Neva felt anger rising, and she glanced at Vyshael, hoping he might be ready to restrain her.
Nope, and I'm not going to stop him, either.
Grim and with teeth grinding, she waited on the shopkeeper.
Rutter looks at the reactions of Neva and Vyshael. And I was worried about there being a riot outside!
Under his breath, he confers with his mates, "Oi, now. Right now, we just ask questions. Then we go outside, and decide what to do. It won't hurt to take a moment before we act. We can't do anything in front of all these people, and we didn't have any plans for the rest of the day, anyway."
Having Rutter, of all people, counsel her to be less impulsive was probably the best thing Neva could have heard. She took a deep breath and loosened her jaw a bit.
Vyshael nods, "Aye. Having already seen what passes for a system of justice 'round here, I'd rather not repeat it."
As the group enters the shop together, calling for the shopkeep, a young woman in her mid-twenties approaches. She has light complexion, contrasted sharply by her not quite shoulder length black hair. She is wearing a bright yellow dress that sits low on her shoulders. Approaching the newcomers, she has a cheerful smile to her face, but her eyes flash irritation at the two big men working security at the door. "Welcome to Lavender. I'm the proprietor, Vendra. How may I be of service to this most honorable visit from our city's very own Korvosan Guard?"
Neva did her best to stow her suspicions and say the right thing.
Accepting the woman's cheerful introduction, she gave a slight smile in response.
"I am the Midwife, and we are, as you've noted, with the Guard. We're sorry to bother you at such a busy time, but rumor of your cure has reached us, and we thought it best to come at once."
She made some minor indications of the others and tried her best to look even a little sorry before continuing.
"Obviously, if you've found something to cure the Blood Veil, the City would be very interested in rewarding you for your innovations. The Church of Abadar, in particular, would be willing to open its vaults for such a thing.
Unfortunately, there is no shortage of charlatans preying on the gullible, so the we're forced to investigate each claim of a cure before payment can be arranged. Thus, we have come to evaluate the true efficacy of your cure...and perhaps see what sort of price you might be able to command."
She looked directly into Vendra's eyes and waited on a response.
The woman maintains a cheerful smile throughout Neva's exposition, before she simply explains, "Oh, I'm sorry, if you're just here to acquire a dose, I would have to ask for the fairness of all involved that you wait like the rest of the hard-working citizens that have been standing dutifully in line."
Almost as soon as she finishes, a middle-aged man approaches the group and offers, "'Ey now, if it's proof yer needin' I can tell ya true, this cure here this woman sells not only cured me plague, but also soothes the pain in me bum leg." He slaps the leg for emphasis.
At his testimonial, Vendra raises her eyebrows and with a thoroughly pleased smile indicates the man, "Well, now listen to that. If that isn't glowing praise for my product, I don't know what is. So you need not take just my word for it, this fine man here seems more than willing to lend his voice toward the cure."
Felgar steps up next to Neva, and arches an eyebrow.
We be the Korvosan Guard, and if'n we are t'believe the words of yer man, then we be needin' more proof you're not bunkin' these good folks in line.
She looks surprised, "This man? He does not work for me, he is just a happy customer eager to defend the cure. If you feel you need to test it for yourself, I will have to ask that you wait in line, and buy a dose just like everyone else does. I cannot show favoritism to the guard just because you muscle your way in front of the customers that have waited in line honorably."
We seek not t'have it tested by us, but by others havin' more power n'control in these troubled times. We're not seekin' favoritism, but truth.
Vyshael watches the exchange carefully, Of course she'll deny that the man is a plant -- though I wonder if he's genuine but mislead -- a number of plants I can think of that would deaden pain...
He stands back, wondering if he can discreetly cast a detect magic spell to try to determine the nature of the "cure".
"Lady, you need to stow that 'wait in line' crap. We're here in the interests of the city. Until you convince us that your stuff here is even safe, we're capable of shutting you down for endangerin' the public. That's right, safe. You need to tell us what's in this stuff. For all I know, there could be some slow-acting poison that's worse than the plague."
"Why don't you start by showin' the midwife and Officer Invisus how you make this stuff? Officer Felgar and I have some questions for this gentleman." He indicates the 'actual customer'.
