Aldren can’t help a chuckle as Talvek makes his dramatic entrance. ”Subtle. Very subtle,” he says under his breath with a grin. Aldren deposits his heavier weapons and armor in the Wasp’s Nest (keeping just a dagger), then snags a hot bun and coffee before heading out. ”Unless there’s anything you’ll be needing from me, I think I’ll be off for my morning prayers.” His eyes twinkle a little at what would be sacrilege to most faiths.
As your team makes its way back to the Longroads Coffee shop, you see the normal morning bustle of crowds for the first day of the week.
Aldren follows the group long enough to get breakfast and drop off some items.
Laria smiles with a look of alarm as you step through the door. Greetings travelers. I will be right with you. Please take this table in the corner and I will be over in a jiff
She visits the other customers and rushes them a bit before returning to you in about 10 minutes once all the regular customers are departed and out of ear-shot before she addresses you personally.
Ok, that's better. Good morning you late night owls! I am glad you all made it back in one piece...although those appear to be some fresh cuts on a few of you. I assume you gave better than you got! She says with a wink.
She pours coffee and sets down some fresh muffins.
It has been pretty quiet around here. Rex is upstairs with those books as usual. Don't bother him, he seems extra grouchy today. He usually is on Moonday. Not that he knows what a real job is like. she smiles at her own poke at the aristocrat.
Rebellion Stuff
==Upkeep Phase
==Activity Phase
Security * Team = GP
==Event Phase
Aldren heads out, with a pout from Laria. What? You don't like my muffins? Off to Jarvis End I'd wager by that look!
Jarvis End (close to the Citadel and the Salt Works)
Named for the family responsible for the land reclamation project that saw much of Kintargo raised above the floodwaters, Jarvis End is now the beating heart of Kintargo’s nightlife, featuring numerous casinos, dance halls, playhouses, restaurants, and theaters, in addition to the city’s winding foreign quarter.
J1. Three-Legged Devil: Numerous dance halls— combination brothels, musical venues, and taverns— exist in Kintargo. While the Three-Legged Devil is not Kintargo’s largest of these establishments, it is the oldest in the city.
Lubella was filled Laria in on everything that happened at the Salt Works, including their dealings with Kossrani. "I'm trying to give him a chance to reform, but I don't know how likely that is; he seems like he could be a hard case. At least we've got some evidence of his black market activities — maybe that will encourage him to keep a low profile."
After chatting with Laria for a while, she attended to organizational matters. "Arcos, do you think you could help set up the Silver Ravens record-keeping. You have a good idea of the proper way to do things, so we can at least be a little bit organized!"
She occupied herself with Silver Raven's business matters for the rest of the morning. By noon, she was ready for lunch, and a siesta.
"Well I might be able to. Problem is, I kept records for a fully legal and one man business. I believe I'll need a bit of help working out a system for a rebellion aiming to overthrow a tyrannical government and all the moving parts that comes along with."
Laria seems impressed with the telling of the raid on the Salt Works. So much so, she even pauses to chase customers away from the locked door of the Longroards.
Sorry, they will have to wait. Wow. You really did all that? I am impressed.
After Aldren's departure and the retelling of events is completed, Lubella and Arcos head down to the basement and the Wasp's nest below.
Talvek was already heading that way when he hears a loud crash and the entire basement shakes. Dust billows up and a yell from one of the team members below.
HELP! HELP! Oh no! There has been a collapse!
Help us! I think several are hurt. Please hurry!
Talvek recognizes the voice of one of the peddlers.
Collapses were all too common in the shoddily built and poorly maintained tenements of the Devil's Nursery, and time was indeed of the essence. Talvek clamps down the impulse to rush ahead - vibration from footsteps would sometimes trigger smaller collapses in the already unstable masonry. Instead, he signals the others to move cautiously, but as fast as they can.
"Laria, we need iron bars, ropes, blankets and planks, quick!"
