The persistent rain was keeping most of the good people of the city indoors. They passed a troop of watchmen, led by a Knight in Silver bearing the crest of Silverymoon heading towards the 'Bright Blade Brandished'.
After a few blocks they arrived at the aptly named Crooked Lane. A gloomy row of run down shops huddled against each other on either side. Thomas stopped in front of number 27: Oliver's objects of Antiquity. The door was closed but through the grimy, rain soaked windows the glow of a candle could be discerned, from the back room.
"I guess this is the place, now what?" Thomas asked.

OoC I've had char. sheets from Ironbeard, Xander and Knomal. Could anyone else on the adventure send me theirs? I am rolling dice for your actions now.



[This message has been edited by Erran (edited July 04, 2001).]

A man clothed in bright yellow garments quickly passed near and entered 'Oliver's' bearing a dog at his side, which did not hesitate to shake off the water from its hide the way dogs do.

The man said in a loud voice: "Sit, Dragon!"
The dog yelped, but obeyed while her master proceeded to the storekeep and observed the goods. There were many things that attracted his sight, particularly the small wooden lute. The instrument was made of a cream-colored wood and beared an intricate relief, describing the brief history of Silverymoon.
The man eyed the lute curiously for some time. His final question was blunt:

"How much for the toy, storekeeper?"

"Why, this be a masterwork lute, yer honour! Made by Everard himself - 120gp and worth every copper. But I ain't the Storekeeper, that's master Oliver, my name's Ned, at yer service sir. And what a fine dog you have there, if you don't mind me saying so."

Xalen eyed Kondar's work as he browsed the store shelves on the other aisle. Looking over several small magical baubles, he quickly and quitly made his way around the store, surveying the scene. The shop *seemed* safe enough, though there was the taint of items procured by, well, less than honerable means. Not that this necessecarily turned Xalen off, but either way, this was not what he was here for. Hopefully Knormal could find out some information of use from the over zealous storekeep and get them on their way. He was anxious to find some clues perhaps, and information seemed at first glance to be the only thing this shop had to offer that interested him. Eventually, he made his way over to where Knormal and the lad were talking, and pretending to browse on the shelf directly across from Knormal, Xalen caught his eye in a way as if to say "A little haste please."

OOC: Now who sent you my character sheet? :D I don't think it was me, at least unless I did it in a dazed stupor that I don't remember. Heh, anyway, I'm sending a pic and a character sheet for my character tonight. Enjoy.

"120 gold? 'Tis a good price, I say... A little too low for such an incredible item, even. You seem not to have many customers here, have the business been bad?"

What does he know of the customers, Knomal thought, save my speeches for the storkeeper, I need to

"Oh, the dog, the dog's fine, indeed... Dragon, voice!"
The dog seemed not to notice, her eyes darting around the store.
"Dragon, voice!" Knomal repeated, making the dog give him a surprised look, after which the animal yap three times.
"See? A fine dog he is! Now, will you call in lord Oliver please, I wish to discuss some purchases."

The store sported quite a lot of items which were masterwork, but none of the things that might have been considered 'elven artifacts' were in sight. The man must be a contact of a hidden distributor, a though occured to Knomal, let's see what we can find out...

"Oh, lad, how much for this marvellous pin?", the rogue said, pointing at the silver cloak pin covered with dust, just like a lot of other antiques. 'Tis not good to have a weapon at my neck, no

OoC Good people, stop misspelling the hard earned name of my character! :p

[This message has been edited by ayecapitan (edited July 03, 2001).]

"Nay sir, don't get much passing trade, we see most clients by appointment. Matter of fact, Master Oliver's seeing a client now in the back office.
Like the pin do you? All the way from Calimshan, yours for only 30gp."

Xander not liking what he is hearing proceeds to leave the store but stops when he notices a dagger, he looks to see if anyone is paying attention then casts an invisibility spell on the dagger so he may pick it up later. he then proceeds outside where he changes form into a smal insect.
Xander scurries back inside unnoticed and enters the backroom where he sees Oliver and another man. not knowing which one is Oliver he proceeds to listen to their conversation.

Ok Xander, you are a 1st level druid according to your sheet. How in the 9 hells did you cast invisibility and polymorph self?
Would you care to amend your post?

Xalen, upon hearing this interesting bit of news, decides it's best for him to make his exit. Taking a small bit of trail ration from his pocket, he waves it just enough to catch the dog's attention, and tosses it near a shelf of pottery. The dog dashes toward the shelf, and not suprisingly, so does the shop attendant. Xalen catches an obvious dirty look from Knomal, but quickly exits the shop, the young storekeep oblivious to his actions as he tries to keep the dog away from the antique pottery.

Xalen makes his way around the side of the building, and as quietly as he can, hunches down and slowly makes his way toward the only back window, which is slightly ajar with a candle burning in it. He distincly hears two men talking, and as he carefully moves closer, he tries to discern what the two are saying.....

Xalen hears a grunt, a dull thud, then silence.

"You've got a deal, my friend!" said Knomal in an excited tone, handing Neb 30 coins.

