Regeris feathers the combatant in front of him, sinking the arrow to the fletches in his thigh. The ruffian drops to the cobbles holding the wound and trying not to pass out.
"The guards are on us! Take off!" one of the thugs cries out.
The two who'd pinned one shoanti in the corner run into the crowd to the west. Seeing the numbers turned so dramatically against him, the last unpinned mob member on the west side of the fight joins his friends in flight.
On the east side of the fight, the one guard-obstructor not knocked out by Tassira's spell also retreats from the fight. The thug who was pinned by a guardsmen breaks away from the hold and flees to the east. The last guardsman in the direction lunges for him but misses him.
The two surrounded shoanti lean on one another, weapons at guard but not attacking as the party takes over the situation. The one that was separated lies face-up under a fruit cart, unmoving.
Now that Emi has ahold of one of the thugs she's not sure what to do. She hadn't really thought through any next steps. For the moment she decides that backing him away from the a few feet might be good. She pulls him back a few steps and orders him "drop your weapon!"
The guard who lost his captive comes over and grapples Emi's opponent just as she starts to lose her grip. The second guard assists and puts shackles on the ruffian. The fight's over and the shoanti slump against one another in the square, exhausted and bleeding. That is, until they catch sight of their third lying motionless in a pool of his own blood.
"No!" the tribesman cries, and he scrambles across the cobbles to come to the side of his fallen comrade. He presses his head to the other's chest.
Tossing his bow to the side, Regeris moves in with his hands held high.
"I am a healer," he points at Kayleigh. "She is too. Let us look."
If he's allowed to move in, Regeris checks over the fallen Shoanti, casting a healing spell if it isn't too late.
Seeing her friends with the matter pretty much in hand--and noticing the motionless Shoanti nearby--Kayleigh daintily hops down from the statue's pedestal and channels positive energy to heal everyone within range.
Nebbin looks around, sure Kayleigh can save the Shoanti, but not quite sure what he's supposed to do now. Read the captives rites? That sounds almost right, but ... he thought that was just for dead people and probably best done by a Pharasmin priest.
He hems and haws, coughing nervously a couple times as he waits to be told what's going on.
The healing revives the thug Regeris shot and the two shoanti still on their feet also benefit. Unfortunately the shoanti under the cart is dead. His assailants cut his throat from ear to ear while they had him cornered and he's bled to death.
"Murder!" one of the guardsmen proclaims, casting a jaundiced eye on the thugs now in custody. "You boys murdered this man. You're all headed for Longacre."
The bound captives instantly launch into protest. "No, I didn't touch that Horser," one of them states. "One of them others did that! You can't pin his killing on me!"
"So you wouldn't have been doing the same by these two, had we not come along, right?" the guard replies with sarcasm. "Git on yer feet!" The guard hauls the speaker up by his manacles and the others are given the same treatment. They're lined up in preparation for marching them off to the constabulary.
Tassira sighs in despondence and lowers her hands, letting her magic fade for now.
She approaches the two Shoanti and bows her head. "We're sorry we couldn't come to your aid sooner."
After the guardsman takes the thug off her hands, Emi finds she has little to actually do. She stands watching as the guards round up the men who were caught until she hears one of the Shoati has died.
She walks to the group gathered around the body. Kneeling down, she looks at the two survivors and says "Murua o matou, i matou puhoi rawa."
Then she places her hand on the dead man's shoulder. "Whakahonore tatou i te hunga mate ake ake."
She's talking in tongues! Is she a priest too?
Nebbin looks miserable as he realizes one of the men has died.
"Who did it?" he growls at the man protesting it wasn't him. He looks angry, which makes him look far more terrifying than his mere size does alone.
The shoantis' eyes go wide when you speak their tongue. While one hides his face in grief the other speaks up.
"Shoantu mana cobrese tili i tamu. Larintama campiso madhi cama porso. Shante aliesa ta manuatema conto hungar o tambo."
One of the guards comes over and listens, then shakes his head at the tribesmen. "I hope you have more common than that. You're going to have to come with us and give a statement of what happened here."
The shoanti nods grimly and replies, "We know your law. We will come to your house of law and state these things."
Turning to Emi he smiles and offers his hand.
"I recognize you all from the bust at the butcher shop. Thank you for intervening here. We were obviously outnumbered, and more lives would have been lost had you not shown up."
Kayleigh offers her condolences to the Shoanti for their dead comrade and offers to heal them if they have any lingering wounds from the battle. She acknowledges Emi and Regeris with a nod of her head, and then whispers a quick "Well done" to Tassira for her spell work. She approaches a lost-looking Nebbin, and when her big friend gets angry at the loss of life tries to calm him.
"We did all we could and tried for a nonviolent solution first," she says softly. "We did things the right way--you did things the right way. Unfortunately, those creeps have no honor or consciences. There seems to be a lot of that going around Korvosa these days...."
