The Flayed Man part 12

So, a paymaster.

The hospitalized Frostmantle did say he'd put you in touch with someone, but that it would take some time. A few weeks, yes, but that time has passed. The paymaster, a Frostmantle Sergeant by the name of Goff, has agreed to meet with you on 'matters pertaining to Explorer's Guild business' at the Guild proper, in one of thier briefing rooms. That's where you are now. Waiting.

Iskandar sits on a stool in a corner. It's next to a wall, just the right distance to support his back as he leans against it. His legs are stretched out in front, crosses at the ankle. A pose of comfortably relaxed slouching, that he could never manage with an actual chair. He holds a goblet of wine in one hand. He sips at it only sparingly, since he doesn't know how long he'll have to make it last.

Seldan waits as well, on another bench with its back to the wall, although he has eschewed the wine. Instead, he's leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. It didn't take long for his jaw to relax and him to slip into a light doze.

Olek is in the waiting room, waiting. He looks intent, or maybe angry, though that's really just his resting expression with the scar on his face. "When was this guy gonna show?" he asks. Again.

Malik sits next to Seldan, looking over and smiling a bit as he sees the other man has fallen asleep. He's scribbling notes in his spellbook, carefully tracing certain lines and sigils as the time passes. He seems to be in no hurry, though at Olek's question adds, "Did they specify an actual time?"

"Right now, act ually," is what Paymaster Goff says when he catches the tail end of Malik's sentence.

Paymaster Goff is tall, muscular, and scarred. He's missing a hand, which probably explains one of the reasons he's the paymaster and not at the front lines anymore. His body looks like it's been through a fire. Probably because he had.

He's got an eyepatch, too! Go figure.

"Was told you lot needed a Frostmantle paymaster for something relating to an investigation into a previous contract with the city. The hell?"

He doesnb't sound very enthusiastic to be here.

Iskandar turns to look at the Paymaster. He takes a few moments to size him up. Then after only a few more moments, Iskandar straightens and stands. "That's all correct," he nods. "Specifically, we have a few questions about a few Frostmantles who go be the war names Toes, Nose and...ah...one moment." He tries to remember the other name.

Olek eyes the Paymaster, and nods. "Seems some of your crew have been up to bad things," he says. "On their own time, not as part of their official duties, I'm sure." He'll throw them that bone. He nods to what Iskandar says as he gives the names.

Iskandar snaps his fingers. "Blar! That was it! Toes, Blar and Dunes."

Malik listens as Iskandar starts, nodding at the names provided -- and wincing when Olek chimes in, setting the book aside for the moment while he watches the goings-on. Just in case.

It takes Seldan a minute, when the paymaster shows up, to blink himself awake, and when he does, rubs at his face. "The third codename was Blar," he puts in, a little muzzily. "Forgive me, this last fortnight has been a long one. We have traced the appearance of a ghost - a skinless ghost, back to Frostmantle activity in the Esswitz area of Alexandros, in Quintoos of 1018." He still seems to be trying to pull his wits together. A man by the name of Morv Blayton, wearing Frostmantle colors. His body was found outside Esswitz, and when we sought the assistance of the Grey Lady's temple, the corpse named his killers as Toes, Blar, adn Dunes." A nod to Iskandar.

A flat look is given to Olek, Malik is eyed, as is Iskandar, and then he turns to peer at Seldan.

"Is that so," he remarks.

It's clear he's got some doubts about the veracity of this tale on the initial telling.

He folds his arm, what's left of the one across the full other.

"I don't know the names, not off the top of my head."

Iskandar looks at the Paymaster. He rubs his short beard in thought. Then he says, "Would the Frostmantles have any records? Some way to discover where they are now?" He paces back and forth. "There must be something..."

Olek gives Goff a weary look, and nods. "Not expecting you to know everyone off the top of your head. But we need to know the fellows names so justice can be done."

Malik looks to Seldan, shaking his head. "They call the man out of the blue and accuse his organization of a serious crime, going on a handful of names which may or may not even be entirely accurate, for essentially no benefit on his part... are they /actually/ expecting him to be forthcoming?" The wizard seems deeply confused about the particular tactics they've chosen, and is not particularly making a point of keeping his voice lowered. "They /do/ know what a mercenary /is/, yes?"

"...thank you," says Goff, looking mollified by Malik's words for the moment. He drums his fingers across his arm, letting out a sigh.

"These are serious allegations. Fratrifice amongst the mantles is a death sentence. Blayton, that name is... familiar, come to think of it. A casualty in a mission here some years ago?" That, he's starting to remmber. "Is that what this is about? The casualty? You're saying it was murder?" It's coming into focus now. "Murder comitted /by/ his companions? Wh-../why/ would they do that? It's a death sentence."

