Aaron ushers 'Wooden Shekel' into the shop, and then looks out of the window to see if they were followed.

The Wooden Shekel follows, his cord of 'firewood' slung over one shoulder. "Excellent. This will do nicely. Now how about some of that delightful tea your shop is so well known for? And perhaps a sesame cake, hmm?"

Aaron scowls at the lizard, "Help yourself, but don't bother Jasmine." He waves and smiles to the matronly Skeek clerk, as if nothing is wrong.

Bambridge grins at Jasmine, his back bent, and his voice an old man's rasp, as he shuffles up to the counter to return to a relatively secluded table with a tea tray. He pours himself a cup, and another, offering it to Aaron. "Now then, to business. What sort of information do you think you can dredge up about this staff?"

Aaron glances at the partly exposed head of the staff. "Well. Um… we know it has to do with Dagh worship, right? And the Sixth Whatever. I might have a book about that… "

Aaron eyes the lizard again, "Can you read?"

Bambridge hisses, "Certainly! Wouldn't be much of a survivor if I were too dim to learn my diction, hmmmm? What have you got for me?"

Aaron brushes his black ear out of his face before replying, "Maybe nothing. My Uncle collected a lot of, shall we say, questionable books. They might be accurate, or they might be Zelak droppings, you know?"

Bambridge's scaley nose wrinkles up. "I know all too well, my friend. Especially on the Zelak part, worthless bug-brained imbeciles. However, your resources are the best lead I've got, so far. If we can do a little research, that might answer at least a few questions for us."

Aaron hmphs, "Yeah, for us. Wait here."

Aaron disappears into the back of the shop.

Bambridge tips his chair back on two legs, and takes a sip of tea, and a bit of honeyed sesame cake, sighing contentedly.

After a few moments, the Lapi returns carrying a large, dusty looking tome, which he drops heavily onto the small table. "Ancient Cults and Secret Societies… by some madman or other, I assume."

Aaron opens the book and starts leafing through it at random. How come none of these crazy old occultists ever write an index?

Aaron glances at his guest, "So… what else might you know about this cult? And why were you in the cemetery that night?"

Bambridge peers over the top of the tome Aaron brings. "Well, I heard about a fellow buried some years back with a clue as to… " The lizard pauses, and his face darkens. "I mean… none of your business! It's close to Darkside, that's all the explanation I need!"

Aaron grunts noncommittally and keeps turning the pages, looking for anything to do with staves or Dagh.

Bambridge casually hisses, "Oh, and if that doesn't turn up, see if you can spot something like this in there." The lizard shakes his right sleeve, and a strange wavey-bladed chitin dagger clatters onto the table.

Aaron startles at the clatter, then picks up the dagger to examine it closer. "You can get these in the Bazaar I think. Made to look really imposing, but it's just a dagger."

Aaron says, "I don't know of any rituals that require chitin. Always stone or ivory or metal or glass blades."

Aaron says, "You might want to try to find the vendor or maker though."

Bambridge scratches his head. "Maybe so… but can't you feel that strange tingling when you hold it? Grip it firmly. I felt it when I picked it up from the altar back at the graveyard, and those cultist certainly seemed to think they'd do nicely for bleeding a five-tailed Exile in the name of Dagh."

Aaron blinks and drops the dagger onto the table. "I didn't feel… uh… anything." He buries his nose back in the book.

Aaron flips past pages of squid-headed monsters, talking fungi, and weird Nobakhim animals.

Bambridge gives Aaron a long, careful look, but says nothing. He reclaims the weapon, which disappears somewhere in the lizard's robe. With another sip of tea, Bambridge takes to impatiently drumming his fingers on the table.

Aaron hmms, reading over one passage about Dagh… but it doesn't say anything about a cult that wants to bring him back from the dead.

Bambridge drops an extra lump of sugar into his tea, stirring it. "Who's this Dagh fellow, anyway? Never had call to find out, really."

Aaron waves a hand, "Oh, some old Mage that tried to take over the world or something. Supposed to have been a demon I think… never really looked into it myself. Maybe he was a Necromancer. That's not a recognized Sphere of Magic, you know. Not officially anyway. I have my suspicions about the Naga Mind Mages though… "

Aaron closes the book and mutters, "Nothing about a Dagh cult in here. No surprise."

Bambridge makes a face. "Feh… I haven't thought about the Empire since I left it more than a year ago. Hmmm… nothing about Dagh, and nothing about the materials or abilities this staff might have, eh?" He leans back again, sighing. "I don't trust this thing, or that dagger, but I'm loathe to let them out of my sight for the same reasons, and I don't know enough about magic to know what might happen if I tried to destroyed them."

Aaron looks past the lizard's shoulder(?) through the window, and perks his ears. "What's that going on outside?"

Bambridge hurriedly gathers the sticks around the staff, and ties the cord securely again, glancing over his shoulder. "What is what? Have we been followed? Where's someplace I can hide this thing?"

