"Are you accusing ....?" he asks after he pulls himself into a more dignified position--standing, although the chair stays on the floor for now. "Accusing? Hardly. Just giving credit where it is due. Quite the impressive job, really." "On the contrary, my humble Circle of Thieves had *nothing* to do with that theft. In fact, we didn't even know about it until the priestesses outright seduced our members for information." Lannstucht raises an elegant eyebrow. "Indeed. That says little positive about the Guild's situational awareness and, shall we say, discipline?" "Those seduced have been properly disciplined. As far as the theft itself, whoever pulled it off had the skill of a seasoned thief and the power of an experienced spellslinger." "I see. I do assume that you have plans set in motion to recover the item? After all, it reflects rather badly to have something thus valuable removed from your 'jurisdiction'." Lannstucht meets his gaze with a level, chilly smirk. "As your own people say, plains-rider, that would be telling." He gives Lannstucht a really flashy smile as he says this. Lannstucht's smirk grows fractionally. "So it would." Tanda gives Kratus a brilliant smile, and turns to leave. "Well, thank you for your hospitality," she says. "I think we've learned what we came here for. You guys ready to split?" she asks her teammates. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Roland quietly walks out, leaving the rest of the group behind, asking around about where any Easterners would be, preferably former slaves. Those of criminal element being the preferred choice. He is directed to the north side of town, not far from the docks. Stepping through the streets of the neighborhood, it's as if Roland had been transported back to Gohiong. Nearly everyone here is of Gohiong descent, and speak Hong easier than they speak Caere. Asking around in Hong, he is directed to a small fish gutting operation two blocks away from the docks, and given a jade pendant as a pass. Inside the fish gutting building, which smells like a charnelhouse, he is directed to the back room. As he walks through the place heads turn, a few of the youngsters working there give him big smiles, and he is generally held in respect. In the back room, he is greeted by an older Hong. "Welcome," the old Hong replies in his native language. "What can we do to help a fellow countryman?" Roland tosses his hood back, speaking in his native tongue as well.. "There has been a recent theft in the Temple of Akanksha. We have found out that the thieves’ guild in town has nothing to do with this theft, and I am looking to find out who exactly does." "Such a theft does not go unnoticed for long," is the reply. "Fortunately for you, we know who is responsible. But, that information does not come cheap." "Do you know who I am?" "You are Jian Lung Xiang," the older man replies, "responsible for a minor incident on the local docks a few years back that the guards have by now completely forgotten about. Any other questions, or would you like to hear my price?" "It is good to know I am remembered by the right people. I was worried that I might still be a wanted man around these parts. I certainly appreciate your offered aid. Please name your price." "A simple package delivery, Xiang. Deliver this box," he indicates a small wooden container, "to the ship on pier forty-two, in the cargo hold, by midnight, without being seen, then get back here. Once that has been completed, return here for the information you seek." Roland takes the box calmly with a nod. "I do hope that you aren't one for betrayal, old man. What is your name?" "For now, it is best for both of us that I remain anonymous to you. If you make it back, I will tell you my name." He narrows his eyes at the man dangerously. "It is best for you that you aren’t trying to entrap me, old man." With this, he takes the box and turns to leave, moving under the cover of night from shadow to shadow to the appointed place. Roland manages to remain unseen and unheard as he slips from shadow to shadow. A few times he catches himself and manages to hide from the city watch as they pass by. The box, should he decide to examine it, has no apparent opening; it seems to have been nailed shut. Roland looks quietly to the ship, unsure as to how he should approach his actual target. Nevertheless, he still maintains stealth, jumping onto it from afar when none are looking, setting the package down in a noticeable place, then jumping off and running back to his meeting place. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deep in thought, Tanda covers her mouth with her hand in an unconscious gesture of uncertainty. "There HAS to be someone in this city that knows something more about the theft. Blood and bloody ashes, I mean, it's an artifact after all! Those don't go walking off by themselves all that often." After a bit more consideration, she goes on. "We should split up and canvass the city for answers. Someone should check out the local Wizards guild. And maybe Menaria can find some answers among the other temples. I think we'd better head back to the temple however, and examine the crime scene itself first." Tanda looks around at the group as they leave the thieves guild. "Hey!? What happened to Roland?" "I believe I saw him leave not too long ago," Jonahli replies softly. "He looked as if he did not want to be seen or heard by anyone as he left." She looks at Lannstucht. "Where do you wish to start, Mistress?" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Roland manages to get aboard the ship, plant the package, and leave without being noticed. The cargo hold he was told to leave the box in is filled with numerous barrels. Minutes after he leaves the ship, the local church bells start ringing their midnight chimes. It's amazing anyone in the city is able to sleep with the noise being made from the various churches and temples in the city. As the final chimes die off, there is a series of explosions heard from the dock areas. The first is a small explosion, followed almost immediately by several larger ones. He shakes his head with a sigh. "If this old man is barking falsely," he thinks, "this little maneuver on his part will cost him his life." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Menaria goes about her temple duties, she and Tana find themselves in the storage room the artifact was once stored in. During the search, their sharp eyes catch sight of an item on the floor, nestled behind several boxes. It appears to be a large metal ring connected to the floor, etched in a form of elvish script, but the words are complete gibberish. Oddly enough, they seem to match the writing on the dagger found in both Caer Zitheral's high priestess and Katrina's old mentor. "Now this is interesting...we'll need to let the others know as soon as they return." Menaria eyes Tana. "I don't guess you can make any of it out?" "Interesting indeed. It is not of a tongue that I have knowledge of. Perhaps one of them can interpret the script." Tana replies. Knowing that the script on the dagger was described as being of the Undercommon language, Tana gives a visible shudder. Tana gets down closer to the floor and examines the floor around the ring, looking for the break in the floor that would suggest a trap door of some type. He finds the outline of a trap door with little difficulty. The door seems to swing downward, and is large enough for a normal human or elf to pass through, although dwarves and bugbears might have some difficulty. "It appears that the way we entered is not the only portal for access. This may give illumination as to how the perpetrators absconded with their ill-gotten gains." Tana mutters more to himself than to Menaria. Turning towards Menaria, "I do believe we should locate and confer with our companions before continuing the exploration of this egress." Looking around for a pole to shove through the ring to keep the trap door from being easily opened from below. "I agree, it would be foolish if we went down there on our own...though my curiousity is peaked." She chuckles as a twinkle shines in her green eyes. "But I've learned patience and some common sense over the time. Hopefully the others will return soon. I truly hope none of them have gotten into trouble...sometimes I wonder about a couple of them." She sighs, smirking slightly. Tana, standing and heading towards the door, stops and turns back towards Menaria. "I believe we should keep this discovery to our selves, at least for the moment." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The explosions at the docks is heard by the others as they congregate at the Temple. Roland, however, has not yet returned to the Temple, and Tanda wonders out loud whether he had anything to do with that explosion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back in the fish guttery, Roland is greeted by the now-pleased older Hong. "Good work, my boy. Good work. Now, I did agree to tell you who had the artifact you're seeking, so here it is. The artifact was stolen by a temple raider in the employ of the Temple of Su'kal, and has been taken into the catacombs under the city -- for what purpose, we cannot tell."