Late at night Dorian shambles home.  Vani, who has been working with Oma all day in the kitchen, offers him a rather dry snack.  She excitedly hands him a history book that she found.  It recounts tales and legends of about 700 years ago in the region.  Dorian is parched from the cured meat and tactful of his critique of Vani’s cooking, but honestly intrigued by the book.

Ren makes her way down to the main room as Vani is beginning to tell Dorian of their encounter with Lucien.  Still looking for a glass of water, Dorian is turning pale at the Vani’s recounting of events where Ren tried to punch out Lucien in broad daylight.  Ren really wanted to kill Lucien but didn’t. Instead she went to Red Sails, a Tong bar, and attempted to send “fiends” after Lucien. She did this by telling them Lucien had put out a hit on Kaulin, a goblin in the employ of the Tong.

Vani interrupts asking if we should go after the dwarf girl.
“What dwarf girl?” says Dorian.
“The one we made a deal with.”
“How many people did you make deals with?!”

Dorian does his best to put their story into chronological, if not logical, order.  Ren is hopeful that different factions will start fighting each other so we can go and fight all of them at once.

Long and complicated story short … Lucien keeps his items on “people” for insurance and safe keeping.  There is a single messenger boy that checks in with Lucien every day and he is our best chance of finding the person with the ring.  Oh and Ren has basically tried to instigate a turf war.

Dorian argues that just getting the ring won’t protect Laura.  We ought to be getting dirt on Lucien.

“But I made a deal with Lucien,” says Vani.
Dorian’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, what?”
“I made a deal with Lucien,” Vani innocently reiterates.
“What kind of deal?”
“Well…” Vani hedges.
“Vaniiii,” says Dorian in a gentle, lilting voice, “we’re faaaamilyyyyy…”

Vani hangs her head like a scolded child, then spills the beans. Vani’s deal was to sell Lucien the magical mines the TIP had originally recovered for Iskandar.

“As I recall,” says Dorian, “those mines are TIP property--”
“So the money goes to all of us!” Vani interjects.
“Very good!” Dorian smiles. “I’m actually impressed, Vani. That was well done.”
Vani beams.
“I’m not sure where to go from here,” says Dorian.
“Well, it is bedtime,” says Vani.

Dorian just stares at her blankly and again begins to piece together what’s happening, thinking out loud and trying to desperately reason with his compatriots.

“Let’s assume that the Tong actually start the war--” says Dorian.
“Well, if there are few less of these people around, I’m okay with that,” says Ren. “And think about the war, it will cause confusion and things might get lost.”
“You mean the ring,” says Dorian
“Yes,” says Ren.
“But then how do we find the ring?” asks Dorian.
Vani and Ren stare blankly at Dorian, not seeing how this is a problem.

“If we kill Lucien, then we lose the ring and it goes to the bad people.  If we get the ring and Lucien lives, then Lucien tells the bad people.  Either way, we have bad people coming after Narcel’Uss,” Dorian explains.

“So let’s tie them up,” says Vani.
“Who?” asks Dorian.
“The people that have things,” replies Vani.
“But then we’d have to tie up almost everyone in town.”
“I don’t have nearly enough rope,” says Ren.

The conversation keeps going in circles a little while longer.  Despite his bender, Dorian feels remarkably sober (fear apparently cleans the system rather quickly).  Dorian begs them both to hold off on any further plans until we can come together...perhaps tomorrow.  He reminds Ren and Vani that Narcel’Uss is rather a badass herself, so if she’s afraid of these bad people, maybe we should be terrified.

One last thought, Dorian turns to Ren before heading to bed… “Can you go to the Tong and tell them there was a mistake? and maybe Lucien doesn’t have to involved?”  
Ren says simply, “No.”  
And on that note Dorian heads to his bedchamber.

Vani rest a little while and then returns to the kitchen.  

Ren checks in on Narcel’Uss and Ildan and then to Jeremiah’s quarters.  Downstairs there is a clattering noise, but Jeremiah is standing there looking very much like everything’s going fine.  Ren pushes Jeremiah for his take on the problem and is in turn met with something about the scales not quite being in balance.  Jeremiah suggests that a sacrifice may be necessary.  A cow would do, but the blood of your enemies would be better.  Ren nods her head and then makes her way upstairs to bed.

In the morning, Ren, Vani, Dorian and BirdGirl meet in the kitchen.  Happily no one has died in their sleep.  Vani brings up the “copper” Danger that they met before and asks Dorian if he is someone we should pursue to get dirt on Lucien.  Since they don’t have enough rope to tie up everyone, we decided that Danger might be able to be bought.  BirdGirl plucks a golden comb from her head feathers and hands it to Dorian, while tossing Vani a small shiny emerald.

