"I do recall you speaking of your father's domineering personality in less than glowing terms, yes. I'm glad to see your push for individuality brought you farther than a run down inn." At the woman's comments about him, he chuckled softly, his lips curving up at the ends, "Golarian needs more saving than just one priest can provide, I'm afraid, though I've had my shares of successes. Korvosa is home, though, so I always end up here eventually. With Jaster now residing in The Lady of Graves' spire, I'm not sure I'll be able to leave any time soon, especially with the City in such a flux."
If no one else grabbed the vampire's notes, the priest tossed them into his magical Haversack to be sorted through later, accompanying Bashiel to tend to the plague victims. He did what he could to help them fight the disease, though they looked pretty far gone. He then helped to escort them to the lift and the surface.
Malen shared in the sense of accomplishment that the others felt, though his part had been more minimal. Tending to the sick and injured was thankless work for which there was certainly a need, but this...this had felt invigorating. Not just treating the symptoms, but actually destroying the infection and rot blighting the city.
When Malen walks away, Zamanda shows everyone the things that she has identified, her fingers lingering over the beautiful belt, hoping that no one else has their heart set on it. Then she asks Ilsa if she can try identifying the things that were too difficult.
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Zamanda tries to identify the things they couldn't identify previously:
(we really know this already from me getting hit, but you know...)
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Zamanda is able to identify the second magical robe as a cloak of resistance +2. The mithral chain shirt is a +1 mithral chain shirt.
Miraculously, both of the men afflicted with blood veil still live when you return to them. Malen is able to calm their nerves, but they don’t look like they’ll last through the next night without magical aid.
Ruan gives Bashiel a weak smile and nod in thanks for his words. The young man still seems quite weak, but he’ll certainly live.
You’re able to gather all of Ramoska’s notes on blood veil, which are extensive. The vampire may not have been researching the plague in search of a cure, but his notes are detailed and thorough. A doctor, priest, or alchemist skilled in the healing arts would likely benefit greatly from Ramoska’s work.
After you return to the ground floor via the lift, you enter the Hospice’s main ward to find it completely empty. Other than some dirty rags and a few bloodstains on the ground, there’s no sign of anyone.
As soon as you exit the Hospice, a young messenger approaches. He flashes the symbol of the Korvosan Guard before passing on his message.
He says, “The Field Marshall bade me give you a message. First, she’s glad to know you’re still alive. She has not forgotten you and what you’ve done and continue to do for the city. Second, she desires you to visit her at Citadel Volshyenek to update her on what you’ve learned. She’s eager to see that further progress is made on a cure for blood veil. Lastly, she wants to speak with you about the Queen’s recent disbanding of the Sable Company and subsequent imprisonment of its former commandant, Lukas Endrin.”
The messenger pauses to study each of you for a minute, then adds, “Depending on your current condition, Field Marshall Kroft wanted me to add that she understands if you need a day to rest and recover. But please don’t tarry long. The city still needs you.”
The man looks at Malen and addresses him directly, “The Field Marshall requests that you visit the Citadel at the same time as the others, assuming your duties in the Gray District do not require your presence elsewhere.”
Zamanda looks at the others to see what they want to do. She is looking forward to showing Cressida the in intact coffer as well as the sealed one. She doesn't mind time though. It will give her more time to find a way to make sure the coffers (and all the notes) get to the people working on the cure, and NOT get turned over to the queen.
Malen left with the others, concern for the two Blood Veil victims etched on his features. They were too far gone for his help, likely, and even a magical cure might not resolve it, at this point. Having a sudden inspiration as the group entered the main ward of the Hospice, the priest took the mask Zamanda had offered him in the fight against Ramoska and slipped it over one of the sick men's head, wondering if it would work on someone already quickened with the Veil. If this seemed to ease the patients' time, he would ask the aasimar for another to put on the other victim.
As the group left the Hospice, the cleric offered a weary smile to the messenger who approached. The angle of the sun said it was midmorning, but it seemed like an already full day, to the priest. Definitely a lot had been accomplished. Malen's brow arched at the mention of the disbandment of the Sable Company, but he was beginning to piece together that Korvosa's unpopular Queen was indeed quite a sinister ruler.
Malen nodded to the messenger, looking first at him, then the four he had just traveled with for a short while. "I will of course go to The Citadel. Thank you for the message." He turned towards the others, "I would prefer to go now, but if you would rather rest, I will escort these two to the Citadel and give what help I can until you are ready to call upon Kroft."
Bashiel helps to carry the two sick patients up to the ground level of the hospital. He lays hands on each of them as he does so, despite knowing that Osiris' healing touch would be palliative care at best.
