-Trail's End-
Grau leads the party to the house of the woman he explains is his sister-in-law. The house is situated in Trail's End, a poor neighborhood more like a small town than a part of the bustling Korvosa. (It is the only name you've ever heard the neighborhood called, though the more savvy Silvio is aware that this is mostly intended as a disparaging nickname, given the large population of settled Varisians who live there.)
Grau knocks at the door and announces himself: "Tayce, it's Grau. I've brought some friends who might be able to help!"
A young boy of twelve or so opens the door saluting his 'Uncle Grau', and paying little attention to the party before rejoining what you assume is his (barely younger) brother in a game of cards.
Grau beckons you in. A few steps into the living room, you notice a man in the house, dressed in the garb of Abadar's acolytes. The acolyte is tending to a kettle boiling on the kitchen's hearth, and a faint scent of cinnamon and anise catches your nose.
At the sight, Grau gives a short exasperated sigh and walks upstairs, where you hear the sound of a sternly whispered argument.
. Getting the general sense of the whispered argument above, Silvio leans in to Staryth and Krojun. "Seems like Grau is none too happy, thinking this healer here is expensive and worthless."
He then addresses the man. "Hail brother. I'm Silvio, and with me are Staryth and Krojun. Have you seen the girl? What is wrong with her? Where can we see her?" Silvio wasn't sure he trusted this fellow, but for now, it seemed best to get his diagnosis and compare it to what Staryth saw.
Staryth gives a reassuring smile to the lad who opened the door to them, but it turns out the boy's more interested in playing cards than worried about illness.
Glad for Silvio's keen ears, Staryth finds himself nodding at his words, "Hard to say if the latter is a fair accusation so soon."
He then addresses the man. "Hail brother. I'm Silvio, and with me are Staryth and Krojun. Have you seen the girl? What is wrong with her? Where can we see her?" Silvio wasn't sure he trusted this fellow, but for now, it seemed best to get his diagnosis and compare it to what Staryth saw.
"An honor to meet you, sir,"Staryth says, "The path of healer is a noble one."
he also tries to estimate the procedures the fellow is taking and should he answer Silvio's question that too.
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"I'm afraid I couldn't tell you what the nature of the goods is; we've only recently learned of their whereabouts. Suffice to say, the last time they were spotted and we sent a troop of the watch against them... we had to send a second troop to restrain the first until the confusion charm placed on them wore off. I assure you I wouldn't have called for help from the Lodge if I didn't think we'd need it. The Thatcher Brothers have had multiple brushes with the guard; they're most likely already prepared for us, which is why a team like the three of you is far better suited for this. You'll be able to take them by surprise, I'm sure."
"The best case scenario would be managing to take them in alive. That would give us a lot of information on their former dealings and accomplices. If it comes down to it, however, do not be afraid to defend yourselves. They've killed watchmen and witnesses before, and they're not afraid to do it again, I'm sure. Any illicit goods will need to be held under watch custody."
Recognizing the unappealing nature of this statement for adventurers, she then adds:
"On the other hand, the reward for their capture would be all yours, and I think you'll find it to be a pretty sizeable sum."
"As to getting into the bank, I couldn't presume to tell you how to best go about it. Catching them off-guard is exactly why I'm asking for help. They know most of my tricks by now, this is hardly my first brush with them."
Gheris nods, listening closely to the details of the request. While he wasn't experienced with infiltrating groups and was hardly one to easily blend in to a crowd, the request was simple enough. He'd been on plenty of missions with far less to go on than this, and was thankful he wouldn't be stumbling blindly into the whole thing. "Consider it done. These thugs will trouble the city no longer, and their goods will be confiscated."
Looking at the man he was to accompany, he asked "I don't suppose you know any tricks to sneak into a former bank filled with ruffians do you?"
"Well, like Kroft can attest to, I can talk our way in. Or I can make us both invisible."
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Gheris nods to the man, "Sounds like we are decided then. Let us make our way to the area and see what our eyes tell us will be the best approach." Turning to Cressida he says, "We are on the task Captain, and we will report back in as soon as we have news."
Shouldering his pack he waits for his new companion to give the word, and the two will make for Alabaster Street.
"Yea, let's hit it."
"Ah! You must be the friends Mister Soldado mentioned. It is good to see good folk come to help the needy." He pays particular attention to Staryth. "Are you, by any chance, a hospitaler of the Eternal Rose? I know I have seen this bird before," he adds, nodding to Staryth's holy symbol. "Oh! Please forgive my errant mind. I am Ishani Dhatri, here in Abadar's good name"
The man shakes the party's hands politely, betraying a rather limp hold.
Ishani appears genuinely concerned for the family, and his recipe appears to be what it was purported to be.. Staryth recognizes the concotion as intended to bolster one's natural resistance to illness.
"The girl is resting upstairs and, alas, suffers from an illness most troubling. I've never seen this combination of symptoms before... I fear we may be facing a new disease entirely."
Lucius and Gheris depart for Alabaster Street, and are joined some minutes later by Tern, who'd first stopped by the barracks to change into something that wouldn't immediately denote him as a man of the guard.
