As the day begins, Fondo performs his now ritual reading.
Profession (fortune teller)
The Publican rules me today. I shall find solace and joy with my comrades today.
Fondo mutters in the common room of Zellara's hunched over the table where she performed so many readings.
What yesterdawn did pass me by unseen?
What plague haunts our footsteps on this new dawn?
Shall I temptations flout, to see us safe?
The Harrow speaks, and Desna's will abides.
"Another fine day for us, my friends. Let us in our friendship take on what fortune holds."
. . . . .
Fondo reflects on his reading as the news of Verek's execution sinks in. "You were right, Barael. A plague has descended on Korvosa. It remains among us. I know not how, but the cards have spoken."
Nikolay happily settles for a night of drinking with Fondo and the rest. Peaceful times at least allow for such camaraderie.
.
----
In the morning, Nikolay trains hard with his new sword again before getting to his spells. A few more days with the ring and I will have several more hours a day to split between my studies.
Nikolay remains stoic at the news of the executions, but there is some inner turmoil. It is good they are dead. They were not worth saving except for Verik and he, he was responsible as much as they. But, I might have spared him. It might have been better if he'd gotten away.
Nikolay casts detect magic and examines the silver dagger.
- Spellcraft
Speaking to no one in particular, Nikolay begins spouting out, "Such atrocities! Has this city gone truly mad?"
Nikolay immediately regrets his day of rest and night of drinking. He looks at the gold and gems "earned" and feels sick to his stomach.
"I will not spend another day pretending that everything has returned to normal." Nikolay gathers his things and heads for the door. "There will be justice today--at least where I go. The citizens will be safe."
Pausing for a moment, Nikolay begins to hear himself and looks around a bit sheepishly. "Join me, please. We've each received enough today to live comfortably for months, if not years. Let us do our part to ensure the citizens at least live to see tomorrow."
Nikolay walks slowly out the door, hoping others will follow. Unsure where to go, Nikolay will question the guards to find out where trouble still abounds in the city. "If Cressida needs us, we will be there, but I cannot sit behind these walls all day."
diplomacy
1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2 diplomacy
"Aye, I'll go." Dandi says quietly, grabbing her bag. It is something, and that is better than nothing. Except...had we done nothing, Verik might still live...but his cowhammer boys would still be slaughtering the people... She pulls her hat on, its brim low to keep the pain of the world out of her outs.
A small clink of vials echoes from the walls across the room.
Barael quickly corks, and the belt pouch is one vial heavier. The kit is secured, and placed at the side of the bed. As Nik gathers his things, another pattern is traced over the leather quiver, before Barael dons it over his shoulder. A smattering of any which thing. Enough arrows for the arisen need. Barael leaps the side of the bed for a more direct route to catch up with Nik.
By the time Nik is approaching the Guard, Barael is almost his shadow. Only for not lacing up his boots, Barael clomps down the hallway, and kneels to finish the job.
Barael senses Nik's frustration, and utters not a single word. Frustration provokes the angry hand, so don't poke at it. Let it grow tired, and quiet itself.
In the morning, Briar will happily set into what is becoming a quiet routine, giving his mind time to better understand the changes that have come over him in the last few days. Though he is no closer to finding the magic, he finds himself changed nonetheless.
The morning routine will entail raising early to greet and respond to the whispers that answer his morning solitudes (usually while soaking his armor in water, a daily necessity). After that, he might scribe those words on to parchment for later use, hopeful that the magic that he has been promised exists.
He will then eat a breakfast in the mess hall, seeking quiet time near Barael and Nikolay where he can watch and learn.
* * *
Speaking to no one in particular, Nikolay begins spouting out, "Such atrocities! Has this city gone truly mad?"
Briar snorts at the late remorse, but keeps his thoughts to himself.
I tried to tell you. All you had to do is speak up.
"Join me, please. We've each received enough today to live comfortably for months, if not years. Let us do our part to ensure the citizens at least live to see tomorrow."
It's better than hanging out here.
