Andwise Tighe-on-Hearth

Andwise
YOu spend a good half-hour searching through the place, but it looks like the city-watch managed to get anything that might shed light on this crew. The rooms are already fairly tossed, and the plants/chest are all gone. There are a couple of nice quilted blankets in the two bedrooms, but beyond that you don't find anything of use.

Andwise
Shuffling off to your small apartment in the city, you manage to catch an early-rising street merchant who is selling hot nuts with honey glaze and freshly-baked pastries. 3 coppers later you are licking your fingers and laying your head on a pillow. The sun is just rising, but your heavy curtains block most of it out, and you drift into a slumber.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three sharp knocks are followed by three solid BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

"Rise, n' shine Andy! Cap'n wants ta see ya!"

The voice is unmistakably Enos, and you are still unmistakably exhausted.

Andwise
"Sorry! Cap'n says he needs ya down th' station post haste; what'er that means." Enos replies. With him outside of your room is an escort of six men, all armed with shields and spears. They stand to either side, forming a path between them. Outside, you can hear the sounds of the daily Brewfest festival in full swing of its second day. The sun loks to be high in the sky, so you figure you got all of maybe 3 hours of sleep before Enos disturbed you.

Answise
"Cap'n said bring an escort. Guess he wants folks t' see the one what rooted out the house o' th' Vapers. Been tryin' ta nail them for a while now." Enos says with a wink, turning on his heel and walking away.

Andwise
"Uh... well.. sure?" Enos replies hesitantly before finally agreeing and taking the envelope from you. With a grin, he tucks it into his belt and leads you out into the city, the guards flanking you both as you head toward the headquarters of the city watch. Along the way, you manage to draw the looks of some folks, but for the most part citizens are more into the festive activities than anything else.

As you move, it becomes apparent that the guards are almost a necessity; you might have taken hours to get to the captain's quarters had they not been there to help part the throngs of revelers. As it is, it still takes you over an hour to reach your destination.

The headquarters of the city watch is an impressive stone structure located in the bailey of the city keep, which resides along the southeastern part of the city. Its towering walls and ramparts but against the docks and the ocean, and the fisherman, longshoremen and hubub of the Wharf District are very prominent here.

You are led through the gates into the inner bailey, and into the heavy stone building that houses the city watch. Through the twisting and turning hallways you go, until you come to the office of the Captain of the Seaton City Watch. Damien Blades is a well known man in the city, and his skill in battle is rivaled by his stern adherence to the law and to the discipline of his men. You stand before him, his impressive shadow nearly blocking the light from the window behind him. before you even have a chance to greet him, he tosses a small bag onto the edge of his desk. It rings with the sound of coin.

"50 gold. That's your reward." he says simply.

Andwise
The captain looks down at you, a knowing expression on his face. "Funny you should ask that, soldier."

He sits in his chair, pouring a drink for himself, and then striking a flame to light a pipe he pulls off of his desk. "I know you've some experience in the art of covert intelligence gathering. So, I'd like you to be my eyes. Not here in Seaton, though, a little further to the west."

He pauses briefly to draw on his pipe, exhaling slowly and deeply for added emphasis before looking at you again. "The Vapers were working with another group called the Silent Hands. They are more of a smuggling outfit than anything, and there have been reports of the Hands getting involved with some very bad people. Perhaps from the Sea Princes themselves, but perhaps not. I want to find out."

Looking to Enos and then to you, he draws a slow draw on his pipe again. "In a few days, Enos here will have your new identity. You'll travel by caravan west a few days to the town of Saltmarsh. She sits right on the inlet to the Hool Marsh, so is a ripe place for smuggling and other sorts of illegal activity. See what you can find and send reports back to me."

Andwise
"Perhaps a merchant then? Perhaps seeking to establish trade there? A little snooping, a little questioning; perhaps they will approach you." the captain says, blowing smoke across his desk to settle around your head.

Andwise
The captain seems like he is just testing you, looking to see if you would have a reaction to the smoke. Or, as you contemplate, he may just not like you for some reason. You have not had any dealings with him, so it may be halflings in general.

Leaving, you and Enos return to your apartment where he leaves you. "It'll be few days, Andy. Festival has us worn thinner 'n' a gray hair. Should be able t' get you what ya need by week's end."