Pepper shrugs, used to that role in their pantomimes. She straightens her clothes to look more presentable, and rebraids her silver-white hair tightly. She indicates she is ready and takes a wary position ahead of Cyril and Ashe and Kira or whomever else is being the talker.

"Let's be diplomatic about this. I'll do the talking, if you like," Ashe says to Cyril, then looks at Pepper. "I know you're spoiling for a fight, but let's wait until we've exhausted all other options before we start an incident with one of the dragonmarked houses. Could get us into some serious shit with the brass."

Ashe steps forward to the gate guards and greets them with a smile. "Good day, friends. May the Sovereigns smile upon you and the Six trouble you not! I have an important message for Alden d'Orien. It's very urgent business, so if you would please let my comrades and I through, I would greatly appreciate it. As would Master Alden."

Deception: 11

The guard at the gate nods and lets you pass with a low, "Stay on the path." Before you take five steps along the path towards the magnificent marble home, a unicorn appears and brays loudly, announcing your presence. 

Seated on a patio couch are two figures engaged in quiet conversation: a haggard man in his late thirties and an attentive kalashtar who holds a rose-colored crystal in his hands. Upon the unicorn's announcement, the pair look towards you, as do the pair of guards flanking the patio. The human beckons you forward, then asks tersely, "Well? State your business." 

DC13 Insight:

Pepper’s Insight: 13

Cyril Insight: 26

(Caelyin insight 9)

Caelyn moves in the back as the others speak to the two guards. She looks to the unicorn statue and the yard, it looks so expensive she thinks. This house can afford many things if they are displaying their wealth in such a way. 

As she passes the guards she looks at her own outfit, the leather might be unfitting for such a place. Only to be a bit startled by an actual unicorn announcing their presence. 

When arriving at the pair she makes a short bow, leaning a bit forward as courtesy but just far enough to show respect but not submission. 

As Ashe stated he will do the talking Caelyn waits for him. Instead she gazes at the rose-colored crystal in the hands of the kalashtar. 

Caelyn recognizes the crystal in the kalashtar's hand as a spellshard - it stores information similar to a book. Some wizards use them as spellbooks.

Insight: 13

Ashe gives a small bow. Given the man's sullen attitude, he avoids pleasantries and cuts right to the quick. "We spoke to a warforged named Coal. They claimed you're putting warforged into a pretty dangerous workplace. Their friend was killed just as they were planning to quit. What's the meaning of this?"

Pepper blinks at Ashe’s… tactic? Her eyes move to the toughs, watching them carefully.

Ashe's blunt confrontation causes Alden to become agitated, placing his hands over his face and emitting a strangled scream. Lowering his hands, you see how haggard and worried he is. He blurts out, "It's not me! This wasn't my fault! My only son, Caden, was abducted almost a month ago. I tucked him in one night, and he was gone the following morning with a message in his place. A hulking half-ogre came here a couple of days later, explaining she needed expendable labor and easy transit of said labor and goods. She said as long as I complied, Caden would be returned unharmed when her business was done. But," and at this point his voice cracks and the tears begin to break the barrier of his eyelids, "if I backed out of the deal, or went to the Watch, the half-ogre said she would visit horrors on Caden that would make the Mockery sick. I desperately want to rescue my son but I'm terrified of taking any action and causing Caden harm!" Alden breaks down sobbing after relaying this information and staggers inside.

The kalashtar confidant looks at you and you hear a voice inside your minds - “I have no doubt that Caden will die, regardless of Alden’s actions. Please, save Caden and return him to his father. House Orien would owe you a great debt, and you see how broken the man is. There is an enclosed lift five buildings north of this estate. Look for the medusa inside. Make sure you’re alone, as this lift will take you down to the dig site and, hopefully, Caden.” He then stands quickly, meaning to follow after Alden.

Cyril starts a little at Ashe's blunt introduction, barely managing to cover up his startlement. That was definitely not how he was expecting things to happen. But, by some miracle, it actually seemed to get them somewhere, as the man suddenly broke down in tears and poured out a story of blackmail and kidnapping. Cyril glances over at Ashe for a moment, raising one eyebrow before looking back in the direction that the two men had gone. 

"Well. That was unexpected. Seems we've a small child to find, now."

Pepper says to nobody in particular, “Half-ogre sounds fun.”

Having expected a different approach Caelyn is not yet sure how to react. After hearing the voice inside her head she does her best to hide her thoughts by simply not thinking about anything important untill they have moved away.

Strange, but we should try and help the child. Favor from House Orien could be a great boon in the future. 

When walking back toward the gate Caelyn turns a few times making sure the kalashtar is not around. 

Sure enough, when you exit the grounds and walk north to the fifth building, you can enter through an open set of double glass doors. The main entrance lobby is about 15' x 35', with three regular doors and a single sliding door with a button on the wall next to it. A handwritten sign on an old sheet of parchment is affixed to this door, proclaiming the lift is "Out of Order."

Pepper will stretch her shoulders, make sure her swords are loose in their scabbards, and then glancing at the others, poke the button.

The double doors on the enclosed lift car open to reveal the inside of a 15-foot cube made of stone with etchings of unicorn patterns covering its walls. A magic orb in the ceiling illuminates the lift. Two young adults — a shifter and a well-dressed human — talk nose to nose, cradling each other’s faces in a corner of the elevator, absorbed fully in each other and taking no notice of you.

You also notice the head of a medusa engraved amid all the unicorn heads...

“Out, lovebirds!” Pepper shouts at them.

(Give us an Intimidation check! =)

Pepper’s Intimidation: 8