"I'll go. I have things that I seek out from these walls as well." Briar moves to his bunk to retrieve his bow and arrows, leaving much of his equipment in his bunk.
This should be fun. What could be better than meddling in the affairs of others?
As you all gather just outside the Citadel and prepare for battle against the unknown, a runner comes up to you. "Excellent, you are ready. Cressida has need of you. She's ready to meet with you now."
---
This time as you meet Cressida, she is not alone. A handsome man sits in one of the chairs at her desk, and as you enter, he rises and bows deeply - most especially to Dandilion to whom he offers his chair. Cressida introduces him as an old friend - one Vencarlo Orisini. Vencarlo is a charming man, and he bows again as he's introduced. Cressida explains that, although Vencarlo himself has always been an outspoken critic of Korvosa's government, she has always valued him as a friend and advisor. "Particularly in these dark times, his input about the temperament and morale of the citizens of Korvosa is invaluable to me as I get the city back under control."
"Oh Cressida, you are too kind." Vencarlo is complimentary and polite and mentions your work bringing Verik to justice. "It is too bad he was unsalvageable. He was a good man and simply found himself in a bad spot. If the city were less focused on the rules and more focused on the people, he'd still be alive today and the better we would all be for it! If Korvosa had more fine folk like you, we'd already be out of this mess."
Vencarlo Orisini is a tall man of advanced years, yet with twinkle in his eye and a bounce to his step that hints at a vibrancy and inner fire of a man under half his age. He wears his salt-and-pepper hair pulled back tightly into a bravo's top-knot. He eyes are a cast of deep green - he is of old Chelish blood and it shows. He wears black leather gloves and wears a rapier at his belt.
Fondo bows as well, his scarves sweeping through the air as he does so. "Master Orsini, your teaching is well known to all of us who try our hand at fencing. I'm honored."
- knowledge local for Vencarlo
Vencarlo's words ring true with Nikolay and he finds himself quickly liking the man.
"Verik might yet have been salvageable, but we will never know."
Nikolay turns to Cressida, "How might we be of assistance to the citizens this day?"
Yes he is an exceptional fencing instructor and well known in Korvosa.
"Why thank you young man. I see by your blade you yourself have some moderate skill." He glances at all of you ending with Nikolay, "In fact I see several of you prefer the blade - and have good taste in equipment!"
Dandi smiles at the dashing older man, and takes the proffered seat in spite of herself.
"Thanks."
As he confirms her suspicions that Verik did not need to die, she winces almost audibly and cannot meet his eyes as he names them 'fine folks'. We owe Korvosa a life, how 'fine' can we be? And how does he get his hair to do that?"
Fondo smiles and gives another, shallow bow. "I should be honored, sir, by the opportunity to fence with your students one day. I have heard especially good things about one such whom we met the morning after the riots. Grau? Twas a sorrow to hear of his tragic loss."
An old friend, huh? Mum's introduced me to plenty of those. Barael measures the man, and becomes slightly more comfortable as he notes the apparent difference in Vencarlo's age and Cressida's. Gleaning the quality of the blade at Vencarlo's side, he loosens further.
"A master, you say Fondo? I'm what you call self-taught, and that's got me this far, but with our Korvosa's unease, that might not be enough. Are you taking on new students in the near future?"
Barael listens to Nik and Vencarlo discuss Verik's fate. "Verik's hung. That tells you that he wasn't salvageable. The Guard doesn't hang those who don't deserve it. Cressida wouldn't rush a decision where a man's life was at stake. She made the right decision, given the circumstances, and you always need circumstances to determine the mettle of the man."
Barael listens to Nik and Vencarlo discuss Verik's fate. "Verik's hung. That tells you that he wasn't salvageable. The Guard doesn't hang those who don't deserve it. Cressida wouldn't rush a decision where a man's life was at stake. She made the right decision, given the circumstances, and you always need circumstances to determine the mettle of the man."
I once thought as he did. Once.
