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Marius, very accustomed to dismissal, hears Valamyr's opening tone and assumes just that. But after hearing him go on, and not only accept his company but calling their meeting "fortuitous", Marius, very obviously pleased, smiles and bows.
"Nah I won't have you takin the blame for that drunken rabble"
she said. "Ya look famished, did you have supper yet?" I was shocked to say the least. To have such opposite polarities in such a short span caught me quite off guard. I introduced myself of course, and she introduced herself as Helen. Then out of a back room wander young Dov. He was maybe two or three. As you can imagine most children are afraid of me, but he walked up to me like I was a normal dwarf, totally fearless. And with a big smile said "Hi" and sat down next to me for supper like everything was normal. I learned that The children's father had run away after Helen learned she was pregnant for the second time. So Helen was left to care for young Dov, and soon to be Leena. I did everything I could to help them where I could, and was around so much they started to call me Uncle Marius. For ten years they were the closest thing I've ever had to a family. Now Dov is all that is left. That monster feed little lady Leena to that reptile, and Helen despite her fire was no match for Gaedren and his thugs... I know she gave them a hell of a fight though." Marius still wears a partial forced smile, but is obviously having a difficult time discussing this.
Garth searches the lair and tucks all suitable salvage away in his pack, analyzing it all closely while the party works out their plans and other spoils are divided.
"Not to come off as insensitive to the more pressing matters of all yours at hand, but I would like to reiterate my interest in taking Gaedren's weapons, if no one else thinks they can make better use of them..." He says, gathering up the wretched man's belongings and holding them up for the others to see, before packing them away if no one else makes claim to them.
"If Zellara's is where you wish to congregate, by all means, but I have work to do at my forge. Much work, indeed..." The gunslinger thinks out loud with a short pause. "Which suits me just fine, considering that place gives me major creeps, considering recent developments. I can meet you there in a couple days time, but if you need me sooner you can find me at my shop, while I'm still able to make use of it, at least." The human explains, before relaying the location to the others. "You may need to knock quite loud if you want me to notice you at the door."
Garth secures his pack and all his gear, ready to depart the horrid location.
"Wait you said you're a merchant from the Vaults right? Know of a fence down there ya trust?"
"I know of a few fences down in the Vaults, but none that I've dealt with personally, and certainly none that I would trust. My family has made great efforts to kept our paws clean in all of our business affairs. If you think you may know someone nearby, I can certainly accompany you to sell what's left of the loot, and make sure we aren't being ripped off."
"Very well," Nahzir says to Valamyr and Marius. "Von and I will get what we can for the rest of our take. We'll meet you at Zellara's after we've concluded our business. Thank you for taking care of the children. It seems the right thing to do."
Nahzir then turns to Garth. "I do hope to see you again soon as well Master Luevain. If you believe you may be a few days of work away from rejoining us, perhaps we can attempt to gather more information in your absence and begin to form a plan. As much as I hate to delay, considering the circumstances, the last thing I would want is to endanger my sister further by rushing into action without knowing who and what we're dealing with."
Nahzir then proceeds to help Von gather the remaining loot to be sold and retrieves his rope that was tied along the walkway beneath the fishery after the group has made its way back up.
You gather the last items of interest and prepare to leave Gaedren’s fishery. Outside, the night air is dark, but the large city is never quiet.
Down the street, the Sticky Mermaid is even busier and more rowdy than it was a few hours earlier. Shouts and curses from drunken sailors echo down the street.
A block closer to the unruly tavern, two large men in black plate armor are manhandling a group of four drunkards. The civilians wrestle and swing open-fisted punches, while the armored peace keepers swing gauntlet-covered fists and quickly subdue them. You immediately recognize these as Hellknights – rigid law enforcement agents known for their harsh methods. From inside the Sticky Mermaid, other inebriated patrons stumble out and gather around the skirmish, shouting angrily at the Hellknights. ”F&$& off, they weren’t hurtin’ no one!”
Further on towards Zellara’s, an old street hermit stands outside on an empty crate and shouts doom and gloom prophecy. ”…The Chelaxian whore has no love for this city! She’ll tax us dry and give us NOTHING in return but DEBT and PAIN! She holds the old king captive in that monstrous tower, feeding off his soul! That succubus is an agent of the Acadamae summoned from the depths of hell!...”
A group of three Korvosan guards, identified by their crimson and black tabards with a fearsome griffin insignia on the chest, go out of their way to avoid the preacher. As they approach, you can hear them squabbling with one another. ”Arrest him? You want to bring that madman back to the tower? For what, yelling? And then what, let him scream all night from the cells? F~!& that, I’d throw myself from the griffins’ roost before listening to that nonsense all night… F&*@in’ rookies, hearts of gold and brains of s$%+…”
Now next to the five of you, they snap out of their discussion and focus their attention on your ragtag group. ”You there!” Says the leader. Looking you over, he clearly recognizes your injuries and his tone changes from suspicion to concern. ”You fellas are in bad shape, is everything alright? It’s a tough night out here, even for this city. Temple of Sarenrae could patch you up, their doors are always open. I’d avoid North Point, though. Some stupid noblewoman emptied her chamber pot out a window and onto a commoner’s head. Now there’s a crowd of drunk and pissed off folks harassing anyone with coin. Have to call in reserves and more f~&#in’ Hellknights if this keeps up, or the city’s like to erupt… Be careful out there.” He nods, and the three guards continue on their way.
You reach Zellara’s moments later. Inside, the candles and haze are gone. Her shop and home is dark, quiet, and safe.
Valamyr listens as Marius recounts the tale of Helen coming to his rescue. The picture he paints reminds him very much of the fearlessly protective Ness, and he finds himself smiling.
The smile fades and his gaze grows distant as the story turns to the tragic fates of Lena and Helen.
More bodies to stack upon Ryx's pyre...may as well have killed them myself...
Unseen under his cloak, Valamyr presses a finger against the head of the bolt still lodged inside him. Fresh pain branches out from the wound. He winces, waits for the pain to recede, and then presses against it a second time, harder than the first.
I deserved worse.
As Marius' story ends and he goes quiet, Valamyr begins to speak.