He looks over to Malen "Are you able to remove the disease that plagues them? As far as we'd understood, the Blood Veil is curable with magic, just tenacious and quick to spread." He nods in the directions of Ilsa and Kalem. "When Andaisin touched them during our fight, I think she spread something to the two of them as well. Do you have anything that could help diagnose them?"
"We have four people here, two in critical condition, and likely two more now infected. We're also flush with goods to barter with those Abadarans. With an appropriate payment, even those stuck up snobs at their main temple will have to be willing to provide their magic."
----
Bashiel nods to the messenger. "Let her know that we'll be there soon. And mention that we have some important things to show her."
"How about we meet with Cressida in an hour or two. I fear these two patients might not have much more than that long to go. But we need to get the notes to her and to doctors we can trust as well..." He shakes his head at the need for that statement.
”Agreed. And we need to get to her before the queen can act. The maidens will be bringing word to her as well. Time isn’t on our side.”
The man shows no noticeable change after Malen places the mask on his head. It will take time to see if the mask does any good.
The messenger replies to Bashiel, “I’ll let the Field Marshall know to expect you in an hour or two.”
With a nod to each of you, the messenger takes his leave.
The priest's shoulders sagged a bit as the mask didn't seem to help the plague victim from his symptoms, but it was worth a shot. Pharasma would likely get her due from these two before the day was through. When Bashiel mentioned the possibility of divine intervention, the priest replied politely, "The blessings I asked for this day were geared more for combat, so there is little I can do." He then smiled softly, grasping his holy symbol a bit more tightly. "However, my Lady is well pleased at our efforts, and perhaps would be willing to grant a boon."
After a short break as Malen attuned with his Goddess, he opened his eyes and touched one of the victims lightly on the shoulder, transferring divine energy to the man to help eradicate the virulent disease coursing through his body. Once done, he repeated with the second man, the priest's lips open slightly as the divine energy flowed through him.
After he was through with the two former prisoners, the priest turned his attention to Kalem and Ilsa, studying them to see if he could determine the malady that was afflicting them.
When the Abadarians are mentioned, Malen's frowned, though his tone was neutral. "My friends, do what you will with your wealth. With these notes and with the fake doctors no longer spreading the disease, perhaps we can contain it. I suspect the Lady of Graves will still have many souls to judge these next few days, despite your efforts." He looked at Kalem, then Ilsa, noting the blotches on their skin. "As for you two, I suspect your constitutions are hardy enough, and I can prepare spells to remove what troubles you on the morrow, if you feel comfortable with that."
Zamanda goes with everyone to meet with Cressida, rehearsing in her mind what she is going to say about the coffers.
Bashiel spends his own time briefly in prayer as well, hoping that Osiris could at least buy these two victims of the blood veil some more time for Malen to get to them. As his prayer ends, a word of prompting from one of his ancestors sends him to the side of the more sickly looking of the two victims.
He touches the victim on the forehead and invokes the magic he'd just been granted.
Despite the many people the group was unable to directly aid on the upper floor of the hospice (or perhaps *because* of how many they weren't able to heal), Bashiel feels personally responsible for this remaining victim. He takes the fellow to Ishani, if he can find the cleric, or to the Abadaran church. Either way, he's willing to pay to have a casting of remove disease performed.
----
Once the two sickly victims are in a slightly more stable state, Bashiel heads straight for the Citadel, hoping to join the rest of the party in their report to Cressida.
While Malen’s efforts to heal the first of the two men are ineffective, his spell has a dramatic effect on the other man. His red blotches vanish, his fever subsides, and he returns to his full senses.
“Thank you, good sir! Thank you so much!” he says to Malen over and over again.
Malen’s efforts are less successful on Ilsa and Kalem. Both look just as bad after his treatment as before.
Bashiel is able to restore some of the constitution of the man still afflicted with blood veil. The paladin thinks there’s a chance he’ll survive another day, but it’s far from certain.
-----
Ilsa is able to identify the magical flasks. Given her previous experience, she can tell that three are Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds. The last - which looks identical to the first three - is a cursed potion of poison. The rapier remains a mystery, but the breastplate is a +2 breastplate.
At the magic shop, the proprietor is able to finally identify the rapier as a +1 human-bane rapier. The shop owner offers to buy any of the magical items you don’t want.
-----
Meanwhile, Bashiel sees to getting the first man cured of blood veil. A few minutes after arriving at the Grand Vault, the paladin spots Ishani. It looks like the cleric has grown more sure of himself since you last met as he walks with a confident stride. The Abadaran offers to cast Remove Disease, but requires that payment be made, as the Master of the First Vault requires.
Ishani’s improvement is not just in his gait, but also in his skill and he is able to cure the man of blood veil on his first try.
