Gates and Alleys

[Droid Tony]

Welcome to Baldur's Gate, a veritable nest of rats and vipers clinging to the rocky slopes overlooking the Chionthar River. The greatest trade center along the Sword Coast. “The Gate” was built by Balduran in ancient times and is the only original structure from the founding of the city.

From their high perches in the Upper City, the local nobles-known as patriars-gaze down with veiled contempt upon the common rabble in the grimy Lower City, which hugs the foggy harbor.

The whole of Baidu r's Gate reeks of blood. crime, and opportunity. One can easily fathom why pirates and traders are drawn to this place like flies to a carcass.

[Toliudar]

Cordo the Magnificent

One of the dirtiest and buzzing-est of those underworld flies stumbled down the gangplank of the Low Lantern. Cordo had disembarked the Virgin of Lantan at noon, and decided that his family was best faced half-cut.

He wove his way up Stormshore, noting in passing the coming and going of stalls and shops from his last time here...two years ago, was it? Impossible?

Perhaps it would be better to show up at the family home replete with more than stories. He was never any good at souvenirs or keepsakes, but he'd picked up a technique for making tagine from Bariya that he'd been itching to try in a proper kitchen.

Darting through the market, he paid for almost all of the ingredients that he acquired, and was quite satisfied with the quality of the cinnamon he'd found.

All in all he was elated, sweaty and only a little drunk when he finally arrived at the family's ancestral hovel. Deciding that he needed to make a bit of an entrance instead of simply picking the lock and letting himself in, Cordo knocked loudly, three times, struck a pose, and waited.

[Droid Tony]

The knock sounds loudly on the door, three times. Three times the wood of the door echos with the sound. Seconds pass....then a full minute. The sound of the knocks fades away. The front door stays closed.

[Toliudar]

A family night out? All the better to surprise them with dinner on their return.

Shrugging and unconcerned, Cordo slid a pair of probes out of the armpit pouch and casually inserted them into the lock. And press and twist and...

Spoiler: OOC

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Open Locks, using his MW tools and a point of inspiration. (1d20+12)[20]

[Droid Tony]

The lock opens easy enough: it's a good lock, but is still mostly for show.

The front door opens....into a dark and empty house. The interior of the house looks much the same as it has for years: comfortable chairs, stools, sofas and rugs. Small wooden tables, framed pantings on the walls, and small strings dangle from the ceiling. Everything has a very fine layer of dust on it, not too much, but enough to be noticeable.

The large main fireplace, as well as the cooking fire are both cold and dark. Several spider webs cover both. The kitchen shelves have some piles of black material, that were once fruits or vegetables. Only some potatoes are recognizable. The large floor barrel of water is broken on one side and empty.

[Toliudar]

Spoiler: OOC

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To prevent misunderstanding: I'm envisioning this as the home not of a single nuclear family of a few individuals, but a sort of home base of a diverse clan of 15-20 halflings, spanning 3 or 4 generations. All good?

Cordo's smile vanishes as he looks around. Dust wasn't normally something he worried about - he'd spent years underground. But Nana would never have permitted the house to get into such a state.

Cordo wandered into his parents' nook in the sleeping area, noting whether the bedrolls had been stored away or left strewn around. He carefully shifted the hidden brick, to see if his mother's secret stash had been taken - indicating that they had left voluntarily - or if it was still there - indicating that they had left with no expectation of staying away. All the while, he tried to quell the growing feeling of nausea and fear rising in his gut.

[Droid Tony]

Spoiler: OOC

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Just think of it as your parents/family wing of the massive halfling mansion.

Nothing looks stored away, the beds are all made.

The brick comes loose as you pull on it, to reveal the stash: A bag of silver and a few gold coins.

[Toliudar]

Cordo takes a moment to swear prodigiously in dwarves. Say what you will about the hard-drinking diggers, their language had some fantastically abstruse profanity. Who else would have come up with a word for "a shard of rock inserted into the rectum and then turned sideways"?

Cordo cautiously explored the rest of the mansion, beyond his family's usual domain, looking for someone or something who might know what had happened.

