," the only elven kingdom she could think of so quickly.
As they played, Ana was slick with her cards, and slicker with her fingers. Soon it was down to her and Zarae alone. The drowess had made good hand but she knew she could cheat and win this round having calculated the cards, and so take the lead from Ana. Ana herself was sure she had the winning hand as she too been cheating and drew the card she needed. Only one possible hand could beat her now. So focused on her own slight of fingers moves, she missed the one from the rogue. Ana however didn't miss the subtle change of eye color to a violet hue in the dark elf, the change in posture, and a deep suspicion creeping in her.
"show 'em if ya got 'em."
With a smug grin, Ana was sure she had the win, only to cry out when Zarae pulled out a win. And the drow could have only done so if she had been cheating also. Ana had calculated and knew what the drow should have had in hand. Ana's friends had drawn daggers to the call of 'cheater', staring dangerously at the elven girl.
"prove it," Zarae retorted, keeping a non-threating posture of her hands but standing firm in her proclamation.
Tahlethar used the distraction to pour the liquid from the vial into the gnome's drink. Then hopped up from his chair to the commotion, joined by Jinx then. Lilla was walking up to the table when Zyne pressed a coin purse into her hand, a sad look in his eyes then turned to join his companions. He didn't give her time to ask about the change.
"Easy friends," the elf trying to calm the situation, "we want no trouble, "right?" eye contact made with Zarae to signal for her to go.
Indignant, "All I asked was her to prove her," trying to think of the correct word in the common tongue, "discussion?" Zarae slid the cards over to the center of the table, her hand brushing the pile of coins.
Daggers edged closer as the coins jingled, "you leave it behind, we let you go no problem," a few more of the patrons coming to back up Ana.
Zarae dropped the coin as her eyes narrowed at the woman, until a furry hand fell on her shoulder and a whisper of keeping discrete. Now wasn't the time to allow her pride to get the better of her. The irritated drowess resigned the 'win' to Ana and slid her chair out to follow her companions back to the dwarf and elf's table. Eyes remained on the disguised drowess as she walked away from the card game; Ana was already raking in the coins as one of her companions was laughing.
Tahlethar apologized to Bryac and his friends, then introduced Zarae as one of his 'students' nudging her to play along with the tabaxi as a potential trainee. Jinx waved to the group then pulled her comfy chair closer after thanking the other students for the earlier conversation. Zarae didn't look like much of a mage, but being elven gave credit to Tahlethar's statement, as far as the students were concerned. Elves were all assumed to have magic abilities, whether an actual mage or not. Jinx looked even less of a mage, but was introduced as a 'servant' and refugee, a very believable lie.
"You really should not mess with the members of the Black Fist," Bryac responded when the two newest joined his table, "they have 'rights'" giving air quotes, "to this tavern and always win."
"Common rascals in a mage school tavern?" the dwarf asked, then looked twords the drowess whispering, "no offense."
"Are they in Guilds in the war?" Jinx asked before an answer to the dwarf's question came, "competing with the Masked?" The others of her companions looked at her questioningly.
"Possibly," Lilla responded as she returned to a chair next to her boyfriend. "It is suspected the unknown group has the title Black, just not sure if it is Ana's Fist or another."
"I doubt Ana can be in the warring faction," another of the students at the table added disagreeing with Lilla. "Most of them are just bullies and brutes, less subtle and secret." Leaning in and motioning for the others to lean in, "I think her Fist is fighting back because they are being taken over slowly. Every week, it seams less of her lackies are around."
Jinx asked, before Zyne could repeat his question, "Why are they here in the mages' district bullying people out of coin?"
"Dropouts? Rejected by the school? Take your pick."
"Anagora is rumored to been expelled," Bryac added, "but she tries to pretend she is still apart of the mages."
"ooo? Expelled?" Jinx was intrigued at the story.
After another hour of chatting, the gnome waitress had gotten off work and joined her friends at the table. It had gotten late, most the other student patrons having left the tavern. The back corner had three who were studying. Zyne looked to the elf, who gave a slight nod.
"to tomorrow?" Zyne raised his mug to chug it down. Hoping the alcohol would ease the conscious. The others joined in and chugged their last drink too. Bryac felt slightly woozy and put out a steadying hand on Lilla. She looked concerned at her boyfriend, the gnome just shaking his head in attempt to clear his mind.
"Perhaps we call it a night?" Tahlethar suggested, "we don't want anyone to overdo it before tomorrow."
