Investigations of Fraud in Fellsgard

[Artemis Black]

This thread is the consequence of A Most Wicked Response Artemis felt cold fear roiling in his gut as he watched the steely eyed guardsmen form themselves into an echelon at the square's edge. Several people had mentioned seeing unfamiliar faces recently passing through in the Watch's uniform. It wasn't uncommon for new guards to be cycled in often. After all, no one enjoyed 'slum duty' except the bright-eyed and bushy tailed who had yet to tarnish their brigandines. That was all well and good, but Guards didn't form up outside business except for when there was trouble.

He barely got to let his mind run rampant with fear when an answer arrived. She was sharply dressed, immaculate in a way that seemed to defy the grime and dust around her through sheer will, and in her hands she carried a leather document holder embossed with the crest of House Lericyro. Artemis felt some small relief as he recognized the symbol. They were not Inquisitors at least.

"Kent, fetch the Craftmistress; Lynwood, let everyone know they should put their work away for now and relax. We've got company," he ordered as the woman looked over the square without moving forward. His voice was even but still carried the urgency of orders he needed to be followed. The two men looked to him and nodded, setting to their tasks without needing further instruction as Artemis set about ensuring he was presentable. He hardly had time to change into his finery, and so a cleanly stitched tunic and breeches with ragged boots would need to be enough.

[Ksenia]

Ksenia slipped on her purple dress that she’d made for her seamstress examination. It seemed like forever ago, and yet, just yesterday. A knock from outside her room sounded. “Craftmistress? Artemis said to get you. We got official company,” Kent said from the hall outside her room.

Closing her eyes tightly in nervousness and dismay, Ksenia called back. “I’ll be there in just a moment.” She finished buttoning the bodice and checked her pocket for her pocketwatch. Its weight was comforting as she slid on shoes and headed for the door.

Ksenia straightened her back and took a deep breath. 'My dress is armor for when I do battle,' she reminded herself. 'I am the Craftmistress and a journeyman seamstress.' She came out of the small room, pulling the door closed behind her as she headed for the front of the hall.

As she came into the yard in front of the Hall, she glanced at the head of the party, noticing the official markings on the document case held by the woman. She nodded very briefly to Artemis as she stepped outside. “Hello, I see you’re from House Lericyro. I am Ksenia, journeyman seamstress and Craftmistress here. How may I help you?” Ksenia asked. She gave them a bland professional smile, her demeanor as businesslike as she could make it. Much as she’d like it to be the case, she doubted House Lericyro would send out someone to check on a new journeyman’s professional accommodations.

[The Unreliable Narrator]

Aleida Farlight
Certified Inspector - House Lericyro
Shapeshifter - Female | 4' 9" - 108 lbs Certified Inspector Aleida Farlight turned her attention to the Ksenia as soon as she moved into the open, her black eyes tracking like the predator she was. They were the only outward feature that spoke to her heritage as a shifter, and she enjoyed the way they gave her an innate advantage in any negotiation with the unprepared. When the woman approached confidently she pursed her lips minutely and opened her well-tailored jacket to remove her badge.

"I am Certified Inspector Farlight from House Lericyro and I am here to speak with the owner and Craftmistress of one Black's at East Hall. Is this the establishment in question, and is Mister Black on the premises?" she asked with measured precision, each word coming out with an exactness of a written notice. Everything about her screamed care and dedication to an exactness many could only dream of. Aleida presented her badge before her, held in her palm angled upward as though showing a small jewel to another. This was merely an inspection after all, and her rigid formality was paramount to ensuring a clean record.

[Artemis Black]

Artemis noted silently that the guards with Inspector Farlight didn't seem concerned for her safety; that, or were very well trained in appearances. Unwilling to leave Ksenia to what was clearly a confident she-wolf, Artemis moved forward and acted as though he'd only noticed the gathered group. "Well hello, you folks need something?" he asked in his best well-meaning merchant's voice. He scrubbed his hands on his pants to clean already-absent dirt and eyed the proffered badge with a faint squint.

"Ah, an Inspector. I'm guessing you'll want to talk to me and my fine Craftmistress then?" he asked with an open smile. He knew well he was restating the obvious, but being plain and welcoming was always a good manner to project, particularly when you could pretend to be relaxed in the face of danger. "Ksenia, could you get us some of Miss Hawkin's lovely tea and we'll settle a table in one of the private spaces," he declared, looking to the Craftmistress and a nearby worker, Kent still, in turn.

