In reply to Vilgar (msg # 345):

"Huh. They would have to make a pretty big wall for you. But who is behind it? Just retards, or something more sinister, perhaps even demonic?"

In reply to Sederic (msg # 346):

"I book no truck with them from the nethers, although to hear Father Robards tell it,
I'm due to be damned for running gambling houses. Seems to me that greed alone makes folks do
 the kind of things that would draw attention from below, and I would bet that some of those Haves who chase temporal power may well have cut a deal. You know what I mean?"

In reply to Vilgar (msg # 347):

"Interesting, and concerning, concept. But to check out the rich with no evidence is not likely to be helpful. Any suddenly new rich folk that may have shady dealings you are aware of"

In reply to Sederic (msg # 348):

"Mostly I deal with pit fighters, degenerate gamblers, and barkeepers. I don't deal with that sort, or rather, they wouldn't deal with me."

[Private to Narrator: Oren would know]

In reply to Vilgar (msg # 349):

Sederic thanks him for his time, and goes back to tell the rest of the group what he has found out.

Ardenas leaves Paolo's chapel to rejoin the group.

"Somehow, I thought Benny communing with his god would be a quiet, contemplative time.  I've seen more quiet contemplation from a horse trader."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 351):

Benny completes his cajoling and bargaining,  with a result he knows.

Has Mancini been doing any investigation?

In reply to Narrator (msg # 352):

Aoife has been with Kalima, waiting for everyone to get back and share ideas...

OOC:  So, where is the group hanging out waiting for people?

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 354):

The guild hall? Seems we went there with Sederic...

In reply to Sederic (msg # 355):

They are down in the main hall, unless Mancini went to his offices.

Benny staggers out to the group in the main hall, he's got a leather bound ledger in one hand.  He looks like he just ran a marathon.

"The Lord of Commerce has served up the very book we needed.  Is Mancini in the bar?  I could use a drink and a bite to eat after all that."

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 357):

"Good idea. Where did Mancini go?"

Ardenas leans in toward Benny.

"Watch out for the meat in the hot brown -- never know what it came off of.  Here is where I regret my vow least."

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 359):

"You do not have to take a vow not to eat it, you know..."

She is sticking with bread today, even if it is not so fresh...

"I have to eat something.  And my vow was part of my training.  Master Albrecht teaches that there's no good to come from eating dead flesh.  And then he spends literally days talking about what you have to do to stay healthy if you don'."

Ardenas picks a couple bits of unidentifiable dead flesh from his bowl.

"Always seemed to me it would be simpler to eat whatever, control how much and when like we have to do anyway for training, and not have to spend so much effort balancing grains, and beans, and eggs.

"Here, though, I don't mind picking out the meat bits.  I've never been completely sure the Guild doesn't dispose of bodies from the undercity in the pots."

In reply to Aoife (msg # 360):

"Nature only kills to eat. it is a good practice to only eat what you kill...especially in the city. Hence I stick with beans and bread...works better that way."

Benny sits down having gotten a bowl of brown and mug of ale.  "It's times like this that I am grateful Hernes has so few strictures on how his priests comport themselves, makes my life, and meal choices, far simpler."

He pauses, looks slightly heavenward with his hands upraised, "Thank you Hermes for steering my path into these people.  Already we have found use for the access you have bestowed upon me, I pray that more opportunities to serve and enrich our lives comes my way."

Mancini heard that Benny received word from Hermes. He quickly finds the others, and seeing the poor food they were eating, places an order for some fresh bread, a nice wine, and some cheese, butter, and jam. (Spending about $75 here)

"Benny, inform us what the great Hermes has told you." Mancini was very curious to know.

"Hermes revealed to me that this," he hands over the logbook of Johan Faustus, "was lost in the great nothing beyond our realm, beyond even most gods.  Of course, the Messenger, the Traveler had no trouble retrieving it, probably thought it was great jest rescuing it from oblivion where it had been consigned, then Hermes made me feel every step so I'd understand that despite being great fun, it was not an easy task, or one without certain costs."

In reply to Benny Morales (msg # 365):

"Ah, a list of all the items that have been sold! That is useful indeed! We can go through each item!"

"I'm impressed!  The little I understand, that was a pretty good trick even for a god of travelers -- not so much the getting there and back, but finding such a minor thing in such a vast void."

Ardenas breaks a piece off the loaf and smears it with butter.   "And thank you, Mancini." 

In reply to Ardenas Barehand (msg # 367):

This feed probablu only cost $40 at most, but tpping the kitchen witches keeps the rat meat off your plate.

The ledger has a long list of names, with the names of items and what was paid. Sometimes instead of a monetary amount, there is a letter "f" or a "C". Not too many C's.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:09, Tue 20 Oct 2020.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 368):

Sederic also thanks Mancini for the meal.

"Well, not, at least we have somewhere to start. What do the F and C stand for? Perhaps we should pick one of them and visit them first?"

In reply to Sederic (msg # 369):

Aoife waits for Kalima to eat first, before taking a small amount to eat, with thanks.

"C for contract perhaps? Selling ones soul? What are the items? Also, any names we know? They could be from anywhere...is there any locations given?"