DAY 291 (26th Nightal)(December) cont ...
As the evening wore on, Fenrir, quietly pondering the mysteries of life (Arahel, being nine years old only, was not much use at tavern banter), was interrupted by a commotion at another table when a man came in and started shouting at another three men.
As it got out of hand, the landlord sent for the local 'Marshall' but apparently he was out of the village on another matter. At first Fenrir was happy to let things play out, but as trouble brewed he eventually decided to see what the matter was.
In short it was this;
The older man, the accuser, was a carpenter and owner of the local sawmill called Larode Wood. He was convinced one of the men had kidnapped 'His Daphne'.
The three others were all rough seasonal workers of the village known as Gronard Ruma, Hurado Misew and Irim Kredsar.
'All three of you have been watching her all summer! With your hungry eyes! Where is she? I'll murder all three of you. How could you kidnap my Daphne?' demanded Wood.
After asking a few questions and not really getting any answers that he liked Fenrir went over to the sawmill with Wood to take a look. Daphne's room seemed odd to him, there was a bed, but not much else.
There was a bowl of water on the floor.
'Is Daphne a pig?' he asked.
But Wood was not to be drawn on the subject and would only reply, 'She is the apple of me eye!'
Later Arahel took a look at the sawmill and room, and with a more expert eye could see the footprints left by the kidnapper in the soft sawdust of the mill and the smell of poultry in Daphne's room.
Back at the tavern, Fenrir took Arahel outside and said, 'I have a plan, turn into a chicken.' Arahel, always game (hoho!) for anything dutifully turned into a chicken.
At the table where Wood waited, Fenrir presented him with the chicken and said, 'Here she is!'
'That's not Daphne, its a chicken.' replied the carpenter.
'God's dam it all!' growled Fenrir. 'Wood, get over here!'
Then, 'You three!' (To the three suspects) 'Talk to the chicken.'
As Fenrir lost the plot at Wood, demanding to be told what Daphne was, Arahel strutted up and down on the table of the three suspects and began, 'So, one of you has Daphne...'
Of course, as you can imagine, a talking chicken caused quite a stir in the tavern and Fenrir had to calm things down again.
Finally, at long last, they stopped mucking about and started thinking. They looked at the boots of the three men and saw that only Hurado Misew had no sawdust on the soles.
'Get out of here!' he said and Misew left.
'Right, let's just check their houses then.'
They had a fifty-fifty chance of getting it right, but tried Gronard Ruma's abode first, where there was no sign of any shenanigans. Irim Kredsar's house was next and low and behold, there was his wife plucking the body of a dead duck, in preparation for a fine dinner the next day.
'Daphne!' cried Wood, inconsolable.
Well, the case was closed, more or less. If Fenrir or Arahel had thought to ask either of them for an alibi they would have learned that Ruma had been at a council meeting when the kidnapping took place. Perhaps then Daphne would have been found alive.
Neither were detectives (if only Harvel had been there!) and the most basic of questions (e.g. Where were you between five and ten o'clock) had gone unasked.
Partially successful though, they returned to the inn and discovered Cavu sitting patiently in the corner waiting for them.
They went up to his room and after going over the last few days they discussed the ongoing situation.
Among other things Cavu said:
(Referring to Gertrude the White)
''
Well, she rarely tells me everything and she may not know fully herself what is going on in Westgate. You have to understand, she uses her magic, her divination, her crystal ball and she sees things in the
future. She saw something really, really bad happening to Westgate. She wants, at the very least, an agent or two there to keep an eye on things.
She didn't specify what faction to join in the city, so I can only surmise that at this stage it doesn't matter. If I had to guess, it is merely to act as a cover, to give you some protection. Perhaps it is better to not be lone out of towners when whatever happens, actually happens?
''
And also:
''
I'm going to be away for a while. Things are heating up in the north and she is sending me on a mission to Neverwinter. I'll think of a way of getting a communication channel on the go, to offer you my sage wisdom if it is required. I'll make contact some time soon. Oh, here is some last minute advice.
From what I've heard from Weynay and from what you-know-who has divined I think you can trust Nebulus the Rascal. I mean, to a certain extent. Don't trust him with your valuables, but if you ask him a question you'll get an honest answer. He's on the team and knows the city well. Use him.
''
He then gave them two hundred gold each and bid them good night.
DAY 292 (27th Nightal)(December)
Before they left in the morning, Weynay sent word she would like to talk to them before they left. They tromped through the snow to the grove. The village pond was frozen over and already the children were out skating on it and having snowball fights.
Weynay said:
''
It was interesting to meet Cavu after hearing so much about him from my friend. Sounds like she had quite an adventure in Waterdeep with him. Still, from what I've heard recently, that was nothing compared to what she got up to later in the Plane of Shadows! Some people have exciting lives I suppose.
''
It dawned on Fenrir that Weynay's friend was none other than Sylvia! Once that connection was made he swapped some stories with her. Fenrir, of course, knew my 'big sister' from his adventures back in Waterdeep.
