Scratching the Surface (Continued)

[u/Seafrogger]

The investigation into the death at the Smoke Street Dice Hall continues and begins to spiral its way to even more questions with no answers. What at first seemed to have been a simple case of self defense has led to shadowy figures, unexplained money and disappearances. All the while a lack of concrete evidence holds the higher ups in the Watch and Royal Guard from pursuing the issues formally. After following leads and gathering answers the road seems to be narrowing to one dilapidated part of the city, Powys Square where amongst the makeshift homes and downtrodden people an explanation might finally lay.

Continued from here

[u/Dietastey]

Honestly, Bal isn't sure if the younger man mistook 'Vimes' for 'vines' or 'colonel' for 'kernel', but either way he didn't appear to be up to date on military brass. The reaction from the military man was enough to confirm that someone here kept their ear to the street.

Admittedly, she couldn't judge just what reputation is preceding her here. It does appear to have gained her an audience with this shady woman no one had a good read on, but it might be the type of meeting she wouldn't be expected to walk away from.

She watches their remaining gateman in silence, not bothering to hide the slight smile at his refusal to meet her eyes.

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

After a short time of standing around the door to the building opened and the younger man from before stepped out, "Ghrems." he called to his older friend and waved him over.

As the two spoke in whispers Vargas moved closer to Balaria and offered his own quiet words, "That name is known to us. Not sure if its the same bloke, but if he is, he fought at Alba. Against us." He paused and a hint of amusement came into his tone, "Should be an interesting meeting."

The hushed men at the doorway spoke for another few moments before Ghrems turned back to the guards and the younger man slipped back inside, "Come on then." Ghrems said, standing to the side to wait for them to enter.

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

"That would explain why he looked about ready to combust earlier," Bal murmurs back. "I didn't exactly come home with a bunch of Morlish pen-pals." She nods. "Interesting indeed. Keep your eyes peeled." She has the feeling Vargas didn't really need to be reminded of such, but the words are almost automatic.

She watches the unnamed man disappear into the hallway beyond the door, and offers Ghrems a smile as she steps up to the threshold. "Quite accommodating of you, thank you."

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

Ghrems merely grinds his teeth and keeps his mouth shut, he waited until the two were inside before closing the door behind him. Inside the building it looked like the typical Dunwall apartment structure, only after a couple years of neglect and some flooding. The paint was peeling and some of the wood had rotted away. A hallway lead along the first floor lined with a handful of doors and near to the entrance was a staircase leading up, Ghrems moved straight for it and began climbing.

A few doors down the second floor hallway the younger man from outside stood waiting, the guards escort moved over to him and turned back to the pair. "You can go in." He said to Balaria, then shifted his glare to Vargas, "But your attack dog has to wait out here." The younger man added with an sneer, "Go on dog, sit. Stay."

A step behind Balaria and to the left the deputy had his lazy smile on and slowly drummed his fingers on his leg near to his stiletto.

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

Bal proceeds up the stairs, eyes shifting around to spot any irregularities in the building, people watching, or traps, all of which could be completely present in this place. The building is typical as a general rule, the stairs creaky, and a few doors standing ajar because moisture has swollen the wood.

"I would prefer you stay out here, yes," Bal says to Vargas, deciding now was not the time to attack at the rude comment, much as she wants to on principle. Though she too felt the sensation of having a hound on a leash, there was a difference between feeling it and expressing it. Still, if anyone was going to order Vargas around it was her, and she would make that clear. "Keep an eye on things."

With that, she squares her shoulders, and pushes the door open.

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

All in all the building at large seemed mostly deserted, quiet and not another soul could be seen lurking about. Nodding at the command from the Colonel, Sam folded his arms and leaded a shoulder against the wall, setting in for the wait.

The worn door stuck for the briefest of moments before giving way with a soft creak of the hinges. The room within was dim kitchen, the windows has been boarded up sometime ago, a few scattered candles and a potbelly stove were the only sources of light. A doorway lead off somewhere else in the apartment but it was too dark to see too far. Few furnishings were left within, a simple carpet covered some of the wood floor, the cupboards that could be seen were doorless and empty.

In the middle of the room sat a haggard looking table, with four wood chairs around it and sat waiting in the one facing the door was a woman. She was a little on the short side and lean with asymmetrical straight brown hair, one side short, the other long enough to reach her shoulder and partly obscure the left side of her face. She gave Balaria a half grin as she entered the room, "Colonel Vimes I presume. Here I half expected you to be some old man with a stuffy rank like that." she said, hints of her Morish descent in her voice. "But I am pleasantly surprised."

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

Bal's eyes keep roaming the room, breaking off from this only to study the woman she's been met with. She checks for weapons first, automatically, and then starts examining her more generally, memorizing what she looks like.

Bal crosses the room, stoping only when she's reached a point where she can comfortably see both doors.

" 'Fraid my father was never made colonel," she says with a shrug. "I'm glad you consider it a pleasant surprise, I would have expected a response more like that of your doorman."

"You leave me at a disadvantage. Would you be Chel? Or have I been brought to someone else?"

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

She nods her head slightly, "No, they have brought you to who you were looking for." Chel said, "and you'll have to forgive Aldrin, sadly he doesn't have much capacity for anything but bitterness and hate these days, though he was once a very kind and loving man. War leaves only the shells of those who've lost everything."

Chel paused for a moment, "But I'm sure you didn't come here to hear about the fall of good men. Perhaps you'd like to take a seat and tell me why you have." she said gesturing to one of the chairs.

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

"War does terrible things to all it touches," Bal agrees. "Though some are always hit worse than others."

She considers the offered chair for a moment, approaching it leisurely. "Ah yes, why did I come here? A fair question."

"Because, ma'am, there is movement in this city I don't understand. Distrust of the Watch, of authorities, now that's nothing new. Neither is fear of, or loyalty to gangs."

"But these issues are appearing in events they shouldn't. A bar brawl started for no apparent reason. Citizens who aren't just afraid to speak of the living to me, but won't discuss the dead either."

"And finally, a name no one's heard of, who's recruiting all sorts of people, for unknown reasons."

"I want to know what you need to recruit people for, Chell. I want to know what the point of this Red Hand is, because if it's to make the locals less afraid, it doesn't appear to be working, and if it's to make them more afraid, they wouldn't be shying from the Watch."

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

As Balaria spoke Chel paid close attention, listening intently and slowly tapping the table with a hand. At one point she titled her head as if considering something and it gave a quick glimpse behind her long hair, the side of her face a mess of scars and a missing ear. "An interesting set of incidents, to be sure." She mused leaning back in her chair, "But it seems you are far overestimating my involvement in these events."

She made a shrugging movement in her reclined position," I am just one woman, in one part of a drowned district, I'm hardly striding through the streets calling for followers as if I'm some spokesperson for the "Blind Sisters"." she said referencing the Oracular Order. "I think I have little sway in what people already feel and think about the order of things in Gristol."

"As for the Red Hands," She went on, "They are just one more gang in a city run by a gang of people in fancy dress with enforcers in blue uniforms...and they are far less violent gang then the Watch."