The cured man showers Bashiel with praise as the other man had Malen before.
Ishani smiles and says to Bashiel, “It’s good to see a familiar face. I hope your efforts have proven fruitful.”
-----
Ilsa, Kalem, Malen, and Zamanda arrive at the Citadel first, but Cressida waits to receive you till Bashiel arrives. Thankfully, you’re not waiting long as the paladin arrives a few minutes later.
You’re shown into Cressida’s office. The Field Marshall is pacing back and forth behind her desk. Bags beneath her eyes indicate she hasn’t slept much recently.
She offers you a half wave of her hand in greeting before pausing in her pacing to say, “I was up all night hoping you’d turn up. I will admit that I had just about given up hope, yet here you are. I’m glad it’s you and not the Urgathoans.”
Cressida stops speaking to look at her desk, she seems to be in deep thought for a few moments before taking a deep breath and continuing, “We have much to discuss, but first things first: have you found anything else that can aid in creating a cure for blood veil? My contact in Magnimar continues to make progress, but it’s still frustratingly slow. A bit of good news: a mutual friend of ours knows of someone who might be able to help in creating a cure, but more research is what we’ll need to truly expedite its creation.”
Yes, we have much more research, and possibly a breakthrough. We have one spent and one sealed coffer which were used to spread the disease in the first place. We have to guarantee that these don't get confiscated by the queen or forces loyal to her however. Even though we don't have written proof, all of us are witnesses that Davaulus admitted working with the queen to spread this disease.
Malen gently patted the man on the shoulder as he offered his praise, glad to have cured the man of his disease. As the fellow scooted off, the priest regarded the other uncured man, wondering if it was his time to be judged. Bashiel's insistence on healing the victim's maladies was thoughtful and genuine, but the group's resources would be quickly depleted if it continued, especially if they implored the Bank for help. Still, it was the paladin's business.
As Zamanda spoke and explained things to Cressida, Malen began to pull the vampire's research papers out of his haversack, placing them in a neat pile on an unused portion of the desk. As the cleric hadn't been present for the confrontation with Davaulus, he offered no input of his own, though Andaisin had all but corroborated the fake doctor's words. After the aasimar's account, Malen added, "The masks the doctors wear provide immunity to the Veil. They are helping to infect the populace, so their efforts must be halted at once."
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Ilsa feels weary, but in some ways much better. She had slept better the previous night. Though her dreams were still disturbing, she did not fear them as she previously had.
She explains to Cressida how helpful Malen was in confronting the priestess and vampire. "I am hopeful he might continue with us, but perhaps you can incentivise him. He has proven instrumental in our success."
Ilsa also pulls out the pages of the notes that she had been psychically drawn to.
"I think this part is very important," she says.
Zamanda is waiting to pull out the coffers, but she will pull out all of the notes she has... from Davaulus and I think some others along the way and add them to the pile.
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As usual with Cressida, Kalem remained silent. It wasn't just because he felt horrible, but it was due to his long standing distrust of the guard. He still felt it best to let the others do the talking around her.
Bashiel lets the more studious members of the group take the lead here. He simply adds "We've just finished setting the Urgathoans far back in their plans. They were actively trying to make the Blood Veil more aggressive and dangerous, even as the good folk of Korvosa, and Magnimar, were trying to cure it." He frowns "I can only hope we'll stopped that more or less."
"Is there any chance the remaining Doctors loyal to Davaulus can be rounded up and questioned?"
Even with no one else in the room and the door firmly shut, the Field Marshall seems distressed when Zamanda associates the queen with blood veil. She shakes her head firmly and says, “We will speak of that matter soon, but not here. There is a safe place to do so, but this isn't it. Let us focus on the cure for now and discuss other matters in a bit.”
Cressida nods at Malen’s mention of the doctors. “The masks help explain why they were able to operate in the city without concern for their own lives. If you were able to recover any of their masks, I’ll see that they get to children, those who are most vulnerable to the plague. Perhaps a few lives can still be saved.”
Ilsa isn’t able to determine what the masks do for those already afflicted by blood veil.
Cressida shakes her head at Bashiel’s question. “Many of the doctors were killed in the Hospice. Those that weren’t were swiftly rounded up by the Gray Maidens after we last saw each other. They were all summarily executed.”
The Field Marshall smiles when Ilsa mentions Malen. “It would be a pity. I’ve never seen someone work so efficiently in a morgue. But there will be time for the dead once this crisis has passed. I’m glad to hear he was helpful. I think our conversation to come may prove incentive enough for him, but these are dangerous times. The final decision must rest in his own hands.”
Cressida eagerly takes the notes from Zamanda. It’s quite a pile between the notes you’ve collected from Davaulus, Rolth, and Ramoska. She reads over the sections that Ilsa points out.