Just before they left, Weynay talked to Arahel privately and said:
''
You are going back to Westgate I suppose? Perhaps you could do me a small favour? There is... well, I suppose you don't have to know the details, but there is a statue in the gardens of Termadar. I pay a small amount to the gardener each year, ever year for the last three years, to keep it clean. It's just a few gold, here, can you give it to him? It's overdue and I've got three family's with fever in the village so I can't really leave.
''
Snow was on the ground, but it was a crisp and clear day. They made it back to Westgate quickly, Fenrir flying and invisible, Arahel in the shape of an eagle.
Arahel wasted no time and went to the gardens of Termadar. When she landed she changed into her regular form and spotting the gardener who was doing the winter work of tidying away old vegetation and clearing the paths of snow.
He took her, correctly, as a fey of nature and was very happy to see her in his garden, considering
it a great blessing. Arahel spotted the statue of a warrior off to one side and when she enquired after it the gardener said:
''
Oo-ar! Tis a terrible shame indeed. The statue is of Sir Radron De Bon. As true and a noble knight you could not hope to meet. He has roamed far and wide through all of the Dragon Coast, writing wrongs and thwarting evil. Was engaged Weynay down in Ferbone, a lovely gel.
Well, all I know is that he roamed into Cheron forest on some quest and never came back. His family, assuming him dead, erected this statue in his honour. They were so sad though, that in the end they moved back to Cormyr. The lass sends me money, but in truth it is an honour to maintain the statue, I would do it without payment.
''
He did happily take the money however! He also went to his small house on the grounds and offered Arahel a saucer of milk. She drank his offering gladly.
Meanwhile. Fenrir landed somewhere quiet, then began walking back to the cottage. He passed a man whipping his cart horse to death, the poor thing breathing its last, lying in the slush and snow.
Fenrir stopped and talked some sense into the man, to just to send for the knacker's yard and have the poor beast put out of its misery. His silver tongue worked its magic and the man did so.
Back at the cottage he discovered it had been robbed! Two nights ago some thieves had come in the evening and tricked the housekeeper into letting them in. They locked her in her room and stole the magic food chest, Fenrir's new clothes and the expensive locks from the doors!
The back door was now nailed shut and the housekeeper used a rope to secure the front door. All this she told him and also that her brother-in-law was a watchman. When she had been freed from her room (she cried for help from the neighbours when she thought the thieves had gone) she had summoned him.
She sent for him again and on his arrival he said to Fenrir:
''
Sorry to say, my lord, but you have been the victim of a cunning burglar. Unfortunately for you a lock is only as good as the door it is on, or indeed as good as the person that keeps the door.
Well, I'm sure a lord of such fine character as yourself is not used to such things but sadly here in Westgate the only way to prevent yourself from being robbed in future, if you have the coin, is to pay off the Night Masks. It is a sad state of affairs I know, for me, a man of the law, to say such things, but none the less it is true.
''
Working his way up into a rage Fenrir flew over to the Cockatrice, but then remembered that this had just been his meeting point with the Night Masks, it was not their base of operations.
He then sought out Nebulus the Rascal.
He found him in his town house, a large and well appointed building. The doorman was not in the habit of letting people in without appointments but could see that Fenrir was a man of breeding and bid him wait in the hall while Nebulus prepared to receive him.
Fenrir noticed two children run past in the hallway behind the doorman, laughing as they went. He thought for a second, did one of those kids have horns or was it his imagination?
The fat jolly form of Nebulus greeted Fenrir and took him through to a pleasant sitting room where a fire roared away and mulled wine waited to be drunk.
They talked terms, Nebulus once again making his offer of 'protection' against the Night Masks. (Ten gold a day or ten percent of any 'business' conducted in the city)
Fenrir handed over ten gold, but issued a warning, 'If I find out you had anything to do with the break in, I'll come down on you so hard...'
Nebulus smiled, but for a moment the 'jolly merchant' act seemed to drop as he replied, 'I assure you I had nothing to do with it, and I don't take kindly to threats.'
Fenrir got a sense of something infernal from Nebulus and they seemed to understand each other.
Before he left, he told Nebulus of Harvel who said, 'That's a shame. I'll send someone for him though. Don't worry, I'll sort it out.'
As he walked back to the cottage though Fenrir wondered if Nebulus was on the side of the demons (Fenrir's side) or the side of the devils.
While all that was happening, Arahel had flown quickly back to Weynay and breathlessly told her of what she had worked out - Sir Radron De Bon was Mr Rattles!
'It was the same armour as the statue, the same sword...' she told the cleric.
Weynay was devastated, the thought of her fiance the undead slave of an evil druid necromancer.
'He was talking rationally though,' said Arahel offering some comfort, 'He treated us all well considering what happened.'
'Well, that is something. I should... I should pray for guidance. Perhaps I will contact you, or you can call again. I have much to think on. Thank you for coming back to tell me.'
Arahel arrived back at the cottage at about the same time Fenrir did. They talked over their days as Groza the housekeeper cooked them some lunch. It was strange foreign food to both of them and they did not like it much.
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