For his part, Kent immediately sprang into action, moving into the hall and calling for some others to shift a few of the temporary walls around. It'd leave a few bunks in the open, but it was the closest they had to an official office at the moment. Artemis turned his attention back to the inspector, "Do your men also need chairs, Miss-"

[Ksenia]

“Certainly, Mister Black.” Ksenia dipped her head shallowly in a lightly deferential gesture. Lena had tea going constantly and Ksenia strode toward her table. “Lena, I need a pitcher with tea and three mugs please,” Ksenia said, biting her lip fractionally. “We’ve got an official here.”

Lena gave her a concerned look but handed her a tray with the mugs. “Give me a moment for the pitcher.” She filled it from the larger cask that had been repurposed and set it on Ksenia’s tray. “Good luck then. I'll get some small pies started too in case things run on a touch.”

“I hope we can enjoy them afterwards,” Ksenia said quietly and carried the tray across the hall. Kent and some of the other crew had hastily created an office for the meeting. That was, after all, the point of the temporary walls - to give them flexibility on a moment’s notice. She could see Artemis just entering ahead of the woman and she waved to catch his eye.

The crew had done an excellent job quickly; they’d used an existing corner and moved two more walls and a door into place, while someone else had moved one of the tables. She saw someone moving a third chair towards the space and she gave them a quick smile as she headed over to follow them in.

[The Unreliable Narrator]

Her attention shifted to the approaching man as soon as he moved. She kept her expression blank and refused to allow her brow to twitch in annoyance as he repeated exactly what she had just conveyed. "Farlight, and no my men will remain outside the meeting area to ensure confidential information is not shared unnecessarily," she declared, promptly returning her badge to her jacket. "Understand that any staff interruption will be considered outside of my control," she added and motioned for Artemis to precede her.

'Not unusual to find a simple man made a mistake in his paperwork, but this is no simple place. There aren't any gang affiliations in the open, no toughs, just a collection of dock workers, and some milling locals who seem well-kept,' Aleida surmised as she moved two paces behind Artemis towards the rapidly reconfiguring area. 'Simple men don't have moving walls either, unless they expect to do a lot of sudden business.' She added the information to her mental ledger and returned her focus to the owner. 'He's shorter, small in every way,' she mused as her usual strides kept her in good pace. Typically her usual steps forced others to wait for her arrival, and though the delay was never terribly long it helped establish a tone.

When Artemis held the door open for her she nodded for him to continue inside, not voicing the fact that Inspectors never entered first. It did add a small, albeit ephemeral tally to Artemis perhaps being a simple fellow. Inside was a new, but clearly well-worn, table and chairs. She moved behind the single seat and waited silently, holding her leather binder at her side like a talisman.

[Artemis Black]

He had been about to take a seat at the table, his usual instinct to project confidence almost overriding his efforts to appear as incapable of causing true problems. He caught himself as he finally noticed that he was significantly taller than the Inspector. He was used to being around the same height as most human women, or a touch shorter; he was not at all used to being a full hand taller. The fact her sheer presence had distracted him was concerning, to say the least.

As he stood beside his chair, waiting for Ksenia to return, he did his best to project a nervous friendliness; it helped it was not all an act. "I hope the weather's been kind lately, Inspector," he offered, giving a smile that immediately faded, as though talking to a food seller in the market then remembering this was a government official. "I- hmm- hear the new crop of Watchmen was the biggest in a while. Always good to see the city grow." He scrubbed his hand through his thick hair and chuckled weakly.

[Ksenia]

Holding the tray steady, Ksenia entered the room with a slightly puzzled but accommodating smile - much like the ones the wenches of the Goose wore daily. "Here's the tea; I hope three mugs will be enough," she said, setting the tray down carefully. A memory of serving drinks and nibbles at one of Mam's parties flashed through her mind, but she shoved it aside.

Ksenia took the seat next to Artemis. "The weather's been nice enough lately, but North Rigging is a bit of a walk from House Lericyro. May I ask what brings you here?" She laid her hands loosely on the tabletop, trying to project polite confusion and honest ease. Trusting in Artemis' skill in forgery had been a risk she'd chosen to take.

[The Unreliable Narrator]

Inspector Farlight nodded politely to Artemis' meandering smalltalk, resisting the urge to tap her fingers against her leather binder. 'The usual, either deflecting or truly inane, no way to know,' she noted and let her attention drift around the room to take in the furniture. 'Well constructed, but also well used. Perhaps made recently, new stains on it and no warping.' Then the Craftmistress returned and offered tea, and Aleida's attention shifted to her.

