The stairwell throbs with violet light. Steven keeps Guard Two crushed to the wall, while BonerFart’s arrow never wavers. Below, the ledger lies open on the wet steps, its pages splayed like a confession.
Guard Two
Wait. I can name him. The one who paid for the route map, the one who wanted you here divided.
Joe and Garrick close in from behind, cutting off the stairs. Merrin’s face hardens as she studies the ledger’s marks, the same seal pattern repeated beside several forged names.
Merrin
This is Barack’s hand. Not only the lies, the routing too. He is setting camps against each other, then watching who survives.
BonerFart
Speak. Who gave the map?
Guard Two
A clerk in dark sleeves. He said the elder wanted peace. He said the trail would make the right men hunt the wrong men.
At the word clerk, Edrin Vale stiffens near the wall. The violet pulse catches on the open ledger, on the guard’s fear, on BonerFart’s drawn bow, and the shape of the trap becomes plain, Barack is not merely hiding, he is steering every feud toward himself.
✓ Quest Accepted
Get the guard to name the clerk
“I take my dagger and run it across the first guards throat to dispatch of him and make a solid example to the other guard. As he sees the effects of my acidic poison dagger on his friend, through the hiss of the burn I keep direct eye contact woth the second guard and I say with a menacing look, "if there is anything you love in this world and you want to see it again you will tell me and my crew every detail we want to know.. NOW!" as the others stage the mess to look like a sleeping guard being lazy at his post. As we prepare and listen to all he has to share..”
SUCCESS (Fair Willpower, rolled -1)
BonerFart moves before Guard Two can look away. The dagger’s acid does its work in a brief, muffled struggle, and Guard One dies without waking.
BonerFart
If there is anything you love in this world and want to see again, tell me and my crew every detail we want to know. Now.
The acid hisses against the wet stone, loud enough to carry up the stair. Guard Two stares at his fallen companion, then back into BonerFart’s unwavering eyes.
Guard Two
The clerk called himself Veyr. Dark sleeves, silver thread at the cuffs. He paid at the south countinghouse and carried Barack’s private seal.
Joe drags Guard One into the recess and props him beneath his cloak, while Garrick scatters damp papers and leaves the ledger near his slack hand. Merrin smears ale across the step.
Guard Two
The map came from the countinghouse archive. Veyr marked your route, the false trail, and this stair. Barack wanted the factions to collide here.
Edrin gathers the copied pages as Guard Two continues, his voice breaking into hurried confession. The staged scene now resembles a sleeping sentry’s careless post, but the acid’s hiss has raised suspicion above.
Quest Complete
Expose the leak in Barack’s circle
Skill Upgrade: Stealth Great→Superb
Quest Complete
Get the guard to name the clerk