"Um," Karrin thinks, part of her wanted to tell Renkar everything, she needed someone to talk too, but part of her knew that it would be inappropriate involving her boss with her personal affairs, "could you just give me his contact information so I could go talk with him? I don't want to get you involved in some personal thing. You know for this Sharon person . . ."
"Um," Karrin thinks, part of her wanted to tell Renkar everything, she needed someone to talk too, but part of her knew that it would be inappropriate involving her boss with her personal affairs, "could you just give me his contact information so I could go talk with him? I don't want to get you involved in some personal thing. You know for this Sharon person . . ."
Renkar nods
"Here is his address, I will write a small note for him as well."
He writes down and address on some foolscap and then he writes a longer missive and seals it with a blob of candle wax and his signet ring.
"There Karrin. Good luck. The gentleman is named Bel Serra. He is an interesting character. I'm sure your friend will get good advice from him."
"Thank you Renkar," Karrin says, the hint of emotion in her voice, "for everything. You always give good advice."
Karrin nods her head then quickly retreats with the address before the emotion got to her eyes. It wouldn't do for a mercenary to cry in front of her employer! When she get's the chance Karrin will hunt this Bel Serra down and discuss business with him. Karrin will tell him the truth, it wouldn't be wise to lie to a lawyer, and will hopefully get him to work out a deal with Veria as soon as possible.
The address is in the Court District. 22 Angell Street. Karrin walks down Copperman's Way and quickly through the Nobles' District hardly noting the many sights and sounds along the boulevard.
She arrives in the Court District on a busy Before Peak. Crowds of bewigged barristers, notaries, Guvners, Judges and Fated all scurry to and fro on legal errands. Squads of red-armored Harmonium clank out of the City Barracks, a huge grey slab of a building. Mercykiller namers in their spiny armor lead coffles of incarcerated to The Prison.
Karrin gets directions from a friendly food cart vendor who points her to a small plaza called Stellar Square. The plaza is a clean well-kept fountain surrounded by many legal offices and the businesses that cater to them. Angell Street is off it, and a bit down is a nice red-brick townhouse with a sign reading:
Bel Serra, Esq. Legatus Lex Infernus
Inside the building's door is a large foyer. The walls are lined with odd art: Many hellish landscapes and scenes of devils. A centaur female stands behind a desk reading a greeny dreadful. Her top humaniod half is dressed in a conservative frock. When Karrin enters she puts the book down, smiles and says:
"Good Peak miss! How may I help you?"
"Hello," Karrin says, "I'm looking for a Bel Serra, I have business with certain infernal influences and he comes highly recommended. I believe he has had dealings with a Renkar Sha'Hagmid in the past and I have a letter of introduction here,"
Karrin holds up the letter.
"I would like to see him when ever he's free."
The centaur receptionist smiles
"I think he is free right now. One moment please."
She takes the letter and trots back into the rear. She returns after a bit and motions for Karrin to follow her.
"Ser Serra has a moment to talk to you. Please follow me."
Karrin follows the switching flanks of the receptionist to a large door. She knocks and opens the door motioning Karrin in and shutting the massive mahogany portal behind her.
In front of her is a large desk with stacks of various papers on it. The walls are peppered with trophy heads, many looking fiendish. Behind the desk is a large centauroid. He has red coloring with black tiger stripe marks. His mane is a curled, shimmering white with puple and blue highlights in it. Two large black horns jut from his brow. His face looks like a tiefling's, the features faintly fiendish. His humanoid half is dressed in a dark conservative tunic and his horse half is beribboned.
The lawyer is reading Renkar's note as Karrin walks in. He looks up and smiles a toothy smile at her. He offers her a taloned hand with several rings on it.
"Miss ... Kind ... is it? My name is Bel Serra, a pleasure to meet an acquaintence of Renkar's. How can I be of assitance?"
"Well there's this fallen angel and she has some information on my mother," Karrin says, the words spilling out of her, "and she's only willing to give it to me for a favor. Now I'm scared of Devils, I'll freely admit that, and I'm scared to deal with her because I think she could be after my soul or something. She said it was a small favor but my soul probably isn't that pure on account of my blood so I don't want to take any changes with it. I need your help in making a contract so that she can't take advantage of me. I'm willing to pay whatever your fee is."
"Well there's this fallen angel and she has some information on my mother," Karrin says, the words spilling out of her, "and she's only willing to give it to me for a favor. Now I'm scared of Devils, I'll freely admit that, and I'm scared to deal with her because I think she could be after my soul or something. She said it was a small favor but my soul probably isn't that pure on account of my blood so I don't want to take any changes with it. I need your help in making a contract so that she can't take advantage of me. I'm willing to pay whatever your fee is."
The quadruped barrister sits and listens as the words tumble out of Karrin's mouth in a rush
"Well, you are very smart to come to me Lady Kind! You would not believe how many people come to visit me AFTER they've inked a contract in their own blood!"
He shuffles a few papers as he speaks, lifting what looks like a stone statue of an imp
"Now, you are most likely right, your devil is likely after your soul, it's usually the case. Now what type of devil or fallen celestial are we working with? "
Bel comes up with a piece of parchment with writing on it. He looks it over.
"Now, I'm assuming you are from the Prime? I haven't heard that 'blood purity' bit in a while. I understand it can be traumatic having a diabolic ancestor, believe me, I understand."
He runs a hand across his ebon horns
"But don't fall for the barkle that tieflings are inherently evil because of their ancestry. Fiends spread that screed to make tieflings easier to tempt. Fact of the matter is your body is just the vessel for your soul. It doesn't matter what shape the cup, long as the drink is pure. You taint your own soul, not your ancestry. Now let me see ..."
