Korvosa, the Jewel of Varisia, has long sparkled on Varisia’s southern shore. Established 300 years ago by Cheliax at the height of that empire’s expansion, the city now commands its own destiny. A line of Korvosan kings and queens emerged to rule the city, establishing an infamous seat power—the Crimson Throne. Rulers have sat upon the Crimson Throne for more than a century, and the city has flourished. Yet the monarchy always seems on the brink of disaster. The Crimson Throne is not a prize to be won—it is a curse. No monarch of Korvosa has died of old age, and none have produced an heir while ruling. Even though King Eodred II controls Korvosa more fully than any previous monarch, that control remains tenuous, and many secretly count the days until their latest king falls to what they call the Curse of the Crimson Throne.
Whispers of Eodred II’s taste for scandalously young companionship have dogged the king throughout his rule, and thus when he finally wed, it was no surprise that his bride was barely a third of his age. Queen Ileosa was a woman of breathtaking beauty, with red hair like the sunset, chaste alabaster skin, and features so fetching many claimed her mother must have been a nymph queen, as surely no mortal woman could give birth to a beauty such as she. Most of Korvosa’s nobles worry of the dangers of placing a trophy wife within hands’ reach of the Crimson Throne, but Ileosa’s interest in the city seemed secondary to the life of luxury—and with the more-than-competent Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis guarding Castle Korvosa’s interests, these noble families feel they have little to worry about.
Over the past few weeks the city has been seeming on edge, there seems to be a palatable sense of menace in the city, but as always citizens plod on their daily lives. Fixing homes, doing dishes, taking care of their children; all without a pause. Because the problems of the rich seems pale in comparison to the worries of everyday life. But for some their paths are about to change. all it takes is a small note..........
I know what Gaedren has done to you, and I know where he dwells. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. A great change is coming to the city, and I fear for its safety. Lamm I think is at the forefront.
Vyushi Finds the note in her pocket.
Domir has a dream of a note with a feeling that it was not a normal dream.
Kesso Finds it in her shoe in the morning.
Nanta Finds the note in a communion tray.
Dervin Finds the note in his "spellbook"
A walk through West Dock. Crowded streets filled with shadows. A whisper. Turning to look. Suddenly back in that room. Chained. Tied down. Locked. Bound. No!!!! But there was no sound beyond someone crying. Who is that? Where are they? Maybe they can help. Hello! The crying stopped as the voice called out. It's me. The world began to feel numb. How does a world feel numb? Or, no, that's me. Then it began to spin and twirl as water began to fill the room. Choking. Drowning. Dying. Gone.
Back at West Dock. The stench of the river. But it's quiet. Nobody looks you in the eye. Excuse me, do you know where... Pardon me, have you ever heard of... No one has any answers. No one will speak to me.
A night of gambling at Eel's End. Dangerous faces. Deadly looks. But nobody bothers me here. They know better, not that I could do anything. A few extra coins in my pocket. Walking home, I reach to check my coins. The pouch is gone. My hand comes back with a note.
I know what Gaedren has done to you, and I know where he dwells. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. A great change is coming to the city, and I fear for its safety. Lamm I think is at the forefront.
BANG! The young man jerked upright out of his reed and straw mat, eyes wide. CRASH! His head twirled towards the opening in the wall that functioned as a window and the direction of the sound. Just a cart going down the street. Something must have fallen off. What a strange dream.
It was late morning, almost noon, and when he stood up he felt rather than heard the grumble in his stomach, but he'd always just ignored it. When you'd gone without food for so long, when you'd hungered for other things, it became easy to ignore.
He walked over to the window and leaned against it to look outside and take in what approximated a breath of fresh air. "Three Lancet Street. Sunset. Why not?"
The young man gathered most of his gear and weapons, checked to see if his coin pouch was still a pouch, then went into the streets to find Lancet Street.
