Wait we do be 'aveing laundry... The outfit. 'E probably can't be washing it too often. Give me the Shirt or boots. One of them should 'ave the Maestro's scent on them. Whisper and I did work on tracking. So that might lead us in the right direction.
But we would have to get out of the house, I'm sure 'is scent do be everywhere in 'ere.
There are more than enough items carrying a strong scent for Whisper to pick up; the man lives alone and while he is well organized and clean, Orsini's smell has permeated the entire house.
"Let's head to the Old Dock and look for Salvator Scream."
Lead on.
Amin gave the group an address before he left them- 140 Wave Street. While the group didn't know the place exactly, they knew the street quite well. Eel's End was at the eastern end of Wave Street. They'd never seen it like this before, though.
While only a half hour's furtive walk, keeping to shadows and watching carefully for ambushes, leaving the Arkona-protected Fort Korvosa and coming down Garrison Hill was like entering another (and far more dangerous) world. Once out of sight of the highly visible guards at the top of Fort Korvosa Boulevard, the trash and destruction reasserts itself. Someone is entertaining themselves by breaking things, stealing things, and- as the group is reminded within minutes of leaving Fort Korvosa- stringing people up from signposts.
Virtually every building on the east side of Garrison Hill is boarded up and several of them have been kicked in and burned. The group catches the occasional sight of someone spying on them from an upper floor but no one molests them as they make their way south to Wave Street. The group can even see the stone wall erected across Jeggare Bridge and the Maidens atop it before they turn east into Old Dock.
Things get worse as the group heads into Old Dock proper. Rats scurry from one pile of garbage to another. More windows are broken out than remain whole. The signs of fighting and fires go from common to nearly everywhere. And coming around a corner just as the group thinks they're near 140 Wave Street is a swaggering bunch of thugs.
All of them wear similar rough leather armor, scarred and used battleaxes, and a heavy shield. They look like they're out to cause trouble more than stop it. "Who're you, then? 'ain't seen you 'round here before. You ain't here ta cause trouble, are ya?" The spokesman glances back at his fellows with a grin on his face.
"Cause me an' tha boys're meant ta stop that from happenin'. Ain't that right, boys?" The mob breaks out laughing as they move to spread out across the street, blocking the group's way.
Nargun takes his massive axe in hands, and walks toward the leader of the pack, his face unfazed by the taunts
Please tell us when we should be afraid; I don't want to miss my cue. I have no trouble with you yet. Now, if you attack my friends, if you dare try to molest or harass the ladies... You're dead meat. All of you.
Artegall already has his shield in hand; he draws his rapier.
He stands quietly in front of Mirela and Twilight.
"Oooh, tough guy, huh?" The leader sneers at Nargun. "You ready to fight twenty of us, halfer? Fifty?" In spite of his bravado, Nargun can see the man gripping his axe more tightly and spots the familiar hint of fear in his eyes.
Twilight took a half step out from behind Ategall "Here now Nargun, we've already been run outta the nicer part by those prigs up the hill, no need to antagonize the Emperor's men as well or our next stop will be asking the Maiden's if we can stay with them for a while."
She addressed the leader of the group "We're just looking for a place to hole up until this..." she waved her hand dismissively in the general direction of the Maiden's and the walled bridges "resolves itself. What is the Emperor's toll for use of his roads?" she asked slyly, having no delusions about where the money would actually end up.
"You ready to fight twenty of us, halfer? Fifty?"
With steel in his voice, in his eyes, and in his hands, Nargun answers simply
Yes
And truer words are yet to be spoken.
The leader looks relieved to not have to talk to Nargun anymore. He gives Twilight- or more exactly, her (and Nargun's, Artegall's, and Mirela's) expensive and well maintained gear- the once over. "You looking for a place ta hole up, eh?" Instead of the expected lewd comment the guard says "Emp'ror's got space in tha palace. Why don't ya come wit' us." He wasn't asking a question, in spite of the phrasing.
Mirela keeps a solid grip on Whisper’s collar as she says flatly:
Then Do be leading on.
"We will follow, but we will not be separated from our weapons, nor from each other."
"Whatever you say, boss," the spokesman chuckles. He seems to be getting some of his swagger back now that the situation has returned to one where he is nominally in control. The mob of guards split up with three behind and two in front of the group, leading the outsiders north and east toward the biggest docks.
