Io shighs in relief, but narrows her eyes at Mary's insult of the street children, You try it sometime and then we'll see what you think of it.
However, Io drops to the pavement behind the woman as silently as she can,
landing completely unnoticed almost on top of Mary. (At this point, if she isn't turning around, Io taps her on the shoulder)
As the riot leader turns around, Io puts her face just inches away from Mary's face, "You got a problem with me, missy? No? Good. Now run along before you make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."
Mary spits in Io's face and says: "Get out of my face, you Shingles grubhopper, or me and the rest of my lads will pound you and your worthless bird lovers into yesterday's fish! That lad has no time for the likes of looseskirts or noble hunters from the rotting heights! Or some group of jumped up youth trying to keep a noble from an honest pounding! They has it a long time in coming!" The other members of Mary's flock, however, do not appear to be too keen on maliciously malign mangling of a nobleman, or of challenging people dropping from rooftops or offering free medical service. They start to walk off.
She’s just jealous, Machaera thinks. To be sure, there’s no mistaking the ill-will behind the epithet, but knife-ear? It’s just too ridiculous. Still, she watches warily as the thugs think better of trying their luck. She resists the impulse to point out that loose skirts are more practical than something more fitted for anyone who wants to fight or do anything requiring a fuller range of motion, or just how much she thinks this Mauler creature misunderstands Andoren ideals. Better to just let them slink off.
'Ma'am, this is your last warning. If you don't join your pals we'll continue on our way with our new friend. Through you if we have to.' The Merlin moves closer to the woman along the roofs edge, keeping his pistol trained on her.
Mary, seeing that her support is leaving, screams at the group:"Take him then, and the lot of you be cursed by Milani!" With that, Mary the Mauler moves away from the nobleman, who has been silently standing by, almost as if in some form of shock.
Mary, seeing that her support is leaving, screams at the group:"Take him then, and the lot of you be cursed by Milani!" With that, Mary the Mauler moves away from the nobleman, who has been silently standing by, almost as if in some form of shock.
“Are you alright, sir?” Machaera asks, reaching a helping hand vaguely behind her as she keeps an eye on the disbanding rioters, sighting past the blade of her sword.
The noble, startled out of his shock, turns to Machaera, and says:"Thanks for rescuing me from that mob. I'm fine, just shaken. I had no idea things were this dangerous in the city. My name is Amin Jalento, third son of Brahm Jalento, from House Jalento. I was headed from a fellow student's home in Ridgefields towards the University, but things got out of control when the king died, and now anyone is a target from ruffians. Why are you out on the streets when things are still dire?"
“Machaera Selanna, of the Tower of Stars,” she answers. “We’re escorting a couple of children safely home. After that, we have business with the Guard, assuming the Citadel isn’t completely overwhelmed.”
"As my friend said, we are escorting some children who just need to get home. We will escort you as well if you need us to do so, ser. Yanis moves the mule and the cart over to allow others to pass.
The Merlin returns the hammer of his pistol and scans the street for potential threats while his companions speak with the noble. He cocks an ear to attempt to hear the conversation from below.
RE: Why are you out on the streets when things are still dire?
"Because that is what we do. The Merlin and I patrol the city to guarantee the safety of the populace. We can escort you back to your peer's home in Ridgefield. You'd be better of laying low there until the unrest settles down."
'After we deliver the children, of course.' The Merlin interjects from above.
"Nice to meet ya, Amin. I'm Io. As for why I'm out here... well, someone's got to keep an eye on this lot" she signals the rest of the group, "to keep them out of trouble."
Amin looks at the group and says "Well met, Io and all. As for protecting the city, it's good to see someone following Blackjack's path. Though I'm not quite sure if the Guard is going to see two masked men dressed in uniforms, nevermind the rest of you, as legal or responsible guardians of the city or its children, but that's not my place to decide. Thank you for your kind offer, but I should be fine as I have another friend nearby who is a loyal servant of House Zenderholm, the parent house of House Jalento. I owe you a debt. As part of that debt, here is a gold ring you can use for gaining coin to protect the city. Should you have further need of me, please see me at the University and I will do what little I can to help you." With that, Amin turns and walks towards a nearby street, hand on his rapier. Did you want to see him off as well, or simply keep moving towards Cooper St Court?
