Terri just nods wearily at the words, her normally vibrant eyes a dull, dark green.
Yes, let's look into the murder, for all the good it will do now.
Can't say I am surprised, we are dealing with a delusional little despot, who thinks that he actually has some sort of influence beyond the little cesspool he calls his home Landis looked to his new companions as they conversed, and it made him think of who could possibly bother trying to cause unrest through the wererats Who ever they are, they picked a weak tool to stir the pot. The wererats numbers are too few to cause anything beyond a small panic and would do nothing but get them killed...and maybe that is it, maybe someone wants them all dead? Ridiculous, how would the genocide of a bunch sewer dwellers benefit anyone? He'd take a deep breath and sigh but the scent that lurked in this place persuaded him not to, which further encourged him to leave the home of these wererats with haste, but before he could go any further he took notice of Terri's grim expression It is sweet and idealistic that you actually hoped for a bloodless resolution to this, but the world does not function that way, not always Once more he felt the need to sigh, but once more he denied himself Might as well try to pull her out of those dark clouds that are floating around her...why does it fall to me though? It is a sad day in your life Terri; when a man such as I is the first to comfort you, but at least you'll have a good view of part of my handsome countenance, not to mention the wonderful experience of conversing with someone such as I...it should be especially wonderful after having to talk to someone like Griggiz
With a casual rhythm in his steps, landis walked towards Terri. The smile on his face almost made it seem like they haven't just suffered a failure in their attempt at negotiation "Come now, don't tell me a small hurdle is enough to make the world seem bleak to you" Well maybe it should, it could get bleaker yet He stood a little straighter as his eyes looked in the direction of the exit for but a moment before returning to the cleric "I am sure things will improve" His tone was overly upbeat And if they don't, Korvosa will happily show us once more why idealism and hope for a true happy ending is nothing but a fantasy The smile grew a little wider "If there is nothing more for us to do here I suggest hurrying towards the surface, the faster we uncover this little plot the faster we'll know how to go from here" It would also mean not having to spend more time in this disgusting little domain Griggiz calls his home.
Terri just looks at Landis.
"We had one chance to solve this peacefully, and I ruined. I would not call that a small hurdle," she says before continuing on.
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"It's not your fault. You're not the idiot that had to go and taunt the egotistical idiot."
Eries chimes in, "Girrigz likes a fight, but I don't think he would accept a challenge from an outsider. Nor would anyone follow them. You need to have standing in the community to challenge for leadership. And that means you need to be a wererat - natural or infected."
"If you do find Redback's murderers, maybe then Girrigz will listen to reason. At least it will reduce the grievance of his followers. Maybe that will be enough. But I am weary and my heart is heavy. I will make my prayers to Calistria tonight that Redback's shade will soon rest easy."
At this point, while in the sewers, it is hard to shake the feeling of being watched. Rats seem to take extra notice of the band of heroes.
Solve this peacefully? You really thought that power hungry rat...I never thought that insult would be ever so fitting His smile widened "What Wednesday is saying is somewhat true, if anyone ruined the talks it was I" Who knew he had such thin skin...fur The rogue paused to let the gravity of his admission of fault take hold.
"So really there is no need to go blaming yourself, I certainly won't be laming myself beyond what I said now...instead I will endeavor to do better next time, and while you had no hand in this failure of negotiations you should endeavor to improve as well, as there is no shame in seeking to better yourself" The only thing we should feel shameful for is thinking that overgrown rodent could actually be swayed with words.
Wednesday craned his head toward the talkative rogue and glared. "There's nothing for her to improve on, she was doing fine until you starting running your mouth and shot all she and the others had doneall to hell you worthless s#~$. And," he continues, growling, "trying to drag her down and shift the fault in order to gloss over your f+#@up doesn't do well for your life expectancy. In. The. Slightest."
Letting out a frustrated breath Amira refocuses the group. "Enough. Let's move." she says starting to lead the way out. As she does she looks over her shoulder directly at Landis. "If you don't learn when to keep your damn mouth shut, and learn it fast, you can crawl back into whatever hole you came out of and quit getting in the way of people trying to actually accomplish some good." she all but growls before dismissing him completely and leading the others back toward the surface.
