Okay, so maybe this is really happening. I'm no combatant, but if we help the queen...I wouldn't mind moving out of the stinking docks.
Ophelia smiles at the Field Marshal, Thank you, ma'am. We'll do our best to help the city.
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Nik bows slightly to the Field Marshal.
Truthfully, this is not a position I ever expected to be in. You are honorable and my friends trust you, therefore I will do as you command.
Nik pauses and looks at Rom.
By chance is there any place we could grab a small bite to eat? The travel across town has made some of... us, hungry.
The Field Marshal smiles warmly.
Excellent. It is my honor to have you serve as special agents. You will report directly to me. I appreciate your willingness to serve the city at this time. As such I will make arrangements for room and board for you at one the local inns for as long as you serve the Guard. In the meantime the barracks and mess hear are at your disposal. I can also offer you basic provisions available to the guard. If you are in need, please let me know. Now, on to the business at hand.
She pauses for a moment, looking to each of you in turn.
Korvosa’s got enough troubles as it is without my own men losing their way and going rogue. As much as it pains me to admit, though, this has happened several times already. Many guards have deserted their posts, more concerned about friends and family than the city. I can understand this, yet not all of the deserters have family—some of them are simply using the riots as an excuse for personal gain. One such man is Verik Vancaskerkin. Worse than a lone deserter, he’s convinced a small group of fellow guards that Queen Ileosa is going to ruin the city. Whether she does or doesn’t isn’t the point—right now, we’ve got a city-wide crisis on our hands, and I need all of my guards working with me to see us through. A deserter is worse than a lost resource—it’s an infection. I can’t afford to pull any of my other patrols off duty to deal with Vancaskerkin, and I’d rather not expose any of them to him anyway, since I neither want Vancaskerkin to infect more guards with his talk of secession, nor do I want some overly patriotic guard killing Vancaskerkin outright. I need impartial, skilled talent. Like you.
Vancaskerkin and his men have holed up in an abandoned butcher’s shop up in Northgate—the place was called All the World’s Meat. I need you to check out the place. Try to avoid killing any of the deserters if you can, but if you must, they brought it upon themselves when they threw in their lot with Vancaskerkin. For him, I’d really prefer it if you could capture him alive and return him to me for interrogation, but if he makes that impossible, I’ll accept his body as well. Finally, see if you can find out why Verik deserted—if there’s more to it than simple personal politics, I need to know immediately. Bring me Verik alive, and there’s another thousand gold in it for you. Dead, he’s only worth half that.
Nu știu ce ai spus, dar ce mă învinovățești?
The Field Marshall looks at Rom and replies with a wink,
El a întrebat dacă am servi corbul în sala de mese, și i-am spus, desigur!
Bucătar-șef cunoaște o reteta excelenta!
The chef knows an excellent recipe!
We have basic weapons and armor, lanterns, torches, manacles. Take whatever you need. I will establish a line of credit with Theandra Darklight, the owner of the Three Rings Tavern in Five Corners tomorrow.
Before resting for the night, Ophelia will gather Nik and Trisane in a secluded location (or as close as she can find), to open the silver box given to them by the Queen.
In the morning, she'll equip herself at the quartermasters with two vials of alchemist fire, two thunderstones, and two manacles. Not knowing how many people are supporting him, I suggest we each take two manacles.
Rom looks at Nik, then presses the bottom of his chin with his beak to close his mouth.
Later, after you have taken your leave of the Field Marshall, Ophelia opens the small silver coffer, the inside is lined with a rich red velvet, and inside rest 12 gold ingots imprinted with the royal seal of Korvosa. Each bar is worth 100 gp. [2 lb/bar/ 24 lb/all]
Roll appraise checks to determine the value of the coffer itself
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Trisane’s eyes light up for a moment upon viewing the contents of the coffer.
That’s quite a royal reward… We’ll want to keep this safe while we venture out on our mission.
He scratches his chin a moment.
I’m out of cure potions, we may want to visit an apothecary before we set out in the morning as well.
Before resting for the evening, Trisane makes efforts to re-equip.
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WOW! The Queen is a generous woman!
Nik hefts one of the bars and whistles.
I also could use a few supplies, as well as access to a merchant specializing in wooden weapons. As a boy I admired a staff of a traveling clansman. He got it from down south he said, made of darkwood. As strong as oak but lighter and more flexible. I'd love to carry one of those back to the clan some day.
