Fondo opens the northern door, sap in hand.
Briar contemplates drawing his bow, but instead watches the opening of the North door.
"So, Dragon, who mages have you served?" He'll say it, then think it.
Barael senses the party's movement, and realizes that he'd become a rock, weighing them down for now. He defers to unopened doors first.
Barael opens each door of the privy, gives it a good eye.
A mild look of disgust, Barael turns back to the southern attentions.
Entering the southern room, Barael turns to unopened doors, and checks for traps and locks.
"Looks clear, shall we?"
He thinks back to everyone, "I have served no wizard as yet. I am a free-born here in Korvosa."
“Hey, that tickles!” Muffling her laughter with one hand, Dandi reaches back with the other, trying to tickle the dragon’s tail in return. If he stays, she tries a gentle scratch where his jaw and throat meet, gauging what dragons like best.
So taken with the Majenko, she is the last to notice the shiver the kitchen. Standing in the center of the room, she turns slowly, her palms turned up… “w’ooohhh” the breath whistles out slowly as she takes it all in. She inhales the scent, so alike and so different from the faint zing of hue threads, and her mouth waters a little. ohmygodohmygodohmygod…what I could do with this stuff.
”What? No, Prala baro, I can make good use of some of this. Fiery things or even sleeping draughts so we don’t have to kill people all the time.”
“yes, Barael, nearly all of it. We could do so much good with this stuff. I don’t think Prala underst…..” She watches, horrified as he breaks first one vial, then another and a third. Belatedly she starts trying to round them up “Stop!!! What are you doing? Do you know how much money you’re throwing away? How much hard work..Stop, just stop!.”
"What?" I mean, what? Yes, of course I would mind! They're just helpless little spiders. Don't you like fruit or something. Fruit is good. I'll get you some if you wait! Dandi's whole body tenses. or... or... what do I have that you can eat...but not the living spiders....
Barael stops at the third vial of shiver destroyed. Instinctively, he bows his head as he pushes two vials in Dandi's direction. He still tries to pocket scarf the 6th vial. "Miss Dandi, this stuff, it's distilled corrosion of the soul. What it does to people, it..." Barael looks to her sadly, hoping to see understanding. It was too long ago, I had to see it myself. "I meant no offense."
Barael takes quick inventory of the brewing room, wonders what could be brought back to Zellara's to assist both himself and Dandi.
Briar thinks while he awaits the opening of the north door.
"Served no mages, eh? And what do you know of magic? And is there a dragon god you worship? When you prayed for release, to whom did they go?"
"Barael...yes, I ... " she takes the two vials but frowns as he bows his head. She shakes her own and waits for him to look up before she tries to explain. "Look, this stuff, this is awful, and everything, but it's all usuable, for a uh..."
She knows he's right, but something inside her *wants* it, and a hundred reasonable ways to use it come to mind, though her ring wobbles on her finger as she rubs at it while she talks. it's not a lie, not really. I won't use this stuff, the hard stuff. Not for me. Just some webs for threads and we can keep the hard stuff for defense. "...to put on weapons and such, to help us protect the people with uh, less bloodshed. If we'd had some of this, maybe there wouldn't be so much blood upstairs."
What's wrong with the blood? You fight. You bleed. Even the victors.
Nikolay says nothing.
"I like that idea. Lacings. We'll need to work on that." Barael touches the belt pouch. Spider, Imp. These vials want to join the conversations in steel. Otherwise, they're only pleasing in the light of the sun. Barael's posture heightens again, and he turns back to the business at hand.
The western door is stout and locked, but you have the key from Devargo's dead body. The foul-smelling room is empty, save for a mount of filthy straw seething with vermin. The room clearly looks like a temporary prison of some sort.
The northern room is more interesting however, and is clean and dry. An ornate bed rests against the far wall, while a single dresser and a round table and chair fill out the rest of the room. A wooden sea chest sits at the foot of the bed. This is clearly Devargo's personal quarters.
While the chest is securely locked, Devargo's last key fits it nicely and it opens with nary a whisper. Inside you find a wealth of riches - a jasper studded amulet (750gp), a gold necklace fitted with emeralds (900gp), a mother of pearl horn worth 75gp, and 9 gold ingots (100gp ea). Additionally there is a magic ring, a magic scabbard, a magic pearl, a magic sash, and a scroll, er, with magic writing on it.