Terri resists the temptation to glare at Landis, then Wednesday and Amira. She'd have to worry about her faults later, though, now she had to work to fix her blunder.
Landis could only roll his eyes behind the cover of shadow provided by his cloak. Both Amira and Wednesday's words did nothing but bore him, and the lack of response from Terri was equally tedious Maybe I expected these heroes to be far more jovial to be around, well Korvosa is a grim and brooding place so I guess it deserves champions such as these In silence he walked away from the cleric and followed after the druid, hoping that things will be less dull from here on out.
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Cassandra stepped up next to Landis and, companionably, put an arm around his shoulder.
"Nerve of them, huh? Telling you what to do and how to talk to people. Horrible. Then threatening you! Geez."
She shakes her head.
"So, I'm not going to threaten you. I'm just going to give you advice. Don't be a jackass and you probably won't die at the end of one of their weapons."
She pauses.
"... or, you know, end up lost in the Plane of Elemental S+!~ on Fire Forever."
Cassandra moves off, whistling.
Oh joy, advice from the woman who climbs walls when she's bored He thought sarcastically as he continued moving in relative silence Korvosa you truly deserve such heroes, you are a grim place, bordering on madness and yet you keep those that live within your walls deluded by unrealistic idealism.
Oh joy, advice from the woman who climbs walls when she's bored
Oh joy, advice from the woman who climbs walls when she's bored
Costa Serimus, the old proprietor of Bookmaker, is happy to know that his business is not haunted after all (though he finds the atmosphere a bit thicker after your sojourn in the sewer). He offers up a pouch of coins to reward your trouble, enough for 200 gp for each of you.
Out on the streets, the sun has crossed into the early afternoon. And it is clear that the walk through parts of the sewers has left its mark on the adventurers. Or perhaps the proper phrase is "left a stench". The smell is quite unpleasant.
Redback was slain behind the shops along Eodred's Walk, a shopping district within the Midlands and not terribly far away - though Zellara's flat is barely out of the way from the Bookmaker to Eodred's walk.
"Do we want to stop and clean up first or just get the investigation over with before things escalate more?"Amira asks as they make their way through the streets, noting the wide berth they're given.
"I dunno, it could work to our advantage if any of the shopkeepers had nice carpeting or expensive rugs." Wednesday says with a shrug.
Cassandra sniffs the air and then shrugs.
"If we have to talk to people and, you know, actually get them to like us, maybe smelling like rat s!## isn't the best idea?"
"If. We want them to like us." Wednesday quips.
Thinking for a moment though he then shrugs. "Or a bubble bath."
Raising an eyebrow Amira chuckles."We'll meet you all back at the house in an hour." she says looking over to Cassandra with a grin. "The lair in the warehouse district?"
Wednesday arches a brow back at the Druid. "What? Bubble baths are nice."
Terri shakes her head and smiles.
"C'mon Wednesday. I think our friends would like some time alone."
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Tolenn looks around, "Hmm, seems you've scared off our new friend, Wendy. Ah, well, if his heart wasn't in it..."
She smiles as they watch Amira and Cassandra head off together , turning to Wendesday and Terri, "Come, let's get this sewer stink off of us." and begins to walk in the direction of Zellara's
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A bit on the alleged murder site:
Eodred's Walk is a row of shops along one of the streets that helps define the Gold Market, the largest open market in Korvosa. Along its run are:
Aram's Crown - a small tavern that sells weak beer and wine for the market crowd but breaks out stronger spirits after sunset
Basha's - a small book and map store
Doom and Gloom - an old Varisian woman who gives Harrow readings
Galloping Ghost - tack and harness store
Gemshare Jewelers - gem/jewel sellers (and resellers)
Hedge Wizardry - magical supply shop
High Bridge Haberdashery - more than just hats, also clothing shop
Kep's - fishmonger
Fair-Fished Baitshop - fishing supplies
Pinking Shears - barbershop
Slicing Dicers - bladed weapons
Smoked Foods - smoked meats and cheeses
Time Stop - clocks and watches
Trapper's Hole - hunting, particularly archery, equipment
Terri shakes her head and smiles.