"Agreed," Byrac stumbling to his feet, "didn't think I had that much. But I need rest, ease my nerves for the morning."
The others at the table got up too, Zarae 'accidently' bumping into Lilla, who was clearing the table, and using it to free the barmaid of the chain on her neck. The students at the table had cleared out leaving the companion to themselves. Zyne sighed as he stood up, followed by Tahlethar.
"Looks like we do our part now?" Jinx asking if the boys gotten the vial into the target.
Zyne nodded and he and Tahlethar headed back to the apartment. Hidden from view, Zarae showed the chain with the key to the tabaxi. They would need to follow the couple to replace the research information as the second part of Lyra's task.
The journey to Lilla's house was short, as they lived in the same district as the tavern. The quaint house stood between two larger eccentric mage estates; the orange door was decorated with gnomish runes and a small garden of unusual plants along the front. The age of the wood implied it the house had been there well before the mage structures on either side of it. The walls surrounding the estates formed two narrow alleys of cobblestone beside the house, both street level and as a byway. In the second-story window, a small candlelight was visible. The door closed behind the couple with a soft thud. Zarae took the left side and Jinx took the right side, both avoiding being spotted through the bottom floor windows. The back of the house opened to a narrow alley and behind that, a large dorm like complex connected to a smaller school.
Jinx glanced around to make sure she invisible to potential observers, using the shadows to her advantage, then made her way up the side of the house. A small window partially opened to a dark room. The scout waited a moment, then slid the window open a little more. She paused again waiting to see if the occupants heard her. Still quiet and dark, she opened it enough for her lithe form to slide inside. Freezing in place as she landed silently on all fours. Seconds passed and nothing, no obvious alarms. The room the tabaxi found herself in was dusty from lack of use. A desk with piles of fabric folded on top. A naked sewing manakin stood to the side. On the floor in front of it was a box of sewing tools. Sheets of parchment with details of various gowns and mage robes were pinned on the wall. Another wall held several portraits of people in what she assumed was wearing the clothing that had been made. A small cot sat opposite the desk. No light was peeking under the closed door, so the room with the candle was likely down a hall. Standing up, she slinked over to the door and listened.
Zarae found the back door of the house unguarded and actually unlocked. All the bottom floor windows had remained dark. Lilla had not turned on the candles as she helped Bryac up the stairs. Their heavy steps receded and signaled the couple was on the top floor. The rogue opened the door slowly, cringing under the creaking it made as she did. No change in sound upstairs; they didn't hear the door, she hoped. Zarae found herself in a small kitchen, a few dirty dishes in the sink and a pot of cold chili on the stove. The next room was the living room with a worn couch in front of a wood stove and a small dinner table with 3 bowls. A set of stairs were near the front door leading up to the bedrooms. Several paintings decorated the walls and a set of hooks held cloaks with a staff leaning against the wall. Practiced in breaking into homes, experience from living in the slums, she went about searching for a safe, first behind the paintings then under loose floorboards.
The gnome couple, now in the upstairs hallway paused by a closed door, Lilla's hand on the knob. Before opening, another door opened, light spilling out into the hallway outlining an elderly blind gnome woman, a cane raised to attack an intruder.
"Just us mother," Lilla explained while Bryac confirmed his presence.
"What time is it?" the elderly gnome asked between her hacking cough. Her cane was back down for her to lean on.
"Not as late as we it could have been," Bryac jested.
"shouldn't you be at your dorm?"
"I need," a hiccup, "to study my research and prepare for tomorrow."
"You need to rest," Lilla interrupted her boyfriend leading him to bedroom next to her mother's. She was quick then to respond to her mother's glare, "I plan to sleep on the couch; no need to worry, ma."
"I think it more appropriate for him on the couch and you in your bed," pointing her cane for emphasis.
"It is just for tonight."
The elderly gnome shook her head and closed her door. Lilla deposited Bryac onto her bed, tucking him in, a sadness in her eyes as she was thinking about what his graduation would bring. She reminded him of the privy behind the room divider. His foot bumped a pouch on her belt and the jingle of coins reminded Lilla of the generous gift from the dwarf mage. A half smile on her face she entered her mother's room, possibilities if she could collect enough coins. Someone to take care of her mother would allow her to travel with her boyfriend if he left the city.