Kroft smiles again and says, “With these we may be able to save more than just a few lives. Our mutual friend should be here soon. I told the messenger I left for you to speak to him afterwards, so I don’t think he should be much longer. That said, you never know with Caydenites…”
Cressida trails off as a ripple - like one that appears when a stone is thrown into water - appears next to her desk. A moment later, a figure familiar to four of you emerges from the ripple.
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Pel adjusts his tunic as he appears in Cressida’s office. He says aloud to himself, “Wow, it worked on my first try.”
Orienting himself to those in the room, he smiles and says, “Oh, hello again, everyone! I’m glad to see you’re all still well since we last saw each other.”
He locks eyes with Malen and says, “I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Pellius, but my friends call me Pel. Since you’re here, that includes you.”
Turning to Cressida, Pel says, “Apologies for my delay. I would have come sooner, but Zandu, the other Caydenites, and myself were dealing with a charlatan peddling a fake cure for the plague. She’s been handled now, I assure you.”
Addressing everyone, Pel says, “I understand you may have found some more research related to blood veil? A couple of you briefly met my Caydenite alchemist friend, I think. He’s proven quite adept at his art during our time together. I’ll see that he gets the research forthwith, with your permission of course.”
As long as you agree to share your research with the other people working on the cure, you are welcome to take the notes. You understand that we need as many people working on a breakthrough as possible.
Kalem smiled upon seeing Pel, he was glad to see the man. He was glad to see that their comrade was staying busy and productive.
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"Pel!" Ilsa exclaims, happy to see her arcanist friend again.
"We really could have used your skills the last few days, but I'm glad to hear you're doing good things--finding a cure and helping people is just as important."
With a cure hopefully in sight, and those spreading the disease mostly contained, Ilsa felt hopeful.
"The only loose end seems to be Rolth--we never did find him," she muses.
The priest eyed the newcomer warily as he just appeared in the office, but as the others seemed to be on excellent terms with him he just rolled with it. As the man introduced himself, the cleric extended his hand for a shake, "Malen, of Pharasma's faith." He then continued to listen as Pel spoke of the Caydenites' work on a cure for Blood Veil.
As for Kroft's mention of dangerous times and perhaps more to come, Malen remained silent, wanting to hear the woman's words before making a decision. While he wasn't overly cowardly and therefore the danger wasn't really an issue, he wanted to weigh this option with the option of helping with the sick to determine which would do the greater good for the City.
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After procuring the wand from the group, Malen used its restorative abilities to attempt to cure the disease plaguing Ilsa and Kalem.
"Oh, good to see you Pel. You're looking a lot... uh, fresher than we probably do." Bashiel not only looks down at his armor, but also thinks back to the harrowing fights of the last two days. "If you trust that friend of yours to work honestly towards a cure, he's welcome to have a copy. We need all the good people we can get working on a solution for the city."
"As for Rolth... I'm going to guess we'll see him again. He's not likely to give up his murderous ways, and we're not likely to give up on Korvosa any time soon." He holds a gauntleted hand to his forehead. "No matter how much some parts of our populace will try to stop us."
"Cressida, you mentioned a summary execution for the physicians. The ones the queen herself hired. How did that happen? And perhaps more importantly, what was the reaction to it?"
"And any word of our group's involvement? Back at the Hospice, I'd almost thought the Maidens were going to try to arrest us."
Pel nods at Zamanda. “Of course. We need as many people working on the cure as possible. Make as many copies as you need before I take a copy to my friend.”
To Ilsa, he says, “Doing what I can. Half my job has been keeping the other Caydenites in line - no small task, I assure you.”
Pel takes Malen’s offered hands and shakes it, though the arcanist’s grip isn’t as strong as the cleric’s.
He nods again to Bashiel. “He’s a fellow Caydenite. I trust him.”
Pel waits however long is needed for a copy of the notes to be made before taking his leave. As he does, he says, “I’ll return tomorrow with a progress update. If these notes are as detailed and thorough as they seem, we may yet have a breakthrough.”
As suddenly as he appeared, Pel disappears through another ripple in thin air.
Cressida gives you as much time as you need to speak with Pel before addressing other matters.
“Rolth will certainly have to be dealt with eventually. I trust you will see that justice is done if you see him again.” Judging by the Field Marshall’s words, she doesn’t expect there to be a trial and execution. She expects you to mete out justice yourselves if you cross paths with him again.
As for the physicians, Cressida says, “The Queen herself ordered the executions. With Davaulus exposed, all the physicians were implicated. The Gray Maidens are quite efficient in their duties. As for the reaction… there wasn’t one. Or rather, not enough of one to fairly speak about. Korvosans were too busy speaking about Commander Endrin being relieved of his duties and what else transpired during that announcement.”