Taking note that Cressida is in the same room, "I'm not saying that the decision was rushed or illegal. I just would hope for more...understanding during these turbulent times. Undoubtedly, others will learn from the example made of Verik, but it is an expensive lesson. Unfortunately, it is rare that the decision is so clear."
Lamm was an easy decision though.
Fondo murmurs, "Twas the circumstance was unsalvageable, brov. What didn't make her choice the easier.
Briar is happy to hear another call from Cressida for things to do, enchanted to find some direction to his life as he struggles to understand the changes that have hit him recently.
Perhaps I will find some solitude in duty to others...or perhaps we will see more men hung for no good reason.
Briar looks at Cressida, trying to judge how she felt about Verik's end while others speak of it in front of her.
Sense Motive -
* * *
Briar nods as the swordsmaster is introduced, but makes no overt noise during the conversation, maintaining an elven calm and trying to understand more about the dynamics of the City, Guard, and populace.
Trying to steer the conversation towards something more positive, Briar will interject during a pause in discussion.
"Cressida, perhaps I missed something. Did you call us forth for good reason? What did you need of us?"
Vencarlo flashes a smile at Dandilion and says, "I am sorry but I'm between students at the moment. Perhaps another time. Still, I could..."
Cressida gently cuts him off. "As much as I would enjoy continuing this conversation, I fear we just don't have the time. Vencarlo comes to me with news of important changes on the streets from time to time, and this is no different. Indeed what he's learned could degrade to sactions, embargoes, or even war against Cheliax if we don't act now."
"The problem is a man named Darvayne Gios Amprei. You may have heard of him - he's an ambassador from Cheliax whose disdain for Korvosa is well documented, and yet he's taken great pleasure in what our city has to offer. Even before this recent unrest, this man was ready to recommend to his government a sanction on trade, or perhaps even an embargo."
"Vencarlo has learned through his own considerable sources that Ambassador Amprei's actual goals are to undermine Korvosa's economy to the point where he can buy up large portions of the city from desperate landholders and establish himself in a position of power here. Whatever the ambassador's reasons, we can't let his bias or personal plans hurt Korvosa. Yet neither can we take drastic action - not only would killing him be wrong, it would simply martyr him in Cheliax's eyes."
Cressida sighs, and you see something of the tiredness in her, but only for a moment and she straightens up again.
"Fortunately, Darvayne has his foibles. Vencarlo has learned that Ambassador Amprei has been making fairly regular visits to a place in Old Korvosa called Eel's End. I'd not expect you to know of it. This den of vice is run by a dangerous man named Devargo Barvasi, better known as the King of Spiders. I'd love to put Barvasi out of business, but he pays his vice taxes regularly and never causes any problems."
"Devargo would never let someone he recognizes as an ally of the Guard into Eel's End, but your group is a different case. I'd like you to pay a visit to Devargo. Find out what he knows about Amprei, get proof of any illicit goings-on the ambassador might be involved with, and bring that proof to me to use to undermine any forthcoming attempts by him to get Cheliax to cut us off."
"Devargo might not be willing to part with this information easily. I'll supply you with some gold to bribe him - but remember the man is dangerous. If things get violent I wouldn't mourn his passing, but it may be a tall order - he's well protected and a tough man." Cressida hands Nikolay a pouch with 1500 gold sails.
Temptations aplenty at Eel's End.
Fondo's face turns from rueful to a dawning smirk. "If I understand you true, you'd like us to trick the King of Flies to help you damn the Chelish ambassador? Milady, the week's been full of loss and dread decisions, but success in this endeavor would be a buoy to my spirits."
"I don't like it. We're anything but subtle as a group. You touch a spider's web, doesn't it know well before you've danced in that you're prey?" Barael looks to Fondo with a light pleading. "What pretense do we have to walk into Eel's End and start asking questions regarding Amprei, let alone try and ask the snake's head? I don't like it."
Dandi listens very very quietly, even for her. A life, we owe one. Would it be so bad if it were his?
Her ring weighs heavy on her hand, fondling the spider etched on its top. Oh yeah, Devargo is an *excellent* business man, the rat! His head ought to be mouldering right along with Lamm's, I don't care how much taxes he pays.