Nanta rises before the dawn out of habit. His day starts quietly though the surroundings are comfortable the objects in his current dwelling are just objects, things to show others that even the younger members of the Priests of Abadar are a means and skill beyond the norm. He recalls words from the 'Order of Numbers' from memory and contemplates the wisdom handed down from Abadar to mortals.
Once he is done he practices his combat forms. It is not enough for one to know the law but it must be enforced. Korvosa of course was far superior to most cities in this regard but it was not perfect, there were always those who evaded the most well crafted of mortal laws. They were to be crushed, as is the order of things Pharasma would judge them and send them to much deserved punishment. This brought a smile to Nanta's face, common criminals could not avoid judgement no matter how cunning.
As dawn broke Nanta finishes his breakfast and checks his equipment. Walking through the market on the way towards the Temple of Abadar he eyed the crowd, scrutinizing them for hidden transgressions. But despite the tension in the air he saw no criminal activities.
In the temple he studied the laws of Korvosa, the Chellish Empire and the common laws of Avistan. Then he helped with the maintenance of the temple, it was mundane but was all for the greater glorification of Abadar... still his mind wandered, later he would train more and walk the streets. Perhaps word would be sent from the Order of the Nail, he was known to them and had helped them bring criminals to justice. Of course they didn't do for every minor matter he mused. It would squander their resources. Those who had the conviction to back up their plea with coin would be aided, but a truly abhorrent situation did not require coin, or even an official request aid.
As Nanta went about his duties during the last ceremony he would take part in for the day he was surprised to find a note beneath a plate used as part of one of the ceremonies... he had seen it placed before the ceremony by one of his peers and no one else had been near it. He palmed the note and helped finish the ceremonies but as they were clearing up afterwards read it and raised an eyebrow...
Vyushi begins her day as she normally does sitting in the kitchen and drinking mint tea with her mother. Only these days her mother just sits there silently, like a zombie, unresponsive and communicative staring out the small window that overlooks the narrow and cramped streets of Bridgefront. Nevertheless Vyushi keeps the conversation flowing, filling her mother in on the state of the family business and the changes in the neighborhood. She saves the best piece of gossip for last hoping to get a response from her mother, ”Helania’s youngest daughter is pregnant and not even engaged. What do you think about that?” Vyushi frowns a bit as her mother’s wooden visage continues to stare out the window.
The young woman moves a vase of flowers to the windowsill so her mother will have something to look at and retreats to her apartment. Alone she pours over her spell book doing the mental exercises her uncle taught her and focuses her will memorizing a spell that will help her strike true. Knowing she will be going to the market today she is satisfied with the choice.
With her morning preparations done she begins to write out a list of things she needs to pick up from the market. As she writes out her list she considers her funds and decides, looks like it will be mutton and not fish for the stew. With the list complete she shoves it into her pocket and makes her way downstairs to her father’s apothecary. The beleaguered merchant is with a customer but she interrupts long enough to tell him her plans and give him a kiss on his forehead. He looks concerned an he admonishes her to be careful. ”I’m always careful,” Vyushi replies whimsically with a gentle laugh.
Her shopping is uneventful, haggling with the vendors more out of habit than anything else. At the end over shopping trip she removes her list from her pocket making sure she has not overlooked anything. She is surprised when she looks at the list and reads; I know what Gaedren has done to you, and I know where he dwells. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. A great change is coming to the city, and I fear for its safety. Lamm I think is at the forefront.
Vyushi looks around scanning the crowd trying to figure out who put put the note there and what they could want. She cautiously makes her way home pausing periodically and making sure no one is following her. By the time she makes it home and unloads the items she bought she still hasn’t figured the riddle of the note and who was behind it. As she decides on a course of action she silently curses wishing she had a harrow deck to consult. Finally deciding, Only one way to find out, best get there early.
She arrives well before sunset and watches the house at 3 Lancet to see who comes and goes.
Her run always ended at the cemetery. She had planed to skip it that day, to try and move on. But, as always she wound up visiting the graves of her parents. "I'm sorry, Mom...Dad. I still haven't found him." she quietly says as pays her respects. "But I found a slip of paper that may be a clue this morning." She had spent her entire jog, trying to ferret out the meanings behind the cryptic message and how it had arrived.