Outside people seem to be leaving the area, quite quickly. What is prompting this can't be seen.

Aaron frowns, "Drop it behind the counter." The Lapi gets up and heads for the door.

A kick slams the door open. FIRE! fills the doorway, two burning spheres held by a very angry poodle who might resemble a Jupani in a bad light. The flames flicker around her hands and up her arms, and while Aaron can feel the heat, she or her clothes don't catch. "You!"

Aaron yeeps and backpedals!

Bambridge, partway to walking toward the counter, pauses in a look of sheer shock. His attempt to accelerate takes the form of a dive behind the counter Aaron directed him to.

Kelsey advances, the fire in her hands more terrifying than the fire in her eyes, "You had me arrested! You made me beg my daddy to come bail me out. You! I've been shopping here for years!" She waves her hands down, throwing the flames onto the floor.

Aaron scrambles back behind the counter. "Mage Van Kabril! I'm sure we can work this out, there must have been a misunderstanding!"

Bambridge peeps over the top of the counter, his eyes wide, and his slitted pupils dilated. { Holy good gravy! I had no idea this business had such risky clientele! }

"I should burn this place down." She waves her hands, and the flames spread out, and rise. Careful observation shows that the floor isn't burning… yet. It is blackening, and the heat is real. "But I'll let you talk, what did you misunderstand?"

Aaron peeks warily over the countertop, a packet of foot powder clutched in one hand. "I… I thought you were going to ignite fuel oil in the rain. Because of those matches you bought. But obviously you're innocent of such intentions, and I apologize profusely! You were the most powerful Fire Mage I knew, and clearly any saboteurs would have wanted only the best… "

"WHAT?!" Kelsey shouts. She stands a few steps inside the door, and the flames burn in front of her. With a wave they spread into a line approaching the counter edge. "I am not a saboteur, and how could you possibly believe a Firemage buying matches to be strange! I had to put up with my father lecturing me on my choice of career, and my mother… my mother."

Aaron's ears droop, "I… I… Please don't burn my shop!"

Aaron says, "I'll give you a 40% discount for life!"

Bambridge ducks back down behind the counter, fumbling through his pockets, and looking around for a convenient escape route. "I take it you weren't planning on a fire sale, shopkeeper," he hisses.

Aaron scowls at the lizard, and whispers, "Can't you do anything useful? Use the staff or something."

Bambridge winces as heat washes over the counter, sliding the staff from his cord of firewood. "If you've got any idea on how to use this thing, suggestions are welcome!"

"I had to put up with my mother… a 40% discount?" The flames die down, as Kelsey glares at the two behind counter. "I'd like that in writing."

Aaron winces, but pulls out a piece of paper.

Aaron wills his hand to stop shaking long enough to write out and sign a Lifetime Discount Coupon for one Kelsey Van Kabril…

A voice behind the counter hisses, "Oh, of all the spineless… "

Aaron kicks the lizard with his black-furred foot.

A muffled "Oof!" can be heard.

Aaron also sets a small packet of tea leaves on the counter. "And, as a show of good will, you can have these rare imported tea leaves for your parents. You have to be careful not to use more than two leaves per serving though, or it might cause a state of extreme… suggestibility."

With a wave the Firemage puts out the flames, and takes the card. She smiles at the suggestion of tea. "Pleasure doing business with you. You were right, just a misunderstanding."

Aaron smiles, "Please tell your friends about our fine selection of materials."

Bambridge whispers to Aaron from below the counter, "Say… do you think she'd know anything about Dagh or this accursed stick?"

Aaron glares down at the lizard, and hisses, "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

Bambridge hisses back, "I… er… uh, you seem to have already made her acquaintance… "

"Of course." Kelsey says, reading over the card to make sure there aren't any conditions Aaron failed to mention.

{Oh right, I'm going to ask her if she knows anything about a cult that practices blood sacrifices. Look at how she reacted to just being arrested!} The Lapi kicks the lizard again, on general principle.

Kelsey finds nothing wrong with the card, and leaves, stalking out as best as she can.

Bambridge grunts again, his side becoming sore. "Well, bring up an aspect of it!" he prompts, whispering just loudly enough to be heard by the Lapine's sensitive ears. "Ask her if she uses any magic artifacts!"

Aaron whews as the poodle walks out…

Aaron frowns down at the lizard again, "Only employees are allowed behind the counter."

Bambridge stands up, hrumphing indignantly. "You've got scorch-marks to scrub, I'll wager," he hisses, prodding the shopkeeper with the end of the crystal-headed staff. "Just show me to the books, and I'll do as much research as I can. The society got away last time, and they're probably still up to no good."

Aaron says, "Why don't you tell the Templars about them then?"

Bambridge gathers up his cord of wood, and some of the scattered books. "Huh, the Templars would have me in a dungeon faster than you could say 'Get the thumbscrews'. The Wooden Shekel is not about to deal with that Temple."