After that, he proceeds to close the distance to the collapsed area. If any civilians are standing, he instructs them to go upstairs.
Lubella cast a light spell on her holy symbol and rushed downstairs. She moved to examine the collapse and assess the situation.
"Who's injured? Is anyone trapped?", she called asked the people in the area.
Laria hears Talvek but seems confused as she calls down the cellar.
Bars? ropes? Why in the world? What is happening down there?
As the three of you reach the Wasp Nest secret door and the sub-basement, you are immediately accosted by the smell of dust and the calls from the A-team peddlers.
Lankora the female gnome squeeks out in panic.
Quickly! Please! We are mostly ok....but Bolidino and Morgar...the men-folk. I think they are trapped. Hurry!
Before you get too far, some of the others show up in the hallway.
Umma calls while coughing and holding herself against the wall, pointing back with her other hand.
Flaetcher and Zanger are right behind me.
Finally, Morgar calls from deeper in the far store room.
I...I...am ok. But Bolidono...I don't think made it out.
I think he is trapped...under the wall. Or what's left of it.
Lubella sprang into action, quickly organizing the rescue effort. "Umma, Fletcher, Zanger, Morgar — start moving the rubble; we need to dig Bolidono out! Lankora, go and get some bandages from Laria!" She judged that the gnome was probably not strong enough to be much help clearing the rubble, and wanted to keep her busy.
She moved to the edge of the collapse. "Bolidono, can you hear me? Talk to me!", she said, hoping to locate him by sound of his voice.
People run upstairs to Laria.
Bandages? Hang on! Hold up. I may have some around here. In case people didn't notice...this is supposed to be a coffee shop, not a Sarenite Temple! she says half kidding, half to relieve stress of the situation.
Lubella quickly reaches the site of the cave-in. The a-team peddlers stand back and point her towards the pile of debris before she get the men to help with the digging.
Bolidino's hand (or what you assume is his hand) sticks out from the rubble but is not moving. There is no response from him.
Lankora starts to sob This...this...is horrible. I ain't meant for this. I left mining because of my fear of cave-ins. Horrible. What will we do. Will Mr. Bolodino be ok, Miss Lubella? Oh dear me!
neither Morgar nor Zanger are able to lift the heavy stones.
Umma returns with some clean bandages. This...this is all she had.
Lubella picked her way through the rubble and prayed to her patron goddess, "Glorious Dawnflower, let your healing light revive this poor man." She cast a spell and touched the exposed hand.
Lubella tried to calm the distraught gnome. "Lankora, I need you to focus; see if you can find a crowbar and some pieces of wood! Leverage will help us move the heavier stones; Bolodino needs us to work together. Rope would be good too!"
She joined in the effort to move the heavy stonework."All together now, on three — one, two, THREE!"
Talvek starts moving the smaller pieces of rubble to clear the way for them to move the larger chunks together, using crowbars and planks. He gets his hands under the masonry and lifts with his legs and hips, his strength boosted by the direness of the situation.
Lubella calls upon the healing power of her deity while Talvek and the others pull the larger stones away.
Unfortunately, the spell remains on her hand and will not transfer to Bolidino, as he has clearly expired from being crushed by the many large rocks.
Zanger calls out in anguish, holding his head in his hands Why? Why would this happen? Now what do we do?
Lankora sobs softly near the stairs. Umma is kicking a crate in the corner.
Tragedy was part and parcel of one's daily life in the slums. Children who fell ill and died, mothers dying in childbirth for lack of a proper midwife, fathers maimed or killed in the dangerous jobs they were forced to take in order to feed their families. These were things that happened, almost every day. There was no one good answer to them. Grief, anger, withdrawal, denial, mania - he'd seen all these reactions and more. Already, he could discern how those around him were developing their own different reactions.
