Baer grunts and make her bed space, grumpy at life and what they must do next.
"Let's do usual watch, eh? Tomorrow, we go speak to the Arkonas."
Baer will set the usual watch and sleep, after checking to make sure things are somewhat safe.
Tural tries to shore up the door with a few boards but soon gives up seeing that it is most likely useless. He joins Baer and rolls out his bedroll to go to sleep.
"Usual watch sounds good."
Denario absent mindedly flips a card between his fingers, thinking about the rapid escalation of events since that one day.
Life sure is interesting and unpredictable, if nothing else.
About to think about how things are with his family and his....good lady friend...he pushes it back.
No time for that. There are more important matters now.
Quorthos checks the place carefully to make sure it's not inhabited, and then tries to find a decent place to hunker down.
Before bed, he takes off his armor and makes some modifications, and then puts it back on. When he's done, you notice that he has a long, sinuous red tail ending in an arrowhead point. He says nothing about it, and tries to go about as if nothing has changed, but his face is flushed a deeper red.
Imoya takes a place against a wall. His attention snaps when noticing Quorthos' tail. "A recent development, Quorthos?" He asks motioning to the tiefling's tail.
"Actually... I was born with it. But it didn't make me very popular around town. Just pointed out my differences, and gave the kids one more thing to taunt me for. Kept it tucked away ever since. I figure, now that we're heroes, or outlaws, or something, a little bit of distinction isn't a bad thing." He claps Imoya on the back. "Besides, I can't just be 'the red one' now, can I?" he says with a wink.
Tural glances from Quorthos to Imoya and then to the tail. He doesn't seem very impressed with it all. He stands up and moves over to Imoya, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I can link my life to yours, if you allow it. It will feel a bit weird for a moment. Aks the others if you're not sure about it, they have been saved all too many times by the link."
The large tree-like man says with a smirk on his face.
"Well... I think I'll be heading off now, lovelies," Laori says while watching you prep the warehouse and yourselves for the night. She takes a look at Salvator. "Shall I take him with me on my way out of Old Korvosa? Neither of us really has a reason to stick around here, and I don't mind dropping him off somewhere safe."
Tural looks a bit uncomfortable as Laori proposes to take Salvator with her. He glances at the others, not sure if he should oppose such a dangerous woman.
"Salvatore, what do you intend to do now?" Quorthos asks the artist. "We've been so wrapped up in our own issues, we've not resolved that yet. Do you have a place to go that would be safe? " He moves to stand between the artist and Laori, to make it clear that she isn't the one who gets to decide this.
Denario sees Tural's worried look.
He very slowly shakes his head, looking back at him, careful the sado-elf doesn't see it.
The Ifrit watches, gauging the group's priorities.
Baer watches the interchange between Laori and Salvator. Baer isn't a zealot and doesn't care if Salvator likes his bread buttered with pain, but wants to make sure it isn't coercive but reciprocal.
"You don't have to go with her if you don't want, Salvator."
"I enjoy that 'choice' is being emphasized here. The gent doesn't have to go with masochistic beauty." Imoya said with a chuckle.
Salvator looks from you to Laori and back, but eventually rests his eyes on Laori and nods. "I just want to get out of here. Can you bring me to Trail's End? I know someone there who can then help me get away from Korvosa all together."
Laori smiles brightly and returns the nod. "That I can. All I came for was a chance to talk to you, and maybe a view of some paintings. I'm leaving with some actual paintings, and I'm sure you're willing to have a normal, polite conversation before we go out separate ways? I'd love to learn more about where you get your inspiration from."
"Yes, sure... As long as I get out of this hellish city, I don't mind."
The elf walks over to the door. "Let's go then?"
Salvator looks at you again and smiles appreciatively. "I'll never forget what you've done for me. Thank you, heroes."
Vencarlo walks over to Salvator and places a hand on the painter's shoulder. "You take care, alright?"
The artist then joins Laori at the door as she opens it. Before exiting Laori says, "It's been nice meeting you, sweeties! Imoya, darling, I'll be back for you!" She adds a wink at Imoya, then pulls the door shut behind her and Salvator.
Denario looks over at Imoya.
"Short time in the city, and already you've got a groupie.
Though i'm not sure you should be happy with that."
Tural shivers at the wink.
Glad it's him and not me...
Before bedding down for the night he releases a fairly large scorpion from his belt-pouch. He watches the animal, deeply entranced. About an hour later the animal crawls back into the pouch and he goes off to sleep.
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Imoya looks to Denario with a raised brow.
"I don't think I am... I sense she'll stab me in the back." He shakes his head considering hi soptions.
"Still...she's less impulsive then some Calistrian Priest. Which means she's predictable."