"Do you need any assistance getting to the Ridgefields?" Io asks, "I'd hate to see a pretty face like yours get all messed up, and you clearly need protection from the ladies." Io asks with a wicked grin.
Amin turns to looks at Io, and says "No, milady, but if I have ever need of your stalwart protection from the vagaries of mob justice, I'm sure I'll call on you again. Until then, may Gorum keep you and your friends' shield arms strong."
"Doesn't Strike me as a follower of Gorum" Yanis says this to those in the collective.
Machaera stifles the impulse to start as she feels Yanis make telepathic contact. “Good luck, and keep safe,” she offers to Amin in parting from the young noble. So he’s related to the Zenderholms, she thinks. Not for the first time, she thanks her stars that her case didn’t come up before the famously stern Senior Arbiter Zenderholm: the entire thing was enough of a fiasco without a judge even stricter than the norm in the oppressive city. That’s interesting. Though I’m hardly planning to be accused of murder again.
Tentatively, she tries to see if she can reply to Yanis mentally. “No, but no harm in flattering those who do look the part, by way of their likely gods.”
"Same to you," Headsman nods to the noble without anything more.
Yanis leads the Mule on wards.
"Have a good day Ser, hopefully no more foul mouthed ruffians will accost you, if they do may the might of Gorum guide your sword arm."
The party finally arrives at Cooper Street Court, crossing over the bridges leading from Ridgefield into Old Korvosa, and onto Bridgefront. Rioting is still going on, but it's localized to specific blocks after local militia from Garrison Hill and the other districts have moved in and settled it. As the cart approaches the Court (a dilapidated 3 story hotel), a stream of orphans from various races and ages streams out from the Court towards the cart, some bearing daggers and other easily acquired weapons, a couple bearing blankets, and others yelling "Headsman's back! Headsman's back! Did you find the Princess and the Duke, Headsman? Did you bring us any treats? Did you know that the town was on fire? Did you start any? Who are all these weird people with you? Why does that one have a pointed face or look like a bird? Why does the pretty lady have a swishy sword? Why does that other pretty lady carry two shields? Is she going to grow another two arms to punch people with?" The orphans are in a mix of patched and repatched clothes that run the gamut of color, some of which have childish attempts to sew in some form of coat of arms, others which bear a surcoat, as if a group of peasants had decided to try to pose as noblemen but only ended up creating some form of an impoverished kingdom.
The chorus dies down to slightly painful levels as a 14 year old human boy of Varisian descent, 5'10, 150 lbs, black hair, blue eyes, carrying a well used and well maintained longsword comes out and says in a deep (well, an attempt at a deep voice, it cracks a bit, though not enough to embarrass him)"That's enough courtiers! Where are your manners? Let Headsman and his uptown friends get the Princess and Duke here, and get things ready to take their Graces to bed! Off now!" The orphans scamper off, with four of the older ones waiting with blankets along with the boy, whom Headsman recognizes as Knight.
"Quite the following you have hear Headsman, are they any sickly? I could check on them while we are here." Yanis Lowers his voice, "I don't have enough candy for them all so please don't mention it." A sly grin on his face.
Io is bemused at the comment regarding her two shields, and shakes her head in answer to the curious kid interested, "No. You see, I use one for defense, throw one away, and then I just kick people. I like to keep them guessing."
Confirming that Princess and Duke are resting peacefully, Headsman excuses himself from the party as they pass a few market stalls. He laters rejoin them with a pretty large crate packed with various cheap foodstuffs, which he heaves into the cart. It seems to take everything he's got not to just dig in immediately.
"I'm pretty sure they'll be happy to see this," Headsman chuckles.
"Thanks, Knight. Glad to see everyone's doing good." Headsman nods.
"I'll tell you guys all about what happened, tonight!" he calls out to the gathered children.
What asked about what he means by 'tonight' he clarifies: "Because tonight, we feast!"
Finally, he nods to the Doctor. "There'll probably be a few illnesses running around and injuries that could use your help. Thankfully, the old nurse down the street's happy to help us sometimes, but there's only so much she can do."
The Merlin keeps a careful watch from above as the youth come to greet the party's cart. He chuckles softly to himself as the youngsters surround the cart and pester his allies with questions. At least this small corner of the city has maintained some small amount of brightness.