"It was just an accident, Zanger. I am very sorry that Bolidino lost his life. We will NOT let it be in vain. If Thrune hadn't forced us underground, maybe he would still be alive. The best way to make sense of this tragedy is to continue to fight for what is good and right, to fight for our freedom to be who we are in the open, without fear."
He turns to the halfling, deferring to her on matters of religion. "Lubella, can we do anything about..." He waves vaguely at the pile of masonry covering Bolidino's body. "Preserve it, somehow, until we raise money for a resurrection spell?"
Lubella's shoulders slumped when she found that Bolidino was dead. Her satisfaction at the successful rescue mission was replaced by sorrow at the death of one of the Silver Ravens team members. But she couldn't stop to mourn quite yet; there were others looking to her for leadership.
She spoke to the people present, "We need to figure out what caused the collapse, and if it's safe to use the rest of the Wasp's Nest. Before this happened, did any of you see any cracks in the ceiling of the storeroom?
"Let's move Bolidino away from the cave-in. Do we know how to contact his family?" She wasn't eager to have to be the one to give them the terrible news, but she knew it was her responsibility to inform them.
She new that some of the clerics in her home Temple of Sarenrae in Korvosa could preserve corpses with divine magic, but that extended preservation wasn't usually done. She replied to Talvek, "I fear that even the spells to preserve the body are beyond our means. The magic only lasts for a few days, so regular castings would be required. Unless I'm mistaken, Aldren is not experienced enough to be able to cast those spells."
After conversing with Talvek, she looked at the ceiling for cracks.
The peddlers seems to take little solace in the words of Talvek, the shock and loss of their colleague still too fresh.
Lubella's words likewise do not bring much hope to the team, but they nod in understanding there is not much that can be done. Death is all too common in the world, even more so since Thrunes office took over Kintargo.
Umma says plainly. I do not know that he had any family. Most of us do not. Well, not since the fires at least. That is why we had nothing to lose by joining the Ravens.
The body is carried by the other team members and to the bottom of the stairs. With the area cleared, Lubella observes the damage to the wall. While she is no expert, she believes the rest of the walls are sound and unlikely to collapse on their own.
***
Aldren is able to traverse the city, crossing the Bleakbridge back to Jarvis End where he is more interested in activities of the less cerebral sort. Passing the large Kintargo Opera House, complete with its contingent of Dottari guards, he turns down streets with far less government oversight.
Well ladies take a look. If it ain't Aldren of the Sassy Sting.
It has been awhile, hon. Heard you been making time with some other girls in north city. a tired strumpet calls out as he approaches a brothel shaded from the noon day sun.
Her friend chimes in... Yeah, some young college interns I bet? No time for us working girls anymore, I guess.
The curfew has really put a damper on business you know. Barzillai Thrune's troop ain't exactly sponsoring our way of life. the first pipes back with another lazy yawn as she points to the Opera House.
Lubella replied to Umma, "You have a family now: the Silver Ravens. We will take care of our own; you have my word! Please feel free to bring your troubles to me — I promise to listen without judgement."
"We will have a funeral for Bolidino — let's say tomorrow afternoon at 4 o'clock. It won't be anything fancy, but whoever wishes to share their memories of him is welcome to do so. I will say a few words myself." The one thing she didn't really want to get good at was officiating at funerals, and now she would be holding her second one in the space of a few days. Give me strength, goddess.
She conferred with Talvek, "We need to find out what caused this. Was it an accident, or something else? I wish I knew more about underground construction."
"Hm, you think it might have been something other than an accident? I'll take a look. Perhaps it's time to bring in that mason that Aldren was talking about." Talvek examines the location of the collapse, although he's no expert.
Aldren laughs merrily at the welcome, "Aw, ladies, you know there be none so dear to my heart as you. The lads and ladies of the Greens are fun for a night but the joy lasts only as long as the purse is deep." He walks over and kisses each on the hand, cheek or neck -- or a nibble on a stray earlobe -- whatever is most readily proffered. "As you say, the curfew puts a mighty fine clamp on the profession and t'is only for such vileness that I've been kept away. But, after a long night and finding myself blessed once more with the virtue of idleness, not even Her Infernal Majestrix could keep me away from yer wiles and charms."