I know what Gaedren has done to you, and I know where he dwells. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. A great change is coming to the city, and I fear for its safety. Lamm I think is at the forefront.
was all the note said. If it hadn't been in her shoe, she'd think it were a trap, but the shoe had Smarkag written all over it, and annoying as the house fey might be, she doubted he meant her harm. As she looked around the graveyard, she wished, and not for the first time, that Sensei Chun had been buried here. The Tien community in town did not trust any non-Tien and she had never found out where they had spirited away her former master's body. She headed for her apartment, soon she was going to have to start making some money, but rescuing her brother was more important right now. Well, trap or not, it would bring her one step closer to Lamm. As she steps into her apartment, she looks at her cobbling tools and a smile comes to her lips. She grabs her tools and she heads out the door. Time to case the place. she thinks as she heads out towards the address.
@kesso- Your knocking on doors and speaking to people turned up very little information. The home is in the Heights district (P2) In a very affluent neighborhood. The place is said to be abandoned over the last few years.
While asking around the area you have a idle chat with a housewife who hopes to one day visit Tenna's apparently it is the most expensive inn on The Heights, with exotic masseuse's, scented bathes, and it happens to be one the best places to meet nobles in the city. She hopes to one day save up enough to seduce a young lord, and live the good life.
@Vyushi- While in the market you overhear a conversation about the Queen apparently she was overheard to wish "Karvosa was more like Magnimair, with a unique and special culture all of its own." when she was feasting with other nobles.
@Nanta- During one of your moments of silence meditation you overhear one of the archdukes of your church saying to a acolyte that the leader of Abadar has taken a sabbatical and that he will be unavailable for at least a month.
@Domir- along the way to the house you see a merchant on the street. When you get close he quickly sprays you with some Cologne. "you like? My mistress just started a business down the road. called Lavender's Luxurious Liniment. Please come in a try us." Before you say another word he quickly goes forth spraying another person, giving them the same speech.
@everyone - (according to Korvosan law if a person dies and no one claims the home it can stay in escrow for the next few years. if any kind of paperwork is missing sometimes the place stays in escrow for a very long time. Some of the seedier elements of the city often use these rules to their advantage. sometimes it is said they purposefully kill residents with no family if its in a more desired area.)
Done with his breakfast and eager to prepare for tonights skullduggery, Dervin unlocks the door to his sparse and dirty flat, noticing almost too late the hair placed earlier is missing.
Drawing and palming his dagger, the words of his only arcane spell on his lips, Dervin opens the door to his seedy and dismal "home."
Dust motes lazily float in and out of the light from the only high window he has. It is not hard to see the one-room tenement is void of any intruder.
Relaxing, Dervin takes stock of his possessions, scrutinizing each one before moving or checking it. Nothing seems missing, though...Huh? a slip of paper sticking out between the pages of one of Dervin's books catches his attention. He bought the spellbook as a prop, filling out some pages with nonsense scribblings.
I know what Gaedren has done to you, and I know where he dwells. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. A great change is coming to the city, and I fear for its safety. Lamm I think is at the forefront.
Still rather newish to Korvosa, Dervin searched his knowledge of the city for Lancet Street and draws a blank. He combines elements of his only two real outfits, conceals a dagger, pocket's the note and heads out. As he places a hair in a new location, near the bottom hinge, Dervin wonders just how much good this really does what with teh violation he just suffered.
Within an hour, Dervin found himself at the familiar doorstep of Gingi. She's a native, she'll know where Lancet Street is, just have to keep low about the reason, else she'll be all over it and demand to come.
@dervin- Gingi replies with the directions towards Lanncet street, She also ask's Dervin "have you found out anything? she would not have given up so early......"
