The guards lead Morin and Kelaria away from the Silverdisk, back across the intersection in front of the building, as Bron closes the door behind them.

"Oh the chips just represent coins; protects them from anyone trying to grab the pot and run." The girl spreads a few painted wooden coins of different colors across her counter. She leans to look over Ionaya's shoulder towards the game room as she says, "We're pretty slow tonight. The games usually run the gamut, but it looks like they're playing Dragon's Bluff and Absalom Alley Craps." But before the girl can say any more, Big Bron turns from the door with an aggravated sigh and addresses Ionaya directly, "Yer with them, right? Mind telln' me what in the nine hells is goin' on? Jus' be straight with me."

Ionaya looks over tho the girl and replies, "Thank you for your help." Turning her attention back to Big Bron she replies, "I was with them, but they want to cause more trouble than I'm interested in. Is your patron here? If so, I'd like to speak with him in his office. If not, when was the last time he was here today?"

Ionaya rolled 21 using 1d20+4 ((17)). Diplomacy
This message was last updated by the player at 06:30, Thu 21 Mar.

Bron sighs with relief, clearly put on edge by Kelaria's antics and Morin's exacerbating. He grins at the sorceress, and looks briefly to the other ropefists nearby, before gesturing towards the door to the office. He shakes his head as they walk and explains, "Garmen ain't here, and we got nothin' to hide. Have a look if y'like. We just can't play along if the guards are lookin' for the boss, y'know? He's done a lot o' good for this town, an' we can't go turnin' him in fer steppin' on the wrong toes." He frowns for a moment before continuing, "But that gnome was sayin' some nonsense about 'im betraying the town an' turnin' off the torch? No way Garmen could or would do somethin' like that. He's just as much to lose without the torch as anyone. What is really goin' on?"

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 3):

As she moves towards the office, Ionaya replies, "Thank you!" to Bron and then adds, "Garmen is not who you think he is. A device was found hidden in one of his warehouses that is connected with the Torch and why it's gone out." She then headed into Garmen's office. Once she stepped inside, she asked Bron, "Is there anyplace here he might keep valuable papers?"

"'Connected,' huh?" Bron responds with tired annoyance at the vague answer, but pushes open the office door to let Ionaya have a look. Inside is a simple, crowded room with a desk and some accompanying chairs to one side, and to the other a collection of shelves and coat racks storing the jackets and vests worn by dealers. Across the room is the back door for the hall, closed and locked. The shelves hold a mix of supplies for the business: bottles and casks of liquor either overstock for the bar or gifts for high rollers, an impressive collection of cigars, more fresh decks of cards, and even a collection of dice with unusual numbers of size(much more than the 6-sided dice Ionaya is used to.) Sitting out on the desktop is a paper with scribbles of names, dates, and hours with many of the entries scratched out and re-written, presumably some form of schedule for the hall's workers. Searching through the desk's drawers Ionaya finds more papers: receipts for uncollected tabs, payroll logs with a large number of advances on pay for various workers, regular counts of the cashier's cage, and earnings calculations which show a notable dip after the torch went out. One large, lower drawer in the desk bears a keyed lock, but is currently unlocked and empty. "Find any loose coppers to share?" Bron jokes as he stands in the doorway with his arms crossed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:01, Sat 23 Mar.

During her search, Ionaya will attempt to look for hidden and/or magical items and determine the worth and utility of the items in the office. She's especially looking for notes, bills, or other indicators of activity or items that are unusual or beyond what might be expected.

OOC
She casts Detect Magic and concentrates while looking over the room for at least 2 rounds,
3 if she finds any magic whatsoever inside.

Ionaya rolled 23 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 16.  Knowledge Arcana.
Ionaya rolled 17 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 11.  Perception.
Ionaya rolled 11 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 6.  Appraise.

Only a single magical aura catches Ionaya's eye. After digging beneath some rags on one of the shelves, she uncovers a wand, and after further study determines it to be a Wand of Detect Magic.

Ionaya completes her search of the office, sharing the information about the papers she finds with Bron. After finding the wand, she says, "Well, besides this wand, I can find nothing related to magic and certainly nothing related to the high magic item Garmen had hidden in the warehouse. From what I've seen, I think your former boss has fled, fearing that the Council had caught onto him. Of course, the League might be after him too."

Fingering the wand, she looks Bron in the eye and adds, "I'm taking this wand. Maybe the Council can find out more after examining it. Thank you for your help, Bron. I'll report to the Council that Garmen has fled and there is nothing important here to find."

Holding up three gold pieces as she approaches Bron and the door, Ionaya offers, "Unless there is something else we need to talk about, I have to go."

Bron furrows his brow and tilts his head at the mention of the League, but has given up on getting straight answers. At Ionaya's mention of taking the wand, the big man corrects her, "No, you aren't. I let ya have yer look since you asked nicely an' we got nothin' to hide. But y'ain't stealin' from the Silverdisk." Assuming she doesn't attempt to leave with the wand, Bron stands aside to allow her to pass, shaking off the offer and saying, "Keep yer gold. Come back when the guards're off our backs and lose it in an honest game."

Ionaya frowns as Bron insists on keeping the wand, she sighs, "Neither of us is foolish enough to really believe that I would try to steal something right in front of you, Are we?" She places the wand in his hands, and pockets the gold. "Being a sorceress, I have power at my fingertips. But I'd rather make a friend than leave a place burned to the ground. I hope you will be my friend, Bron, send for me if you see Garmen again, maybe I will come back and win a game or two."

She waves to Bron and the girl as she walks out.