"C-calib? Th-they beat him then-- then they throw him into the river. He-he didn't come back up, and there was a shark and..."
Tami buries her face into Paulus' shoulder, her wails muffled only a little.
Alfsigr regains most of her senses and looks about, terrified.
"Whu-where's my sister?" she asks in panic.
Paulus' face darkens at the girl's words, and he says a quick prayer to Sarenrae to guide the boy's spirit to the afterlife. Lamm was dead, his cronies slain or subdued. He would be the last. The priest puts his hand on the girl's back, patting gently as she sobs.
Over the girl's shoulder, Paulus nods in agreement to Rhasuel. There was something foul in the other room that needed to be investigated. Likely one last remnant dedicated to the cruelty of departed Lamm.
Calcedon felt the disappointment of fulfilled revenge fill the room. He wished he had his violin, it was a mistake not to bring one. He would have to wait until he returned home and he hoped he could capture the feeling. It would be a shame to miss such a poignant event. The fact that it readily agreed with his own experience would help him express it so it would not haunt him any longer. There were enough things in his heart that haunted him already.
"I'll check the room. I've seen worse things than these."
Boldly, he heads into the other room to check it's contents. He gives up lingering on the festering flesh and instead looks for valuables. He would likely have to split whatever he found here with his fellows but even as a man in charge of dozens of people, he had certain materialistic needs.
"If you have a weak stomach, don't look in here. I don't mean that as a challenge. You have all proven your mettle."
Inside the room is a filthy pigsty. The smell is form the bits and crumbs of rotting food and filth. A mound of plates festering with cockroaches fills the table to one side, and more vermin infest the mattress on the simple bed. A cloud of flies swarm a stained hatbox and a locked strongbox sits at the foot of the bed.
Nic shrugs at Mercy's words. "He's all yours, then." She cleans her rapier on the hem of her cloak as she walks over to the other girl.
"Hey, it's alright now," she says in what she hopes is a reassuiring tone. She'd never been great with kids. "We'll find your sister. Where did you last see her?"
Not really wanting to do it, he walked over and looked in the hatbox. Someone might want to know whatever remains he might find. He also took a quick look at the strongbox and noted the lock. Perhaps one of the bodies had a key on them.
He left the small room. "We have a strongbox in here and a locked cabinet up top. It's probably best that we get in them and see if we can find hints of Lamm's allies. If we are going to be the targets for retaliation, that would be good information to have."
The violinist walked past Rhasuel and started going through Lamm's pockets. "We should also get these children out of this hellhole. I know I wouldn't want to stay here as long as I had friends waiting for me up top." He gave a quick wink in the direction of the kids in hopes of cheering them up a bit.
Paulus looks up from the other girl at Nic. "I believe her sister is in the room above, perfectly fine." He smiles at Alfsigr before returning to comfort the other little girl.
Dorian didn't bother wasting time as the others have things in order down here. Dorian started to escort the kids that he could once all in moving condition back upstairs. it didn't really take much to figure out the fate of any more that would be down here.
however, knowing the plight of these kids, his mind flashes again to the past. things that he strived to forget, but just cannot.
Once upstairs with as many surviving children as he can. he does what he can to find them some food and clothing.
Sheathing her sword, Elise stands up and surveys the room. Her heart went out to the children. Walking up to Alfgsir and taking a knee, Elise smiles gently and reassuringly "Paulus is right m'dear, your sister is just upstairs. Do you want me to take you to her?"
Standing up, Elise offers her hand to the child and looks over towards Cal and nods "You're absolutely right Cal, our priority now should be getting the children out of this miserable place."
Mercy mulls over the situation, of Zev's words she tries to show no outward response;
pretty lady? Pretty?? Me???
Eise comforting the children snaps her from her musings.
"We should take them from her. Let them feel light on their faces... Let them feel the sun on their poor souls..."
The holy warrior will accompany any who seek to guide the children back upstairs to be reunited and ultimately freed.