Spoiler: OOC

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He'll do a cursory search of the whole place - not opening every drawer and tapping every wall, just looking for any obvious notes, signs of a struggle, or any people who might be able to shed some light. Feel free to roll on my behalf as is useful for you.

[Droid Tony]

Nothing around looks damaged or altered very much from the last time you were here. All the food left in the kitchen is odd, as none of your family would have left all that(they at least would have given it away). As far as you can tell, most personal items are around the home. It would seem they left for some reason and simply never came back.

It only takes seconds to find another halfling, an older woman friend of your mother:

Hilyola Autumnleaf "Why well again child. So good to see you again. Back in town again, I see. If you are looking for your family...well...I'm afraid we can't be much help. We all woke up one morning and they were just gone. Not a word to anyone, that I know of. They did not even ask anyone to look after their place. I'm so sorry."

[Toliudar]

Cordo hugs Hilyola briefly, grateful for even a hint of a clue.

"Well, bless you, Missus Autumnleaf. Would you happen to remember how long ago that was? And if you don't mind, I'll bunk up here in their area while I'm looking into what's going on there. And by any chance have you notice any other families, any other halflings, gone missing around the same time?"

[Droid Tony]

Hilyola Autumnleaf "Oh my dear child...no one has gone missing. I don't think. People come and go, but when you say go missing that sounds so scary. I'm sure your family is fine, just as they suddenly moved does not mean anything bad has happened. I hope.

I known it's a bit worrysome that they just went away, but I'm sure that had a good reason.

And, of course, you are welcome to stay."

[Toliudar]

Cordo keeps nodding, presenting a veneer of being reassured by Hilyola's vapid reassurances while internally recalculating the exchange with her. One or two family members might have relocated, but the whole clan? And without a fair subset of their belongings? Without a farewell party? Without a DINNER? Impossible.

"I'm sure you're right. Perhaps a group vacation of some sort. Waterdeep is lovely this time of year. When did you say that they left?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Sense motive and trying to spot anything inconsistent between Hilyola's apperance and actions, and what he remembers of her (that is to say, searching for signs of mind control, doppelgangers, etc. I'll burn an inspiration point on the sense motive check

Sense Motive: (1d20+4)[24]
Spot: (1d20+6)[20]

[Droid Tony]

Hilyola Autumnleaf "Not too long....maybe two months, maybe a bit more. "

Spoiler: Checks

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Hilyola Autumnleaf seems genuine, thought it's easy enough to see she is a lot worried and concerned: though she is trying to hide it and act positive. She always did try to look on the bright side.

There is no sense she is up to anything or trying to foll or deceive you.

[Toliudar]

Cordo tilts his head and encourages Hilyola to sit down at the nearest kitchen table with him. There never was a problem that wasn't made easier by talking it over around a kitchen table. Cordo quickly raided his own pack for some cheese and bread that he had intended for this evening's meal, and laid it out for her with precision and care.

When he speaks, his normal bravado and easy charm are gone, leaving what seems like a very frightened young man.

"Missus Autumnleaf, this is real bad news, and I need you to be straight with me. No way in this wobbly world that my whole family takes off with no notice, none of their belongings, no word of where they were off to. Not for a weekend, let alone two months.

"I've been away from Baldur's Gate more than a year, maybe too long. Has there been anything...anything that you've heard tell that might connect with my parents going missing? Political unrest, a string of unsolved crimes, slaver activity. Not that I want any of that to be true, of course, but I'm going to need your help to understand what's going on...and what to do about it."

[Droid Tony]

Hilyola Autumnleaf "Well, sure I guess there has been all those things. Politics and crime are just parts of life, right?

But none of that here...in this house with your family. One day they were there, the next they were not. It is odd they would not have said anything....but that does not make it some sort of bad thing.

If you really think it might have been a crime you could always go to the City Watch. Rayleena Topperfoote is a Watch Captain now, I'm sure she'd know if anything happened like that. "

[Toliudar]

'Going to the watch' was not Cordo's first choice in any situation. Nor, admittedly, was it his fourth or fifth choice. But sometimes it was the only choice.