In a softer tone less likely to be overheard with an almost basso purr to it, he adds, "T'is true I'd be blessed for some company but I also wonder how things are for you. Any troubles? Any news? Anyone I can help you care for?"
Lubella comforts the others while she mentally plans an unexpected funeral for a person she barely knows. Talvek starts looking around in the basement, going over each part of the wall to see if Lubella may have missed anything.
Moving a few more of the larger stones closest to the collapsed wall, Talvek uncovers a hammer and chisel covered in dust nearby.
Laria comes down to the basement and calls down through the secret trap door to the Wasp Nest.
Everything ok down there? I am going to have to get back to work, my lunch and afternoon crowd are going to be filing in any minute. What happened?
***
Aldren banters with the ladies in the alley in Jarvis End. They smile at first, thinking he is kidding, then with a serious look.
One of the women looks over her shoulder and down the alley before leaning close to Aldren and whispering.
"Well, since you asked. And you did. Take care traveling alone at night in Redroof or Temple Hill. The gangs there are getting restless, and they say the Red Jills’ boss has gone some sort of crazy.”
She backs away, obviously worried she had maybe said too much.
"But I won't say more about such serious matters. The sky is bright and we have nothing to worry about with big strong Aldren near, right?
When Talvek called Lubella over, she saw the hammer and chisel. She asked the peddlers, "Do any of your recognize these? I don't recall anyone doing that sort of work here." Was this sabotage?
When Laria called down, she went to talk to her. "There's been a collapse, and Bolidino was killed! Everyone is obviously devastated.
"We're trying to figure out what caused it. Talvek just found a hammer and chisel in the rubble. You weren't doing anything down here while we were away, were you?"
"Was it perhaps Aldren? I know he talked of restoring the shrine here..." Talvek is reluctant to suspect ill-intent behind this event. If they started suspecting each other, everything would fall to pieces. He desperately wants to believe that they are all coming together for the same cause. He pokes at the rubble disconsolately, sighing.
== In Jarvis End ==
"He's only going crazy because he 'asn't spent time with you, love," He winks, caressing her hip, then adds, "But thanks for the warning. My friends and I will take a look. Can't be good for the folks who live there." And perhaps another opportunity. Maybe we can even recruit the gangs... But later. "But I mean what I say, too. If yer ever in trouble yerselves, let me know. The Lady will be quite vexed with me if I failed to watch out for you."
"Now..." he says, his voice a bit louder and more determined, "I meant what I said. I'm desperate for some company and a warm bed. Whoever has the latter, I'd gladly compensate for the former."
Laria calls down to Lubella's question? No, girl. I don't have time to break walls willie-nillie. Wait...did you say someone was killed? Hang on. I am going to lock up. she disappears and runs to lock the front door with her "closed" sign on the knob.
Talvek ponders the condition of the wall and the very fabric holding the Silver Ravens together in this dire situation.
Arcos has been obviously stunned into silence through activity.
Rexus even comes down from his studies. Did I hear you say someone expired? How horrible. No! Not Bolidino! Oh no! Why? I should have never brought him here! Obviously Rexus seems devastated at the news.
***
Aldren's friend takes his hand and leads him into her small apartment.
Slipping his tunic back on before he departs, Aldren says, "Now, Delilah, I mean it. You let me know if you need help or, maybe, if you hear anything interesting from a customer about what the dottari or the Abadarran lapdogs are up to. The loss of the temple has angered the Lady in the Room, and I'm doing what I can to visit the Savored Sting on those who've wronged Her and us. Don't want to cost you any customers and I'll be discreet, but She is quite wroth. In the meantime..." He steps over with a smile, kisses her neck just beneath the right ear, and slips several gold into her hand. "Thank you for a lovely afternoon. I needed the company."
