Cogswallow and Tibbins

Log Info

• Title: Cogswallow and Tibbins
• Emitter: Sabina
• Characters: Linwen, Sabina, Ygraine
• Place: Office of Registry of Property Ownership
• Time: Tuesday, June 16, 2020, 1:10 PM
• Summary: Accompanying Sabina on her mission to conduct historical research (in the hope of turning up something useful in relation to the crises affecting Alexandria) results in an unexpected lesson in the back-alley geography of the city, followed by an encounter with a fearsome gnomish librarian and his much more helpful orcish assistant... In the course of their efforts, Ygraine plays 'good cop' to Linwen's 'scary cop', while Sabina is, well, a Tarienite.

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Ygraine         Athletic young woman: rapier-armed Ceinaran           0s   27m
Sabina          Tsuran woman of dark hair and green eyes              6m   1h
Linwen          Fire haired super fit blue eyed half-sil woman.       2m   22m

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Early morning in the city. The sun is up and bright with just a few puffy white clouds to dot the sky. Already the morning is shaping up to be warm and humid.

Sabina tromps along with Ygraine in tow. The Tarien priestess with all her trappings and bird is only missing one thing. That would be her smile. She's looking over a parchment of what appears to be a hand drawn map with streets and landmarks apon it and then trying to compare the map to the world about her without mch success. "Urrugh! Really! How long does it take to find an /offical office/?! You'd think it would have a sign at least! It's not like an obscure thing! Office of Registry of Property Ownership. Ooropo. *snort*" SHe looks over at Ygraine for a clue.

Ygraine looks as if she's having a much better time than her companion, smiling amiably as she cheerfully drinks in the sights and sounds of the great city as they pass through it. "Mmmm? Oh, well. I might be a bad - or inappropriate - person to ask about such things. My parents assisted the Myrrish administration here. Not that I remember any of it - the city won its freedom while I was still *very* young indeed. But discussing the present administration is probably something I should avoid..."

Sabina turns down a side street only to stop and turn her map ninety degrees and then another ninety. SHe sighs heavily and all but throws the map to the winds. "This is silly. I mean really silly. I don't like looking through dusty papers and scrolls! I never did. Yet here we are going to do just that and we can't even find the place to start looking? Madness." She tries to wave to a passerbuy who seems to be in their own world. Said person walks by without assisting and another sigh escapes Bina.

Ygraine reaches out, carefully touching fingertips to Sabina's shoulder. "It's all right. Honestly." She smiles encouragingly. "We'll get there. And I can certainly do my best to help with the research. I promise you that. This is an attempt worth making. Even if it comes to nothing, it's worth *trying*. And this... this is a chance to learn a little more about the city that we are *both* choosing to make our home. There are far worse things that could happen than that such a chance should come our way, aren't there?"

Linwen emerges from one of the many doors with an elderly lady right behind her. She is dressed in her full armor set, armed to the teeth, hair pulled back into a working pony-tail.

"Thank you again Linwen for helping this poor old woman out. I know there are many other things you could be doing," the old woman says. Linwen turns and smiles at her and responds with, "Oh it is perfectly fine Miss Magotty. The Temple is more than happy to help those in need, no matter how great or small. If you should need anything else send word to the temple and we will address it."

The old woman smiles and nods and then turns to go back into her little house leaving Linwen alone in the street... or perhaps not so alone as she hears the voice of an upset Bina and her sparing partner.

THe half-sil turns to make her way toward the two she quickly spots, clanking up in her armor. "I thought your bird did all the squawking? GOod morning to you both."

Sabina turns her head to reguard the speaker and then manages to find her smile from somewhere. "Ah! Linwen. A pleasure to see you again!" She sidels up to the half elf woman and pops open her map again. "YOu wouldn't happen to know about the Office of Registry of Property Ownership would you? They seem to be hiding it somewhere near here. But blast if we can find it." Bina nods towards Ygraine. "Ygraine is reminding me to calm down and enjoy my steps, but I'm dreading hours of pouring over records. Even if it is in good company."

Ygraine favours Linwen with a cheery grin, before laughing and nodding to Sabina. "I am trying to appreciate the chance to learn more about the city - including some of its less-seen corners! But I admit that it would be helpful if we could reach our destination."

