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Tiz Teberi follows you out of the warehouse, giving you a curt nod before heading back to oversee the tournament set-up. Alierin takes point, leading the way toward Gold Harbor Shipping.

You follow the river to its mouth where it meets the ocean. The boardwalk continues left, wrapping along the rocky, bare coast. Toward the end of it is a small warehouse — single-story, its pine-centric construction looking considerably newer and in better condition than most of Movek. There is a pair of double-doors on the facade that lead inside, while a brass gate past the main entrance leads to an enclosed pier with a few smaller buildings along it. A small signboard hangs from a post above, the logo matching the one on the key. It reads Gold Harbor Shipping — Your curiosities, Our specialities.

As you approach, the doors open, an older orcish man stepping out. He gives you a curious look, but holds the door open for you as you pass to enter. Inside, you find a small chamber with a couple desks, a neat stack of ledgers on each. A young woman has just entered from another pair of doors, and she smiles widely. "Oh, hello. How can I help you?"

Aeron smiles back to the woman, feeling some relief that the business doesn't look overtly shady. Then again, they had a smuggling operation in a lumber mill...

"We were hoping to speak with Ulungi," the elf begins with a polite tone. "Tiz Teberi sent us," he adds, hoping a familiar name will make it easier to secure their audience. Let's just hope that man who just left wasn't Ulungi. Could maybe catch him if it is though.

Alierin keeps quiet as they enter the shipping company building, letting Aeron take the lead. Hopefully he can talk his way into the answers we need.

Not quite as shady as Ranjan. That's a start, she thinks, looking around the entry room.

"Oh! Yes, Ulungi is in," the young woman says. "I will go let him know you've come by."

She clears her throat, hesitating a moment. "May I ask what this is regarding?"

Dessarius speaks up this time; "Tiz had tasked us with dealing with the nokve problem, down in the caves. We have reason to ask some questions." He says, puffing out his chest slightly and hoping that he doesn't press further.

"The nokve? Oh! Yes. I had heard about them pestering people," the young woman responds. "Alright, let me go and speak with Ulungi. Please wait here a moment."

She steps away, leaving through the internal doors she had just entered from. You wait a minute or so, before she returns, joined by an older orcish man. He is short, grey-bearded, with a shaved head. His face is weathered but he bears a keenness in his eyes that seems to bely his age. "Good afternoon, young elves. Tiz sent you? Color me interested. What does she have you out here talking to this old man for?" He cocks his head to the side, studying you closely with rapt attention.

The young woman steps off to one of the desks, opening a ledger and fetching a quill, though she glances up occasionally.

Dessarius waited, composing himself. A sudden tinge of regret washes over him for taking the lead, but he knows the moon doesn't wait for the troubles of elf or orc. As the older orc enters the room, Dess gives a small, polite smile and a nod. "To keep this brief, Tiz hired us to deal with the nokve problem, and while we were in the caves we found a few things that tied back to your company, here." He glances over to his party, hoping one of them will produce the letter and sacks they kept from the caves. "It appears that the Nokve were enraged by several sacks of powder. Whatever it was seemed to mix very poorly with the water, and made it incredibly difficult to breathe." With that he glances over at Vaughn, who he was fairly certain was able to identify the powder before.

"Finally, the part that leads us to you... is that we found the body of an orc being chewed on by some of the nokve. He had a note with instructions and a key with your company's symbol on it."

Alierin waits quietly while Dess explains the situation, trying to gauge the orc's body language, in particular when Dess mentions the dead orc they found in the caves. Does he know about this? It could always be a couple of rogue employees up to something, she thinks, keeping the key and note in her pockets for now.

Mechanics

Insight: [1d20+1]=10+1=11

"Aye, it's as he says," Aeron says, concealing a grimace as Dess readily explains everything. A bit more tact might have been suitable. Let's hope we can trust him. He eyes the boss, gauging his words carefully and wondering if he's truly in the dark about what's been going on. "Tiz was surprised when we showed her what we found. Said it wasn't like you, but it involves your company so we thought you might have some insight."

Mechanics

Insight: [1d20+11]=20+11=31

 

As is usual, Sisera allows the more charismatic and fluent members of the party begin the conversation, instead content to watch their surroundings in case the orcs decide to act suspiciously. We already encountered one company of criminals, it would not be a surprise to find another in this one.

