He waits to hear the old mans response and adds "Omen, I'll follow what you have to say on this one. I trust your judgement"Qiv defers to Omens experience as an ex City Watch, knowing he'll have an idea of what proof of the operation here will actually add up to something.
"What'll you do? If we let you go?" Red asks the man cautiously.
"I'll go t' Seaton, I guess. Gotta sister there. Find work on the docks maybe. I dunno. But I'll do whatever ye' wan' me to do. Ye' want me to help ye' burn the place? I kin do that first if ye' want."
"I toldja. We're just traders, movin' cargo. Doin' it out of the way, so t' keep the royal eye off us, if y'know what I mean."
"Sanbalet, he's, well, he's sort of an arcane scholar o' sorts. Into illusion and mind control 'n stuff like that. Hidden knowledge and whatnot. But we jus' move cargo, mostly."
"There were ten or eleven of us at the house - at least 'till you killed the twins and the boy. And when you let me go that'll leave you with even less. What're you want with Sanbalet?"
Speaking to Omen "Do you think we have enough evidence to satisfy the Council? They asked for physical proof. This mans given us some leads, but we have no real proof." Concern is evident in his voice.
"Not that often. We got some tasty brandy, n' some fancy cloth right now. Sometimes we move weapons - swords n' morningstars n' stuff. Wine. Stuff like that."
"Sanbalet n' his hobgoblin buddies are in the caverns under the house. I jus' row the boat an' carry crates."
"Not that often." Red repeats flatly. "Meaning you have done it before." She folds her arms and hugs herself, unable to not think about their boat trip to the island. "Were you by any chance expecting a shipment of slaves recently or at least around this time? And maybe a shipment of daggers?"
Omen responds to Qivy's question: "No my friend this does not constitute evidence. We have our observation and the statement of a prisoner, which is coerced. What we need is solid proof. All this does is give us cause to investigate further, though I fear will only lead us into more conflict.'"
Omen pause for a moment then continues. "I am sorry Kas but, burning this place down is not an option right now."
"Though this place may prove more useful than we think."Omen thinks to himself.
(OCC: What better place to establish a base of operation than to clear and take possession of an abandon property.....lol :D...just a thought.)
"Were you by any chance expecting a shipment of slaves recently or at least around this time? And maybe a shipment of daggers?"
The old man spits into the split copper cask and shrugs uncomfortably. "Oh we ain't slavers, if that's what you're thinkin'. We barely move any slaves. I prefer cargo that don't fight back. The Sea Princes - now them's slavers. But I don't know 'bout any daggers. Sometimes we've run daggers and knives 'n stuff. I dunno one shipment from th' next."
Red feels her mouth stretch into something more a snarl than her usual grin. "Maybe it's just me, but I don't think being only a part-time slaver is any better than being a full-time slaver."She's not sure if she's disappointed or relieved to find this outfit has nothing to do with the people who were carting them about. It would have been nice to get rid of them now, but she wasn't sure they were strong enough for that.
"Any trafficking of people, no matter the race, is abhorrent. If we can stop even a minor operation I feel it's our duty to shut it down."Qivys' voice has a note of sadness mixed with hatred.
The old man becomes uncomfortable at Red's reaction. "I don't like slaves!" he says defensively. "I mean, I don' like slavers. The Sea Princes is who ye' want, not us. We barely move any slaves!"
To Omen and Qivys, "I dunno 'bout proof or evidence or whatnot, but ye' oughta talk to Sanbalet maybe, not me. He keeps papers and books 'n stuff in his room - that's the room Stumpy was hiding in - the lady with the bow ye' blew up. He's got all sortsa books and stuff in there."
"Listen, I gotta git goin'. My sister's waitin' for me in Seaton. Ye' mind untyin' me and lettin' me hit the road? Promise I'll go straight away. I pledge to Procan that's the truth."
"Is the only way into the room Stumpy went into is the door in the room below?" Omen asks. "Oh and what is your name?"
Omen will take the rope from around the Old Man's neck. AS he does he will tell the old man: " Understand this, Your debt to us is not yet paid. You delighted in our near deaths and have made an attempt on our lives." Omen pauses.
"If you return you will die." Omen says matter of factly.