A young man with a scraggly bit of stubble and ill-kept hair, Dom half-coughs, half-chokes on the splash of cologne. "Ugh! What the... No!" He swipes at the spot and sniffles in frustration, then... Hmm. Musky, but with a bit of cedar. Not bad if you could afford it. Why he thinks I could is beyond me. Probably not a very good merchant.
He makes the rest of the way to the neighborhood and, when he finds the address, just decides to sit down on the other side of the street until the appointed hour.
”Gingi, I don’t think anything will come of this tonite, it takes time to gain peoples confidence, you know that from your profession… this is a guys-only game night and I need to seed them a bit to loosen tongues later, I just didn’t know where the mark lived. Speaking of that, could you spare a gold sail for the buy-in and a handful of pinch to help out? I’m short cuz of rent. I told you -- I always eventually ask… all the time, but it scares people if you ask too quickly after meeting them. Maybe these guys will have something in a couple days, we’ll see, depends on how easy I can be with coin to get their trust now…
”I did have a lead two days ago on a sailor named Tormundalius... I think.. Yea, Tormundalius. The trail went sour on me though. It’s not like I can go out and bust heads about it. If you’re working tonite, you could try to pick up that trail again? Keep it low, but see if anyone knows the sail Tormundalius is on?” Dervin smiles a little, both at himself for picking such an odd dead-end name and as encouragement for Gingi.
"Yes, I'm going to definitely check Tenna's out" Kesso says to Sorana while bidding her goodby. The bored housewife had been eager to bend Kesso's ear for the past hour, and Kesso had enjoyed the conversation. The Heights seemed to not fit Lamm's style, although it was possible that he was using the abandoned property as a safe house. Overall, she was not too pleased with her investigation, it had taken to long, thanks to Sorana. Getting back to her apartment, Kesso composes a note on the back of the one left in her shoe and leaves it on her bed.
'Detective Cross, I have gone to 3 Lancet Street. If I disappear, I implore you to continue investigating my brother's kidnapping and parent's deaths.'
Looking outside and seeing the sun sinking towards the horizen, she quickly dons her armor and walks back to The Heights. Stepping up to the door of the abandoned house she takes a quick look around and then knocks on the door.
Vyushi watches the quiet house and sees Kesso arrive and knock, Must be one of the others the note spoke of.” Taking a deep breath she heads to the door too and asks, ”Did you get a letter too?”
In his apartment Nanta read the note again, he had lost track of how many times. It could be a trap, that had been his immediate suspicion, a means to get him alone but... that didn't make sense. Anyone skilled enough to get the note into such an awkward position could have used those skills to poison his food or any number of other things.
He didn't appreciate the intrusion but if it was a trap... it didn't make sense. A manipulation perhaps, to try to coerce him, maybe as part of a character assassination but that was something he could guard against. But it might be as it stated and there was only one way to find out.
Checking over his gear one last time before he headed out into the streets he trudged towards the location as the sky began to tint orange above the sky. His wrath would fall on his former tormentor or any tricksters seeking to manipulate him.
--------------------------------------------------
As he heads towards the doorway and sees Kesso and Vyushi he is about to ask if they invited him hear but hears Vyushi speak up. He speaks out clearly in the growing gloom, his chainmail clinking as he advances. "I received a note. What did yours entail?"
@Dervin- "oh Ok, Dervin. You know that Esla wouldn't like who your turning into.."
@kesso- When you arrive at the house looking around the block you see what appears to be a lookout watching the house. dressed in ragged clothes and looking disheveled he could be a beggar except for the faint smell of cologne drifting off him. Then a woman comes up to you. (see Vyushi)
When all of you come up to the apartment, you see that the homes in this area are close together, in the distance you see the imposing castle Korvosa looming over the homes in this area as a constant reminder that your being watched, crime in this area is not as bad as other parts of the city. due to the constant city watch in this area. the building in this part are old probably crated when the city first started but in good repair.
From his spot across the street, the young man watches the strangers beginning to gather in front of the house, two women and a man, all human. Perhaps these are the 'others'? Maybe the dream was true.
