closed || Quid Pro Quo

[nonsibi]

WHO: Bellamy, Church, Clarke, Cosima, Fenris
WHAT: Orzammar asked for the Inquisition to come fix Thedas' very first underground rift, and our brave heroes are just the heroes for the job. The Inquisition has also asked our heroes to heroically take the measure of those controlling the Inquisition's lyrium contract, in hopes of softening them up to renegotiate for a better price. And then there's that dead dwarf....
WHEN: vaguely Justinian
WHERE: Orzammar
NOTES: at least one dead body

starters for each piece of this mission are in the comments!

Comments

the Lyrium Deal - Varnar Dramold

[nonsibi]

[The Inquisition's notes on Varnar Dramold should give the party a good idea on what to expect from him: middle-aged, sweaty, sloppy, always late. But careful observation or intel-gathering will alert them to the fact that this is largely a ruse to disguise the fact that he's one of the shrewdest agents in Orzammar. The notes suggest that he is eager to extract even more money out of the Inquisition, not offer them a sweet discount.

In Orzammar, Varnar is everywhere and nowhere. Fellow members of his house are vague about where he might be found--eating, drinking, sleeping, just here a moment ago. It takes nearly the whole time they're in Orzammar for the party to find him--and really, it's him who finds them.

In a passageway while they're walking between one point and another, a stout dwarf comes stumbling along with his head bent. He is carrying a loaf of bread under one arm, a large leather-bound book under his other arm, and a lit torch in his right hand--and he is not looking where he's going, which means he runs straight into whoever is leading the way.

With a startled cry, he springs back and drops everything he's carrying.]

Stones! Oh-- your pardon, your pardon, I didn't see--

[The torch hits the floor but does not go out. The flickering light casts crazy shadows everywhere. The book hits like a weight. The bread strikes stone softly, scattering crumbs. It's the last of these that Varnar goes for first, as he digs a stained handkerchief out of the front of his vest and mops at his shiny forehead.]

By the Stone! I didn't see you lot there! Came sneaking up nearly out of nowhere--if I've damaged anything, you must send the bill to me. Ask anyone in Orzammar and they'll point you to me. Varmar Darmold is the name--

[lyriumcarved]

[By chance, it happens that Fenris is in the front of the group at the very moment the dwarf comes obliviously along. He gives an astonished cry, startled by the random collision. It's no harm done, of course, but still... Still. They've finally found the man they've been looking for.]

[About time.]

[Chasing this dwarf down has been an exercise in futility. Fenris has had half a mind to suggest they give up this useless chase, but here he is. He bends down to retrieve the torch and book. The words on its cover aren't entirely familiar to him... he still has much to learn. Though he does give it a curious second glance before offering it to Varnar.]

Nothing is damaged, and that won't be necessary... although we wouldn't mind having a word with you instead.