The Gatewatchers.

"I think we'll check with the Gatewatchers. They would be the first point of contact at the wall, right? We should try to retrace the caravan's steps."

Dom nodded. "Not a bad idea. They're a bit more open to outsiders than the Fangs or the priestesses."

"Fangs?" Teysa asked.

"Like city guards, only meaner," Aliara interjected. Dom nodded.

"Your friend is right. They're the elite. They mostly stay in the Temple precinct. If you see a priestess traveling in the city she'll have Fangs with her, even if they're not immediately visible. They're vicious bastards, and they know that they won't get in trouble for anything short of killing a major dignitary, so steer clear."

Teysa polished off her eggs and stood. "Well, thank you for your help so far, Dom. We'll be back this evening. Anything else we should know?"

Dom stuck out his hand. "Not that I can think of. Good luck out there. I can try to get you travel papers for the Temple district. Give me a couple of days."

His handshake was surprisingly soft. Teysa smiled. "That would be helpful. We'll be back this evening. Stay safe."

Outside, the business of the city was in full swing. The plaza in front of the Stone Egg was full of vendors' stalls once again, though it seemed that a completely different group had come set up shop. Overhead, the torches cast a ruddy, flickering glow over everything. The overall impression was a busy market at dusk.

Teysa and Aliara headed straight for the walls. The Gatewatchers had barracks near each major gate into the city, Dom had told them, each of which kept meticulous records. There were a dozen such gates spaced equally around the walls, but the drider caravans always took the same route.

As they traveled towards the wall, the houses grew smaller, shabbier, and farther apart. Materials other than the ubiquitous basalt began to show up more commonly. None of the buildings were wood, but they saw adobe, stucco, brick, even some ramshackle canvas tents. The vendors thinned out then disappeared altogether. From somewhere to the east they could hear the bustle of the great market, but here the streets were silent and deserted. The few people they saw were gaunt and hollow-eyed. They scurried away into their lean-tos and slammed their doors at the sight of strangers.

"Friendly folks," observed Teysa. Aliara shivered.
"The poor get pushed away from the center of the City. Drow don't like to see other drow down on their luck, but not enough to help them. Out of sight, out of mind."

The wall rose ahead of them. Beyond the gate they could see the customary line of merchants and traders seeking entry. If anything, it was longer than before. A pair of guards stood at the gates to process them, and a half dozen more lounged nearby or leaned against the wall. They wore chainmail and carried spears and short swords.

Next to the gate an iron door was set into the wall. As Teysa approached it, a couple of guards glanced at her, but lost interest quickly. She rapped her knuckles against the door and a vision slit popped open to reveal a pair of drow eyes staring back at her.

"What's your business?"
"We'd like to ask a question, please. We're looking for a trade caravan that may have come through this gate."

The eyes retreated from the slit and Teysa heard a murmuring from inside. Then something clanked heavily inside and the door swung inward.

Inside, five guards stood around a low stone table. A counter ran along one wall with a variety of papers, weapons and food items strewn haphazardly across it. Torches set into the walls relieved some of the dimness. The lead guard cast his eyes up and down Aliara's body, not bothering to conceal his lecherous smile. "A caravan, huh? What makes you think we can help you?"

"We know they passed this way." Teysa tried to ignore the eyes crawling over her body. "Through this gate, I mean. We'd like to know of any records you might have-- who they were meeting with, how long they planned to stay, that sort of thing."

"Might be we'd have those records. Might very well be." The drow nodded personably, but his grin was predatory. "But why should we help you?"