For a moment, he debates whether to continue watching or to join the others. He'd never been a joiner; it had never worked out particularly well for him. But, sitting here wasn't going to get him any closer to solving the riddle of his dream, nor of finding Lamm.
He pushed himself up from the ground and walked across the street openly. Wild hair, wiry frame, an unshaven patchwork beard, clothes neither clean nor foul, smelling of cologne. He coughs as he approaches, trying to make clear he isn't trying to sneak up, then says, "Begging your pardon, but... M'name's Dom. Are you the others I'm s'pposed to meet?"
He tries to keep a safe distance from the heavily armored man.
Vyushi watches the quiet house and sees Kesso arrive and knock, Must be one of the others the note spoke of.” Taking a deep breath she heads to the door too and asks, ”Did you get a letter too?”
Kesso turns at her approach, sizing her up. However, when Vyushi asks her question, she relaxes, although she still seems to be keeping an eye on the derelict off to the side. "Yes, I did get a letter." she replies. "Did you write or send it?" she asks. Vyushi may very well recognize her as the young peddler that visited the nearby homes earlier that day. Now her hair is done up in a ponytail and she has traded her work clothes for very nice lacquered leather armor and her cobbling kit for some sort of glaive, only the blade is skinnier and curved. As Nanta approaches, Kesso instinctively steps between Vyushi and the newcomer, at least until she see the holy symbol of Abadar and she answers his question. "Yes I received a note. About a man named Lamm who has escaped justice" She warily eyes Dom as he approaches. "I'm called Kesso." she replies to his friendly greeting. "I'm not sure, but it seems we have all been invited here at sunset."
Dervin looks seriously at Gingi, ”Same as I’ve always been, and the same she fell for.”
He nods appreciatively as she places the few coins in his palm, ”You’ll see, Gingi; great things are still to come – she believed in me, in a way, she still does I’m sure... I’ll be in touch when I know more, you know where I live if you find anything out about that sailor.”
Dervin heads back to his place, passes time, gears himself up for trouble (armor, weapons), and heads back out again with enough time to make it to Lancet Street before sunset.
Are any (other than Dom) acting suspicious?
The lad smiles in what he hopes is an amiable manner. "Kesso. Nice t'meet your acquaintance." He's clearly a bit uncomfortable and out of his element with folks such as the heavily armored cleric and fighter, and he probably doesn't find it all that 'nice' either, but he's trying to be friendly in an awkward fashion.
Invited? Did they have a dream, too? Or does she mean something else? He casts a furtive gaze over everyone again now that he's closer, trying to study them without staring, sometimes seeming to look past or through them for something unseen. No, I'm not telling them. "Yes, I, uh, was invited to talk about Gaedren." He gestures at the door to 3 Lancet. "There."
As he's been talking, he's absent-mindedly drawn a silver piece from his pouch and begun to twirl it between the knuckles of his right hand.
As the sun starts to set on the horizon the whole city seems to be bathed in blood. the red clouds then slowly start turning grey as the sun sets. people start heading off the streets as their workday ends or simply going home to spend time with family. The crowd of people slowly starts dispersing.
Nanta isn't in a pleased mood, such things were rare around strangers after all, but he wanted to know more about who had gathered such an odd group.
His grim and dour expression fixes on the door. "Here we are and I saw so many and varied people gathered for some strange meeting but no one answers. It does not put me well disposed towards them."
His gaze had the practiced look of a dispassionate priest of Abadar, it was judgemental and appraising. He seemed as some would put it- though not within earshot- like he had a lance stuck up his...
Dervin walks up Lancet, noticing the small gaggle outside what he presumes to be, then verifies is the address. He stops a polite distance away before making himself known, "OK, then. Is it one of you, or all that have information to impart on Gaedren? And what's this about a big change or whatever"
"I did not write the letter and I guess we will find out shortly who did," Vyushi replied to Kesso as the number of pole on the doorway continued to increase.
