[center][h1][url=https://dicecloud.com/character/Xt4oQPCh6DZr8Np6D/Arehm-of-Haven][color=black]Ahrem Grenstone[/color][/url]
[img]https://preview.ibb.co/i777N6/Ahrem_Token.gif[/img]
[color=black]Knight of the Black Sword[/color][/h1][/center]
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[center][h2]Haven Marketplace, The Night Before[/h2][/center]

[center][img]http://www.creativeuncut.com/gallery-28/art/plvpr-labyrinthia-marketplace-night.jpg[/img][/center]

Ahrem frowns, wiping the spit away from his face as his other hand curled into a fist. A small temptation had lingered in his head of drawing his sword and running the thief through- the guards surely wouldn’t have minded it, given their racial remarks. In the end, however, Ahrem shook his head and walked away, without another word.

One guard gives the tiefling thief a firm backhand, knocking her unconscious before they drag the limp, bleeding body away.
Meanwhile, as the thief is arrested, Saya spots a stall, isolated within the square, hidden away behind crates of goods and a carriage, unmarked. Not exactly inviting to passers by, and with nothing really identifying it as a herbalist stand other then a row of dried herbs hanging above. The stall itself is cut from dead black wood, poorly fashoined, and tied together with hemp rope and jagged protruding nails.

Saya awaited the return of Ahrem as she eyed the stall from a safe distance. When he gets to her she quietly states "I found the stall in the corner... Keep watch, I'll go check it out." Having said it, keeping her hood up she slips away and approaches the stall.Ahrem nodded, making sure to watch Saya’s back for any shady fellows. Saya looks over the desk, finding some odd etchings carved into the surface of the stall counter. They're numerical scratches, numbering 13. Saya glanced around for whoever may be the shopkeep of the establishment, slowly taking her hood off as well in case it draws their attention. "Hello?" She called out quietly. The only answer comes as a cold breeze, tugging at Saya's cloak and making her shiver.

Ahrem stayed a short distance away, enough so that he could keep an eye on Saya without seeming conspicuous, himself. Saya pulled her cloak in slightly more as she gazed down the alley and felt a bad feeling crawl up the back of her neck. So, there were markings but why wasn't there the saleswoman? What made them stop at 13 if they had? "I was told by a friend to come over here-" she then stated aloud as she looked about and back at the stand. Did it look like it had been abandoned, or did it seem stocked still? "I guess the beauty cream was just a rumor- I shouldn't have listened to her I guess, she always tells such tall tales."

No answer came, the stall seemingly closed for the night. Looking around, Saya can see a few other closed stalls, However most are open due to due to the influx of visitors for Founder's Day. Saya keeps looking around the stall, since it was secluded and left there with no supervision she proceeded to examine the contents for any clues as to where they should head if possible. Alrighty, Ahrem decides to join Saya in investigating, seeing as nothing suspicious has happened so far. With the aid of Ahrem, the two find a secret compartment within the stall. The door is surprisingly sturdy and won't budge without the lock, A scrap of parchment is sticking out, however, and Saya was able to grip it and pull it out...

[center][img]https://d1u5p3l4wpay3k.cloudfront.net/skyrim_gamepedia/thumb/d/d4/Note_fancy1.png/200px-Note_fancy1.png?version=e0cd1aea951e61bce23a79040f6c3493[/img][/center]

The note reads... cup of birch lichen, amenita mascaria cap, chute of seaweed, pinch of salt, 1 boiled toad leg, 4 nightshade pedals. Saya slips the note back in, making a mental note before looking to Ahrem. "It was just ingredients, still no word on where to head next. Ahrem began thinking to himself, for a moment. “... We could ask around for any more leads, if you want. I may know a few merchants.” Alright well, you go ahead and ask them then. I'll follow and watch out I guess-" Ahrem nods, walking around the market and looking to see if any merchant he knows still has their stall up. Ahrem spots a familiar fletcher, sitting by his stall and crafting arrows. Eric, is his name, as Ahrem recalls.

While Ahrem is talking, Saya would be going over the ingredients in her head for possible outcomes. Saya thinks over the list of ingredients. The items are fairly common save for the nightshade.  She can't say for certain what it is, possibly an anti aging cream though the combination of ingredients strike her as having more to do with an insomnia remedy. Ahrem, meanwhile, waves at Eric, walking over to his stall.

“Eric! It’s been a while...” Ahrem had began, a friendly smile on his face.Eric gives Ahrem a nod, continuing his work. "Aye Ahrem. A while indeed. How fare's your mother?"

"She's doing fine, right now, all things considered..." Ahrem replied, crossing his arms. "I do need your help, though, on another matter."

"I'll help if I can," Eric shrugged, feathering a long arrow and putting it in a quiver.

"I appreciate it." Ahrem nodded, before clearing his throat. "You've heard of the cases revolving around the missing women, yes? My partner and I have narrowed it down to a herbalist. Haggish-looking, from what we've heard."

"Aye, I've heard." Eric stopped what he was doing and looked up at Ahrem, motioning over to the empty stand Saya was investigating. "What? You think it was Old Bav?"

"Old Bav? Ah, here, this should probably explain it better..." Ahrem mentioned, before grabbing the journal and opening it to the page describing the herbalist. Eric gave a glance at the book before looking back up at Ahrem. "Look, Ahrem. You know how things are here. People mind there own business and they stay out of trouble. Seeing you get mixed up with the Watch and that thief, I be thinking you forgot that. Now I got no desire in getting all mixed up. But a simple fletcher, I am."

"I understand perfectly where you're coming from, Eric. I was raised the same way you were. It's just that... this case, it's had me thinking, hard. Of that young, single mother, who's already struggling to get by, taken in the midde of the night never to be heard from, again. Of her family, of those who have lost a daughter, a mother, and a wife, who have to consider such things they've never fathom they needed to worry about, like if they need to pour their money on a funeral or not, despite not having her body. And of her children, especially, who are too young an innocent to completely understand loss and death, who will possibly starve to death  with their last thoughts being that their mother outright abandoned them. Like I said, I understand that you want to stay out of this, but I just need one more lead, just one piece of information to find the perpetrator of these kidnappings and stop them before another woman, another daughter and mother and wife of this city, is taken away from their homes, their families, and perhaps their very lives. I especially can't fathom if my mother was just kidnapped like this... could you?"

Eric sighs in thought... "Alright Ahrem, alright. Old Bav has been here a year, but already she has one of the busiest stalls. Her beautifying creams are something of legend, or so I hear.  Gives me the creeps if you ask me. She has a hut over by the farms just outside  the west wall. Tell ya what, I'm about done here. I'll take you there before turning in meself."

Saya followed Ahrem on his trip to question a local salesman, and as the conversation occured she was slightly astonished again at Ahrem's persuasive skills. He had successfully gotten the location of the woman's hut, which may not only lead them to their suspect but also to where the women may be hidden. Silently she let the conversation reach it's resolve as she glanced around them. The night was getting even darker as the time had passed, and she noticed other stalls beginning to close around them. It felt almost certain that the possible culprit would be home at this time for when they headed out, but the fact there had been 13 marks on the stand she had searched made it all the more eerie. When they reached this hut... would there be conflict? Is this woman a part of a bigger scheme or is she alone going to pose a threat? The unease of these thoughts made Saya's head hang a little low, hood covering most of her features now after she put it back up. One step closer to their goal, but their goal seems like it may be bittersweet if her worse fears come to pass.