Nodding at Bashiel and Malen, she continues, “I left you in a hurry for I was summoned to a hastily called public address for the Queen. It was there that Lukas Endrin was relieved of his command and that he attempted to kill Queen Ileosa.”
Cressida pauses to stare at the door to her office for several seconds before saying, “We should discuss that further elsewhere. If there’s anything else regarding the cure, we can discuss that now, but otherwise I would escort us to a safer place to talk of sensitive matters.”
Malen’s wand works quickly on Ilsa. The red blotches on her skin fade and she feels much more like her usual self. On the other hand, the wand doesn’t seem to have any effect on Kalem at all.
Zamanda says About the coffers... but then says Well, perhaps we should talk about that in a safer place as well. Lead on.
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Ilsa feels relieved as her own red blotches disappear, but looks with concern at Kalem. "You're the strongest one here--you'll fight it off, my friend."
When the talk turns to an assassination attempt on the queen, she turns pensive. "Why would Commander Endrin be relieved of his command? Because his group was disbanded? What happened to him after the assassination attempt?" she asks.
Kalem coughed in response, but tried to put on a tough appearance. Truth be told, he was worried about the sickness. He had seen far too many people die already, and the idea of falling victim to something he couldn't see or fight was terrifying. But he already had a cleric doing everything he could, so what was the use complaining? All he could do was take it stoically.
The man attempted to kill the Queen!? He didn't personally know Endrin, of course, but the reaction to being relieved of command was extreme. As with most things, there was likely more to it. As the Field Commander seemed to want more privacy before continuing, Malen took the extra moments to again attempt to cure Kalem's sickness, concerned at the virulent nature. It was almost as if it were a more powerful and deadly version of the Veil. The wand's power was inferior to Malen's own, he could tell, and such things had limited use. Kalem was hardy...he would survive until the morrow when the priest could ask for blessings to heal the tiefling.
Discarding thoughts of the strange disease, for now, Malen turned his attention back to Cressida, patiently waiting for her to lead them to whatever place she thought would offer shelter from prying eyes and ears.
Bashiel shakes his head at the news of the doctors being swept under the rug. He files the fact away as another strike against the Queen. He'd long since become convinced that she played a role in all this chaos - the question had been how deep her involvement went. This certainly didn't look good for her. And this about Commander Endrin?
"That doesn't sound right to me..." He turns to follow after Cressida.
Once the conversation about the cure winds down, Cressida leads the way out of her office and down the hall. The Citadel’s halls are silent and empty. You pass only a single member of the Guard as you travel and no one trains in the Citadel’s large inner courtyard.
You arrive at your destination and Cressida ushers you into a smaller meeting room in the depths of the keep. From there, the Field Marshall opens a doorway that reveals what appears to be a room filled with fog.
Cressida explains, “This chamber is protected by a permanent mage’s private sanctum. We will be safe to speak freely inside."
Kroft passes through the fog-filled doorway and disappears inside. Following, you find the fog clears as soon as you enter the room. The chamber beyond is a plain-looking place with a single long table on which sits a small closed coffer. There are enough chairs for all of you and Cressida.
Once all of you are seated, she says, “Ileosa announced a surprise public address shortly after the Hospice’s true purpose was revealed. Her presentation drew away many Korvosans who would otherwise have been at the Hospice to try to see what was going on.
“It was so hastily called, I barely had time to arrive to the address myself. Commander Merrin of the Gray Maidens was called away to the address as well and arrived shortly before I did. Besides Merrin and me, Commander Endrin and the Queen’s new castle seneschal, Togomor, were also there. I should have suspected something was amiss, for Lukas seemed quite ill at ease in the moments leading us to the address.
“Queen Ileosa, wearing a new crown, announced that the plague had been defeated, but that Doctor Davaulus and his physicians had been frauds and were responsible for the sickness ravaging the city. She had a couple of his physicians beheaded on the spot and announced that Davaulus was dead.
“The Queen went on to report that the Order of the Nail had shown its true colors and fled like cowards into Citadel Vraid. Worse, that both the Korvosan Guard and the Sable Company had suffered terrible losses over the past weeks. She said that neither group was capable of continuing as Korvosa’s protectors. And thus…”
Cressida cuts off abruptly. Her fists are balled and she seems to be struggling to say the words on her lips. Forcing herself to continue, she says, “And thus, Queen Ileosa named the Gray Maidens as the official new protectors of Korvosa, appointing Sabina Merrin as the city’s new general. Queen Ileosa then turned her attention to the Sable Company. Citing the fact that the care and feeding of the company's hippogriff mounts placed too great a strain on the city’s coffers - an exaggeration, at best - and the fact that the company’s commander, Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis, fled the city rather than stay by her side in her time of need, Ileosa said she had decided to disband the company and seize its holdings. She then asked Commandant Endrin to step forward to surrender his badge of office.”