Mechanics

Perception, to watch for signs of suspicious activity from either orc (or others that may be around): [1d20+5]=4+5=9

Ulungi listens to the blacksmith's tale, his brow furrowing slightly, before raising. "A... a body?"

The young woman glances up from her work, a hand to her silent mouth.

Ulungi continues, his lips tight in a frown. "The key, did you bring it with you? And can you describe him? Was he young, dark-haired? Older, stout?"

Alierin

The man's voice wavers faintly as he asks his questions, though you cannot seem to get a read on the otherwise unemotive man.

Aeron

As you watch the man, his face runs the gamut of confusion to suspicion to worry. As he questions you, there is a faint waver in his voice, possibly personal concern, though you can't be sure.

Sisera

As you standby, you don't see anything suspicious or furtive from either orc. The young woman appears to be making a point to continue working despite your conversation with her boss, though she is clearly failing at doing so.

"Young," Alierin says plainly, removing the key from her jacket and holding it up for the man to see, although she keeps a firm hold of it.

Ulungi's eyes sink to the floor. Beside him, the young woman lets out a soft cry — mostly dampened by the hand over her mouth. "Ekel," is all she says, standing up abruptly from her desk and hastily making for the internal door. She disappears behind them, a pair of sobs trailing her.

The shipping boss avoids your gaze, his eyes unfocused as he slowly shakes his head. "I," he begins, but there is a pregnant pause before he continues. "I... don't know what's going on. And you're sure? That he is... that he is dead?"

Cymril nods softly, her lips pursed in a sorrowful frown. She clutches her hands in front of her.

Ulungi takes a deep breath, which seems to force some life back into his eyes. "I don't know what Ekel was up to, but I am in the dark about this. Please, I need to know, too. Let me see that key." He eyes it closely as Alierin holds it up. "Yes, that's his. It's for the... it's for the packing shed."

He looks up at you once more. "Listen, I will aid you in any way I can. On one condition — leave the Clan out of this. Gold Harbor Shipping had no part in whatever... whatever all this business is with the nokve, and, and these powders. You have gotten this far, and I will assist you as much as I am capable of. But none of us would benefit from those churls above coming down the cliffside and dispensing blind justice." He hikes a thumb upward, where Clan Heights rests high above.

A young man is dead, and within 2 minutes we are talking about clan politics. Vaughn thinks, having a hard time suppressing his frown with a compassionate smile.

They must have cared for Ekel a lot. I can't imagine they'd be the ones sending him into a nokve cave alone. No, they are in the dark as much as us. Aeron releases a heavy sigh, the tension and abrupt mourning palpable in the air around them. "Alright. The Clan won't hear a word," the elf says, remembering their prior experience and how it led to their brief smuggling gig. For all we know, the Clan's hands could be in this too. 

"If you're not involved, then someone else put him up to this. Just a matter of who, at to what ends?" What would they gain by riling up the nokve?

"We removed him from the nokve caves and buried him along the river bank if you want to send anyone to go get him," Alierin adds.

Idiot got himself killed when these people seem to care for him, and for what?

The greying orc winces at the mention of a funeral, but nods slowly. "Thank you, I will have someone help recover his body. Kumara... his family..." He trails off a moment before turning back to Aeron.

"I don't know. Honestly. He was a hard worker. Packed outbound shipments, mostly. Quiet, diligent. I paid him enough, too. Or I thought I did." He frowns, faltering a moment. "That key — the packing shed — that was his usual workspace. If you give that key back to me, I'll let you in to look around, as long as you keep away from any of the customer's packages. Maybe we can find some answers together on this. Also, I don't suppose you mind if I read that note now?" He reaches a hand toward Alierin, palm up, expectantly.

Alierin nods, first handing over the key and then removing the note from her pockets and handing that over too.

"Recognise the hand writing?" She asks, hoping for a quick solution.

Ulungi takes the key, and then the note. Squinting, he brings it closer to his face to read. "No."

He whispers aloud as he reads. Then: "This is all very odd. Ekel must have been acting on behalf of another. Hardly innocent — as things appear — but a victim of whatever scheming designs are afoot nonetheless. A... damned shame, to be sure."

The orc hands the note back to Alierin. "Well, then. To our packing shed, yes?"

"Probably didn't know quite what he signed up for," Aeron says, frowning as the aged orc's sadness still hangs heavy over them. "Nokve are vicious. But someone still sent him into that cave, alone." He clenches his fist, frustrated that someone's selfish scheming threw another's life away.

"Aye, to the shed. Hopefully there are some clues there."