"Though House Aldoran's holdings lie some distance outside Korvosa, I have long considered myself in many ways a son of this city. That being so, I can't help but feel...tangentially responsible for the treatment you have received at the hands of my brothers and sisters. A sad thing, and not without precedent. I am sorry, Marius. Like any big family, we too have our share of unruly children. Thank the gods that we also have strong mothers like Helen. I did not know her, but...I have known women very much like her. A place such as this tends to breed both hard men and hard women. Without the latter, I fear the rest of us would tear ourselves to pieces. Surely, yours is not merely a great personal loss, but also a great loss to The City. You have my deepest condolences, both for Helen and the for the strong woman little Lena would surely have become."
Valamyr tries to conjure a picture in his mind of what Lena might have looked like, but all he can see are faces he already knows: a blonde girl in a green dress sitting under an oak tree; a handsome but disheveled young man with eyes full of manic grief; a broken boy from another life; a forgotten girl left to rot in a dilapidated cesspit reeking of fish.
Valamyr grits his teeth and presses against the bolt again, harder still, feeling it grinding against bone. His eyes begin to glaze over with tears as the pain becomes so unbearable that he nearly collapses. His head begins to swim and he abruptly comes to a halt in the alley. Doubled over, he removes his finger from the wound and takes several deep breaths.
In his mind's eye, Valamyr sees the thousands of possible paths forward all at once, and all of the lies and planning each one involves. Slowly the confusing web of paths coalesces before him into a single, sturdy causeway that stretches over a rushing river of crimson. In this strange moment, drunk on pain and fatigue, things seem as clear as they ever have:
No. More. Dead. Children. Not ever. Whatever it takes.
Valamyr turns to Marius and kneels to put himself on eye level. He rolls up his sleeve and extends the length of his arm to the dwarf, palm up. Nearly unnoticeable in the darkness, fresh blood coats the first two knuckles of his index finger. As he speaks, his expression is pained and his voice strained. But in his words: a quiet, unflinching resolve.
"I, Lord Valamyr Aldoran, as acting Head of my House and in my official capacity as a duly sworn official of Castle Korvosa, do hereby solemnly vow to do whatever is within my power to ensure that Dov is recovered and brought to safety."
"If he is indeed still out there, Marius, rest assured...I will help you find him, or die in the attempt."
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Marius turns to face Valamyr, and shakes his hand accordingly.
Before Valamyr leaves Lamm's, he reaches into his pack and produces a small box. Inside is a segregated series of hollows, each containing a different color of face paint. He dips three fingers into the white, spreads his fingers, and leaves three long marks diagonally across his face.
"I think hazel..." he mutters to himself as he repacks the paint. With the wave of his hand, his blue eyes morph into a mix of green and brown.
He pulls his arms inside his cloak, keeping one hand stuffed inside the inner pocket in which he has stowed Queen Ileosa's brooch. He rubs his thumb against the brooch's intricate pattern as he walks. In his mind, several different scenarios of returning the brooch begin to play out. Some end with him back in the castle where he belonged, once again serving the city he loved. Some end with him in a dungeon, left with nothing but the thrush to speak to as he wastes away. And some end with him dead, the Queen's mocking gaze over his lifeless corpse.
If only there was someone well-placed who I knew I could trust. So many friends, but none who I know for certain aren't in on the plot. Neo, you may very well have saved my life, but being saved has never felt quite so much like being f~&+ed in the ass.
Seeing the Hellknights outside the Sticky Mermaid, Valamyr gives them a very wide berth.
"Monsters like Gaedren Lamm left to go on about their heinous business, and the Hellspawn busy themselves subduing the drunk. Their priorities are long-overdue for realignment," he mutters to anyone walking with him when well out of earshot.
As the shouts of the street hermit meet his ears, Valamyr momentarily considers a version of the brooch return in which the Queen morphs into a demon and devours them all. He smiles.
The Queen may well be a whore. Mayhaps she even sells us all out to Cheliax in the end. But a demon?
As approached by the group of Korvosan guards, Valamyr keeps his head down and well within the shadows of his hood.
A young lot of Cressida's boys. Nice to see she's instilling them with more tact than the Hellspawn. I want so badly to still trust Cress...if her interests have shifted against The City, the loyalists are in a bad way. No...no, not Cress.
"Ah, thanks. Thanks to yous. Careful. Very careful. Nice night. Nice night," Valamyr says to guards in a strange, thick accent before slowly pressing forward. The further they go, the slower Valamyr walks.
By the time they reach Zellara's, Valamyr, who was pale to begin with, is now as white as a sheet. His robes, which he had cleaned prior to leaving Lamm's, are soaked through with fresh blood. He walks in, hands still tucked inside his robe, puts his back against a wall, and slowly slides down to the floor.
"Tired...think I...need a cleric. In the morning..." Valamyr's eyes close. In the hidden pocket of his robe, he absent-mindedly strokes the brooch. "Someone...I can trust..."
'Can't trust anyone.'
Von walks with his cane clacking and echoing off the building fronts. He is lost in conversation within his head. This telepathy is entirely new to him and beginning to become overwhelming. He'd wander aimlessly if it wasn't for the group's presence to roughly steer him. As the soldiers on patrol call out to them Von doesn't even look up or stop, instead the words of the men get warped into the internal narrative, confusing Von and causing him to ask Zellara some questions of gibberish.
As they arrive at Zellara's, Von heads straight to her chamber and crashes into her bed. He is practically asleep before he its the feather mattress and his dreams are utterly wild that night as he lies with the magical Harrow deck underneath him. He sees random memories from Zellara's life, things that have no meaning other than insight into why she became who she was.
Von wakes quite early. His tumultuous dreams leave him little desire to flounder in the soft sheets. He drags himself out into the receiving room where their fortune had been read and sees Valamyr slumped against the wall among the others. It's an almost unsettling stillness in the room after the mayhem and explosions of the night before. Von moves into the kitchen and brews coffee, then rummages for whatever foodstuffs aren't rotten. Bringing out a carafe and tray of breakfast, Von sits at the table in the chair Zellara's ghost had used.
Shuffling her deck, a creepy chill runs up his back. This don't tickle, does it?
He then lays out a reading for each of the lost children that they're seeking.
The Brass Dwarf
The Tangled Briar
The Waxworks
The Mountain Man
The Survivor
The Sickness
The Desert
The Winged Serpent
The Demon's Lantern
The Beating
The Bear
The Theater
The Rabbit Prince
The Unicorn
The Joke
The Marriage
The Teamster
The Keep
The Carnival
The Juggler
The Hidden Truth
The Eclipse
The Locksmith
The Cricket
The Empty Throne
The Teamster
The Brass Dwarf
The Marriage
The Wanderer
The Vision
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Marius woke early, finding little comfort in sleep. His mind plagued with grief. To kill time until everyone is awake, he pulls out a small bag of stones and begins to work them into small beads and miniature figures. Quietly, he mutters prayers to Torag for the fallen, the yet to be found, and his newly found compatriots. Hearing Von moving about, he goes to investigate the food situation.
