Aloysia chuckles slyly, "Years of study, my friend. Nearly a lifetime."
Celise clutches Cecil harder, "What's going on out there papa? Why is there so much shouting and banging?" Some of the other children still on the main floor of the fishery have crawled into their hammocks and covered themselves in thin blankets in an attempt to keep the violence away.
If it hasn't already been done so, Cecil will close the doors before retreating.
Cecil will stroke her hair. "Something happened while you were in here that upset a bunch of people, and now they're running around telling everyone how mad they are." he tries to explain. "But we're going to stay here just a little bit, try and wait for them to calm down. Then I can take you home."
To distract her, he will sit down on the floor with his back against a wall and stroke her hair. He'll cast Prestidigitation a few times, cleaning her up and fixing the knots in her hair, un-rumpling her clothes, etc.
Aloysia sets about the area trying to find anything that might be able to be used to rig up a make-shift lock on any entrances.
Aloysia is able to block the doors leading outside with quick deadfalls, allowing you to leave quickly, but making it close to impossible for someone to break in.
While you are busy looking around, Zellara walks out from underneath the stairs and behind the vat. The children jump in fright, thinking you and they were the only ones in the building. Zellara softly clears her throat, "Would you four mind speaking with me somewhere privately?" She has another harrow deck in her hand and shuffles the cards deftly, making it appear they float from one hand to the other and back again.
Jolon nods and follows after Zellara when the others move to do so as well.
When they're in a quieter room, he falls to his knees.
"Please forgive us, good lady. We were too late to save you and your remains have been defiled. We'll do whatever it takes to make this right. By blood it is sworn."
Cecil will be acutely aware of the fact that those very cards were in his back pocket, but nod and move to a private location. "I'm not letting Celise go." he says as a matter of fact.
Gamon follows Jolon, warily looking at Zellara and wondering what exactly is going on.
Zellara leads everyone to a private room, looking over everyone somberly. Bowing her head she begins, "I'd like to apologize for the deception of before, but I thought it necessary to gather you all together. You see, after Lamm killed me and fed most of my corpse to his alligator my spirit refused to rest. I was something of a vengeant spirit and looked for those he had wronged. Later when I performed your Harrowing I saw that the city would soon need great champions to protect it. Though I no longer live this city is incredibly important to me, and I will do my utmost to protect it.
"That being said, I foresaw your destinies are intricately tied with the city itself. It will survive, die, prosper, or decay based on your actions in the future. I wish to help with this. I can see and hear from my deck, and while not able to communicate I can send emotions and connect with the holder empathically. You are able to see me now because I am also able to create greater illusions up to once every day, and help identify magic items and auras thrice. As your futures unfold with the city around you I will also be able to perform Harrowings to give you some advance warning of the challenges you will face."
She looks up again, watching you, looking for your reactions to her tale.
Jolon stands, and everyone can feel a chill wind swirl around the room, bluish motes of light flickering among them. Jolon closes his eyes, seeming to listen to whispers only he can hear, before opening them again.
"My ancestors speak to me, and would welcome you among them, Zellara, if you should wish it. They have little love for this city, but if your aid will guide me to whatever destiny Pharasma has for me, for all of us, you will find an ally among them. It is a noble thing you have done, serving as Pharasma's messenger."
He bows to her.
"And when it is over, I promise I'll do whatever it takes to ensure your spirit finds rest at last."
Cecil looks down at Celise, than back up at Zellara. "You have my word." he says. "I will do anything it takes to keep the city, and my family, safe. If this destiny lies with us, then let us write it a better story." he says.
"You can count on me to keep your deck safe and with me." he offers at the end.
She wants me to become a protector?! I try to fulfill a contract, and now I get roped up in this civil war! I don't want anything to do with saving anything, I'm only here to get paid. Aloysia sighs quietly to herself. If the city falls apart, so do my potential contracts. Damnit, I don't have a choice. At the least, this premonition thing will come in handy to keep me alive. Here we go...
"Alright, I'm in too. As an aside, how might a spirit pay for this saving the city thing," she asks with a look of snide curiosity.
Jolon rolls his eyes a bit.
"While I could say saving the city should be its own reward, consider how many nobles there are who'd be incredibly grateful to someone who saved their city. Nobles who'd hold parades where the people'd get to throw gold at you. Gold you'd get to keep afterwards."
Gamon pointedly ignores Aloysia, I'll do what I can as well, where can we start?