Cressida pauses again to massage her temple. Just explaining what happened seems immensely tiring for her. The worried expression on her face underlines her displeasure at what transpired.
Picking up again, she says, “Endrin stepped forward, as commanded. He reached for his badge, but instead of handing it over, he threw it at the Queen, striking her cheek. Everyone, even the Queen, was shocked into paralysis for a few moments. It was long enough for Endrin to bellow out a few words. I remember them clearly. ‘Your shameful reign ends now! Korvosa will be free again!’
“An instant later, his bow was in his hands, aimed at the still-frozen queen. Endrin fired and his aim was true. The arrow struck Queen Ileosa in the right temple, sinking deep into her skull. Yet she did not fall.
“With incredible speed, she regained her composure and yanked the arrow from her skull. Before the blood of her wound had time to run all the way down to her jaw, she was standing before Endrin. Her free hand seized him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. An instant later, she stabbed Endrin’s own arrow up under his jaw and out the side of his face.
“His body crumpled to the ground and Ileosa cried out, ‘This shall be the fate of all enemies of Korvosa! Mark well his punishment! It is only the first!’ The Queen’s new seneschal stepped forward a moment later and took her hand. They disappeared a second later.
“I fled immediately afterward in horror. The Gray Maidens were brutally and efficiently quelling a brewing riot even as I did so. I do not know whether Ileosa’s blow actually killed Endrin. His chest still rose and fell when last I saw him.”
Cressida takes a moment to rest her voice before saying, “So that’s what happened with Endrin. You mentioned coffers? And I believe you also wanted to discuss the Queen in a bit more detail, correct?”
Zamanda explains what they learned from the Vampire about how the coffers were the original source of the plague, and she shows her the ones that she has, one spent and one sealed.
These must have been what were in those crates on the ship. The vampire seemed very eager to have one to help with his research on the plague, and so I think perhaps it would also help the people studying it here (hopefully a lot), but we have to be very careful not to let it fall into the hands of the queen. Both he and Davaulus spoke of the Queen's involvement. ... I begin to think that my father is right and that she assassinated her husband.[/b]
... Do you think it is worth going to find Endrin to see if he is still alive?
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Ilsa's mouth is agape as Cressida fills them in on the details of what happened. She isn't sure what to think.
"This--this is very bad," she says. "Who can get shot in the head with an arrow and survive?"
Her thoughts turn to the vampire they had recently faced.
"Could she be some kind of--undead or something? Like a vampire?"
Seconding Zamanda's question, she says "We could see if he's alive. Is there anything else we can do to help?"
Bashiel sits largely in silent shock at the story of what transpired over the course of the one day the team was busy saving the city from Andaisin and Ramoska. Without thinking, his hand goes to his sword.
"How-" He swallows, pauses for a good long minute to collect this thoughts. "That was too much to take in all at once. Let me think about it from the start..." He places a gauntleted hand against his temple as he talks and his eyes stare off into the distance.
"Alright. Who's this Togomor? I've never heard of him."
"How could the Queen announce the plague had been defeated? Just yesterday the situation was dire. Did anyone believe her? And is there any truth to her words?"
"How do the Grey Maidens have the numbers to protect the city? They were formed what... no more than 10 days ago? It's shocking enough how quickly they became an effective unit, them suddenly having the strength to defend Korvosa stretches credulity."
"And the Guard... are w- I mean, is the Guard disbanded? Is that why we saw so few people in the halls?"
His onslaught of questions ebbs as he thinks about how to breach the thorniest question. But Ilsa beats him to the punch. "Right. She took an arrow to the skull and survived. Protective magic doesn't usually work that way from what I've seen. So what was it? An illusion? A duplicate with regenerative powers? If she truly is a vampire then..." He shakes his head and thinks about what might be able to survive such a blow without blinking.
"The city has somehow descended into horrors... first the plague, now even the Queen. Not to mention the callousness of the Grey Maidens, who bottled up everyone in Old Korvosa."
"Might not be the Queen." Kalem said, with more than a bit of hesitation. "Could be a..." He almost said demon, but an overabundance of caution made him rethink that. "...shapeshifter. Or something like that. Would explain why she'd do so much to hurt her own city."
Cressida looks at the coffer that Zamanda presents and says, “Is it just an empty coffer or does it contain the plague?”
