Gilt Edges and Canvas

General Summary

It had been a cold Leafall morning - the briny sea breeze blowing in across the streets of Westgate, the early morning light stretching across the streets in sheets of gold. Perci had been taking a walk through the dockyards that morning, enjoying the sea breeze as she watched the fishermen unloading their boats for the morning market.   The silence had been broken soon enough, though, by the sounds of heavy footfalls and yelling through the street. A red-coated militiaman, almost as red in the face, chased through the streets a man wearing a thick leather outfit and white facemask; he clutched to him a large package, covered in a fabric wrap. A quick plea to anyone who'd listen saw Perci take up the chase in the militiaman's place - a chase that took them through the lower floor of the Blue Otter and back across the dockyards.   The thief had finally doubled back on himself back to outside the dockside tavern when he was stopped - a line of militia soldiers had been organized, muskets raised ready to intercept him. As the thief slid to a halt, Perci tackled him to the ground, and the package - a fine painting, with gilt edged frame - fell a few feet from him. In the moment's confusion, as the militiamen moved forward to arrest this man, he snatched the painting up, grabbed his cape and tossed it into the air, and vanished without a trace. Only the slow rise of the wailing of the Witching Bell served to tell anyone he had actually been present.   Later that morning, the Templars moved to investigate the disturbance. Perci had been staying at the tavern since the event, and was taken by the Templars for questioning, alongside Meldir and Ashe, who had also been witness to the thief's sudden disappearance. The goliath, Lokag, followed along behind the group as they were lead to the Templar compound - though his curiousity also saw him dragged in for questioning.   After a short (and somewhat inept) interrogation by the Witchfinder General, Blaine Goodford, in which the group explained their part in the thief's capture and the fact he had then vanished afore them, the group was placed in the care of the Templar investigator Reginald Blackwood. Blackwood was to capture and find their culprit, and then bring him to the sword - as the punishment is for all apostates.   The finger of suspicion had been pointed squarely at the legendary master thief, The Magpie - after all, the Magpie's normal targets would fit this painting quite squarely. The Magpie had been at large for a long time, however, and never caught; tracking him down would not be easy. However, a man with some information presented himself - the painting's former owner, a classical musician and aristocrat by the name of Johann Ingeborg. Insisting he was unable to be seen talking to "common folk like these riff-raff", Ingeborg offered to meet with the group at The Coffeehouse, in which they could speak freely. With Blackwood's investigation of the docks turning up little, now that the day's market was in full swing, the party took up Ingeborg's offer.   At the Coffeehouse, Ingeborg introduced himself to the group. He offered them coin for the safe return of his painting, but also offered them information - a contact of his, a high-class courtesan named Honey, is said to know every noble between Westgate and Victoria. Lokag also pointed out that the militia watchtower on the road between Ingeborg's estate and the city would make an ideal point to survey the grounds of the estate; evidence that Blackwood was happier to investigate, rather than visiting a whore.   As the group split up to investigate their leads, the session drew to a close, picking up with their continued investigation in the next session.