You all manage to find without too much trouble a small home located in the West Dock neighborhood of Midland district. Fredrik finds the door to the home open and makes his way inside. He finds a cozy chamber within the small home filled with the fragrant haze of flowers and strong spice. The haze comes from several sticks of incense smoldering in wall-mounted burners that look like butterfly-winged elves.
The smoke itself seems to soften the edges and gives the room a dream-like feel. The walls are draped with brocaded tapestries, one showing a black-skulled beast juggling men's hears, another showing a pair of angels dancing atop a snow-blasted mountain. A third tapestry on the far wall depicts a tall hooded figure shrouded in mist, a flaming sword held in a skeletal hand. Several brightly-colored rugs cover the floor, but the room's only furnishing are a wooden table covered by a bright red throw-cloth and several elegant tall-backed chairs. A basket covered by blue cloth sits under the table.
As Fredrik is the first to arrive, he finds a simple note on the table, weighed down with a stone paperweight. Shortly after Fredrik finishes the note, Tobar arrives, followed a few minutes after by Tatyana. After about ten minutes a devilishly handsome elf finds his way to the home.
Clad in his dark training leather armor, a small patch of the Sable Company on his arms, Frederik looks carefully around the room. He did not trust mysterious people leaving odd things among his personal possessions. This opportunity to find his sister was simply too important to pass up though.
As another individual enters, he studies them carefully before speaking, "I would assume you are not the individual I am waiting for. The note I received mentioned others. I would assume you are one of the 'others'?"
Adorned in plain leathers and nondescript clothes, Tobar slinks into the room--his towering height ruining a chance at a low profile.
He eyes up Frederik and nods. "I assume not. I don't make a habit out of keeping people waiting. Though while we wait, I'm happy to share."
Tobar opens a laden satchel at his waist and draws out a few oysters and draws a dagger from a sheathe at his belt. He cracks open an oyster , deftly downs one, and then tosses the spent shells back into the satchel.
He grins. "They're fresh--promise. I just bought them from Reefclaw Run."
A blonde human woman with her hair pinned in curls to the back of her head strides into the house without knocking, wrinkling her nose for a moment as waves of incense hit her. She flicks her eyes quickly over the table, then to Frederik and Tobar, and the wall-mounted burners. As she removes her gloves and cloak, she looks around for both a coat rack and, more importantly, a candle snuffer. Seeing neither, she strides across the room, takes her seat in one of the available chair and folds her outwear across her lap.
"Well, she says, her voice cutting and sharply accented, "which one of you summoned me here? I don't have all evening, after all."
The sound of Tobar shucking oysters causes her to stare blankly at him and clear her throat with a brief cough.
Shaking his head to Tobar, he holds up a hand, "No. Thank you though."
Watching Tatyana with minor annoyance, he responds to her, "Neither of us did. You a noble or a student or both? You seem to have that attitude."
Tatyana scoffs and rolls her eyes as she responds, "I am Tatyana Padmore, graduate of the Acadamae's School of Conjuration and apprentice to Dunwall Hekwin, conjurer of many talents. I am sure you have heard of him. He is assisting me in become a master in my own right."
She gives a half smile as she continues, talking somewhat slower this time so as to ensure that Frederik can understand her, "My family is not noble, but are well-known merchants over in the North Point. Perhaps you recognize me from there?"
She reaches over and looks into the cloth-covered basket, hoping to find some sort of bread or other simple food.
In the cloth-covered basket sits a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine. The bread is a little stale but is filling, and the wine, while not fine tastes good enough.
"I recognized the over confidence and self importance of an Academae Student.Be sure to control your magics. If the stories I hear from the Korvosan Guard is to be even half true, I will be keeping an eye on you."
Tobar observes the two talking and allows them to finish; he shrugs at Frederik, "That's fine. Just trying to be friendly. I'm Tobar by the way."
Glancing at Tatyana, Tobar chimes in, "And for you, my lady?" He grins, his voice tinged with mild sarcasm, shucks an oyster and hands it to her.
Tatyna blushes and says, "Thank you. I am not a student anymore, but a credentialed and practicing conjurer. I'm sorry, though. I don't believe I've caught your name? Either of your names, in fact."
She eats the oyster in one quick, obviously practiced movement, before taking a small piece of bread from the loaf and pouring herself some wine.
"I am Frederik Etrane, recruit of the Sable Company."
Crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, looks to the door, "I wonder how many more got these mysterious cards."
Soon after Aldot swaggers into the room, the door swings open. In the door frame stands an middle-aged Varisian woman, fairly attractive, with long dark hair. She smiles at everyone saying in a soft but clear voice, "Thank you for coming, my friends, and for putting up with my unconventional method of contacting you. I am Zellara." As she moves into her home, she draws from a hidden pocket, a deck of harrow cards, all that appear to be the matching deck from the cards that everyone found this morning.
"Please take a seat. We have much to discuss." Pausing a moment while everyone makes a decision on whether to stand or sit, the fortune-teller continues, "I have reason to remain hidden, you see- a terrible man, would see great harm done to me if he knew I was reaching out for help. This is a man you know, for he has done something terrible to each of you as well." As she speaks, the woman shuffles her deck with an ease an familiarity that makes it seem like the cards float and dance over her hands and the table.
"I speak, of course, of Gaedren Lamm, a man whose cruelty and capacity to destroy the lives of those he touches are matched only by his gift for avoiding reprisal." Pausing a moment, a flash of pain crosses the woman face before she continues, "You see, a year ago his thieves stole this, my Harrow deck, from me. It is important to me, an heirloom passed down through a dozen generations, and also my sole means of support. When pickpockets stole it, my son, Eran, tracked them down. The thieves were in the employ of Geadren Lamm, and in reward for finding them, Gaedren murdered my son."
Pausing from shuffling her deck, Zellara takes a moment to steady herself. "I sought help from the Guard, but they turned me away. And so I asked around. I paid bribes. I consulted my Harrow deck for advice. And recently, I was rewarded-I found out where Gaedren dwells. He can be found in an old fishery north of here at Westpier 17, where he trains his abducted children to be pickpockets and counts his stolen treasures."
"And now, I need your help. I cannot hope to face this man on my own, and the Guard moves so slowly that if I were to go to them, Gaedren would certainly know of their coming well in advance. Even if they did arrest him - what guarantee would I have that he would be punished? This criminal has evaded the law for decades. But you know of these frustrations as well, for word on the street has it that Gaedren has wronged each of you, too. So there we are. It is time for him to pay." Slamming her deck down onto the table, Zellara looks expectantly at everyone gauging reactions.
Aldot smiles intently with mischief....."Finally......I have been waiting for this for quite a while, what is your plan for his suffering?"
"This is quite concerning," Tatyana says as the demon-looking creature falls. "Korvosa is prone to chaos, but I've never seen in it in this state before."
She looks at her companions and seems to be taking inventory of what they have on them.
"It should be obvious now that I am classically trained in the arcane arts. What talents do you all have? I fear we will not survive the night if we do not band together. I fear more for our city if it falls to chaos." She lets out a low chuckle before growing serious. "After all, I'll never become a master conjurer if my apprenticeship ends due to anarchy. I do wonder how Hekwin is making out."
Tobar stares intently at Tatyana, "Well, I know my way around this city--that much is for certain. Though the city as we know it is clearly changing."
"As for my skills, I consider myself a practitioner of the alchemical arts. I can brew up a mean flask of bottled fire, or a tonic to cure ailments. Whatever you need. It's not magic, per se Tatyana--just precise measurements of particular ingredients."
He looks around at the group gathered before him and shrugs. "We have to figure something out though. The city is definitely in danger."
Picking through the small bundles, Fredrik uncovers a narrow teak cigar case inlaid with tiny bits of jade, a 2-pound ingot worth 100 gp bearing the Cheliax coat of arms, a miniature gold crown, a fist-sized scrimshaw carving of a kraken with garnets for eyes, a highly realistic and scandalous ivory figurine of two entwined succubi, a masterwork shuriken, an adamantine arrowhead, an abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn, a tiny glass tube containing a magical oil of some sort, an obsidian wand, and a crystalline vile containing a does of an alchemical agent of some sort. More important to Cassiel, however is a silver ring, worth 150 gp bearing the inscription "For Emmah - the light in my nights".
However, the final bundle contains something far more elegant than any of Lamm's other fine treasures: a bejeweled brooch with a broken clasp. The jewelry is a circular gold brooch that depicts a pseudodragon and an imp coiled around each other in an almost yin-yang pattern. The pseudodragon's eye is an amethyst while the imp's eye is an emerald.
