Chapter 1 - Summer

Sans approaches a servant girl carrying a bucket of water, and asks her the whereabouts of the Baron's quarters.

He wants to ascertain the security of such quarters, and use this inspection as an excuse to gain audience.
"After all, we want to ensure the man does not get kidnapped again," he says as he explains his thinking to Ellaine. "Now, If I had just had a close call with those bandits, I'd have several men guarding doors and windows... Let's see what measures the Baron has put in place..."

He lowers his voice, "unless of course he knew exactly that another attempt will not be tried... Or unless he wanted to be whisked away..."

"The city is more of my specialty, gentlemen." Aloys said as they left the more prosperous part of the village and made their way into the more ruined, poorer parts. The smell was what he noticed first. Poverty always had its unique scents, a mixture of unpleasantry that let you know that where you were was not great. The city reeked of piss, shit, and other industries that could not be allowed near "proper" businesses and residences. It seemed that the same was true here.

Aloys grew more quiet as they entered in, his eyes scanning the ramshackled housings and dark parts of the town. Servants of the Queen may not be looked on too kindly here, even if they weren't responsible for their danger.

San's & Elaine ~
The serving girl curtsies and leads you to a back stair. She directs you to the second floor where you'd find a short hallway and the door to the Baron's room. The polished wooden fixtures give the hall the smell of beeswax. It'd be clear there are no personal guards posted round his room.

Aloys ~
You'd be absolutely sure that no one has followed you.

Your keen ability to Notice things would also alert you to the fact that an old man tried to furtively enter a nearby building after seeing the three of you approach. The building has a sign above its door--the sign is painted with a stylized fox and a stylized hound of some sort.

"Gentlemen..." Aloys says, stopping for a moment in the road as he watches the old man struggle to get into the establishment. The Fox and Hound, a rough tavern that notable ne'er-do-wells tended to frequent. It may have been a place that their would-be kidnappers could've been planning things. At least if he remembers the conversation well enough. "...that is the Fox and Hound. Elaine learned that could be where the ruffians could've recruited their number or even planned the ambush."

"If you two want to go in, I'll circle around and see if there is another way in. If they're having clandestine meetings there, I doubt they're in the common room. Maybe I can sneak in and find out something more while you two question folks and be the big distraction?" Aloys, for his more criminal origin, wasn't shy about using it for their benefit. "If there is nothing, I'll just come in and join you both a moment later. Fair?"

Isaac nods his head at Aloy's plan "More than fair. Come Mathis, let us go introduce oursleves."

Heading toward the Fox and Hounds entrance, he adjusts his rapier and throwing knives, just in case, and walks through the door.

Issac ~

You enter the tavern with Mathis. You'd immediately be hit by the pungent scent of stale, dried wine (maybe vomit mixed in there). The place is cramped, dark, and stuffy.



A full room of furrowed brows and bad attitudes stare at you as you cross the threshold.

Aloys ~

Behind the tavern is a cramped little yard that contains a small shack. A man stands in that shack, his hairy back to you, as he chops the heads off fish with a cleaver--he throws the heads in the dirt behind him and the bodies in a wicker basket.

There is a backdoor that can be assumed to lead to a kitchen. Anything else the former thief would note of interest?

After the servant girl is gone, Sans makes a waiting gesture to Elaine, then steps softly towards the unguarded door. He leans his scarred ear to it, in an attempt to overhear any noises or conversations happening beyond it.

Sans ~
(raise) You'd be certain the baron is alone in his room--no speaking, no additional footsteps, etc.

In fact, you can hear him poking the fire with an iron periodically.

Aloys waits for his comrades to enter into the tavern before he circles around the back, his steps as quiet as he can be. He makes his way to that backdoor and peeks through any window to see if it just led to a kitchen or anywhere else. He also checked to see if there was anyone else inside there working with the man cutting off heads at the shack.

Issac feels his eyes tearing up as the smell gets to him. Wiping them dry, he steps a bit further in and looks around. He's played in grimy taverns similar to this, but by Clock, the smell was at least better in those! He hopes Aloys finishes quickly so they can leave post haste.