The thief who brought it from Calimport mush have gone through a lot, he pondered, for the pin he just acquired looked exactly like a pin issued to the assasins, who've just proven worthy of their trade, and Cali***** assasin would protect his insignia by all means. The pin posessed no magic, but was an item well respected in Cali***** undercity.

"How soon will lord Oliver be able to meet me? I have much business to do, and your fine store might well enough profit from it."

He noted the dog's leap for a chunk of food and smiled wryly.
He does well playing a dumb pooch, indeed, if only my guise would work that fine on this Oliver

[This message has been edited by ayecapitan (edited July 04, 2001).]

you have heard of scrolls right? you can cast the spell without writing it using the scroll,and then there are spells granted to you by something being worn.

OOC: Well, how'd ya get all that nice stuff with only 120 gold and at first level no less. I think all that Erran's saying is that, well, we are all playing at first level here, so if you did buy the stuff, you should have put it in your starting inventory and have told Erran about it since he's DMing this thing I guess.

IC: Xalen is startled at what he just heard. He distinctly believes he has just witnissed a murder, or an assault at least. Nervously, he begins to back away from the window, thinking he should go back for help. But then something inside tells him to find out what has happened. Nervously, he edges back toward the window and slowly pokes an eye around the corner of the sill. He takes as quick of a survey of the scene as he possibly can to avoid being noticed....

OoC I will clarify the starting equipment under OoC Roleplay corner questions.

IC: Inside the shop:
Ned says: "Thankee sir, and right handsome you will look wearing it. I'm not sure I can disturb Master Oliver just yet, the young lady only went in about quarter of an hour ago, and she did have an appointment ..."

Outside the shop:
Xalen can see a figure slumped over the table. He thinks he may have seen some movement in the shadows at the back of the room, by what looks like a staircase.

Xalen leans back against the wall, his mind wondering frantically what to do. Xalen suddenly wishes that mut was around so he could send him to get Knomal. Cursing under his breath, he boldly stands and looks in the window. The room looked empty enough, except for the possibly dead body of course. Xalen checks his sword once more, then slowly raises up the window. Carefully moving the half burt candle aside, he makes his way inside the dimly lit backroom. It seems empty of living creatures at least, and there look to be only 2 entrances, a door and a staircase. Xalen, trying to be as quiet as possible, walks to the door and checks it to be sure it is locked. Satisfied, he turns his attention to the body slumped at the table. As obviously he has no desire to be found anywhere near a body in this comprimising position, he quckly tries to rummage through the person's clothing for some clues of some sort as to who it is, or perhaps a few gold pieces at least for his troubles. Xalen also scans the room looking for anything else that might be useful to him.....

[This message has been edited by Crawl (edited July 04, 2001).]

The body is that of a middle aged, well dressed man, slightly balding. Turning it back into the chair Xalen would notice his eyes, wide open with an expression of - surprise? Protruding from the chest in the area of the heart is what first seems to be a stilleto dagger. Closer examination shows it to be a long hairpin, ending in a jade ornament. A book lies open on the table:- 'The Treasures of Cormanthor and the Elven Court'

Lady?
"That was not a red haired lady, by any chance?", asked Knomal in a worried voice.

A possibility was there, and a fair one, and there also was a chance to get the murderer right now. Knomal kept his dart in hand, and went for one of his daggers, trying to unclip it fast.

"If so, lead me there now!" His tones were no longer the ones of a nobleman, but of a person, determined to get his job done, with force or with words. "Dra.. Paalm, come here, I need you!"

[This message has been edited by ayecapitan (edited July 05, 2001).]

Xalen looks at the body with a bit of shock on his face. He looks down the mans chest and examines the hair pin closely. Imediately, his mind darts back to the blur of movement he saw by the staircase upon his first glance into the room. In his nervousness, he had forgotten about it all. Turning toward the staircase, his eyes catch sight of a book on the table. The cover talks about Elven Antiquities. Fearing he has little time for a warm fire and a good book right now, he stuffs the book into his sack and cautiously begins to climb the stairs, hilt of his sword in hand. As he nears the top, he cautiosly spies onto the landing above him, checking for any signs of movement...

oblivious to what has been happening outside of the room Xander realizes there is nothing for him to learn here as the conversation seemed to be coming to an end. He quickly scurries out of the room and straight out of the shop. He then see's Xalen hovering over something, not caring much Xander hurries around a corner and changes back to an his true form. Realizing he will find no quick profit in this venture Xander then hurries back into the shop *accidentally* bumps the table then palms the hidden knife says his goodbyes and exits to the street, ignoring what is going on with Xalen.

Seeing the steely look of resolve in Knomal's eye, Ned knocked on the connecting door and, getting no reply, tried the handle.
"Sorry sir, Master Oliver seems to have locked it on the inside" he exclaimed.

Upstairs, Xalen saw two doors leading off the landing, one of which was slightly ajar.
From downstairs he heard a gentle knock from the connecting door to the shop. A key was still in the lock.

"By Beshaba's glass eye, of course it's locked from inside!"