Her lip twitches, but Dandilion does her best to feign ignorance of all things related to the man. Oh, she'll come clean to the others, but not here, not in front of her... or him.
"I don't like it. We're anything but subtle as a group. You touch a spider's web, doesn't it know well before you've danced in that you're prey?" Barael looks to Fondo with a light pleading. "What pretense do we have to walk into Eel's End and start asking questions regarding Amprei, let alone try and ask the snake's head? I don't like it."
"I can be subtle,"she says under her breath, one hand reaching for a bomb before she catches herself.
More loudly she adds, "but you're right. He'll know. That man knows anything that goes on near that ship..." Realizing her slip, she tries to cover, her head jerking a little to one side, "or, uh, so I heard. " on the street, you hear things. Surre, they'll believe that!
Although Eel's End consists of five decommissioned ships of various sized, the entire area is referred to as one location by Korvosans - a location under the rule of the King of Spiders, so named for his strange empathy with the long-legged creatures. He is notoriously hard to get to see unless you already have business with him - or have violated one of his rules at Eel's End (usually a fatal situation).
The four smaller ships that comprise Eel's End are the Goldenhawk (now a flophouse for drunkards and derelicts to sleep it off), the Twin Tiger (a raucous gambling hall), the House of Clouds (a brothel), and the Dragon's Breath (a drug den). The proprietors of these establisments pay significant rent to Devargo.
The largest of the five is Eel's End itself, a decommissioned warship that serves as Devargo's headquarters and the base of operations for his various underground pursuits. Devargo maintains just enough legality to keep the Korvosan Guard from interfering with all the business in Eel's End, but at the same time his regulations of what goes on here are far more strict (and his punishments far more severe) than anything the Guard themselves would enforce.
Barael, you learn little more than what you've already been told, but you are able to corroborate that information.
Fondo gives Barael the same patronizing look that he so often gave his blood siblings (especially his older brother). "Apparently we now have fifteen hundred reasons to ask the flycatcher questions about Amprei. He is a business man, above all else. But worry not. Let Charlie and I do the talking, and we'll be fine." Well, me at least. Charlie is so silent much of the time. Almost as though his mind is elsewhere.
As he speaks, Fondo takes Dandi's hand — the one with her hollow ring — in his own, in a rather firm, pointed fashion. He squeezes twice, reassuringly, and gives her a sidelong wink.
Fondo gives Barael the same patronizing look that he so often gave his blood siblings (especially his older brother). "Apparently we now have fifteen hundred reasons to ask the flycatcher questions about Amprei. He is a business man, above all else. But worry not. Let Charlie and I do the talking, and we'll be fine." Well, me at least. Charlie is so silent much of the time. Almost as though his mind is elsewhere.
As he speaks, Fondo takes Dandi's hand — the one with her hollow ring — in his own firmly but reassuringly. He squeezes twice, reassuringly, and gives her a sidelong wink.
Looking up at the squeeze, Dandi just catches the wink, smiling brightly with relief. I am not alone. I have family and I am not alone. We'll see who laughs now!
- Knowledge local of Eel's End & Spider
Nikolay accepts the gold sails from Cressida.
Gold almost flows like a river in these halls.
"Thank you for entrusting me with the gold, but you will have to entrust one of my other companions with the talking. My skills will be best used if negotiations turn to the sword."
Which wouldn't be a terrible thing.
"Barael asks a good question. Do we have a ruse for entering the Eel's End as a group? Perhaps we can appeal to his own self-interests in keeping Korvosa out of the clutches of a Chelaxian."
Although Eel's End consists of five decommissioned ships of various sized, the entire area is referred to as one location by Korvosans - a location under the rule of the King of Spiders, so named for his strange empathy with the long-legged creatures.
The four smaller ships that comprise Eel's End are the Goldenhawk (now a flophouse for drunkards and derelicts to sleep it off), the Twin Tiger (a raucous gambling hall), the House of Clouds (a brothel), and the Dragon's Breath (a drug den). The proprietors of these establisments pay significant rent to Devargo.