Kroft shakes her head when Zamanda and Ilsa ask about whether or not Endrin’s still alive. “I do not know if he still lives. If he is alive, he is beyond our aid for now. The Queen would have thrown him into Castle Korvosa’s deepest, darkest dungeon.”
Addressing Bashiel’s questions one-by-one, Cressida says, “Togomor's an ally to the Queen and she appointed him as the castle seneschal after Kalepopolis’s extended absence. I believe he’s some sort of spellcaster, but I don’t know anymore than that.
“The Queen will say what she wants about the plague. Endrin’s act allowed her to get away with more than she might otherwise have. But as to the truth of her words, the situation is dire, but there have been fewer reported deaths as of late. Blood veil still ravages the city, make no mistake, but the Queen needed to offer some good news, even if it wasn’t entirely true. The plague hasn’t been defeated, but its effects are perhaps slightly less visible as to give her words some legitimacy.
“The Queen stole from both the Sable Company and the Guard to staff the Maidens. Every woman in the Guard save myself and two others have been made into Maidens. They’ve also recruited a significant number of women from the city’s general populace. They aren’t meant to protect the city. They’re meant to protect the Queen and her interests. They do that quite well.
“The Guard has not been disbanded. We would not be having this conversation if it had been. You saw so few people because of the Gray Maidens, the plague, reallocation of funds, and… desertion. The Guard is but a shell of its former self.”
Regarding the Queen surviving the arrow to her head, Cressida says, “I don’t know. But I looked directly at the Queen after she was shot. If the woman I saw wasn’t Ileosa, then I am not Commander of the Guard. Perhaps she has become something more, but it was still the Queen. She bled like a human bleeds and her flesh was still disfigured like I’ve seen so many times before from arrow wounds. Some foul magic may have kept her alive, but it was Ileosa.”
Bashiel doesn’t know of any undead that could bleed like a normal, living human. Even allowing for illusion magic, an arrow straight to the head would also drop most undead. The planes are full of many mysteries. Any number of them could contribute - or not - to the phenomenon of the Queen’s survival.
When Kalem mentions the possibility of it being a shapeshifter to explain why she would do so much to hurt her own city, Cressida shakes her head. “I brought us to this room so we could speak freely. You needn’t fear reprisal here.”
When Ilsa asks if there’s anything else you can do to help, Cressida offers her a sad smile. “There is something, yes. Something I think you all may be the only ones capable of handling.”
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Malen stared aghast at Kroft as she spoke of the hastily called event where Endrin had tried to strike down the Queen. If the monarch was truly behind the plague in Korvosa, and there seemed a pretty damning amount of evidence that she was at least complicit, she was clever enough to know to spin things appropriately. As the situation in the Hospice devolved, it was a brilliant stroke to go ahead and announce the success against the Veil and Davaulus' involvement. Such a proclamation would shield her against accusations from the group, should there be any made.
As for Lukas shooting the Queen in the head, the priest could think of no time he had witnessed where a person had been shot forcefully in the head with an arrow and lived. If this Togomor was a spellcaster, maybe he had summoned some kind of illusion to create the vision of the assassination attempt, but what would be the purpose. "You say she bled...I know you said you fled the scene, but did the wound start repairing itself, could you tell?"
The Sable Company being disbanded was bad news for Korvosa. Te crack team of hippogriff riders was an effective and efficient force in dealing with the city's issues, both internal and external. Without them, it would be easier still for chaos to reign in the streets. Arching a brow at Cressida's response to Ilsa, "What is this task you speak of?"
Zamanda explains the properties of a Death's Head Coffer, and how they can spread disease, putting an infectious item into stasis, and then investing other items with the disease as well.
So whoever studies it will have to be super careful , but whatever is in there is the original disease and will likely be even better than the samples and notes we gave you from the Urgathoans that were developing it.
When Cressida mentions a task, she waits to hear what it is.
'So the normal forces that protect the city have been gutted, and what's left protects the queen... How? Why would all those women choose to set aside the work they've done up 'til now and guard Ileosa over the populace?'
Bashiel closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them to say "Seems as though even after the city pulls through this plague, we'll have trouble. I'm not sure why Ileosa felt the need to plunder the protection from the rest of the city, but it'll only hurt the rest of us. And that's not even considering that we've seen the Grey Maidens doing some things I think we can all agree are actively dangerous for the people."
'What in Osiris' good name is Ileosa thinking?'
He shrugs, finding it hard to imagine what goes on in the head of someone so high up. "Well, I'm open to ideas Cressida. What are you thinking?"
Responding to Malen’s first question, Cressida says, “I can’t say for sure, but it did seem like there was less blood than you would expect.”
Regarding the coffer, Kroft says, “Are you sure this contains the plague? It seems rather light.”
