Domhnall and the Marketplace Fire

A fire rocks the business of Lalen, a weaver. Domhnall suspects foul play after finding flint and steel discarded in an alleyway nearby.


You return to Lalen's burnt storefront with the evidence in hand. Lalen greets you and questions your newfound possession. "An arsonist" you say with certainty, "Found this in an alley close by. Why would someone burn down your shop?"

"I haven't a clue," says Lalen with a hint of despair in his voice. Your gaze lands upon the burnt shop while he lists a few of his previous customers. As you search through the wreckage, you spot a hooded figure staring at you from across the square. 

• Chase the figure down.
  
• Try to sneak up on the figure.
  
• Focus on Lalen's conversation.
  

Chase the figure down.

My blood boils as i stare at the figure."they must know something" i think to myself. I was never the best at the stealth training in the monestary but i was always the most agile. There is no way someone is going to get away from me in a foot race. I gather my strength and leap towards the figure.

I corner the figure in an alley after a short chase. The figure seems worried now that i have them to myself. with a flash i remove the hood. One of Felix's agents! no....... he cant be behind this. I need answers and the rabble won't do. I head towards the undertown.

You make your way to the less reputable side of town, and conceal your face with a heavy cloak. As you pass by a gruff man reclining against the side of a building, he calls out to you. 

"You there, with the light step" he scowls as you stop and turn. "I got something you might wanna know." The man tugs your cloak and pulls you in before whispering a cryptic phrase. "The fire burns brightest in the hearth." He releases his grip and places a lit pipe between his lips.

• Press the old man for more information.
  
• Continue your investigation in the Undertown.
  
• Return to the Lalen's shop.
  

Press the old man for more information.

I slip the old man a package of my finest tobacco and utter "the brighter the fire, the more wary you should be of the shadow". using the passphrase Felix left to me if I needed his attention.

"tell him the jade merchant is here to see him in person".

You wait patiently for the man to rise and leave. You pull a bit of tobacco from your pouch and light your pipe. You watch street urchins play in the grime until the man returns with a small brass key.

"Go to the small house," he says pointing down the street. You take the key in hand and make your way to a small one story home sandwiched between a butcher's shop and a dilapidated residence. You insert the key and enter the house; the door closing behind you. 

"Domhnall my friend.. how can I help you today?" grins Felix as he pours himself a cup of light brown ale.

• Accuse him of organizing the arson.
  
• Convince him to reveal information.
  

Convince him to reveal information.

Nothing this big happens with out Felix knowing about it in this city. He runs the underground of the city and has been unopposed since i have been here. i shouldn't accuse him, that will get me no where in this game of wits. Its all about confidence and controlling the situation with his types.

I sit down and light up my pipe and take a long drag, using it to cover my quick chance to check the room. A large man and a woman sit in a corner of the room. muscle and a pleasure girl? No she must be one of these Femme Fatale assassins i have been hearing about. Time to dig for answers.

confidently i begin talking "There seems to have been a mishap at the weaver's tonight." another drag on the pipe. "behind on payments? seems rather heavy handed for you, but with the duke continuously sending the city guard captain away. You must be trying to make some strong statements for anyone trying to rise up."

"Now now, Domhnall," Felix starts slowly, "you of all people know that my heart is for the people." Felix pulls a slip of parchment from his pocket and sets it on the wooden table in front of you. "Have you heard the rumors around the city? Of a new player in the game?" Felix presses the paper to the table unveiling it's contents. A symbol of two falcons clutching a torn bag of gold; sealed in wax. You eye the symbol carefully as Felix continues. "The underlings call themselves 'Birds of Prey', so far I have only managed to catch one, but their reach in the city is growing. Whomever burned your merchant's business is surely tied to this group." 

Felix snatches the paper from your gaze and stows it away in his tunic. With a snap of his finger, your meeting is concluded and you are helped to the exit swiftly. You must learn more about this group and get some answers.

• Search the marketplace for 'Birds of Prey' [Perception 28+ Required, Failure = Wasted time]
  
• Talk to Lalen to find more information.
  
• Talk to someone who might know more. 
  

Talk to Lalen to find more information.

Lalen should know something. he wasn't targeted at random.

"Lalen has anyone ever told you about the birds of prey?" I ask Lalen

"No Domhnall, I have never heard of any group by that name."

I push for more information "Lalen have your wavings had anything to do with two falcons clutching a torn coin piece"

"That does ring a bell a few young men asked me to make three baskets each having a false bottom and a falcon on it. They asked me to do it for much less than what it would cost to make quality work so i refused them service. when the biggest of them started to cause a fuss the leader boy calmed him by saying his name. i believe he called him Tark."

"thank you Lalen. i finally have a lead. a large teen called Tark."

with this information i head to a poor area and make sure i stop at a pleasure house. they keep excellent records.

i move her 5 gold pieces and the finest opium my store carries while saying "there is plenty more if you can get me a room with the maddam."