Marius, seeing Von with the breakfast tray asks "Anything good for breakfast?"
Nahzir feels exhaustion setting in as the group walks back to Zellara's. He had spent many long sleepless nights exploring the underground tunnels of the Vaults, but could not recall ever feeling so tired. The journey to Old Kovosa from his home, the constant worry for his sister, the adrenaline that flowed during his encounter with Lamm, had all taken a toll. Though he was physically unharmed, he knew he needed to rest.
Father and Mother must be worried sick. If I don't return soon, they will surely find out I wasn't searching for Knich in the neighboring warrens as I'd told them. Perhaps I should have told them where I was really going... he thinks to himself, mostly ignoring the words of a few Korvosan guards as they pass.
No, they would have thought it foolish for me to come to the surface, following the words of a mysterious note. But somehow, it has led me on the right path. All I can do now is finish what I've started. She can't be far."
As they enter Zellara's, Nahzir finds a place on the floor to rest. He removes his cloak and rolls it up into a makeshift pillow. He nibbles on a small piece of cheese as he lays his head down and closes his eyes.
Stay strong Knich...
After a rough night's sleep, Nahzir awakens in this strange place as the realities of his situation all come back to him.
Garth splits off from the others after departing Gaedren's foul den and makes towards his former mentor's shop and forge. He wearily stumbles through the door and eases his burden by removing his pack and gear, including his cuirass, stowing them away. The gunslinger carefully removes the ammunition from his blunderbuss, storing it away and effectively safing the weapon. He tends to his mostly superficial, but painful wounds in a rudimentary way. Returning to his pack, he empties it of the scrap metals and fires up his forge. He melts the pieces down and molds them into ingots for future use.
The sun is up and warming the city by the time the blacksmith lies his exhausted body down for rest. He wakes well past noon the next day, sore and groggy he slowly rises and stretches out with a sigh. He dresses in his bloodied clothing and dons his cuirass before he gathers the rest of his gear. He carefully reloads his firearm with black powder and a handful of pellet shot, slinging it over his shoulder before setting out through the city.
The bearded human arrives at Zellara's around the mid-afternoon, wherein he lets himself inside. He glances around at any members of the group present, assuming there are any.
"So, what's the plan?" He inquires with an vaguely neutral curiosity, one of his thick dark brows arched.
Marius, seeing Von with the breakfast tray asks "Anything good for breakfast?"
"Help youself. No mice got to the oats, n'crackers ain't too stale. A few weeks couldn't make Korvosan street bread any worse that it started neither. I saw some eggs but avoided dem, guess ya could risk it if ya wanted."
Von sits down and does Dov's reading. He points to the Unicorn immediately, "This, this represents one who generously offers up that which is sought." Von taps it for a few seconds, unsure what to divulge. "You make be in luck friend, your Dov's future will give him what he seeks.. do you trust the boy's judgement? That is, will this future work inline with our efforts to save him?"
As Nahzir wrestles awake the card shuffle before Von without him touching them. Another reading is dealt and Von slowly reveals what he believes to be the fate of Knich. "I... remarkable.." He looks happily as the majority of the cards agree with Knich's role. "This is rare, a great show of strength.. I assure you she is still as strong as you believe her to be.. all of the evil that the world has in store for your sister is at great odds against her luck and those protecting her. I believe we'll get to her in time."
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Marius, eager not to eat any more wandermeals than he has to, happily sits at the table next to Von. He would attempt to portion out a meal size amount of oats. Though his focus would be more on making sure that even with him doing so, there would still be enough for everyone to have at least that much. Once that was completed, he would extend his hands over the food. "Oh gracious Torag and other gods, thank you for this meal you have laid in our path. We humbly accept. Let it make our minds sharp, our skin tough, and our ears open to your words of wisdom. Blessings also to Zellara for allowing us to..." he abruptly stop and turns to Von. " Are our actions inline with Zellara's wishes here on the food? I don't want the spirit of an angry fortune teller hexing me for stealing from the dead. Though we did kill Lamm... and I don't think she has any use for food now, rest her soul." "Blessings to Zellara for the shelter, the food, and stream lining the five of us to purge Gaedren Lamm of this world." With that he would lower his hands and begin to eat.
"You make be in luck friend, your Dov's future will give him what he seeks.. do you trust the boy's judgement? That is, will this future work inline with our efforts to save him?"
"Dov has a good heart and a strong will. That being said he has been through a lot recently and he is just a child. Considering the circumstances I trust in the boy, but we may come to fear "what he seeks" as it were, if what you say is true. His mother was murdered, his sister was fed to a reptile while he was forced to watch, and he was in Lamm's presences under his rule for longer then I care to imagine. These things bring me to the brink, I can't imagine what it has done to him. Unfortunately, we won't know till we find him. "
After breakfast Marius would return to his stonework to distract him from his grief until everyone is ready or something else comes up.
Specifically it is almost a mini mural in which the party is in the process of delivering death blows to Lamm, while 3 figures watch from above. Smallest, and to the top left, is Zellara, holding a deck of cards. Next is a bald Dwarf slightly larger and to the top right. In the top center and fairly large, a pair of dwarven eyes are looking down to survey all. Another of his sides projects its also visible in his work bag, a small stone honeycomb with a tiny bee carved into it.
Nahzir rubs his eyes and stretches as he rouses himself awake. He approaches the table where Von and Marius have begun eating and observes the harrow cards as Von carries on with his readings.
"This is rare, a great show of strength.. I assure you she is still as strong as you believe her to be.. all of the evil that the world has in store for your sister is at great odds against her luck and those protecting her. I believe we'll get to her in time."
"Knich always was the lucky one." Nahzir replies with a raised eyebrow. "Probably luckier than she knows to have made it out of Gaedren's lair in one piece..." he continues, eying the cards laid out before them. "Regardless of what your deck has to say about it, I'm confident she'll be returned home safely, especially now that I have your aid." he adds, placing a hand on Marius' shoulder and nodding to Von.