You also find a packet of letters written to Ambassador Amprei from a woman named Verania Tvastiox - the young wife of one of Amperei's superiors back home in Cheliax. A quick glance through the letters shows they will do exactly what Cressida needs them to do. Congratulations!
Briar, drawn to whatever items might be valuable enough to be locked into a box, casts Detect Magic and examines them.
Spellcraft Ring
Spellcraft Scabbard
Spellcraft Pearl
Spellcraft Sash
Finally, Briar casts Read Magic and takes a gander at the scroll.
Fondo looks at the treasure with an appreciative smile, and helps gather it readily enough. He'll also examine it alongside Briar, not yet using the Harrow deck.
Ring
Scabbard
Pearl
Sash
"Ah, yes. Magic. Nice stuff. Er... What shall we do with the body?" He continues, muttering, "Wonder if he had any one who cared at all...?"
Charlie will move to M28 and watch the passageway that leads upstairs. If the magics aren't all figured out he'll have a go at them.
[ooc]perception (ongoing)
Between Briar and Fondo the items are squarely figured out. Quite a haul the old King was keeping in his chest. One wonders why he didn't equip more of it on his person.
Does anyone ID the two potions Devargo had on his person?
Charlie doesn't see anything upstairs, and all is quiet.
"Might do to distribute the items now, put them to the use you say they're good for." Barael's finger dances between the Ring, Sash, and Scabbard, but fails to acknowledge the Pearl or Scroll.
...
"Let's be thorough." Barael proceeds to open the door at Q-29, should it prove unlocked and unbarred. If there was a trapdoor from up above, we should see where it leads through here.
Detect magic/Spellcraft
Potion 1 -
Potion 2 -
Ring -
Scabbard -
Pearl -
Sash -
Scroll - -
"These are wonderous items for a king of the slums. The scabbard will allow the user to enchant their weapon with magic. As I can already do this it would be better for someone else to use."
"The sash is for a traditional fighter. While we are proving ourselves in combat, I'm not sure if it's particular benefits will be of use to any of us."
"The ring of feather falling. A staple of many adventures. I suggest Fondo as he seems to frequently be leading the way."
---
"The spider king's body? I'm sure his 'friends' will take care of it once we leave."
If no one else does so, Dandi tries to identify the potions by first swirling, sniffing, then tasting each potion.
Briar re-thinks the question he asked of Majenko earlier.
"Served no mages, eh? And what do you know of magic? And is there a dragon god you worship? When you prayed for release, to whom did you pray?"
* * *
Briar smirks as the auras of the magical items begin to reveal themselves to him.
MAGIC!
"By Nethys, this is as it should be. We have magic and now have what we sought...secured by magic. Let us return."
"Alas no god has called to me. In my darkest hour? I suppose I called out to Cayden. I so wished some mead to dull my senses to survive the abuse."
The two potions are a potion of Invisibility and a potion of Cure Moderate Wounds. By the way, who is carrying the magic dagger? I lost track.
After examining Devargo's booty , Fondo nods in agreement with Briar. "Yes, we're done. Shall we just leave the body here, lying in the open. I suppose that's for the best. But perhaps we should also make sure their... lab is no longer functional."
He glances at the spider door, pondering the different strands in the web he's been seeing in the ship.
Knowledge (Local) to put some of the pieces together about how shiver is made.
"An elf, eh? At least then you have some proper training. That is good. So it is drink you prayed for? I am no God, but I will try to fulfill that prayer when we leave here."
Briar is ready to return or continue to follow Barael if he wants to explore.
"Be wary of what lies beyond that door. I have seen Devargo drop underlings into the pit and what followed was always screams. I couldn't see into the pit, but I suspect this door leads to the same place."
When the chest is opened, Majenko flies over to Fondo's shoulder and perches there as the items are removed and examined. When the pearl is revealed, Majenko drops onto it and plays with it in his claws for a time before handing it back to be identified by the group.
He continues to ride with Fondo for now, but will hop back to Dandilion if the painted door is opened by the party. He peers at Charlie and wonders what his shoulder would be like...
Briar warns as the door is prepped to be opened.
