Quorthos pulls out his notebook and records the briefing on vampires carefully. "We destroyed four coffins, but only found three vampires... what will happen to the missing vampire?" he asks when the priest is finished. Hopefully it will just burst into flames or something...
Quorthos will accompany the priest when he leaves with the coins... I don't think we trust him that much. Given that we suspect one of the Queen's Physicians is behind this, I'm not sure the Church of Abadar is beyond suspicion either...
"As long as it's not forced to return to its coffin, nothing," Ishani replies to Quorthos's question.
"When it discovers its coffin's gone it will have to find a new coffin sooner or later."
Ishani returns a while later, followed by another priest who introduces himself as Joe.
"May I see the coins?" Joe asks.
Joe compares the coins from the pouch you found while exploring the Direption with those Quorthos traded with the homeless man, using a spyglass to look at the fine details of the coins.
"Definitely from the same print."
He draws a wand and casts a spell from it on one of the coins from the pouch, and does the same for one of the coins Quorthos traded.
There a very anxious look on Joe's face as he turns to Ishani and speaks with a pained voice, "These coins are infected with blood veil."
Ishani seems struck by the news and sits down, shaking his head in disbelief. "Dear Abadar... There's no telling how many coins like these we have stored! We immediately have to stop money from leaving the Bank, until we confirm which coins are clear and which aren't!"
Joe nods in agreement. "I agree. I'll inform the archbanker!"
Unless you stop him, Joe runs off.
"Wait, good friend," Quorthos cautions the man, taking him by the arm. "Are you sure that freezing all money in the bank will lead to the result you wish?"
If that isn't enough to stop the man, Quorthos will quickdraw his rapier wit and attack the flatfooted man: "Oh, yes, because things aren't bad enough without starting a riot! Are you in league with those who would destroy our city? Freeze the banks, and this building will be ablaze before nightfall! People are frightened, and look to your church for guidance - if you lock them out and refuse to give them their valuables, they will kill you and take them anyway."
"You do need to filter out the infected money, but when you freeze the bank the money outside of it will still infect people. Keep the bank running and you may be able to filter out most of the money."
Tural adds when Quorthos grabs the man's arm.
"Use the spell you just used on the coins in stock and remove the infected ones, keep the others in use."
"That's probably how you got sick, Quorthos. That money there."
Baer nods and avoid the money. In fact, she makes a mental note to stop touching money altogether,
* * *
"Use the spell you just used on the coins in stock and remove the infected ones, keep the others in use."
"No," Baer says, perhaps too harshly. "It should be melted down and recast after it is cleaned so we know that it is clean. Or they should mark the clean coins as being clean somehow. If we need to chase dirty money, I'll want to know clean from dirty."
Baer awaits the arch banker or leaves if he is not going to meet with us.
Denario nods.
"Melting them down is a good option. Harmful bacteria would die from the intense heat. Cleansed by fire, literally."
"We may be talking about thousands of coins," Quorthos points out. "Is that practical? Isn't there a simpler solution? Surely Abadar's clergy has some way to deal with this?"
Joe pulls his arm out of Quorthos's grip. "The freezing's only temporary, until all the clerics at the counter know which coins to set aside. People visiting the Bank already have to wait a lot longer than usual due to the high amount of sick clerics. We're short on out own healing spells. It's likely no one will even notice a further delay, or at least they won't get suspicious."
Ishani gets up from his seat. "We don't have enough manpower to cleanse all of the coins of disease with magic. All our remove disease spells are being used on people. We currently can't even manage to keep all of our own clerics disease free. Cleansing the coins with fire doesn't sound all that bad, as it requires no preparation of magic."
Joe nods in reply to Ishani, then looks at Quorthos again. "We require permission from our archbanker to do anything large scale, but any second I stay here is a second in which a person could be handed an infected coin. Right now I just want to check if I can discover more of the same coins as you brought, because they all look identical. If all infected coins are identical, we can easily let clerics set those aside behind the scenes. If you don't trust me, come with me."
Baer waits patiently for the party to be ready to move on again.
When they are ready to go, he thinks they should return to Cressida to report on the bodies and this missing vampire.
Tural nods, satisfied with the proposition.
"We have other business still. I trust you will be able to handle this?"
Quorthos nods, unable to think of a reason to further object. I'm no banker, but if people suddenly can't get their money to buy medicine, things may go from bad to worse very quickly...
Once the group leaves, Quorthos will go and purchase as many antiplagues as he can, and warn his father of the impending financial issues.
"Wait a second!" Ishani says when you're about to leave. "Wouldn't it be best if you'd check the money you have with you, to see if there are infected coins mixed in?"
