10 - Venetian Gratitude

A perusal of the loot from the Toad pool in the under-dark, reveals a portion of it, found on one set of remains, to be very recent, personally identifiable and with clear linkages to Venice. Rocco seeks Cola's counsel on its disposal. Cola recalls that there was a young Venetian nobleman who disappeared during the raid on the Baths of Diocletian last year. He strongly advises Rocco to surrender all the personal elements to Lorenzo Bembo the Venetian Agent in Rome and hope for a reward rather than to try to dispose of such identifiable objects on the open market.

Rocco takes a signet ring found on the body to the address of the Venetian Agent with a short letter of introduction. Lorenzo Bembo is not at home and Rocco is received by a young equerry who confirms that this is the signet ring of the missing Pasquale Bembo. However, he is highly suspicious of Rocco's tale. Believing him to be witholding the full story he has him dragged down to a dungeon to be professionally questioned on the matter. Fortunately, Signore Bembo returns just as the hot irons are to be applied, and takes a different view of the matter.

Rocco is returned, under guard, to the House of the Crow, there to collect all the belongings of Pasquale Bembo. On his return with them to the house of the Venetian Agent he is there greeted more courteously by Lorenzo himself, and rewarded with a bag of Venetian gold ducats. Lorenzo expresses interest in Rocco's tale and indicates that he would like to know whatever else can be discovered about the matter.