Despite the healing Tural provides red blisters remain on Baer and Quorthos their bodies.
Tural notices the red blisters aren't the same kind of red ache blood veil causes. They have both been infected by red ache. What's more, after inspecting their eyes Tural concludes they've also both been infected by blinding sickness. Both diseases lower a victim's physical strength, and blinding sickness can even cause permanent blindness if a victim's physical strength has dropped too far.
Blackjack bows gracefully when Baer compliments them. "I am not worthy of your praise, fair lady. I simply tied a multitude of bedsheets from upstairs together, allowing myself to climb down the shaft with ease."
Tural takes a look at the statue of Urgathoa and notices a well-concealed compartment at its base. Within lies a number of ceremonial instruments used by Lady Andaisin for various rituals — two grim candelabra made from human hands encased in silver worth 150 gp each, several sticks of exotic incense worth a total of 450 gp, a wand of cure serious wounds with 37 charges, a wand of remove disease with 8 charges, and three blocks of incense of meditation.
As you make your way back toward the elevator you pick up the weakened captives. Only two of them seem in need of an antiplague. The other captives hadn't yet been 'used' for cruel experiments.
Some of the captives gasp and whisper among themselves when they see you with Blackjack. "They're allies of Blackjack!"
"I know a way into Citadel Volshyenek that will allow me direct access to miss Kroft her office," Blackjack informs you. "I am a wanted man, but if she has your trust I am sure she will hear me out."
Once you're all back on the building's ground floor Blackjack pulls you away from the people you rescued. "There is no doubt in my mind the queen will want to cover all of this up. I will see what I can do to ensure you will not end up as scapegoats. I advice you stay hidden until I contact you. Is there a place where you can do this?"
"Well... We've had a place to do so, but I think we were watched last time we were there. We've vacated the inn as we're wanted fugitives now so that's a no go. Maybe we could use Blythe's home for some time, else we've got one adress we might go to. Burahl's shop in Old Korvosa. He has helped us before with regards to the plague that spreads and he was also trying to devise a cure with our help. He serves the city and its inhabitants first and foremost."
Mavor says as he walks along after Denario.
"Is there a place where you can do this?"
Baer grunts, unsure that there is a safe spot. She is still a bit starstruck by the presence of Blackjack.
"Uh, we could go to the sewers, I guess. Or maybe that lair that Rolth(?) used to have? Near the crypts? Those might be safe for a while," Baer suggests, understanding the need for time to let the heat die down.
She looks around to see if anyone else has any good ideas.
Baer will help identify the magic items, hoping someone can use the wand to cure her of her increasing weariness.
Tural sighs as he discovers the diseases. He takes a quick look around to see if he can find anything to counter the diseases and discovers a lot of loot. He immediately uses the wand on Baer and Quorthos.
"I'd love to get some rest right now... "
He says with a very tired look.
"I've burned through most of my reserves, anywhere will do."
The last he says with a nod to Baer's plan.
"Rolth's old lair sounds good... I've had enough filth for a while," Quorthos suggests. He gives Blackjack directions to it.
"We believe that Kressida is a true friend of Korvosa," he continues, "but she also cannot directly aid us. Especially now, when it seems that the Queen's own are the cause of this assault on our city."
"As for the gear... we should keep what we can, and stockpile the rest. There's no way we can sell Grey Maiden armor or doctor's masks at this point. We'll have to contact our, uh, 'underground' friends to see if they can help us."
Blackjack takes his leave after you've given him directions to the late necromancer's lair and thanking you once more for your service to the city. You then head toward the lair so you can lay low till you're contacted.
While in the lair Tural uses most of the wand of remove disease's charges to cure his allies.
Everyone with magical skills tries to identify a certain vial you found, which you haven't yet been able to identify. At the end of the day you're still clueless about its contents. Eventually you go to sleep.
The morning starts good, with nobody waking up with the red rash of blood veil.
Tural prepares remove blindness and restores Mavor's sight.
Meanwhile Denario's able to identify the vial as a flask of curses.
Baer leads his companions back through the sewers, thanking whatever gods that exist that the walking, talking pond frond (Tural) was with them. Baer would not be alive without the deciduous creature, and feels better than she has in a long time at her prospects in the City.
After sneaking out of the sewers, Baer carefully gets the party the necro's lair and spends a bit of time examining the area for safety and making sure any new monsters have not moved in.
After she deems it safe, she'll make camp and set watch.