Zellara smiles. "The same way I got paid, paying attention to what was going on and getting to know people in and around power. And that's without any...other forms of payment you get..." She looks meaningfully at Cecil and Celise.
"As for where to start... I'm not sure. The Harrowing is less than specific. Look to or for the people that take charge in emergency situations, see if they need help."
Jolon puts his fist in his other hand.
"Bishop D'Bear! There'll no doubt be a funeral for the king, and she is both wise and powerful. We could certainly do worse than to seek her counsel."
"The watch captain could unveil some of the mystery here." Cecil offers.
"If those don't unveil anything specific for us, I can try to get some information from some of the nobility in the area. I have a few contacts that might turn up something," Aloysia says in a thoughtful tone.
"I propose we make our way to the Grand Cathedral for now. Cecil, we can give you and your daughter shelter and protection, if only for the night, since I imagine your house won't have a cadre of armed priests protecting it. And I'd happily extend that hospitality to the rest of you as well."
Jolon smiles, somewhat solemnly, at Zellara's image.
"Would you have us retrieve and inter what remains of you, good lady?"
Zellara shakes her head with a sad smile, "While the thought is much appreciated do not feel the need to trouble yourselves. I have shuffled off the mortal coil and only a random twist of fate has dealt me this new hand. I will help where I can, though I am limited."
"I like this idea, armed protection, always welcomed! Everyone gathered the things they need?" she says as she admires the new dagger gleaming in her hand.
"I'll take a look at what we've found before I lead you back to the Grand Cathedral."
Jolon looks over the loot Aloysia's gathered.
Jolon shrugs.
"In any case, I'm sure the other Brothers could exchange them for money or something. Are you all ready to go? And what about the other kids?"
"Kids, you can either stay here or come with us to the church of Pharasma, but if you come with us you're going to need to be quiet and careful. It's pretty crazy out there." Cecil assures. "It's okay to be scared. If you want to stay here, you can."
Kester looks at all of the other children before shaking his head, "We're gonna stay here, there're still a lot of lambs out there and they know to come back when things don't go their way."
With everyone's knowledge of the city it is fairly easy to avoid the larger riots and mobs taking the main thoroughfares of the city. The most dangerous part of the journey to the Grand Cathedral is through West Dock as several of the warehouses have been set aflame by disgruntled residents. The screams of fear and war-like shouts can be heard constantly and the smell of burning buildings and death is never far away. Flights of griffons overhead become more frequent as you travel through High Bridge, and this area is more heavily patrolled by the guardsmen of the city. Along the way you hear more rumors from scared citizens hiding in their homes, "Rumors that King Eodred was murdered are false; he died of old age, and anarchists are using the tragedy to damage Ileosa’s reputation and perpetuate unrest in the city."
Slipping through one final neighborhood you make it to the gates leading into the Gray. Several priests and guards are stationed there, presumably to prevent the looting of the dead. A grizzled veteran in a mat gray breastplate decorated with Pharasma's spiral calls you to halt a mere 50 feet from the entrance, "Who goes there? Are you seeking refuge or wealth?"
Jolon steps to the front of the group.
"Brother Akkuya, it's me, Brother Jolon."
I know this man, he's from Andoran. If he's like most of those do-gooders I had better play the part.
"Refuge, of course! It's not safe out there, we need your protection!"
The man scratches the beginnings of a salt and pepper beard, stepping forward to see you clearly. He makes the sign of the Spiral over his heart and beckons you inside, "By my bloody nails man, get in here with your party before something bad happens to you all! Is that a child? Come, come quickly. Evlar! Stand watch over the gate for a few minutes while I take these folk into the temple proper."
Brother Akkuya leads everyone up the path, through rows of crypts, tombstones, and mausoleums, up to the Grand Cathedral proper. The building is enormous and looks relatively new compared to the older structures you've just witnessed outside in the madness of the city. Behind sturdy stone walls the sounds are disrupted more and do not come easily. In fact as you reach the large doors to the Cathedral proper it is only the warning bells of the city that alert you to anything strange going on.
Inside it is dark and spacious, candles spread everywhere being the only illumination, leading to a very shadowy interior. On the floor of the temple is a great mural of the Pharasma's spiral laid out in onyx and sapphire stones. Clergymen and women rush to and fro throughout the large space, helping other refugees from the chaos with gentle words and simple gestures. You are led to a quiet corner and given warm fleece blankets and some bowls of mash. The good brother looks you over once more and is after satisfied with his work. His face shows deep concern as he asks, "How did you all come to be out in that madness, especially with a child? We don't know much of what is going on, most of the people here are from the neighboring areas, we don't have any information about what's going on further than High Bridge."
