Ugnan's Notebook - More Questions than Answers?

General Summary

As Ugnan waits aboard the ship he has been looking through his small notebook, mumbling to himself, crossing items out, adding others and flipping between pages.
When the party are reunited, he asks them to indulge him for what will be a lengthy summation of what he can remember of the events so far and steps he suggests they do next. Clearing his throat, he begins.
“Concerning Deltar, we know he used Captain Cutter of the Pirates of Plasidar to smuggle drugs and weapons. These are used to finance ‘a new hub’. Deltar was based at the asylum. This was probably kept secret from House Betaran. He is Aenor of Quaal who is recently married to Satha of House Betaran (rivals of House Alaxatan). Was this before purchase of Orgillion Manor? He hired us to steal shipping information from House Elgata even though House Betaran have no real rivalry with them, so he is doing it for some other reason. These weapons are moved by Olvar (supposed thief of his original gort crates) via hand carts. Deltar was using House Betaran's Manor House on Teaque Island where more ‘goods’ are expected. Elgata think Betaran do not know this. Betaran bought the Orgillion manor only a year ago. Was Deltar trading slaves for weapons? Where are the slaves coming from? Where are they going to? His smuggled weapons are intended for the ‘Cult of the Bell’ or Iron bell.”
Raising a hand to any questions, “Please let me finish. I have a lot to say. Now the manor,” He nods his head in the direction of the Orgillion house, “About a month ago two riders sped through Speyer at night towards the small docks. What caused this? Similar (pirate smuggled) weapons to those found in the asylum are here too so we know there is a connection. Now, that demon, T'Chagga was summoned in 5966. He was in the manor all along then feasted on slaves and slavers. He lived with that cravat and old-fashioned business suited ghost that had no tongue. Who was he? Then there was poison that dripped down a thread to a comfy chair only "weeks old". Who killed who? Were those riders to Speyer connected? It takes just over a day to sail to Sel-Kai so surely Deltar would know? Finally, that missing diary between 5962-5. Where is it? Those riders take it? The summoning was successful in 5966, so it should have good summoning information in it? Is this the notebook we found on Tobias?”
He takes a quick swig from a water bottle and forges ahead, “Back at Sel-Kai, Braern owned the warehouse that was burned but blamed Edyrm Crahana who denied it. The night the warehouse burned Braern had rented a hand cart that was returned with green wax all over it. This green wax came from wax makers and the rope holding this barrel was cut, we're not sure if it was the arguing husband and wife owners or someone else but we do know the barrels were taken by Olvar to a warehouse owned by Ioren Tasalmis. Ioren is new arrival and owns a small office near The Drake's Lair and another warehouse. Is he Olvar's new employer? Ioren is in league with the powerful and dangerous House Alaxatan who are not friendly with Deltar’s wife’s house, Betaran. Olvar had prior knowledge as he moved goods from Braern’s warehouse that was going to be torched. Strangely he is used later to move Deltar's goods again (with his blessing) though this time from Asylum to somewhere? The ‘new hub?’? On the matter of Houses, Aldaran Elgata, head of a family who are honourable but ruthless, have pissed off House Jurgon and Maledaar over a lost contract who may have killed his twin brother but Yellin (younger brother) is due to be cut off though nothing legal done yet could also be killer or have other motivations?”
After wiping a fleck of spittle from the corner of his mouth he continues, “There is also the fey to think about. That mirror in The Old Sword, an Inn formerly ran by Kloots is a portal we think? A mirror was used as one by Yelin Elgata so it’s a good bet though Lyssa warned, 'She Who Waits’ (Queen Mab) lurks and watches in every mirror’ so there is a risk with these. That voice outside window of Old Sword's creepy room, ‘Unkissed, unloved, unwanted, unremembered, forgotten. Where does that fit in? What do we know about Azydaer? A known inhabitant was that daemonic Loari Elf, T'Chagga, who murders for blood and consorts with Ghouls, so it is not a good place! Which reminds me, on the way back from retrieving Deltar's crates a small creature was seen that then dropped into canal and disappeared. Also seen on handover. Was it a Water Sprite? Was that the same small blue creature we saw in the asylum? And talking of that place, who was that enormous misshapen man tending/operating on an equally deformed woman. Larkrise and Sunset? Though we know they escaped in the fire of 5738. How old would they be now? Were they Elvish? Was that their code used on the inmates’ cells? And those poor children who committed suicide by wedging themselves in a burning room. Some bones had engravings on them, ‘I belong to Queen Mab, I belong to Queen Mab’. Who made the engravings and for what purpose? The Iron Bell? Larkrise and Sunset wrote about them, but they also knew T'Chagga could tell the future so maybe he told them of this cult that Patience told us to find ‘where the waters are stored beneath the city, where The Iron Bell tolls’? So that about sums up the last seventeen days from what I can remember."