The streets surrounding the palace are littered with bodies, rubble, and refuse; feral dogs, stirges, drain spiders, and other vermin scuttle around with a bravery not seen in the city before the quarantine. The farther one ventures into Old Dock and the closer one draws to the palace, the fewer citizens appear behind boarded windows, and the more signs of the emperor’s mob grow. Vandalism, brutalized bodies hung up on display, remnants of fires, and other evidence of public violence are everywhere.
Eventually the group stops in front of a collection of tenements and abandoned stores that barely escaped destruction during a recent fire that consumed much of the city block to the west. Guards loiter about the front entrance, watch from the roofs above and around the street, and everywhere inside as the guards take the group into Pilt's Palace.
The interior of the home the group is taken through has been gutted. A huge mound of rubble—broken timbers, bits of wall, ruined furniture, and other debris—lies heaped in the center of the room. Rickety wooden stairs wind up to a splintered hole in the wall near the roof above.
What was once an attic has been cleared of all clutter, leaving a large open area under exposed rafters and the roof above. Rope bridges lead to other areas outside of the room to the northeast and southwest, and the guards force the group across one of the swaying, creaking rope bridges onto an open-air balcony.
This open-air balcony is shielded from rain and sun by a brightly colored canvas roof that extends up over the area like a half-dome, held in place by a wooden framework. The inside of the canvas has been decorated with scenes of gruesome debauchery; battlefields, executions, torture chambers, and human-eating monsters all vie for space. The balcony contains two major features of note. The first is a high-backed throne that looks like a poor man’s version of the Crimson Throne, a thing of blood-red cushions and silks and spikes. Directly west of the throne stands an intimidating device: a tall guillotine of carved wood and bone, its base depicting grasping demonic feet and the housing of its glittering blade a leering demonic face.
The large, flat roof of the long building next door has been converted into a strange sort of marshaling yard or game field. Two large square areas have been outlined with what could be blood, while at either end to the west and east, small wooden cages have been set up to the side of a hole in the roof that drops into the upper floor of the building below.
Two teams of dirty, bloody people run, fight, scream, and wrestle to get something- it looks like a large pink ball from the group's vantage- into one of the cages at the east end of the roof. A threadbare, ratty man yells encouragement (or threats?) at the two teams below, while guards also scream and yell and on the roofs across the playing field are full of other enthusiasts.
So what do they be playing for besides their lives? Mirela says with very flat voice. Her hand clenches tightly on Whisper's collar as she keeps the wolf calm with all the bodies around.
Artegall watches, on guard for any treachery. His sword is sheathed, but his shield is ready - as are his fists.
The guard laughs, shaking his head. "Their lives? No, they're just playing for fun. The winners get first pick at the party after the game, too."
The man in the ratty but once expensive-looking clothes continues yelling at the players on the field.
While being brought to meet the Emperor certainly had the potential to open up some opportunities, Twilight wasn't pleased with ending up in the middle of his domain.
She watched the game down below and observed how invested the Emperor was in the match. The thought that they might be compelled to participate crossed her mind. "His Majesty is certainly invested in the game. Are the players volunteers or volunteered? What are the rules?" she casually asked.
Artegall keeps an eye on the nearby guards.
The leader of their escort shrugs. "Depends. Most of the time it's just for fun. Ain't a lot to do around here. Sometimes it's because they have to." He glances at the heavily armed group. "Most people wouldn't do something bad enough to get there, though."
He gives Twilight a brief explanation of a game called Blood Pig that somehow involves a live pig being thrown into a hole. There don't seem to be any rules about direct contact, and as they watch there seem to be a couple of fights going on down on the field that aren't related to control of the pig.
Artegall looks around.
"It seems your men wanted to bring us here. For what reason?"
Nargun looks at the game, without too much interest.
Maybe it's not violent enough for him.
Maybe starting to work for Calistria has changed his point of view. He's less prone to attack first, but will still do his utmost to land the last blow.
And giving his condition and abilities, it's mostly the case.
He prefers to look around if anyone is keeping an interested eye on his partners, or for any form of ambush
The man by the throne doesn't answer. Maybe he didn't hear Artegall over all the yelling and jumping and gesticulating.
The leader of their escort shrugs. "We got orders ta bring anybody interestin' lookin' ta meet tha Emperor."