Finally, she chats briefly with the other Guard members before asking the prisoners and the Shoanti alike what precipitated their fight.
Tassira feels a bit of pride when Kayleigh congratulates her on her spell work.
Oddly, she now feels a bit of sparking at her fingertips. They cause little tingles in her hands that cause her to shake them.
"I guess. Someone should do something," he says miserably. "The queen should tell people to behave or ... something. I mean, there was no reason to kill him."
He looks around, as if trying to mark the people in the mob .
"The queen...," Kayleigh sighs. She finds she has nothing more she can say to try to raise Nebbin's spirits. She fears things may get worse--a lot worse--before they get better.
Milani, give me strength, she thinks...and gasps quietly as her throwaway prayer is answered. Reinvigorated spiritually, she silently vows to return to the Temple of Abadar, pray to Milani for strength and guidance, and then do all in her power to rescue Carawyn from the wickedness that is Eel's End.
Regeris lets the others talk while he looks grimly over the body. Korvosa's latent racism has always been a problem, but the brazen attack on the Shoanti is a sign of worse things to come. He held the same views for most of his life, only discarding them when he realized the horrors of Cheliax's infernal leadership. Regeris does not particularly understand nor even trust Shoanti, but he knows an underdog when he sees them.
"Korvosa's soul is hurting, and people are emboldened to act on beliefs and urges they may have always had. I am sorry we were not here sooner. These acts of violence will be a test for the city's new leadership."
One I believe she shall fail.
After extending his condolences to the Shoanti, Regeris looks to the others.
"We should reconvene. I have information on Carawyn. She is not in danger but we should act quickly."
Tassira nods in agreement. "And I've got the feeling I've got some new tricks to try out..."
A muffled "Meow!" comes from her backpack.
Emi replies to the Shoanti man "Ko haumaru i runga i nga ara enei ra tangata. Konihi rite aua tangata tahae, me te patu tangata te wa e kite ratou i te tupono noa. Me mutu te reira."
Indicating the dead man she asks him "Ki te haere koe ki te kaitiaki inaianei, he aha e hiahia ana koe ki te mahi i pā ana ki to koutou hoa? e kore e taea e ia noho e takoto ana i roto i te huarahi anake."
Back at the temple, Kayleigh takes a couple of minutes to pull out any weeds near the wild rose Emi found budding in the garden. Then she goes inside, kneeling before the small statue of Milani and praying to her goddess for about an hour. When she rejoins the others, the priestess is smiling.
"Milani heard my prayers and apparently wants us to have the best possible chance at getting Carawyn back tonight! I've prepared a new spell that should heal at least some of the poison damage two of you took from those damned imps yesterday."
Incanting a prayer that lasts about 20 seconds, Kayleigh reaches out and touches Nebbin; then she repeats the process on Tassira.
"How do you feel?" she asks her friends afterwards. "All better, or do I still have some healing work to do tonight?"
Even as Emi and the shoanti are talking, the guard are reinforced by two more of their mates and begin to take charge of the situation. They dispatch a runner to the Gray District to call the Pharasmins to their duty and begin escorting the survivors from both sides to the constabulary.
The group reaches the Temple of Aroden with no further incident. It's late morning, with plenty of time to swap information, form a plan and put it into execution.
Tassira groans in relief as Kayleigh's magic burns away the last of the numbness in her muscles.
"I feel great, actually."
She feels more sparks flying from her fingertips. "Ooh..."
Regeris looks curiously over Tassira, but decides not to comment yet. "We should go immediately then. Eel's End is best treated as a relatively dangerous market, but a market nonetheless. We won't be seen as a threat provided we don't present ourselves as such, and maybe spend some money. The businesses there are a casino, bunkhouse, brothel, and what I imagine is some sort of drug den. Carawyn is working at the casino. Her employers are Vudrans named Angupit and Rajeek, but I believe Angupit is who we speak with. They aren't good with common, so if someone speaks Vudran it would be handy."
He lets out a breath, trying to sort through his thoughts. "But most importantly, we're unlikely to cross or even attract the attention of the King of Spiders. But the question will be if she leaves voluntarily or makes a scene - the latter could cause us issue."
HP 34/34
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 1/-
Fort +5, Ref +3 (+1 vs. traps), Will +1 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 19 (21 vs. grapple)
Rage: 0/13; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 0/1
Effects: -3 Dex
"Oh, I'm good too," Nebbin assures Kayleigh, flexing his arm, though he still seems a bit stiff.
"So we should leave our guard cloaks here?" Nebbin says, taking in what Regeris is saying. "The king of spiders? How big is it? Spiders can be scary," he says.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Kayleigh glances suspiciously at Nebbin when he pronounces himself fit and fully healed, but she doesn't belabor the point.