"Beautiful craftsmanship, master dwarf." he says to Marius, admiring the detail of his stonework. "Do you make such items for yourself? I'm sure you could make some decent coin from the right buyer for your efforts."
Nahzir then takes a seat and serves himself a small portion of breakfast, sniffing the food before digging in. "I suppose one can't live off of cheese alone... though I don't think I'd mind terribly much." he says with a chuckle.
Even though there is unattended business, the heroes awake feeling well-rested. Their wounds have healed further than expected, their bruises have already greened, and the early morning has passed while they slumbered.
While sitting in Zellara’s you begin to hear a great deal of commotion outside. It starts slowly so you are not alarmed at first. Indistinct shouting and several voices. Then, behind the commotion you begin to hear the steady …BONG…..BONG……BONG…..BONG… of a bell ringing from within the city. As soon as the bell begins to ring, the noise from outside becomes much louder.
The bell is not for raids or warning - it is for mourning. It has not sounded in many years - and only rings when the ruling King or Queen has died.
Just as your concerns begin to grow, the front door opens. It's Garth, and he has a troubled look on his face.
You awake to smoke and hammering metal, just like any other morning. However, after a few moments you begin to realize the small variations: Metal being cut and pierced instead of hammered repetitively into shape. Black smoke from a smoldering fire instead of a white-hot forge. People shouting.
Outside, a group of thirty or more angry Korvosans have stopped in the street. Before them stand four Hellknights with two bodies on the ground at their feet, blood seeping into gravel and stone. Their shouting is indistinct at first, but then the words become clearer. "This city will burn before I kneel to that WHORE!" Another shouts "F&~$ the Queen!"
You realize quickly that this place is no longer safe, and slip out through the angry mob to depart for Zellara's. A large bell begins to ring from the direction of the castle that sits atop the black pyramid.
As you move through the streets it becomes abundantly clear that something terrible has happened while you slept. Smoke from a fire rises across the river. Rioters break windows and steal what they can, while Korvosan Guards and Hellknights try their best to stop them. A young girl runs past yelling "The King is dead!"
Korvosa is in chaos.
"Are our actions inline with Zellara's wishes here on the food? "
Von smriks to Marius, "Yah, she doesn't need it anyore. It's no curse," and then listens intently to the rest that the monk has to say.
"I'm confident she'll be returned home safely, especially now that I have your aid."
He then nods to Nahzir's sentiments. "It's not that I'm usually unmotivated... but I do have a strange compulsion to thoroughly rid this world of the mark of Gaedren. Indeed, dig in friend." He gestures to the food.
Then the noise starts to build, he ignores it at first but soon it's more than even a bustling market day. "What in the gods?.. Last night shouldn't have made this much of a stir..."
..BONG...
"...again..." Von jumps from the table and kneels by the man trying to wake him. Just then Garth busts in, Von can only look up at him in anticipation for the chaotic news to be verified.
As he enters the house, he removes his pack and drops it abruptly to the ground with a grunt.
"The city is going crazy today. The streets are completely out of control. The people are saying the king is dead and I don't know what the guard is saying."
"HEY! Valamyr!"
Valamyr's eyes open with a start. He grabs at his wound, and his squinting eyes look about the unfamiliar room wildly. Obviously disoriented and breathing heavily, his hands fumble about around him in search of his crossbow. Finding it, he quickly pulls up to his chest and points it at Von, who is kneeling before him. He locks eyes with the elf.
After a couple of breaths, the last night comes rushing back to him.
"Oh...right. Sorry..." He lowers the crossbow, noticing only then that it wasn't loaded to begin with. Behind the obvious pain that he's still in, he gives Von a half-hearted smile. "Good morning. It would appear that I am still alive. A credit to all of your trustworth--" Valamyr stops short as he notices the ringing of the bells. He looks towards a window, and then back at Von.
"Mourning bells?"
S+$%.
In another brief moment of panic, he frantically reaches into his robes in search of the brooch. Feeling it right where he had left it, he slumps back against the wall.
"The city is going crazy today. The streets are completely out of control. The people are saying the king is dead and I don't know what the guard is saying."
"The bells: they sound only for the death of Korvosa's monarch. Either someone is having themselves quite the laugh, or what the people are saying is true. King Arabasti is...dead. And here I was beginning to think life in The City was becoming far too dull," he says dryly.
Valamyr falls silent for a moment, thinking.
"'Going crazy,' you said. Define crazy. How bad is it? Think it would be safe for Marius and I to quickly escort the children somewhere safe? I also have need to see someone about this bolt before it festers."
Von doesn't notice the crossbow is empty right away. His hands stick into the air until Zellara's voice calmly points out the detail telepathically.
"And I'd like ta hawk this stuff as well, fast. Not stolen, entirely, more the ol' killed a man n'found it but things are more suspect in suspect times. Don't know the Queen too well though I do remember every hard crack down each bloody successor feels they need to impose on the streets. Best get this done while no one's the wiser. I'm sure the fences agree." Von glances around as he rambles, hoping everyone is keen to be on the move as well. "You two take the kids, three of us flip tha merch. Meet cross the big bridge in a half? I bet there'll be a speech or something right? Othawise I'm fine going to the E right now. Whith chaos comes all sorts of needs and distractions for the common man."
The Monarchy in Korvosa is supposed to follow the Arabasti line. However, no King or Queen of Korvosa has ever had an heir to whom they could pass the throne, so it typically transfers to their spouses. In your present situation, the Crimson Throne will legally pass to Queen Ileosa Arabasti, King Eodred Arabasti II's young wife.
Queen Ileosa has no children, and her family - a noble house in Cheliax - has shown little interest in Korvosa and were quite displeased when she left the capital city for the "backwater dump" where she is now Queen.
In short, past Queen Ileosa looms a succession vacuum with uncertain ends.
The two children you rescued from Gaedren's fishery are still with you. They have been conditioned not to speak unless spoken to, and ask for nothing. Even in their condition, you can see a faint happiness in their eyes.
Bring the boys to the orphanage
Find a merchant to sell your spare goods
Rescue Knich
Travel to the Temple of Sarenrae for healing
Try to see the queen
Other
Nahzir looks up from his breakfast as Garth enters the room.
"Good to see you again so soon, Garth." he saysto the man. "I was afraid we wouldn't be seeing you for some time after parting ways last night. What's all this about a dead king now?" he adds, ears perking up at the sound of the bells in the distance.