The largest of the five is Eel's End itself, a decommissioned warship that serves as Devargo's headquarters and the base of operations for his various underground pursuits. Devargo maintains just enough legality to keep the Korvosan Guard from interfering with all the business in Eel's End, but at the same time his regulations of what goes on here are far more strict (and his punishments far more severe) than anything the Guard themselves would enforce.
Briar starts making mental notes as the details of the plans are revealed to him.
Darvayne Gios Amprei. Cheliax. Ambassador.
Devargo Barvasi. King of Spiders. Eel's End.
Bribery. Not guards. Get info.
Briar looks to the faces of his companions and tries to judge how each of them feel about the mission.
I ride upon their shoulders on this. They know the city in ways that I do not.
* * *
"Barael asks a good question. Do we have a ruse for entering the Eel's End as a group?"
Briar offers to let his apathy about the city be put to good use.
"I don't care about your politics. I'll go and ask the questions that need be asked, if need be."
Dandi's eyes shoot to the elf. Caution and loyalty war inside, "You don't understand, Briar. He won't talk to you, you're too... " she waves her hands up and down, as if to encompass his entire being, "clean."
"Our pretext is fifteen hundred sails and the promise of business. It is his place of business. We need no further ruse."
Barael tries to ascertain whether Cressida is in the mood to hear the party brainstorm their plans before he continues.
"Ok, so like... we visit good ole' Barvasi, and we ask him what he's got on Amprei, and we say we can make it worth his while." Barael points to the sack of coins Nik holds. "We say we have a benefactor who wants to keep business running as usual, no greedy trespassers, but the benefactor has his, or her, reasons to remain anonymous. Should Barvasi be able to provide this information, our benefactor can make sure an iron padlock to the coffers of Korvosa will remain forever locked to Amprei." Barael's finger parries the wind, high, then low.
"So we bring him a taste. A gesture of goodwill. A goodly number of the sails on first pass, then a goodly sum more when he concludes his research? We walk in there with the full bag, we're as good as bloaters off the, Dandi did you say it was a ship?" What's to say Barvasi will content himself with our fare? Hungry dog, well, he'll return to the table every chance he can get, find himself some scraps, even bite your hand to get you to drop the rest.
"Are Amprei and Barvasi acquaintances? Have they spilled drinks together? What's to say that Barvasi isn't already in on Amprei's plans, and willing to be all supportive like?" Barael shakes his head to rid himself of the thought. The thoughts, getting tangled in webs. The thoughts, feeling more trapped, more helpless.
Cressida does in fact cut in again, "This does sound a good plan, but please go work out the details of your endeavor elsewhere, I do have other business to attend to. This is one more thing off my plate though - and I thank you for it!"
Briar looks at Cressida at turns to leave, dismissed, but spins on his heels to ask a question on his mind.
"Ah...where is Eel's End?"
"The narrows, Kako. You have the right, little brother. Shall we leave the Field Marshall in peace? Citizen Orsini, an honor! May Desna see fit for our paths to weave unto each other like two threads in her loom."
Once the party has exited Kroft's office, Fondo continues. "Agreed. We should bring an ingot, and promise two more should the flycatcher fulfill his part of the bargain. To promise more than this bit of business though... I find jel'enedra's words to ring true. The man's a scorpion, not a spider. One does not tarry long with such a creature."
He turns to Dandilion. "I doubt that the Spider would find you and I too clean. Perhaps he would hear our words, and those of Kako Charlie?"
"Where is Kako, anyway? Such a church mouse you are, Charlie."
I don't trust this Vencarlo. Maybe he's just the first person I've heard of that could be part of a larger plot. He's too smooth and without the kindness that Fondo has.
"A simple and straightforward plan it is then."
Nikolay stores half the gold at the citadel and hangs onto the other half. While unafraid of any who might try to take it by force, he keeps an eye out for any shiftier types that might approach as the party makes its way to Eel's End.
