Kailani shakes her head.
"Desna would never be so cruel," she says, "you've been so kind to us, Cal. It would be foolish to keep holding a grudge, no matter how deserved, in the face of that."
Cressida's eyes almost disappear into her hair.
"I must admit, I have seen some truly strange things from the Acadamae, but nothing nearly this strange," she says.
After everyone is ready, and Allysen is introduced, Cressida begins her briefing.
"Frist, let me thank you for you for your service so far to Korvosa and her people. We've managed to put a lid on Old Korvosa and I hope we can ease things enough to keep the old city form boiling over. Things have calmed enough that we were able to do a full count of the guard. forty-six guardsmen and women have been killed since this began. Another fifteen have been so severely injured they had to retire, and another twenty or so are bedridden until they heal, which won't be for some time. On top of that we've had two arrested for corruption, seventeen who deserted to protect their families, and nine put on mandatory leave due to mental health," she says plainly, pausing to let the people before her absorb what she had just said.
"The guard only has five-hundred standing members. That sounds like a lot, but we're responsible for collecting taxes from towns and settlements under Korvosa's protection as well as patrolling the roads to keep them safe. Once you add in manning the walls and working customs on the docks, five-hundred people seems like far too few, and a fifth of that strength has effectively been cut off."
"I'm telling you this because I need you to understand the importance of the task I'm giving you. There have been seven more deserters, but unlike the ones that left to protect their families, these men left for personal gain. One of them, Verik Vancaskerkin, convinced the others that Queen Ileosa will lead Korvosa to ruin and they've set up camp in an old butcher's shop, All the World's Meats, in Northgate. I can't afford to pull personnel off patrols to fetch him and bring him back. Even if I could, the man's worse than a lost resource, he's an infection, and I don't want him infecting my people and causing more chaos."
"So, your task, should you accept it, is to go and investigate All the World's Meats and bring back the deserters alive, if possible. I would especially like it if you can bring back Mr. Vancaskerkin alive, but I don't want you to get killed attempting it. If they make it impossible, then I will also accept their corpses. If you can, while wrestling this jigsaw shark I'm giving you, please see if you can get why he deserted out of him; if there's more to it than personal politics. His head's worth a hundred score of crowns if he's still breathing. He's worth half that dead. Any questions?"
Like everyone else, Elise joins the others resplendent in her new breastplate. Having had the chance to clean up and rest, she appears divine yet fierce as ever. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Elise pauses as she looks upon Rhasuel, even raising an eyebrow inquisitively before finally breaking her silence ”Rhasuel, you look… different? Good, but different.” Elise couldn’t help but hide her confusion; usually unnatural youth was a gift from a dark power, the kind of thing people would trade their soul for from according to Elise’s education.
Despite her calm demeanour, Nic's blood turns to ice at the Field-Marshal's words. Forty-six killed? And Aurelio's among the five hundred left...
Tightening her jaw and her gaze, she sets her shoulders back and straightens her posture. "While I'm still not so hot on the letter of the law, there are good men in your employ. I'd hate to see more of them killed. I'm ready."
Walking into the room, she pauses at the sight of Rasuel. When she hears him speak and the other address him such, Annabelle shakes her head in disbelief. "I suppose quite a few things have changed over the weeks - glad to see that it's for the better regarding you, Rasuel."
"Would that these 'crusaders' took their sanctimonious designs to the Worldwound, and do everyone a favor." She calmed herself for a moment. "Aye, Field Marshall, I'll see that this man and his rabble are brought to justice."
Zev flexes his shoulders and cracks his knuckles, before crossing his arms. "So, you want us to retrieve a deserter and instigator, and find out why he's trying to stir up so much trouble? Been down that road before, but you want him alive. That I feel better about than things I've done before." He looks as sheepish and remorseful as he can at all the members of the group that had once been Lamm's Lambs. He may not have found and returned any of them, but that doesn't mean there hadn't been others, or even worse, ones he didn't return with.
Cal blanched a bit at the thought of Rhasuel in the old library. There had been too many memories in such a place for Cal to go near it again. Hopefully, he'd bring a bright purpose to that dark place. "Ah, the old library. You're welcome to it. I'd thought I had that place boarded up. I will probably have to talk to Cecil about that."
When they were told about Vancaskerkin, Cal nodded gravely. "Let's head out there right away. I wouldn't want his infectious words spreading further. The last thing we need in this city is more violence."
"Now that you mention it," Cressida says in response to Elise, "That was when he argued that the queen would lead us all to ruin, and that was also the last time he reported for duty."