The four of them head into town looking for Danger (note the capital D).  Copper Danger is a plain clothes halfling, but he it is painfully obvious to even the most casual observer that he is a member of the law.  They find him exiting a Templar training house.  It becomes clear that Danger is a paladin as he steps into the sunlight.  Dorian heaves a long-suffering sigh at this revelation.  He asks BirdGirl to do some aerial reconnaissance while he explains why they can’t buy off Danger the way they had planned.  It will be tricky to get information from him without him realizing what they are planning and subsequently arresting them or just plain foiling their plans to blackmail Lucien.  In a strange twist against his own better judgement, Dorian suggests that Vani be the best one to talk to him in her innocent curious way.

BirdGirl is called back with a distinct whistle.  She lands and lets the team know that Danger is casually taking a patrol of the streets, following a routine pattern.  As she watched him, it was obvious that Danger is well loved and has taken care of the people of the city.  Vani is able to quickly take some side streets to meet up with Danger about a block away from the town square.

Vani finds Copper Danger single-handedly holding up the back of a wagon while it’s owner fixes an axle. Danger’s feet are gently glowing white.
Getting over her initial amazement, Vani asks, “do you remember me?”
Danger looks over. “You were chasing something a week ago down by the docks.”
Vani nods, then proffers the flower she has plucked from somewhere. “Do you want a flower?”
Danger looks from her to the flower to the cart in his hands, then back again. “I appreciate the thought…”
Vani is staring at his glowing feet. “That is so cool…”
She gets totally distracted, discussing Danger’s calling to be a paladin.
Bird Girl, watching from her perch overhead, attempts to get Vani back on track with a loud call. (“Ka-kaw, motherfucker!”)
In her own way, Vani weaves back to the topic she meant to discuss. “What do you do if you see someone really bad or nasty?”
“it depends. What do you got in mind?” asks Danger.
“Ok, there’s this person, and I don't think he’s a bad person. I want to know your opinion.”
“Ok.”
“I’ve met up with him once, and i want to know what you think.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Vani looks taken aback by this.
“You can be black as coal and still run an orphanage,” continues Danger.
“Do you know Kaulin?” asks Vani.
“I know Kaulin. my understanding is he doesn’t put much thought into it.”
“Damn it Kaulin! ok, i have another question. Can I walk with you?”
“Sure.”
“Do you know anything about a guy named Lucien?”
“Yup.”
“He doesn’t strike me as a very nice guy.”
“Nope.”
“He’s trying to do mean thing to my friends and I don’t know what to do about him. What would you do?”
Danger thinks for a moment as they walk. “It depends.”
“On what?”
“I’m aware of what kind of man Luicen is.”
“What kind of man is he?”
“The kind that doesn’t care if he kills to get ahead.”
“Has he?”
“Not that I can prove.”
“If you could?”
“Then we would have a very interesting conversation, he and I. But I would recommend you stay out of his way.”
“Why?”
“People who cross him tend to have accidents.”
“But he’s threatening to hurt my friends.”
“You’re lookin’ for an easy answer and I don’t have any.”
“I know… Can i hang out with you again some time?”
“Sure.”
“Awesome! Paladins are cool!”

Vani runs off to stake out the place where Lucien has lunch, waving at BirdGirl as she ducks into the shadows.  BirdGirl signals Ren and Dorian that Vani has taken off and they all take off to the cafe.  By the time they get there Vani has disappeared into the shadows.  Ren is uncomfortable being here. Dorian suggests that Ren describe Lucien to him and then she should head off.  

Lucien is sitting down to lunch with a Tong middle manager name Jeffrey, and his bodygaurd Ruby standing beside.  The young human boy is wandering fake-casually by the cafe and turns once he spots Lucien seated at the cafe.  Vani takes off after the boy.  Ren hangs back.  BirdGirl circles overhead trying to keep an eye on the cafe and where the boy (and she presumes Vani) are headed.  Dorian pulls up his cloak and tries to position himself where he can eavesdrop while avoiding detection.

The conversation with the Tong seems to be about the rumours that Ren has put into motion.  Jeffrey tactfully broaches the subject of Rens visit the other day.  Lucien is able to precisely describe Ren and her visit with him as well.  He assures Jeffery that the matter is well in hand.  There is little spoken of business after this - they remain “not enemies”.  Dorian collects Ren and tells her that she’s been called out and her plan isn’t working.  

“Were they fighting?” asks Ren.
“No, it was a … parlay, no fighting,” Dorian replies.
Ren just shrugs indifferently.
Dorian ponders aloud that if they could find out who does Dorian’s killing for him that would be enough for Danger to take action.

“Why don’t we try and get him to kill me and find out who it is?” suggests Ren.
Dorian’s eyes go wide and surprised glee dances across his face. Rationality takes hold, and he muses that we don’t know how Lucien does his killing so this is a bad idea.  “Okay, let’s not just yet. Let’s go back to the manner and discuss this, shall we?”  Dorian turns to walk towards home. Ren however heads in the direction of the cafe.