The wooden lid flips off the hatbox easily enough. However the stench of rotting flesh and decay is enough to make everyone gag. Inside the box sits the severed head of a familiar fortuneteller. Zellara's head is poorly preserved and decorated with unsightly makeup in a crude attempt to give her sagging flesh a semblance of life. With a quick glance, Tobar is able to estimate that the fortuneteller has been dead for weeks. The half-orc is also able to see a smaller wooden box under the stump of Zellara's neck. Carefully extracting the box from the hatbox, Tobar is able to grab the small box. Inside, he finds a beautifully preserved harrow deck. The Hand-painted images that decorate this Harrow deck, the frames gilt in silver so that under lighting they sparkle and flash. Despite the worn condition of the card backs, the images on the faces are so vibrant they seem to move when viewed out of the corner of the eye. The deck itself handles with surprising ease, almost suffling itself.
Everyone leaves from the front entrance into the street. As soon as the doors open, it is apparent that something terrible has happened. Korvosa is in flames. Smoke rises somewhere from the Heights district. The frantic clang of alarm bells sing out in harmony with a multifarious cacophony of screams, the clash of steel on steel, moans and ever the periodic detonation of arcane power. A wind of Sable Company griffon riders swoops overhead, angling toward Castle Korvosa at breakneck pace. One of the badly wounded mounts rains blood down on the street, sprinkling some of the children and the party, before it succumbs and crashes headlong into a statue, taking its rider and itself to a bone-crushing demise. The others in the flight do not pause to check on their fallen ally.
Amid the chaos, the voice of a Korvosan herald cuts through the din "The kind is dead! Long live the queen!" The caller is immediately met with open hostility. "Hang the queen!" A man shouts, followed by another disembodied voice screaming "The usurper wh**e must die!"
You all begin to move towards Zellara's home, when suddenly a rumble begins to issue from below, and a moment later the city streets cracks apart, with long fissures appearing in the bricks. The road bursts upward, casting chunks of rock into the air and raining bricks on the surrounding area. The stench of sewer filth and garbage belches forth, hearlding the approach of a loud and hungry beast.
A large monster uses two of its tentacles to drag itself up to the surface. It reaches out and slaps Aldot before a group of Hellknights approach to intersect the aberration. "Get off the streets!" One shouts as another Hellknight is struck hard enough to knock him off his feet.
Using the Hellknights as a distraction, you all are able to quickly enter into 3 Lancet Street. The home you entered into this afternoon is gome. It appears to be abandoned, looking as if it has been empty for weeks. There is no sign of food, the wall hangings, the rugs, or Zellara can be found. All the furniture is in pieces scattered throughout the room.
As you all start to inspect the room, Zellara's harrow deck suddenly springs to life. The well loved harrow cards start to spin and dance abut the room. Suddenly, everything is as it was this afternoon. The rugs and tapestry have returned, sparkling to life, as well as the table reassembling with the five chairs. In the center of the room, Zellara stands, smiling proudly at the four of you.
"Welcome, my friends. Congratulations on your victory against Lamm. I sense that there are many questions you have for me." For a moment, Zellara's harrow deck flits around its former master, much like a cat wanting affection, before returning to Tobar.
At Fredrik's accusations, Zellara raises an eyebrow. "I wasn't entirely sure that everyone here would trust a ghost." Zellara straightens her outfit of non-existent wrinkles before speaking again. "My harrow deck that you possess has several important powers. First and foremost, it is what keeps me tethered to this realm, which I am most appreciative for. Secondly, it has the ability to create a major image once per day, which was how I was able to keep my secret from all of you this afternoon. Finally, up to three times per day, it can help identify items, either magical or mundane."
Ignoring Fredrik's jabs at her ethnicity, a look of annoyance crosses her features. "My friends, while I understand your willingness to help me move on, I simply cannot while my beloved Korvosa is in such chaos. No, I will stay in this realm, helping you when and where I can, until she is back to normal." She states stubbornly, before conjuring her deck back to her.
"If you would like, It would be my pleasure to read your fortunes." As Tobar and Tatyana take a seat, Zellara is able to eerily pick up on both of their trouble pasts. In addition, the fortune teller is offers warnings to both of them about what could come to pass. Despite her offer, Fredrik turns down the chance for a card reading.
