"Excuse me," says Fredo, grabbing the back of the empty chair across from Thousand Bones. "Am I disturbing you?"
Thousand Bones looks up, broken from his reverie. His eyes are red, but his face is hard and his expression is strong. "No, Giulianoff. You are not disturbing me. I am merely coping with...a loss. Some local toughs decided to take advantage of the chaos as an excuse to take out some racial hatred. My son was beaten to death in an alley this evening."
His expression is empty, but somewhere beneath the Shoanti strength and his even demeanor rages the intense flame of rage.
"I'm sorry," says Fredo quietly. He wants to say more, to decry the murderers' actions as deplorable and to promise the grieving father some justice, but he can't bring himself to do it. Fighting for Trinia has exhausted his capacity for righteous anger and has left him reluctant to make any more promises he doesn't know he can fulfill. "Thank you for sharing that with me," he says instead. "Is there anything my friends and I can do?"
Raijinn turns to Trinia with a sad look in his eyes. "I am sorry for what has occurred." he says simply. "I had not anticipated the Queen's desperation."
"I think there is." booms the large blind shaman. "I am here, in large part, to be an ambassador for out people. This incident, as I'm sure you imagine, will do much to foster much of the same racial hatred as has been seen in generations past, especially after I learned that his body was never recovered."
He stands, a towering figure even in his old age. "It seems the people of this city will do much to rekindle old conflicts. His body was, according to Creddida and her Guard, sold to a necromancer. Our ways are not yours. If a person's body does not go whole to the pyre, the smoke of a warrior's spirit cannot go to the Great Sky. Much of the anger of my people would be ameliorated if I could do this, but I cannot. Cressida has told me that she has discovered where the body was brought to, and I could easily take a group of braves in and claim it myself...but this would be seen as aggressive. I cannot do this myself."
"I do not like asking others for chores, but you have shown yourselves capable, and...well, you do owe me a favor."
The only response Trinia has to Raijinn's grim apology is a sunny smile and a reassurance. "It's okay! You and your friends got me out again, and anything's better than what the mob would have done."
Thaven blushes and mutters something about it being nothing and being happy to help and something something you're pretty.
Trinia turns to Thaven, confusion evident on her face. "Huh?"
"Um, nothing. Just... you know, nothing." Thaven's face is now mostly red as he quickly turns away to check something on his bow that suddenly seems very very important.
"We do at that," says Fredo, running his fingers through the thin hair around the side of his head. "How would you like it if we continued to owe you a favor? Let me explain," he says quickly, before the ambassador thinks he's saying no. "I'll tell the others of your need, and I'm sure they'll help. But we also need your help smuggling a fugitive out of the city. You've heard the propaganda coming out of Castle Korvosa about Trinia Sabor, the regicide? We have her, and we know she's innocent. I believe we can disguise her as a child and hide her among the children you've already agreed to take, at minimal risk. And we'd still owe you a favor. Would this be alright?"
Thousand Bones remains impassive as Goffred admits to him that he has custody of a potential king-killer, then professes her innocence, then asks for his help in removing her from the city. He strokes his hairless chin. "So, you want me to bring more people to my clan? She would be among Shoanti, this is okay with you? Of course it is. You have thought this through, haven't you?" this last bit seems more rhetorical than anything, really. "And what could you do to repay this second favor, hmm? When I return home to bury Gaekhen and build homes for your refugee youngsters, what happens to our debt?"
"Oh, okay!" Trinia says, cheer evident on her face, as she skips ahead of the pair (still taking care to avoid public eyes) on the way to Zellara's.
"Call it in any time," says Fredo gravely. "I will be at your service. Though you needn't keep Trinia among you if she does not wish to stay. Despite her disguise, she is an adult, and can walk her own path."
"Hmm." He thinks for a moment, continually "Himm-ing" and "Haw-ing". He strokes his shaven chin, and plays with a long bone rod that rests at his hip.
He sets some incense and sits down to think about it. It almost seems like he's being rude, taking an unnecessarily long time to decide, when subtle white light begins to collect around him and be absorbed into the mist of the incense.
"Very well. I will agree to this arrangement. Bring me my son's body and I will take your children and your adult woman out of here. I agree that it is growing unsafe, and that it is wise to take those you love out of danger. I will arrange for a guide as soon as you and yours are ready. I will be waiting."
"It's a deal," says Fredo confidently. Thousand Bones' spell almost certainly told him that taking Trinia would be the right thing to do. If the ambassador is willing to trust it, then so is Fredo.
Permission secured, Fredo returns to the gnome who sold him his healing spell and purchases two scrolls each of youthful appearance and misdirection, trading in the wand he'd taken from Yargin to help pay for them. Finally, he rendezvous with the others at Zellara's house.
"I've spoken with Thousand Bones," he says. "He's a Shoanti chief and ambassador," he explains to Trinia. "He had already agreed to shelter a number of orphans with his Quah, so I persuaded him to take you along as well, disguised as a child." He gives her one scroll of each spell. "One of these will make you look like a child to the eye. The other will make you look like one of the other children if anyone examines your aura. I recommend an elf-girl named Semelle. Use them when you're about to leave the city. They'll last about an hour.