"So long as the madness in the streets doesn't stand between us and 'The E', then I say we take care of any unfinished business from last night and proceed to make our way to the filthy establishment." Nahzir says to the others. "And now that I've thought on it and we're all together, perhaps the loot can wait until after we've dealt with more important matters. Our formerly-masked friend may yet need to see a healer and the children must still be brought to this orphanage before we go after Knich."
"Maybe we should stick together until things calm down out there... what do you say?" he finally asks, surveying the room.
Von nods at the compromise, though his greed is expressed by a fidgeting bite of his lip. "S'ppose you're right. Bring the kids to safety and then head to the E. Fine, I'm in. But, if we may, I would like to bring a few items along encase we pass a magic shop. I seek to replace a scroll I used last night, not much, 25gp. If we can't get one I would need to utilize my casting more defensively than I'd prefer. No deal breaker, but a luxury."
"Don't know the Queen too well though I do remember every hard crack down each bloody successor feels they need to impose on the streets."
"Take it from someone who is no stranger to our fair Queen: Ileosa..." he pauses for a moment, his face distorting into a sour expression before continuing. "...Her Grace cares little for Korvosa. She will never say as much publicly, but I have known her since she first arrived from Cheliax. I've heard the things she whispers in private to her handmaidens. And as little as she cares for The City, she likely cares even less about those who inhabit it, past what coin she can wring from them."
"King Arabasti was a...flawed man..." Valamyr again trails off for a moment, seemingly lost in some memory which causes his expression to darken. "But he, at least, was of Korvosa. For all his faults, and they were many, he cared what the commoners thought of him, and he had no love of tyranny. The Queen...well, I cannot say for certain what motivates her beyond the love of lavish thrones and gaudy trinkets. But I suspect that if the people resist her rule, her crackdown could well be of the sort that none of us have seen before. There are precious few voices of reason left behind the castle walls, if there are any left at all. This is as dangerous a time as I can recall, and I have served Korvosa for longer than some of us have walked Golarion," he says with a nod towards Nahzir. "If the common folk are beginning to erupt as Garth suggests, great caution would serve all of us well."
Valamyr listens in silent but unexpressed horror as everyone talks of sticking together to bring the children to the orphanage.
{No! Too many. Too close. Too dangerous. These are strangers. The elf asks too many questions. And did we forget he was speaking to someone who wasn't there last night? Could be he's some ghost's agent. The old woman, probably, but who knows what other spirits he may be talking to? He'll bring the dead's vengeance down upon us. And the gunman...disappeared while the rest of us cowered here. He's probably sold us out to Ileosa, or House Ornelos, maybe even--}
They didn't turn me in, or capture me, or kill me. Not even Von. They all had the chance, and none of them took it. At any rate, if I object too strongly it will merely rouse suspicion. And if the city descends into chaos, it would be wise to have the company of those who I don't believe are trying to kill me.
{Let them go then, on their own. We should not go to that place to begin with. If her spirit lingers there and sees us, she'll tell the elf everything.}
Her...her spirit? No. Impossible, I think. Stretched. Shattered. Scattered. Probably gone.
{Like our wits. This is folly.}
No getting around it this time. Besides...this Taliah...we really ought to check in on her...
"Perhaps it would be unwise to split our forces amid the chaos. But yes I agree, take care of our own and get the children to safety. We can see what fate has in store for us after that."
"Agreed. Once I've had a bite to eat and prepared my spells, I'll be ready to depart. I would prefer to see to this bolt before we launch any rescue missions as well. Shouldn't take long; I have no desire to keep your sister in danger a moment longer than is prudent, Nahzir. I know a place close to the orphanage where I can have it tended to. I'm familiar with the clerics there. Good folk. More than likely they'll offer us a private place to hatch a plan if they hear what's at stake."
"Pfffft..." He breathes out his mouth long and slow, offering along with it a shrug and an uncertain expression. "Who is to say, really?" The man with the dark, brushed back hair poses rhetorically.
"We do seem to have some sort of a big situation developing out in the streets, but your guess is as good as mine as to how it all plays out. Were you to tie my hands and force me to choose but one adjective, I suppose I would have to go with volatile..." He remarks, looking around to the group.
"And believe me, I know volatile." The gunslinger finishes with the faintest of smirks and a slight twinkle in his eye. "For what it is worth, seeing as how everyone seems to have things they need to accomplish, my assessment of the situation - should you desire it - is that if you want to get things done quickly, then we should almost certainly split up. Moving as a group through the streets right now is going to be hectic and arduous at best. On the other hand, if we wish to prioritize safety sticking together is assuredly the best course of action."
A ruling King or Queen in Korvosa would be addressed as His/Her/Your Majesty. Your Worshipfulness would also be acceptable. Flattery is usually well-received, but other common salutations are typically intended for other nobility and are not fit for the King or Queen - some could even be taken as an insult.
Von looks between the four others, ignoring the children. Two want to split for efficiency, three fear the worst and want safety in numbers.
"It seems we'll be togetha then. I need to commune with tha deck before we go, preparing for the worst with the way things have already been goin."
Once the chatter has died down and it appears a course has been chosen, Von returns to Zellara's bedroom and sits cross legged on the bed.
He fans out Zellara before him, reaching from toe to toe.
'Have you done something like this before? Technically, you're not the first Harrow deck to verbally speak to me.'
Von starts thinking at Zellara as he does the same type of fanning with his deck in a parallel arc a bit further out before him.
He licks his finger and runs it down the length of the line, flipping each of the cards in his desk in a cascading line like a wave propagating from one end to the other. What is left is 54 black and white cards appearing to have been drawn with charcoal.
'This one did as well, though it was nowhere as clear. All muffled, sounded like a storm of voices, fighting to get through. The one voice eventually rose above the rest..'
Von then inhales deeply and focuses on the upturned deck. His eyes turn blue and slowly patterns appear hidden under several of the crude drawings. As he whispers some words in Elven, the magic runes begin to glow and an audible static fills the air.
'You see, it's really a spell deck, doesn't say much, mostly gibberish.. but meet Capovolgere...'
Out of the static the voices start to swarm and fade, lights flicker and dim, and loose paper flutters and slides away. Von notices things begin to escalate a little differently though. Zellara reaches out in some incorporeal way and taps a stronger conduit into the strange powers hidden within the old deck of Capovolgere.
'Wha.. what the hells are you..' Von braces in confusion as the once routine practice gets away from him and he is dragged deeper into the unknown.