"I don't know if it's a crime - crime is usually whatever I did yesterday, not what gets done to the likes of us, if you take my meaning. But it's big and frightening. Two months is a cold trail, but there may yet be a trail. And it's all thanks to you and your watchful eye, Missus Autumnleaf. You know what? I was fixing to make my folks dinner when I got here. Got three kippers, a mound of butter and some lovely chard in my pack. May I cook you dinner? It helps me think, and I need a chance to regroup and all after all the shocks of the day."

[Droid Tony]

Hilyola Autumnleaf "Oh my child, no one has cooked me a meal in many a season. I would noy want to put you out....but, well, I do need to eat. So if it will make you happy, I will eat your meal.

You did get my hair in a bunch. I thought it unusual that your family just up and left....but not too worrisome. Maybe something did happen? Maybe someone in the home here knows something. There has been no gossip, that you can be sure of, or I'd know it. Still someone might know something, and been keeping it a secret. I could ask around on your behalf?"

[Toliudar]

Cordo sets to work in the kitchen, boning fish and steaming vegetables, and in less than half an hour, a more-than-decent meal for two is served.

"I'm a bit surprised that there's been no gossip about this. Normally, if Uncle Aulf gets an ingrown toenail the whole house knows about it in minutes."

Cordo tries to suppress his worry by telling increasingly implausible stories from the Underdark, culminating in a coyly described sexual encounter involving a drider, the skin of a cave bear and a vial of aboleth mucus.

All things, however, must come to an end. Cordo washes up the plates after the meal and hugs Missus Autumnleaf good afternoon. Heading out into the afternoon smog, he made for a building he'd only been in twice before, and never willingly - the headquarters of the city watch. Rather than head inside, however, he waited until only a single guard was coming out, and waited until they were a block away from the building before approaching him/her, and then only to find out where he might best look for Rayleena Topperfoote.

[Droid Tony]

Hilyola Autumnleaf fidgets a bit as you cook, wanting to help. She eats the meal and makes good comments. She seems a bit put off by the Underdark tales, but tries to just smile and nod. Then she hugs you and watches you go.


Later....

The guard just shrugs. "She has a desk inside, desk eleven. It's easy to find...it's short."

[Toliudar]

"Thanks kindly, friend."

Cordo waves to the copper and drifts back. Fork. Rayleena had a desk job. Good for gathering info from her. Terrible for avoiding going into the watch headquarters.

Cordo hadn't actually lived here in Baldur's Gate for a long time, and frankly his memory about whether he'd actually been pinned for any of the spit he'd pulled here, a decade or more back, was spotty. It had all been pretty juvenile stuff, a few street merchants' carts, four ingots off the wagon of a silversmith, a pair of horses that one time...but hopefully nothing that anyone puts too much energy into remembering.

Still...the thought of walking into that building made his feet itch.

Sighing, Cordo unstrapped his sword belt and slid it into his pack. He thought about jury-rigging a disguise, but then figured that that was more likely to draw attention to him than deflect it. Nope. Best to brazen it out.

Whistling a soft tune he'd picked up on the Moonshaes, Cordo turned and strolled into the headquarters of the city watch and asked to speak with Rayleena Topperfooote.

[Droid Tony]

The watch building is an old stone building in disrepair. Much of the building is lit by low burning touches in metal settings. Many touches are cool and dark, making most of the place shadowy. Most of the walls are filled with wanted posters.

Down a short hallway is a large open room, full of people at desks. In the back corner is a smaller halfling sized desk with a female halfling sitting at it. She wears the simple brown and green watch leather armor.

Rayleena Topperfooote. sees you enter and waves you over to her desk.

[Toliudar]

Cordo scans the wanted posters on the way in, both checking on the status of old colleagues and 'friends' and to ensure that he wasn't on any of them. He affects a bit of swagger as he makes his way over to Rayleena's desk.

"Rayleena! Lovely to see you again. You've grown your hair out a bit. It suits you!"

