Joseph smiles broadly at Taye and clasps him on the shoulder, leaning in and speaking out of the corner of his mouth.
“That would be a bit like asking him where his mistress sleeps, my friend,” he says quietly. “He may have one, but we’re in no position to inquire.”
I do give Valente the accounts. I hope some fire brigade or wizard is dealing with the growing conflagration. If so, I think we might want to stick around. This could lead somewhere, possibly somewhere profitable.
chuckling softly, and still whispering
“I would not expect you to be so crass as to actually ask him. There is something we may need to know should we continue to be involved in this matter.”
speaking louder
“Friend Aji, I have my morningstar here, should you wish to persuade the package to remain still.”
I grin at the offer, and smack the bag against the side of the wagon by way of response.
Subdual damage only, there - don’t want to croak him just yet.
Aji smacks the bag against the side of the wagon. It stops struggling.
The Doge gratefully accepts the ledgers. “This will help us greatly. We’ll be able to continue our commerce, at least. I’ll see to it that you are properly rewarded once the fire is brought under control and the storerooms in the cellar are accessible.”
Turning to Joseph’s question, the Doge looks to his son and frowns. Marco hesitates and says “There has been a little bit of pressure on our wool business in Brugges, but nothing concerted or particularly hostile. I’ll look into this. If you’ll come back tomorrow, we’ll get you your reward and if we’ve got any more questions for you, I’ll ask them then.”
Marco turns away from the group. Any last interactions before you depart for the evening?
Doge Valente will retain possession of the mage-in-a-bag, for safekeeping and questioning.
Harald takes Solsken and Zachary (whom he perceives as being refreshingly mercenary about it all) aside : “I’ve got a baaad feeling about that bag of money. I can feel it slipping away in the night, like a thief. Why doesn’t the rich sonovatroll pay us now ? He’s obviously loaded, he’s probably got people who’ve got people who could send *their *people to fetch it right now…”
“I may be a bit naive, but I’d say he has a reputation to uphold-and an attempt to cheat us would dishonor his elf friend whose keyster we saved.”
Zachary mutters to Harald, “You could be right - people get rich by being better than most at getting money, and worse than most at giving it away. Better not push him on it now though. If he be honest then we may be well set up for a while, and if not, he has enough clout to make matters uncomfortable for us. I for one am tired of having to leave town in a hurry because the beadle is unhappy with my face; how much the worse if it be a Doge.”
“Well lads, I’m no fortune-teller, but I can see a bath and several drinks in my near future. I’ll be back here before while the morning is still cool so see about collecting on the Doge’s largess.”
Joseph is going to get cleaned up, have a nice dinner delivered to his room, and eat it while reading the documents he stole.
“Hah ! I believed in honour once, back in the day. I won’t make that mistake again. Nah, me, I’ll go and fight the Ice Giants at the end of the world fully expecting Old One Eye to stab me in the back if it saves his skin. And that one ? He’s Italian. No offence to present company, but what do these fast-talking mongrels know about honour ?
I say we keep eyes on the gilded snake overnight, quiet like. Where he goes, what he does, who he talks to. Where he stashes his money, too. Why not ? I’m too sore for a trip to the knocking shop, anyway.”
Taye will retire to his room and take a look at the journal he acquired. He won’t go looking for an interpreter until he’s after he’s slept.
“Perhaps I can find a laundress to repair my garb. And a meal or two will not go amiss. I will arrive here early and try to determine if the number of guards seems excessive.”
I will also go clean up. (I assume I’ve got a residence around here somewhere.) And I’m curious about that book.
I speak to Joseph in low tones. “A bath is a good idea. If I may impose, after I clean up, say in an hour or two, I might call on you to take a look at that document. If you like I know where I can get a good bottle of local Sangiovese we can share.”
Joseph grins widely at Giacomo.
“That, my friend, sounds like a capital idea.”
That’s an interesting idea. How do you two want to go about spying on the powerful, cynical, and crafty Doge of Genoa? I think it’s a great idea, roleplaying-wise, but don’t get yourselves in too deep. One advantage of this forum format is that we can split the party a little without derailing the game for everyone else, so go for it if you have a good plan.
If you’re not going to be involved in the evening’s spying activities, I’ll arbitrate you doing this now.
Which document? The Hanseatic trader’s accounts?
Joseph’s Arabic documents are a mixed lot; some rather dry double-entry bookkeeping ledgers of the Mehdi family of Arabic traders operating out of the now-Aragonese Balearic islands. Those hint that this Muslim family is having difficulties, both official and unofficial, in moving cargoes in and out of ports without ruinous taxes and tariffs eating up all the profits. Marginal notes and postscripts suggest extreme frustration at this state of affairs. Others hint that the Bey of Algiers is considering moving to retake the islands and seeks the assistance of the Sultan of Egypt, specifically a detachment of Mamelukes.
Another document is written in an Arabic script, but isn’t in the Arabic language. Joseph can’t read this one.
I can make a linguistics check to try and puzzle it out. It’s probably going to be a DC 25 or 30, but it’s worth a shot.
Well, I don’t know, I’m not a flim-flam salesman, artful dodger or otherwise bunko artist, am I ? 
But we do have a flying rodent, I mean my trusted friend’s second-best friend at our disposal for the more discreet stuff or just to keep an eye on him and see where he’s headed while we initially head off in a different direction before doubling back ; and should the Doge stay in the streets we can rely on the crowd for cover and anonymity (which, in mechanical terms, should give us one hell of a circumstantial bonus to a Stealth check). If he gets inside a building, we’re kinda fucked but we can at least keep the exits under watch to know whether that’s where he kips or just a stop on the road to somewhere else.
That being said, should we get noticed I don’t think it’s in our interest to press the matter or make any trouble, just an awkward smile and a “Ha, well, fancy meeting *you *here of all places, guv’nor !” before making a hurried getaway and that’ll be that for the evening.
It’s not a hanging offence to keep an eye on people in Italy, is it ? :o
A failure, but a close one. It’s definitely written in Farsi, but that’s not a language you speak.
Waiting for confirmation from Solsken.
“Well, if you guys are that paranoid… Note he hasn’t seen my bird with me.”
Stjärna will follow him silently, and will land a fair distance above any doorway that she has seen him enter.
Unless there’s a need I’ll pass on the spying. I need to let my spells replenish anyway and I’d like to know if there’s anything I can learn from the journals without an interpreter. Once someone else knows I have them I can’t undo it. I do intend to be back at the Doge’s home before dawn to scout around.