"Eel's End, huh? 've had some trouble keeping some of the older kids from the court away from there."
Not that any of them had nearly the kind of money they'd need to partake in anything there.
... although that had changed a surprising amount in the last few days. Perhaps once things had quieted down, he could stop and see what the big deal was.
Machaera stifles a grin at Headsman’s remark. She remembers, after all, that it wasn’t all sex, drugs, and scandalous dancing for the court, compared to the comfortable explorations that had been available to her and her peers. Not that magic isn’t intoxicating enough, and rarely mixes well. Some of the court’s kids probably had plenty that they wanted to forget at all costs.
Hearing no demurrals, she concludes, “Sounds like a plan, then. We’ll see what we can do to outmanoeuver the ambassador, and if the opportunity arises to spoil some of the King of Spiders’ webs without too much confusion spilling over elsewhere, so much the better.”
A young, strong voice emits from Spelbar's bent form. 'What time of day could we expect the fewest people in the building. The fewer addicts we need to contend with, the better.' I suppose I don't need the charade in front of this one.
"Contend with? Perhaps the first thing to try is to discuss what Devargo can offer before storming place. Irregardless of the answer, it'll allow us to get a look at the place."
Vencarlo looks at the group and says, "If you require lodging for a safe place to rest while you consider what happens with Devargo, the barracks are always open to you. I'll have to take my leave, but come visit me in my acadamy should require some training in swordplay, a shoulde to lean on, insight into the city, or resources." With that, Vencarlo gets up and walks out of the room, leaving your payment on the desk where he sat. What does the group do now?
"I assumed you want him just shut down quickly and with the least amount of issues." Yanis says
"That's why we're digging up dirt as opposed to taking him out. Hopefully the material will be controversial enough that he'll have no outs but to leave."
What does the group do now?
"That's why we're digging up dirt as opposed to taking him out. Hopefully the material will be controversial enough that he'll have no outs but to leave."
“The ambassador, yes, but what about this arachnid pretender?” Machaera says glibly, the long night and the duelist’s urbanity taking their toll on her ability to be entirely serious. “If he’s as nasty as he sounds, it might be nice to see if we could also subvert some of his projects, although our priority would be getting the information the Guard needs.”
Headsman seems quite on board witht he plan until Machaera mentions spoiling the spider's web.
"Not sure I see the issue with this Devargo guy. What's the problem with people having a place to gamble and drink? As long as the only people he's stringing along are caviar-eaters, I say good for him."
Sticking it to the high man and providing those on the fringe of society with a place to be themselves was a goal the young Shoan-Ti could see himself with.
As the resident caviar-eater, at least when the Tower of Stars or one of the other schools she’s acquainted with has reason to celebrate, Machaera shrugs self-deprecatingly.
“It’s the drugs more than anything else,” she suggests. “An addiction can be a harsh taskmistress, especially to something like shiver or pesh.” Not that gambling or any number of other things can’t be equally dangerous, depending on one’s makeup. Thank the Wise that magic pays well, for all of us curious folk.
“Again, it’s just an idea. It’s probably unlikely that we’ll get an opportunity to send a discreet and pellucid message to the effect of not selling dangerous materials to those who can’t handle them, but if we happen to discover where he keeps his supply, well, who knows what sorts of interesting things might happen?”
Humph. What I wouldn't give for a holocaust cloak. That would make getting the information easy...
"I can see if I can offer some help to his aling clientele." Yanis offers
The Merlin fails to stifle a yawn as the night's activities catch up with him. 'I suggest we get some rest before pressing on. Shall we meet in the usual place tomorrow to plan?'
"Agreed. We can decide the approach and tactics then."
Yanis heads back to the manse that they have taken over for some rest and to feed his donkey
Machaera politely covers her own yawn as the infectious thing makes its appearance.
“Excellent. It will give us time to prepare new spells – or otherwise refocus,” she adds, thinking again about Yanis’ strange magic, and Io’s uncanny ability to find unexpected advantages in battle. Her thoughts spin off to consider her own options. Hmm. A successful blackmailer, among other things. What spells have we got that might prove useful?
"Sounds good. I'd better check on how things are working out at the Court."
"When you lot decide what's next, I'll be there. Don't worry about finding me. I have my hiding places that I like to stay hidden, but I'll hear once you're ready. I'm going to go grab a good night's sleep and likely punch a few slavers in the face." Io tells her companions, then swings up onto the rooftops and disappears.
Yanis goes around his usual haunts trying to find out more information before they go in.
Yanis spends time while tending to those who are sick to see if they know or it is due to Devargo Barvasi
The old man hobbles his way into the city before slipping down an alleyway. A similar veteran can be seen shortly leaping nimbly from rooftop to rooftop, making excellent time toward a certain Midland gunsmith's.
Yanis goes around his usual haunts trying to find out more information before they go in.
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+9
Yanis spends time while tending to those who are sick to see if they know or it is due to Devargo Barvasi
The old man hobbles his way into the city before slipping down an alleyway. A similar veteran can be seen shortly leaping nimbly from rooftop to rooftop, making excellent time toward a certain Midland gunsmith's.