After a couple of minutes of obligatory pleasantries and social lies, or whenever she seems to want him to get to the point, Cordo moves in closer to speak softly and urgently.

"I came home this morning, to find that my entire family had vanished from Toe Manor. It looked like the other families were still there, but Hilyola Autumnleaf said that they vanished in the night two months ago. Not taking money, food, clothes. Nothing, and no word of farewell. Does that sound like Uncle Vikk to you? The man practically throws a party every time he actually manages to make it to work.

"So I'm wondering if you might have heard anything...either about us, or about others vanishing the same-like."

Cordo pauses, holding his tongue. He's taking a big risk here, laying it all out for Rayleena, especially if the Watch is in on whatever's going on. But this was much, much more important than his own safety.

[Droid Tony]

Rayleena Topperfooote smiles and makes a couple of minutes of obligatory pleasantries.



Rayleena Topperfooote "Your whole family is gone? Well, I've sure heard no gossip about that. Maybe I need to gossip more. And there has been no report about it.

And this is a big city, people disappear all the time...but it's not like the government keeps track of such things.

But your whole family? I mean that one younger cousin of yours...oh fiddle feet what is his name...is still around. He is one of the most active trouble makers on the streets. In the last season alone he had to get arrested at least two hands many times. I arrested him twice myself. I'd have to check the log, but I'm sure we had him in the holding yard just last week.

So, he is at least still in the city."

[Toliudar]

Cordo nods gratefully, taking in Rayleena's words. He wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse that there wasn't a wave of disappearances, but at least it meant others weren't going through what he was.

He snatched up a quill and scrap of paper off of Rayleena's desk and started scribbling a list of his missing relatives.

"Look, I've been out of the city for more than a year, so I can't be totally sure which of my relatives were actually living at the house two months ago. But these are all of the ones whose clothes and such are still in the house. We're staying in that big brown two story, white trim and red door, down the end of Lumpen Alley. Consider this a whatsis. A report."

He smiled. This was the most useful conversation he'd ever had with a copper. It made his head spin.

"Thanks for this. I'll look up ol Fallowfeet, see if he can shed some light. He weren't living at the house last I heard, but things change, and maybe I just didn't recognize his stuff. Meantime - I owe you dinner sometime, Officer Grand Poohbah. You have not lived until you've tried my braised ham hock."

Skipping off and out of the watch headquarters, Cordo is briefly elated - until the weight of the challenge ahead hits him again. He started creating a mental list of the dive bars of the Lower City, a starting point to locate cousin Denny.

[Droid Tony]

Rayleena Topperfooote makes a second copy even as you scribble out your list. She then takes both lists.


Rayleena Topperfooote "I'll start going through and seeing if I can find a paper trail, or maybe some other trail.

Oh a home cooked meal sounds so nice. I work so much I often only eat what I can grab in a handful."

The Lower City has plenty of bars, many near wold famous...and many more not even close. Small, dark places that serve some drinks and little else. Many have no names, or simply have a crude sign that says something like ''the broken cup" or the "snake pit". They change owners and locations a lot, but often stay right around the same areas.

The Short 'Shroom stands out a bit as a place for ''short" races....though more for ''half goblin" types and other such ugly short humans, but some hlaflings are found there.

[Toliudar]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

In case I haven't made this clear, I really appreciate this opportunity to dive in as a solo player in this way. Please do let me know if I can return the favour sometime! Thanks again.

Cordo finds himself in the surreal position of affirming an offer to cook dinner for a copper in his family home. His head swam at the prospect of him doing so after his family returned, and the looks that his parents would give him.

The Short 'Shroom seemed like the perfect starting place for a search - at the very least, he was likely to run into half a dozen people who might help to further narrow his hunt, and he was less likely to get tripped over by drunk apprentices.

The joint smelled, as usual, of mildew, sweat and flat beer. That is to say, there were a disproportionate number of goblins here this afternoon. Cordo kept his hard face up and his elbows out as he navigated the room, looking for a familiar face.

[Toliudar]

Friendly bump.