She jots notes.

"It's good to know because how you relate to your sources and other players on Izril affects how we should handle your information and any now or future collaboration with you. Is there a specific nature you had in mind?"

"Mostly it depends on what parties you have in mind."

"I suppose there's no harm in saying the Wall Lady and others are concerned why the Antinium are looking for a Dragon, considering the historical relationship between Dragons and Drakes, and that though we're now at peace, we were last at war only ten years ago."

Nod.

"Does that clarify whether you would be willing to elaborate on your relationship with them under the conditions of a deal?"

"I would be able to do that, yes."

"Understood..." She jots something down. "Alright. Circling back to the actual matter you were invitied here for, you told Officer Ferris that you weren't certain we would find your information substantive, is that right? Are you willing to describe the approximate scope of what you do know? Alternately, if I produce a list of we would consider substantive, would you give an yes-or-know answer of whether your information includes anything in it?"

"The list idea sounds like a good one."

She's prepped for this! The list she produces from a file includes:

1. The identity or name of the Dragon; positive confirmation that they are, as of less than a century ago, alive and resident in Izril; and how this came to be known.
2. The identity or name of an individual personally acquainted and in contact with a Dragon, and confirmation that they are currently alive and resident in Izril.
3. The suspected location within a thousand miles of the Dragon as of less than a century ago.
4. The suspected location within a thousand miles of the Dragon's abode, or other uniquely informative object or location, which they frequented or possessed within the last century.
5. A substantial lead towards any of 2–4 which is within the means of Manus, with a more than one in five estimated chance of success.
6. A way to send a message to the Dragon with a more than one in ten estimated chance of being received.
7. A contact who can provide any of the above and can be induced to do so.

"If you have something not technically in the list but roughly along the same lines of usefulness, that also works."

"Can I see a to-scale map of Izril?"

That sort of gives it away, doesn't it.

"And how long would the message need to be, and what are Manus's means like, particularly its budget?" he asks, peering at it to see if the relevant area is "within a thousand miles".

Alright, he's playing that game.

"I don't have exact parameters, but I would say more than fifty words. The Wall Lady doesn't have all of the city's budget at her disposal, but something like deploying a company of three hundred for eight months with the expectation more than half of them make it home safe, and one hundred thousand gold of expenses, would be nearing the upper limit, I believe."

What is one hundred thousand gold in negotiable-to-Axis diamonds, though. He doesn't ask that, just nods. "These estimations are to be mine, or should I be anticipating the value of my information to be evaluated for this purpose by Manus agents?"

"The chances of success? Yours, unless you're not confident in your estimates and would prefer assistance on it. I was told you had concerns about divinatory Skills. The numbers aren't meant to be hardline measurements, just calibration for what would be considered good enough to go on."

"My estimates would be poorly substantiated in many ways but I can generate them, I just wanted to check that they were that which would be under consideration. I believe my information meets one or more of these criteria."

"Then I expect we will come to a satisfactory agreement." And she'll read back her notes of the conversation highlights to double check she has everything right.

Are weird Skills coming into this at some point or has she been using them secretly all along, he doesn't know.

A mystery!

"I'll submit my report today, but I don't know what the turnaround time will be on their end. I don't anticipate any issues. Are there any questions you'd like to ask me, about anything?"

"Are you the person with the Skill that evaluates the value of a secret or is that someone else?"

"I do have Skills which help me assess the general trustworthiness of an informant and the legitimacy of their information, but nothing as granular as what you may be imagining. Were you told that would be a step in the process?"

"It came up as an example, I'm not protesting its lack."

"If either side were tempted to make a point of haggling, a more precise valuation might be indicated, but it doesn't look so far like that's the case."

Nod.

"Is there anything else you'd like to know?"