Midnight Intrigues
A03: Steel von IronBrew's
It's Ceriday, Hattanani 26 02:48:32 1020. The full moon isn't up. The tide is high and rising. The world is dark and foggy. Everything is half-hidden, nothing clearly seen. It almost feels as if you walk through some otherworld. It's cool and the air feels damp and still.
Late at night, or early in the morning, there's really not much difference. The elf Ga'Elian had gotten a message through the Adventurer's Guild to meet Latenat here at Von Ironbrew's. So the elf is here, standing against the wall beside the fireplace, watching.
Latenat of Alexandria is not a well known name... he maintains a low profile although he makes himself known in the right circles. However matters of import are in the offing and the rumourmonger begins to make his moves.
'Tis not til late in the even indeed that the Dawn's Child makes himself known, and the entrance is anticlimatic indeed. Slipping inside the portal to the outside world, the half-sil moves and acts for all the world like he belongs there and is intimately familiar with the interior of the taven, indeed he doesn't really stand out other than the lustrous green cloak he wears, brusquely giving the diehard patrons of the establishment the once over before meandering towards the fireplace as that were his intent all along.
Ga'Elian watches the half-sil approach and quietly says in Sildanyari, "We'd better blend in if we had drinks. Let's sit. I'll buy the drinks, and you let me know what this is all about, eh?"
Latenat inclines his head in deference to your words, glancing askance briefly as he reaches to scratch his chin with a hand distractedly,"That would be the plan goodfolk." His voice is a high baritone yet melliflous for all of that, and turns to casually gesture to a server before making his way to a free table to take his place there,"Thank you for answering so swiftly to my inquiry, it is a bit premature to send feelers along such channels, but I am a strong believer in being prepared and having all your ducks in a row." <sildanyari>
Ga'Elian accompanies Lat to the table and says, "Well, your note didn't say much, but the mystery just makes it all more curious, more intriguing." He tells the server, "Just mead for me, please, and start a tab." He shows her a small coinpurse.
A thin smile passes across Latenat's lips as he makes himself comfortable, the timbers in the chair creaking slightly as he leans back,"Likewise mead, thank you goodwoman." he seems sincere as he makes his order, only continuing after the half sil begins making her way back to the bar. "I'm not sure how aware you are of the goings on behind the scenes when it comes to the daemonic infiltration of Alexandria in the last couple of seasons." He keeps his voice casual but making sure it doesn't travel very far across the common room,"I've been busy trying to contain that, and I think I have a mark staked out. Early stages mind... but I'm planning on excising this particular infection before it can spread its influence." His upper lip curls slightly as he says that, his only consession to letting his inner feelings show upon the whole matter.
Ga'Elian responds, "I hear different things, but I'll readily admit that what you seem to be hinting at sounds new to me. Still, if it has to do with stemming an influx of daemons, I'm all ears."
"Well..." Latenat replies with a dry chuckle, seemingly distracted with rubbing the fingertips of his right hand togeather before him the half-sil's equilibrium regained, "In part I've been working to limit their influence in my own small way whilst remaining out of their attentions." He pauses thoughtfully, the motions of his fingers ceasing before returning to the timbers of the table you are seated at with a sigh, "It is decidedly dangerous for even information brokers at times, but enough skirting around the core of the matter. I have information that a ranked servant in one of the noble houses has been posessed. And the last time I came across such the victim was under the domination of a pit fiend." The scoundrel's grey almond-shaped eyes lift to meet yours first the first time, calm and steeled at this utterance.
Ga'Elian raises his eyebrows in fascination and asks, "Your source is credible? Have you any concrete evidence?"
"Source? Like only one?" an archly raised eyebrow matches your own accompanied with a single quick drum of fingertips across the tabletop. For a moment however your discussion is interrupted as your drinks return, the proprietress placing the drinks in front of you with the ease of much, if tired practice. Waiting a moment after delivering his thanks and he retreat the rumourmonger continues, "Initial suspicions were confirmed a year ago. I've been trailing his daily itinerary, shadowing his interactions and actions against known personality qualites and changes in behavior." The rogues mouth quirks somewhat, "But never fear, I do have access to clergy assistance to make the final determination. And that's where it gets complicated."
Ga'Elian drinks from his stein, listening, then says, "Okay. It sounds like there is definite substance to the rumour. Where can I assist?"