If you agree to check your purses you discover Mavor carries a single silver coin that identical to the infected coins; it looks brand new, and has the same print.
Baer does ask that her money is checked, only using Mage Hand to interact with the money.
She patiently waits to move on.
Quorthos awaits the group's departure.
With the commotion surrounding your discovery on the coins it's easy to forget that Ishani mentioned a woman who'd found a possible cure to blood veil when he greeted you. Luckily Ishani himself remembers it just in time to tell you about it. "The woman I mentioned earlier, who has a possible cure for blood veil, is named Vendra Loaggri. She owns the perfumery boutique Lavender, located amid some other shops just off Summoning Street. Perhaps you could check it out while Joe and I get to work here?"
You head for Citadel Volshyenek, greet the guards, and head to Cressida's office.
"Good day, agents!" the Field Marshal says as she stands up from her chair. "Please, sit down."
Cressida sits back down and listens to what you have to tell about your discoveries in the alley.
"I will send people during the day, to remove the bodies. It's probably a good idea to post some people to arrest those who dump the bodies there. The missing vampire, though... He troubles me. I wasn't even aware of the existence of vampires in Korvosa..."
You then tell Cressida about what just transpired at the Bank of Abadar, and what Ishani told you about Vendra Loaggri.
"When you decided to investigate the ship, I couldn't promise you any pay for it. Now you've made the link between coins from the ship to the appearance and spread of blood veil, I can include the time you spent investigating the ship as your contribution to battling the epidemic."
"For the time you spent investigating the alley, a mission I gave you, I'll award each of you with 1000 gp. I'll pay each of you the same amount of gold for your work on the ongoing investigation on blood veil, and task you with the mission to pursue the lead given to you by the priest."
Cressida takes a, by now familiar, box from underneath her desk and opens it. She shakes her head, closes it again, and places it back below her desk. "There's not enough in it. We'll walk to the Citadel's gold storage after our conversation. Do you have anything else to tell me, or do you have any questions?"
"The woman I mentioned earlier, who has a possible cure for blood veil, is named Vendra Loaggri. She owns the perfumery boutique Lavender, located amid some other shops just off Summoning Street. Perhaps you could check it out while Joe and I get to work here?"
Baer nods, suddenly realizing that they were getting lots of lots of work recently. "Yeah, sure, we'll check it out."
* * *
Baer sits at the offer, keeping her mouth closed after the initial report. She is surprised and happy that she is getting paid, because money. She realizes that she has become quiet wealthy very quickly.
"Okay. Let us know if you hear anything about the vampire. Some of us are worried about not having that wrapped up. Apparently, you can rub yourself with onions to keep them away."
"We should have time to check it out the cure today."
Baer is ready to move on.
Know (Local) - Perfume shop/Vendra Loaggri
"Nothing on my end. We'll check out the so called cure."
Seeing that Baer is very confident in where to find the shop Tural follows her.
"You think it has anything to do with perfume? Masking the scent of disease and death at least would be good."
Do you have anything else to tell me, or do you have any questions?"
"Not that i can think of right now. We'll be discreet with our efforts.
I've a feeling it'll be needed twice as much as before."
"Field Marshal... what can you tell me about the Queen's physicians? " Quorthos asks.
"I'd hardly suspect a perfume would do anything beneficial besides masking the odour. You think the shop has an alchemist or herbalist for an owner?"
Mavor asks Baer and Tural.
"Nothing I haven't yet told you," Cressida replies to Quorthos. "They operate under the queen's personal physician, a Chelaxian doctor named Reiner Davaulus. They've been called into existence to fulfill an appointment by the throne to halt the plague's spread, and have the support of the Gray Maidens. The Gray Maidens are the all-female, elite bodyguard for the queen."
Cressida seems annoyed when she adds, "My guards have also been tasked to help the queen's physicians. They now function as glorified bodyguards for them..."
Baer recalls that Vendra is a Chelaxian businesswoman, who owns a high end perfume boutique called Lavender in Korvosa. Lavender is located just off Summoning Street in the Heights district of Korvosa, a district where a lot of nobles live. Vendra began selling a potential cure to the blood veil soon after the plague broke out, swiftly drawing an enormous crowd of customers.
When they are dismissed, Baer leads the group to the perfumers. She is anxious to get a look at the cure, hoping that it is worthwhile.
"It's this way," Baer says, pointing.
On your way out Cressida escorts you to the Citadel's financial department, where each of you receives 2000 gp.
"I'll also give you the 2000 gp for Allyph. Tell her I hope she gets better soon."