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Paulus agrees, gently disengaging from the child before taking her hand, following Mercy and Dorian upstairs to the other children, preparing to escort them back to The Dwarf's Axe.
He stifles a grin at Zev's words, his eyes wandering to Mercy, who shows no reaction. The priest understands all too well, as his eyes wander briefly to the other holy warrior before he continues on his way, gently pulling Tami alongside him.
Inside the hatbox, Calcedon finds a severed head, flesh poorly perserved and decaying, skin covered in garish makeup in a mockery of life, but the worst of it is whose head it is. Despite the decay and abuse, it's easily recognizeable.
It's Zellara.
Underneath, is a blood-soaked rag covering the familiar cards of her harrow deck.
Alfsigr and Tami calm down after most of the party reassures them that the nightmare is finally over. A length of rope lies among the trash at the edges of the room. It is long enough to tie up Bugsy and be used to get back up into the fishery proper.
Anyone searching Lamm's Corpse finds a keyring with several keys on it. Some are very old, while a couple are almost brand new.
Annabelle would help in escorting the children to the orphanage from the dregs of the night streets.
Paulus continues upstairs, helping to gather and shepherd the children out the door and travelling the short distance to the Dwarf's Axe tavern. He leaves the looting and mystery-solving to others, hopefully honest souls who will split things fairly.
Calcedon was a bit taken aback at the head in the hatbox. What should he do with this information? How should he deal with it? Should he tell anyone? Well, when he needed guidance he usually turned to the clergy and there were plenty here that matched that description.
He left the hatbox with behind him and went out of the room and waved over the first person he saw. "I found something a bit disturbing" he said flatly. "I think that we might have trouble going back and telling Zellara that we've taken care of Lamm since I just found evidence that she is quite dead in that room. What do we do? How am I supposed to play her a song?" That last sentence was the statement that caused a slight break in his voice.
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Mercy will secure Bugsy and drag his bulk away from where the blood thirstier in the group might be tempted to end the brute's life.
Once satisfied he is going no-where she accompanies the others and gives the children's escort to the Dwarf's Axe a stoic vanguard.
The holy shield quietly trudges along whilst allowing herself the serenity of contemplation of the days events.
Vengeance taken. Redemption offered. Blessed Dawnflower guide my actions
As Mercy leads the group towards the Dwarf's Axe, her already wide shoulders accentuated by her armor, Paulus hovers near the back, whispering quiet inspirations to the children, encouraging stragglers to keep up. He is full of smiles, and finds every excuse to praise Sarenrae for the children's escape. He is also quick to tell the tale of the heroics of his fellow party members, leaving out the gruesome details. He himself had come from their flock, so perhaps there were more future devotees of the Sun Goddess in this motley crew.
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Rhasuel places a hand on Calcedon's shoulder. It's ok, lad. She was a nice lady. Tonight, play for her in spite of her absence. Fulfill your word.
The minutes of staring at Lamm's corpse has changed Rhasuel somwhat. He is much more the gentle old man he looks to be, and much less the fire-blooded sage he was before. A dim flame still seems to flicker in his eyes, but it is more like a warm campfire than a raging furnace.
Rhasuel walks over and retrieves the Harrow deck. He feels an attachment to these cards for some reason. The reading was resonating within him and the cards pulled at his soul. He pockets them and walks toward the exit. He turns back at the doorway and says,
Shall we assist our comrades? Herding children can be a challenge.
The violinist picked up the hatbox after Rhasuel took the deck in her memory. "I will. We'll find a spot of land and I'll play in her resting place. Perhaps we'll find some clergy to say a few words.
Regarding the children he says, "And I might have another home for a few of them since growing up in a bar can be a rough place for kids. I know a place where those willing to pursue the arts can grow up in a creative environment. It's the kind of place I enjoyed in my happiest years, and I wanted to make it happen for others as well. But before then, I'd still like to see what's all locked up. I have a feeling that this particular pit might go deeper."