With a slight smile she reaches over and tries to open the door, "Lets see who invited us."
"I knocked, but no one has answered. It may be a trap." She continues to talk as she follows Vyushi into the house. "I was invited by a note. I assume that everyone else here was also invited, but I do not know that for sure." Noticing the newest member just walking up she answers his question. "He is a vicious criminal, dealing in kidnapping, murder and arson. It seems everyone I have asked about him, know he exists, but he has hides his whereabouts well. But I am not a criminal myself, so I might not have the 'street cred' that some of you do." As she finishes the last line she turns to look the group over to see if anyone flinches.
The disheveled lad flicking a silver piece in one hand and smelling of cologne laughs a little nervously at the mention of 'street cred'. "Ha. Um. Yeah. Heh... Criminals." He pockets the coin a little guiltily then waits for the others to enter.
What a strange lot of people. I hope I don't have to make them kill each other. He winces slightly, wondering where that thought came from, then rubs the back of his neck and walks in.
After trying the door it appears to be stuck, however after a moment you put a little bit more weight behind it opens into a small common room. Once you get inside the house you immediately notice the smell coming out of it, the smell of rotten meat. The room is darkened in the evening sunlight however with the fading rays you see broken chairs and a broken table in the middle of the room. A corpse is dead face down in the doorway to the back room almost as if it was running and hit from behind. tattered curtains are on the windows.
@Kesso "Not really telling me anything I haven't figured out already -- but thanks." He sizes up the others, seeing them not take exception to the description given, he goes on, "Really want the dancer dead, don't care by who's hand or blade."
"I suppose too much to ask for THAT to be Gaedren, eh? Dervin feels the familiar tingling of danger afoot. Nervous and ill at ease, he still maintains the front and offering, "The smell means he's been dead a while. If you already tried knocking, then no one else is here."
Dervin overlooks the obvious, "or someone is still here and does not want o be discovered"
"If that is Gadren he may have gotten off more lightly than he deserved." Nanta moves forward and goes to turn the body over with his armoured boot. He would no the man's face anywhere. If someone had killed Gadren like this in and was trying to taunt him it would work.
Vyushi grabs onto her scarf a little tighter upon discovery of the dead body. She sniffs and scrunches her nose before bringing her scarf up to her face, "By the smell of things I don't think it was the person who wrote the note."
She moves up with Nanta to get a better look at the corpse.
While the others look over the body, Kesso shuts the door and stands in front of it. "Do we call the guard." she asks the man wearing the holy symbol of law and order. "And is it Lamm!" Looking around the room, she reasons. "My note was delivered this morning, so probably whoever sent it was alive at that time. I watched the place most of the day, except just recently when I went to change into my armor and no one came or went. So be on guard, the murderer may still be here." She, herself isn't completely happy with this line of reasoning. It doesn't explain the smell for instance. But that just implies that the person who sent the note did the murdering.
Following the others, Dom heard their reactions before he saw or smelled what elicited them. It wasn't the first time he'd been confronted with the stench of death. Still, the sight of the corpse was like something from one of his nightmares. It was oddly comforting. Familiar.
He pulled a crystal from one of his pockets and it began to glow with a soft light, simultaneously illuminating the corpse while casting more shadows into the corners of the room. Forgetting his aversion to the cleric, he joined him next to the corpse and knelt to it, examining it more closely. Not that he had training to discern the cause of death, but perhaps at least see if it was Lamm.
"Wait, you all got notes? Has everyone here been wronged by Gaedren?
Marking the gaunt youth as a mage of some kind, Dervin adjusts his assumptions, "No guard, I mean -- right? If this IS him, we'd be immediately under suspicion for all having a reason. If it is NOT him, I'd like to know who it is and how he knew where to locate me. Plus, could be Gaedren or a crony did this also."
He motions to Kesso in agreement, "I think we should pair up and search the place to ensure it's clear before doing anything else."
In response to Dervin’s question about the notes, Dom replies vaguely, ”Of a sort. I found mine in a dream.” His voice is soft and not quite a whisper, and could have just as easily have been directed to the corpse as to Dervin.
