Head back to the Jagged Pike

Linna headed back to the Jagged Pike. Even if she wasn't successful, she needed to confront her contact and pry more information. She also figured she might be able to get some gold from him since in exchange for information about the place. As far as she knew, simply getting inside and seeing the place could be valuable. Maybe he might know about a missing package of some value.

Back at the tavern, the usual people were there. Linna didn't spend her days in the taverns of the city, but most of the work she did as a courier involved visiting them. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which was comforting after what she had been through. The man she had met yesterday and who had given her the job, Esamon, was there. She looked at him while making her way towards him, trying to see how he would react when he saw her and ...

[13+ 7 = 20 vs DC 15 Perception. Esamon can usually remain expressionless after years working with criminals, so he's trained.]

... he was visibly taken aback when he saw her, just for a second, before he put on a straight face.

"Hey, you're back. Gave up on the job I see", Esamon stated.

"No. I got in the building, but things got bad and I had to get out. I saw the book just before I almost got caught." Linna replied.

"Bullshit. Stop wasting my time." Esamon was quick to reply.

"It's true. Seeing how you reacted when I got in tells me that you probably had someone spying on me when I got in. They reported back to you once I entered. You know I've been in there, and you're surprised to see me. Why?"

Esamon sighed. "Look, you're not the first person I sent to get that book. Our guild heard of it about two weeks ago. Since then I've sent half a dozen people to try and get it and none have made it back. We're trying to send in outsiders so whoever is in there can't track us back, but I even sent in one of ours. We have no idea what happened to him."

"Right. Can't say I'm surprised you sent me on a suicide mission. So. I'm here to get paid."

Esamon couldn't resist laughing. "Now why would I pay you if you didn't get me what I wanted?"

"Well, you said it yourself : I'm the first person to get out of there. I still remember the layout and the room with the book. Can't guarantee it will remain there, but at least I found it." Linna said, trying to convince him...

[11 + 0 = 11 vs DC 10 Diplomacy. Esamon knows that Linna got out and believes the info could be valuable if it's true, so he's somewhat easily convinced.]

...and succeeding.

"Alright. First, how do I know you didn't just hide inside and come out?" Esamon asked.

"I've seen the book. Read some of it even. It contained a bunch of entries with dates. Most of it was impossible to read. Either they used a cypher or a language I don't know." Linna answered, telling him one of the entries she remembered.

"Alright, that fits what we know. What can you tell me about the place?"

She drew a map of the areas she had seen and how they were connected, noting the rooms she had not checked, for which Esamon paid her one gold piece.

"Hey by the way, do you have any information about a stolen package that was supposed to be sent there?" Linna asked, as innocently as she could, showing him the note the guard gave her.

[15+0 = 15 vs DC 15 Deception. Esamon finds the question strange, and isn't inclined to believe it's innocuous.]

Esamon eyed her curiously but didn't ask why she was suddenly asking about that. "Well, we do try to track what comes and goes in this place, but it ain't easy. Let me see..." He took a moment to read the details before handing the note back to Linna. "That seems to be a private package, although the name seems blurred out. Doesn't seem to be related. Why?"

"I found it in the building. I stole it out of a uniform I saw so it's probably just a guard's package." Linna said.

"Yea, shame their name isn't there, that could have been helpful. If you want I can ask if anyone from the guild stole an item coming from Vog Boram. It's unlikely but who knows."

"Thanks. By the way, you might want to lay low in the next few days, just in case they tracked me. I did my best to cover my tracks but you can never be too careful." Linna warned Esamon.

"Will do. I'll meet you here tomorrow if anything turns up."