Raina tousles the hair of Alfhildr. "Your sister is fine. Everyone is," she emphasises a little louder, looking around at all the gaunt and ratty children with a forced sternness in place to hide her despair and sadness at the sight. It would be hard to find a place for these kids who didn't have a family. Raina was lucky enough to have been placed into an orphanage at a very young age, but sometimes the system worked hard to keep older children out as much as possible. Once they got past a certain age, they were often seen as unfixable...
"I'm going to make sure everyone gets home... or finds a new home. So no more worrying, okay?"
The kids murmur back a chorus of okays. Most seem pretty tired now that the excitement is over.
Sev shows a rare glimpse of his compassionate side when he smiles and comforts the children alongside Raina. Once the group reconvenes to decide what to do next, he's quickly back to his old brooding self.
"I guess we can hole up somewhere and figure out what we're going to do. Let's get out of here before someone gets wind of the corpses we've left here. Anywhere's a better place for the children than here."
Talliree suggests taking the children to the Dwarf's Axe, noting that Brask has a soft spot for the unfortunate, and the two mercenaries would want to collect their bounty as soon as possible. After waking all of them up and making sure that Raina and Sev would survive the trip, the group goes out into the cool, early spring night.
All is quiet, as if the city is anxiously holding it's breath. The normal song of the night is silent. As they approach the tavern, even the rowdiness from a few hours ago was strangely absent. No one speaks. Not even the nervous children.
Then, a bell tolls. Once, twice, thrice, and again. Nine ringing notes break the silence. Nine notes of sorrow break the silence. As the last echos fade, the tension in the air grows thick. A lone keening cry is heard in the distance, dying out to a chorus of cackles.
"Somethin's brewin'. Somethin' ugly like an orc's pimply arse."
The tavern is almost empty. Brask looks out one of the windows, into the gloom of the night while a few of the girls are busy cleaning up the large room and some young men roll kegs from the cellar.
"Ach, yer back. Glad ta see--" Brask notices Nora and Balthazar first, then he sees Raina and Sev, before laying ever-widening eyes on the gaggle of children in tow.
"Where'd all 'em come from?! Ijkera, Taddimee, Glorianna, get some o' tha spare blankets and rolls. Wake some o' the others if ye have to. Lara, Megan, and Yvonna, see if we've got anything hot in the kitchen. Poor things look half-straved. Ralli, grab Kin and bring her here, tell her I said it was urgent. Tomas, I need you to build a fire and heat water for a bath. A whole mess of baths."
Brask begins moving tables, chairs, and benches out of the way as he rattles off orders. The remaining lads help and in a few minutes, the impromptu bunk room was nearing ready. Brask grabs Raina and Sev, guiding them to a store room with a simple desk and a couple of empty kegs acting as chairs, and a whole stack of whiskey barrels behind the desk. A half-elf with Tien features and a young human girl with fiery hair and freckles come in a moment later.
"Hold still." The half-elf says. Her fingers brushing their wounds. A minute later she turns to the girl.
"Bring me two bottles with the purple wax around the stoppers. Hurry."
Aerodus nods towards the dwarf,"Thank you. Thank you for helping the children. We didn't know where else to take them at this time. He goes about helping to set up the bedrolls and get them settled in. As he does so he remarks (hoping that someone will hear and prompt further discussion),"Something feels wrong about this night. How long has this been going on?".
Nora waits somewhat impatiently for Brask to return. She cringes at the thought of Lamm's severed head oozing his vile blood all over the contents of her pack. Blast, I should have wrapped that ugly mug of his. She places the pack on the floor near the bar and helps the staff get the children settled in.
Sev seems almost perpetually weary, even after he's been healed. He looks to Raina as if for some reassurance, but just as quickly turns away. "He's dead. Lamm is dead."
His fist clenches so tightly that his claws draw blood from his palm.