"Trinia won't be able to leave for a while, however," says Fredo, now looking more at his friends. "Thousand Bones' son Gaekhen was killed, and his body sold to a necromancer. Bloody Chelaxian chauvinism
at its worst..." he takes a deep breath. "He won't leave without the body. Apparently Cressida knows where the necromancer's stashed it. We've got to get it back so Trinia can be safe. As soon as possible."
Burahl arrives the last of the party at Zellara's House, his pockets ringing with the sound of glass ticking against other glass.
As he enters the house he makes sure nobody followed him, then goes in.
"I've made some potions, one to shield myself if the need arises and one for either Thaven or Raijinn. If you have some growing up to do, this is the potion for you."
"So Fredo did everything work out with Thousand Bones?" He listens to Fredo explain again and then nods.
"Very well, I will indeed help, I have never heard of a good necromancer so we'd best hurry I guess."
Thaven smiles and pats his bow. "I never intend to get close enough to be hit."
Raijinn is relieved to hear of Fredo's plan. The combination of magic and the Shoanti will be able to provide a much safer escape than he could. He looks at the older man with gratitude, prepared to do whatever it takes to make this work, and is relieved to hear that the Shoanti do not require any broken laws. It seems like this might go smoothly, he thinks. 'It is at least straightforward. Destroy the evil magic user, retrieve the body, and the girl will be able to leave safely.' Raijinn preferred this to dealings with politics.
When Thaven turns down the elixir, Raijinn smiles and nods at the rat, taking the vial from him and placing it carefully in a pocket.
"Disposing of the Necromancer may take time. Will the girl be safe here?"
"With the Shoanti?" Trinia asks, a look of surprise and fear starting to show across her face - but not for long, for it quickly turns into an excitable grin. "If that's not an adventure, I don't know what is."
"I'm glad you approve," says Fredo, looking between Raijinn and Trinia. "In that spirit, Trinia, how would you like to come with us to retrieve Gaekhen's body? I got the distinct impression from talking with Thousand Bones that he isn't anywhere the Guard, or the Hellknights, or the crowds want to go. It'll probably be dangerous, but at least you'll have company and we won't be distracted by worrying whether you're safe."
"Go on an adventure?" Trinia is beaming. "Like, with real adventurers? Would I! Can I guys? I mean, really, can I?" she asks, looking around for everyone's approval.
Burahl nods in answer to Trinia's question.
"Of course you can, though I have to ask: do you have any combat experience?"
The ratfolk looks up at her with curious eyes.
She waggles her head with pride and turns to Burahl. "I must say that I'm quite the urban spelunker, and if you've ever leapt around Korvosan roofs you know there's more than birds and pseudodragons up there. Chokers and imps are endemic." To emphasize her point, she unbuttons her blouse (holding up a reassuring hand that she isn't simply undressing) to reveal the glitter of a mithril chain shirt and indicates a sheathed dagger at her belt.
Burahl nods approvingly.
"Then I worried for naught", he says, "As a matter of fact I haven't been up the roofs of korvosa that much, I'm more of a down to earth rat you see, more spelunking of old buildings."
He fumbles around in his pockets and hands her a flask of Cure Light Wounds.
"I guess you might know what this is, if not it is a curative elixir, use it if necessary."
Camping out at Zellara's for the night, exhausted by their day of climbing, disguising, legally defending, and planning, it doesn't take long for our heroes to fall asleep, even with minimal comfortable arrangements available in the abandoned house.
They are awoken by blades of light crossing the threshold of the windows and lancing into the main rooms of the house, but their state of waken-ness is preceded by Trinia, who has practically been bouncing with excitement for nearly half an hour already. As soon as she sees the groggy faces of her new friends getting somewhat upright, she's right in their faces, asking, "Are you ready for our adventure today? Necromancers, backdoor dealings, possible wars...it's exciting, isn't it? I wonder where we'll be getting to today?"
Raijinn looks at the girl with amusement, but his voice is a bit more stern. "It is exciting, but never forget how dangerous it is as well. You must steel yourself, for even small distractions can cost you dearly."
"Now," He continued, looking her over, "Let's see how prepared you are." Raijinn is pleased to see her wearing decent armour. While he'd prefer to have her done up in heavy plate, it wasn't exactly feasible for her size. He nodded toward the dagger at her hip. "You know how to use that?"
Wizard Prepared Spell List (CL 3rd; concentration +7):
2nd - invisibility, pyrotechnics (DC 17)
1st – floating disk, grease (DC 15), mage armor, protection from evil, shield
0th – detect magic, disrupt undead, read magic, prestidigitation
Trinia finds Fredo with his head resting in an open book. Two blank pieces of parchment, a stoppered inkwell, and a used quill lie next to him. "Someplace decent folk shouldn't have to go, that's where," he says groggily, turning back from the newly written pages to something he might actually want to use today.
