Lucian spent his first two days in Ironcloud learning how people moved through the stronghold.
The city occupied multiple connected mountains. Roads became tunnels, tunnels opened onto bridges, and freight lifts replaced stairs across entire districts. Following a target required understanding which routes belonged to workers, which served visitors, and which appeared public until a guard asked for a household mark.
Lucian did not attempt to master Ironcloud before meeting the client. He learned enough to recognize when someone followed him and enough to leave the meeting by more than one route.
The Hidden Ledger intermediary operated from a repair shop near a secondary air harbor. Nothing on the sign suggested criminal business. The dwarf behind the counter repaired navigation compasses and sold replacement lenses for field glasses.
Lucian presented the brass identification cylinder Harlon gave him.
