2 Ashan 717
What a fortuitous trial it would have been for Nightshade and her partner in crime, Gangui. They would have yet another volunteer suckered into assisting them with their treasure hunt for whatever misguided goal they had planned for it. Would have was the key term if F'mos could find either of them. The profitable expedition he overheard would of course be of interest to the aukari and the organization he worked with. F'mos planned to use his relationship with the avriel to find out more details; the more details he could get, the more information the Fence could use for any plan they might concoct should they decide jump at the opportunity. An opportunity was not going to be possible for any of the ne'er-do-wells however, not their agent was able to find a source other than Nightshade for what they would need.
F'mos with enough knowledge of Gangui's plans at least knew where he could go for his next lead. It was too bad it would be too suspicious for the Black Guard to return for the man or, to request a search of his lodgings and the aukari had to instead go in as a customer. Despite being someone with no reason for being in the upper levels nor any right to go anywhere close to the rooms, the aukari easily got up unseen and unheard but even with that capability he quickly faced an obstacle which blocked of his success. A locked door! There will be a time he would have to approach the Fence to learn how to get past those accursed things. Windows too as he could not even use his alternative point of entry.
While it would be lead back to him if anything happened to Gangui's and Nightshade's expedition as a result of it, F'mos had no choice but to ask around the Second Story Inn. It had only been because it was a public affair that the aukari could ask so frankly and after he hinted himself as an associate of the very same person whose fame Gangui used for his recruitment, the barman Toom became a lot more forthcoming with his information. It was no wonder the aukari could find neither Nightshade nor Gangui. Both have already left for their expedition. The countdown had already begun for F'mos to find out whatever he could to bring back to the Fence before any of the information he could get became useless.
That sense of urgency did not mean he had to immediately rush out of the Inn though, there was still information he believed he could get from Toom and the other patrons about the recruitment in the previous trial. No one may be able to give the aukari any information better than those he overheard from that discussion in the private room, but they should be able to give F'mos an idea of who the other participants of the expedition were. His sorrowful lamentations at the opportunity the expedition leaders had missed out on without him got jeers from the typical racists of Etzos and from those who were not, sympathy and everything else he needed of them.
A woman, a lothar and a... knight, all of them stepped forward among those in the inn? What was this? The start of a bad joke? While they may be patrons of the inn, their reputation left much to be desired and the aukari wondered if the avriel had a say in the pick at all. At least they would fit the requirements of the expedition if it were expendable mercenaries Gangui needed. F'mos would have done the same if there was even the slimmest chance he could keep more of a share of the treasure. From what he gathered even if his intent had been to get a hint for the Fence of the trio's capabilities and equipment so they can prepare appropriately, he would be doing Nightshade a favor if any of them were offed as a result.
With everything he needed and more, F'mos could leave anytime but after all the questions he asked he knew it was not that simple. If the Fence succeeded in any attempt on the endeavour, it would only take an infuriated Gangui or Nightshade to ask around to find out about Nightshade's aukari friend who poked around the inn. Fortunately F'mos had just the thing... but... he did not want to use it if he did not have to. He always had some on him in case 'accidents' happened, situations dire enough he would have no other choice. He had to consider his exit from the inn as such a situation.
Although he could just risk it anyway. The brute he would understand, but he did not believe Nightshade would retaliate...
Nah, he will have to do it anyway to spare himself the trouble.
He uncorked the vial and ingested the contents which came on him like the fury of Faldrun himself in only a few bits. His stomach felt foul, like there were things in it which did not belong and had to be expelled. F'mos stumbled off his seat as he tried to fight it, not on purpose but as his own body's natural response. The inn's other patrons saw this and immediately gave him a wide berth. They knew better and did not want to be anywhere near the aukari when... "blarghhhhh!!!" Yeah, that happened...
Which ended with F'mos thrown out of the inn as just another drunk, also the reason he was unable to continue with his inquiries on the treasure hunt until the next trial; because he really needed to recover from the nausea inducing herb he had stupidly and voluntarily eaten. It better have been worth it.
Because of his foolishness, F'mos did not feel good even until the next trial but he knew with a time limit, every break he wasted only diminished the value of his information. He forced himself out of bed and hustled to his next lead, his final lead which would determine if the expedition had any worth to even consider stirring up the famous hero of Etzos. From the details he recalled of the mission, he knew he had to go to the docks, the part of the docks connected to Foster's Bay through Southwood River as it was where the shipment was supposed to arrive. However a quick trip to the museum from where Gangui had been given the job from and,
Yeah, F'mos was ready.
There was a chain of command even for the labourers, F'mos was aware of that but he headed to one of the men he felt was at the middle of it anyway.Going straight to the head would give the man more time to think on whatever story the aukari fed him but an intermediary? With an agitated man of importance right behind him? Probably not. F'mos would pity the man he picked for the verbal abuse he had to heap on him but that would only last for a few breaks before it was forgotten, probably. Until then the man was hurried by the aukari in tow to his superior and relayed everything the aukari mentioned. F'mos only nodded in agreement although there was no contentment on his face. Just lots of anger and annoyance.
The foreman did not even want to run the risk of angering F'mos, actually, Mr. Vreth as he was introduced and obviously only wanted to get it over and done with. The aukari could not fault him for that; he would not want to anger anyone important enough to wear velvet robes of fantastic design for their job either. However he had assumed an identity and in it, no room for sympathy. He asked questions and then more with each response given written into the papers he had with him. The poor foreman was visibly distressed and was wet from sweat in only a few bits. It was time.
"You must know why I'm here today" F'mos hinted and after the expected denial of the foreman revealed, "for the shipment. The shipment lost on your watch!" The man denied again and would not flinch. With no other way out F'mos could tell he was going to deny, deny, deny which would inevitably lead to him questioning who the aukari was and why he was at the docks at all. Fortunately there was one card he could play, one he kept just for this moment and it only had to come with one question.
"You think Museum property'll just disappear quietly? You don't think fat cats don't want their shit back? You don't think they don't know someone fucked up?" Alright, it was more than one question but F'mos only needed to heap accusation after accusation until one of it stuck to the man for him to realize there was no way out of this. Not without an out which the aukari offered "if you help, tell everything you know about the shipment; who else knows, where it is. I'll tell the boss you cooperated. You don't need trouble." The ink pen which hovered over his papers was just for show, to put the pressure on for the make or break moment.
The foreman broke, and F'mos recorded everything.
With the details of the expedition members he had written in his sickbed including, Nightshade's skill with a sword and flight as well as Gangui's preference to a sword and superstitious cowardice, F'mos thought he did a good job and proudly shoved (timidly handed over) his written reports to Raellen. Instead anything like compliments for such elaborate work, the entire stack of papers were smacked right into his face. "W-w-why?!" Because F'mos wrote a report anyone could read and understand, great for the people meant to use it but also easy for anyone other than the Fence to use if they chanced on it.
A perfectly legitimate concern which F'mos could find no fault in. "I'll learn how to use the codes properly" was an admission which earned him another painful smack with the stack because it was something he should have learned already. After he had assured her would get to practicing it soon, Raellen dragged him along with her while plans were made from his report in case he might have missed out on anything. Museum property outside the well guarded Museum in the city was an appealing target after all. It was a rare chance to come by.