'I'll keep an eye on things until we get the cart unloaded. Did I hear something about a feast?' The vigilante calls down to Albatross.
"This might be a good opportunity to catch up with our alter egos?" the Albatross suggests to the Merlin, secluded away from the rest of the group as the topic of identities is brought up.
Machaera watches, nonplussed, the swarm of children as they all race out of the Court. Their excitement is infectious, but she knows that it would wear her out in minutes. Still, she tries to be friendly and fields the barrage of questions as best she can while helping Headsman and the others unload the cart, explaining to the orphan who asked about her sword, “Among my people, everyone learns how to use the bow, and a sword or two. At least, which end gets pointed where.”
For another, she confirms, “Yes, there aren’t too many elves in Korvosa. Home is a bit further west for me, in the Mierani Forest.”
Above all, Machaera is immensely taken with the idiosyncratic names the children have chosen for themselves, and to the chorus of questions to “Miss” or about “the lady” she promptly announces, with a twinkle in her eye, “Call me ‘Witch.’ It’s who I am.”
‘Sword-witch’ would be better, but this is no time for an excursus on multicultural magical traditions, she reminds herself, and makes a mental note to make sure to tell Headsman where the Court can send a message, if they find themselves in need of a mage or alchemist.
The Black Merlin nods to his companion. 'I could stand to get back to my shop and reload on powder and ammunition. I don't particularly fancy attending a meeting with the guard dressed like this, not with all the chaos in the city. I could use some of that coin we'd taken from Lamm's. This thing eats coin as much as spits lead.' The black-clad vigilante pats the firearm at his side.
Yanis will tie up the mule and make his way inside, looking at the chidlren as he does.
@Io: The orphan looks at you with awe and a bit of surprise, and says "You can throw a shield? Don't they have to be made for throwing, or whatever that word is? Ballanced? balanceded? Something with a b? And then you kick them? Don't they kick back?" She makes to move back with the general crowd after Headsman's announcement of a feast!
@Machaera: The orphan, who appears to be a half-orc with a greenish brown tint and more delicate features then your usual tusked barbarian rager, says "I wish I could learn how to use weapons or magic, or even them witchy curses to get even with people. The humans calls us scum, or trash, or waste the gods left for Chain Main to come for us in the night, but they're the ones who're scum. How's life in the forest? Do they treat their kids better? Do they given you food more then once a day?
@Headsman: The kids settle down but are still happy to see you, as described below. One of the older kids, who calls herself "Castellan" moves to get the other kids to transport the food crates in and takes it back to Cook, another kid who fancies himself something of a chef. Cook does have some skill with the vittles, but he does sometimes require watching so he doesn't mix in molasses with tomatoes...
@The Black Merlin and Albatross: You could both easily head towards your home bases as you see fit, given the general disruption from the riots and the Shingles' extension all over the city.
@Yanis: You hitch up the mule, and start looking over the kids. A couple of them have improperly healed breaks, some scratches, and what looks likes some minor signs of malnutrition, but nothing bad. No signs of cholera or common illnesses, and the place is kept as clean as it can in this area. The building's construction isn't going to do much for the Court's long term health, mostly due to its inability to keep temperature constant, the potential presence of vermin, and lack of anywhere else to go. The orphans and castoffs of the street seem used to a doctor's presence, and you hear some prayers to the Sunlit Lady and some person called Blacjack.
For the entire party: The court description The orphans meander into the hotel, which is built on 3 levels, the third of which isn't occupied since it's collapsing, and the kids have enough issues with safety as it is. The main housing for the court is at the back of the building and the entire second floor, with the kitchen/storage area of the hotel serving as a combined food prep and dining area, while the rooms house 2 to 4 orphans per. The far back rooms on the first floor serve as a kind of combined nursery/servants/new arrivals/storage place, while the lobby opens up into a poor imitation of the throne room of Korvosa.
A shrine to Sarenrae and another god sits in a corner, with candles and a torch holder converted out of what appears to be a brass door handle shaped like a drowning fish (or is that a coat hook?) situated to offer light, though its probably better that it's mounted higher then younger children can reach to prevent setting the shrine on fire. Two children, probably 12, stand "guard" and come to attention as Headsman, Knight, and Yanis head in. They both carry The orphans with blankets wrap Princess and Duke and take them into the back room, keeping careful eye on their charges, while another set of four come to pick up the crate. Other children move into corners with hushed but expectant eyes as the food gets carried in.