Dess nods at the aging orc. "Yes, please, lead the way."

Alierin takes the note back from Ulungi and places it back in her pocket. If he had anything to do with it he could have simply refused to return the note and destroyed it. Hopefully this will be easy to get to the bottom of with the man in charge on our side, she thinks as she follows the old orc towards the shed.

"Good. This way," Ulungi says, leading you through the internal doors into a long hallway. A few doors line the length, leading to offices or the like. The young woman is nowhere to be seen or heard. Along the planked walls are a few framed paintings, some of them quite impressive. One of them appears to be a portrait of Ulungi aboard a boat. He is depicted much younger, and flanked by a pair of smiling shipmates.

You continue through to another set of doors, this one exiting to the small, private pier that Gold Harbor uses. It is a U-shape that branches off from the main Movek boardwalk, encompassing a few buildings considerably smaller than the one you just came from. There are a pair of dinghies moored, and a small sailboat — the name Mirage painted on its side in a fading green.

Ulungi walks around the pier to the far side, passing a pair of buildings before reaching a shed. He unlocks it with the brass key, sliding it back into his pocket. "Here. The packing shed. Ekel did most of his work preparing our customers' goods for shipment on small, quick vessels we contract that run up and down the coast. He was a damned good packer." He gestures you inside.

The shed is somewhat dim, but well-maintained and organized. There are large shelves on the left and right that reach to the rafters. One shelf is filled with small wooden crates, labeled neatly in chalk with some numbering system. The other shelf has open boxes of goods, presumably yet to be packaged. Various items fill these — paintings, bronzeware, what looks to be a dried fruitcake of sorts. Along the far wall is a workstation: a long desk, a pair of chairs, a number of tools, and a large chest of drawers. Atop the desk sits a neat stack of ledgerbooks and ink and quill set.

"Take a look around. I may do the same, once you are finished. And remember, the packages are off-limits, as I said."

Vaughn takes a good look inside.

OOC

Vaughn want's to take a look around, and take special notice of anything that smells like the noxious substance from the cave.
Perception check (if needed): [1d20+11]=15+11=26

Not looking in the packages isn't going to be too helpful, the room is mostly packages, Alierin thinks, looking around the shed. The desk catches her eye and she makes her way over to it, hoping there's more written records of whatever Ekel was up to aside from the note that was on his body.

Mechanics

Perception if needed: [1d20+6]=13+6=19

Let's hope our dead friend left something behind. He audibly hms, reaching for the drawers to see what's inside.

Mechanics

Perception: [1d20+2]=12+2=14

Three of you spread out — Alerin looking around the desk, Aeron in the cabinets, while Vaughn scans the room at large.

Vaughn

After burning your nostrils in the stench for almost an hour, you suppose you'll never forget the acrid smell of ammonia. It takes you a moment, but you catch a whiff of it in the otherwise dank shed.

Trusting your nose, you root around, and find yourself drawn toward the workspace. On the floor, you find traces of white powder. It looks similar to the remnants found in the sacks. You surmise that the powder must be reacting with the humidity in the air, or moisture coming up from the seawater beneath the pier, to create the small amount of gas you can smell.

Alierin

You make a cursory look through the ledgerbooks, though you find little else than shorthand notes and arcane numbering on what must be the packaging work.

Looking over the desk itself, it is long and made out of planked wood, with slight gaps in between. Something catches your eye in one of them. Using a dagger, you wedge out what appears to be an off-white crystal. Small grains fleck off as you lift it, scattering the floor beneath you where a sniffing Vaughn is lurking around.

Aeron

You rifle through the chest of drawers, finding the various contents of what must be Ekel's belongings. They appear mostly mundane and work-related in nature: spare ink pots and quills, fresh ledgerbooks, a simple scale with various weights, a few bunches of brass nails.

As you go to close the third drawer down, something catches on track. Giving it a little extra muscle, the drawer closes, but not without a strange rattle.

Aeron files through Ekel's belonging, disinterested with his findings at first. The odd rattling catches his off guard, however, as he goes to close the drawer. What are you hiding? He raises an eyebrow, pulling the third drawer out and attempting to fully remove it from its track.

 

"No more mystery notes, but this looks like what was left in the sacks," Alierin says, holding up the smaller whitish crystal on the flat of her dagger's blade.

"Guess he did business here then," Aeron says, eyeing the crystalline powder.