He smiles at his companions, “Just over two weeks we have known each other, it feels so much longer! I have many, many questions and ask you please indulge me further with what I want to do, and you feel the same way. Before we leave Teaque Island, the riders one month past went to the docks. Find out what ship they left on. Did anyone speak to them? What they running from? Look for pictures of the Orgillions in the Manor. Do any resemble the ghost with no tongue? If identified, what were the circumstances and date of death? Can we confirm Tobias’ journal is missing diary from 5962-5? When we get back to Sel-kai let’s put a tail on Deltar. He is central. He is working with Iron Bell. He lost his crates and needed them to fund the "hub". Was his marriage before or after purchase of Orgillion Manor? Was this part of his scheme? He is Aenor of Quaal. Where is Quaal? What is his background? Presumably Betaran checked him out. What did they find? Who is responsible for security for Betaran? Can we grass up Aenor in exchange for information once we have had out own discrete enquiries? Deltar trades slaves for goods. Any reports of raids that take people rather than goods? Missing persons significantly increased? Let’s check with the surviving pirates what the movements of Cutter has been. Elgata – Why did Deltar want shipping data? For Pirates to plunder? Something special on any of those three boats? Let’s check with Elgata. While we’re at that, was Aldaran Elgata's twin an identical? What were the circumstances of his murder? We have others to tail too. Olvar, can we rule him out? Is he just a conveyer of goods? He moves Deltar's crates to his wife's enemy but then helps Deltar later. Has Deltar threatened him once we make Olvar's identity known? Lean on Braern, we know he rented the cart used to move Deltar's goods by Olvar before the warehouse fire. We know he fears Olvar. Why? Why did Olvar return the cart if he did not know Braern? Does Braern know Ioren Tasalmis? Tail Ioren Tasalmis. Burgle his office and check his other warehouse – Why has Olvar chosen his warehouse to move Deltar's goods to it? While you stealthy, invisible and scary types are doing that I’ll need to hit the major libraries, offices and anywhere else you can suggest for the following questions. Spicers guild was disbanded in 5704 (7 years after donating to build the Asylum (built in 5704)) by order of Prince. Can this order be found? Why was it disbanded? Did Hwyell Orgillion have brothers and sisters who died young that may explain four dead children in crypt? (Possibly used for sacrifice, how old are bones?) T'Chagga – What happens to Demons when they starve? Does he need blood, or can he get by with normal food like mice and rats? The demon was alone in the house for 60 years so what was he doing? That thread poisoning there, any other deaths reported this way in Sel-Kai?” He gazes down at the next item in his notebook, “Leopold Orgillion and Dasidara Damssen (parents of Larkrise and Sunset) marriage in 5730 – why scandalous? Who was their father if not Leopold?”
He looks at Sylke, “Those sketches of them from the Orgillion manor, do they look like the misshapen male and female in the Asylum? And that place, what were the accounts of the fire? How did it start? Larkrise and Sunset were admitted a few years before and escaped during it. Is there a cruciform murders link? The Asylum's codes for inmates – Common code? Larkrise and Sunset’s code or a general thing? Are there accounts of ritual sacrifices with engraved bones? Are they only linked to Mab? Only to the fey? What sort of ceremonies do these sacrifices take part in? What is there purpose? Finally concerning that wretched place, I’ll need to research small blue creatures like one seen in Asylum. Is this same as the one who observed us moving Deltar’s crates?”
He flips over a page and taps the top item with his finger, “The Old Sword is somehow linked too, we need to find out about portal mirrors. Is Mab or the fey in general a known risk when using them? Elgata use them so should know. Can denizens of Azydaer interfere/scry mirrors like Mab as well? I’m also going to search for the phrase, ‘Unkissed, unloved, unwanted, unremembered, forgotten.’ Then there is the more general research about Azydaer and what that is. To find out more about ‘The Heart of Agoth’. That Kloot Seer said,” He thumbs back a few pages, “Yes, here it is, ‘Whoever possess the Heart will have taken the soul of Mab and will be thricely cursed’ Thricely? Soul of Mab? Stolen? Where from? How could you even attempt it? Who did it? The cult? I’ll need to scour the archives for any references to the Iron Bell or the Cult of the Bell and examine the city map and speak to its residents for where the waters of Sel Kai are stored under the city, both drinking water and sewage. We might need to enlist the help of Andresin and the Gargoyles though I’m not sure where their loyalties lie so could use Mikyn to keep an eye on them.”
He shuts both his notebook and mouth.

Report Date

18 Nov 2018