Under a family portrait was a safe. Reaching for the chain with the key, blood drained from her face with panic, feeling the key gone. Searching every pocket and asking if her mother had seen, er, rather found it. She feared she lost it. The worst thing she could have done to Bryac on the eve of his presentation. Running to search the now sleeping male, then the bedroom, Lilla found nothing. She was sure of having it this morning. Though she was less certain when she came home for mid-day meal. Maybe she left it in the study, she thought to herself, though she had only been in the room to retrieve a notebook of sketches from the closest; but a basket of fabric had fallen on her, so maybe it gotten caught on the box?
Jinx let out a sigh of relief when she heard the older woman talking and the couple heading to another room. The relief was short lived when she heard the gnome searching the next-door room. The gnome had found the chain and key gone. It would be a matter of minutes before the girl came searching in this room, Jinx reasoned. Looking for a place to hide, a support beam was all she had. Scaling it, she nestled in a dark corner just as door opened. The candle in Lilla's hand provided little light for her, but it was enough to notice the recent footprints in the dusty floor and the open window. A dagger was drawn and she stepped quietly into the room searching for a threat.
She called out, "show yourself or I'll blast you out the window!"
Silence, as she moved about the room seeing nothing. Heading to the window she closed then secured it. Exiting the room, Lilla closed the door behind her and waited a minute, expecting an intruder to attempt to leave. When the window didn't open again, she reentered the room and searched it for the key, keeping an eye watching for potential danger. When nothing was found she exited again, this time locking the door behind her. Lilla remembered clearly fidgeting with it at the tavern during the conversations with the elven teacher. She worried it had fallen on the walk home or in the tavern itself.
Steps coming down the stairs alerted Zarae of the danger of getting caught. A few silent words and the drowess was cloaked in a small globe of darkness as she hid behind the couch. Lilla rushed by and out the door, not noticing the unusual darkness. The rogue waited a minute then hurried upstairs. Just as she stepped on the top landing, a door opened and out stepped the tabaxi, lock picks in her hand.
She locked me in, Jinx roughly signed in explanation.
Know which room to search? Zarae asked in the hand sign.
Not that room, Jinx pointing to the one she just left. The male is in one room. A female in the other.
Zarae leaned against the mother's door listening to a person sleeping. She signed to let the tabaxi know. Jinx likewise listened at the other door with the sleeping male.
I think that, Jinx indicated the door Zarae stood at. They might as well pick a door and start there. Then she rustled through her pack finding a small vial of oil. A few drops on the hinges, the door was opened carefully. Despite how careful, the sleeping woman sat up, able to sense a presence.
"Lil?" the woman asked, her unfocused gaze facing the two at the door. When no answer was given, the gnome grabbed her cane and threatened whoever was there. "I can hear your breathing," she bluffed, "I can find you," swinging wildly at anything and hoping to connect. Zarae ducked in time as the gnome was close to hitting her. Jinx was searching the opened closet for a safe. A soft thud, her toe hit a metal box, alerting the tabaxi to the safe that was found. It was well hidden, buried under a pile of blankets. The gnome was getting off her bed now and would be walking the room. Zarae signaled for Jinx to catch, tossing the key to Jinx. The woman faced the direction of the sound, still swinging wildly.
Got a bad idea, Zarae signed.
Moving twords the door, attempting to mimic Bryac's voice in a hoarse rasp, "it's me. Sorry." using as few words as possible.
"Who are you? Bryac?"
Lowing her voice more, "sorry. Sore throat."
The mother didn't seam fooled, the voice was still too melodical for the male gnome. Then she called for her daughter.
"She had to go back to the tavern."
"Show yourself!" more wild swings and threats of hurling missiles at the intruder.
Jinx had the safe open and was switching out the parchments. This was less subtle and quiet and drew the blind gnome's attention who was moving twords the closet.
"It is ok. She will be back in a few minutes," continuing to bluff while rushing her friend to hurry.
Another duck was made by the rogue under a rather vicious swing, less than an inch from her head. Jinx signed that she got the work and time to get out. Dropping the chain so it looked like it had fallen off, she and Zarae were already down the stairs. Another call for Lilla sounded as the front doorknob was unlocking. Zarae shoved Jinx to the kitchen as the knob was turning and out the back door. It closed just as the gnome entered her house. Lilla hurried up as her mother was calling for her and just barely spotted a piece of chain under the open door of her mother's room.
Close, Zarae remarked with her fingers. We need to get out of here.