You head to Lavender, where a queue of eager Korvosans stands in a line that stretches nearly four blocks from the perfumery's distinctive amethyst-shaded windows. Many of these people look healthy, but several bear the obvious hacking, blistered symptoms of blood veil. The line threads through the street and into the store. A menagerie of heady scents twists throughout the cramped but stylish perfumery. A dizzying assortment of bottles—from gaudy ceramic containers to graceful crystalline vials—lines a variety of lace- and ribbon-strewn tables, shelves, racks, and an eye-catching display in the wide front window. Across from the front door's orchid-tinted glass panes runs a long counter, stacked high with hundreds of simple clay phials bearing round, magenta stoppers. Behind the counter, violet flourishes swoop across a sign reading, "Lavender’s Luxuriant Liniment: Either You’ve Got It, or You’ve Had It."
"Good day! Welcome to Lavender!" Vendra says to greet each new customer from behind the shop counter, leaving the actual sales to two pretty young shop girls. Two large, well-dressed men with purple cravats discreetly hold saps and keep their eyes on the shop's patrons, ready to put down any trouble at a nod from Vendra.
Baer examines the shop and those therein, making no attempt to hide her curiosity.
Perception
"Maybe we split up? Take turns waiting in line? We're going to want a bottle of whatever they are selling," Baer suggests. "Or we can offer someone who is already in line money to buy a double batch, I suppose."
Baer looks to see if anyone has any bright ideas.
"Not that fond of waiting in a line for maybe two days. But I do not really see another choice."
Tural looks at the endless line and sighs.
"Maybe we could cause a ruckus somewhere in the front and slip in?"
Mavor looks at the sign and frowns, then shakes his head.
"Is it just me or does the luxuriant part in that alliteration mean nothing special? A cure is supposed to work, not cost extra because it smells good. If this thing works, she's making extra coin over the back of others while she should be helping as many as possible."
Mavor crosses his arms and looks at the hired muscle at the shop.
"Cutting into the line would cause a ruckus no doubt, those guys would work us out, unless we use force ourselves. I don't think we'd want that. Maybe we could look for a back door or something, or bluff our way in as inspectors of something."
"How convenient then. If we'd go with the inspector route, i won't have to lie, technically. As i inspect wares for authenticity for a living, for the magic academy, i'd have to check a rumored cure on their behalf as well."
"Still, finding a back entrance would be better to start with."
Baer waits to see what others do. She thought her idea of giving money for someone to buy a double order was good, but is fine with letting others run with the inspector plan. She'll be hired goon and will continue to keep an eye out on the front.
"Wait her, I'll go have a look round the back of the building. See what you can find out from the crowd and buyers themselves."
Mavor wanders out of sight of the hired muscle and then rounds the building to see if there's anything to be seen, guards, interesting trash or whatnot.
"Perhaps we can just chat with the proprietrix?" Quorthos suggests. "The girls are doing the selling, so we wouldn't have to cut in front to talk to her. Maybe once she hears who we are, she'll provide a sample?"
Mavor doesn't see anything of interest as he rounds the building, but he does overhear something of possible interest when he arrives back in front of the boutique. Two of the people in the line outside are talking about Vendra herself. Apparently she lives in the house directly behind Lavender.
As Mavor comes back from his inspection and tells the news Tural nods.
"That'll be where we need to go then. Unless we want to wait for a week. How late does the shop close do you think?"
Baer tries to figure out how much a dose is and whether there is any buying limitations (limit 1/2/3 per person). Once she figures that out, she might make a plan. In the meantime, she's happy to follow someone else.
Denario walks up to the guards at the door.
He shows his badge of the magic academy.
"Hello gents. I see there is a large cue here, but i'm going to have to ask you to let me in on official matters. See, if the mages academy gets a sample of this rumored cure, they could fabricate their own batch as well.
The lady inside is but one person, while we have multiple talented alchemists within the academy's walls. The faster the cure is spread among the populace, the more people can be saved."
Judging by the size of the vials, which are each the size of regular potion vials, Baer determines that each vial most likely holds a single dose. There don't appear to be any buying limitations.
"You will have to talk to our employer," the guard responds to Denario, nodding in Vendra's direction.
"Fabricate your own Luxuriant Liniment?" Vendra asks Denario. "I assure you, there's no need for that. I have a large supply and can easily produce more. There's enough for everyone who visits Lavender, and all for just 2 gold."
Vendra raises her voice a bit, so everyone in the shop can hear it. "That's right, I said 2 gold! Get your own vial of Luzuriant Liniment for your 2 gold!"
A middle-aged man who looks like he works at the docks walks up to you. "Hello, my name is Solt Carmino. You may remember me from songs as "Fishing with Solt Carmino" and "Solt Carmino, Fisherman Extreme". Before I used Luxuriant Liniment I had blood veil, but now I am cured! Lavender's Luxuriant Liniment not only cured my plague, but also soothed the pain in my bum leg!"