Ralli leaves to fetch the bottles Kin asked for as she begins looking over Raina's wounds once more. She opens her mouth with a scowl on her face, but the mention of Lamm's name causes her to leave her mouth agape in shock.
"Ye mean that all o' 'em brats out thar are from Lamm?"
Brask asks to break the silence.
Raina seems rather disturbed at the tolling bells, although she has little time to ponder its significance after being rushed in to get her wounds looked at. She does her best to not squirm as the half-elven woman inspects the damage, somewhat used to post-match medics checking out bruises and sprains but still not enjoying the attention.
When Sev finally speaks, Raina is unsure what to say, her mouth agape for a moment and then quickly stoppered once more. "Mmm," she concludes eventually, as inconclusive a statement as one can get. The whole situation was still raw and confusing; the emotionally immature girl had yet to fully process everything.
Luckily, Brask reminds her of the one thing that she'd been able to put her full attention onto: the children they'd rescued. It vaguely occurred to her how odd it was that all those present seemed familiar with Lamm as well, but decided to just go with the flow for now.
"Yeah. Almost 30 of them. I talked to 'em, got some names and places. I'm going to try and sort them out over the next few days. Get them back to their families... or maybe get them interned in an orphanage for the street urchins." Raina shakes her head sadly. "But we need a place to stay for tonight. Just tonight."
"Ye mean tha bastard's dead? Where's his head? I wanna put it on a pike."
Kin glares at the dwarf a moment before scolding him.
"I think we have other things to worry about, Brask. We have two wounded people here, and a horde of children to take care of. I think the planting of heads on pikes can wait until we have addressed those concerns first."
Brask returns the glare, seeming to tower over the taller woman.
"Bah, they ain't dead, an' Ralli's fetchin' them some medicine. If I want ta put that damned man's head on a pie I'm gonna do it when I damn well please!"
Ralli opens the door at that moment, her freckles almost invisible against the color in her cheeks.
"Sorry Kin. I tried to find them as quick as I could, but these are the last two."
"That is fine. Give them a bottle each and make sure they drink all of it. Brask and I have some things to discuss."
With that, the dwarf and the half-elf leave the three of you in the storeroom-turned-office.
Sev interjects only to answer Brask's question. "That black-haired b$++~--", the tiefling pinches his eyes shut and seems to internally scold himself before restarting. "The armed woman we arrived with has possession of the head." Following that, he stares down at the curative potion he's given in silence.
Brask and Kin stop halfway through the door. Kin sighs and moves out of the way. Brask nods and marches out.
Aerodus, Tusilak, Balthazar, and Nora see Brask march out of the room. His eyes full of fire. He stops just inches away and whispers in a low, rumble.
"Ye lot with me. I need ta talk ta ye."
Brask leads them into the back rooms, down a flight of stairs and into a room that looks like a ulfen's den.
"Tell me e'erythin'. I wanna know why ye two were after Lamm."
He says pointing to Aerodus and Tusilak
Because it is part of the greatest charade I have ever played a part in. Uncharacteristically, Aerodus is silent, hoping Tusilak will speak first. He knows that after the Shoanti is done it will be his turn to start answering questions, but he wants to know how much the shaman reveals first.
Raina is more than happy to down the potion in one gulp. She coughs a little as the potion takes effect, but then smiles as the cuts and bruises completely fade away along with her pounding headache. Moving towards Sev, she roughly slaps the tiefling on the back.
"C'mon, get that into you already. Or do I have to hold you down and force it in to you?"
"Please do. I saw the children in the common room. I need to check on them and see how many need tending to, and I need as many hands as I can get. I will not have you dripping blood everywhere."
Kin crosses her arms and gives Sev a look that tells him all too clearly that if Raina tries to force him to drink it, she'll help.
Tusilak nods toward Cataree, "That girl is of our quah. I was tasked with finding her by an elder shaman. The only clues I found suggested this Lamm might have something to do with it. Turns out he did."