They are just finishing up lunch when Ren approaches, fists at the ready. Lucien however stops Ren cold in her tracks.  “You’re going to do something for me first.  There’s a girl.  A dwarven girl.  She’s had an accident.  Found herself trapped in a box.  I don’t know where the box is, but I suppose that she has about four or five days at most.”  

The rage drains from Ren “you’re going to tell me where she is right now”.  
“I don’t think I can do that”.
Ren smashes the table next to Lucien and scatters the rest of the patrons.  Lucien remains calm.  “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for the table.  But if you were do something for me then perhaps I could provide some information.  Such as, I know it’s a very small box.”  
Ren meekly responds, “What.”
Lucien says that he will send someone to the house, it’s best not to discuss details in public. Lucien assures her that she’ll be a hero. “in fact you already are.”
Ren turns on her heel to leave.  “And Ren, don’t make the mistake again of thinking I am a man who is afraid to die.  Its beneath you.”  
Ren fumes as she walks away, heading home at a brisk pace.

Dorrian catches up to Ren and falls in step.  To his surprise he is able to get through to Ren about how Lucien is not the type of man who responds to force. “He knows you’re compassionate, so he hit you in your compassion. He’s not like the people you’re used to. He’s like the kind of people I grew up with. So please consult me before you deal with him.”
She feels the guilt rush over her, “I thought this would be an easy way”.  

Dorian eases up on chastising Ren and changes the subject to what, if anything, we know about the dwarf girl.  Ren swears to make things right.

Back to Vani stalking the young boy:
A merchant seem to be upset as the boy nods as he passes by his stall.  Vani has been watching from the shadows.  Vani notices thieves cant on the market stall, it’s an advertisement for the stall itself.  Vani disguises herself as an urchin, tres derilique, and approaches the stall.  It appears to be selling stale bread and dull knives.  “Hey kid, you gonna buy anything?”  Vani turns her nose up at him.  She looks around trying to find anything out of place.  She decided to buy a tiny loaf of hardened bread before heading back to the market.  

She wanders around the back of the stall and enters the apartment building it’s attached to.  The building is a flop house, crammed with people.  It’s hot and misserable and full of unsavory characters.  Vani realize that she’s been looking at this all wrong - if Lucien asked this merchant to hide something, it would be impossible to find it casually like this.  She bites into the stale bread. “I’ll be good, I’ll be good”.  She decides to head back to meet with Lucien.

Talking about the sale of the mine, Lucien informs Vani that his finder’s fee is 15% and the current price is 20 gold per stone. They agree to wait and see if they can get a better price. Vani says, “shall I check back in a day or two?”
Lucien says, “I think you may be busy. Come back in a week.”
Vani, confused by this remark, heads home.

BirdGirl has kept an eye on the boy as he meanders through the square.  He does a number of circuits through the streets.  BirdGirl keeps a tally of to whom the boy nods on his travels.  As he returns to the square, Bird Girl makes a cautious decision not to follow him further (noting he’s heading towards the docks).  She backtracks and stealthy affixes feathers above the stalls of all the merchants with whom the boy had interactions.  She then flies home.

On her return home, Dorian informs Vani about Lucien’s ploy with the dwarf girl in a small box and how Ren will have to find and retrieve her. Ren takes to sitting out in the lane, waiting.  

BirdGirl takes a handful of feathers to Dorian and says what she’s done.  “That’s very clever of you.”
“Pretty bird?”
He smiles. “Always.”

Ren encounters a strange little man carrying a package.  There is an odd exchange, where Ren is trying to control herself from ripping the man’s arms off to take the package.  The strange little man insists that the package must be delivered to the manor.  The door is opened and the package is delivered.  Ren tears open the package; it’s full of notes and a key.  Ren hands the notes to Dorian.  They appear to be a map and a set of letters from a bard.  These are research notes and bits of a journal, all of which seem to signed “Pangle”.  It’s clearly a location and description to a unique object.  “Perhaps this has nothing to do with the dwarf girl afterall,” says Dorian.

According to the notes, North of here are several old forts and fortresses.  The notes describe a  golem and mentions a very small box.  It describes the box as the heart of the golem and states that it must always contain something of great value.  The map points towards the frontier, untamed and unpatrolled lands.  It seems there may be another abandoned golem or something greater.  Vani is exuberant at the possibility of adventure.  Dorian does his best to convince her that this package likely isn’t from Lucien.  

Meanwhile, Ren has taken the key and wrapped it around her neck, and started packing.  Ren is convinced that this *is* from Lucien and we need to make haste. Dorian is caught up in everything and realizes he needs to catch up to Ren.

“Ren I have the map, just wait five minutes.”  She stops in her tracks but looks rather impatient.  Dorian has no idea what to leave as a note when BirdGirl pipes up “I could be the note”.
“What?”
“I’m the note. And new package fly to Ren”.  Dorian leave a note anyways: BIRDGIRL IS TELLING THE TRUTH.  

Ren, Dorian, and Vani head off down the road as BirdGirl waves goodbye from the steps of the manor.