"Of course Master Merchant, she will see you now. This way" As the courtesan walks with you, she hands you back the opium. "Mistress wouldn't like it, but I'd be more than willing to see you privately outside of these walls." Her eyes draw you in before the sliding door opens beside you revealing the Mistress. 

"Your services are no longer needed, begone." Her commanding tone is an abrupt change of pace as you enter a small business room privately with the Mistress. "What have you come for Jade Merchant? Pleasure no doubt?"

You smile politely and beckon her to listen closely. Whispering in her ear you ask the whereabouts of Tark and anyone associated with him. On the table, you reach for a quill and inkwell, scrawling a writ of payment and producing your wax seal from your belt. 

"Your wish is my command, three doors down on the left." She retrieves the parchment and tucks it beneath her blouse before bowing. 

• Investigate the room three doors down on the left.
  

Investigate the room three doors down on the left.

as i pass by the guards to the room i pass a gold coin to the biggest and beckon him to come with me."I might cause a bit of a ruckus. keep everyone out and in. the girl will be fine but she won't know whats going on."

surprise is my best option. i burst through the door. putting all of my ki into this jump i leap 20 feet across the room in an instant. the poor man and lady had no idea what was happening as i land into an axe kick onto his gut. that should take out the air and cause a rib or two to crack.

while he is stunned i yell at the girl to stay away. he throws me across the room. he is much more hardy than i thought. now i notice the skin color. a half-orc. he bellows at me and charges. too clumsy. no armor or weapons. "heh"

quickly i hit him with three jabs to his ribs and he falls to his knees. i give spinning crescent kick to his temple. that puts him out cold. i use the rope readily available. i restrain the orc and wait for him to come to

"You've been stirring up trouble, Tark." The half-orc opens his eyes slightly to see Domhnall sitting across the room, smoking lazily from a pipe. "Tell me about the 'Birds of Prey', and who's your leader. You tell me what I want to know and I'll send you to the quarry. I know the foreman quite well." Your voice trails a bit as you take another draw from your pipe. "If you don't tell me, well I'm afraid that's much worse."

"Hah. Puny man get the jump on Tark, think he big. Tark not scared. Let Tark go and we settle this right, or take Tark to Guard Captain. Tark real friendly. Tark get off with warning." His tenacious grin is only stifled by the harsh coughing from his bruised ribs. 

"The Guard Captain might see you, but he won't be our first stop. I'm sure you've heard of the Mad Wizard? He and I go back many years..." Tark's bluster is gone and a pallor overtakes him. 

"Tark a 'Bird o' Prey'. Hunt weak, good life. Ataneesh boss. Tark work for him." Satisfied you leave the half-orc tied on the floor, and speak to the Mistress before leaving.

• Ask around the district for Ataneesh's home. [Roll Diplomacy]
  
• Stakeout the brothel for Ateneesh.
  

Ask around the district for Ataneesh's home. [Roll Diplomacy]

Diplomacy 14

No one is giving me anything useful. i have been sent to two different old ladies homes. i need someone that can give me something real. i must not be as charming as i thought.

I muster up everything i have and approach a group of teens that seem to think they run that back alley they are hanging by. i spark up a conversation in the thickest accent i can have "i hear i fin Ataneesh here." i gesture wildly with my hands. "i hear he boss. i set up new shop. you can tell where find?"

"hey man we don't know any ataneesh. but we can help you if you follow us back to our "office"." he gestures to the alley Sense motive 31

obviously lying the smallest kid tensed up at the name. they must mug easy targets for the birds of prey.

"of course!. i reary need help. ret me grab my cart." i turn a corner and leap onto the roof. why don't i watch these kids from above for a while

Eventually a burly man saunters up to the group you've been eyeing for nearly three hours after the night has fallen. A cloak hides his face, but his intentions are clear: with a torch in hand he rallies the group and they set off down an alleyway. You leap from the rooftops and follow, making sure to stay out of sight as they twist between shacks and corridors. 

Up ahead the group stops and the burly man hands the torch off to one of the young teens. As you peer into the darkness, you realize where you are... your shop! With as much speed as you can muster you leap from the alleyway and send one of the saboteurs sailing with a kick. The others move to attack you from all sides, but you catch one off guard as he charges in to attack. With a flurry of blows you knock two more to the ground and only two remain. With lightning reflexes, they fall as well. 

Stopping to catch your breath, you look around at the grunting and moaning bodies of the would-be arsonists. The burly man is nowhere to be seen. Damn. Grabbing one of the boys, you command him to tell you where Ataneesh is, but get only a confused look in return. As the city guard arrive, you help them round up the beaten group and head back into your shop. Your trail has gone cold, but you know this will not be the last time you hear from the sinister group.

• Complete your adventure.
  
• Continue your adventure. 
  

Complete your adventure.

i have more questions than when i started but i do know a couple of key things. there is a new group in play called the birds of prey and they do not like the merchant class. the time isn't now to get too distracted.

When i get the chance soon, i will personally deal with this Ataneesh and his gang of poor teenagers