Cecil will shake his head. "This is my daughter," he explains. "I had just rescued her from Gaedren's clutches when all this madness started!"
"Yes, Cecil speaks truly, Brother," Jolon says.
"You remember how I came to the Cathedral, correct? My mother's funeral? Today I finally got to confront her murderer, Gaedren Lamm. A Harrow card led me to others he had wronged, these people you see here: Cecil, to find his lost daughter, kidnapped and enslaved by Gaedren and his thugs. Gamon, to end the vile shiver trade Gaedren was running that killed so many of his friends' patients. And Aloysia...hmm...you know you never DID say how Gaedren wronged you, Aloysia. Anyway, together we sought out his lair and defeated him. In perhaps an ironic twist of the Lady's skein, he was killed and eaten by his own pet alligator. We drove off the rest of his men and freed his child slaves, and we didn't realize what had happened until we stepped outside into this chaos. The children are still trapped at Gaedren's fishery with all the violence outside. Celise is with us because Cecil won't leave her behind after finally saving her. What's happened, Akkuya? They're shouting that the Queen or the Seneschal murdered King Eodred. That's madness."
Akkuya sighs deeply and rubs at his forehead before responding, "The king's spiral has indeed ended, High Priestess d'Bear has confirmed it herself. Some of the people of the city haven't responded too kindly to that information, though we don't know much else. We've been taking in who we can and fighting off looters thinking the Gray is a good place for quick coin."
Jolon frowns.
"The Gray isn't safe even at the best of times with those nests of undead that keep awakening here, no matter how many we return to Pharasma. Why would they think it's any safer to plunder now?"
Aloysia flinches at Jolon's mention of her name. These don't seem like the kind of people who want to hear about an assassin for hire. Maybe a half-truth?
Aloysia puts on a cold look to her face and simply says, "I was one of his 'children' many years ago."
"Must have been during his prime. Considering the terror the man has been able to show in his old age I can only shake at what you must have been through. Hopefully everyone has obtained a sense of closure with the ending of the man's spiral. Did you find anything in his hideout that the guard may find interesting? If so it would be best to get their attention as soon as the commotion dies down outside."
As he finishes speaking an elderly woman walks up behind him. Her gray hair is held back by a circlet bearing Pharasma's symbol and tucked into a dark hood. Her robes are far more ornate than the other priests around, and though she walks with assistance her spine is straight and proud.
"Brother Jolon, it is good to see you again. I welcome everyone to the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma. I am High Priestess Keppira d'Bear, though you may call me Keppira, or Kip for short. I take it everyone is unharmed for the most part?"
"My daughter is malnourished and needs a bath... And someplace warm and safe to sleep. She's been Gaedren's captive a long time." Cecil requests in response to Kip's offer of aid. Cecil himself looks like he needs both too, but he doesnt ask for himself. After all, he always looked underfed.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Jolon bows to the approaching Bishop.
"Good evening, Bishop D'Bear. It is good to see you as well. My friends are mostly unharmed, thanks to the aid of the Lady, and my ancestors. When you are done greeting them, perhaps we may speak privately, please?"
"Oh a bath sounds wonderful! Nasty business dealing with that man," she says after Cecil speaks. Looking back to to the Brother, "Lamm seemed to have quite a Shiver ring going in there. I imagine the guard will want to get to the place before someone else moves in to take over where Lamm left off. Might want to see that information get to the guard sooner rather than later."
Gamon looks down at the mention of a Shiver ring, trying to push a young girl's face from his thoughts, I think we should stay here for the time being, make sure that all the children can find us here before we leave and start dealing with Lamm's hideout again.
"Wise words, Gamon. I know the Cathedral's no orphanage, but...well, it worked for me," Jolon says, smiling a little bit too toothy smile.
Aloysia thinks for a moment, "Fair enough, but we certainly shouldn't wait too long. There's likely to be stock piles of the stuff that someone can make good use of in the chaos."
Jolon nods.
"That's a good point, Aloysia. After I speak with Bishop D'Bear, we can make our way to the nearest guard precinct.
Jolon looks to Bishop D'Bear, waiting for her response.