Arcos furrows his brow and says to Lubella and Talvek in private, "It is certainly tragic that Bolodino was killed, but it is necessary that we first find some way to repair the damage but most importantly find the reason that the cieling collapsed. I can try to find contacts who could repair the damage with no questions asked. If the Dottari find out then we'll be fully compromised."
"I'm very sorry, Rexus; I tried to heal him, but it was too late," Lubella told her friend.
She replied to Arcos, "We need to establish exactly where everyone was before the collapse, and who the hammer and chisel belongs to. I don't want to jump to conclusions, but we have to consider the possibility that this wasn't an accident. I'm not saying that one of the peddlers is a saboteur; there could be someone else that we don't know about."
She turned and addressed everyone,"We need to find out how and why this happened. With your permission, we'd like to talk to each of you individually, and have you tell us what you saw or heard ahead of the collapse. It could be that you noticed something that doesn't seem important, but forms part a larger pattern."
She cast a spell and scanned the area of the collapse for residual magic auras, just in case.
Arcos tries to estimate the cost and means of repairing the damage while Lubella addresses all assembled, including Rexus.
Nobody seems to know where the hammer and chisle originated.
As Lubella casts her spell and spins around the room scanning for magic, there are no auras on the fallen rock or the walls. The only other auras are from items of magic normally found upon each of your persons.
She is just about to end the spell, when in the far corner of the room, away from the wall, but within range of the spell, she catches a glimmer of an aura from one of the stacks of documents recovered.
Rexus looks at her strangely. What is it, Miss Lubella? What do you see? Those documents? Why I just have not progressed to those yet. I have more upstairs which will take me another week or two.
***
Aldren lazes the afternoon away in Jarvis End. Hearing the patrols of Dottari periodically harassing citizens, asking questions about their business, and dispersing the local dancers, performers, actors and actresses who have been put out of work since the Opera House and Silver Star have closed.
"There's faint transmutation aura emanating from this document; I just noticed it by accident. It might be worth a look to see what it's about," Lubella suggested to Rexus, pointing out the specific record.
"I certainly can take a look."
Rexus takes the old document indicated by Lubella and blows the dust from it.
.
"Hmmm. Very odd. This is nothing more than some sort of poetry or love note. More in line with Aldrens interests than a record of history or power."
He looks up and shrugs as he hands it to Lubella.
"Well, I suppose I should get back to deciphering those important documents upstairs. I am close to another breakthrough ."
He nods and treks back to his study to finish the afternoon
The rest of you have worried team members and a corpse to deal with as fatigue starts to set in on your weary bodies.
.
"Magical poetry? I've never heard of such a thing," Lubella said in reply. "Arcos, I don't suppose you have Read Magic memorized, do you?" That was a spell that she hadn't mastered yet.
After Rexus departed, she said to the the remaining people, "OK, let's get the dust swept up, and then you can take the rest of the afternoon off. We'll need to clear the rubble out, but that can wait till tomorrow.
"Can I get some help putting Bolidino on a table? I'm going to clean him up. I'll want a large cloth to cover him when I'm done. Do you have something like that, Laria?"
Once the body was on the table, Lubella said an incantation and started to magically cleanse the body, removing bloodstains, cleaning off the dust and removing grime from the clothes.
Talvek helps Lubella with Bolidino's body, then lays a hand on her shoulder.
"Why don't you go and rest, and we'll finish up here. You have done more than enough already and this must be difficult for you. I'll get a clean bedsheet from Laria to cover him, and I'll see if I can find some preserving ointment at the apothecary."
Laria gladly helps with the linen.
I am used to seeing a dead body but just not one that was a guest on my shop. Very unsettling to say the least. I am not sure but if you are not sending to a temple for cremation right away, there are spells or something which maybe we could purchase to protect the body from decay or possession. Talvek, the Newt Market is closer than temples. I will chip in what I can. I am not sure which temple to trust with this.