"I've sent word to the quartermaster. If you are in need of anything, potions, arrows, bolts, or some alchemical items, talk to him. He'll let you purchase them or open a tab that will be applied against your reward. I wish I could offer them for free, but he's more of a stickler for the rules than I am, and made it clear that regulations state that I can only give people not in the Guard permission to purchase," she says with a wry smile.
Fair enough, Cressida. I think I'll stop by the quartermaster for a quick perusal." She gives a smile back to the field marshal.
"Better be quick," Nic mutters, finishing her coffee in one last scalding gulp. "I'd see this man off the streets as soon's possible."
As the group goes to leave, the girl on the couch, Melissa, stirs and sits up.
"You're the people that saved me, right," she asks in a soft, sweet voice, "I wanted to thank you for that. I'd rather not think about what would have happened if you hadn't helped."
Cressida wishes you luck, and everyone goes to make some last minute preparations before heading to All the World's Meats.
"So," Allysen asks, "what's the plan? Do we just storm the place, or do we ask around and find out what we can before making any plans?"
Mercy readies her gear, nodding at her comrades as they do likewise.
At Allysen's question she flashes a hard smile;
"Storming in may be the heart's desire, but we need to use our heads... Finding out what we can, what we know makes sense..."
Already striding purposefully across the room, Nic stops when Melissa speaks, turning and giving the young page a small smile. "All in a day's work, Little Miss," she says with uncharacteristic tenderness. "Rest up now, alright?"
--------------------
"Seeing what we can find out sounds good to me," Nic agrees. "Perhaps the local watering-holes would be a good place to start."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Zev looks nervous, and merely shrugs noncommittally to the young woman's thanks. He still isn't comfortable with people thanking him or appreciating his work. On the topic of the task at hand, he offers, "Well, if it's one thing I learned, we need to case the joint as well. It doesn't hurt to know what we're dealing with in regards to numbers and ingress and egress routes. Asking around is all well and good, but word can get back that someone's been sticking their nose in, and that sends red flags."
He looks around at the others, "I'm willing to go to this butcher shop, not asking questions. It's easy for me to look like I am not working for the guard, or trying to do the right thing. Maybe I can see if this Verik guy has more than the other six that deserted with him, maybe how many are active and when."
Annabelle nods in agreement with Zeverin's notion. "I'd imagine they may have an idea about who were are already, taking a subtle approach. Perhaps one of us could stay a certain distance in case of I'll intent?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
With confidence bordering on arrogance, Nicoletta leads the party to a place she's sure she can turn up what everyone needs.
Somehow, she finds herself hanging from a hook in the waist of her pants outside of the bar she'd walked into not five minutes earlier to ask some questions. She's about seven feet off the ground, and her gear lies in a pile beside where the rope is anchored. To make matters worse, her shirt is riding up, to her arms, leaving little to the imagination.
Rhasuel finds out a little bit from his more cautious approach. All the World's Meat had been closed, but now is giving free meat to the people of Northpoint. He also hears that some people have mysteriously gone missing, and signs point to it not being the recent riots.
Allysen smirks at Nicoletta's predicament, obviously amused by the fiery-haired young woman's turn of luck.
"Would you like me to say a few words for you dignity," she asks the swashbuckler.
Upside-down and having given up on trying to hide her bust from the world (at least it was a good one, she consoled herself), Nic glares at Ally. "Very funny," she snaps, crossing her arms over her ribs, having discovered that 'the girls' were apt to do as they pleased. "Want to help me down, or would you rather just enjoy the view for a while?"
Zev realizes he was getting an eyeful, and being quite okay with it, then glanced at Mercy guiltily. Averting his gaze to the ground, he walks over to the woman suspended as she was, and offers, "Alright, Nikki. I'm gonna stand under you here, and lift up on your hands. If you can push down, and handstand up of the hook, you can easily flip down onto your feet right?" As he explains, he moves to stand directly beneath her, and proceeds to military press upwards on her hands if offered.
"Oh relax, would ya? That's not the worst position I've ever seen someone in," Allysen says in good cheer, "I would help out, but it seems that Zev beat me to the punch."
Nicoletta, with Zev's help, begins to do a handstand. Her athletic prowess obvious in her form. Things were going smoothly, but Nic need to be just a little higher to get off the hook.
And that's when things went wrong.
Nic's hand slips as Zev tries to give her just a little more of a boost and the swashbuckler finds herself in an embarrassing predicament as the hook catches and tears the seat of her pants. To make matters worse, her legs are still straight and both pants and boots are left behind as she falls right on top of Allysen.