Finally addressing the task she mentioned, Cressida stands to her feet. She presses fisted hands onto the table. As she speaks, she looks back and forth between each of you. You’ve never seen the Field Marshall express such fierce resolve and conviction. It’s clear she’s thought about her next words extensively.
“Korvosa is dying. No, strike that. Korvosa is being murdered. Killed by our Queen. The evidence you’ve uncovered that links her to the plague is damning enough, but now that she’s disbanded the Sable Company and reallocated our own funding to the Gray Maidens, she’s more in control now than ever. I dare not move against her, as my guards would be executed to the last fighter by her Gray Maidens before sundown. But she must be stopped. And I know of no one else but you to do this deed.
“Whatever foul magic the queen has wrapped herself in is obviously of the highest order. Endrin’s aim was true, and his shot should have dropped her. I had feared he was going to take matters into his own hands like this, but hoped he would find it within himself to find a better route. If only he could have waited.
“You see, new information recently came to me. Vencarlo Orisini’s been one of my most trusted sources of information regarding the public; it’s hard for an officer of the Korvosan Guard to get honest opinions from the citizens, and Vencarlo’s observations on these topics have been a godsend, particularly since the plague started.
“When the Queen quarantined Old Korvosa, I’d feared his messages would end, yet he managed to find ways to smuggle updates to me. He wrote of discovering something of vital importance regarding the queen. He mentions something about dark magic and a pact with a devil, but until the events of this morning, I found his claims difficult to believe. But even more astounding, he hinted he’d found a lead on Seneschal Kalepopolis, and implied the man might still be in hiding in Old Korvosa.
“That was the last I heard from him. I’ve started to worry for his safety as several attempts to contact him have gone unanswered. The rumors about riots and gangs seizing control of entire neighborhoods in Old Korvosa are disturbing. Certainly, the plumes of smoke we all see rising from fires on the island are proof that as bad as things are elsewhere, they’re probably worse in Old Korvosa.
“I can see a time in the near future when the Korvosan Guard is disbanded as well. Even now I lack the resources to mount my own investigations. Which is where you come in. Trusting you may have been my best decision in recent memory, for your group holds the possibility of Korvosa’s salvation.
“I ask you to seek out Vencarlo in Old Korvosa, and to learn more of what he’s discovered about the nature of our Queen’s increasingly violent and destructive turns of personality. Ironically, you should actually be safer in Old Korvosa, since the Queen’s quarantine has cut off the island entirely, and word on the street is that she plans on leaving it to rot. She won’t think to look for you there if you maintain a low profile and avoid confrontations with the Gray Maidens. Once you contact Vencarlo, we can only hope what he’s discovered will suggest a course of action we can take to save the city.”
Cressida unfists her hands and lays her palms flat against the table as she leans closer. “So that is the task I ask of you. I cannot do so in any official capacity. Strictly speaking, it is treason to disobey the Queen’s quarantine order. But I ask this of you as friends. It is a personal request, but also one made on behalf of all Korvosans who long for a return to normalcy. You’ll each have to decide for yourselves, for this isn’t something I can force you to do. You’ve already done so much for this city, but Korvosa and myself must ask more of you still. Will you do this thing?”
All that battle, protecting a worthless coffer. Who knew? But why would anyone seal it without something inside? If you reopen it now, it becomes non-magical. Oh well.
Zamanda surreptitiously dumps the coffers in the wastebin while Cressida begs for their aid.
I'm in she says at the end of the long speech.
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Ilsa bristles as Cressida provides her findings.
Korvosa is my home--I started all this searching for Briget. I found her, and got in a lot deeper than I ever thought I would. But I can't abandon this quest now--not when Korvosa needs me--needs us--so badly. Everyone suffering in Old Korvosa are my friends and neighbors.
"I must do this. Even if I die trying, I can't abandon Old Korvosa," she says resolutely.
Malen arched a thin eyebrow at Cressida's mention of the relative lack of blood, but remained quiet. He doubted anyone here wanted to go into detail about head wounds and how much they bled. There was definitely some foul magic afoot, that was certain.
The priest listened as Kroft went over the information about Old Korvosa and the assistance she asked of the group. Doing so would pit them directly against the Queen and her Maidens, but that didn't overly worry the cleric. It was clear Ileosa, at least, was a foul rot at the heart of Korvosa and it was spreading to the rest of the city. While Pharasma didn't involve herself in high ideals like Sarenrae and Iomedae, there was cleary evil at work here, and it was destroying the city from within. Malen remembered his dream, of the dead littering the streets while a hidden menace lurked within the Castle.
And the possible pacts with devils? This couldn't continue. "I will represent my Goddess in this endeavor, Field Marshal. Do you have a recommendation for getting to the island?"