"So, Nicolai says as he claps his hands together "how do you guys want to handle this? With Nanfoodle's report we could go to the guards and let them handle it which, being as they're swamped right now, they might get around to sometime tomorrow, or we could take care of it now and prevent anyone else from purchasing their snake oil until the guards can shut them down."
Gamon nods thoughtfully as he and Aloysia are filled in on what the others found. I think if we try to shut it down ourselves, we might have a riot on our hands, people see that shop as a source of hope. We need the guards to do it. I also think I may have come down with the plague myself, so I need to find a cleric that can heal me before it gets worse.
Majenko nods along. "Makes sense. Field Marshall Kroft should be able to get a small task force together, along with whatever is necessary to get into the shop Nicolai found."
Jolon nods.
"As angry as I am at the thought of letting these tshameks get away with this scam for even a little longer, there's wisdom in your words. Let's inform Cressida of what we've learned and see about getting Gamon healthy again...perhaps one of the brothers at the Grand Cathedral will still have spells prepared that can help...or we could find Ishani again...we'd have to pay him of course, to appease his god and his brothers, but when the blood veil struck me, it was he that saved me from it. By my ancestors, if only my connection with them...or with Pharasma...was strong enough to cure it myself."
He casts his eyes down, as the whispers surround him again, equal parts critical and reassuring, as if the spirits were divided on what to say to him.
Cressida is all ears as you explain your findings to her and curses Vendra for taking advantage of the desperate. The next morning a task force of guardsmen bull through the line outside the perfumery. They promptly arrest Vendra and all of her associates for selling snake oil. You notice Solt quietly leaving with the rest of the patrons while you lead the guard to the apartment where Vendra's laboratory is. Breaking open the door the guard informs you that yes, this mixing chamber of river water, sugar, and bad perfume is enough for Vendra to go away for a long time.
The woman all the while has been spitting venom and cursing you and your various lineages. She focuses on Jolon for a while as the most noticeable target, but none of you are safe from her tirade. When the guard have finally reached their breaking point they gag her and begin seizing all of the assets in the laboratory, leaving the perfumery under watch until they can figure out who the owner is with Vendra gone.
Later that night you receive a "care package" from Cressida. It contains items taken from Vendra and her thugs that the Field Marshall thinks will be better used in your hands.
wand of remove disease (3 charges)
2 vials of giant wasp poison
a circlet of persuasion
2 potions of cure moderate wounds
2 +1 chain shirts
2 masterwork rapiers
2 masterwork hand crossbows
The woman all the while has been spitting venom and cursing you and your various lineages. She focuses on Jolon for a while as the most noticeable target, but none of you are safe from her tirade.
Jolon glares at Vendra as she sprays bigotry and stupidity at him, right up to calling him a "horser," which REALLY gets a rise out of him. He steps forward to strike her, but the whispers swirl into his ears, cautioning and comforting him, and he instead draws himself up to his full height, a confident smile forming on his face as he looks down on her.
"Spit all the venom you want, cindersnake. My ancestors can hear your words and they reject them, the foolish noise of a foolish tshamek. I've no need to send you to Pharasma's judgment when the eyes of the city judge you already. You've no one to blame for your fate but yourself."
Then he turns to Gamon.
"My ancestors have spoken to me, Gamon. They are proud of our work, even if the people we've saved are not of the quahs. They want to help you, a reward for helping me all this time."
He says a few words in Shoanti and lays his hand on Gamon (making sure not to touch the rash directly).
After she's taken away, and they receive the care package from Cressida, Jolon lingers a bit.
"Thank you again for your help, Cressida. How are you holding up?"
Cressida shrugs as she overlooks a large map of the city. Multiple pins and tacks are in place on it. "The Quarantines don't seem to be helping. Everything keeps falling apart and its all the Queen's Physicians and I can do to keep up. I'm just glad there's a group I can rely on to get things done while we do nothing but react to this."
"I'm glad the city is in your capable hands. You're a rock this city can cling to in the storm," He facepalms. "Bad metaphor, sorry. But if you...need someone to talk to, or something, I'd be happy to lend an ear, anytime."
His face darkens in a blush.
Aloysia grins and raises an eyebrow at Jolon, "A little tongue tied, there Jolon? Is it her beauty?"
Jolon raises an eyebrow back.