After kesso closes the door Dom's light shines very slightly around the room. When you get closer to the body it appears months old, the face is shruken in and rotting however once you get to the body you see that in the bedroom thier appears to be a hole near the bed as if someone broke through teh flooring. you see that the bed is rotting and in tatters. Somthing else interesting of note the body does not appear to be looted. a satchel is under the body when moved. Inside the satchel appears to be several items including a jeweled Klar.
Body and Satchel-
dagger
S.sword
23 gp
15 sp
Jeweled Klar- (unknown)
thieves tools
Pick
torches only 2
common every day items.
A hole in the floor. A pick. A satchel with valuables. Thieves tools. "I doubt this was Gaedren. An elderly man peddling shiver breaking through a floor and robbing people? No. But, if this was the thief, where is the owner? Who killed him? Why leave the body and valuables?" Dom concentrates for a moment, looking for magical auras.
Dervin licks his lips at seeing the jeweled klar. If only...
Listening to Dom's evaluation of Gaedren and the situation, Dervin scoffs a bit, "Peddling shiver? Maybe. And he may be elderly or not, but Gaedren's a murderer, or orchestrates murder, anyways. Is this some kind of a set-up? Notes to come here, a months old dead body?"
"Any indication who he is? Or for that matter, who's place is THIS?" Dervin starts searching the place for any indication of a name for who's abode this might be.
"I asked around today, and was told this place had been abandoned for the past few years. To be honest, I thought it was a thieves den, kept abandoned and off the market for convenience and I had been invited because I was looking too hard for Lamm. I certainly didn't expect several other people to show up, also invited." She moves over to the hole then looks at the klar as she lies her polearm near the hole. 'Pretty, but gaudy' "Dom, can I borrow your light?" she asks as she kneels near the hole and prepares to look into it.
Vyushi looks around and gets an uneasy feeling, What if this is a trap to catch Lamm's foes all in one place. The young woman dismisses the thought and voices, "Perhaps we'll find more clues in the rest of the house."
"Yea, the rest of the house... Oh, guess it's about time, eh? Name's Dervin.
Hmm... most likely a safe house, but for whom?" Dervin checks the faces of the others to see if any react like they've been "made."
"So... I take it none of you serve the Cerulean Society? Good. I had been thinking it is likely Gaedren serves, it's what sort of set me off trying too hard to locate him after..." an open-mouthed look of shock comes over Dervin's face as he just realized an epiphany, "...son of a..."
"There are only two that know I was looking for Gaedren before today, and one is a close friend. The only other one is a pawn broker. He might know more about this, at the very least he knows to whom he gave my name out to. Something to check later."
After he searches for magical auras, Dom says to Kesso, ”It only works if I hold it, but sure.” He walks over and holds the crystal for her, also looking down the hole himself.
He then goes back to the corpse and, after telling the Abadaran, ”Don’t hit me... I’m trying to learn something of this person,” He takes the corpse’s head in his hands and begins to examine to shape and morphology of its skull.
@nanta-
@Kesso- Looking down the hole in the floor you see that this part of the city was built upon older remnants of a old underground complex. the direction of the system appear to head towards castle Korvosa.
[spoiler= Knowledge (history) or (local) dc 15]- the city of Korvosa was built on old Thassilonian ruins. [spoiler]
@dom- you learn off the skull that it was a LE male human rogue (the same age as Nanta, its not on his character sheet) there was nothing that radiated magic in the satchel.
@dervin you see nothing of value. (you assume the thieves took everything originally) there is no distinguishing features on who owned the home.
@vyushi- (see dervin above)
[b]"Looks like this hole accesses the old Thassilonian ruins the city was built over. I bet Lamm's using the old ruins as some sort of underground transit system. No wonder the man's so hard to find. But why bring all of us here, evidently staunch enemies, and reveal an open door to his domain." She squints into the darkness, trying to get a feel for the scope of the ruins.