In an almost bellowing tone, he calls out to the patrons "Fellow drunkards! First off, a little light and a fresh breeze would do wonders for this place! Secondly, my comrade and I are investigating the attempted hikacking of His Honor, The Highness, Lord Baron. Some birds tweeted that the ruffians responsible plotted said attempt at this very establishment! For a free drink, top shelf, courtesy of my comrade, would anyone care to tell us more?"

Aloys ~

You'd see that the man choppin' fish in the little shack is along. His rhythm of *slap*, *tonk*, *schwap* keeps him occupied and he never looks up from his work.

You'd also find two dirty, grimed, cracked windows to look through. One looks in to a small kitchen where a bored boy stirs a great pot of fish stew over a small fire. The other looks in on a low ceilinged backroom--it has a large table with chairs, a utilitarian lookin' shelf and that's about it. Although...yes: there's something on the floor next to one of the chairs. Cloth article of some sort--but the window is too caked to make it out clearly.

Issac ~At your offer of free, expensive, drinks so folks lick there lips, eagerness in their eyes.

But all the patrons turn their heads to look at one man at the bar. His stool *screeetches* as he stands up.

His clothes are dirty, but stylish. His sword belt is chipped and scarred. But the blade sheathed there looks well cared for--and well used if the hilt is any indication.

Two gear lock pistols dangle from is shoulder and waist, respectively. He smiles and considers your words--it's clear by his demeanor he is starting unfriendly to your cause...

Mathis side-eyes Issac at the line "courtesy of my comrade."

Aloys peers through the windows, studying the grounds for a moment, before testing the door himself to see if it opens or not. If it does not, he fishes out two pieces of metal wires and quietly tries to go to work. It wasn't as nice as an actual pair of lockpicks and other locksmithing tools but it was at least enough to maybe get through the rickety door.

Inside the Tavern ~
The bravo's face cracks into a sarcastic smile. He seems to like the idea of free drinks, granted he still seems neutral to you and your cause.

"One drink eh? Come off it friend. Surely," he opens his arms and hands to gesture at the whole room, "we could all use a drink. Sounds like ya want us ta be sticking our necks out here. Information has a way of being paid in blood, eh friends?"



Folk round the room nod at this statement.

Aloys ~With a satisfying *click* the inner bar slides out of place, gaining you entrance to the kitchen.

---

(Post Roll) Alloys, if you were to slip in to the kitchen, the boy stirring the stew would not notice you at all. He just stares at the bubbling broth, picking his nose now and then.



The kitchen is a clutter of sharp and rusty objects, leaning shelves and rotting foodstuffs.

A door leads out of the kitchen, and you can assume into the back of tavern room--it'd be clear to you which direction is the private room you saw through the window.

Elaine mostly keeps quiet while Sans is leading their impromptu investigation, not wanting to distract the much more stealthy than herself man from his eavesdropping for the good of the law, and instead opting to keep an eye for any accidental intruders. Earlier, when they are ascending to the second floor, she noted the lack of people here - but you never know which inopportune moment some clueless person decides that they suddenly have to go and interrupt.

When Sans pulls away from the door, she quietly notes: "I don't believe the baron was involved in this situation: he displayed way too much emoion during and after, and I have my reservations about believing him to be a good actor." Elaine frown slightly. "It is equally as possible that this kidnapping was staged by the guild and that it was an attack against the guild supporters. I propose we inquire Baron about his whereabouts in the last few days first, and see whether it aligns with Rene's notes. Wouldn't be the first time if a valet were much more involved in the web of intrigue than a noble they serve..."

"You might be right." He nods to Elaine, "He seems alone, in there. Go ahead, the Baron will find you rather more pleasing on the eye," he steps aside and gestures to the door.

Elaine gives Sans a rather skeptical look at his last comment - though accompanied by an amused twitch of her lips, - and then knocks on the door. "Excuse me, Baron? This is the Gold Coats. Sorry for the disturbance, but we want to ask you some more questions about the recent events, as some new information came up in our investigation. Your cooperation would be paramount to ensure that we catch whoever planned this kidnapping."