A Simple Request

Joren thinks for a moment and comes up with his usual idea of just being himself.

"I can be playing the role of the dumb outlander soldier who is walking past Freen, ready for barging right into the mayor Berg's office without having the proper decorum.  I am thinking I can fill that role passing well." he smiles ruefully.  "Possibly distracting Freen if it is forcing her to stop me?"

Lanya grimaces. "Well I suppose none of that is technically illegal. So if this is what we need to do..." With a plan in place, the group strolls through the front door and up to the desk, only to see that Freen is not there.

Samir glances around, fidgeting with his glasses. "It seems odd to me that Ms. Freen is not here. Perhaps she is in conference with the mayor?" He glances at the amulet, wrapped around one wrist like a bracelet so that he can more easily glance at it on the underside of his wrist.

If no one else is in the room besides the party and Lanya, Joren will say apologetically to the latter:

"Apologizing for this, Marshal - please to not being startled.  Taking precaution, being a Khirian Echo Knight in exile, I."

Drawing his greatsword, he summons his echo and positions it in front of the door that he had seen Freen go in to speak with the mayor previously.

"Being on your toes everyone.  This is screaming of an ambush.  They were knowing they had two hours for preparing."

Perception:  12.

Listening at the door, Joren a faint scratching from inside the room a ways, but can make out no other sounds

Lanya's eyes go wide, and though she stays quiet, she gives Joren a perturbed look that says there will be a conversation about this later.

Samir looks at the medallion and sees the usual swaths of blue and red, but even as he looks, a new sliver of red extends out in the direction of the front entrance. It grows thicker and darker by the second.

While the Marshal and the others are distracted by the appearance of Joren’s echo by the chamber door, Malachi takes advantage of the opportunity to quickly flip through Freen’s desk in search of official looking parchment, wax, inks or other materials that would help create a document opening Tensmith.  He slides whatever he finds into his satchel for use later and moves away from the desk.

Investigation:  4. (Passive: 11)

Sleight of hand: 13.

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If Samir shares the information regarding the deepening red line on the medallion, Joren re-positions his echo to be in the air above the front door, pressed against the upper wall, so that it is behind and above anyone who enters, not necessarily visible unless they turn around and look back and up.

He stows his greatsword, ready to draw it at any moment, but otherwise stands with the others as if awaiting a scheduled appointment.

Quietly, he says:  "Something is making a scratching sound from well inside the room behind the mayor's door.  Perhaps being tied up there, someone?  If it is the mayor in there, they may be framing us for capturing him..."

(Not for the first time since this all started, Joren wonders if he is beginning to succumb to paranoia...)

As the group are preparing to enter, Mr Miter turns up running down the corridor with Lanya in tow. As Lanya arrives she greets the group, "hey guys, I found out some information about the tunnel we came in through, not sure how  important it's going to be but it's now being used for explosives and tech storage, signed off by Hardrock, and someone called Andra is moving all the charge rigs there, I reckon they're prepping the site for the cult insurgents to blow it and release the dangers inside."

The newly arrived Lanya looks around and locks eyes with the Lanya who is already with the group, her eyes widen and the new Lanya looks down at herself and quickly mumbles "oh shit yeah," Vilus dissipates his Lanya disguise and dusts himself off slightly, "you, my friend, may have some questions to answer later, but nothing too troublesome, I assure you." Vilus states with a chuckle to the real Lanya, as his original Goliath form settles back into place properly.

Malachi finds a few official documents that would serve well as references, but not much in the way of supplies. He grabs a few quills and an ink pot for good measure, and they slip into his satchel without a sound. Something occurs to him as he looks at the state of the desk though. The first time he was in the hall, he had seen several personal affects on the desk, but they have all been cleared away. He then notices a folded note in the center of the desk. Malachi discreetly pokes it open to peek at the contents. A resignation letter from Freen. No wonder she wasn't at the desk. Had she known she was going to quit when she asked everyone to come back in two hours?

As Samir looks in concern at the red streak on the medallion, Vilus bursts in wearing Lanya's form, and it becomes immediately apparent that he is the source of the red. It flares up a bit as Vilus changes his shape back, and then settles to a less vibrant glow. What had first seemed like a sketchy situation is beginning to take on more mundane explanations. Lanya gawks at Vilus. "So you weren't kidding when you mentioned magic during the interrogation. So wait, how many of you have... special powers?"

Ashley smiles as Vilus returns in Lanya's form.  Of course he would do that.  She looks to Miter, "What trouble has this goliath gotten your boss into?"

When Lanya asks about magic, Ashley shrugs and gives her a sly smile, "Well, there will be more time for parlor tricks later, since the elf isn't here, shall we go in?  I don't like just standing here wondering what is going on.  I mean, we do have an appointment."

Joren brings his echo back to the mayor's door and stands right behind it, ready to open it as long as everyone is in agreement.