"I am called Vyushi," she responds to Dervin before they begin there search.
After the search Vyushi stands there with some thought trying to make its way out but the thought can't find its way to the surface. She shakes her head in frustration at her feeble recollection and decides there is no harm in sharing her name with the others gathered here and introduces herself.
Finally she asks, "Why bring us here and then not show up?"
"I am Nanta, Priest of Abadar and Arminger affiliated with the Order of the Nail." He states it bluntly and matter of factly.
"This man is one of the Lambs, from many years ago mind."
He considers Vhushi's question "Perhaps someone who is aware of Lamm but afraid to move against him. Drawing in those with a grudge on a trail that leads to him. Keeping their identity secret in case any of us become captured or compromised to avoid retribution... possibly."
Dom finishes examining the corpse's head and says, "If it was many years ago, he took to the life. He had darkness in his heart, yet his mind was...ordered. Strange." Dom gently lowers the head back to the floor then wipes his hands on the tattered curtains.
He then goes back to the corpse and picks up the klar, examining it to see if there are any signs of ownership or other clues.
@kesso- yes enough room.
@domir- the Klar is extremely well made (masterwork) however you can tell that the Klar is Ornamental much like what a Knight would wear on a parade. the Klar is made from a horned spirestalker this one however had its eyes removed and replaced with rubies. and the skull was dipped in steel with gold embossing its almost more like a Piece of art that can be used with a purpose.
It's beautiful. I wonder what the creature was like when it was alive. Dom finds himself staring into the rubies for a moment, his mind drifting elsewhere, then his attention slowly comes back into the room. He stands up and holds it out towards the women, "Would either of you like this? It seems to suit you."
I’ve got to stifle this…
Keeping a friendly disposition, Dervin addresses the young man, ”Ahem… Hey, not to be… confrontational, but why would it not suit myself? I think it’s beautiful, actually. Why them in particular? How do you know if any of us collect exotic weaponry? So happens, I am very interested in it, but I am not the only one here with a stake in what is going on here… Not my place to lay claim on anything here, but I don’t think it’s yours to offer anything either without checking.”
Dervin smiles good-naturedly, hoping to soften the tone.
Kesso is really impressed by Nanta's analysis of motives, but ultimately concern for her brother triumphs over any worry that they were being used. Her thoughts are interrupted by Dom's offer of the ornate exotic shield. "Why Thank You." Kesso beams at Dom. But I can't use it and a Naginata at the same time." She continues "I actually considered taking it and the short sword if the tunnels below were narrow but that doesn't seem to be the case." After Dervin's remark, Kesso adds. "It's really too expensive. We should take it with us in case its needed, but eventually we should sell it and split the profits." She turns to face the others. "I mean to go down the hole. If its a trap, I mean to confound it, but this is the best lead I've gotten on Lamm. If you want to come with me, I'll do my best to protect you." She seems to regret uttering those words, almost immediately adding. "Well...Just to be clear. If I have to choose between saving you or my brother, I'll have to save my brother. I've promised my parents." And with that statement she lowers herself into the labyrinth below.
Dom looks at Dervin, blinking in bewilderment and a little surprised it's not obvious. What if I made him kill the priest... Could I? He winces as if from a migraine, scratching at the back of his head before blurting out a little too loudly, "No." He looks up at Dervin, blinking again. "I mean, no, it suits them. It is beautiful, like them. Not that you're ugly, but... Sorry, I didn't sleep much."
When Kesso suggests selling it and splitting the profits, he looks relieved and shrugs. "Money just makes problems, but that seems... fair," he says with a tone that almost sounds like a question. "I wonder..." He begins to spin the klar in his hands again, looking at it from different angles, and talks as he does so, "It's strange, isn't it? Something like this left here? Nothing else on him? I could read its aura, but... too much time."
With a soft sigh, he drops it back on top of the corpse. "Your brother is probably dead. But if that tunnel may take us to Gaedren, I'll help."