Who, as luck would have it, happens to have to be wearing the closest pants that would fit Nic.
Running her hand through her short hair, "By the Pit, what happened?"
Trying hard not to smirk, she looks around for something that could be used as a makeshift skirt.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Oh, quit staring and hurry up!" Nic grumbles as Zev lifts his arms to help her. The handstand is easy; she's always been nimble, and while she isn't happy about what the arch in her back must be showing off, she hopes someone at least is enjoying it. Picturing the look Paulus would surely have on his face if he were here makes her feel a little better about her current situation.
Then Zev tries to give her an extra boost, and her balance falters. With a yell, she feels herself falling, her feet pulled right out of her boots and her trousers following.
Thankfully, Allysen was just soft enough to cushion the fall.
A string of colourful curses falls from Nic's lips as she stands and straightens her undergarments, fuming but making no further attempts at modesty. The damage had been done, after all. "One comment - one bloody comment about me being a 'natural redhead', or 'drapes matching curtains', or anything of the sort - and I'll run you through," she warns, turning an accusing finger on any party members she suspects of potentially saying such a thing.
Taking a dagger from her pile, she slashes through the rope, retrieving her ruined trousers. She briefly inspects them, then throws them to the ground, cursing. "Figures none of you'd be curvy enough," she mutters, glaring in particular at Allysen. "Well, maybe this'll do..." She begins wrapping her cloak around her hips, attempting to fashion it into a skirt or kilt.
|
Rhasuel arrives from his conversations just as the rescue attempt begins. Meaning he gets the show he never thought he would have. To his surprise, he finds that his youth has been restored in more ways than just his looks, and Nic's predicament and the accident and catching a glimpse of her trying to cover herself... well he's 174 years old! He shouldn't be having these thoughts.
As his identity turns to putty he removes his cloak and goes to his gorgeous friend. By turning it sideways he is able to fashion a kind of shawl that protects her as long as she keeps her arms low. He says nothing, as instructed.
Allysen groans from underneath Nicoletta as she rubs her head.
"Why didn't you just untie the rope and let her down,"she asks Zev as Nic gets up and makes herself a little less indecent. When Nic levels a glare at Allysen, all she can do is look herself over.
"Look I can't help that I am built like a pixie instead of a bombshell," she says looking up at the swashbuckler. She walks over to the discarded pair of pants and picks them up. After looking them over, she mutters a few words and whips them out like she was trying to shake the dirt from them. She hands them back to Nic, good as new.
"There, now can you stop being so grumpy with me for not having much in the way of hips?"
“No,” Nic mutters, glowering at Allysen. “If you had more curves, I’d be able to steal your pants in retaliation. I’m still somehow convinced all this is your fault. Haven’t figured out how yet, but I’ll get to it.” She pulls on her pants, wriggling them up over her wide hips, happy to be decent again. "Probably a cruel joke from the Lucky Drunk. Seems like something he'd find amusing."
Catching the look on Rhasuel’s face, she rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on. This can’t be the first time you’ve seen a near-naked woman in a compromising position.” With the slim protection offered by the shawl, she begins fixing her shirt and armour.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Okay, Cayden's a trickster, I'll give you that, but I swear I didn't have any control over this," Allysen says holding her hands up. "Besides, why would I want to embarrass you? I've seen you practice. You'd cut my clothes to ribbons before I could say, 'En Garde!'"
|
|
Rhasuel holds up his hands. No, but the last time was a Long time ago and, well, I'm not as old as I used to be. There are... ahem... differences.
He glances around at the party and sighs in resignation. They cannot understand. He feels like a teenager again. But with the wisdom of the human lifetimes. It's proving difficult.
Mercy smiles at the japes and misadventures;
Humour is good Dawnflower. It warms the heart... before the face of cold steel...
The holy warrior clasps Rhaseul's shoulder;
"Younger and wiser eh my friend! A blessed combination..."
Nic stares at Rhasuel for a moment before grinning widely. The effect is disconcerting. "I get it! You liked what you saw and you don't want to admit it!" She nudges him in the ribs and laughs. "You think I'm not used to this kind of attention? Or just trying to be a stuffy old gentleman about it? Not many people get a second chance at youth; lighten up and enjoy it." With a last wink, she turns back to Allysen.