Linwen looks between the two women as she asks, "You two are really that new to the city? I have heard of the place. Never had to go. Its officially kind of in the spot where most city government offices are located unless you are talking about the shadier dealings then I can't help you on that one but the civil district is near here. I can take you if you so desire."

THe Tarien priestess shaps shut her map and crows with victory!" Woohoo! At last! Someone who knows where we're going! Praise Tarien." She stuffs the map away in the shoulder slung bag she carries today and tries to link arms with both the ladies before staring at Linwen. "Yes please, good Linwen! Off to musty scrolls and ledgers!"

Laughing, Ygraine nods. "I was born here, but I can't even remember anything from before we left. I only very recently returned. So a guide is very, very welcome indeed, I assure you."

Linwen blinks as Sabina hooks her arm in hers but does not pull away. "This way," she says as she starts walking. "I assume you recently acquired some property you need to research? May I ask wht it is?"

Sabina lowers her voice but now has her smile up and on as she talks in that private way of people who are standing near one another. "It's not one we have bought. Rather it has to do with looking into a man who lived several hundred years ago. And perhaps his involvement with a certian fae queen and a certian demon who wanders under our feet." She checks about herself as if looking for spies. "It's a sort of last ditc heffort to find some clues but.. we're going to try none the less."

Ygraine shrugs, almost apologetically, then nods to Linwen and Sabina. "Indeed. We, err, well. It's something we can at least *try*. And we stand *slightly* more chance of surviving encounters with librarians than we do of coping with any of the things threatening the whole of Alexandria.... But we're not even sure if we'll be able to access any of the records, as yet."

Linwen looks a bit more serious now. "Any attempts to put an end to this are desired. I am rather good at finding the little details in things and can help you with this. Investigative work is where I shine. Come, we'll tear the office apart if need be. This is a matter of city security. No one will get in our way!" And so she leads the other ladies into the civil district where city government offices reside along with courts of justice and the like. It is not long before the party stands before the steps of the building in question. "What are we looking for exactly?"

Bina giggles. "Ooo.. A serrious Linwen. But yes I agree." she states as the door to the office is opened and they step within.

Inside the worlds seems to draw in apon it self. Become drab and grey. The lighting from outside is allowed in only through a single small window and some rather ancient looking everburning torches are clamped to the walls here and there. The smell of old paper, leather and vellum is thick enough to cut it with a knife.

Behind one high standing deaks is a gobblin..wait.. no. It's a rather ancient looking gnome with a sour look to his face. The small man is dressed well, in a fashion that went out os style ten years ago. Peering over his glasses he inspects the trio with ..disdain. "Yes? /Welcome/ to the Offices of Registry of Property Ownership." He states like a curmudgeon and indeed the words do not match the unhappy in his voice. "How can I...assist you." He spies the bird on Sabina's shoulders and reaches over to the side picking up a long slender stick which he smacks the tip of apon a sign behind himself. 'rules of the office' With training and skill he's managed to land the tip right ont he rule that states 'No Animals'.

Ygraine blinks in surprise at the little custodian... then again when he so expertly indicates his desired part of the sign. Momentary hope of being able to charm a goblin in his own tongue wholly disappears, in favour of uncomfortable consternation. After all, she's not even sure quite what role Sabina's ever-present peacock actually plays for the priestess of Tarien.

Stepping forward, she offers one of her most polite and cultured of smiles. "I do hope that we are not intruding... but we were hoping to be able to conduct some research, particularly into historical matters. We are interested in tracing the course of events for some particular properties, and for people associated with them."

The elderly gnome grimices at Ygraine and sniffs loudly. The wood burned plaque on his desk announces his last name as Cogswallow. And yes, he looks like he's swallowed a cog whole once and hasn't liked anything since. "I see. And what is this particular properties that you wish to investigate..for historical perpose?"

Linwen steps up looking all official like. "Sir, it is of the utmost importance that you give these two ladies whatever help they may require as this is a matter of city security in regards to the Fae Queen and the Demon that has attacked our city of late. If you you could help and that help pans out great results I am certain that Eluna would look upon you with favor and perhaps bless you with what you desire most."