So seeming to be multiple Razmus plants working here... Marigold, Andra, maybe even Mayor Berg?

"Yes.  Just being careful.  Something is making a scratching sound in there.  Wanting to check the door for recently-placed traps or alarms anyone?"

(Joren already checked and didn't see anything, though rather clumsily.)

“And the elf will not be returning either, it appears Miss Freen has resigned.  Interesting turn of events in only two hours, though I can’t say I blame her.”  He looks at Ashley and the others sheepishly “I couldn’t help but notice the note on her desk.  But, perhaps we should enter, we can announce ourselves.” 

At Joren’s request, Malachi will look at the doors cautiously for any traps or sign of tampering, and if it looks clear will motion to the Marshal “After you, Marshal.”

Perception: 10.

Investigation: 6.

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When Malachi mentions Freen's resignation, Lanya says "Honestly, that's not surprising."

Malachi checks the door, but sees no signs of recent tampering. With his nod of approval, Lanya knocks on the door and proclaims, "Mayor Berg, It is Marshal Lanya and Officer Miter here for our scheduled meeting." She waits for a response.

A muffled grumbling from inside says, "Oh for pity's-." There is a pause, and then a reserved "Fine, come in."

Lanya opens the door on a large, lavishly decorated board room with a long table dominating the center. Vases of flowers and rich portraits line the walls, and a cabinet along the back houses expensive glassware and an assortment of bottles and crystal decanters. A closer look, however, reveals that many of the flowers are wilting, many surfaces haven't been dusted recenty, and most of the bottles are nearly empty. A thin man with a pot belly and thinning hair looks up from his seat at the far end, quill in hand. "If you've got an appointment, then that is news to me. This is my lunch hour, so your unannounced visit is a parting gift I suppose, from my now ex-secretary."

There is no food before him, though there is a half empty glass of some amber liquid, and an even emptier decanter next to it. He slumps back in his chair and tosses his hands up in defeat. "So what can I do for you, Lanya, and who are your friends here?"

"we.." Vilus begins, gesturing round to the group, "...are here to do something about your mole problem, if you know what I'm saying, and to do that properly, we need some information from you. The sooner we are done, the sooner tensmith opens back up, and the cashflow problem you seem to be having, gets fixed eh?" If there's a seat opposite the mayor sitting at his desk Vilus will sit down, a very business like attitude exuding from the now stoic faced Goliath.

Mayor Berg squints down the long table at Vilus. "I'm not sure I like your tone, boy. But you've caught me in a good mood." This is decidedly untrue. "State your case."

“We apologize for interrupting your lunch, Mayor” Malachi offers a small, polite smile “But we came to deliver a warning, Tensmith is under danger and from more than just spies.   Cultists serving a creature named Razmus are trying to tunnel into the mines using hybrid Ratmen, and I fear they are going to unleash monstrous creatures on the town.  My companions and I have seen them in the tunnels below the city.  We will share what information we have, and if you can answer my companions questions we may be able to get to the bottom of this together.  You will be able to re-open the town and refill your coffers.”  Persuasion: 16.

Malachi will let his companions share their stories and ask their questions as he stands silently.  Flipping a copper piece along the fingers of one hand, he subtly casts Detect Thoughts to determine the surface thoughts of the mayor and his reaction to their story.

Ashley immediately detests this man.  She looks to Lanya to see how she is reacting to how the Mayor has started out this conversation that they are starting.  She wonders if Lanya has this man's ear often or not.  She's glad Vilus and Malachi blow past the bullshit and just dive right into what they need to talk about.  She hangs back, not wanting her emotions to cloud the discussion, willing to add if she finds it necessary, but curious as to how the man will react.  She watches him closely once Malachi puts it all out.

Mayor Berg had started pouring himself another drink, but pauses mid-pour as he listens to Malachi's report. His eyes narrow and flick over to Lanya to se if she'll back up Malachi's words. She nods and says "I believe they are telling the truth, based on my personal interrogation of them, and the evidence that is available at the moment."

Her words are confident and authoritative, but Ashley senses a bit of uncertainty there, like Lanya isn't sure what, if anything, could compel the mayor to act. Once she is done speaking, the mayor immediately turns his rapt attention back to Malachi. "You know, we've already got enough to deal with from the reports of espionage in our walls." He finishes pouring his drink and swirls the glass around a few times. "Do you have evidence to back up this new threat, or would you have me act on your word alone?"

Joren would have left his echo behind and to the side of the door, not visible to Mayor Berg.

But from where he is standing, impassive, listening to the mayor and his companions, the rents and gashes in his chain mail are clearly visible.

As the mayor asks for proof, Ashley thinks of Rana and the gang back at Opportunities Knock.  Honestly, that would have to be the only proof he would need, but she cannot bring herself to subject those people to this awful man.  She watches Lanya and her uncertainty of the mayor concerns Ashley.  Was this the right move to involve this man?  She guesses they had to start somewhere.