* * *
Later that evening, she will approach Tural. She offers a rare smile.
"Uh...just wanted to thank you for...keeping me alive. It was...nice. Thank you." Baer offers the treeman a hug or handshake, whichever would be appreciated.
Tural uses his knowledge of disease and spellcasting to cure everything the party ails. Being dead tired he doesn't notice the weird look on Baer's face. He silently walks behind her, following her to the lair. Seeing that they are going to spend the day there he casts spike stone on the most likely used pathway for any unwanted person to enter.
Rocky ground, stone floors, and similar surfaces shape themselves into long, sharp points that blend into the background.
Spike stones impede progress through an area and deal damage. Any creature moving on foot into or through the spell's area moves at half speed. In addition, each creature moving through the area takes 1d8 points of piercing damage for each 5 feet of movement through the spiked area.
Any creature that takes damage from this spell must also succeed on a Reflex save to avoid injuries to its feet and legs. A failed save causes the creature's speed to be reduced to half normal for 24 hours or until the injured creature receives a cure spell (which also restores lost hit points). Another character can remove the penalty by taking 10 minutes to dress the injuries and succeeding on a Heal check against the spell's save DC.
Magic traps such as spike stones are hard to detect. A rogue (only) can use the Perception skill to find spike stones. The DC is 25 + spell level, or DC 29 for spike stones. Spike stones is a magic trap that can't be disabled with the Disable Device skill.
***
Later that evening Baer approaches him, he looks utterly confused at her when she tries to hug him. He awkwardly hugs her back, his rough bark-like skin chafing her.
"Uh... Well... Yes, thank you too for keeping me alive."
He remains standing silently, not knowing what to do.
Mavor sits restlessly now his eyesight is back, now he continously stands on watch and paces around.
"Perhaps being blind wasn't that bad. No offense Tural, I'm thankful for the healing. But now I know that it was quite comforting to not see everything coming."
Mavor looks out of the room again and paces again.
"When do you think Blackjack would contact us? Any word or info from Majenko perhaps Baer? I want to know what's happening out there."
"We can only wait for Blackjack to contact us.
For now, we've done our part, for now, ridding the city of a danger."
"I'm just as interested in the vampire contacting us," Quorthos muses, "to let us know he's got the cure for blood veil." ... And then we'll have to pay him, for his work... all of his work.
Later that day, when it's nearly evening, you hear a loud curse coming from the entrance to your hideout. when you rush up to the entrance to see who tried to enter you find Blackjack, his right feet bleeding due to Tural's spike stones. The vigilante straightens himself when he sees you appear and assumes a calm demeanor.
"Forgive me my language, heroes. Your trap caught me by surprise. Anyway, I bring good news."
Blackjack stays where he is as he continues, obviously wary of the spikes. "This morning Field Marshal Kroft publicly announced that your party, acting as agents of the Korvosan guard, was able to uncover a conspiracy against the people and the Crown of Korvosa. The current news being spread is that Dr. Davaulus and the queen's physicians betrayed the queen and our city, spreading disease instead of curing it, and that you punished them for their betrayal."
"We're currently awaiting the queen's reaction, but expect that with this turn on events she cannot publicly condemn you. I will keep you up to date, my friends. I hope to bring more news tomorrow!"
With that said Blackjack quickly leaves, before anyone else sees him.
The next day Blackjack returns in the afternoon. This time he calls out to you from the lair's entrance.
"Good day, heroes!" he greets you when you show up at the entrance. "The queen's released a public announcement. Here you go."
Blackjack hands you a sheet of paper, with on it the public announcement that was spread throughout the city. It describes that the queen deeply regrets the betrayal by Dr. Davaulus and his physicians, and the queen assures that she and her gray maidens weren't aware of this betrayal. The queen even goes as far as thanking the guards (not you specifically) for its service to the city, and ridding Korvosa of the betrayers.
Once you've read the announcement, Blackjack says, "Field Marshal Croft asked me to relay that she wishes to speak to you as soon as possible, and I think you should probably head to the Citadel right away. It should now be safe for you to leave your hideout."
Baer spends the down day pacing the corridors as if hoping more monsters had taken refuge recently. When none are found, Baer will set up a weapons dummy and get some of her anger and frustration out on that. She is not good at being cooped up and has her anger amplified by the lack of word from Blackjack.
Baer is quick and ready to pounce the intruder when Turals trap reveals his curses. She runs to battle and stops short when it Blackjack.
