<blockquote><div><cite>Kaelen wrote:</cite>Waters' edge can mean only one thing...</div></blockquote><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Can it?</span>Alyssa wonders privately. As sound as Kaelen's reasoning seems, she can't shake the feeling that something is missing - after all, why note a note instruct them to meet in a place that could be anywhere? Unless they knew which port to use beforehand, the instructions would be as abstruse to the Alley Cats as they are to present company - and knowing would render the message just as meaningless. There must be another answer...<br/><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Knowledge (local): 1d20 (3) + 22 = 25, success<br/>Knowledge (nature): 1d20 (16) + 20 = 36, success</div></div></div><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Which port to use...</span><br/><br/>In an instant, the problem and solution become clear. Glancing back down at the Alley Cats' note, Alyssa  re-reads the first sentence, mentally adjusting the final characters for proper penmanship... and capitalization. And suddenly, it all makes sense.<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Lanzo wrote:</cite>"There must be a way to narrow down the location..."</div></blockquote><br/>"I think I have it, sir," Alyssa announces. "If I may..." she briefly indicates the center of the Captain's desk, then circles around to his side with a motion for her companions to gather. Her left hand comes to rest on a belt pouch, accompanied by a simple mental command to her inventory:<span style="font-style: italic">map.</span><br/><br/>" 'Port' has several meanings," Alyssa begins as she unfurls her city map carefully over the Captain's blotter. "It can refer to a geographical location, a structure, a point of entry... or a name." She pauses to trace her finger across a street in the eastern trade district, then does the same to a second street in the west.<br/><br/>"There are two Port Streets in Prometa, both of which meet with the docks of the trade district - the water's edge. I believe the western end will be their meeting place for two reasons. First, West Port Street is on the southern edge of the docks close to the Narrows, which we know is the Alley Cats' primary territory. Second, there have been reports of a bandit group called the Glade Children in Nemorosa, to the northwest of here. That means their representatives will also be coming from that direction, most likely following the river..." Alyssa traces a third line along the snaking band of blue hugging the city's western border, ending at the same point as her previous trail. "A meeting point on the west side is a matter of convenience for both parties."<br/><br/>"Unfortunately, I don't know much more about either of the groups involved. The Glade Children are a relatively new problem as far as I'm aware, and I've never even heard of a group called the Fell's Fools. Unless..." Alyssa pauses briefly to gather her thoughts, allowing Kaelen to resume where she left off - it seems she and the herbalist are thinking in parallel tonight.<br/><br/><blockquote class="uncited"><div>"Fell's Fools might refer to servants of Mandagot. If I remember correctly you had been in the process of arresting someone who bore his mark right before the debacle at the portal; do you know what became of him?"</div></blockquote><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Cpt. Lanzo wrote:</cite>"An Alley Cat accomplice? At the festival itself? I don't believe <span style="font-style: italic">that</span> was mentioned in your report, Adjutant. And who is this 'Mandagot' fellow? One of the Cats' ringleaders?"</div></blockquote><br/><div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">Knowledge (religion): 1d20 (4) + 22 = 26, success</div></div></div><br/>"It's complicated in both cases, sir," Alyssa replies. "Mandagot was a feline trickster who betrayed the gods during the age of war. Most of the stories say he was executed for his crimes, but a few claim that he ascended to godhood - it seems the Alley Cats are of the latter opinion. The accomplice Mr. Locasta identified was a thief named Botch, who I'm sure you're familiar with - Constable Thuror and I apprehended him shortly before the portal incident wearing a coat slashed with Mandagot's symbol. Unfortunately, he escaped our custody while we were engaged with the demons, and we were unable to pursue him afterward due to Lady Elona's arrival. At the time, we had no reason to suspect that it bore any relevance to the attack, but it seems we were mistaken..."