As Imoya nearly drifts asleep The sight of something skittering into Tural's pouch catches his eye. "Tural, You have a rather large poisonous insect in your pouch... Hold still, I'll fix the problem."[/b] He says as he steadily aims his index finger at the nether regions of the treeman.
Baer waves to Salvator and totally doesn't check out Laori's butt as she walks away.
Baer rests and is ready to go to the Arkona estate in the morning.
Mavor stood dumbstruck as the events had unfolded like they had. Just like Baer, Mavor stares after Salvator and doesn't focus on the swaying butt of Laori.
After they've disappeared from sight, he shakes it off and speaks up to Vencarlo.
"So Vencarlo, got anymore requests? As I think it might not be as safe for any of us inside Korvosa, maybe we should also leave soon."
Tural looks up at the finger and then at Imoya.
"This is Belfin, my spirit animal. Not just any animal mind you."
He pets the buff looking scorpion on the back. The scorpion stares back at Imoya, intelligence shining in its eyes.
"He is the vessel I use to communicate with the spirit world."
"I do not wish to abandon Korvosa," Vencarlo replies to Mavor. "I hope we'll find the Seneschal, and that he'll be able to help our cause."
Vencarlo looks like he's pondering something, and takes the sack he retrieved from his house off his back. "Friends... there is something that I think I should tell you before we move on. I suspect it's the reason why they're after me. Also, you've already observed that I seem to know certain things while I shouldn't... After all this, you have the right to know."
He takes a deep breath and sighs, straightening his shoulders. "I am Blackjack."
Baer looks at Vencarlo, then at the others, then back at Vencarlo. She is unable to speak or react...save for a grunt and some unintelligible vocalizations.
*grunt* hubba huffa qeet
Quorthos bids Salvatore farewell. He is glad to be rid of the Kuthite elf, though.
As they prepare to bed down for the night and Vencarlo makes his announcement, Quorthos' jaw drops. "But... how.... when we... no, you can't be..." Is he? Really?
"Forgive me, Vencarlo. I don't doubt your love for Korvosa, nor your skill with a sword, but Blackjack is a legend... " he trails, off, realizing there's no way to express his doubt without insulting the man.
"When you - when Blackjack - rescued the young woman from the gallows, what was her name? Do you recall the details?" he asks. Realizing even this is clumsy, he adds, "It's just so much to take in..."
"Of course I know Trinia Sabor, Quorthos. Wasn't I the one who asked you to get her out of Korvosa?"
Vencarlo opens the sack he's holding and removes a very familiar set of clothes from it; Blackjack's. He also takes Blackjack's rapier and some daggers from the sack.
"Does this suffice as proof?" Vencarlo then asks, changing his voice to be a bit lower and recognizable as Blackjack's.
"Uh... it does, sir," Quorthos replies, his head still reeling. How could one man do everything that Blackjack is reputed to have done? Is he the Blackjack, or a Blackjack?
After composing himself somewhat, Quorthos tries to do something useful besides stammer. "Vencarlo, is there anything else about the Arkonas we should know before tomorrow? Anything that might help choose appropriate magicks?"
Mavor looks on silently, smirking, as Vencarlo reveals himself as Blackjack.
Well now, that's quite some revelation. But come to think about it, they do look quite similar.
"Well, that makes some sense. Though I'd wager not everything that has been told about Blackjack was about you, right Vencarlo?"
Baer still doesn't have the capacity to speak...and only slowly recovers her voice.
"I thought Blackjack was a female."
"I cannot think of anything you don't know yet, Quorthos. Though it's safe to assume they've invested at least some of their immense wealth in some type of security. So we have to be wary for traps, guards, and maybe the odd creature."
Just when Vencarlo's about to reply to Mavor, Baer says something that makes him choke. A brief moment later he's recovered, and starts explaining: "There have been other Blackjacks before me. The name of Blackjack is constantly passed down from mentor to student, once the time is right."
"My mentor, his mentor, and those before him were rather traditional when it came to Blackjack's image. They always chose a human man, and learning to fence with a rapier and throw daggers were obligatory for their students. I personally wouldn't object to a female taking over, or someone using other weapons. I wouldn't mind if someone from another race would be the next Blackjack, is what I think. It'll only add to the mystery of Blackjack. The only requirements I'd set are being capable, and possessing love for Korvosa and its citizens."
Denario raises a brow in surprise of the revelation.
"Well, this is certainly an interesting turn of events.
How long have you fooled people with this disguise?"
"To be honest, I always thought Blackjack must be a group of people, a network hiding behind a single alias... but to accomplish all of that as a lone hero. Truly impressive!" Quorthos gushes a bit, to stop himself from jumping in and swearing service to Vencarlo on the spot. You've wanted to be Blackjack most of your life, and now you're working with him...