Omen hands the old man 1 G.P. "Here, take this for your trip and as down payment on 1 future demand on your time." Omen tells him.
With that Omen will untie the old man.
Omen looks to the rest of the party. "Anything else our new found friend needs to know?" he asks them.
The old man rubs his neck where the rope had been, and swiftly pockets the gold piece. "Uh. They call me 'Marbles'," he mumbles. "Yeah, Sanbalet's room only has one door. But there's a slidin' panel behind the shelves in the cellar t' get to th' caverns," he adds.
Kas has been hanging back, listening to the others question the old man."Before you get lost, Marbles, I really need you to tell me where you unloaded your stuff. After you picked it up off of the ships, where did you put it? Is there a warehouse of sorts, and how well-guarded is it?"
(OOC: I think we're going to have to go check out Sanbalet's room now, even though we're taking a risk. Otherwise he may have time to clear it out.)
Marbles exhales nervously. In a low voice, he says "There's a sea cave below. Leads to th' stock cavern. Not a lot there right now. Sanbalet's got a coupl'a goblins watchin' the entrance that way. Big orange buggers. Nasty bows."
"You puttin' me at real risk here talkin' 'bout this stuff. Sanbalet'd kill me in a hot second. How 'bout another gold or two so I can keep a extra low profile for awhile?"
"Your alive because we choose to let you be. That is enough for now....Marbles." Omen says in a tone that leaves no room for negotiation. "Now go Marbles, we will be in touch." Omen uses Prestidigitation to let lightning sparks cross his eyes to prove his point.
Once Marbles is gone Omen will turn to the group and ask.
"Ok, what suggestions does everyone have to approach the room behind the locked door and the cavern?"
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Red
"What'll you do? If we let you go?" Red asks the man cautiously. She'd take his answer with a grain of salt of course, but might as well ask.
Qivys
He waits to hear the old mans response and adds "Omen, I'll follow what you have to say on this one. I trust your judgement" Qiv defers to Omens experience as an ex City Watch, knowing he'll have an idea of what proof of the operation here will actually add up to something.
"I'll go t' Seaton, I guess. Gotta sister there. Find work on the docks maybe. I dunno. But I'll do whatever ye' wan' me to do. Ye' want me to help ye' burn the place? I kin do that first if ye' want."
Omen
Omen speaks to the old man firmly. "Tell us what you know then, stop playing around." he glares at him.
"What is this place? Who is Sanbalet? What are you all doing here? How many of there are you here?" Omen asks.
Omen sighs, "You are trying my patience."
"I toldja. We're just traders, movin' cargo. Doin' it out of the way, so t' keep the royal eye off us, if y'know what I mean."
"Sanbalet, he's, well, he's sort of an arcane scholar o' sorts. Into illusion and mind control 'n stuff like that. Hidden knowledge and whatnot. But we jus' move cargo, mostly."
"There were ten or eleven of us at the house - at least 'till you killed the twins and the boy. And when you let me go that'll leave you with even less. What're you want with Sanbalet?"
Omen
Omen thinks over the mans's words. "10 to 11 plus a mage."
"We have been asked to investigate what is going on here and" Omen pauses, "Return with our findings to the town magistrate."
"What cargo are moving?" Omen asks. "Slaves?"
Qivys
Speaking to Omen "Do you think we have enough evidence to satisfy the Council? They asked for physical proof. This mans given us some leads, but we have no real proof." Concern is evident in his voice.
"Not that often. We got some tasty brandy, n' some fancy cloth right now. Sometimes we move weapons - swords n' morningstars n' stuff. Wine. Stuff like that."
"Sanbalet n' his hobgoblin buddies are in the caverns under the house. I jus' row the boat an' carry crates."
Red
"Not that often." Red repeats flatly. "Meaning you have done it before." She folds her arms and hugs herself, unable to not think about their boat trip to the island. "Were you by any chance expecting a shipment of slaves recently or at least around this time? And maybe a shipment of daggers?"
Omen
Omen responds to Qivy's question: "No my friend this does not constitute evidence. We have our observation and the statement of a prisoner, which is coerced. What we need is solid proof. All this does is give us cause to investigate further, though I fear will only lead us into more conflict.'"