Capovolgere's several overlapping voices get much louder until one can clearly break free and the static fades. Shouting within his head,
The heroes emerged from Zellara’s shop to find their city in chaos following the news that King Eodred Arabasti II has died, and Queen Ileosa Arabasti has become the leader of Korvosa overnight.
Their first course of action was to deliver Lamm’s Lambs to Old Ness’ orphanage. They found Old Ness and the children huddled inside, with a crowd of rioters and protestors two blocks away. She was quick to take the boys in, feed them, and make them feel at home. Once inside, Valamyr spoke with Ness in private while Garth stood watch outside and the others searched through the orphanage and entertained the children. Valamyr learned that Thalia had worked at the orphanage for about 2 months, and had not made it in today due to the riots. He also learned that she was courting the son of a son of a lesser lord from East Shore.
Outside, a large group of rioters focused their anger on a young nobleman and surrounded him. The heroes came to his rescue just before the mob could harm the man, putting several of the rioters to sleep and scaring off the rest. The nobleman thanked the heroes, introduced himself as Amin Jeggare, and gave them 5pp before he ran home.
After dealing with the mob, the heroes walked a few blocks to The Godsdive Temple where they met Dregs, a boisterous and warm-hearted cleric of Cayden Cailean. His temple was full of wounded civilians that he worked to heal. Dregs removed the bolt from Valamyr’s chest, cleansed the wound with boiling wine, then cast spell to heal the wizard. For his help, Valamyr gave Dregs one of the platinum coins they received. The cleric gave the heroes a potion of cure light wounds, then sent them on their way so he could tend to the others.
Back outside, a crazed and sickly looking doomsday preacher turned his focus on Nahzir and walked towards him, going on about a harbinger and a plague and how the sewers would run with filth and blood. As soon as the man reached for Nahzir, the ratfolk ninja evaded and sent the man tumbling to the street.
Next, the heroes made their way to Exemplary Execrables, or "The E" as people refer to it. Von, who had been there before to gamble, went in to scout. Inside he found a raucous game of Blood Pig just about to begin and saw Pilts Swastel watching over the games, and after several minutes noticed a young, hairless ratfolk girl serving drinks for the establishment. Von approached her and assured the girl that she would be rescued soon. After informing the others, the rest of the group made their way inside to save Nahzir’s sister. They approached two guards who stood outside the entrance into Pilts’ lair. The heroes pretended to be a group of traveling performers who wanted to buy the hairless rat girl from them – and to their pleasant surprise the thugs believed them and sold her for only 25gp.
Now that the heroes had rescued Knich, they made their way back to Zellara’s to regroup and get the girl to safety. In the matter of moments, swarms of pseudodragons and imps took to the sky above Korvosa and began to fight. As they neared their safehouse, the heroes were attacked by four imps. Moments later, a large number of pseudodragons swooped down and helped defeat the imps.
Once the imps were slain, the heroes returned to Zellara’s shop, where they started hours earlier.
Once the imps were slain, the heroes returned to Zellara’s shop, where they started hours earlier.
Once they return to the shop Von removes his hat and scratches at his dirt blonde hair. "Well, I hav'ta say that all went much better than I'd eva imagined. Likely the luckiest lot in Korvosa today, eh?" He takes off his coat and drapes it on the back of a chair, then collapses into it and leans back with his feet up on the table. "Think I could use a break.. not used to that much walking, people often come to me, believe it or not."
As he fans himself idly with his bowler hat the elf's eyes find Knich, "Zellara says you're welcomed to her clothes."
He's then reminded of the price they paid and looks to Valamyr, "You've already spent a lot of that platinum, pretty good at losing coin aren't ya? Or maybe it's those noble hands ya got there? Might not ov felt like much to ya but round here even a single of those is more than tha value of life." nodding to the ratfolk girl at the end to spur a memory of the thugs hollering at the group as they walked away. Haha we only paid 3 gold for the wench!
"I wasn't right with ya but I could still hear, I get ya were scared n'didn't wana haggle but worse ya raised the price 5 gold? (tisk tisk) Just try not to lose the little means we all have at surviving these next hellish weeks. I know you're old enough to remember when Arabasti got a promotion.." Von leaves the memory of thirty some years ago in Valamyr's head.
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Marius scowls at Von "There is always more gold. Bad form uttering such nonsense right in front of the young miss as well. She is safe. Such a thing is beyond the value of gold. I pray we are as fortunate with Dov."
In an attempt to lighten the mood, Marius turns to Knich with a smile and loudly says "I guess manners aren't in the cards for ol knife ears. Don't mind him."
Von shakes his head, "You misunderstand me, we all went in there willingly with our lives on the line. I honestly expected to fight our way out, and would do it again tonight for Dov if we found him. What I'm rude of is the hard facts of life. If that doesn't turn around out there in a few days there'll be no more food or fresh water. The poor of the city always die first. They'll close the main bridge, corner us off here. Some may try to swim it, but you saw that gator at Gaedren's and the waters are full of them. The starving will start to eat each other, no, we don't want to be here then. We need every resource until we know it's civil again."
There is a true fear in Von's eyes, he's lived in poverty for too long and seen too much of Old Korvosa when she's uncertain of her fate. 'That reading, that bloody fortune for us all.. this better not be it, I'm not ready for Hell to flood the streets..'
The chaos in the streets continues while you gather yourselves in the dusty old shop. Outside, you hear the occasional scream, clash of makeshift weapons, and angry mobs. As you are all settling in, something goes THUD on the roof - and you know it could only be an imp or pseudodragon that fell in battle.
There is pain and violence all around, but you know there is only so much you five can do to stop it before needlessly endangering yourselves. Despite the helpless feeling, proof of your efforts rests now in the room with you. Knich cuddles up beside Nahzir, feeling safe for the first time since she was taken. Finally warm and secure, she falls asleep against her brother. Two other children are safe at an orphanage now, and will receive more love and care than they have ever known.
As you run your finger across Zellara's harrow deck, her voice speaks softly in your mind. You were very brave today - the type of man I wish my son had grown into... The type of man I wish I had while I was alive... It has been years since I felt a man's touch. If I had skin it would be covered in goosebumps. As you thumb through the cards, you'd swear you can hear her spirit moan.
The weary man clutches his harsh scratch wounds with a wince.
"First it was bloody kids, then it's a damned imp... These are not the kind of foe I had in mind when I decided to take up arms. What could possibly be next?"