Truthful with minimal detail - good. "I was attacked by his lackeys and almost beaten to death. I also came across another who suffered at his hands - Raina. My life did not revolve around finding Lamm, but when the opportunity came to find him, I took it." He pauses for a moment before asking his own question - "Who was he to you?"
Brask walks over to the sturdy chest at the foot of the bed and rummages around a bit. He pulls out four sacks of coins, tossing them to Nora, Balthazar, Tusilak, and Aerodus. in his other hand is a bottle of dwarven brandy and a glass.
"Those are fer ye. fifty platinum coins each."
The fire is gone, leaving behind a solemn, grieving husk. He walks over to the table and chairs tucked away in a corner, sets the glass down and pours himself a shot.
"Her name was Lania. They found her body broken and naked in an alleyway just a few blocks from here."
The fiery dwarf falls silent, staring into the amber liquid glimmering in the glass. His gray eyes are hollow and dim. He just sits there, letting the world slip past. He just lets his words hang in the air and seep in.
Tusilak bows his head and waits before speaking, "I am deeply sorry for your loss Brask. It seems that this Lamm left a terrible trail of loss and sorrow for many throughout this city. Among the Shoanti, my people are the guardians of the dead. While I would not pretend to know your beliefs...or Lania's, know that if there is anything I can do to ensure her spirit journeys to a proper rest, I will."
There is a glint in Aerodus' eyes as he open the sack to look inside. Quickly realize this is not the time or place to be counting coin he tucks it into a pouch on his belt. Looking at the dwarf he speaks,"Let us share a drink to the fact there is one less evil in the world."
"Aye, but that won't bring me girl back. Killin' Lamm won't undo tha harm he and his have done."
Brask looks up, his face looking haggard and old.
"What could be done has, Shoanti. If ye want to help, guard tha livin'."
He downs the brandy in his glass in a single gulp before standing and walking over to Nora.
"Tha devil-spawn told me that ye had Lamm's head. I want it."
"I was in it for the coin at first, I'll admit. But once I'd seen all those children down there and I realized the stories about old Lamm weren't just fables, I knew he had to be put down. It was my arrow that dropped the bastard, and my sword that relieved him of his head."
With that, she retrieves the bloody trophy from her pack and displays it to Brask.
"Do with it as you please."
Sev shoots Raina a pouty, defiant glance before he reluctantly quaffs the potion as she insists.
"Blaugh! This tastes like s*@@!"
"Very well Brask...though I once heard from a very wise man that guarding the dead is very much about helping the living. If you ever need someone to speak with, I'll be here. Is there anything you want from Lamm, but his head? We found a number of items in his lair and only know who one of them belongs to. Do you know of others he preyed upon?"
The talk of giving away the valuables they just found makes Aerodus a little uncomfortable,"You have much to tend to. We appreciate the help with these orphans and will be able to get the goods back into the right hands. Thank you for your help with this."
As he continues to try to change the subject he says,"I've had just about enough for one night. Any beds you might have would be best for the children, so I will find a spot on the floor." With that Aerodus makes to go into the area when the kids are starting to sleep to lay down himself.
Tusilak watches Aerodus for any tells he might be trying to send, "Shouldn't we at least make an attempt to find the owners? I'm sure there are places in this city that would buy these without question, but don't we risk being mistaken for some of Lamm's allies?"
"This town sees objects trade hands many ways. Even if someone lays claim to what we have, how do we know it to be legitimate. The search for the proper owners could take weeks and still not lead us in the right direction. Certainly, if we are given information of the rightful owners I will make every effort to get their good to them, but I just don't think that is very likely, my friend. In this city, you will hear two lies for every truth.". Aerodus does his best not to smirk at his last comment.
Brask takes the bloody trophy, his eyes as hard as flint. He stares into Lamm's dead, half-open eyes.
"I could kill 'im a thousand times o'er." He growls as he walks closer to the fireplace. "I could rip 'is life from 'im inch by bloody inch, and it would do nothing to bring me Lania back."
