Chapter One - The Adventure Begins

Rand takes a hard look to read Keygan.

Toe says in low voice, "Master Keygan. If you're in trouble somehow - being extorted, blackmailed? We can help. If this is somehow tied to the kidnappings, time is of the essence. Think of the orphans! We don't know what these kidnappers are capable of. We believe they may be slavers. Please, if you know anything... before we lose all trace of the poor kids."

Standing near the door, Fhenryl is watching the lockmaker's interaction with Toe intently. The halfling and Kija seemingly having a firm handle on the situation, he will simply make sure that Keygan doesn't try anything stupid, like running off to a hidden backdoor to attempt to flee, for example.

At some point he will have a discreet look outside, making sure that no-one is spying on them, or trying to come into the shop. He will discourage eventual customers by barring the door and grunting gruffly: "Place is closed, there's been a death in the family...Now, git !" to anyone looking like they may want to barge in.

Keygan nods at Toe and returns to the counter saying rather loudly, "I'm sorry I couldn't be more help to you all. I wish you the best of luck in your investigation." As he talks, he grabs an ink pen and a piece of paper and scrawls a hurried message: "Upstairs. Always watching. Please help."

"Fhennryl...come look at this for a moment. I think this is exactly the item we were looking for." Kija sees the note and turns to the nearest item for sale. She holds on hand near her face, pointing up above her. She hopes to alert the half-elf to the trouble upstairs without being noticed.

Fhenryl sizes up the situation in an instant, and imperceptibly nods his head while holding the enchantress's eye to signal he understands. He then says loudly for anyone to hear: "Nah, way too small, too fragile. What we need is something more like this... here, let me show you. Two-swords, give me that paper, I'll draw it out for you !"
Walking decidedly towards the counter, he grabs the paper that Keygan had scribbled on, takes one quick look at the message -at which point he takes a second to stare wordlessly right at the gnome, then at Toe standing next to him- then grabs the ink pen and writes the following message, for all to see:

Badies are upstars?
I go out, den climbe thru weendow.
Anyoen come with ?
Love, Fhen.

He says loudly and a tad stiffly: "See? This is what I want, not this puny thing there... We're wasting our time here ! I have better things to do that fiddle with these gnomish trinkets !"
He then turns to face Rand, Jaqir and Kija, with his back to the curtain, and there's a very strange nervous tick distorting his facial features. After a moment, they all realize this must be the ranger's attempt at winking.

He then very purposefully and very blatantly leaves the shop, stomping his feet for effect.

Once in the street he will look for a discreet way to scale the building to make it to the upper floor.

Jaqir stands quietly by, his hood drawn up as the locksmith interaction goes on. When he sees Fhenryl's note, he nods at him and thumps his chest once, following the other's lead in noisily leaving the shop.

Toe says in deliberately loud voice (but not so loud to make it seem obvious). "That's alright Master Ghelve. If you hear anything let us know."

Toe stealthily moves back to where the party is. He whispers "Stairs going up. I can scout it out and come back to report. If you hear me scream that's your cue that I'm in trouble and come to my rescue." He winks at the party. He proceeds to very carefully go beyond the curtains and walk up the stairs.

Fhen freezes on his way out of the shop as he remembers the iron bars on the windows outside. Stifling a curse, he swiftly whirls about and subtly dives into a crouch behind the counter, making his way behind Toe as they both start to advance stealthily towards the red curtains. He gives Jaqir and the remainder of the group a nod as he grabs a grim-looking stone warhammer with a short wooden handle wrapped in leather with one hand, and a small cleaver made out of sharpened, dented bone and covered in tribal markings in the other, then returns his focus towards the back of the shop, soon climbing up the stairs on the halfling's heels.

Rand nods acknowledging Toe. Then makes eye contact with Dracone while slowly drawing his mace from his belt and quietly waits for Toes signal.

Jaqir attempts to perceive.

Kija starts to follow up the stairs, but stops, remembering she shouldn't go barging in when bigger people with swords are there for that reason. She ducks behind one of the displays/chairs near the hearth and readies herself, taking out her crossbow but not loading it so it doesn't make any noise.