Seeing the lack of response from the storekeeper's side of the door Knomal observes the lock, and notes that there is a keyhole from outside. An idea flashes in his mind and he takes out that new pin from his cloak.

"Not a finest tool, but 'tis worth a try..."
I trained in this, did I?, he thought, My guise is down anyway, and this one's too confused to protest. Thinking this, Knomal tries to pick the lock with a silver pin.

[This message has been edited by ayecapitan (edited July 06, 2001).]

"Bloody Hell!" Xalen curses under his breath as his gaze darts back to the locked door and the key still sticking out of the keyhole.

Seeing little alternative, Xalen climbs the last two steps and walks into the relatively dark room. As his eyes adjust to the dim moonlight, he sees noone in the imediate room. However, there are two exits off to the side, one of which is slight ajar. Xalen feels uneasy with this situation, getting a grave sense of danger. He unsheaths his bastard sword, holding it in his right hand as he steps toward the two doors. As the adrenaline pumps through his veins, he throws upon the ajar door and gazes coldly into the room beyond.....

Downstairs: Knomal's first attempt with the improvised tool only succeeded in dislodging the key from the far side. At the second attempt there was a satisfying click and the handle could be turned.
Ned turned round and said: "Hey, was that bugger a friend of yours? only he just stole the 'Cursed Dagger of Sethyn'!"

Upstairs: Xalen entered a bedroom. He could see little or nothing in the darkness, only that the skylight window was open letting in the cold night air.

Xalen curses to himself for not being quicker. Perhaps he could have caught this man's killer and found out what in the world is going on in this town if he had only thought the situation through a little better. Dismayed as he was, Xalen is snaped back to reality by the sounds of a door downstairs being opened.

"I can't be found lurking around here when there's a dead body downstairs and no killer to account for it. I'll be in a dungeon cell before morning if I don't make a hasty exit as quickly as possible," Xalen thought to himself.

He quickly sheathes his sword. Scanning the room for any possible escape route, Xalen's only option seems to be a window on the far wall straight in front of him. Xalen opens the window and peers down to the side alleyway running between this shop and another run down building. Quickly scanning the scene, Xalen sees noone immediatly near except the occasional rat scurrying below. He gauges it must be a twelve foot drop at least to the dirt allyway below. Quickly in a last ditch attempt to break his fall, he unties his bedroll and lets it fall to the ground below the window. Thinking the jump may still be a little much, Xalen lowers himself out the window and hangs down as far as he can before he falls the last six feet to the ground, landing relatively unscaved it apears. Xalen quickly re-rolls his bedding and scurries to the front street to look for Knomal....

Knomal opens the door and looks around the room
"Damn! Damn! Damn!"
He muttered a few curses and let Neb in. He gave the lad some time to comprehend the situation, taking a walk up the staircase.
The window in the uper chamber was open and Knomal figured that the lady has escaped. Nothing was here to find now. But... He rushed back to Neb.

"You said, Oliver met customers by appointments? I need to see his journal, where he kept the entries of his clients. You know anything of the lady? Was she... elven?"

Xalen collected his senses as he made his way to the front of the shop. Cautiously, he walked to the front window and peered in. He saw noone inside, though a door leading to the back of the shop was open. "Someone must have discovered the body by now," he thought to himself as he scanned the stores interior. He checked his pack, making sure the Elven antiquites book he found on the table was still there.

Looking up and down the street, he saw no sign of Knomal. "Where is the nine hells is he? This is no time to mess around." A yelp snatched his attention away from the street, and inside he could see Knomal's mut walking past the counter.

"Ah...he must be inside then, perhaps in the back room, if I'm lucky." Xalen walked inside the shop as casually as he could, stopping only to pick up a short sword from a shelf nearby. As he aproached the couter, he could see the young clerk's back in the doorway.

"Ahem, good sir, I noticed this small sword on the shelf outside. It seems to have a certain *aura* about it. Is it, by chance enchanted?"

As the storekeep turned to look at him, he could tell the obvious by the pale expression on his face. However, something in his eyes told Xalen he had no idea who he was, making him assume he had left no traces for anyone to discover right at hand, and as soon as he could make his way into the backroom again, he would make sure his presence earlier would not be discovered.

Feigning shock, Xalen said, "Why whatever is the matter lad. You look as if you've seen a ghost..."


OOC: I'm gonna be out of town until Tuesday on bussiness. Don't bother tying up conversation with me as I can't reply until then. Ayecapitan, if you want to go anywhere, such as back to the Inn perhaps, just assume I'm following you back and am in your party. Just don't put any words in my mouth, ok ;)

"Ohhh, what's to be done? Master Oliver murdered! Send for the watch" Ned cried. To Knomal: "Couldn't say if she was elven or no sir, had her hood up. All it says in the appointment book is: 'Magenta'."
To Xalen: *Please put the sword back sir, I'm closing the shop now and sending for the watch - before we are all slain in our beds."

"Let the watch see to the details. Neb, I advise you to stay out of business with any elven artifacs for some time now. Methinks, there is a rogue elf in the city killing all who try to put elven treasures in human hands. This might not be true, but mind my words..."

With these words he called for the dog and left the store, heading for the inn.