Zev sticks around the fishery a while, the only experience he has with children was from when he worked for Lamm, so he doesn't know how to act around them when not used to bully or intimidate. He helps with binding Bugsy and any of the other still-living men, searching the place, and recovering anything worthwhile.
He enters as the men discuss the head, and he takes a look at it, "If he's already gotten to her, she must have kept secret we were coming. We just spoke with her right before the scouts came, and then we attacked. Gotta respect an old woman that can not talk under the type of work that Lamm and his boys can do."
200 cp
100 sp
a teak cigar case with jade inlays
a gold ingot with the Chelish coat of arms
a miniature gold crown with lots of fine little details
a scrimshaw about the size of Zeverin's fist of a kraken with garnet eyes
a silver ring with the inscription "For Fiorella -- the light in my nights"
a very finely made, very detailed, and very scandalous ivory figurine of two entwined succubi.
an abalone holy symbol of Shelyn
a masterwork shuriken
an adamantine arrowhead
a tube filled some silvery liquid
a crystalline vial filled with what appears to be liquid platinum
an obsidian wand
and what is likely the most valuable thing in the entire collection, a bejeweled brooch showing a psuedodragon and an imp coiled around each other. The tiny dragon's eye is amethyst and the imp's is emerald.
The hour is growing late when you finally make it back to the Dwarven Axe. It is well pass midnight and the place appears to be on the verge of closing, most of the crowd from earlier gone. As you walk into the main room of the tavern, you see a lean young woman, only sixteen or seventeen, talking with Brask, the dwarven owner of the tavern and its namesake.
"Lass, I'm sorry, but I haven't heard a peep." Brask tells the red-haired girl as her shoulders slump and her back bows from weariness and the beginnings of despair.
"Nothing? Brask, I've gotta find my sisters. All I have to go on is some bastard is using them to sell shiver and pickpockets. Please, you must of heard something!" The desperation in her voice borders on panic and Brask can't find the words to comfort her.
After ensuring all the children file into the tavern, Paulus comes forward to speak with the dwarven proprietor. "Good dwarf, we have heard through a mutual friend that you might help us with a certain...situation. One that required freeing some frightened lambs." He waves his hand back to where the gaggle of children wait.
God, but this felt good and right. Years overdo, perhaps, but the scourge of children in Korvosa was no more, and this crop of children were free of the bonds that would have doomed so many of them. This, combined with the fact that she still lived, has Paulus in high spirits.
Staying outside until all the children made their way into the tavern, Annabelle gives the night a quick sweep of her eyes before making her way in, to make sure none followed them.
Perception + Darkvision 60 ft.
Seconding Paulus, "Aye, preferably where they'd be safe and cared for properly. "
Calcedon picked up the silver ring. "This was my mother's ring. It's the proof I suppose. Perhaps some of the others had personal items here as well."
Nicoletta sighs as she looks over Lamm's likely ill-gotten gains. "There's some beautiful things here," she says regretfully. "Doubt most of it will find its way home."
At Calcedon's words, she glances sideways at him, raising one red eyebrow slowly. "Proof of what?" she asks bluntly.
Cal turns his brown eyes at the swashbuckler but his focus was far away as he remembered. "Ten years ago, my parents came to an event here in the shackles and were robbed and murdered. This is my mother's ring." He shifted his gaze back to his present company and shrugged his shoulders.
"I didn't know if this quest really involved me until now. All of you knew Lamm was bad before tonight through experience. I suspected, but had no proof until now. It still was the right thing to do, but it answers a question I've had for half my life.
"But the answer is unsatisfying. I'm not sure this is it. I recognized Yargin as someone who was working with my uncle, which speaks conspiracy. But if that's true, this might just be the beginning. Who's to say?" He held the silver ring in his fingers, losing himself again in thought.
"Well, that's two down." the dwarf rumbles. He turns to the rest and gives a sigh before waving one of the girls helping to clean up the common room. "Sabri, can you get the lads to bring down enough rolls and blankets for the munchkins here?" he asks. The girl nods before scurrying off to one of the backrooms.
