We caught Maribel Thornbane and returned the gold to the Carrot's Head. Not much was said, but I got some bandages to fix me up. The others went their ways, but Ratyn and I stayed back. That's when Naomi Copinger appeared. And we've already seen her. Dead. In that weird black and white nightmare. She knows Lady Trudgeon, being a former orphan just like me. Fascinating. She informs us, that she has a business proposal. Sort of. Even more fascinating. Leaving us some days to lick our wounds, as she put it. Fine (and welcomed) by me.
The next day we all meet up as a group, to talk to the guards, seeing as we were promised a reward. Apparently that little killing stunt from certain members of the group cost us a lot. I don't know what Ratyn did, but apparently the Captain lets us off the hook this time. And, in all the wonder, she asks us to eat together. Talking about some important things. I take a look at the rest of the group and could not agree more.
We sit down in one of the fancy restaurants of this town. I really do wonder why we have that many. But this is not important now. I voiced my concerns to the rest of the group and had a stern talking to Sett. I don't know if my words about not killing everything he sees reached him, but he nodded politely. Even Oris chimed in, but rather sarcastically. I really don't know if I like or dislike the little one. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, which can be a really bad idea in this world. And he seems to be a real stubborn person, not really able to see the grand picture. But maybe that is easy for me to say, seeing as he very clearly is not from this world.
But it would have been a far too peaceful day, if our scout didn't have a lot of words for the rest of the group. Me included. Acting as a team. Whatever she means with that. We're not friends, none of us is. But even my cynical side has to agree with her. We worked good together, and this alliance could benefit us all.
For the sake of my own future, and to not disappoint Jirunda, I should work on those bonds.
The next few days, where we could "lick our wounds", were spent with what I do best. Talking. Or to be more precise, using the relationships I have built now, to become even stronger. Knowing Zachary Parsons from Blind-by-the-sea opens the door to a lot of business opportunities. Helping Charles is always a pleasure. And I finally managed to find a new place to live, to not bother my one friend any more.
But I also can now call the Edmin Arkelow to my acquaintances. And talking to him revealed that he is interested in employing our group to investigate something.
Precisely why his daughter, Qeral Arkelow didn't return to Tilley with him. Apparently she spend some time with Pippa Dorrian before traveling to the capital. He wants us to discreetly find out why. He even paid us some good money. I inform the group of this happenstance. Seeing as we're now a team, we should all agree to work on things like that.
And between all those important talks, I had Martha Thinstrung from The Bells enchant my rapier. Paying for it with myself, so to speak. A loyal servant until the debt is settled. She mentioned some things she and the school need help with, but I made sure to exclude the rest of the group, especially Oris. This is my debt to pay and my burden to shoulder. She agreed to those terms. But at least I now, after some days of waiting, have a new enchanted rapier. And thanks to some very interesting magic, I can even make it vanish and let it appear again. Convenient I have to say.
After some days, when we were all meeting up to our one daily meal, I saw the markings Naomi left for us. I mention it to the others, and we all head towards the meeting place. A shabby-looking tavern called The Angry Fist. We were lead to Naomi by a far too joyful bartender called Bruce Williams.
There, Naomi informed us of the offer once more, talking now about greater details. Revealing she works for someone even higher up. I tried coercing her into telling us who this person is, but she won't budge. Fine then. We just have to do an awesome job and earn the trust of this ominous third party. And maybe open up the path towards even greater goals.
But time to concentrate. Apparently she wants us to find some sort of clue or even the thing itself, a Chalice. And apparently it is not important that we know why and what that thing actually is. Interesting.