2 pound gold ingot: 350 gp*
scrimshaw carving of kraken: 200 gp*
silver ring: 150 gp*
ivory succubi statue: 450 gp*
masterwork shuriken: 300 gp 2 sp
adamantine arrowhead: 60 gp 5 cp
abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn 300 gp*
Oil of Keen Edge
Wand of magic missile (23 charges)
crystalline vial: 50 gp*
dose of silversheen
Queen Ileosa's brooch: 1000 gp or reward of 1200gp*
*= can be sold for full value (as art)
Looking out into the city with a worried look, Frederik speaks to the others, "We should make our way to Castle Korvosa. If anyone know what is happening the Senschal, and the Guard would. It would also be safer there than on the streets. I fear something more dire than a simple passing of the King has occurred. While I dislike the Queen, I would not throw the city into chaos over it."
Frederik, perhaps that will give us some insight as to why the chaos has erupted," Tobar pauses, looking pensively at the floor. Then he raises his head and looks at the gathered companions.
"Or perhaps it will lead us directly into the den of a lion. Either way, Lamm is dead, so I have no particular obligations at this time. Perhaps fixing our city will give me some credit around here."
Tatyana moves to rummage through the gear collected as the rest of the group speaks. She pulls out the wand and oil, divining their magic but looking generally perplexed and unable to identify them. She tosses the wand in the air and catches it before slamming it on the table.
"As much as I hate to say it, the man's right. Castle Korvosa seems like it's the answer to most of problems. At the very least, we won't be safe till this chaos stops. Let's get going - we can put all the junk on my pony."
As everyone prepares, Zellara vanishes with a flourish. Tobar feels an inner pocket gains some weight, as the harrow deck situates itself on his person. Outside Frederik can see a mob pass by, chanting something that is lost among the cacophony of terrified screams and explosions. As everyone takes what they wish from the supplies found at the old fishery, Frederik leads them onto the street.
The Marine leads you all through side streets, sticking mostly to the shadows. He pauses only when a mob or a group of Hellknights appears. In the sky above, several pseudodragons are locked in combat with half a dozen imps. It appears that in the chaos of King Eroded's death, another war has erupted between the native dwelling dragons and the Acadamae's summoned imps.
Just as Frederik can see the low raising ramp up to the castle, the ground underneath his feet begins to tremble, foretelling only one thing. Quickly fleeing the impending Otyugh attack, the group is ushered into a building by a shop owner as the great abberation bursts from the ground. "What are you lot thinking? It's the middle of the night and the whole city is in chaos! Hell, Castle Korvosa is surrounded by mobs that the guard can barely keep back."
Wiping his forehead with a handkerchief, the man glances at his shuttered windows, as a mob with pitchforks and torches moves by. "I can't in good conscious let you all out on the streets tonight. Rest here, and you can be on your way in the morning."
"My new companions, the course of action before seems clear. We must go to Korvosa to gain the patronage of the queen in these trying times. How else would jump to the top of the ladder of power in this place? We have a singular unique opportunity for greatness." Aldot looks at the fellows gathered, looking each on in the eye, a smile with no mirth.
Frederik nods tot he shop keeper, "Thank you sir. We will do our part to be sure no mobs attack your shop through out the night in return of the favor."
Looking back at his new companions he raises an eyebrow at Aldot, "I am a member of the Sable Company, sir. I protect the city, I do not take advantage of chaos to increase my personal standing. I am going to check for other entrances and the bar the doors."
Checking the shop for any other entrances, he will bar them with whatever is available to try and deter any looters, and to make the shop safer.
Returning to the main room, he will address the shop keeper, "Sir, do you have any family here, or anyone besides yourself?"
Tatyana crosses her arms as the man warns them to stay inside. The rich smell of the Otyugh still lingers on her from their previous fight, and her nostrils flare with each wave of the putrid odor.
"Well, I can't imagine sitting and doing nothing while my city falls into chaos. There has to be some way that we can help restore order." Tatyana glances around, looking at the doors, before sighing. "But I can see how we can't do much tonight. Maybe as the dust settles tomorrow, we can head to the castle tomorrow. That's assuming there even is a castle tomorrow."
The castle guard is resourceful. I'm confident we will still see the castle standing with its intended inhabitants, even if we rest. Plus, it'll give me more time to brew a replacement extract."