Omen pause for a moment then continues. "I am sorry Kas but, burning this place down is not an option right now."
"Though this place may prove more useful than we think." Omen thinks to himself.
(OCC: What better place to establish a base of operation than to clear and take possession of an abandon property.....lol :D...just a thought.)
The old man spits into the split copper cask and shrugs uncomfortably. "Oh we ain't slavers, if that's what you're thinkin'. We barely move any slaves. I prefer cargo that don't fight back. The Sea Princes - now them's slavers. But I don't know 'bout any daggers. Sometimes we've run daggers and knives 'n stuff. I dunno one shipment from th' next."
Red
Red feels her mouth stretch into something more a snarl than her usual grin. "Maybe it's just me, but I don't think being only a part-time slaver is any better than being a full-time slaver." She's not sure if she's disappointed or relieved to find this outfit has nothing to do with the people who were carting them about. It would have been nice to get rid of them now, but she wasn't sure they were strong enough for that.
Qivys
"Any trafficking of people, no matter the race, is abhorrent. If we can stop even a minor operation I feel it's our duty to shut it down." Qivys' voice has a note of sadness mixed with hatred.
The old man becomes uncomfortable at Red's reaction. "I don't like slaves!" he says defensively. "I mean, I don' like slavers. The Sea Princes is who ye' want, not us. We barely move any slaves!"
To Omen and Qivys, "I dunno 'bout proof or evidence or whatnot, but ye' oughta talk to Sanbalet maybe, not me. He keeps papers and books 'n stuff in his room - that's the room Stumpy was hiding in - the lady with the bow ye' blew up. He's got all sortsa books and stuff in there."
"Listen, I gotta git goin'. My sister's waitin' for me in Seaton. Ye' mind untyin' me and lettin' me hit the road? Promise I'll go straight away. I pledge to Procan that's the truth."
Omen
Omen considers all this.
"Is the only way into the room Stumpy went into is the door in the room below?" Omen asks. "Oh and what is your name?"
Omen will take the rope from around the Old Man's neck. AS he does he will tell the old man: " Understand this, Your debt to us is not yet paid. You delighted in our near deaths and have made an attempt on our lives." Omen pauses.
"If you return you will die." Omen says matter of factly.
Omen hands the old man 1 G.P. "Here, take this for your trip and as down payment on 1 future demand on your time." Omen tells him.
With that Omen will untie the old man.
Omen looks to the rest of the party. "Anything else our new found friend needs to know?" he asks them.
The old man rubs his neck where the rope had been, and swiftly pockets the gold piece. "Uh. They call me 'Marbles'," he mumbles. "Yeah, Sanbalet's room only has one door. But there's a slidin' panel behind the shelves in the cellar t' get to th' caverns," he adds.
The four of you stand near the window in the damp, moldy scullery, near the "haunted" stairway to the wine cellar, and the door to the kitchen.
Marbles, the newly-freed old man, is gingerly preparing to exit the kitchen and leave for the city of Seaton.
What are your next moves?
Kasimir:
Kas has been hanging back, listening to the others question the old man. "Before you get lost, Marbles, I really need you to tell me where you unloaded your stuff. After you picked it up off of the ships, where did you put it? Is there a warehouse of sorts, and how well-guarded is it?"
(OOC: I think we're going to have to go check out Sanbalet's room now, even though we're taking a risk. Otherwise he may have time to clear it out.)
Marbles exhales nervously. In a low voice, he says "There's a sea cave below. Leads to th' stock cavern. Not a lot there right now. Sanbalet's got a coupl'a goblins watchin' the entrance that way. Big orange buggers. Nasty bows."
"You puttin' me at real risk here talkin' 'bout this stuff. Sanbalet'd kill me in a hot second. How 'bout another gold or two so I can keep a extra low profile for awhile?"
Omen
"Your alive because we choose to let you be. That is enough for now....Marbles." Omen says in a tone that leaves no room for negotiation. "Now go Marbles, we will be in touch." Omen uses Prestidigitation to let lightning sparks cross his eyes to prove his point.
Once Marbles is gone Omen will turn to the group and ask.
"Ok, what suggestions does everyone have to approach the room behind the locked door and the cavern?"