”I don’t believe I do, though there is the distinct possibility of it being in my spellbook. I can certainly try to read it tomorrow.”
"Give me 5 minutes with the body, and then I'll let you take it from there," Lubella replied to Talvek. She found it difficult to step away with so much to be done, but she could see the wisdom in resting.
She said to Laria, "My thought was to hold the funeral tomorrow, to give Aldren a chance to attend. What's your advice on burial or cremation options? I don't want to have to give out a lot of details on where the collapse occurred, given that we don't want to let people know about our hideout. I'm presuming that the temple of Shelyn would be the only realistic temple option. I guess the other option is a river burial, like we did for Nan."
She replied to Arcos, "Yes, I think that would be a good idea. The text may prove unimportant, but the magical aura implies that it was worth some effort."
After she finished her preliminary cleaning of the body, Lubella retired to her bedroll for a short nap. She was too wound up to sleep, but the relaxation rejuvenated her somewhat.
Arcos considers his spells for tomorrow while Lubella finishes preparation for the funeral tomorrow.
Laria finishes her work for the day, closing down the shop in the afternoon after the strange collapse costs her a half day of business.
The funeral like Nans should be fine. Sadly, death is not as uncommon as it should be. I agree we do not want to mention the wasp nest.
Lubella finally collapsed for a short nap.
***
Aldren departs Jarvis End...not really any more rested than before, but feeling relieved.
As he crossed the bridge and returned to Longroads
With a closed sign in the door. As he knocks, Laria calls out.
Were closed! Oh sorry Aldren. Please come in quickly so I can lock up. Head downstairs. Lubella is napping but the others can explain.
Aldren is puzzled by the closed sign and Laria's rushed demeanor, but he's learned sometimes things get resolved faster by waiting for the answers. He does as requested and moves down into the Wasp's Nest. "Alllloooo?" he inquires in a sing-song voice.
When he sees the remnants of the collapse, however, he halts in his tracks and the curious frivolity is replaced by simmering rage. "WHO..." He starts to bark, then takes a breath and starts over in a calmer but still angry voice, "Who caused this... desecration!?"
Lubella lay awake on her bedroll, pondering the meaning of the hammer and chisel. One of the peddlers? Someone with a grudge against Bolidino? She would have to ask if he had any enemies. Could a collapse be arranged so precisely to target him like that? She had so many questions, and no answers.
Her mind drifted back to the events of the last couple of weeks: the protest, meeting Rexus, exploring the Fair Fortune Livery. There were weird things going on in there — the writing in blood (was is blood?), the floating sledge, the strange music.
Her contemplation was interrupted; she heard voices heralding Aldren's return. She got up and went to talk to the half-elf.
"It happened this morning; Bolidino was killed! I tried to heal him, but he was already dead by the time I got to him," she said with sorrow.
"Talvek found a hammer and chisel in the rubble; no-one seems to know where they came from. I'm going to interview each of the peddlers tomorrow. They were all very upset, as you can imagine; I gave them the rest of the day off.
"It could be that one of the peddlers was responsible — a personal grudge, perhaps, or it could be the work of someone else. Laria doesn't think anyone else was down here, but you never know. There's always a possibility that someone could have come in through the sewers, I suppose."
She paused for a moment, and then added, "When we were exploring the Fair Fortune Livery, it seemed like there was an invisible someone there, messing with us. Maybe whoever it was followed us here? I don't know!" She sighed with exasperation; too many possibilities.
After talking a few more minutes, she mentioned, "By the way, I scanned the area for magic, and by chance noticed a faint transmutation aura on one of Rexus' documents. He's got some of them stored down here that he hasn't got to yet. Anyway, he figures the one with the aura is some sort of love poem or something. I think we should try to read it at some point. I'm not able to read magic script myself, but I think Arcos knows the spell."