"Beware the door and room beyond. The dragon contends that whatever is beyond that door is the source of many screams. It might even be the ending point of the trapdoor above. Be warned...our deaths may lie within."
Barael pauses at the door. Something to make men scream, eh? In its own watery environment. Barvasi controlled spiders, what else?
"Did Majenko learn how Barvasi opened the trapdoor from upstairs? Mayhaps we can still look below, but from higher up?" Barael looks intently at the pseudodragon.
Briar will think Barael's question to the dragon.
"I believe them to be the spiders from which shiver is made. No doubt innocent in their way, but used for ill purpose. It binds one's soul to nightmares, rather than follow their dreams. And makes truly ill company of shiver suckling lasses." He looks at Dandi's ring. "I say burn the lot of them, but tis up to you, jel'enedra."
Majenko hops onto Barales' hair and kneads at his head a bit as he answers to everyone telepathically.
"There is a switch in his throne that activates the trap, then it's just weight on the floor and it falls open. I think it takes a lot of weight though - I'm pretty sure I couldn't set it off for example."
He plucks a hair out of Baraels head with his beak and tosses it aside.
Briar smirks at the fire idea.
"There are other ways to deal with the threat in that room. We could avoid it of course...we have what we came for. But rather than fire, why don't we try water instead?"
Briar stomps on the wooden floor.
"It is unlikely that the trapdoor upstairs is built to open both ways...and this door here could be blocked from opening again, right Barael? Then a few holes in the floor and this boat will sink and take whatever is in that room to a watery and deserved death. And we could watch from the pier to make sure nothing escapes."
"An excellent idea, Briar."
Nikolay begins to look around for something to cut into the floor with. He's definitely not hacking it with his sword.
"I believe them to be the spiders from which shiver is made. No doubt innocent in their way, but used for ill purpose. It binds one's soul to nightmares, rather than follow their dreams. And makes truly ill company of shiver suckling lasses." He looks at Dandi's ring. "I say burn the lot of them, but tis up to you, jel'enedra."
"it doesn..." she shakes her head, for she knows nothing of nightmares save those that come from men.
glaring at Fondo, " No, if, as *you* say, they are innocent, then killing them is no good."
Spinning on Briar as he tries to sink the ship with all of them still aboard, "STOP IT! Would you have us all drown, you hypocritical prig!" She lowers her voice but it quivers with the strain of it, as she tries again to reason with the unreasonable, "Leave the spiders be... they've done naught but be enslaved, as the dragon was. And him you set free.
"An excellent idea, Briar."
Nikolay begins to look around for something to cut into the floor with. He's definitely not hacking it with his sword.
"and you! You just stop it! We. Are NOT.SINKING.THIS.BOAT!"
Fondo throws up his hands as Dandilion erupts. His smile is that of a man trying to talk a tiger down. Well, now we know.
"Relax, jel'enadra. Relax. I did not know they meant so much to you. Perhaps we can strike a bargain, eh? We leave the spiders alone, and you leave be their venom. How does that sound? I would see you have your own dreams to fulfill."
Briar smirks at the Waif's anger and resistance, beginning to walk back upstairs...unless someone *wants* to open it and go in.
"Well then, I see no reason to stay on board. There is no need for us to open that door, right? And we cannot burn nor sink this boat, therefore our options are really limited."
Briar ponders more...
"Of course, we could also deliver Barvasi's body unto the trap from above and see what becomes of it from the safety of the above space. But that is so...less interesting, eh?"
Barael perks up at Briar's suggestion. "Less interesting? Still, terribly interesting none the less.". Barael will follow Briar up the stairs, and confirm Majenko's accounting for the mechanism and the trapdoor.
Barael will consider Barvasi's armor. "Should we take it off him? Maybe hang it outside as a warning of some sort?" depending on the concensus, Barael drags Barvasi's to the location of the trapdoor.
Briar reminds Barael that they already took the armor off.
"See? He's nigh unto naked after Fondo finished with him."
Barael realizes too late that the armor has indeed been molted from the Spider. Curiosity takes a strong hold, and Barael drags him to the trapdoor, and sets his trap mind to figuring out the release mechanism.
