"I don't understand... is that a joke?" Mindartis asks.

Del looks like resisting for a moment - seems a bit too shady - but then he looks at Raven. Of course I have your back Sister. And, of course I feel like everything is connected, so we'll learn something out of this.

"Are you to lead us to him, or am I suppose to just meet him at the usual place?"  Raven asks the goblin as she gives the others a smile of gratitude. Then she glances to her mom.  "I really am working on doing better, just please trust me..."

Eggric, hugging the gravy boat to his chest and sipping from the ladle, says, "Yeah, Crow knows the shop. But Eggric excourt you if Crow Girl nervous."

"I know the way."  Raven says with a shake of her head.  "Just wanted to make sure the meet wasn't happening somewhere else."

A little low on funds to afford one of the floating platforms that ferry people from one tree to the other above the ground, Raven leads the party along the maze of branches on foot, passing through some residential neigborhoods and an industrial area, and finally reaching the thorny branches of Locust. The party takes a lift to what seems to be the topmost habitable branch...nothing lives above this level but the pixies and squirrels. There are only four buildings on this branch, and three of them seem to be closed and boarded up.

The remainng building is a dilapidated shop that appears to be open.  The sign above the window says, "Sharky's One-Legged Sock Shop."  There are signs in the window as well, along with displays of ugly, misshapen, lumpy odd socks.  One notice says, "Why be forced to buy two when you only need one?" Another says, "Hand-knitted cosies for peg legs: puce, mauve, chartreuse, grey, and now in ochre!"  You enter the shop (against your better judgement.)

Sitting in a cushioned chair sized for a considerably larger being sits a goblin, knitting. Tagec looks up over his knitting and says, "Raven! I heard you were back.  How was your trip, apart from extremely short?"

Elwin had remained silent for the most part. The goblin falling onto the table had been a surprise, but everything after that seemed to have been a whirlwind. And the trip here, to the... sock shop... again just showed him yet again how little of the world he'd really seen.

Upon entering the shop, his eyebrows went up at the sight of a goblin knitting. Then they narrowed. Socks? Really? Such obvious doublespeak--no wonder Raven's mother was concerned. But Elwin couldn't quite tell what the meaning behind the cover was. As the goblin began interacting with Raven, Elwin began looking around the shop--touching nothing, but scrutinizing everything that wasn't covered up.

Elwin wants to understand what's going on in this shop. He'll take a full ten minutes if he has it, otherwise I suppose it'll be a Perception check instead.

Investigation Check: 8
Perception Check: 9

Elwin discovers socks...many of them.  Poorly knitted, with cheap, lumpy wool yarn in ghastly colors.  Probably all made by this very goblin.  It's quite obvious that the shop can't be staying in business on these, especially since there does not seem to be any back stock under the counters: everything in the shop is out on display. There are even a few empty displays. It's clear that this place is a front for something.  Elwin can't be sure exactly what, though. There is no sign of contraband merchandise being hidden anywhere.

Noticing Elwin peering at one of the empty display racks, Tagec says peevishly, "A couple of weeks ago, a colorblind pirate was sightseeing in the town, came to the store, and went on a shopping spree. I've been trying to recover form the losses ever since. I still suspect someone was pulling a prank."

"Yes very short."  Raven says with a sigh.  "Do you know what is going on in the Fens to have my father send me away?"  She glances to the others and does not make introductions.

As we started out, Del says goodbye to Marita and Ullithil, then comments That was sudden, not even settled before the next episode. In the sockery, he is just trying to follow along, having no idea other than to help Raven out if needed

Mindartis approaches one of the racks of socks. "I've never seen socks made this way before..." he mutters, inspecting them for their quality.

"Well, Raven, you know how it works," says Tagec. "Nothing for free. I could give you information on the fens...but I would need something in return."

"Whether it was fate, or skill, or dumb luck, you and your new friends seem to have a knack for finding missing people.  I need you to find Huark for me."

"Well I didn't figure you were asking me here to say hi..."  Raven says with a raised eyebrow.  "I can't speak for the others, but what I want in exchange for helping you out, at least to start, is information on what is going on in the fens."

"Right," says Tagec. "We understand each other.  There's favors you do for friends, and there's business, which you get paid for. Find Huark for me. I will tell you what I know about what's happening in the fens, and pay one hundred gold pieces besides. If I'm very happy with your work, I may pay out bonus money, or keep you informed in the future, if I happen to hear anything you might find interesting. My agents are in every city and one-horse village in Talaveroth."  He frowns. "Except, for the moment, in this one. Which is why I need you."

"What happened to Huark?"  Raven asks.  "Do you have any information on his last whereabouts or what he was doing when he disappeared?"

"Well," he says.  "I will fill you in on the situation.  The Free City Bowling Championship is going on.  The Locust Weasels were matched against a new team, the Castletown Crickets. The Weasels wanted info on the opposition, but didn't have the scratch to pay.  Against my usual policy, I agreed to scout the Crickets and be paid later out of their winnings, if any. Hey, they're locals, right? It was no big deal, the Crickets were a gardening club who were just bowling for something to do in the off season. The Weasels slaughtered them. I figured they might be reluctant to pay up under the circumstances, so I told the gobs to take Huark with them when they went to collect. Huark inspires compliance. It wasn't about the ten gold, it was about principles and getting respect."

"Anyway, they went to the Weasel Pit to collect the loot, only Huark didn't turn up.  The bowling team just laughed at the gobs and said they could have won without my help, and weren't paying a copper. Instead of coming to me for directions, the gobs gathered ALL my scouts and went to confront the Weasels in force. In their home tavern.  On a busy night, with their buddies all around them. The gobs got pulverized, and now all my information collectors are bruised, hiding, and in disgrace. I'm down to Eggric, and he's an idiot." He shakes his head. "Most goblins are, I admit."

"So. I need to know where Huark went to.  I am not happy with him, and he needs to have a good excuse. And I need him back on the team, NOW.  He has a house down on the fifth branch, Number 8. And he has a day job on Hickory in the liftworks. And I would think he wouldn't be too hard to find, because he's the only ogre living in the Free City."

"Very well." raven says with a nod.  She glances to the others.  "Anyone have any questions they wish to ask?" 

Listening intently, Elwin smiled from behind an empty back rack as the truth of the matter became clear. He'd been on the wrong side of the law himself many times as a youth--pickpocketing, fraud, even some burglary--but had never gotten into anything like this. It had always had an air of mystery about it to him--but it always seemed as if the kids who spent more time talking, or even studying, and less fighting, were the ones picked up by the Slate City networks, and who wanted to hang with them? Which he eventually considered a blessing in disguise, once he learned secondhand of some of the risks of the business, and of the true nature of many of those running such organizations.

He peered over at the knitting goblin again. This 'Tagec' might run this network, but he didn't appear to be the assassinating type. Then again, appearing not to be such would be an excellent cover for actually being such. Elwin shook his head, his smile downgraded to a not-so-confident smirk. There were lots of plots and schemes and deceptions with these sorts--trying to think through them all got tiresome. Still, if all this goblin wanted was for them to find an ogre--the only one living in the city--then surely they could oblige him.

The warlock strode back up to the rest of the group, answering Raven's question: "Just one. Where do you want to begin?"

Quentin has clearly been uncomfortable and out of his element the entire time they've spent in the shop. He has stayed quiet and in the back, resisting the urge to clean everything. As they have been given an adventure Quentin pays attention and answers Elwin's question with, "His home would the be the logical stop." 

"Agreed."  Raven confirms.  "Check out his home first, then try his place of employment."