Ygraine might normally offer the blessings of her own deity... but she rather has the impression that Cogswallow is not a devotee of impulsive acts of creation. Consequently, the Ceinaran settles for nodding and smiling warmly. "We believe that there might be old ties between some of the participants in the unfolding drama, and the city of Alexandria, and that we might be able to uncover some of them by identifying traces of ownership and activity left in the records. If we can determine who was where, at which point in time, and whom they bought property from or sold it to, that could give us new leads in determining how events unfolded."

Cogswallow looks from one to the other in slow motion, seemingly uninpressed with the politeness or for the plea of being about the city's good works. "I see. How /interesting/." He says in his drollest tone. "And seeing as it is not either of your families estates nor families business ventures you are so dilegently looking for you of course have writen approval from those families or from the Royal Offices of Buisness and Taxation?" He holds out his hand as if to recieve said papers.

Bina, smile threatening to leave her face, opens then door and sends Lord Emp flying off..to the rooftop across the street. She shuts the door and steps forward. "Please, master Cogswallow. Perhaps seeing as it is for a good cause you could make exception this once?"

The stick wizes through the air and smacks loudly again towards the bottom of the sign behind the gnome. Again without looking the tip lands at 'No Exceptions'.

Linwen puts her hands on her hips looking annoyed already at this little imp. "Why is it everytime something important must be done there is always a character like YOU in the way!?" the Inquisitor growls with the fire of a red head with patience issues. "It must be daunting to go through your daily life with your face stuck in a perpetual frown. Who stole your happy face and never gave it back?"

Ygraine blinks in surprise at the Elunan... before clearing her throat and offering an encouraging smile to Cogswallow. Perhaps a little bit of 'nice random stranger' will prove an effective counterpoint to Linwen's 'scary random stranger'. "We need to consult the Register to find out who *owns* the properties. Without that, we cannot ask the correct people for permission. It's not as if the tax officers would give out such information, is it? The *Register* holds that kind of vital knowledge. And all we need is a quiet little peek. We can be no trouble at all."

Cogsworth harumphs! when Linwen posits her question of happiness and is about to respond when Ygraine steps in with a bit of reasoning. Again the gnome looks like he's about to storm into some bit of legality when Sabina steps in closer to the desk and leans over, her symbol of Tarien dangling from her chest and in the gnome's face. Giggling she says, "I would so /hate/ to get bored here in your office, Master Cogsworth. With all these rules listed up for me to ponder. And nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs and find ways to ../entertain/ myself." All politely spoken words but the gnome actually blanches.

He slaps his hand apon his desk with a *THUMP* and yells out loudly, into Sabina's face, "TIBBINS!" Off in another nearby room there is a screech and then the sound of running feet. Around the cornor leading to the back room a portly Oruch appears with a look of terror on his face. "Yes, Master Cogsworth?" the Oruch says trembling.

"Take this trio of... ladies...back and assist them with their search! If I find the records aflounder later this day I'll have your head!" The Oruch bobs his head up and down rapidly and motions for the womean to follow him.

Linwen rolls her eyes. She knows these types and despises them but she keeps her mouth shut since Sabina got what she wanted. She just follows in silence for now.

Ygraine, fortunately, is too accomplished a diplomat to giggle at Sabina or Cogswallow. Instead, she focuses upon Tibbins, offering the Oruch a warm smile and a polite inclination of her head. Then she starts after him, *hoping* that the three researchers can escape the area of the front desk without further tribulation...

Tibbins is all too happy to smile in return but it's with nervious glances back at the doorway which beyond lies the Cogswallow. After leading them back to a tiny hovel of a desk he asks them in a near whisper. "What can I help you ladies with today?"And wonder of wonders he means it.

Sabina adds her smile to Ygraine's and states, "We need to see if we can find trace of someone holding property in the city. This would have been about two hunderd years ago, however."

The Oruch winces.. "There was a fire many many years ago. Some things were burned. But I can show you what we do have. Please follow me." He says before leading them off again. Deeper and deeper..litterally down steps into a sub basement.

Ygraine shoots Linwen a sympathetic look, and Tibbins a grateful one. "Perhaps we can at least *discuss* this somewhere warmly-lit and scented with flowers," she suggests optimistically. "And, Mr Tibbins, any help you can provide us will be very much appreciated."