Yanis will busy himself with the children, wearing has plague mask with the younger ones to make them laugh and not with the older more "serious" ones.
"You have quite the court here Headsman, loyal and brave subjects."
Later when the group is together hopefully out of ear shot of the children, "Do we wish to involve ourselves in the growing conflict between the Kingsmen and the Queensmen?"
As the last of the goods and people are carried into the Cooper street court the Merlin drops from the roofs lightly onto the street and casually falls into line behind the final entrant. The vigilante quickly checks to make sure his pistol is safed before being surrounded by curious youth.
'I think it may be best to gather more information on the whole thing. As of now it seems all we know for sure is that the two sides are fighting. I'd hate to back a horse only to find out we've got a crowbait nag'
Machaera finds her way to fading into the background once the two wounded children are whisked away and the rest get ready for a feast, knowing that she would be poor company and that one of the courtiers could use what would otherwise be her serving better than she could. When she sees that the three birds are about to take flight, she appears briefly at Headsman’s shoulder and makes her excuses before adding, “I’m in South Shore, in case you ever need to send for some sort of mage. Cliffside Lane, third floor of the house with the very blue door. It’s near Orkatto’s: anyone around there could point you in the right direction.”
She joins the masked men just in time to hear their murmured exchange, and shrugs noncommittally at the Black Merlin’s suggestion. “I’m not local, so you would know better than I, but as I understand it, it’s not so much Kingsmen as people unhappy with – like it or not, unless I’m missing something – their new queen. His Majesty, I gather, wasn’t the most effective ruler, but he gestured in the direction, at least, while Her Majesty mainly married up without any pretensions of governance.”
Machaera doesn’t really pay attention to the gossip of the nobles who buy her potions and fireworks, but from what has sunk in regardless, the queen is both very young and not too popular.
"Eh, not really. It's all in your form, not the shield you throw. And," she says with a grin, "If I kick them hard enough, they aren't getting back up."
The Black Merlin joins the feast but does not touch the food. He does answer any questions the children have about his vigilante get up or his firearm.
'The most important thing to remember, children, is that firearms are not toys. Never point one at something you don't intend to kill and you better make damn sure you have a good reason for wanting it dead.' The vigilante imparts this bit of wisdom to any of the youths that seem curious about his pistol.
"Alright," Headsman gathers the children in the main hall as the feast is about to begin. "Listen up."
"We don't know yet what's going on in town, but it sounds like there might be trouble. From what we know, there's been... something between the King and the Queen, and the city's erupted in riots. Now here's where we are:"
"The streets are going to be pretty unsafe for a while. I don't want anyone going out alone, and if you can, stick to the market squares and the main streets, where it's safe."
"With the help of our guests here, we got rid of Lamm once and for all. We've got food for a while, so I'm reminding you guys: I don't want to hear about any pickpocketing going on. Enough people think that's all us street punks do, let's not prove them right."
"You've probably heard about our new safehouse by now." he describes the way to Zellara's house for the others. "The lady who used to live there was nice enough to let us use the place. I'm counting on you all to keep the place looking nice. If the guard doesn't suspect she's gone, then we won't have any issues there."
"Beyond that, it's the usual. Stay safe. If there's trouble, come to me, Knight, Paladin, or Captain. Speaking of which, Captain, you know the area around Zellara's pretty nicely. I'm putting you in charge of the place."
Captain, a skinny but thin freckled redhead in her early teenage years nods as she adjusts the old rapier at her belt.
Headsman turns to the rest of the party."Any of you guys like to have a word?"
Yanis shakes his head "No"
"Beyond that, it's the usual. Stay safe. If there's trouble, come to me, Knight, Paladin, or Captain. Speaking of which, Captain, you know the area around Zellara's pretty nicely. I'm putting you in charge of the place."
Captain, a skinny but thin freckled redhead in her early teenage years nods as she adjusts the old rapier at her belt.
Headsman turns to the rest of the party."Any of you guys like to have a word?"
Machaera gives her head a slight shake from where she’s standing with the masked men, but raises her hand in sign of farewell and says to the courtiers, seriously, as she tucks the small casket of shiver under her other arm, “I’ll see you soon, Headsman, and all. Ladies, gentlemen.”