Alabaster Street, Corlis explains, used to be known for its bright white walls and once-bustling market place. Formerly frequented by many merchants, a long-standing opposition between two criminal groups saw merchants taking their business elsewhere, and the place was all but deserted.
"I can see why they'd pick the place; they'd be unlikely to have many passersby stumble upon their operation. Do you folk have any plans? Going by the blueprints at the city archive, the bank has two entrances; the front door for the customers, and the back door for the workers. I can't start to imagine what kind of traps those three might have in place, though."
"Ah! You must be the friends Mister Soldado mentioned. It is good to see good folk come to help the needy." He pays particular attention to Staryth. "Are you, by any chance, a hospitaler of the Eternal Rose? I know I have seen this bird before," he adds, nodding to Staryth's holy symbol. "Oh! Please forgive my errant mind. I am Ishani Dhatri, here in Abadar's good name"
Staryth doesn't mind the limp grip, as it seems the man's heart is in the right place and that's more important,"You claim your mind maybe errant, but you name my faith correctly sir. I see you're working on bolstering natural resistance."
"The girl is resting upstairs and, alas, suffers from an illness most troubling. I've never seen this combination of symptoms before... I fear we may be facing a new disease entirely.""Give me the list of symptoms if you would? Perhaps we can work together on this."
"We go in through the front door then. Follow my lead."
Silvio frowns, feeling worried about what this acolyte had to say. "A new disease? I wonder..." Silvio is reminded of the other folks he saw seeking treatment for disease. "Have you heard of anyone else who has this disease? Has there been an increase in patients at the Vault of Abadar?"
"We're new blood in town and we want in. We can probably convince them to tell us at least something about what they're doing. Tern is obviously our muscle. Just play nice until they don't. Best case, they spill the beans before we knock them out."
"I'm told her symptoms began showing last morning, and that this morning she could barely get out of bed. Alas, it is too early to say if the treatment will suffice. I wish I could invoke my magic, I truly do." Ishani explains.
"As for patients, yes. As a matter of fact, I have myself had to request Abadar's aid with healing supplicants of the church several times today."
"For the symptoms, you may be best served with going upstairs and seeing it for yourself. Dire rashes, general fatigue, and bouts of coughs are what I've observed."
Corlis appears to be dressed for travel, the embroidery on his cloak indicating a Varisian origin. He's armed with a bastard sword and a light crossbow. In his current garb, he resembles an adventurer more than a guard. It's obvious that Cressida had him go undercover.
"I'll follow your cues as well. Just be careful." Corlis nods.
Staryth nods, "Excuse me then," And he heads right upstairs
Lucius will knock on the front door. "Hey Thatcher boys. We're here to help."
Silvio catches that Ishani mentions magic. "So your magics are capable of curing her?" asks Silvio. "If a donation to the vault of Abadar is what is needed, perhaps we can discuss later.". For now, Silvio heads upstairs to follow Staryth.
-Posted with Wayfinder
There is no answer from inside. Through the bank's windows, the lobby appears to be empty. A dusty counter lies within, and some chairs arranged around a small table form a waiting area. The bank is an old building, built with a high roof held up by overhead beams.
When Silvio and Krojun raise the issue of money, Ishani's eyes light up. "You would pay for the girl's treatment? You are truly saviours."
[dice=Sense Motive DC 14]Nothing to see here. He really is just happy to see the girl cured, but I gotta keep the suspense up.[/ooc]
The creaky steps open up into a bedroom loft above the main room of the Soldado home. A young girl with auburn hair lies in one of the beds, her slight frame dwarfed by the bed’s size and the pile of pillows, afghans, and quilts surrounding her. Splotches of an angry red rash cover her face and arms, appearing in irregular shapes and sizes. Suddenly, her restlessness is interrupted by a violent fit of hacking coughs that jerk her entire frame, lifting her well off her pillows. The spasm passes after a moment, dropping her back to the bed, but seemingly having done little to ease her breathing.
"Ah, you must be the hospitaler Grau spoke of," Tayce Soldado looks to Staryth, hopeful. "Thank you so much for coming to help us, do you think... there's something you can do to help?"
"We'll just let ourselves in then." Lucius will cast on himself and opens the door.
The creaky steps open up into a bedroom loft above the main room of the Soldado home. A young girl with auburn hair lies in one of the beds, her slight frame dwarfed by the bed’s size and the pile of pillows, afghans, and quilts surrounding her. Splotches of an angry red rash cover her face and arms, appearing in irregular shapes and sizes. Suddenly, her restlessness is interrupted by a violent fit of hacking coughs that jerk her entire frame, lifting her well off her pillows. The spasm passes after a moment, dropping her back to the bed, but seemingly having done little to ease her breathing.
"Ah, you must be the hospitaler Grau spoke of," Tayce Soldado looks to Staryth, hopeful. "Thank you so much for coming to help us, do you think... there's something you can do to help?"