"C'mon Wednesday. I think our friends would like some time alone."
"I didn't mean all of us have a bubble bath together." he responds in a hushed voice.
"Yeah, right, friend." is all he responds to Tolenn's comment.
Nodding he then follows after the two ladies back to Zellara's home.
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One bath later...
"I'm thinking we shouldn't just wander from shop to shop like a drunken mob, asking if anyone is outfitting shopkeepers with silver to kill wererats."
Cassandra's freshly scrubbed and there are still bubbles in her messy, wet hair.
Wednesday nods in agreement.
Told y'all bubble baths are nice.
Amira looks around at everyone, in armor, some with holy symbols emblazoned on their gear, Park sitting on Cassandra's shoulder. "That would be a very special drunken mob." she quips with a grin. "But in all seriousness, you're right. We should focus on any that stand out either as being known to be hostile to certain populations, or likely to have access to stuff like that." she says rustling her fingers through her own wet hair to let the evening air through it.
There are a number of known quirks involving the shops along Eodred's Walk:
Basha's - the owner, Basha, occasionally sells magical texts and scrolls as well as treasure maps (which some critics say are fraudulent)
Doom and Gloom - if she's ever given out an optimistic Harrow reading, then I'm a carp!
Galloping Ghost - the leathersmith, an old guy known as Patch, does all the tack and harness for the Sable Company hippogriffs
Hedge Wizardry - the owner, Phaeton Skoda, dropped out of Theumanexus College (the main rival in town to the Acadamae), students at either institution are forbidden to set foot in his shop
Kep's - the fishmonger sells anything his cousin catches on his fishing boat including jigsaw sharks and even reefclaw, he has a stuffed sahuagin with a trident at the rear of the shop that some people claim to have seen move
Fair-Fished Baitshop - the shop proprietor, an androgynously attractive Varisian known only as "Fair", is the center of many well-discussed rumors in the city's Midland region - particularly about their real name and gender - things Fair seems content to leave uncertain. What is known, however, is their strong dread of large bodies of water despite selling fishing supplies.
Pinking Shears - the barber, a half-orc known as Hooktooth, is probably the quietest and most efficient barber in the city. He doesn't chit-chat and only takes referrals.
Slicing Dicers - all sorts of bladed weapons, including enchanted ones and silvered ones can be purchased here - new as well as used
Smoked Foods - exotic meats are a specialty here including holding twice/year bulette smokings when Shoanti hunters bring in their prey
Time Stop - the gnomes who run the shop set all clocks and watches in the shop to precisely the same time to synchronize chimings and cuckoos - it isn't the correct time, but they're always in sync
Trapper's Hole - the owner is a retired Sable Company Marine and brings in an enchanter from the Acacamae once a month to enchant bows and arrows for customers, but don't bring your crossbow, he hates crossbows.
These shops all do fairly brisk business being right at the edge of the normally bustling Gold Market - though the plague has kept people away from the market lately.
Fair-Fished Baitshop - the shop proprietor, an androgynously attractive Varisian known only as "Fair", is the center of many well-discussed rumors in the city's Midland region - particularly about their real name and gender - things Fair seems content to leave uncertain. What is known, however, is their strong dread of large bodies of water despite selling fishing supplies.
Terri is a much happy person when the group meets once again. Her bath seems to have washed away more than the grime and stink of the sewers.
"Uh, any idea how we should approach this?" Terri looks to the others, but mostly to Amira and Cassandra as she asks her question.
"Well Slicing Dicers is the obvious choice, you can find all sorts of bladed weapons there, including enchanted ones and silvered ones" Amira replies.
"Silver is what we're after. Lead on, oh Druid of the Cobblestones."