Nik will follow Trisane in his effort to aquire better gear before he settles in. Once he and Trisane go their separate ways, Nik will examine the Harrow Deck in more details.
She is very generous. I think we can find an apothecary not too far from our destination tomorrow.
Seems like she's just a victim of false rumors, not the tyrant I was expecting.
In the morning, Ophelia will arrange for her belongings to be secured in the Citadel. After, she'll wait for Trisane and Nik and go to the mess hall (unless anyone has an objection).
At the mess hall: What's the plan? Trisane, you wanted to find an apothecary? There may be one along the way we can stop at. What about you, Nik, anything before we head to "All the World’s Meat"?
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Trisane joins the others in the mess hall after his usual morning routine.
It's good to see you well rested, Ophelia. Yes, before we head out we should purchase a few curatives. After that, onward to "All the World's Meat" to have a chat with the stray Watch Sergeant, Verik Vancaskerkin. Let's hope he requires less persuasion than our late friend, Gaedren Lamm.
He throws an apologetic smile toward Ophelia hoping not to offend her then digs into breakfast heartily.
Ophelia smirks at Trisane, It'd be a shame to lose so much money, just because he won't cooperate. I can't vouch for bringing him in unharmed, but we do want him alive.
Breakfast is what you would expect in a military garrison, a hearty but bland porridge, bread and cheese, nothing fancy, but filling.
Leaving the citadel, you are reminded that state of the city. Black smoke billows from the north, among other locations.
As you survey the scene, you realize you have left the boat Daedlin provided you moored at the dock here.
And does anyone know where All the Worlds Meat is located?
There is no business that would specialize in a darkwood staff... so you would have to look in the open markets (or the black markets). Having it consecrated will not be too much of an issue.
In Midland:
Gold Market (largest Market in Korvosa)
Eorden' Walk - Gemshare Jewlers and Hedge Wizardry: Small shop that sells alchemical and magical goods. Owner Phaeton Skota.
North Point:
The Dock Trade: One of the smallest of Korvosa’s markets.
Bank of Abadar: Temple and Korvosa’s main bank. Rumors of Golden Vaults of Abadar below which contains Korvosan Mint. Archbanker Darb Tuttle
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Nik seems eager to head out, having gotten a strangely sound sleep. The food in his belly isn't bad either.
I'd like to visit the Sanctuary of Shelyn at some point to see about returning the beautiful symbol we found, but that can wait for our other business in my opinion. I'd also like to head to my studio to gather the few things I have left there, but if your family is okay watching Tref for a few more days until I can address is health I would be grateful my friend.
Nik shoulders his gear and grabs a pear for the road. He grabs Trisane's shoulder as he walks by.
I know my people have traditionally been at odds with the authority, but you my friend, and these men under Field Marshal Croft, may sway me after all. For the time being, these barracks will make a fine place to rest.
Eorden Walk is our best option for an apothecary. It isn't far from the citadel. There isn't much up around North Point, where we're going.
She'll turn to Nik, in Old Korvosa there's the Sage Paint Manufactory, they may be interested in Shelyn's symbol as well.
The shops are located at Eorden's Walk (Gemshare Jewelers and Hedge Wizardry (Apothecary)) Northpoint is where All the World's Meat and the Three Rings Inn are located they are just a couple short blocks apart. A little further away is the Sanctuary of Shelyn.
Just let me know which direction you wish to go.
As you are finishing your meal, there is a commotion outside in the courtyard. News quickly reaches you that a patrol was attacked. Apparently at least on guardsman was killed and several others have returned severely wounded.
Additionally, Hellknight patrols have entered the city, effectively instituting martial law.
Things are getting worse out there. Trisane, you may want to ditch your marine uniform, or at least cover up anything revealing. Just in case.
We can't let little skirmishes deter us, and we certainly don't want to be attacked by any citizens.
We should leave for the apothecary now, then directly to All the World's Meat. After we get our friends, we can return to the gnome, and any other errand we may want to do.
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That's not good...
Sounds like a good plan but there's no need to jump to conclusions, Ophelia. We don't know who or what attacked those guards. Marines don't fear the beasts of Korvosa or its people... Hellknights are an entirely different story. I think it'd be best they know who's side we're on when they see us.
Trisane finishes his meal and cleans up.