He furrows his brow as the drawer doesn't release so easily. "Hey, help me get this drawer out?" he asks Alierin, knowing her deftness with her hands. "There's something caught behind it."

"Sure," Alierin says in answer to Aeron's request, carefully transferring the crystal from her dagger to the surface of the desk, before making her way over the chest of drawers. "You're not allowed to claim you loosened it already," she adds with a smirk as she attempts to remove it.

Mechanics

Thievery: [1d20+13]=13+13=26

Alierin is able to swiftly pop the caught drawer off its track, before pulling the entire thing out from the chest.

Alierin

The drawer itself looks typical, as do the contents —  a simple scale with various weights, as well as a few wrapped bunches of brass nails.

Instead, you reach back into the now-empty gap of the third drawer, feeling the bottom of the second drawer. There is a thin sleeve of sorts, and you pull from it several loose pages of parchment.

You flip through them. A pair of pages are two different charcoal drawings of a nude woman, blurring the line between artistic and erotic. There is also a note there, written in what appears to be a woman's hand. The note appears to have been perfumed. Lastly, you find some sort of bill of sale, written in a nearly illegible hand and stained with an amber splotch.

"Hmm. Secrets? Yes. What we're looking for? No," Alierin says, rifling through the drawings and perfumed note.

"Why would this bill of sale be in there too though? And what is this stain?" She asks aloud as she examines the last of the loose pages.

Aeron picks up the drawings she sets down, eyes going wide a moment with surprise. "Wouldn't have expected him to need these... at work," he says, grimacing. "He might have said something to this girl of his though."

Looking at the bill over Alierin's sale, he raises an eyebrow. "Might've thought the personal effects would scare off any prying eyes. That'd make it a good place to hide." He squints, trying to make sense of the nearly, yet not completely illegible scrawl. "Mead stain? Who knows," he says on the splotch.

Vaughn points towards the floor and says: "The powder is all over the floor. It's certainly been in here."

OOC

Can Vaughn try to read the mostly illegible bill?

"Maybe he was making this powder," Sisera responds with a shrug. "Why though? What is it?" He clearly was not only doing his hired work here, if he had these images hidden away.

Vaughn takes a close look at the bill of sale.

Vaughn

You study the sloppy bill of sale for a moment. It is written in a very lazy hand and stained, but you can faintly make out some words.

At the top, is G---- Goods(?) & G---nery. Lower, there is a measurement of some material listed, but you cannot make out what.

The final cost shows five silver, or copper? Again, it's anyone's guess with the way this was written.

"That or it was just his hiding spot and wanted to hide both things," Alierin suggests in reply to Aeron.

"Any luck deciphering it?" She asks Vaughn once he is done examining the bill of sale.

Alierin thinks on Vaughn's question, trying to see if she can think of anything it could plausibly be.

Mechanics

Streetwise: [1d20+11]=3+11=14

"Something Good and Greenery, maybe? It sounds a little familar," Alierin says with a shrug.

Dessarius walked over to the others, glancing at the stuff that was found. "Well, at least we know the stain isn't related to..." He clears his throat, looking at the words. "Perhaps it could be..." He jumped up. "Yes, Goons and Gooonery! The adult shop in Gad's Square." He seems proud of himself for a moment before explaining, "I... know about it because of my... friend. Charon." He clears his throat and looks away, feeling heavily embarrassed.

Mechanics

Streetwise = [1d20+4]=1+4=5

"Seems like some kind of general store or grocer then," Aeron says, choosing to ignore Dess's interjection for his sake and theirs. "Or even a nursery of some kind. Maybe Ulungi could make sense of it? He's gotta know the area better than we do."

He peeks his head out of the shed, catching sight of the orc waiting. "Might've found something. A bill of sale but we can barely read it. But he was definitely operating out of your shed," he relays.

Ulungi is just outside the door to the packing shed, standing at the edge of the dock. He is motionless, quietly watching the waters in the distance.

Aeron's voice seems to catch him off-guard, and he startles, before clearing his throat as he turns around to face you. "Bill of sale, you say? Not from Gold Harbor, I'd imagine. What company? I wonder what he was buying. And why he had that here."

Dessarius

It doesn't sound familiar to you, other than the store you thought of.

"It's hard to read but it could be something Good and Greenery. That ring any bells?" Alierin asks Ulungi.

 

"Goods," Ulungi corrects. "Must be Gilo's Goods and Greenery. Apothecary, other side of Movek." He frowns. "Close to home, at least."