"I'm Staryth Valdian, and of Shelyn's hospitalars, yes," Staryth greets Tayce even as he looks over the girl's symptoms, "and I'm not certain, but I promise you I will strive my utmost. Alas, the power to heal this with divine energies alone is beyond me. But that does not mean it cannot be cured."
Staryth breaks out his healing kit and begins to tend to her as best he can, praying softly a chant to praise Shelyn
and ask her aid as he works
"Let the lark's song sing on, and not fade into echoes.
Let us hold onto the beauty.
Let the artist's hand hold steady, may the lines bloom into wonder
Let us hold onto the art.
Let the beating of the heart hold fast, for other hearts beat with it
Let us hold onto our loved ones...
Just a little longer, sweet Shelyn, we pray."
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Gheris does his best to try and appear thuggish as he readies himself to follow Lucius into the old building. "Damn that kid for leading us to believe there was work to be found here, I knew he was full of beans." he says, loud enough for anyone hiding inside to make out the words. "Remind me to tan his hide when we are back that way. You think there's another way in?" he asks Lucius, maintaining the cover.
"Probably, these places usually have a back door."
The door opens without issue, into the old bank's dusty lobby. The polished wooden counter splits the room in half; a pair of teller's booths are set up on one side of the room, with an open counter occupying the rest of the space.
Part of the counter can be lifted to allow passage, though a sturdy-looking lock is in place, currently preventing this.
A pair of doors lead to the bank's back offices. They are closed.
Staryth, going by the best of his medical knowledge, gives Brienna careful dosages of various medicines, aimed at helping her natural resistances fight the disease. As far as he can diagnose, in addition to the flaring rashes marring Brienna's beauty, the disease is leaving her exhausted.
By his reckoning, the illness is very badly affecting Brienna's health. Unless treatment manages to help her recover quickly, she is likely to die within two or three days.
Staryth is confident that his treatment will at least give her a better chance at resisting the illness for a time, but a full cure is as of yet uncertain.
"Let's try the back office."
. Unaware of the priest's genuine relief, Silvio looks askance at the man, finding his refusal to offer charitable healing to be upsetting. "We aren't doing anything more than what Abadar's vaults might have offered," he says. He discusses with Staryth and Krojun about paying the necessary funds.
Staryth, going by the best of his medical knowledge, gives Brienna careful dosages of various medicines, aimed at helping her natural resistances fight the disease. As far as he can diagnose, in addition to the flaring rashes marring Brienna's beauty, the disease is leaving her exhausted.
By his reckoning, the illness is very badly affecting Brienna's health. Unless treatment manages to help her recover quickly, she is likely to die within two or three days.
Staryth is confident that his treatment will at least give her a better chance at resisting the illness for a time, but a full cure is as of yet uncertain.
Staryth admits to Tayce, "This illness is a truly wicked one, the good brother of Abadar downstairs was right in his attempts to strengthen her ability to fight it. This disease marks one on the outside, but worse, it allows little to no rest, it drains the energy from one. She is exhausted. Left to her own devices, she'd surely die within three days. Even with treatment, it will be a hard fight. I advice you do not touch her, nor let any one else who is not a healer do so. We don't know how infectious this may or may not be. Wash your self after any contact that must occur. Better safe than sorry. I have given her greater odds of resisting the sickness, but can we truly cure it? Too soon to say. I'm sorry, I have only this sliver of hope: she may yet live"
If Silvio comes up and mentions the money needed, Staryth nods, "Take what you need of my share to help. I need to share my findings with as many other healers as I can no matter the religion in hopes one of us can find a cure in case all of the workers reported ill face this same pernicious disease. Gods of good protect us if it should be a plague among us."
"Don't look at me. B and E was never my specialty."
"It is a sad truth that there is a limit to what the vault can give out for free," Ishani concedes at Silvio's remark. "Divine magic is not endless in its reserve, and alas the church's operations do require some amount of gold to function. I came here of my own volition to help the Soldados; there is more at hand than mere gold. Your generosity is greatly appreciated, and I will make sure that this house is my first stop tomorrow morning, once I can make further requests of the Master of the First Vault."
Noting the duo's hesitation, Corlis speaks up. "We could just hop the counter. It's not that big an obstacle, though it'll definitely be in our way if we need to make a quit exit. Who knows what they've got ready behind those doors. I could probably bust that little obstacle open, too, but then it's pretty much a guarantee they'll have heard us. I'll trust your judgement on this one."
"Let's keep things subtle if possible. Just hop over it for now."
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Displaying his acrobatics process in a spectacular leap, Gheris attempts to vault the counter...
...failing miserably and falling on his rear. "Well, I never claimed to be agile." he comments, standing up and dusting off his pride.
Thinking to take a different approach, he moves up to the counter and attempts to climb over the wooden barricade which prevents him from getting at his objective...
...but he is foiled by an adversary as simple as a wooden counter.
"Got a backup plan?" he smirks, reminding himself to fully inform future employers of his physical limitations before accepting a job.
Lucius will take his time climbing over the counter.
"You're adorable." Lucius says, his words dripping with sarcasm.