We should get moving before anything worse happens.
On the way out, Trisane will inquire with the Guard or any bystanders as to the nature of the attack on the returning patrol.
Trisane approaches the guards, and sees in their manner that they have been beaten, and worse broken. Whatever happened, they were overwhelmed and not prepared for what happened. He hears enough to know it was a mob, and understands that now isn't the time to be asking questions. He will instead return to his friends.
You pass through the gate of Citadel Volshyenek you sense the unrest in the city. The feeling is palpable, as is the smell of fires. Few citizens move on the streets, and those that do hurry to and from their destinations.
Eodred's Walk is not the bustling marketplace where customers and those just curious wander among the shops. Now, anxious citizens dart from place to place and depart as quickly as possible. The squad of Hellknights standing watch do nothing to ease the tensions here.
Where to go first?
This is unsettling. What is happening to the city? We should be quick, Hedge Wizardry should be this way.
Ophelia will lead the group to the Hedge Wizardry shop.
Hedge Wizardry is lit, and open although the usual bustle of the Walk and the nearby Gold Market are gone. When you enter this small shop you see a table with beakers and burners bubbling with strange colored liquids, and the shop has a fragrant scent of herbs and florals. A wall of small compartments lines the entire back wall, except where a doorway parts to allow access to the back of the store. A red drape hangs across the opening.
A tall slender man scurries back and forth from the drawers making notes, muttering and shaking his head. Long blonde hair doesn't hide the slight point to his ears and his eyes are slightly almond shaped. Elven blood runs in his lineage. His robes are a dark shade of gray, and accented with bits of silver.
Well aren't you brave souls for coming out to shop. This is as much to himself as to you. Doing a little shopping are you? There isn't much left and I don't know when new supplies will come in, but you are welcome to anything you can find... which isn't much if you are searching for anything useful. He shakes his head again and adds another item to a growing list on the counter. What can I help you with? he asks.
He initially tells you that he is sold out of everything, then offers you some unclaimed items, ordered but the requester never picked up. I can't argue with gold in hand. he says, again, as much to himself as to you. The few items you had requested previously are all he has left. As you pay you notice he has written "CLOSED" on a blank piece of parchment.
Does anyone have any new requests, or questions before you proceed to your next stop, which I assume is Gemshare Jewelers -correct me if you want to go elsewhere.
Once finished at the shop:
I think we should go visit our gnome friend now, not sure how much longer he'll stay open, if this is common in the markets.
You arrive at Gemshare Jewelers quickly. Quixzlette is sitting at the table across from a tall man with long raven hair pulled back in a ponytail and scar across his chin.
Greetings my friends, unfortunately, I do hope that the repair I made on the brooch you brought me has not broken again. How can I help you today? He says through a forced smile.
Sense motive rolls...
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Dreamer please show my companions the wisdom of my actions.
Nik grits his teeth and draws his quarterstaff. He stares past the raven-haired man at the gnome.
You sawed-off liar! You switched it on us!
Nik then swings his quarterstaff at the gnomes chair, trying to knock him to the ground.
Something is wrong...well, that was unexpected and very unlike Nik, he must have sensed it as well. I'll play along.
Ophelia draws her barbed whip, letting it unfurl to the floor. She flashes the man a wicked grin, Sorry to interrupt your business here, you might want to leave, my friend is really angry.
Dammit, Trisane!
Ophelia stares hard at Trisane, He cheated us, there's only one way repay that kindness.
Message: The gnome needs our help.
Nik hits the gnome's chair sending him sideways to the ground, Trisane reacts by grabbing Nik. And as Ophelia stares at Trisane, he realizes that she, and apparently Nik, believe the Gnome is in trouble.
What are you about? Stand easy you three, this is my score. You can have his hide when I am done with him! The raven haired man stands and reveals a hand crossbow from under the table, pointed now in your general direction. I will be happy to take my share and be gone, so if you will kindly wait outside, I can assure you the good jeweler will be with you shortly. Upon my exit that is. he wave the crossbow towards the door.
Perception Rolls
In spate!
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This doesn't look good. Let's hope these ruffians are reasonable.
Trisane quickly releases Nik when he realizes what is happening. He draws out his longsword in his right hand and raises the other hand in warning while stepping a little closer to Ophelia.
Stand down, gentlemen! No one needs to get hurt here!