'Wearing her position like armor, uncomfortable in it. Perhaps pressed into service, though her journeyman is recent and she does not yet flaunt her watch. Most likely simple nerves,' the Inspector noted and also took a seat, offering a small false smile at Ksenia's question and platitude. "The purview of House Lericyro carries its representatives far in ensuring its duty is carried out," Aleida answered with the equally inane saying.

"As for my visit, I am here regarding a reported anomaly in the writ that was filed for this location. Typically an analysis would be done solely by inspectors and the owners would simply receive notice of the result. Unfortunately, the report was also anomalous, and as such an Inspector was dispatched to assess the situation more completely," she explained as she opened her leather binder and spread out several documents to face across the table in a precise fashion.

While she allowed Ksenia and Artemis to inspect the documents she lifted the cup of tea, carefully assessing it for the smell of strangeness. Few were bold enough to go to the trouble to truly poison an Inspector; that would bring down far worse wrath than a condemned building after all. Though stories abound of rogues and fools attempting to drug or inebriate one made Aleida cautious nonetheless. Finding nothing amiss, she took a small sip, appreciating the flavor and warmth.

'Now we observe their reactions, wait for questions, understand their measure,' she silently mused as she held the cup of warmth and eyed the pair. This would be the time her predator's nature was most valuable. The faintest tick, sign of fear, or even show of falsehood could mean her investigation was finished. All she needed was an indication of where the owner's impression of legality stood and she could take action.

[Artemis Black]

Challenge Rolls: [  To view this content, you must log in.  ] Artemis' expression became a concerned frown and he shook his head slowly before looking down at the documents spread before him. "Irregularities, I had hoped to not make any mistakes in my filing, but perhaps my excitement got the better of me," he said with a strained chuckle. He whistled softly, as though taking in all the documents, but to one even vaguely familiar it came out as a word stretched and faint. '{Help}.'

He recognized one of the documents as the original writ of requirement, the faint tinge of the inks he used still plain as day to him in the lamp light. All of them though were densely packed with script, except for a single one that was clearly hand-scrawled and had only a few words.

Ksenia leaned over the claims document, ghosting her fingertip just above the surface of the forged document she had only heard of thus far. “City of Fellsgard, 13 North Rigging, large warehouse structure previously condemned, requires inspection before habitation. Lot size trade medium, street-accessible. Claimant, Artemis Black. Use, Mixed commercial."

Artemis nodded and made a show of looking at the document as well. "That certainly all sounds how I remember it, no one living here except the working crew, as per the regulations," he said with a nervous chuckle.

Tugging the second page closer, Ksenia skimmed over it. “Property deed, 13 North Rigging, Freeman’s hall with craftworks, East district. Interested merchant - oh good, that’s been corrected - Ksenia, Journeyman seamstress, taxes to be determined after inspection, plans available, crew to be determined - signed,” she read, squinting. “Marcus Dolman, East District Clerk, House Lericyro. Third day of the eleventh month, 288 AoN.”

Artemis gave Ksenia a grin and patted her arm, "Glad to see that all went through, nice to hear it in something official still, Craftmistress."

“Mm, yes,” she replied, looking over the document once more before stacking it to the side with the claims document. Picking up another sheet, she studied it for a moment. “This is the financial statement - I don’t think the Fisherman’s Bank would steer us wrong on that,” she said, laying it aside. The fourth document lay innocuously on the table top and Ksenia pulled it closer.

"Never cross the Fisher's," Artemis declared reverently, making a sign of Cecilia on his chest.

“Ah.” Ksenia read the last item. “Thomas Schreiber, East District Clerk, House Lericyro - would like to file a request for investigation - on a Mr. Black. Received word of a forgery from Respected Merchant Ka-” Ksenia broke off to mutter something she’d heard Amalia say when she’d smashed her thumb with a hammer. Artemis cleared his throat aggressively.

Looking up at Inspector Farlight, Ksenia frowned. “I believe I can clear this up. Mister Black was in a romantic relationship with this Respected Merchant when the writ was originally filed. You can see here-” She pulled the writ for filing out of the pile. “There has been a correction to the interested merchant claiming the first spot. Out of Mr. Black’s affectionate generosity, he offered the spot to her originally."

"As their relationship progressed, he realized she was not the sort of person with whom he wanted to be involved, either romantically or in business. When he ended the relationship, I had recently passed my journeyman exam.” She pulled out her watch and set it on the table. “As he had already named me Craftmistress, we agreed that I should also take the premiere spot, as it would make sense for the business. I’m afraid this complaint may have been inspired by nothing more sinister than a disappointed former lover.” Ksenia sighed in a slightly frustrated manner and sipped her tea.