He shuffles the papers
"I work for a flat fee on contracts, but I need to know exactly what you wish to get from this devil, who and what the fiendish entity is and, if possible, their supervisor to price it out for you. Now you say that this devil knows the whereabouts of your mother? Was she kidnapped?"
"The devil's name is Veria," Karrin says, trying to be thoughtful to makes sure she doesn't forget anything, "She runs a shop called Veria's Delights, and she's literally a fallen angel: an Erinyes. The thing I want to know from the devil is who my mother is and where I can find her. I was adopted . . . sort of, I was basically a foundling, discovered in the woods on a prime world at about the age of six or so, and I don't have any memories of anything before that. I don't know anything about my mother and I always assumed she didn't exist or was a horrible creature . . . well I suppose that last one is still a possibility. Anyways I need to find out one way or another."
"The devil's name is Veria," Karrin says, trying to be thoughtful to makes sure she doesn't forget anything, "She runs a shop called Veria's Delights, and she's literally a fallen angel: an Erinyes. The thing I want to know from the devil is who my mother is and where I can find her. I was adopted . . . sort of, I was basically a foundling, discovered in the woods on a prime world at about the age of six or so, and I don't have any memories of anything before that. I don't know anything about my mother and I always assumed she didn't exist or was a horrible creature . . . well I suppose that last one is still a possibility. Anyways I need to find out one way or another."
Bel looks over the wide desk at Karrin
"Well, it is unlikely that an Erinyes is a 'fallen angel.' Usually fallen celestials become unique devils, often quite powerful. It is a rare event when someone that dedicated to good turns to evil."
He looks up and grimaces when Karrin mentions Veria's name.
"Oh, her. I've tangled with her before. She's a recruiter for certain. She's been working the Cage for a decade now. Hmmm ..."
He looks down and scribbles some notes
"How about I arrange a sit down with Veria here in our offices and go over what you want to get from her. Most devils put to a binding contract want to negotiate. Hopefully she's not pulling your chain about knowing the identity of your mother. I can offer you my mediation services for 1,000 Ladies."
"Okay," Karrin sighs, "I can arrange that."
Bel smiles
"Excellent. Normally I would require a deposit, but any friend of Renkar's I can trust. I'll send a courier to your household when the meeting will commence. I require 500 up front, then 500 if we negotiate a deal with Veria. Fair?"
He sticks out his hand
Karrin shakes the lawyers hand.
It was a good thing she decided to save her money. These sorts of unexpected expenses could ruin a person. Veria had better not have been lying to her. Karrin wasn't any great hero but she did have a magic axe and a bit of a temper. Then again perhaps Veria wanted her to meet her mother. Karrin understood from geniality that her mother could be a half devil or demon. Perhaps her mother was exactly the sort her father had warned her about. Karrin refused to get her hopes up, Renkar had said that there were many reasons a mother (or father) could abandon their child, but Karrin struggled to think of just one. Karrin knew that she'd rather die then ever do something like that to her blood . . .
Karrin quickly returned to the Copper Cauldron to count out coins.
Renkar looks about the assembled group
"Well, I have had an inquiry from a gentleman named Ferrel Jad'Hammet. Ser Jad'Hammet is a dealer in properties. He owns a lot of buildings in the Lower Ward. He is experienceing some difficulties with an old church his men were tearing down. The problem being, his entire construction crew disappeared. Now the Athar and the Signers are involved somehow, and are trying to take control of the property. Their motives are still rather unclear, but I would imagine any old church in the Lower Ward would naturally attract the Defiers, and the Signers are their rivals."
He leans back in his chair
"You cutters interested in some more gumshoe work? You seem to be rather good at it, I must say."
Justin grins at Karrin's discomfort.
"Your hardly helpless in a discussion. I'm not sure which is sharper, your tongue or your axe. I just don't want to be on the receiving end of either!" Justin says with a grin. He turns to Renkar, and belatedly takes his boots off of the table.
"Count me in. I scraped out a living investigating for the past year before I met you. I'm always up for a little detective work. And I can honestly say I've never heard of a multiple-missing persons case before!"
"The Defiers also go by The Athar, if yeh don't tumble to the Cant. The Athar set out to prove the Powers ain't Gods, just powerful mortals playin' at bein' gods. They hold kip in the Lower Ward at the Shattered Temple. Think it used to belong to, uh, Aoskar, right? A dead god o' portals. Usually they spend their days keepin' any one cleric from amassin' too much power in the Cage. The Signers, or the Sign of One believe each berk's the center o' his own multiverse, buildin' the whole thing out o' there boneboxes. Once you say "I'm the center o' the sodding multiverse" and another berk says the same, yeh gotta agree that each sod creates their own multiverse. 'Cause o' that philosophy, they hold the Hall o' Speakers, usually actin' as arbitrators 'tween the other Factions. There's more'n that, but I ain't no philosophy tutor."
Bethany snorts. "They both sound like idiots to me." She c o c k s her head to the side for a moment. "Although being the centre of my own multiverse isn't exactly a bad prospect."
"I'd say you're already there, Bethany. Mayhap we should find you a recruiter for the Signers, I'd reckon you would climb the ranks right quick. So long as you keep imagining the rest of us so's we don't all suddenly cease to exist."
It's difficult to tell if Isaac is being sarcastic or not.
It's difficult to tell if Isaac is being sarcastic or not.
Bethany looks confused for a moment before regaining her composure. She's not sure whether Isaac was joking, having a go at her or being serious. She decides to err on the side of caution and keep her mouth shut for the moment, but Isaac would definately bear some watching...