Aaron blinks, "So, you're a criminal then?"

Bambridge sniffs. "'Criminal' is such an ugly word. I prefer the terms 'unofficially sanctioned bazaar merchant', 'amateur locksmith hobbyist', or 'interior undecorator'."

Aaron rubs his chin. "You wouldn't happen to know of a character named Bambridge then, would you? I suspect he's responsible for the assassination of that Eee singer."

Bambridge's eyes narrow. He's silent for a full minute before he hisses, "On what grounds do you suspect this Bambridge person?"

Aaron says, "Why, he sent his slave here to buy Waashu Stinger Venom. And soon after, a prominent figure is poisoned and the body stolen!"

Bambridge's voice remains perfectly level, but when he speaks, it is through clenched teeth. "And did you perhaps get the name of this slave? Do you maybe remember what he looks like?"

Aaron shudders at the memory. "A particularly shady looking and thuggish Savanite."

Bambridge is shaking as well, but for a different reason. "With a rather unslave-like attitude, and a green cloak?"

Aaron narrows his eyes at the lizard. "He wasn't pretending to be a slave as well as most Savanites do, no. But you can't trust any of them anyway."

Aaron says, "And I asked you first about this Bambridge character. Have you heard of him?"

Bambridge rubs his temples, his eyes closed, hissing, "Lovely. This is just lovely." When he opens his eyes again, his composure is regained, his smile back in place. "I'm afraid you were deceived, friend shopkeeper. I know Darkside like the back of my paw, and this 'Bambridge' person does not exist. I'd know, otherwise."

Bambridge hisses, "That slave was probably signing under an assumed name, and I mean to track him down."

Aaron blinks. "What?"

Aaron says, "Why do you care what a slave signed so much?"

Bambridge gestures at the scattered books. "But we have a more immediate task at hand," he hisses briskly. "The Sixth Kadam will not only probably want their artifact back, but I imagine they'll want vengeance on those that interrupted their ceremony, or at the very least… " he makes a significant pause. "… another sacrifice."

Aaron crosses his arms, "And what do you propose to do about it?"

The reptile taps the sparkling green bauble on the end of his stave, rotating it to let its facets reflect the light. "I think this odd object is the key. If we can figure out how to use it, or get rid of it, we may just keep our skins."

"Why shouldn't I just turn it and you both over to the Guard and let them handle it?" the rabbit hmphs, and brushes his ear out of the way again.

Bambridge hisses, "Because as soon as I was locked up, they'd file this stick away somewhere, and you'd find yourself in a position even worse than a big pharmaceutical barbecue!" The reptile takes a deep breath, then folds his arms. "Besides… the fellows in Darkside, and the tribesmen Savanites of the Dusty Tear would be most… displeased."

Aaron leans forward, "The Dusty Tear? Is that the name of the Savanite Illuminati? How do you know so much about Savanites?"

The peddler turns and kicks a chair beneath him, sitting down once more. "Illuminati? I don't know what you're talking about. I spent a good portion of my stay in this land thus far in Savan. That's probably all you need to know. But then, all this unpleasant talk about cults, an murder, and poison, and Dagh." The lizard steeples his fingers. "Perhaps the Wooden Shekel can do something for you? I certainly wouldn't expect you to do any of this without turning a profit."

Aaron twitches his nose, and considers. "I'll hide the staff then, until you find out what the Sixth Kadam is going to do next. I know a few people that might be able to figure it out."

"Very well," hisses Bambridge, nodding. "In exchange, I can offer you a deal. You work with a trade which, by nature, deals in rarities. You've perhaps had trouble acquiring certain orders?"

Aaron says, "I do the collecting myself, Wooden Shekel, and will depend on no other to supply me."

"I don't take shortcuts," the Lapi finishes.

Bambridge clucks his tongue, looking disappointed. "Very well," he sighs. "But do hope you'll remember me, should you require something. I can get the hard to find, and sell at whole-saler's prices, you know." The lizard winks. "In the meantime, I'll entrust the staff to your care. Be very careful! There's no telling who's looking for it."

Aaron says, "A shop like this has to have many secure storage areas. Don't worry about the staff."

Bambridge rubs his paws together, grinning. "Excellent. I've a few errands to run, and leads to follow, concerning the Sixth Kadam and the Sav… and some other business. I'll be in touch after I find who I'm looking for." He stands, and shuffles to the door with his begging cup, muttering to himself, "Namely… Haji… "

Aaron sighs as the lizard leaves, and gets out the mop and polish to fix the floor…

…

Several hours later, much to Aaron's surprise and discomfort, a lone Zelak warrior enters the store. It says nothing, but examines the room, touching it's feelers to various surfaces – including one quite close to the hiding place of the staff. Afterwards, it leaves as abruptly as it arrived.