Café de Nuit

WATCH-HOUSE



The watchmen provide space in their barracks for the adventurers to get some much-needed sleep, bathe, and so on.
At all times watchmen accompany them, and the party members are not allowed their arms and armor yet, as they have not yet set out against Aldron Folbre.



TITUS, on the STREET

During this time, DAMIEN takes the risky step of entering the watch-house and asking after Fild.
He returns about thirty minutes later, and tells TITUS in a whisper,

" Titus, it turns out Aldron Folbre set us up! He tried to murder the lady and our friends! They got away from the ambush, but fell into the hands of the night watch. I'm not clear on how it all played out, but Alfonse cut a deal with the other bigwigs. We help them against Folbre and the stuff we did last night goes away. Seems that maybe Folbre's got that fellow who was going to marry Elissa. That's the thinking, anyway..."

He yawns.

"I'm really tired. Tired of running. And I want to get paid. Folbre owes us, so I say we help the others and get the loot. Um, and stop a villain and all that good stuff you believe in, right?"

As hours pass, Fild rests uneasily, turning and tossing. The events are clearly bothering him.
"We started a war...", "...stupid...", "...nobles...", "...noooo..." he mutters in his sleep.

Tom has hard time to fall asleep. he never liked Aldron and is actually happy with the deal, he wants to see this noble pay for what he did. Set them up to assassins, try to kill Elissa and blame Savelle's provoking a war is to much for the half -elf to forgive. He looks at Gertie, this isn't the life he wants his sister to have, she deserves to live a normal one without being held in barracks or in prison or even more followed by assassins...Tom plans to have a chat with his sister when she is up and try to convince her to not taking part to the mission, she can stay at Frisky Friar, go fishing and whatever she likes. With that thought he finally manages to sleep.

Titus scratches his head.

"A setup, you say? All to murder some poor woman." He shakes his head, feeling even more tired than he did before. "What is going on in this city?" He sighs. "Of course we should help deal with Folbre. Both for the sake for justice, and for the sake of compensation."

Alsonse sleeps like the dead once given a bed, waking when the sun comes up the next day. He sits down to study his spells, flipping to his most dangerous incantation. "No more being caught helpless," he says. He gestures to a passing guard, asking for coffee to shake the last corners of sleep from his mind.

AFTER THE PARTY HAS RESTED FOR EIGHT HOURS


Watchmen wake the sleeping burglars and escort them to the big room with the round table.

Warm afternoon light falls through the small ceiling- windows of the chamber, and the air inside smells of pine oil and soap. The floor looks well scrubbed.

The watchers indicate several empty chairs at or near the table.

"Make yourselves at home. We are eating an early supper soon. Capt'n says you can use the room until then for planning and such. They're trying to find somebody to give you information, one who's been inside Folbre House several times, knows the place."
The bushy-bearded Watch sergeant shrugs.
"His followers seem pretty few and far between, out there in the streets. Queerest faction fight I've seen. Some of his men were spotted as they pulled back onto his estate. But why aren't they doing anything? "

Fild is still gloom about it all.
"First, I am not still convinced Aldon Foeble did that in his own free will. He may have been under a spell or other influence. His plan had a lot of holes; A Savelle uniform next to the murdered girl, in a place she would be found?
Wouldn't that have drawn suspicions from you, the watch, that something was amiss? Wouldn't you think "that's too easy" or something? I believe it would. And it would also draw the suspicions of the Hoblins, although they would be so distraught about the loss of that brave young girl, that they would strike out at the obvious target never-the-less.

Second, if that's a plot by someone, including Foebles to throw the city into chaos, there may be a plan or something for the obvious, the very obvious, attack that would happen on his estate.
I consider a high possibility that we walk in to find Aldron with a dagger on his back or having made a convenient "suicide" leaving a letter explaining his evil plot and cursing his enemies to throw everyone off the scent of the real puppeteer.

Third, and excuse me for saying that, tell me if I overstep my boundaries... but why should we trust the Savelle Lord? Can we be sure that he didn't conspire with Aldron to throw the city into chaos and strike a massive blow to the Hoblins and later those two had a falling out or pursued different paths to dominate Povero?
For all we know, Richard Savelle may be on a ship thinking he's going to an important mission, or locked in his room while his father plays hurt and manipulates Hoblins and the city to move against the Foebles, because Aldron betrayed him or something."

