#Lore24 – Entry #267 – Fantasy Month III #24 – A Fine Mess

As Told by Siduri Tamboura, Warrior for Hire

“Things happen for a reason, I reckon; the will of the gods, some random fate, a trick of luck, whatever you want to call it.  I’m by no means an investigator, I’m just here to bash heads and draw steel when needed, as long as the money keeps coming.  I could care less about some rich merchant, but the job was to help him with his trade war or whatever, so I had at least listened with half an ear, though I’d leave the clue-finding to the others.  

First couple of days we were just snooping around the city, looking into whatever clues this Albrecht guy had managed to get his hands on.  I was bored and restless, too much law and order in a place makes it pretty tedious for someone like me.  I stayed on watch, figured that one of the groups who were hunting us would make an appearance sooner or later, probably when we were good and vulnerable. 

And you know what?  I was right!  Hatae, Teelsa, and Kazumi were uh…looking more deeply into a particular chain of clues we’d found, which may or may not have led into a particular guild house.  I’m not admitting to anything, here!  I was outside, enjoying the night air and the pleasant weather, okay?  Eri was there with me, you can ask her; we were just chatting and watching the night liffe.  You ever try keeping an eye on a pair like Hatae and Teelsa, or someone who can turn into a housecat at will?  In a city like this?  Well, somehow, I don’t know how, mind you, there was some kind of disturbance inside that guild house, and the next thing we knew, the upper floor windows on one end blew out and there was fire everywhere. 

Well, being the good and responsible kind of person I am, I decided to go help out, you know, getting the residents out safely and all that.  Just so happened that was when the dark elves decided to show up again.  If you ask me, the whole situation had turned into a real fine mess!  And where was the city guard?  Who knows, cause I sure didn’t see them around!  At least, not until we’d already dealt with most of the trouble!  If you’re looking for someone to blame, I’d say it’s them!  They weren’t properly vigilant!  Maybe they were even in on it!  Have you tried questioning them?”