Down on the field, one of the teams slips the pig through the slots protecting a hole and the sounds of a ravenous beast tearing through soft flesh is audible even over the cheers of the crowd. The Emperor turns back to his throne, catching sight of the visitors. He grins and waves the group over.
"Tolliver, what have you got for me?"
"Strangers down on Silk Street by the docks, your majesty." Tolliver gestures at Artegall and the others.
The Emperor looks at the group. "Strangers indeed. And what were you doing down by the docks, my friends? There are better places to try to slip across into the city."
Artegall will just go with the truth, though avoid too much detail.
"We are following up a lead in our investigation concerning the disappearance of Vencarlo Orsini. I don't suppose you or your men have seen or heard anything about Orsini lately?
He was attacked by Red Mantis Assassins. We don't know why, nor whether he lived or died."
"Orsini? Everyone's concerned about that old man." The Emperor shakes his head. "I know someone who might know something about him. What's it worth to you?"
"Would coin please His Majesty? Perhaps two hundred gold coins would be sufficient?" Twilight didn't think that mere money would be enough to sate the Emperor, but it was the easiest payment so she started with that.
Nargun paces around, not daring to talk. He knows he can makes things worse only. Instead, he speaks to Artegall and Twilight, knowing they will have the useful words
Could the Red Mantis attack this man, or maybe the one who knows where Orsini might be? Should we propose an alliance?
"Your Majesty," proposes Artegall, "does your court have any need of clerical magic? My priestly companions could heal wounds, tend to illness, or purify tainted food. They could consult the stars for omens regarding your reign. I do not know who else you have in your court, but these might be services that you do not otherwise have access to."
Mirela stays silent keeping Whisper under control and her face blank.
Getting in did be easy, ‘ow are we going to get out if this creature tries to keep me ‘ere after seeing what I can do? she wonders to herself.
The Emperor makes a face. "I have enough magic." He shakes his head at Twilight. "And money isn't worth much right now. No, what we really need is entertainment." He gestures at the playing field to his right. "I'll play you for him. Win the game and I'll let you talk to someone who might know something about Orsini. Lose the game and you go on your way."
what do be the rules of the game?
Something along "anything goes", I guess. But only a fool would dare to get in a game without asking for the rules first. And you ain't no fool, Huntress.
The dwarf adds, in a breath
Unlike me.
The Emperor grins. "Oh it's easy! You start over there, the other team starts there." He points at the two red-painted squares on the flat roof to the east. "A pig pops up out into the cages at the ends- you have to grab the other team's pig and throw it in the hole at the corner near where your cage is. No magic, no weapons. First to 5 wins. That's it."
"Hmm. And how many players will the other team have?"
Artegall does not walk down to the playing field yet.
"It's 8 on 8." The Emperor visibly counts the group. "4 on 8 for this game, I guess." He smirks at Artegall.
If we do be deciding that the information do not be worth the unfair odds, do we be free to walk out of ‘ere and continue our ‘unt outside you territory?
The Emperor shrugs. "Sure, if you don't want to play I can't force you to play. But maybe if you have to come back to ask for a favor later I might not be so friendly to someone who didn't want to even play a little game with us."
So, do you feel it's worth the risk? Of course, as we are out numbered, we'll have to resort to some violence to even the odds.
"I suppose we have to play. A chance of getting information if we play, no chance if we don't."
What do you think of the other players, Artegall? Some regular, low-life thugs or some more experienced, vicious fighters?
Twilight, do you want to play?
Mirela tries to see if anyone is trying to trick them or do they really just want some entertainment.
As far as Mirela can tell, the Emperor wants the newcomers to entertain him and probably would be less friendly on a second encounter.
"Let's give it our best shot.
What do you think? I think we need some on offense (trying to get pigs) and some on defense (trying to stop the other team from scoring).
I think given my skills I can focus on knocking them down or getting the pigs out of their hands. And, if any of you stick near me, I can make you better at those things."
"I'm not fast enough to stop all of them at once, though."
"I think I should guard the goal they are trying to get pigs into. If any of them make it almost to the goal, I can trip them up or take the pig away and make them have to run a long way back to get another."
I can hit them hard.And I'm not afraid of being hit back. I dont fear their fists.
I would prefer not to be ‘itting the other team but I can probably catch the pig and try to get it in the goal without gettin ‘it too ‘ard.
She looks at the emperor while petting Whisper.
Can my pet be joining our team to ‘elp even the odds of the 4 extra players?