Lips pursed and jaw clenched, Aldren sits on his rage while Lubella explains what's been happening, forcing himself to listen through the blood roaring in his ears. When she's done, he nods -- a single, tight gesture -- and says, "I take it you're comfortable it wasn't that little dragon, yes? Not another one of his tricks? If so... and if it was something invisible, another fey or a devil perhaps, then not only are we in physical danger, but nothing we do or say is safe... here or anywhere else."
He scowled in thought. The priestesses had spells to deal with such intrusions but Aldren was nowhere near powerful enough to summon such miracles yet. "I've a thought, but I don't know if it will work. I'll have to pray on it."
"In the meantime, what's this about a scroll? I may be able to decipher it now."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he asks, "What of Bolidino? He and I talked several times but I don't know his faith or if he has a family." Aldren will agree to help with a funeral service (sans the usual Calistian rites.
Lubella replied, "Well, I don't even know if Vendalfek could manage those tools. I'd be surprised if he was strong enough to make much an impression on the stone. Anyway, he was with us all night.
"I agree that the thought of an invisible malevolent creature is very disconcerting."
Ironically, at the mention of Vendalfek, nobody can recall seeing the little dragon since the barge left the salt works early in the morning. However, Lubella is correct that the dragon was with you all night and seems unlikely to have been involved with the hammer and chisel, even if they were of smaller size.
Aldren casts read magic and takes the dusty scroll. It definitely is magical, but oddly not the way of a spell scroll. More of a poem. Unlike any of the other documents Rexus has mentioned.
Good-night? ah! no; the hour is ill
Which severs those it should unite;
Let us remain together still,
Then it will be good night.
How can I call the lone night good,
Though thy sweet wishes wing its flight?
Be it not said, thought, understood --
Then it will be -- good night.
To hearts which near each other move
From evening close to morning light,
The night is good; because, my love,
They never say good-night.
Aldrens training regarding the decomposition of the corpse is correct and tomorrow morning would be sufficient before decay would be noticeable.
The evening approaches and Laria and Rexus bid you a good night. Until the dawn. May the new day bring better tidings.
"The dawn brings new light," Lubella replied, reciting the common Sarenrite aphorism against despair.
She said her evening prayers, before discussing the matter of security with the others. "Given the unexplained events of today, should we perhaps set up a watch? Just in case there is something else down here.
"I'll take first shift," she offered, despite her fatigue.
"I think a watch would be wise, yes. And I'm happy to take first shift. I was able to, uh, 'rest' a bit this afternoon." He can't help the grin, before he switches back to something more serious. "Now, where is Vandalefek? If we're confident he didn't do this... could something have also befallen him? I may not trust the little bugger's sense of humor, but he seemed to have a decent enough heart."
"OK, twist my arm!", Lubella replied with some relief. She produced a snack that she'd been saving for evening, and began eating.
She was a bit concerned about the little dragon as well, but there didn't seem anything to be done about it. "It would have been nice if he'd told us that he wasn't coming back here right away, but he might not consider that we might be worried about him. I'm sure he'll be fine; he can turn invisible after all." You better be fine, Vendalfek!
The night passes uneventfully for Aldren, as do the shifts for Arcos , Talvek and finally Lubella before the Dawn.
The smell of fresh coffee awakens you and the rest makes it almost seem yesterday was a dream. A victory and a setback for the fledgling Ravens.
Laria awakens you with muffins and coffee
"It is best to get an early start."
When it was her turn to be on watch, Lubella had to be woken from her slumber, but she felt rested enough. A couple of times, she cast Detect Magic, and scanned around, just in case, but found nothing.
She was glad when Laria arrived with coffee and baked goods. "Just what I need!", she said, gratefully accepting a mug of steaming java.
She sat and savored the coffee and thought about the day to come. "I had hoped to explore the Silver Star today, but that's going to have to wait yet another day," he said with a sigh; she was really falling behind on her mission.