"That is good news. I guess," Baer says. She looks for the reactions from others as she begins to pack up camp.
Denario listens with attention at the vigilante's words, having been somewhat bored with waiting all the time.
"Betrayal my ass. But i suppose it's good news in a way."
Tural nods.
"It's better than being chased."
He says whilst packing his stuff. A moment later he disspells the spike stone spell so the group can leave.
"Let's be off then."
You head toward Citadel Volshyenek, where the guards greet you with cheers as they let you in. The cheers continue as you walk through the halls to Cressida's office and encounter more guards, many of whom congratulate you on your victory versus the traitors.
Cressida gets up from her seat as you enter her office and also greets you warmly. "Ah, it's good to see you again! Please, sit down! We have much to discuss."
You report on everything that's happened. All the while Cressida quietly listens, occasionally nodding.
"The queen's definitely behind this, judging by the information you've gathered," Cressida says once you finish talking. "We cannot however not openly accuse her. The citizens of Korvosa won't believe such a 'rumor' and it'd have grave consequences for you and me..."
"The queen's definitely behind this, judging by the information you've gathered," Cressida says once you finish talking. "We cannot however not openly accuse her. The citizens of Korvosa won't believe such a 'rumor' and it'd have grave consequences for you and me..."
Baer's hands tighten on her staff, anger giving her knuckles to white.
"That means that we are likely to be objects of retribution, is that right? Our lives, though maybe safe today, will be under attack soon...if Trinia's experience has taught us anything," Baer grunts, thinking ahead.
Baer leans in closer.
"Will we be in danger soon? And...what will the Queen do next? Do we know why she's doing what she is doing?"
Tural's eyes turn dark at the mention that the queen is behind all this.
"How do you propose we go about this? Even if we have proof of what she did, I don't think that the citizens will believe us."
"Not unless she openly walks the streets butchering people, no not likely."
"Could we lure her into some action that might reveal herself?"
"Don't think so. Not immediately at least. Every goon we take out, will be said that he acted alone."
Mavor strokes his beard as he ponders Baer's words and then paces around in the room.
"That's the thing... What is her plan? Why want to eliminate her subjects? What would the greater goal be? Less resistance of the citizenry? Less resistance to what? If her goal was to reign, than the death of the king would suffice, why the attack on the people themselves?"
"Some sacrifice to a higher power?"
"If she's a follower of Urgathoa herself, maybe. Other than that, that suggestion seems pretty far-fetched."
"I have no idea what Queen Ileosa's motive was, and I'll be very honest with you. I have no idea how we can find out. I cannot picture Queen Ileosa as a follower of Urgathoa, but before all this happened I wouldn't have expected her to let plan for an epidemic either..."
Cressida lets out a heavy sigh, her face troubled. "The cure to blood veil is our first priority. The disease has to be stopped. You really don't have any idea of when this Ramoska will contact you...? You said he took a man with him, for experiments. I don't like that we have to wait for such a vile person to contact us."
Baer shakes her angry head, having nothing more to do here.
"Well, if there is nothing we can overtly do now, then we should sell our loots and prepare to hide from the assassins the Queen are likely to send at us," Baer rises angrily.
"Is there any more talking to do?"
(Earlier)
While waiting in the hideout, Quorthos spends some time scribing spells from the captured spellbook into his own.
At Blackjack's visit, he listens intently, and then thanks the man warmly. "It is an honor to have met you face to face, sir. When I was a child, I wanted to be Blackjack. I even had a costume..." Quorthos looks away, trying to hide the flush in his cheeks. "Thank you, for all you have done for my - for our - city."
When Cressida reveals her suspicion that the Queen is behind the plague, Quorthos's hands ball into fists unconsciously. He listens to the discussion, and then glances around to be sure no one else is within earshot. "If she is behind it, she must pay for her crimes... but we will need proof. Is there a way to get into the palace? I can't imagine that her involvement has left no trace... Or maybe one of the Grey Maidens could be induced to confess? Surely they cannot all put their loyalty above the people of Korvosa?"
On the subject of Ramoska, Quorthos says little, still feeling guilty about the young man he failed to rescue. "Perhaps we can locate him? Vampires can't live without feeding, and that would leave a trail. We can see if any of our contacts have a lead."
Tural nods to Baer.
"Let's sell our stuff. Then I suggest we wait for the man to show up, he said he would warn us if he was ready if I remember correctly."