Cressida responds, "As Fondo says, it is at the eastern-most end of the narrows in Old Korvosa. You'll not easily miss it."
Charlied doesn't think Vencarlo is involved in anything nefarious, but with that roll, who knows?
The journey there is quiet, though it's nearly noon there are still few people on the street, and those who are seem more huddled than usual. Still, there are more then yesterday and fewer of them seem intent on harm - just folks going about their daily business.
"We stay together, right? Board the ship as a pack? Or do some of us hang back while the others fence with words?" Barkley mentioned visiting that part of town once. Wouldn't talk much about it, though. Maybe now I'm starting to see things more clearly.
"Fondo, miss Dandi, is there a... look, to being a frequenter of Eel's End?" Barael points to Nik and himself. "We good? If we're representatives, who do we, you know, represent? A noble's house, another government official, a merchant from the Heights? If we're bringing gold in that amount, does our benefactor want us to look top notched, or is he or she hiring lowlifes to visit with lowlifes?"
Barael starts to rub his forehead. He takes out a small leather pouch, and pinches a goodly sum of kahve grinds, which he places between his gums and teeth. Is the headache one of those headaches, or is it just the stress of this new task?
A sprawl of light and sound marks the end-pier of Old Korvosa on the eastern side. Glowing lanterns in the shape of dream spiders and god's eyes hang from pilings and lampposts, flickering through all hours of the day and night adding to the brightness even now. The pier itself is 70' long, although the last 30' widen into a large square platform on the water.
The sound of carousing booms from the elegantly painted ships moored to this long pier. Large signs painted in several languages hang from ropes slung between ships or are nailed to pilings.
The closest ship bears a sign that says, "The Twin Tigers - Take the Tiger by the Tail and try your Luck!" Opposite that to the west, a barge's sign says, "Welcome to the Goldenhawk - No Safer Stay in Old Korvosa!" Further to the southeast is "Dragon's Breath Corridor - Dream the Dragon's Dreams at Affordable Prices!", while opposite that is the "House of Clouds - The Caress of Our Lovelies will take you Straight to Heaven!"
Only the largest ship, to the south, bears no signage at all.
Short rope bridges or gangplanks provide access to the decks of these ships from the pier, or from the decks of other ships. Sailors, thugs, drunkards, prostitutes, and what could even be a few well-dressed nobles carouse on the pier and the decks of all five ships, seemingly oblivious to Korvosa's recent troubles. Here and there, large men dressed in chainmail patrol the area, grim faces in a sea of revelry.
Fondo tries to remember which ship the Spider makes his lair, guessing the unmarked ship.
Unless he remembers otherwise, he heads toward the unmarked ship, an amiable look on his face, ready to be stopped by one of the guards. His sap lies hidden in his sleeves.
Briar follows the group in relative silence, trying to maintain an active watch during the journey (and still learning the layout of Korvosa).
Briar keeps his new bow on his back, wishing that he had taken the time to run through a few quivers at an archery range.
Somehow I doubt any of the dummies there would be dressed as my brother, no matter how much that would please me. Arguments that it would increase my accuracy an ErastilFold would fall on deaf ears, no doubt.
At Eel's End itself, Briar must mentally contrain himself from drawing his bow and trusting the evident and grim security forces for his protection.
Briar will wait for the loudmouth to talk their way through. Failing that, the stern one might get them to our goal. If not, then he's sure the waif will burn them all in a shipsfire inferno.
Luckily, I can swim.
As they walk toward the Narrows, Fondo shares some perspective with his more upstanding friends. He does not address his comments towards Briar, evidently assuming that the elf is worldly enough to understand.
"Listen, little brother. Nikolay. The Spider's a man of business. Likes to be treated as though he's a respected citizen. Sure, he's a scorpion who'll betray us at the first opportunity. But I've no doubt gold and respect speak to him. I suggest you pretend some respect for him, and let me and Charlie negotiate."
"And, of course, keep a subtle eye out for betrayal, without looking like you're doing so."