Trinia shrugs, then takes the knife out and begins flipping it between her hands and around in circles. "Well enough, I suppose. I don't really like to, but I'm sure you know how that is."
Thaven stands and yawns, stretching himself out. He unslings his bow and begins checking his arrows.
Packing up to meet Thousand Bones, Goffred excuses himself for awhile. It isn't safe to bring Trinia out into the streets just yet, and he still needs the location of the necromancer.
Thousand Bones is waiting for him as Goffred enters his office, and gives the man directions to a place called "The Dead Warrens" in the Gray District. Apparently this area is popular for Korvosan necromancers because it's full of the bodies of either unidentified dead or the dead of people too poor to pay for a real funeral. It's essentially a mass grave. Thousand Bones issues a word of caution before sending Goffred on his way, and Goffred is back at Zellara's barely half an hour after he left.
"Is everyone ready?" says Fredo, coming back in the house. Cat, who'd slept late, hops into his arms, and he smooths back the fur on the top of her head. "According to Kroft and Thousand Bones, the necromancer who purchased Gaekhen's corpse operates out of the Dead Warrens in Gray District, where the city dumps the John Does and the paupers who can't pay for a funeral. He should be easy to identify, though, if his skin tone and tattoos are anything like his father's."
"I'm good. Dead things, then?" Thaven checks his arrows, restrings his bow and generally makes himself ready, loosening his sword in its sheath.
"I'm all set to go. Luckily dead things like fire just as little as we do." Burahl says as he pulls out a few of his flasks and ingredients.
"If we are all set, lead the way Fredo."
Raijinn simply nods, somewhat anxious of what they may find in the Gray District.
Leaving Zellara's a skipping and hooded Trinia in tow, our heroes make their way through the crowded and loud streets of Korvosa, avoiding crowds and law enforcement when they can, to arrive at the large silver gates of the Gray District. Attended by a pair of Pharasman acolytes, silver spirals embroidered on their robes, the gates swing open on request. A warning is given of potential danger - the Pharasmans do their best to contain and destroy the undead, but pockets of danger may still exist. Still, the Gray District is off-limits to no one, and everyone is let in.
Korvosa’s vast graveyard, a place known as the Gray District, is a mournful place even by day. Alone in the city, this place is quiet and calm in the face of the civil unrest, yet this calm is an unnatural stillness in the air, almost as if the graveyard were preparing itself for a vast influx of new dead. Certainly, this ominous feeling is nowhere more noticeable than in Potter’s Ward, the final resting ground for Korvosa’s poor and homeless. Mounds of unmarked dirt stretch far and wide, indicating sites of mass graves, while crumbling mausoleums from years ago, abandoned by their families as the Gray District expanded to the west, dot the bleak landscape, forgotten and empty. Mourners do not visit here, for the dead buried in Potter’s Ward leave behind few who regret their passing.
Locating the mausoleum referred to as "The Dead Warrens" by Thousand Bones' source is easy enough, and takes only a short while. Afternoon has barely begun by the time the cracked and white columns loom in front of our heroes. The mausoleum is an unassuming an abandoned-looking building, with a door held ajar and mostly stone features.
"Wheelbarrow tracks. And a man. And a small four-toed foot. Not sure what sort of humanoid."
"You're right Thaven. And the prints lead to that door. Conveniently it is open."
Burahl approaches the dor carefully, watching for signs or listening to sounds coming from the opened door.
Burahl hears nothing from behind the stone door of the abandoned mausoleum. In fact, he hears nothing at all besides the shuffling of feet of those around him and Thaven's report on the tracks they've found.
Raijinn moves a hand to the hilt of his sword, walking towards the door behind Burahl. 'Hear anything?' He whispers. When the rat shakes his head, Raijinn strains his own ears, but also hears only silence. He narrows his eyes in suspicion.
"There might simply be nothing to hear," says Fredo. Methodically, he casts a protection spell , draws his remaining wand, and pulls open the door.
Thaven raises his bow, nocks an arrow and moves into the corridor, taking care to keep quiet.
Burahl carefully follows Thaven in after drinking a potion of Shield.
He looks around the corridor when they are inside, checking if there is darkness and what he can see in it.
The mausoleum is only dimly-lit from the light of the afternoon outside (which is seemingly dampened in this bleak landscape) but it's easy enough to see the inside of this modestly-sized and one-room building. A few tombs line the walls, but even if these had been filled at one point, they have long since been cracked open and looted for any valuables.
The muddy tracks lead right into the building, crossing to a far corner where an incongruous stretch of carpet sits at an angle over a partially-revealed trapdoor.
"Derro tracks." Burahl whispers as the others follow into the mausoleum. "Tricky and fiendish creatures, crazy as well. We should be careful for any tricks played on us."
Raijinn draws his sword, moving into the building with the others.
Thaven moves in and stops near the trapdoor, listening for a moment. Assuming he doesn't hear anything, he shoulders his bow and opens the trapdoor as quietly as he can.