He follows Baer out.
Cressida shakes her head. "I do not think the queen will openly come after any of us if we pretend to go along with her version of the story. I advice to not immediately press the issue by trying to infiltrate the palace, but to wait a moment to see how things develop."
The Field Marshal retrieves a familiar chest from below her desk and removes six pouches from it, each holding a hundred platinum pieces.
She hands each of you one of the pouches. "Since the announcement was made that you operated as agents of the guard it's only appropriate I pay you for your work. Here's 1,000 gold for each of you."
"Your status as covert agents has been compromised however, a result of the spreading rumors about you. Though I'm glad to inform you that according to other agents the bad rumors, about attacking a gray maiden, are generally being dismissed by the citizens. Current rumor is that the person hired to protect the physicians your attacked was a sell sword."
Cressida smiles at you "I guess you've hereby been transferred to a non-covert status."
You say your goodbyes and leave Citadel Volshyenek, heading to the store you usually go to to sell your loot. You also visit Burahl to sell the 'less commonly wanted items' you have acquired.
71,290 gp
Total sale value from claimed items:
14,787gp 5sp
Total worth being split:
86,077gp 5sp
Each person’s share:
14,346gp 2sp 5cp
Allyph: 13,846gp 2sp 5cp + Cloak of Resistance +1 (500gp sale value)
Baer: 13,346gp 2sp 5cp + Amulet of Natural Armor +1 (1,000gp sale value)
Denario: 8,346gp 2sp 5cp + Goggles of Night (6,000gp sale value)
Mavor: 11,346gp 2sp 5cp + Amulet of Natural Armor +1 (1,000gp sale value) + Cloak of Resistance +2 (2,000gp sale value)
Quorthos: 12,058gp 7sp 5cp + Headband of Vats Intelligence (1,000gp sale value) + Spellbook* (1,287gp 5sp)
Tural: 12,346gp 2sp 5cp + Belt of Mighty Constitution +2 (2,000gp sale value)
Unsold items claimed for the party:
Potion of Bull's Strength x4
Potion of CMW x8
Potion of Invisibility x3
Potion of Remove Disease x3
Wand of Cat’s Grace (11 charges)
Wand of CSW (37 charges)
Wand of Remove Disease (2 charges)
Baer thanks Cressida for her reward as she makes her way to leave. After selling the loot, she will return to the lair.
---
Baer sidles up to Quorthos. "I forgot you could read, boy. I'm going to want a look at that spellbook when you are done with it."
---
---
[ooc]I hope to get a refined shopping list tonight or by tomorrow night. Lots of things are afoot right now.
Tural also goes off to do some shopping, returning to the lair with a new ring, a fancy looking cloak and a couple of lenses looking like eagle eyes. The last of the items turning his eyes even odder than before. He nods to Baer as he enters.
"A new belt and headband I see?"
After some idle chatter he goes to the topic of what to do next.
"How do we go about tracking this sellsword?"
"Current rumor is that the person hired to protect the physicians your attacked was a sell sword."
"Current rumor is that the person hired to protect the physicians, who you attacked, was a sell sword."
"A new belt and headband I see?"
Baer looks down at her middle, smiling.
"Yeah, just a trinket I picked up. Might be nice, I thought. And this headband is pretty keen, I think," Baer says after bedecking herself in items more valuable than her entire life's salary up to that point.
Baer stomps around the hideout.
"Maybe we should find or create a way out of this place? What happens when the Queen sends in her assassins to get us? We'll want a plan to escape...right? We have some time now...what do you think?"
"I will put up my spike stone spell when we are inside the base, this way we can escape through the eastern of the western passageways out of the lair."
Tural says in answer to Baer.
"We could try and hide the entrances to these passageways, to prevent anyone from going in. How I would not know however."
"We could check if someone can provide, whichever way you take that word, us with a means for stationary illusions."
"Illusions? Sure. Or maybe we should all carry them scrolls that allow you to mend into or shape stone or something. But a permanent illusion is far above my skill level, I'll tell you that," Baer answers. "But if we'll be staying here for a little while, might as well make it more like home. We could us a table, and maybe a chair or something."
Baer begins to make a list of things she might buy to enhance the secret lair.
"Does that mean we plan on staying here for that long? Crikey! At least one of us should keep watch at all times. Never know if said assassins would come knocking."