"Is the plan still for Emi and Tassira to go in alone?" the priestess asks. "Should the rest of us act like we're there to gamble just in case we're needed?"
"How are you...?" Kayleigh starts to ask Nebbin a question but instantly decides the big guy's poker face won't cut it. She turns to Regeris and completes the question: "How are you at gambling?"
"So, we--" Tassira indicates herself and Emi. "--go in alone, speak with the proprietors, and negotiate Carawyn's release?"
Emileva stays quiet and lets the others talk for a while. When she had promised Orisini to try to bribe Devargo for information, she wasn't terribly concerned about getting the others to agree. But now that she's back at the temple, Emi wonders if he was wrong to agree to Orisini's request so quickly.
She doesn't know how to bring it, and the extra complications it would mean, up to the others. But eventually she can wait no longer, and decides to do her best to convince them.
"Thank you Regeris for watching Eel's End this morning. It's very good to know ore about the place, and where exactly Carawyn is. Hopefully you're right about us not having to deal directly with Devargo, but from what I heard it's not likely it won't come to his attention."
"I went to see Vencarlo Orisini, if you remember he is the master of a sword academy, and the person who suggested we take the Queen's brooch to Cressida Kroft. According to him, Devargo is very well informed about goings on, probably more so than anyone we could think to name. It very unlikely he does not know exactly who we are already."
"There's no reason for anything deceptive if that's so. It wouldn't work. Even if it did at the time, it would be uncovered later anyway. That could actually be just as bad or worse."
"Orisini also stressed Devargo is exceedingly dangerous. He should in no way be underestimated. We're not going to intimidate him, and probably none of he business owners under his protection by going all together. Perhaps it would still be best for Tassira and I to talk to the Vudrani brothers while the rest of you wait at a distance, for the sake of manners. But there's no need to pretend to not be together. If there is going to be a language problem, is anyone able to overcome it with a spell? Complete understanding on both sides could be worth more than its weight in gold."
Regeris nods solmenly. "I'm best at a distance. Go in, and ask what it will take for her to go peacefully with you. All of us together may be seen as intimidation. And it very well may come to his attention... the question is if he will care. I imagine this is beneath his interest unless he happens to want to speak with us regardless."
He purses his lips. "I've never gambled before. It is not banned in the Church of Abadar. Just... not quite encouraged."
Emi shifts in her chair and glances around at everyone else sitting there.
"There is one more thing Master Orisini brought up. A request. There is some information he seeks, and that he believes Devargo has. He wants us to negotiate with Devargo, negotiate a payment in return for giving it to us."
She waits a few moments to see how the others react to the news before continuing.
"He emphasized the greater importance of securing Carawyn's release beforehand. And I'll add I don't think anything like this should be tried until she is out of Eel's End. But later, if this first meeting goes well, it could be the basis for a further deal."
Emi opens the satchel Orisini gave her and lays out he bags of gold coins on the table.
"He gave me what he believes will be more than enough gold to make the deal, if Devargo is willing. We can also use a portion of it to make an offer above what we can afford on our own for Carawyn if we must. What do you think?"
Regeris blinks as Emi speaks up. "Wait, what? He wants us to broker information with Devargo?"
He thinks for a moment. "I'd want to know more than 'some information' - I have no idea of Orisini's agenda. But I can be convinced. And absolutely, we don't want Carawyn to be a pawn in all of this. Get her out and then meet with Devargo. No question."
Tassira purses her lips. "Well... I DO have a spell that'll allow me to understand Vudrani. Won't be able to speak it, though."
"This what he told me about the information. It involves a Chelaxian agent at the Queen's court named Darvane Gios Amprei. Orisini believes Amprei is using his position to make reports to Cheliax which damage the value of goods shipped there from Korvosa."
"Amprei would then invest heavily in those depressed markets and subsequently revive them with later reports. Eventually this would give him great economic sway in the city. At least that is my understanding of what he told me."
"Orisini is looking for information that would damage Amprei, destroy his position at court, and stop him."
"As for Master Orisini's loyalties and relationships, I don't know. I must admit I didn't see a request like this coming at all. I know he is well-connected and knowledgeable about politics and such, but he's playing on a very different level compared to what we've dealt with before."
"I do believe he is trustworthy and his motives are for the good. I have met him a few times now, and he feels... right to me. He counts the priests here as friends, and Cressida Kroft as well for what that's worth."
Emi shrugs as she finishes. She can't really offer much to vouch for or defend Orisini, but inside she feels it, he is truly a good man. Maybe the best she's met.
"Hrm, that kind of manipulation is common enough and Korvosa is already becoming riskier with the riots and new leader. Good time for some Cheliaxian vulture to swoop."