He sets down his pack, the unloads his weapon, safely storing the black powder and ammunition. He quickly tends to his wounds in a crude, rudimentary fashion, then takes out a strange toolkit from his belongings and an assortment of materials. He carefully and meticulously sorts through them, measuring them precisely and looking deep in concentration as he takes mental notes of his inventory...
Valamyr stares blankly at Von as he's scolded, and continues to stare in silence for several long moments after he's finished, letting the elf's words linger in the room.
"You speak of luck, Von, but that assessment bears little resemblance to the truth," he replies at last. He begins pacing back and forth as he talks.
"Getting Knich back alive, in one piece, was not luck. I planned that. Doing it all without a drop of our blood being shed wasn't luck. I planned that. Forgive me, my charming font of second guesses, but I fail to recall your plan. Was it gambling while Master Nahzir fretted and poor Knich was left to serve drinks to the men who--" he stops himself, looking towards the hairless girl cuddling Nahzir for a brief moment before continuing.
"I'll concede that yours may have been the more lucrative course of action, but I'll leave it to the girl and her brother to decide whose plan achieved the desired results."
"And while your concerns regarding the current state of chaos are clearly not unfounded, allow me to assuage your fears. I have no intention of starving in this riot, or of watching any of my allies starve. As for the coin itself..." Valamyr pulls the Jeggare noble's pouch from inside his robes. "I'm afraid I don't have a busker's vast enlightenment as it relates to hostage economics, but three platinum pieces for a loved one's safety is a deal I'd make every day. I would have paid three times the price and not blinked. If that troubles you.... well, should I ever find myself tasked with bargaining for your life, rest assured: I'll be certain to haggle."
"I'll confess, Von, you did speak truth on one more count. I do have a noble's hands. And, seeing as we're such fast friends, I'll offer you some free counsel: a noble's hand is not one to bite, particularly when one frets about where their next meal will come from. Show a little trust, though, and you may be quite pleasantly surprised where a noble's hand can lead even the blind." Valamyr tosses the pouch with the remaining platinum piece to Von.
"Were there any further objections pertaining to our flawless rescue mission or can we cease counting coins and move on to more pressing matters?"
After the group has defeated the imps, Nahzir holds Knich close with his head on a swivel, prepared to put himself between Knich and any threats amid the chaos that has unfolded in the streets.
When they finally reach Zellara's he takes her aside and sits her down, wrapping his cloak around her. "You're okay now, sis. We'll be safe here for now until I can get you back home." he says as he gives her a big hug. "Have they been feeding you enough? Are you hungry?" he says, now reaching into his pockets for the last hunks of cheese he has.
He hands her the cheese and as he sees her furless paw reach out to take it Nahzir grits his teeth in anger. "Look what those monsters have done to you..." he says, anger turning to guilt. "I'm so sorry Knich... sorry I wasn't there to protect you, sorry I didn't find you sooner. Thank Abadar you are alright. And speaking of thanks..." he says, turning to face the rest of the group now.
"I can't thank you all enough for what you have done to help. I don't believe I could have done this without you. I am in your debt... friends." he says with a bow.
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Marius returns Nahzir's bow and says "I am happy to help. Though we aren't out of the woods yet. I feel we should either begin to fortify our position, or occupy another. Unless gathering supplies is in order. I don't much care for the idea of leaving the city to consume itself either. Though I must admit we have very limited options... if any on how to resolve that.
Maybe it's the madness of the city getting to me, but for a moment, faced with the idea of starvation, the thought briefly entered my mind of setting a trap for that fiendish reptile. Then cook him up and have a gator barbecue. Nothing restores civility like a barbecue right?" He slightly shakes his head and chuckles.
"..but I fail to recall your plan."
"If that troubles you.... well, should I ever find myself tasked with bargaining for your life, rest assured: I'll be certain to haggle."
"Show a little trust, though, and you may be quite pleasantly surprised where a noble's hand can lead even the blind."
Von's smirk grows throughout Valamyr's rebuttal. "I met you a day ago and you seem to have a delusional view of the world, but despite all that I do have some growing trust for you due to your apparent loyalty." He then sits up and takes his feet off the table, "Let us cut to it and make a wager then, I do not believe that your Plans can account for everything. They'll never be perfect as you wish, and they'll never control a man more than the fates that I read. But, if you can prove that you indeed can control the future through your intellectual design as extensively as I can with my communing directly with it. Then, and only then, I'll concede that we may be equals in that regard. There is more chaos than order my new friend, and I fear you have yet to see that the little order you seek to secure is doomed to only be as temporary as our existence."
The elf then stands and retrieves some of Zellara's clothing for the shy girl, "Whenever you are ready, the madam's quarters are yours for privacy." Then to Nahzir, "Just help us survive all this and you're debt-less in my eyes, your knowledge of the Vaults will likely be what keeps us from the bellies of madness..." While Von was talking he idly thumbed the card deck. Zellara's voice filled his head and caused him to blush and lose his thought. "Uh.. right, so, my dear... Is everyone in favor of resting and preparing to head out at dusk on whatever leads we have?"
He nods to Marius, "I'll consult Zellara to see if she is able to protect this place or watch it somehow." Then with a smile, "I'm ready for that barbecue now, it's going to be a long day if all we have are those city issued rations.." he refers to the bland and stale packages that provide joyless sustenance in some ghettos and for many while travelling.
Garth completes taking stock of his materials, passively listening to the goings on around him.
"As exciting as the prospect of a hunt might sound, at the moment I am more concerned with tracking down and acquiring some more material components I require. As it stands right now, mine are running low. If you truly want to repay the favour, I'll likely be requiring some assistance given the lack or order in the streets, currently."
He shrugs and returns his attention to his tools and supplies with an intent focus on the work before him.
"I suppose it's only fitting we got into a scuffle with bloody imps right after we saw the cleric... So getting more healing supplies could make the list as well, I guess."
"I feel we should either begin to fortify our position, or occupy another."
"I agree. We should list and discuss all of our options. If we stay here, barricading the doors and windows would probably be wise. I have a place we could go but...it is small and sparsely furnished; a lateral move. The Vaults were mentioned. This would not be my first choice. Though I'm sure your Warren is lovely, Master Nahzir, most of my contacts are above ground. That said, getting Knich back to her home as soon as possible would be best, both for her sake and for ours. A short visit may not be unwise. Are there other options as far as a temporary base of operations goes?"
