On the way down to Broken Arch, Talen updates Kal on the situation with Terrem at the Lantern Way Orphanage. Councilman Hruit’s home is a rather large home with beautifully sculpted trees surrounding the outside. The trees and other greenery conceal the walls.
They knock on the door and are greeted by Kadmus, Hruit’s butler. Despite Talen’s cheery disposition, Kadmus is somewhat bemused at their presence. The party pushes past him and indicates that they are here to speak with Hruit about a job.
Kadmus leads them to Hruit’s drawing room and asks that they wait. The door opens and the party sees Hruit’s eyeshine, marking him as a shifter, before the light reveals his face.
Hruit says, “I understand that you have dealt with Gast of Indenture Hall. Gast’s brother, Linech, is also a small-time gangster. He is a man of little consequence, but more successful than Gast. He has, however, crossed us in the past, and now he’s up to something new. He’s hiring adventurers. He’s never done that before. At the very least, we want to know what he’s doing. We might also want put a stop to it. His actions indicate a sudden influx of resources, when we thought he was already overextended.” Hruit then explains, “Linech is a drug smuggler. He has a small operation on some island to the north where his people manufacture dreamily. He brings it in on ships. Something bad happened on the island recently, however, and we believed he was finished. Now, it appears otherwise. He is putting out requests in the adventurer quarters, primarily Deathsgate.”
Hruit offers them each of them 100 gp to go to Linech and take whatever job he’s offering, so that they can find out what it is and report back. “Do well on this, and you’ll be invited to return.”
Hruit says, “First, I want this done – much of the City Watch in this district is only interested in the money in their purses. Second, because I fight my own battles and accomplish my own deeds. I am not having him killed outright as he may have powerful friends and the power vacuum would invite someone who I don’t know. Rest assured, if you run afoul of the city guard, give them my name, and I will bring my power to bear to try to protect you.”
Hruit gives them half of the total payment (150 gold) to start the investigation.
The group departs and proceeds down to Deathsgate. They head to a tough a bar called “The Goat.”
The Goat has a sign over the entrance stating “Trespassers will be killed,” with a crude, faded painting of a goat on the stone wall next to it. It’s a small pub known as a quiet place that Deathsgate adventurers and mercenaries go to get drunk quickly. The drinks are hard and moderately priced. There are no minstrels or other entertainments, merely toughs drinking.
Bah looks to find a dreamily dealer and asks him about where he gets his supply from. The dealer indicates that his connection is a man in the Bazaar named “Kahrlohse”. Talen starts asking around and speaks to a monk named “Ember” (offering her sweet rice cakes) about people hiring. Bah asks the bartender the same thing. They are both directed man standing in the corner quietly drinking a stein of ale.
They approach the name, named Belgeon, and start talking to him about employment possibilities and let him know that they were referred to him by Kharlohse. Belgeon tells them to head to Linech’s place in Center Bridge the next day and provides them with an address.
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