Then he turns to the mage.
"Signore Alfonse, first, thank you again for saving all of us half a dozen times the past few days.
Second, with your magical knowledge, how easy is it to spell someone to become evil? Or impersonate him with magic?

Signore Titus, could an evil cleric of a treacherous, tricky deity do something like that? Impersonate someone to start a civil war? Or enspell him to change his priorities and put him under his thrall?

Does anyone know how many such individuals are around in a city this big?"

THE MEETING
AT THE ROUND TABLE


DAMIEN takes a seat.
"It makes me nervous. I can't believe there's 'nothing' going on. We must be missing something, maybe..."
He pushes back from the table edge and rubs his tummy.
"Did the sergeant say something about food?"

"Well, even if under a spell or not, Aldron set us up and sent twice his assassins after us. This marks him as villain in my books. Now, about Savelle patron, I doubt he would put his family in such situation. A war against Hoblin's will not benfit him. We need to question Aldron's father though, he is the patron of Folbre family, Aldron is just the heir. We need to make sure he is innocent and was all his son's idea and not an elaborate family plan."

Then turns to Damien and says in thieves cant.

"Remember what Lord Savelle said? Wealthy family with art objects, we can get paid side way."

VAN wrote:"Well, even if under a spell or not, Aldron set us up and sent twice his assassins after us. This marks him as villain in my books. Now, about Savelle patron, I doubt he would put his family in such situation. A war against Hoblin's will not benfit him. We need to question Aldron's father though, he is the patron of Foelbre family, Aldron is just the heir. We need to make sure he is innocent and was all his son's idea and not an elaborate family plan."

Then turns to Damien and says in thieves cant.

"Remember what Savelle said? Wealthy family with art objects, we can get paid side way."

In the Cant, he replies,

"We should pay him a visit. Maybe not tonight because he might be alarmed but for sure soon."

VAN wrote:"We should pay him a visit. Maybe not tonight because he might be alarmed but for sure soon."

Damien nods.

"Didn't the watch sergeant with the big beard say Folbre supporters were pulled back onto the estate? Could be tricky getting in."

"With a strong enough magical practitioner," Alfonse muses, "Nearly anything is possible. But it's also just as possible that Aldron is simply a murderous scoundrel that wanted to see the girl come to harm. Whatever his motivations, her certainly didn't appear ensorcelled when I was speaking with him. Plus, the assassins we encountered were members of his house guard who also appeared to be acting freely."

Rarely ever did he truly wish to assist in these matters. His master had had him travel far and wide, just so he would never get caught up in the politics and webs of death that cities often held. Yet, something always tugged at him to at least help in some way. Good must still be done.

A fellow entered the room quietly so as not to disturb the conversation. Wearing a rather drab tunic and vest of green and brown, with trousers of a hue between them, the gentleman also made sure that when he took a chair, there was vacant space on either side of him. He wasn't paying attention to the conversation at hand, but rather, getting his mind in order so that he could better understand the situation at large. Hard leather boots did mark his passage, and once he sat, an amply stuffed backpack was lain up against the wall nearest him. Bald head, full beard, and furrowed brow made for a brooding expression as the man pulled out a large tome that was attached to his hip, and opened to a new page. Drawing out an ink and pen, the gentleman situated himself properly, and then addressed the group.

"My name is Lowen Delinus. I apologize if I am late, and I apologize for not knowing exactly what is going on. I've been in the region as of late, but never paid attention to local news up until recently."

Tom looks at the newcomer and smiles. Finally arrived someone that can assist them.

"Hello, I'm Tom and these are Damien, Fild, Alfonse, Titus and my sister Gertie. Happy to make your acquaintance. Local news weren't that important till ysterday...I don't know if you are familiar with the 3 important noble families of Povero, Savelle, Hoblin and Folbre. The city is going to an actual fraction war and we are trying to save Richard Savelle that is missing, probably kidnapped and find out what is going on and if possible Folbre's plans. The Watch Sergeant said that you have been in Lord Folbre's house several times and you can help us get information about them."