"Fondo, miss Dandi, is there a... look, to being a frequenter of Eel's End?" Barael points to Nik and himself. "We good? If we're representatives, who do we, you know, represent? A noble's house, another government official, a merchant from the Heights? If we're bringing gold in that amount, does our benefactor want us to look top notched, or is he or she hiring lowlifes to visit with lowlifes?"
"I'm sure you'll be fine, Barael. Like Fondo says, he's a man of business. Just keep your wits about you and don't look him in the eyes. Just below works, actually. maybe his nose. Don't stare. But stay focused on what he says. and and and..." I have a reallly bad feeling about this... "I'm sure it'll be fine."
Charlie will talk to Fondo the whole way down the pier when we get close the conversation will turn to a lost love that he hopes to find a mirror image of."A bright face with piercing eyes and an easy laugh..." He goes on and on half hanging on to Fondo's shoulder alternately drinking from his wineskin and offering it to his Nevvie who would be wise to decline. It is pretty harsh.
"If it comes to fighting, because words and gestures and stroking egos won't do, can you actually say something to those of us don't know it's already come to a head? Like an expression that means we're done with words?" Barkley spoke of dragons and clouds. Until now, I haven't let myself understand fully. Perhaps that's why I haven't seen him in two years.
Barael fidgets with his belt pouch, and produces a glass bottle. He readies to apply a touch of cologne before leaving the Citadel, and thinks twice. "Brov, this might be better were you to wear it, don't you think? Front man and all. Couldn't hurt to splash some on Charlie, neither." Barael wrinkles his nose, and tries to press it before looking in Charlie's direction. Barael offers both Fondo and Charlie one dose of cologne each.
He returns his thumbs to his belt. His hands unconsciously migrate to the hilt of the rapier, then back to nestle on the belt. He takes out a scarf, and tries to tie the scarf onto the rapier in a way that looks to others as if it were peacebonded. Noticing that all other weapons on the docks are simply sheathed, and unadorned with the gesture, he fumbles the scarf away.
"I shall happily say, 'Excuse me, sir. A sickness fills my craw.' But we should not fight. The spider sits at the heart of his web, and has many smaller spiders to summon with but a strum of its silk."
"Alright then, so sickness, and draw swor... what? You mean to tell me that it's not an option, to defend ourselves? We walk into a lair, and we're outnumbered. We walk in without weapons, we're meat. We walk in with weapons, and we can't use them, so meat. Cressida said, you heard her, that she wouldn't mourn his passing. You always talk about tall drinks of water, what about tall orders?" Barael crosses his arms, and drops brow.
"Words of the mongoose, and words of the cobra. Let's hope the mongoose comes out on top, is all I'm saying."
"Defend yourself and look for an exit out. But be not quick to find quarrel. No doubt the Spider would prefer you to be another strand in his thread, rather than an unprofitable fly."
The largest of the five ships tied off to the pier is a warship bearing the name Eel's End, its figurehead a coiling eel with a woman's head. Several drunkards, sailors, and revelers dance and drink on the large open main deck here, while the aft deck is relatively clear.
A pair of large double doors bearing a complex painting of a spider allows entrance into the stern section of the main deck and is guarded by one of the many enforcers wandering around the whole area.
No one stops you, or even pays much attention to you, as you climb aboard the ship, but the door guard does step in front of the door if you approach too closely to the aft section. He says nothing, but his look is clear - no admittance.
Guards, I can talk to guards. It's the Spider makes me nervous. Barael steps forward with a slight bow, acknowledging the guard's movement for the message it intends. "Evening good man. I am an emissary, as are these fine individuals, sent to speak with the illustrious Devargo Barvasi. We think our message will be highly interesting, and well worth the time it takes to hear it, if I speak plainly enough." Barael bows slightly a second time. "If you would be troubled to send word of our request for an audience, we would be thankful."
Fondo smiles at Barael. Not bad. We'll make a rogue of you yet, little brother.
He steps beside his friend and smiles reassuringly. "Indeed. We have some business to propose to Master Barvasi, which we believe he shall find profitable. We'd be grateful for an audience."
Briar continues to exist.