"Now then," he says, focusing on the guard and the priest, "I assume from what you said, that these wee ones were once under the care of a certain Lamm?"
Smiling broadly as the children re-united happily with their older sister, Elise contemplates a job well done; no children hurt, Lamm and his crew utterly ruined. Nevertheless, her heart screams in anger at the thought of the children lost, Calib having been lost only hours before they arrived. Justice moved slowly, if at all in Korvosa, and his loss was just another reminder.
Suddenly cluing into the conversation, Elise falls in beside Paulus and gives him a quick glance before engaging the gruff but kind hearted proprietor of the Dwarven Axe. Though the old dwarf appeared not to be addressing her, Elise responded quickly to his inquiry "They are good sir; your generosity in housing them is most welcome, we won't forget it." Smiling lightly on the dwarf, it was clear the lovely young warrior was fond of him, for his kindness in this matter, and the aid he and succor he had provided to former victims of Lamm.
Paulus starts to respond to the dwarf, but the words are stolen from him by the radiance he finds looking his way, right beside him. Mercifully the tavern owner is quickly targeted, and Paulus remembers to breathe again.
Turning back to Brask, the priest inquires, "Good sir, is there aught we can do to assist? I can provide effort and coin for their immediate needs. What will be done for the children's future?" He cocks his head inquisitively.
Brask looks around and notices that the kids are being taken care of, some of the boys and girls in his employ that had such skills checking the health, or lack there of, of the orphans.
"I'd rather discuss this away from little ears," the graying dwarf says. He motions for all of you to follow him to on of the doors behind the bar. Inside are several large vats and kettles, as well as a still. At the other end of the room is an office with worn but comfortable furnishings.
"Tell me, how did you come across Lamm, and what has become of the damned bastard?" He asks, old, quiet venom lacing his words.
Glancing back to make sure the children are comfortable and being reasonably taken care of, Paulus follows the dwarf to the back room where the man plies his trade. After ensuring any who follow are through the doors and they are firmly shut, he speaks. "We were tipped off by an acquaintance of Lamm's whereabouts. We each had our different reasons for seeing justice come to the man and the children rescued. As for Lamm, he refused to repent and is burning in whatever Hell he chose for himself."
Nicoletta tears her eyes from Cal, nodding curtly at Rhas. "Good point. We should catch up." She pauses, looking at Lamm's corpse, her face twisted into a scowl. "What do we do with this?"
Calcedon nods at Rhasuel and starts packing up the items in a bag until he came across the brooch. "Oh, hells. He picked it up and showed it to the others. "This belongs to the queen. That means that whatever happened here won't escape her notice. This just got a whole lot more complicated."
He avoided saying what was really on his mind: the fact that it's possible that Lamm was doing all this with the queens blessing. It wasn't like royalty just to leave their personal symbol laying about. Of course, even if it were true, it was unlikely she'd own up to it.
"I agree though, we should get back to the tavern. This is probably something we should all discuss."
[edit]
He looks over at Lamm's corpse, with a bit of a dark smile. He gets up and grabs his body by the foot and takes it to the place where they threw their own victims. He pulls the body to the edge of the water and drops the foot.
"I suggest we do with him what he's done with others. Let the sharks eat him. Anyone is welcome to do the honors in my opinion."
After Paulus finished, Annabelle adds to the dwarf, "Along with some of his top cronies." Though she felt at odds with circumventing the justice system, she could acknowledge her brightening at the prospect of the old fiend not walking the earth again.
Mercy watches the children enter their new safer lives but also reflects on what has happened in this short discourse.
Dawnflower I trust I've not failed you. Lamm was unrepentant... Had I been stronger, more devout perhaps I might have been able to thaw his black heart...
The holy warrior looks melancholy as she joins the others in their parley with Brask.
"He is indeed dead good sir. Though he will likely haunt the dreams of all his fell stewardship affected..."
Mercy echoes her companion's offer of patronage;
"Watch over them. And worry not for coin nor protection whilst they are under your roof... You have our word on that."