"This should do it..." Barael manages to hit the right spot under the arm. His full focus, on the body, and its course. So this anticipation, this is what he felt, right before he passed sentence. Having the upper hand, judging.
"We could smoke out the spiders and then cast the boat adrift and set it on fire as it goes. Briar could shoot a flaming arrow at some alchemy fire on the boat. Also, I would like that magic studded leather if you all don't mind. And the healing potion. Someone could pour it down my throat if I am placed in the middle of combat and go down."
[...]
The trap door opens and the body falls into the rear hold below before snapping shut again. The dark chamber is riddled with dizzying tunnels and twisting corridors formed by thick cobwebs. The floor is a sticky, lumpy mass of webbing and dozens, if not hundreds, of bones - many of which seem to be from humanoid bodies. Some of the webs seem to shimmer and dance, almost as if reflecting rainbows in their silken forms.
After the trap closes you hear the faint sound of chittering and something, or multiple somethings, rending the body. Whatever it is it's large.
While Charlie's idea is a good one, it would take quite a bit to make it work. The various ships and barges have been moored here for many years and are more or less stuck to the dock. Ropes, planks, tar, you name it has been used to keep the ships in place and secure. It would take hours to remove all the connections - presuming no one hindered you in the process.
Fondo's look softens a bit. What an ass I am. Didn't I hear the same sort of thing from mother? Broke the code for want of a pretty tail and the green faerie, and now I'm clanless, my sister dead. I don't wish such things for her.
"Think on't. It's your life. I'll not go anywhere, jel'enadra." No where else to go.
Fondo initially grumbles as Barael drags the now caught fly over the trap door. He stops grumbling as he glimpses the many bones below, and lends a hand heaving him into the hole. "Is it our lot to kill all Korvosa's monsters? So be it, if't's Desna's will."
Majenko flaps to Charlie's shoulder and looks in the pit briefly and shudders.
"Anyway, this young Shoanti was covered, and I mean covered, in tattoos. There were some really beautiful ones too. He was afraid of me so I didn't get a good look at them, but from what I could see they were really something." he drifts off for a moment.
"I don't suppose you have any food do you? I'm really hungry. I like eggs if you have any. Raw please. I never understood hard boiled eggs. So anyway, this Uskd made a deal with one of the elves - a beautiful emerald eyed spellcaster (he tried to teach me magic but it didn't take). They exchanged a few gems so it was worth a LOT of cash."
"They held hands, and Uskd said something under his breath, and as Cayden is my witness, one of those tattoos crawled right off the Shoanti and onto the elf! I saw it with my own eyes but didn't barely believe it."
Briar steps back from the trap as whatever is down there does whatever to the body.
Nope. Not going down there.
"Well, that was enlightening. I believe we have 3 options: Leave now with our mission completed and richer for it in wealth and magic. Or burn or sink this vessel in order to end whatever is below. Or, lastly, find a way to kill whatever is down there."
Briar listens again, straining to hear sounds of bones crackling and flesh rending.
"I could leave now...I see no need to meddle here any further."
"Agreed. To the citadel?"
Perhaps a word to Kroft will lead her to send guards in to wipe clean the slate.
On the way back to the Citadel, Briar will buy Maj some food if he wishes it.
Fish? Fruit? Meat? Spiders? What will do you?
"And after we check in, Maj, we'll go get something to drink...your prayers were heard by someone."
Barael gulps quietly. "The spider eats the Spider. Ouroboros. All circular like. Well not its own body, of course. I'm being silly, but still. It looks like Barvasi had actual control over the spiders, didn't it, Dandi? Felt like it, at least. Whatever's down there, if it's left to its own devices, it'll starve out, nothing coming its way. Unless there comes a new King of Spiders, an heir to the throne. The spiders down below, they kinda like the otyughs, right? And we know the soldiers were mentioning that unless they're fed all regular, they rise up."
Barael slips on the ring. My first piece of magic. It catches me, should I fall. It's another... friend. Hello, Friend. Barael chuckles.
"When the Guard learns of Barvasi's fall, will they leave the boat to its fate? Are they obligated for a show investigation?" Barael doesn't talk to anyone particular, but he does tend to satellite Nikolay as his conversational interest turns to the Guard. "Fondo, your made Cressida proud with your bladework today. I'm bursting to tell her."