"Hmm... if we're moving in on a long-term basis, we'll need to do some decorating," Quorthos muses. Too many areas, we should block off the areas we won't be using, keep an escape route open...
"There are other magical means we can use to fortify this place, but I wouldn't suggest we leave anything of value here. We should definitely have someone on watch at all times."
"A few hidden pits might not be excessive luxury. Though we'd be digging for a short while."
"There are a lot of abandoned houses in Old Korvosa that have good furniture we could use. I know some houses that have been empty for as long as I live in Korvosa, which is over ten years."
"Let's do some 'shopping' tonight?" Allyph suggests.
There's a blue flash, heading your way from the entrance of the lair.
"Hey!"
Majenko closes the distance in a split second, circles around you, and lands on Quorthos's shoulder. His mouth is red and holds an imp's leg.
"Good to see you again!" he telepathically says as he starts munching on the leg.
"I would've saved some imp for you if I'd known your location sooner. This Blackjack human told me you'd be here just when I'd already devoured most of it."
Baer snorts, welcoming Majenko back. She offers a scritch or two if the 'pdragon is wanting.
"It is good that you return and that your hunts are successful," Baer greets. "Our hunt was also successful."
"...'shopping'..."
Baer nods, seeming somewhat intrigued.
"We could also go buy things, we'll not need to steal. We have money and do not need to have the guard called down upon us so recently after we have been declared heroes."
Baer could use a chair and a table so that she might be able to read and study off the ground. Also, a training dummy for which to practice her staffery upon.
"M'yeeeaaah, you're probably right. Even if the furniture's just been sitting there for over ten years, it'll probably draw attention if we suddenly start entering random houses and taking the furniture with us."
Allyph takes ten gold pieces from her pouch and hands them over to Baer, smiling at her. "You seem to have an idea of what we need, so I'll give this to you."
------
Tural nods.
"I agree, we should just buy the furniture.."
He hands Baer some coins to do the purchases.
"Try not to stand out too much, and if you need help I'll give you a hand."
While Baer makes a list of the furniture you could use inside your base and some of the others give her money for the furniture, Ramoska the nosferatu suddenly appears right in front of you.
"Good day," the old man with the bloodshot eyes greets you politely, as if it there's nothing special about his sudden appearance.
"I told you I'd contact you when I'd devised a cure to blood veil. I'm pleased to inform you my experiments were successful."
Ramoska takes a vial from his coat, together with a rolled up sheet of parchment. "I have written the recipe down for you, and have included one dose of the cure in this vial."
The nosferatu's canine teeth show as he smiles. "I have to thank you for your request, as researching the cure proved to be most interesting. I discovered that the Varisians who have a natural immunity all share certain characteristics that would suggest they are related by blood. By tracing their family lines I discovered they're all descendants, however far removed, of a woman named Kasanda Miromia-Foxglove. She was the wife of the failed lich Vorel, whose death lead to the creation of the disease Vorel's phage. It was this disease that was altered by Lady Andaisin's doctor Davaulus to create what became blood veil, which is a more contagious and severe version of Vorel's phage."
"I have no idea why exactly this bloodline developed an immunity. Maybe it was due to some kind of exposure, or maybe Vorel's phage was never meant to harm the lich's own wife and her offspring. Who knows, maybe she watches over her bloodline from Pharasma's Boneyard? Anyway, it's most interesting."
"Intriguing indeed. Can you imagine that someone would want to find all the descendants of this Foxglove woman. This is one way to try and find them. But that's a long shot I will admit."
Mavor looks at the cure and the recipe in Ramoska's hands.
"I'll take those off of you. I know at least someone who will help to make the cure and distribute it. In addition to the other main sources of course. I guess all the alchemist's and healers in the city will be busy tonight and the coming days."
"Thank you for your assistance Ramoska. I hope you find your own cure in time and wish you all the luck with it."
Baer listens to the nosferatu's tale in strange wonder. She had thought that the thing would never be seen again, let alone provide useful aid.
"Thank you for this. This was a deal well done. It is appreciated," Baer says, having little more to add to Mavor's words.
Baer can't think of anything more to ask the nosferatu.
* * *
Baer continues to work to prepare a comfortable room for herself. She builds a sparring dummy in a corner of her room (marked with a red dot), in addition to setting up a crude table and bench.
She spends a bit of time studying and training when she is not considering what to do next with the nosferatu's results.
Denario looks around to see if there are any books to read, to kill the time while they have to hide.