Her jaw drops in astonishment, "You would have my shop closed, and deny all these citizens a cure. So, I should drop everything and leave all these people waiting even longer, just so I can give up my secret ingredients for the cure of a new plague? How do I know you are not just trying to cheat me, and take all my customers away, by producing your own batch off MY discovery?"
She indicates the man that spoke up, "Now you want to question this poor man like a common criminal, maybe abuse a little more of your authority? What do you do for an encore, bring the Grey Maidens in and have them drag everyone off?"
The customer that spoke just stares, wide-eyed, concern and confusion of what to do apparant on his face.
Vyshael narrows his eyes and says, "Aye, if need be."
He takes a step forward, feeling the righteous burn within him and says, "It is not an abuse of authority to ensure that you are not cheating or harming the people of this city. If you have a true cure, you've nothing to fear from us -- we are not here to steal your secrets and would, in fact, likely help you distribute it, even at a profit..... but your protests to our presence make me think that's not what's happening here."
She purses her lips and lets out a huff of frustration. "Okay, fine! Obviously, the guard has nothing better to do with their time than harass honest hardworking folk. It's too late to go through it today, but if you guys return tomorrow morning before I open shop, I will take you through the process of how I make it."
Neva took great satisfaction from the woman's huff of frustration, and watched her face very closely.
A slight flinch was all it took. We've got you.
Neva leaned in close, speaking loud enough for only the proprietor and Neva's friends to hear.
You are lying to us. You have no intention of showing us the process and simply want us to leave now. That is not going to happen. Tell us the truth, and we'll do our best to protect you from what is sure to be a very angry mob.
Jig is up, Lassie. Come clean...now!
Felgar leans in and begins to finger the handle of his axe.
"Lady, if you're doing good work, we'll be happy to let you continue." He leans in close with Neva. "And my definition of 'good work' doesn't mean you have to be curing people. People need hope now, too. They don't need to pay an arm and a leg for it, though. Show us that your cure is physically harmless, and we'll work on how you keep it civicly harmless. That's the only way we don't shut you down tonight."
The woman squints as she scrutinizes Rutter and Neva suspiciously, quietly she asks, "So, you're saying you don't care as long as I lower my prices and it isn't harmful? What's the catch, you trying to get a cut of the profits? How much do you expect me to sell it for? How you plan on determining whether it's harmless or not?"
Rutter scratches his chin as he tries to consider a reasonable plan. "You'll still walk us through how you make the stuff and give us a sample of the completed product, so's we know it's safe."
"When you sell it, you make sure that you tell each customer that it only works sometimes, not always. Otherwise, first person that it doesn't cure - all your customers are gonna be here to stone you dead and burn your shop down. You drop the price to no more than 1 gold piece, with a money back guarantee if the customer doesn't survive. Start handing out receipts if you feel you have to, but don't hassle their family if they can't find the receipt. I don't know if you've been telling people they need to take it more than once, but they only need to take it once, now."
"You know what, definitely start handing out receipts, and keep the names and addresses of the customers, too. If someone comes up with a real cure, we want to make sure your customers don't pass it up, thinking your potion's keeping them safe."
"Now, I know it ain't as much money as you've been making, but it's better than going to jail. And the folks who survive this plague are going to think you're the one they have to thank for it. So you'll come out smelling like a rose. Or like some of this toilet water you usually sell."
Vyshael stand behind Rutter, his face showing the anger within, glaring at the woman, I don't know if he's minimizing the damage as he says, or if he's lying so we can prove she's a fraud.... However, she's admitted it either way.... He pauses as a thought strikes him and steps back slightly, trying to keep an eye on the conversation while also keeping the 'witness' in his line of sight... just in case.
She huffs and scowls, but looks resigned to the less than favorable conditions that have been laid out for her. She looks to be deep in thought, staring off out the window with a blank look, before turning back to them. "You know what? Fine! It's better than nothing I guess. I have my recipe in the office, let me just go scribe a copy for you and I'll return shortly."
"We'll come with." Rutter nods a 'let's go' to the others as he pushes into her office behind her. If there's another window or door inside, he'll nod Vyshael in its direction (and Felgar to the second one, if there is one). "We'll stay with you today, to help you work out the logistics of the new system, in case there's anything I didn't think of. Tomorrow, you'll be on your own, serving the community in your own little way."
