The Longest Night

[*Selebius]

Feeling he has done what he can do and that he might be more a hindrance than an asset to John he returns to Pinom, clerk and dog.

[*Midnight]

John and Norman would both follow the pureblooded Yuan ti out into reception. As Norman stops at the desk John follows outside his dog would follow him unless he told it to stay. He has no problem following his mark across the Lady's Ward. Progress is halted briefly as the Yuan ti is stopped by a patrol of hardheads but after a moment's discussion he is allowed on his way again, past The Armoury and towards the belching furnaces and smog filled skies of The Lower Ward. Once there he winds though the narrow streets, the distinction between the two wards becoming more pronounced as he goes. The cobbles becoming more cracked, razorvine sprouts in places and the air becomes thick and dirty. If John had been in the cage long he would know he is in the Hellsgate district of The Lower Ward so named for its many portal's to the lower planes. His mark heads inside a tavern the sign outside of which depicts a Herozu strangeling a Kyton.

//Made a move silently and a survival roll for you, you passed both.

************************************************************************************************
Meanwhile Pinom and Norman are left standing in reception.

[*Selebius]

Norman nods a greeting at the clerk then leaves the courts, more comfortable with waiting for John's return outside the building.
He stays near the courts, watching the passing people, reading in his prayer book.

After a while he gets bored and he writes a small note before he adresses Pinom.

"I will see what Minerva knows about this recipt while John is busy. Perhaps I can find out something. I suggest we meet at the Foul Spirit in... lets say four hours and see what we found out.

We also should check the Armoury... want to do this?" He offers the last scrap of paper to him and regardless if he takes it or not he will take the note he scribbled to the clerk.

"Please give this to my friend with the dog.", he says- the note telling John where and when he can meet Noman at the inn.

Then he makes his way to Minerva's stall.

[*Darkrob]

John would, indeed, quietly (almost unseen) motion for the hound to follow at his side. He would make no motion or move towards the others. At this point, he wouldnÂ’t even appear to know them.

After following his mark to the tavern, he would not pause in his movements. Onlookers would see no hesitation or pondering from the cutter walking down the street. His cloak hood would be over his head as he simply walked into the tavern after the last patron entered. He would act naturally. Here for drinks, nothing more.

He would keep the hound near him, the dog would be in “work mode” and alert. He would keep his target in sight.

[*Midnight]

As John enters few people pay him much notice. He is just another cutter here for his bub. As he looks around he would see the tavern is mostly populated by tieflings and the ocasional cambion. Almost everyone bares some sign of fiendish blood but there are no actual full blooded fiends. John also notices that his quarry is nowhere to be seen. Obviously in the short time he was out of sight he cannot have gotten far, and he cannot of left the way he came in without passing John. He must be here somewhere. The barman, a squat fat horned tief sees him looking around.

"A drink cutter?"

[*LiquidDreamer]

Not wanting to be out smarted Thist heads to UnderSigil to ask a few questions of his own. Once there, he spreads around a little bit of coin with the local fences to find out where he can get some good quality Gehennan Morgoth Iron

[*Darkrob]

John would order an ale and position himself so he could see all “noticeable” exits from the room. He would do his best to ascertain what each exit is used for. Kitchen, washrooms, stairs (up or down), etc. He wouldn’t move from his spot until he had either figured them out or spotted his quarry.

While he would nurse his drink, he would not consume any of it. He’d simply use the old “watchmans” trick to make it look like it was being enjoyed. Issues of trust would abound in this place. Besides… he wouldn’t be here long enough for people to notice.

[*Midnight]

Norman would make his way to Minerva's stall. It is getting late now and she appears to be packing up her scrolls while an unseen servant pushes a broom around in the dust around her stall she stops when she sees Norman approach, sighs as she realizes her day is not quite done yet and manages a professional smile.

"Can I help you?"

**********************************************************************

Looking around John would see that to the right of the bar is a door that leads to a privy, it is closed at the moment to the left of the bar and set back from a bit is a set of stairs leading up to another door which is open people seem to come and go through and it seems that there are rooms above the inn. Finally behind the bar is a trapdoor presumably down to a cellar but it is bolted so it is unlikely John's quarry had time to get through there even if the bartender were to let him. The Yuan ti does not appear but john's dog sits on the floor and stair intently at the privy door.

**********************************************************************

Thist descends through a sewer entrance to the upper levels of Undersigil. He makes his way along the dark tunnels all around him he hears the scurrying of tiny feet the squeaking and chittering of rodents and he feels he has the attention of many pairs of eyes in the darkness. Then he hears the clopping of hooves and three shapes emerge from the darkness. The outlines take on shape and soon he is confronted with a short squat dwarf wearing leathers and carrying a heavily notched hand axe, next to him a human with a cross bow a bolt already knocked and the weapon leveled at the elf, and finally behind them the source of the clopping sound a tattooed Bariur with a spear. It is the dwarf that speaks.

"A little lost are we berk? that mistake is going to cost yer. So why don't you just take your gold and throw it over here nice and peaceful like and we won't scrag you."

[*Selebius]

Norman approaches her a bit awkwardly, trying to get out of the Unseen servant's way perhaps making work not really easier for the semi sentient magical effect.

He pulls the note from his pocket, showing it to her.

"Do you remember what this was for, Miss? It was found on an Yuan Ti recently."

[*LiquidDreamer]

Thist can't help but inwardly swear at his own stupidity at coming down alone, at least not with a fighter to back him up! Nevertheless, he doesn't want to become a pin cushion nor end of missing. That is why he has two gold stashes, one on him and another at his home.

"Here", he tosses a small purse filled with nearly 100 gold at there feet. "It's all I got". He then leans on his staff looking at the assembled thugs.