"I can't thank you all enough for what you have done to help. I don't believe I could have done this without you. I am in your debt... friends."
"I have found myself in...strange circumstances of late. Normally I serve The City and it's people, but recently my work was rather abruptly put on hold. In truth, it felt good to be of some use again. I'll hear no talk of debts. Don't give it another thought. Or, if you do, merely consider my part an olive branch extended to the denizens of your warren on behalf of House Aldoran."
Valamyr returns Nahzir's bow and turns to Marius.
"I hold out hope that we will soon find similar success with your missing child, Marius. I have not forgotten my words. Sadly, without more information, Dov's situation may require significantly more time...and no small amount of delicacy. We may be forced to wait until the city calms before we make much progress, but I will offer some thoughts in the meanwhile. I see you have a knack for stonework...if you could carve a likeness of the boy, the rest of us would have a better idea of who we're looking for, and we could potentially use it to ask around. We would, of course, have to be extremely cautious about who we asked. The Cerulean Society is no trivial band of muggers, and I believe they have very powerful backers. Your boy has made a dangerous enemy. We would not want them to discover that we are working against them. That said, there are a few who I would trust to ask about him. And if all else fails, there is...a long shot. Someone else we might ask for help."
"First it was bloody kids, then it's a damned imp... These are not the kind of foe I had in mind when I decided to take up arms. What could possibly be next?"
"The state of The City being what it is, I shudder to consider the possibilities. But whatever comes next, I hope you're keen to tarry here. Without your quick action at Lamm's, putting him between us and the crocodile...again, I shudder to consider."
"... you seem to have a delusional view of the world..."
"Let us cut to it and make a wager then...
...if you can prove that you indeed can control the future through your intellectual design as extensively as I can with my communing directly with it... "
Valamyr scoffs and stares back at the elf. After a moment, a faint smile slowly spreads across his face.
"A wager? With me? For someone so concerned about coin, you seem to be in a frightful rush to lose it. You know...if I didn't know better, I'd almost think you were trying to get a rise out of me."
He walks over to the chest and, after checking to make sure the little girl is still sleeping, grabs Lamm's head by its whispy hair and removes it. He pulls out his dagger and sits down cross-legged on the floor with the head peering up at him from his lap.
"Regardless...no. I care not for petty wagers," he continues. As he speaks, his gaze is fixed on the head as he begins to carve into it with his blade. His tone is nonchalant and playful as he goes about his knifework. "I would have thought one as seasoned as you would know better than to confuse the Lord of House Aldoran for a witless mark. But since you don't seem to know me by name or reputation, I'll tell you this much: I don't wager at the tables for scraps; I'm far more interested in who controls the house. And even if I were a betting man...call it lack of imagination, but I can't fathom you posses anything I'd want."
"As for all your talk of fates and futures...it sounds to me as if you're projecting. What I rightly observed was that an actionable plan, soundly conceived and dutifully executed, yielded positive results. I never claimed to control the future. Seems to me that only a god or a fool would make such a boast, so which one are you? Shall we all...bow our heads in reverence to Von, the God of Fate?" He lifts up Gaedren's head for a moment, tilting it forward slowly to bow towards Von. "Or shall I put in a good word for you at court when next they're in need of...entertainment?"
Valamyr sets down the dagger and looks at Lamm's head with a satisfied smile. He then raises the grisly trophy by the hair and displays it to the group. Crudely carved in flesh are the words:
I HURT CHILDREN
NOW I'M DEAD
"Put it up somewhere with lots of foot traffic--Midland, I think. With an accompanying notice. What do we think? Gets the point across, yes?"
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Time slips by quickly as you rest at Zellara's after the busy and chaotic morning.
Outside the madness in the city ebbs and flows. At times large mobs pass the little magic shop chanting curses and waving torches, more bright blue flashes from up towards the Acadamae followed by a deep BRRUUUUMMMMM that makes the walls shake, squads of Korvosan guards and groups of Hellknights go rushing past windows to tackle looters and engage those who look to harm the city.
See Queen Ileosa about her brooch
Find a merchant to sell your goods
Wander the city and help people like heroes do
Go get a drink somewhere
Find food
Wait until morning...
Other
Von nods to Garth, "I would love to hawk some of this stuff, I prefer to carry some scrolls, better diversity dat way. I'm willing to head out in that effort with you if you'd like."
The Elf then watches Valamyr start to carve the face of Gaedren Lamm in growing horror. None of his reaction is because of the dead man, but solely of Valamyr's savage actions.
"And even if I were a betting man...call it lack of imagination, but I can't fathom you posses anything I'd want."
"Oy! Well damn well know I'll never let you give me a shave!"
He cringes and the man diligently maneuvers his knife without any sign of
"I'll take the godhood, mate. Has a nice ring to it, maybe once this place boils over I'll skip town ova to tha ol'Starstone. You can swing by one o' my temples next year when you're caught in another riot.."
Only a certain man can take pleasure doing such a thing, best to let him dally in his illusion of plannings. The things these self righteous zealots do in the name of being justified. Gaedren deserves worse still, but I doubt anyone else here would have done more than just let the head roll off tha otha night... Meticulous and delusional.. But he's not the religious one here. He's working for something else, this House Aldoran? Is it really that simple and in the open then? I gots to be careful to not follow his plans, his hands lead to dark places..
"Spelled out a point alright, wrote more on your face than his though."
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Marius would raise an eyebrow to the suggestion of working Dov's likeness into stone. He would immediately begin searching for a suitable stone or brick...
and then would skip resting to get as much of this carving done as he can.
As he works he begins to talk to anyone who would listen(including the stones) "I, for one, think if we are staying... fortify... if we are leaving, we should bring Knich home. For the dangerous tasks we have ahead, children would be better suited to be safe at home."
Garth largely ignores the grotesque act as he maintains a freakish, laser like focus on his work. It might be an impressive, although bizarre show of aptitude and skill as he uses a relatively small amount of tools and instruments to craft the black powder and the small metal ammunition his weapon fired. His labors and hobbled together ingredients also result in some less recognizable productions. He meticulously stows his creations and tools, packing them away carefully.
"Seems like a lot of overkill, to me." The gunslinger replies bluntly, his nose crinkled and brow furrowed at the carved up head. "I think him being gone forever is message enough. A sick creep like that? I bet we could toss a stone anywhere in the city and hit two people who counted him as an enemy. Gaedren Lamm will never be seen again. Doubtful anyone will wonder why."