"While we clean up the rubble, I want to take aside, and interview, each of the peddlers; maybe one of them noticed something before the collapse. If someone was hammering with the chisel, you'd think someone else would have heard."
Talvek wakes in a dour mood, but not for lack of rest - when you live in the slums, a full night's sleep is a rare luxury, so you learn to make do with what you can get. No, what weighs heavy on his mind is the death of Bolidino and the shadow of suspicion that the collapse may have been sabotage, and an inside job at that. It feels like his dream of the Silver Ravens was tainted now, and he is equally angry at himself for his naivety, and at whoever is responsible for this.
Upstairs, he doesn't pause for breakfast, instead snatching a couple of fresh rolls and stuffing them in his pockets. "I'll go get started on cleaning up that rubble, and keep my eyes peeled while I'm at it. Who knows."
Aldren groans slightly at being woken at such an ungodly hour but groggily rises from his bedroll, puts on something resembling clothes, offers his morning prayers to Calistria, and joins the others just as Talvek is heading back down. After some coffee and muffins -- "Oh, apple and cinnamon!" -- his mood slowly brightens.
Eventually, his mind turns towards business. "Lubella, if you want to interview the team, I'd like to be there. While I'm not as skilled as the more experienced courtesans, I have been trained in discerning deeper truths hidden within words and gestures. And it may be time to hire a proper mason. They could examine the collapse and shore up the rest of the Wasp's Nest."
He takes a sip of coffee, sighing slightly, then adds, "And I guess there is the matter of the poor man's funeral. Hmm. Did he have any family? This could turn against us if not handled well."
"Oh, and Arcos... you should look at that scroll. I read it last night and it was just a poem. A rather lovely poem, but... I could not make sense of the magic about it."
"Absolutely," Lubella replied to Aldren about sitting in on the interviews.
"None of the peddlers are aware of any family. Rexus invited him to come here, apparently, so we should ask him too.
"The service is going to be at 4 o'clock this afternoon. I was planning on saying a few words; you're welcome to do so as well."
In the morning, after a warm breakfast, for those who take time to enjoy one, the morning is somber with the tasks ahead.
Talvek is already at work in the Wasp Nest, clearing rubble and looking for other clues. He does not see much new, other than where the chisel was probably used to weaken parts of the stone. Fine work, but effective. Definitely, no accident.
While working he imagines the air currents seem altered from the usual stillness of the Wasp Nest. Perhaps some new opening through the stone. Who knows.
The Peddlers will agree to meet with Lubella and/or Aldren to be interviewed about their observations on the accident and their whereabouts the past couple days.
Each, in turn recalls their work peddling and seeking sponsors for the Ravens.
I am not sure what happened to the stone. This was a busy week. We were all working so hard during the day. Why? says Flaetcher Kaneson
At night we all came back here and collapsed. We were hopeful we were able to add to the treasury. We never even got a chance to give our report...before...before poor Bolodino! sobs Umma LeGuin
I don't know if he had any enemies. He did not say anything bad happened out on the streets.
It seems like just bad luck I guess. Do you think someone did this to him? Purposefully? asks Zenger the Quick
I was right there with him when the wall collapsed. It could have been me instead of him. He called out and saved me. I owe him...my life! offers Morgar Manthai
We worked so hard. I don't think we can go back out there after this. Bolodino was one of us. Now what do we do? questions Lankora Idall
Lubella and Aldren - neither of you pick up any falsehoods. All of the peddlers were out working the streets all week. None seem to be harboring any reason to sabotage the efforts. None seem to have any idea who could have done this.
Morgar reports the total earnings of the team.
It is of little consolation now, but this week we were able to collect 12 gold for the cause. he turns away.
(22gp in treasury unless I missed some personal donations)
You also hear reports of 3 of your earliest supporters leaving the cause with the sad news.
However, a half dozen of Talvek's cousins heard what you did in the Nursery and are willing to join. Bringing your list of supporters up to 9 at this time.