"Ah, no hard feelings, Skinny. I'll buy you a drink when this is over. In the meantime, we all gonna stand around staring at me, or are we gonna go hunt down a deserter?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Make it two and I'll let the skinny comment slide. I do have some curves," Allysen says with a grin and an outstretched hand.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Watching the whole scene unfold, Elise rolls her eyes and shakes her head. Finally, she places her right hand over her forehead as though she were dealing with a mild headache and laughs lightly "Well, that entertaining if nothing else." Glancing at the bar, Elise shrugs with a light sigh before heading in "Okay, let me see what I can turn up. If I end up hanging upside down from my belt half-naked, just put me out of my misery."
When Elise walks into the bar, the people inside start to say something, then notice the shiny Iomedean symbol hanging from her neck.
Most of the people turn to their drinks and ignore the paladin, hoping not to incur her wrath, though one old salt agrees to divulge what he knows if the pretty lady would share a drink with him.
"Aye, I've 'eard o' the place. An' dere's some men handin' meat out, but dere's somethin' else besides free meat to de place. If ye want someone taken care of, mention de 'night's special cuts.' They rough 'em up a bit an' they don't bother ya no more," he tells her with a sly wink.
Sitting down with the old man, Elise indulges his desire to have a drink with her. Ordering two drinks, she strikes up a conversation and eventually gets around to her questioning after some small talk.
Once he passes on the information, Elise returns his wink with a coy and knowing smile of her own. To the surprise of those paying attention, this particular Iomedaen perhaps seemed at least a touch more libertine than most of her brethren. Standing up, she nods and places a few silver pieces down on the table "Thanks for your help." Finding a nearby serving girl, Elise points at the old salt "Another round on this gentlemen."
Heading back outside, Elise nods at the others and discloses what she found out "So, when we ask for ask for the night's special cuts, we can perhaps gain entry for... some illicit requests." Glancing over everyone individually, Elise ponders before adding "We should probably send one or two in tops in; once inside, we can surmise what we're up against." Looking down at her own attire, Elise shakes her head "Not sure it should be me though... I tend to stick out like a sore thumb to this element; half the bar was afraid to even look at me, let alone talk to me."
"Got yourself a deal, Slim," Nic grins, shaking Ally's hand. Glancing at Elise when she emerges (she hadn't dared head back in, instead staying outside to 'keep watch' and 'get some fresh air').
"I'm happy to do it," she shrugs. "Fine young woman like myself, easy enough to say there's been some folk giving some unwanted attention. Anyone care to join me?"
"Got yourself a deal, Slim,"
"Can't you just call me Ally," she sighs.
"I'm happy to do it," she shrugs. "Fine young woman like myself, easy enough to say there's been some folk giving some unwanted attention. Anyone care to join me?"
"I will," Allysen pipes up, "not to brag, but I've got a pretty quick tongue and I'm sure that between Nic and I, those guys will be putty in our hands," she finishes with entirely too much glee.
"You and me, then?" Nic grins. "Sounds good to me, long as you can handle yourself 'case they see through us."
Zev looks to the two women, before jerking his head in Elise's direction, as he addresses the newcomer. "I'm thinking Blondie has the right of it, in that no one of religious affiliation should make an appearance. Sorry, to say Bubbles," he looks to Allysen, "but I'm guessing your typical Caydenite don't normally need someone roughed up. Not to mention, whoever goes in, needs to be able to stand toe to toe, or hold off whoever may come if things go sour in the exchange."
Turning to Nic he offers, "I'd like to go in with you, considering I wanted to give the place a good once over from the get-go."
"Oh, you mean this?" Allysen holds up the holy symbol hanging from her neck. "It's not like it's a mortal sin to hide it if I need to," she says as she tucks it under her shirt, "besides, no offense, but you scream 'muscle' even if you do try to hide it. Rhas over here isn't physically intimidating, but I think he has a bit more presence than might be healthy. I can handle myself in a fight if I need to. The rapier and buckler aren't just for show."
She pauses for a moment before raising an eyebrow, "just so it doesn't drive me crazy later, where'd you get 'Bubbles' from?"
Mercy stands with Elise;
"I shall keep sentinel with my sword-sister here..."
She nods toward Zev and Rhas;
If you do not wish either of these good men to back your hand, then we must decide a sign should you encounter trouble..."
Annabelle shrugs, I'd rather leave the talking the silver-tongued ones and hang back, as I said earlier."
After making their plans, the party heads to All the World's Meat. The shop isn't hard to find, seeing as it seems to be the only one is all of Korvosa that still has a line going out the door. Given how fast it is moving Nic and Allysen will have to wait about a half-hour before entering the shop.