Neva repeated Rutter's poor lie dryly. "Yes, serving the community."
Vyshael smirks cruelly at Neva's wry tone, realizing that the outcome here will, in fact, satisfy his sense of justice after all. Still, his mind starts to churn a little, I don't trust what she has back there... especially since she's put a false witness up front... and is raking in coin faster than she can count it. He keeps a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it in a hurry, or to draw magic through it, at the first sign of danger.
She clenches her jaw as they resign to go with her, as she puts on a very fake smile. "My office in the shop here, it is in my rooms behind the store." This looks to be one of the truer things she has said, as there is only one door in the shop and it is the entrance. As she heads out the door she takes takes off at a run out through the alleyway.
Great...why do they always be runnin'?
Felgar starts to churn is stubby, yet powerful legs, in pursuit of the fleeing suspect.
"Wait for the dwarf, good shop-keep!" Neva shouted in mock supplication. "Pharasma beseeches you!"
She savored a growing sense of satisfaction that this woman was about to face justice. And then quickly loosed a spell at the fleeing woman.
Vyshael, hand on his blade, draws upon the Arcane Bond and casts Expeditious Retreat. He suggests, "Rutter, you might want to stay here in case her allies are about to trash everything and this is just a diversion.", and then starts off after the charlatan with his enhanced footspeed.
Rutter clutches at air as she takes off, and tries to share a frustrated look with Neva, thinking back to their pursuit of the painter on the rooftops. His eyes brighten, though, as she reminds him that she's got a spell that might stop the woman, and he starts clapping softly to himself when Vyshael takes off at extra speed. That's settled, then. He turns around to gauge the reactions to the scene from the people in line.
Out of the corner of his mouth, he says to Neva, "I don't even care about that woman's life. First priority: save the buildings, so we can get some'a her money back for the people who already paid."
With no sense of the onlookers' take of the situation, Rutter decides to continue with the plan. He looks to the men at the door. "Y'all are still on the job, and still getting paid. Let customers in three or four at a time - we got plenty of juice left."
Turning back to Neva, under his breath, "Send me Vyshael to help keep the peace. Other two of y'all check the office and take the prisoner to the Citadel. Come back when she and the money is secure. Here, manacles are in the pack." He hands her his backpack.
He walks to the door and counts three customers to follow him in. He tells the ones behind them loudly, "Don't worry. We're still in business. There's plenty left."
She easily disregards Neva's spell as she continues around a corner, but with Vyshael's spell he will easily catch up to her in no time.
Neva saw her spell fail and cursed. But she saw Vyshael rapidly catch up to the fleeing woman.
"Get her, Vyshael!"
Vyshael uses his newly-enhanced speed to close on her, readying himself to knock down the fleeing woman. He mentally loosens his grip on the fury at her cheating and preying upon the hopeless, drawing strength from the anger without letting it overwhelm him.
He snarls, "Stop, by order of the watch!"
With the two of them a good distance seperated from the others, she tries a desperate maneuver and draws a thin baton, before directing it at Vyshael and speaking. "You know I'm no threat. It would just be easier on everyone if you just let me disappear and not arrest me."
--------------------
The clerk and the two security thugs look confused. They seem to be uncertain whether they should keep working or what. The crowd at the door and in line seem to be growing unruly as the line has stopped moving and no one is coming in or out for the cure they all came to buy.
Felgar, watches as Vyshael runs by him after the fleeing woman.
Damn longshanked Elf!
He continues his all out run, pursuing both Vyshael AND the woman now.
"One, two, three. Come on in, you're up next." Rutter points at the next three people in line and opens the door for them. He turns to the next ones in line and announces loudly, "Don't worry! We're still in business! There's plenty left!"
He looks to the doormen as he follows the first customers inside. "Three at a time!" he reminds them.
Inside, Rutter sweeps past the tentative customers to stand behind the counter. He lays out three vials of the 'cure' but keeps his hand on top of them. "I'm afraid the effectiveness of the cure was overstated. It may not work for everybody. As such, the price has been dropped to 1 gold for a dose, if you still want to try it. All proceeds will go to the Church of Abadar to help fund a cure that does work for everybody. When a cure that works for everybody is found, I'd suggest you take it, even if this one seemed to work for you. It might'a worked, or you might'a just got lucky. If you still want to try this, take it at yer own risk. One gold."