Vendra continues in her loud voice, "You heard him! Buy your own Luxuriant Liniment today, and get rid of your plague! It costs no more than 2 gold! That's right, I said 2 gold!"
While Denario doesn't get a proper reading on the situation, he's not done yet.
"Of course we'd not replicate your special brand, the academy would make it plain and simple, for the real special deal they'd have to come here."
To Solt:
"No, i don't know you of one of those songs. Frankly, they sound weird to me. Plus you seem to walk up to me at a convenient time, for her, don't you?"
Back to Vendra.
"You know it's funny, don't mind me saying, screaming like a fish seller on the market, i think they heard you down at the southern gate. People already heard your price before. Monopolizing on life like that, your mother must be real proud of you. The academy will know, as will the people. Have a good day."
Denario leaves.
Outside he tells the others about it.
"By how she's doing 'business', i'd not be surprised if she's in on something. I couldn't get a clear read on her, maybe one of you can. Which brings to mind, if one of you talks to her, i could make myself invisible and try prying around her place."
While Denario conducts business inside, Baer will offer 10gp to someone in the front of the line to buy a bottle of the 'cure' for her. She won't cut in line, but will happily overpay for a bottle.
Tural follows Denario inside and eyes both Vendra and the yelling man askance. He moves up to Vendra to try and get some information.
"Business seems running quite well I see. Are you only selling the cure at the moment or also some perfume?"
He says as he looks at the shelves full of small bottles. He pats his pouch full of gold, which sounds like a lot, and moves his eyes back at her.
"Looking for a business partner? Have been working with medicine for some years now, we could both get something out of this."
He smiles his best smile at her, hoping to convince her he is to be trusted.
"Yeah, thought as much." Mavor replies to Denario as he tells about the situation inside, "The alliteration makes it sound too much like selling something instead of letting the cure speak for itself."
Mavor looks around from side to side, then whispers to him.
"Maybe we can get into the back and take a look around. I can guard the entrance if you want to have a peek. Also Vendra's own apartment is a house opposite the back of the shop, we might have a peek there now seeing as she's busy as a market yeller."
Mavor walks along the line and tries to overhear some conversations about Vendra or the shop before moving back and hearing Denario's answer.
Vendra's smiles as she responds to Denario. "I see. Have a good day, sir!"
A woman starts complaining out loud when Baer asks the person in front of her to buy an extra cure. "How convenient it must be for to just barge in and wave your gold around! If everyone's would do that, hmpf!"
The person in front of the woman isn't bothered by the woman's word and accepts the money from Baer. A little later Baer's given one vial of Luxuriant Liniment by the person she paid.
"We sell perfume as well," Vendra replies to Tural. "In fact, that's usually the only thing we sell. It just so happened that I discovered a cure for blood veil while experimenting with creating a new perfume. Isn't it marvelous?"
"I'm sorry," she continues, giving Tural an apologetic look. "Lavender can produce enough Luxuriant Liniment by itself. As such, I expect the blood veil to disappear within the coming days. After that Lavender will go back to selling perfume only, which will render a partnership with someone who sells medicines useless. I do, however, thank you for the offer!"
Mavor doesn't hear anything of interest this time.
Baer shrugs and takes the cure, failing to ignore the catcalls of the others who complain.
"Free market, b!&~$."
She upstops it an sniffs at it. She stops away from the crowd and line to cast Detect Magic on it.
Supposing that it is alchemical, she walks over to Quorthos.
"Hey Boy, what do you think this is? Would you former owner, you 'Dad', be able to tell us what's in it?"
"If he could, all the better.
Of course, we could devide it, give some to his pops and some to the academy. They'd likely be able to puzzle what it is composed of."
Baer doesn't detect any magic, but the cure sure smells nice. Like freshly picked strawberries with a little extra sweetness. Meanwhile the woman Baer called a b~@%& flips Baer the bird.
Quorthos takes a look at the bottle Baer hands him, smiling to himself at Baer's comment about "owner".
"Smells nice," he offers. "But I don't know if it does anything else. We should take this by my father and have him analyze it. He'll be able to tell if this is a real "cure" or just a fake. For the price, I can't see how it could contain any medicinal ingredients at all."
Quorthos checks out the crowd, and looks for any sick children or parents who seem particularly in need. If he sees any, he provides them with an antiplague.
Tural nods and leaves the shop, to discover that Baer's tactics seem the have worked. He takes a good look at the cure. If he finds nothing he will agree with the others.