Regeris chuckles roughly. "Some irony. Compromising information, dealing with a crime lord, and stopping reckless market manipulation. This is exactly the sort of thing I would have done as a Taxmaster for the Bank of Abadar. The fact he's going to us is a good indication of how untrustworthy the Bank has become - particularly if they're allying with diabolists. As for Orisini..."
He looks over Emi. "If you trust him, that's good enough. We shall see how good your instincts are."
Tassira rubs the bridge of her nose. All this talk of market pricing, criminal dealings and such was giving her a headache.
Nebbin nods.
"It doesn't hurt to ask him to help, does it? I mean, that's not illegal, so I think we're OK doing it. Especially if it's to stop someone who's hurting people in Korvosa. That's definitely bad," Nebbin agrees.
As the talking goes on, Kayleigh begins to frown and then crosses her arms in front of her chest; it's abundantly clear that she doesn't like coddling or even working with evil folk like the King of Spiders. She keeps her mouth shut, however, until the topic of Orsini comes up.
"If he's friends with the priests of Aroden and Cressida Kroft, he's all right in my book," she says. Then she asks the others if the Queen's latest decrees were announced in Old Korvosa (spelling them out if they weren't) and admits she's worried for Cressida's safety if the Queen keeps eliminating every check to her power.
The group retraces Regeris's route from this morning. The day has turned hot and humid. There's almost no breeze, but the clouds overhead have begun to thicken foretelling an evening rain. The crowds on the street congregate in the shadows, hiding from the face of the sun overhead. The din of a raucous protest in Northpoint serves a backdrop to the normal sights and sounds of Old Korvosa as you make your way east along the Narrows, down to Devargo's place.
There's not much of a crowd to be seen on the pier itself. It's still too early in the day for any real action. Just hardbar gamblers, addicts and their like can be found here at this hour. A few men linger at the end of the pier talking amongst themselves. Another paces from the land out to the pier and back again as if on patrol. Two boys hang new paper lanterns by the poles of the pier, replacing those destroyed in the showers of yesterday. One climbs a stack of crates while the other keeps all steady from the ground. Somewhere in one of the establishments, a Varisian fiddle scrapes out a familiar festival tune while a woman sings accompaniment.
The Tiger's Tail is in truth a dilapidated river scow. The gunwale is of a height with the pier so that even the most inebriated of patrons has a better than even chance of making it into the barge without stepping into the river. Ropes guide visitors to the stern of the boat where the partially open doors of the center cabin admit visitors into the casino office. Booths to either side of a mean set of stairs allow visitors to buy trays of chits used for gambling. A separate booth to the right offers to cash visitors out. The only occupant of this room is a drowsy clerk behind the bars of one of the booths. He rubs his eyes and yawns as the party peeks into the barge interior. Beyond the stairs the gambling floor lurks in a fug of smoke, sweat and mildew. Voices and sounds from below would suggest some business is being made down there, even at this odd hour.
"Yep. Hello there," the man says at the first head that peeks in, drawing your attention. "Chits for sale here. No coin on the gambling floor - just chits!"
Tassira feels quite uncomfortable as she and Emi step onto the Tiger's Tail (a name that didn't invite the most welcome of feelings, never mind the idea of stepping on a real tiger's tail being a suicidal one in the first place). Glancing around the casino floor, she leans over to Emi's ear to whisper.
"Remind me--what does Carawyn look like, again? I'm not very good with remembering faces..."
Emi whispers back a description to Tassira.
Emi looks in through the bars at the chit vendor. "Actually we're not here to try our luck at the games. There's a new girl here serving drinks right? It's about her. Can we talk with the boss?"
Regeris remains stonefaced and in the back, keeping a careful eye out for anyone who appears to take specific interest in the group.
"Wait," Nebbin whispers. "If there's no coins allowed, do we have to give him all our money?"
Once he's shushed, he follows the others, waiting until they need him to do something. He tries to look fierce, but it comes out more like gawking at everything around him.
Kayleigh patiently explains to Nebbin the concept of not mixing coins and chits at the gambling tables, all the while keeping her eyes peeled for Carawyn and on the other people present. She finds herself doing a lot of gawking as well, having never been inside such an establishment before.
Carawyn is a skinny brunette, maybe five foot four inches tall, with large pale green eyes and a mop of brown curly hair. She's in her mid-teens. Not beautiful but likely very well above the bar at a place like the House of Clouds, next door.
"Who's askin?" he demands. He eyeballs the group deliberately as you stand there. "Boss's a very busy man."
Regeris doesn't sense any particular attention payed yet to the party. The bouncers on the pier looked Regeris and Nebbin over with likely admiration or jealousy, but nothing hostile.
Tassira clears her throat. "We're friends of hers. We wanted to check in, say hello, see how she's doing and all that."