Olek says to Malik, "We've got a /Paladin of Eluna/ in the /Guild/ asking, this is not a fishing expedition or random hearsay." He nods to Goff as he begins to see the serious side of things. "We're still investigating, obviously, but it seems that those individuals killed and flayed the victim for some horrible purpose. One that we're trying to get to the root of."

Seldan appears to be pulling his wits together now, and nods to Malik before turning back to the paymaster. "Actually, we were hoping you could help us piece the matter together and determine who truly is responsible. The man was murdered. The bones say that he was held down and his skin stripped from his flesh while he was still living. That is not only murder, but murder with cruel motives." He sits up, letting the holy symbol show openly. "We have only the ones the corpse named when spoken to through the Veil, and yet ... such a means of murder I would suspect of no man, perhaps save those that serve the Hound." He uses the Myrrish name for Caracoroth. That might explain to many an Elunan's take on the matter.

Iskandar casts an irritated glance in Malik's direction. But he listens as the others explain further. Then he looks at the Paymaster Goff, gauging his reaction.

Malik, having spoken his peace, seems content to remain silent for now, letting the others do the talking. He's got nothing to add here.

He stares down at his hand.

"I'm going to need to write a report on this," he says, with a heavy sigh.

He has one hand, okay? Writing reports sucks.

He pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment. "So you're telling me you think, what, that this was some kind of caracothian debacle? What's your evidence of that, actually?" he asks, eyes on Seldan's holy symbol, then at Olek. Paladins. Ugh.

Iskandar nearly chokes on his wine. Olek, a Paladin? Iskandar watches the khazad from the corner of his eye. Then he shakes his head to himself. "We're still investigating," he reminds Goff. "Our next step is to find them.

Olek admits, "The Caracothian part is speculation based on some of what we saw nearby where the events happened. The individuals we named were fingered by the victim, himself, so he knew them personally. That part is not speculation - we asked via the Temple of Vardama."

"That part is but a guess," Seldan nods in agreement. "We continue to work to understand what happened, and rule out or confirm my suspicions. You may be able to hold those reports until we know more." He grins suddenly, with warm understanding. "What we know for certain from the corpse is what we have said. Toes, Blar, and Dunes. It was our hope that you could help us identify these individuals. We have been able to learn a bit from the townsfolk." Quickly he sketches what they learned from the farmer.

Malik seems to have very little to add to the conversation. The others are moving it forward, for good or for ill.

"Oh, so it's a /guess/, then," says Goff.

He rubs his face more forcefully and says, "Look. LOok, I'm sure you mean well. I'm sure you're also very aware of the position and difficulty you're putting me in here. I'll look into this. But if I find something, it goes through my organization and the guild first through proper channels. We'll investigate and we'll keep you in the loop. The guild will demand it, given that it happened in Alexandrian soil." He looks rather steamed for a moment, but he does nod towards Seldan and his words. "SOunds about right, those names. Groups are formed ad hoc outside the batallion. Not everyone knows everyone and blood *is* cheap, I'm sorry to say. Nicknames are normal."

Seldan, now fully awake, eyes the paymaster levelly. "I do not oppose your wishes, and I will cooperate fully. The Guild also demands a swift and silent resolution to the matter. But, be aware that the ghost has already stepped in to ensure justice for his death. It walks the streets of Alexandria, and it and I will know if justice is not done. If the ghost becomes a problem, I will have no choice but to act."

Olek looks to Seldan on this one, he has no idea if this is normal procedure or acceptable. He does say, "You may want to take a closer look at your ad hoc groups if they're up to these sorts of nefarious things. Even the implication that members of your company are doing these things will kill business in Alexandria and everywhere that's aligned with her."

"It seems rather intent on tracking down those involved in keeping its murder a secret. Not a list that I would want to add my name to," Malik muses. "That one -- it tends to leave quite the mess." He says it in the coolest, most casual voice that he can manage, stuffing his book into his satchel, pointedly not looking at the paymaster as he lets that particular thought sink in.

Iskandar raises his goblet and takes a long drink this time. No sense being sparing now. "It takes as long as it takes," he agrees. "Is there anyone else we might talk to about the Frostmantles in Esswitz around that time?"

"I don't know. /Is/ there?" asks Goff of Iskandar with a sigh. He has no idea. He frowns at Seldan's words, though, seeming to find that discomfiting before hestares at Malik.

"IS that *right*," he deadpans. "Well, then. I guess I know what I have to do. I'll see to it that you're given copies of the pay papers. There should be names given there, *once* I find them. It's hard to say where any of these individuals are now, or if they're even still alive. If they weren't, though, I imagine your ghost would be at rest, so... I'll try to locate them. We have a wide ranging opperation. Chances are they've been split up for years now."

"Morv Blayton's body is at the Temple of the Grey Lady in Alexandria," Seldan offers in return. "The Mourners have been willing to assist. Do what you can, and I will be grateful. Esswitz has not exactly been forthcoming about the events of the time, nor have they been willing to offer aid to outsiders."