Tobar reaches down into his pocket and thoughtfully pats the harrow deck as he raises an eyebrow and smiles. He quickly walks over to the gear they acquired and begins rummaging through it.
"Well, maybe some of this will help," he says as he draws things out of the rucksack.
He draws forth a few of the other items. "I mean, we should make use of this if we're to fight our way to the castle. Tatyana, would you mind if I took the hand crossbow? It'll be a perfect method for delivering poisons; subtle and easily hidden."
Tatyana looks over him for several moments before saying, "Very well. I can see the sense in that." She extracts the hand crossbow from her bag and hands it to him.
"If we can do nothing tonight, we should get our rest. No real need to set a watch, I think. We can just bar the door. The noise as something breaks through the door should wake us."
Tatyana looks around and sets her gear down in a pile in the warmest part of the room.
"Indeed. A good idea. And thank you, Tatyana."
Tobar grins wryly at the shopkeeper. "We'll do our very best not to break anything."
Looking out the window Frederik says, "While we should be safe in here with a door bared, I do suggest we not sleep too heavily."
Frederik seems very tense and anxious, "I need to get back to my unit, see what I can do to help...but I need to make sure you all are safe as well." Nodding to the shop keeper and the others.
"Things are not good..."
The night passes with a tense quiet. Occasionally during the night a scream can be heard along with sound of heavy footsteps, as guards run to the source of the calamity. When dawn breaks, the city has settled into silence.
Leaving the small shop, the owner helps to see you out, telling you all to be careful and to watch yourselves. Outside, a giant hole to the sewer is already being worked on by several scared looking workers. As you all turn down the main street, it is obvious as to why.
A mob of men have cornered a young nobleman. One of the men, a fat bald man with greasy muttonchops framing his rotund face, jeers and address the young man in a booming voice. "Bet'cha never worked an honest day's wage in your life, eh, Queen's Man? M'brother had his arm crushed by a barrel on the docks when he was younger than you. Never raised a mug of ale with that wrist again. Wanna know what it feels like?" With each sentence the rotund man smacks an iron pipe against the palm of his hand, before approaching his victim. In the center of the mob, a high pitch shriek is heard.
Looking to his compatriots, Frederik says, "We need to stop this. Quickly!"
Finishing, he draws his longsword and dashes towards the mob, yelling at them "Stay your anger! Beating this young noble will attain nothing but retribution to you and your own!"
If possible, Frederik will try and get into place between the mob and the noble, trying to keep them separated, his blade leveled.
"Put down your weapons, this is not a civilized manner of dealing with an issue. Calm yourselves."
--------------------------------
Tatyana, seeing the man, straightens her posture and stands her full height. She narrows her eyes with a chilly glare at the men and says,"I quite agree! We cannot stand for this. The city is in enough chaos as it is. Do you wish to be a driving force for that destruction?"
-------
Tobar shakes his head, whispering to his companions, "Why are we bothering to get involved? We should be going to the castle!"
"These people are the citizens of my city. As a member of the Sable Company I am sworn to protect all of them, like the guard. As such, I will try and protect all of them." Frederik says to Tobar in a matter of fact tone.
Looking down to Tatyana, he says, "Thank you for the aid."
Tobar grunts, a look of vague annoyance on his face, but he says nothing more. He follows Frederik to the group of thugs and folds his arms across his chest to look as intimidating as possible.
When Frederik approaches the crowd, five men go to intercept him. "Oh, what have we 'ere? 'Nother one of the Queen's stooges coming round to push us 'round? Why don-" Interrupted by Tatyana, the men look worried at the conjurer. The leader sizes up the group, and looks at the young nobleman before throwing down his iron pipe before leaving.
Sniveling, the young man pulls himself up to his feet. "T-thank you, brave souls. It is good to see that not all of the city has dissolved into chaos and fear. I am Amin Jalento." Pulling out a small coin purse he hands it to Frederik, bowing "I shall make sure that all of Korvosa hears of your gallantry and bravery. Thank you kind sir and madame! Thank you!" With a final bow, Amin turns on his heel and begins to briskly run further into the heights district, heading presumably towards home.
"I suggest you remain off the streets for a time until things cool down." Frederik says to the man.
Sheathing his blade, he looks around the street, and then back to the group. "I suggest we make all haste to the Castle. With these riots going on though, I do not have much faith we will be able to see an official."
He begins walking along the street in the direction of Castle Korvosa.