Neva looked back and forth: the fleeing Vendra pursued by Vyshael and Felgar; and back to lone Rutter, now behind the counter giving his pitch.
And not a bad pitch, either. It might just stop a riot.
Neva decided that Vyshael and Felgar would have to deal with the erstwhile shopkeep. She'd help with crowd control.
Gathering her wits and tucking a loose strand of hair back behind her ear, she tried to look officious. She began repeating Rutter's terms and information, emphasizing the price reduction, the fact that there was still plenty to be had, and the charitable use of the proceeds.
Vyshael pauses for a moment, conflicted. The anger welled up in him, the righteous fury of Ragathiel granting him extra focus continued to burn, and yet, it was true.... She's no real threat, and there are bigger things to deal with.... But at the same time... how could any friend of his do something like this? How many people has she hurt with her false cure? Irori knows what's actually in those bottles...
His anger gives way slightly to wounded disappointment, which itself fans a new flame of anger for being put in this position. With that, he picks up the pace again and starts running after her, sighing, "I'm very sorry, but I can't just let you go.... You've hurt a bunch of people and I can't have it on my conscience if you do it again.... and this whole thing has showed me that I'm wrong about having faith in you to do the right thing..."
The security and counter-girl seem to shrug at each other, but don't seem to know how to act other than continuing as the Korvosan Guard told them, by selling at half price. After the first three go, the cashier asks Rutter "What do we do when we're out? She always made each new batch the night before. Without her we only have about enough for the rest of the day."
----------------------
She looks at him pleadingly, her eyes suddenly full of remorse. "I know, you're right. This was it, the last straw. Seeing how well you guys did has shown me the error of my ways. I just want to leave. Start over with an honest job, maybe in Magnimar. Please tell me you'll let me go so I can turn over a new leaf?"
Neva responded dryly. "We're not exactly interested in your convenient repentance right now. Just do what you're told, and we'll discuss it after we close shop."
She kept peeking out the window, trying to catch a glimpse of Vysh and Felgar.
Vyshael eyes her carefully and sighs again, "You cheated and hurt people... Still, you do seem truly repentant... I just hope that you're truly sorry for what you've done and not just for getting caught..."
She may be my friend, but what she did wasn't right.... and Ragathiel demands we punish the guilty..... although, it's also my duty to help her turn over a new leaf...
He looks at her and shakes his head, "I can't just let you run off -- if you mean what you say, it'll have to be a true exile -- you leave Korvosa never to return.... at least, then, some justice will be done..."
...but not to her victims...
He returns to his aggressive posture, making clear that he's not ready to allow her to escape, "...and we'll need to have some sort of restitution for the people you cheated -- especially for the families of those that may now die from the plague thinking themselves cured."
Felgar, simply spits on the ground with his hands on his knees as he is bent at the hip, trying to catch his breath.
"Don't worry about tomorrow's batch. We'll catch her, and she'll make a new batch or we'll find her recipe in her office and make it ourselves."
"Just keep the line moving. Business as usual, but with the new price and new disclaimer."
She looks surprised that he would even feel the need to make that clear, "But of course. I have done wrong, and need to be erased from this city's memories. I will never return. To compensate, all I have is the shop and its contents. They can have whatever they want from it. I truly have seen the error of my ways. Now please, I must go, I don't think the others you are with will as noble and understanding as you are to those deserving another chance."
Felgar steps to the other side of the woman and holds his axe with both hands.
If you be lyin', or ya run off agin', I'll be splittin' yer melon in two with me axe, missy.
Vyshael says to Felgar as he approaches, "She's agreed to exile herself for what she's done, to head to Magnamar to start a better life.... and I trust her."
Well, I'll be trustin' you, Vyshael...not her. If'n you vouch, so be it.
Vendra looks brightfully, and hopefully, at the odd combination of elf and dwarf. She slowly turns, and continues to head away from them, slowly as if she's expecting to be attacked when they turn on her.
Well, did we keep a sample to bring back to the boss?