Tural watches everything unfold but seems very unimpressed by it. Having only seen the blackjack once before he knows little about his doings and history, apart from the others nearly adoring him. Coming from outside the city doesn't help him either.
"How long has this been going on? It must have been ages for you to build such a reputation that even this lot adores you. What have you done to earn all that?"
Baer relaxes a bit now that others share in her confusion.
"So...what will you do next as Blackjack? And now I see wh you're so invested in us...Blackjack represents the people of Korvosa and we are striving for the same."
Imoya was simply lacking information to be of use.
It would seem this 'blackjack' character is something special. But as to why seemed more personal to Quorthos and Baer.
after listening to Baer speak, he put the dots together, he's a lineage of 'heroes'.
Feeling as though he's sufficiently caught up, he paid closer attention to what he believed was the formation of a plan.
Mavor scratches his head with his free hand, while the other still clutches the greataxe on his shoulder.
"Well finding the Seneschal seems to be on our priority list. Though that might be best to do as Vencarlo himself and not as Blackjack."
"I took over when I was in my late twenties," Vencarlo responds, meanwhile putting Blackjack's gear back into the sack. "Though me mentor would occasionally still act as Blackjack or help me out, when I was in need of some assistance. This allowed Blackjack to be in multiple places at once, or instantly move from on side of the city to the other side."
"My predecessors have done many things, even too many for me to remember. They made a stand in times of injustice, took out dangerous criminals, and much more."
"My next action would be to free the Seneschal, and to see if there's anything he can do to remove the Queen from power. Though I'm not sure if my secret's not known by the Arkonas. The Queen has obviously figured out I am Blackjack, and the Arkonas have intricate networks through which they gain their information. It may therefor be better if I do not join you when you go to the Arkonas' palace tomorrow. Not visibly, at least."
"I suggest you go in the morning, and request an audience with Glorio Arkona. He's the patriarch of the house. I can join you under the cover of invisibility and, once inside, explore the mansion during your audience. If I'm able to locate the Seneschal, we can later formulate a plan to extract him from that part of the Palace."
Vencarlo looks from face to face. "Agreeable?"
Baer nods, agreeing. "We will do that in the morning."
She will say her goodbyes to all and settle down to sleep and prepare for a rough tomorrow.
"Sounds like a plan. We might want to gather a bit more information guys, if things go sour I want to know what we're up against and where the nearest exits are."
Mavor says as the group says their goodbyes to Vencarlo, aka Blackjack.
"See you tomorrow Vencarlo. Keep yourself safe."
Along the route back, once they're back on the proper side of the city, Mavor inquires for any rumors or obstacles that might be found at the Arkona mansion.
Tural nods, satisfied with the plan. He beds down to get ready for the next morning.
Rests for only a couple hours before aiding in watch if needed.
Quorthos agrees with the plan, and tries to get some sleep, his head spinning with all of the discoveries made this day.
You eventually go to sleep, each of you taking turns to stand watch. The next morning you head toward to Arkonas palace, taking some alleys Mavor figures the gray maidens will avoid. You soon find yourself in an alley that gives you a view of the palace.
"Alright," Vencarlo says. "I see some guards patrolling the garden. Why don't you approach them and ask for an audience? I'll drink a potion of invisibility when I see you're heading for the entrance, and will then quickly enter with you."
Vencarlo takes a careful look around and starts donning his Blackjack gear.
"If I were them, I wouldn't allow a big group in," Quorthos muses. "Perhaps more of us should be invisible? We have the wand still," he offers.
Quorthos will use the wand of invisibility on anyone who asks (especially anyone who might have a better diplomacy score while invisible), and then on himself as well.
Tural nods.
"I will go and try and talk to them, anything special you want me to mention? Best to not play all our cards immediately and request an audience with whoever is in charge there."
Baer agrees with Tural.
"Yeah, just a general audience. We're not looking to hurt anyone. We just want to know about the guy. They probably have heard of us...and probably know we're not fans of the Queen. But who really knows?"
"I could be near by incase things go south." Imoya offers, looking to Quorthos for agreement.
Tural heads toward the palace grounds, heading straight for the guards who are on patrol.
The guards see Tural approach, and it's obvious at least one of them recognizes him: "That's a spruce, init?"
A moment later Tural stands in front of the guards and they all actually do recognize him: "You're Tural Ardas, aren't you? By the gods!"
"Anything we can do for you?" one of the guards asks after he's recovered from meeting the tree-like hero.
Baer waits, knowing that her usual manner of interaction can ruffle some feathers.
"I hope he doesn't die up there," Baer grunts to anyone else who is also waiting.
Denario shrugs.
"Trees die hard, i reckon he'll come back alive."