He tosses the head into the fire, defeat hunches his shoulders, but his eyes are a little brighter. He walks over to the table and pours another shot of brandy. He looks from the bottle to the glass before taking a long pull from the bottle.
"Most folks won't go looking fer things stolen from 'em. Fruitless waste o' time most days. By tha time ye catch tha thief, the ratty bastard has sold it already. I ken ask around a bit if yer willin' ta wait a day an' show me what ye have."
The dwarf sighs, his spirit dampened by the turn of events.
"Tha pretty boy's right Shoanti. Fer every grain of truth there's a mess o' lies, unless you know who ta talk to. I ken find out fer ye. Ye've done me some good, killin' that bastard. I ain't one ta ferget that."
Though everyone's tired, the children are bathed and looked over by Kin before being put to bed. The half-elf books no arguing, but thankfully, most of the children are too relieved and tired to protest much.
Ralli pulls Raina aside and asks her to help fetch fresh clothes for the children, and bandages for Alfsigr and Cataree. Once out of ear-shot she asks the young Shoanti woman,
"How did you find him? Lamm, I mean. Brask has contacts over most of the city and we still never got a whiff."
Tusilak nods at Brask's words. "Sounds reasonable. I think I'll take Cataree back to the Skaldwood tomorrow and then I can help get the rest of these children to better places and see what you have learned."
Raina is happy to help get the kids bathed, clothed, and fed, and constantly expresses her gratitude to Brask's staff at their generous hospitality. When Ralli asks her about how they found out, however, the young fighter is somewhat taken aback, paling as she recalls the gruesome sight of Zellara's(?) head back at Lamm's hideout.
"It's... kind of complicated," she says weakly. "We got tipped off by a Varisian fortune-teller. I have no idea how she knew... read it in the stars or whatever it is that they do?"
"Aye, but be careful. There's somethin' in the air that stinks o' death."
With that, Brask leads you back to the common room before taking Nora and Balthazar to some spare rooms for the night.
"I thought most of them read cards."
Ralli's voice is quiet, and she looks embarrassed after seeing you pale like that. The rest of the time gathering clothing and bandages, she's silent.
Talliree busies herself with telling the children stories while performing minor illusions to enhance the tale. The cloak had been put away, revealing an outfit of blues and silver in swirling patterns. Her hair is a tangled mess of curls and worls. The tale she is weaving is a strange one. The hero changing appearance as often as the children could squeeze in a suggestion. What the villain had done varied from shaving puppies bald, to robbing everyone of their left shoes, to helping Lamm escape prison after being caught. Oh, and he was a smelly goblin that had kobold minions that could flay you alive in seconds.
Needless to say, the little gnome is having a good time.
Sev seems overwhelmed by the large number of people in the common room, and recoils to a corner where he can be left alone to his thoughts. He is decidedly curt to anyone who interrupts him as he settles in.
"Cards, then. Sorry. Not really up with that kind of thing." Raina feels the awkwardness in the air, but tries to just focus on getting the kids tucked in to bed. She'll join Talliree in telling bedtime stories and soothing any night terrors as they arise. She drags a chair into the largest room the children are staying in and sleeps there, uncomfortably wrapped up in a blanket and waking whenever any of the children seem to wake.
Talliree finds a table pulled up against the wall. She relaxes and reclines on the old, elbow and chin smoothed wood, using her cloak as a pillow. Her eyes are half-closed, but she doesn't seem to have a problem seeing anything.
"I'll watch them. Get some sleep, and I'll wake you in a few hours so I can sleep. Sound good?"
The gnome says to Raina.
Raina looks curiously at the gnome, then nods. She grabs her blanket and slings it over her shoulder. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
"...... by the way," she says after an awkward pause, lingering somewhere between her chair and the doorway. "I'm sorry for freaking out at you earlier. I'm... uh... yeah..." Raina shrugs weakly.
"My name's Raina. Sorry for the bad first impression."