"Any of us in a weapon shop doesn't look suspicious, but all of us t once might be. We might want to see if we can strike up a conversation with the proprietor of the Trapper's hole. He's a retired Sable Company Marine, so odds re if something when down on this block, he may have noticed something." she adds.
"So who goes where?" Wednesday flatly asks, wanting to know what Amira had devised rather than simply continue to walk over each of her breadcrumbs as she allowed.
"Honestly, I'd stick out like a sore thumb in either place. I might have luck at the Time Stop," Terri says as she looks over at the clock shop. From the look in her eyes, it's not hard to guess that she has other reasons for suggesting the place, besides getting information anyway.
"Alright I think the sight of someone who's clearly a holy warrior might spook the blade seller if he's up to no good. Besides if the owner of the Trapper's Hole is ex-Sable company, he probably doesn't bear the queen any good wishes and might be a little more chatty around those he thinks are like minded. Tolenn and Wednesday, that might be more up your alley. Cass and I are comfortable mingling with the criminal element when we need to, and it's not a hard sell that Im interested in blades." Amira replies with a chuckle, resting her hand on her starknife.
"Yes, because I'm such a pacifistic and upstanding citizen." Wednesday chuckles back as he starts to head towards the shop.
"I wonder if they let him keep the Hippogriff?" he muses to Tolenn as they walk.
Cassandra points out what she thinks is obvious.
"If someone's supplying silver weapons to kill wererats, they might not think they are doing something wrong. A lot of people see them as vermin and monsters first. They might think a paladin would bless them for it."
"You have a point, I suppose if it looks that way and we fail to appeal to them, Tolenn and Terri can go there next and we switch off?" Amira responds.
They're doing everything they can to keep me out of that weapon shop...
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They're doing everything they can to keep Wednesday out of that weapons shop...
The usual bustle of the market is subdued in the late afternoon when, freshly washed after the sewer sojourn, the investigators arrive in the circle. The few vendors braving the plague are hawking their last wares with some gazing longingly at Aram's Crown, where they will soon be washing down their thirst with non-watery alcohol.
Along the shop row of Eodred's Walk, the fishmonger at Kep's is calling out his discounted, end-of-day prices on whatever fish (or other sea food) is left. Today, it's a bit of mackerel and some mussels. The scent of hickory in the air suggests that a smoker is being stoked up at Smoked Foods for some evening prep work.
Making sure that her favorite starknife was just barely visible on her hip with her cloak half open, Amira wanders into Slicing Dicers with Cassandra, taking the time to browse the shop's offerings while taking in anything of note.
Like the rest of the shops build along the half-circle of Eodred's Walk, Slicing Dicers is built in the shape of a wedge, its narrow end facing the Walk and Gold Market. The shop's interior is dominated by a sturdy wooden wall with a window and counter in it behind which stands a bearded young man, probably little more than 20. He rather idly sharpens a knife with a whetstone and bowl of water.
Behind the counter and visible through the window are shelves of lockable cabinets and racks, all fairly secure-looking in construction as well as a few sample blades hanging on visible hooks. The wares out at the front of the shop, before the wall, are all relatively safe objects ranging from small utility knives and hatchets to supporting products like leather scabbards, straps, targets, and dart boards.
A bell attached to the door rings as Amira and Cassandra enter and the man looks up. He sets down the knife he was working with and says, "Welcome to Slicing Dicers. If it's a blade you want, you've come to the right place, ladies. How can I help you?"
Amira notices that the window is placed it the wall asymmetrically - leaving enough room on one side for a door. And, sure enough, there is a seam in the wooden paneling on that side of the window - a door concealed to look like the rest of the paneling, mostly to not break up the aesthetics of the shop rather than truly hide it.
Both Cassandra and Amira are also well-aware of the practice of shops having armed guards, sometimes concealed, on hand if they carry wares that are highly valuable or dangerous.
Cassandra bounces up to the store keep. Park chitters on her shoulder. The wizardress yanks out her mithral grappling hook.
"Do you sharpen? The ends of my hook are getting dull. Could you get me one in silver? I hear there's a werebeast problem around here and I want to be ready!"