Headsman stops by the markets on his way home, and, thanks to his share of the monetary reward, is able to acquire enough food to throw his fellow courtiers a small banquet.
He checks on the various kids and teenagers, for any subjects of interest which might have been overheard.
The Merlin races across the rooftops the following day and drops in front of the house he and his allies have been using as a meeting point during these troubling times. He slips inside to greet any who may have arrived before himself.
'Any news from the city?'
Yanis heads to the new home of Headsman and his court, seeing the guards at the door he stops.
"Yanis Boulin at your service, Is Headsman in I would like to talk with him."
"Welcome back, doctor Boulin," One of the tennage boys watching the door smiles. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten us?"
The other boy goes and fetches Headsman, who makes his way to Yanis.
"Oh! Hey, Doc. What's going on?"
"Never my child, I just like a bit of flair and it makes it look more formal instead of like we are scheming." Yanis does a quick bow producing a small bag, "Candy?" Yanis hands out some candy and heads in.
"Have you heard from any of our friends? I have been unable to gather any information on whom we are to look into and I was wondering if you have heard anything."
"Nothing here either. It's generally best for the kids here to stay out of Eel's End. 's not really a good place for 'em. The young ones usually get us the most info, because people don't watch their tongues around kids, so... Yeah, nothing. We still meeting back up at the same place?"
"as far as I know, everyone is healthy here?" Yanis asks
.
"Yeah, your advice from last time did a lot of good, and having enough money to feed everyone certainly helps. Marshall's feeling a lot better, too."
"Good I am glad, I wish we had a signal to call our other friends here. I will go out and see if I can find them." Yanis says then excuses himself to find Io and Machaera
As Yanis turns to go, another of the kids who throng the Court grabs his sleeve. “Oh, before you go, Doc, Witch dropped by this morning to borrow Quartermaster for a few days – something about needing someone good with animals – and left a message that she would meet you and the others at Zellara’s.”
His message delivered, the boy clings to the good doctor’s coat for another second. Timidly, he whispers, “It’s not that we don’t trust her, when she says she doesn’t, and she doesn’t look like that kind of witch, but she really doesn’t eat kids, right?”
* * *
Meanwhile, across town at Zellara’s, said mage looks up from a sheaf of notes as the Black Merlin makes his discreet entrance. To his question, Machaera says with a sigh, “It’s quiet – too quiet, if anything. It would be nice if things have settled down, but I’m not sure that it’s not just the curfew and more patrols by the guard keeping things down. Hopefully, we’ll have real peace soon, but at least we can already resupply before meeting this so-called King of Spiders.”
She gives the list in her hand another glance before continuing, “I have some ideas for later, but if we want to move quickly, they can wait.”
A faint scent of mingled incense clings to her, and a closer look reveals that a shallow cut across her right palm is newly bandaged. I hope that egg doesn’t give Quartermaster too much trouble, Machaera thinks. It still shouldn’t hatch until late today at the earliest, and now that the proper rites have been performed over it, it’s just a question of feeding what comes out properly. It should behave, even if I’m a while returning.
'Quiet might be good. I managed to get a solid night's rest for the first time in days.' He moves to sit across from Machaera and nods down at her bandaged hand. 'Cooking accident?'
"I have never seen Machaera take an interest in eating children, you have nothing to worry about young one. She is kind and our friend." Yanis tells the child while offering him some candy. Yanis then goes to find headsman to tell him the message.
'Quiet might be good. I managed to get a solid night's rest for the first time in days.' He moves to sit across from Machaera and nods down at her bandaged hand. 'Cooking accident?'
“Personal necromancy,” Machaera says glibly, but her ever so slightly wrinkled nose betrays her lack of comfort with the business. “The things one does to call exactly the sort of familiar one wants.”
“It’s a particular case, of course, but it helps establish the proper connection. This working was part of a hard bargain, but they do know their business in Geb – I’ll give them that much.” Another brief haunted look passes over her features as she privately recollects that the trick was an incentive thrown in to acquiesce to a much more unsavoury exchange, which she was in no position to deny, desperate to find her way back to the Inner Sea…
Shaking off unpleasant memories, for now, she continues more briskly, “Anyway, musing over my grimoire, I think I found something useful for close quarters, in case things do get messy with this extortionist, especially if, somehow, there’s any truth to that rumour Orsini mentioned, that he can command spiders…”
So much for chasing off unwelcome thoughts, as images of the infested boat behind Lamm’s fishery spring back to Machaera’s mind. Someone able to control the vermin would only make such a situation worse.
'My pistols probably won't be of much use if he can. Hopefully it doesn't come to that and we can just convince The Spider to give us what we want. I can't say I'd be sorry to put him down and hopefully remove part of the drug trade though.'
"I doubt showing up as the harbingers of justice will provide the opportunity to convince him though. We may need to find a contact to arrange a meeting if we want to portray ourselves as the ilk he's more accustom to."
"Orsini's idea was to bribe the guy. I don't see what's wrong with taking a friendly approach first. It's not like Lamm or the Cow Hammers where we know they've been killing people."
'Not quickly'