"Aloysia, my father was an orc who somehow fell in love with someone who should have been his worst enemy. I'd say it's less a matter of beauty and more one of strength."
Then he realizes what he just said and facepalms again.
"No! Sorry, Cressida! I don't mean I think you're ugly!" he says
Cressida just laughs and waves it off. "I can assure you it is fine. Now I heard you're looking into the wreck of the Direption? Here are the approximate coordinates for it in the Jeggare. If you need assistance I will see what I can requisition for you."
"So what you're saying is, you're a bit smitten," she says and gently nudges his ribs with her elbow.
Gamon nods, That was going to be our next subject of investigation. Could you requisition us any potions of water breathing or air bubble?
"Give me half a day. I'll see what I can do. Ishani may also be able to help if need be. He wants to eliminate the plague more than anyone else I think."
"So what you're saying is, you're a bit smitten," she says and gently nudges his ribs with her elbow.
Jolon gives an embarassed, toothy smile.
"Heh, if you say so...you ever been smitten with someone, Aloysia?"
Cressida apologizes as she hands you two potions of water breathing. "This is the best I could do for you. We don't have much use for spelunking in the river with so many problems on land."
Aloysia's face goes a little dark and replies, "Once, it didn't end well." Her face returns quickly to the normal, practiced disposition she usually has, "I find smitten to be more exploitable these days. Helps with my work!"
Nicolai watches the interplay between Aloysia and Jolon with interest, tinged with a little jealousy "Take it easy. She's a grown woman, free to see whoever she wants. One date doesn't make it a relationship."
Nicolai takes the vials from the Commander with a smile "Thank you, I'm sure they'll be enough. We'll give you a report as soon as we get back."
"Appreciate the supplies, do you know where we might buy more if it becomes necessary?"
Aloysia's face goes a little dark and replies, "Once, it didn't end well." Her face returns quickly to the normal, practiced disposition she usually has, "I find smitten to be more exploitable these days. Helps with my work!"
Jolon frowns at Aloysia's words, but the concern in his eyes is clear.
"I'm sorry. I hope you find someone who makes you happy sometime, maybe after this aurochs-sh!t has passed and the city's at peace again."
"Try CB's Snorkeling and Diving out of the East Shore. They've got all the gear necessary for excursions into the river, including spears and harpoons useful for defending yourself from things like Jigsaw Sharks. If Braun still works there tell her I say hi."
Jolon frowns as they talk more and more about going underwater.
"My vision from Zellara showed us fighting underwater...I feel we're going to face things more deadly than jigsaw sharks."
Following the directions Cressida gave you, you find the approximate location of the ship wreck fairly quickly. It is difficult to tell in the muddy waters of the Jeggare River, but it looks like there are no beasts waiting to strike.
Nicolai gathers the party at his apartment before going to The Citadel. Once around the table he draws his harrow deck from it's case and lays the cards on the table. Laying out a spread he does a reading for the group.
With the reading finished Nicolai shuffles his deck once more and lays a single card face up on the table. looking down he sees The Keep, an animated fortress with mechanical legs and pincers, staring back at him.
A quick trip to the snorkeling shop Cressida mentioned and you've got a scroll of water breathing in hand to begin your underwater adventure.
"Seems we're ready to become fish. Do you gentlemen have all the weapons you might need for defending yourself in the deep?"
As the others prepare to dive into the river, Nicolai takes a moment to cast some spells on himself before entering the water.
Once everyone is ready, Nicolai will unfurl the scroll and read it. Once the incantation is done he says to the others "We've got about two and a half hours before the spell runs out, after that it's a mad dash back to the surface." Gesturing to the river, he asks "Shall we?" before diving in.
Taking a moment to orient himself, making sure up is up and down is down, he makes his way to the river bottom. Once there he holds the glowing stone aloft and peers through the dark, muddy water to find the wreck.
Gamon merely waits as everyone else prepares to dive, after Nicolai casts his spells he nods to the rest, Ready when you are.
It takes about ten minutes, and communicating while underwater is strange to say the least, but Nicolai eventually finds the wreck and points it out to everyone.
Obvious scars from fire and trebuchet strikes mar the ship’s hull, which lies on its side in two pieces amid the splinters of its masts. The ship’s hull split into these two halves over a rock outcropping, its bow fallen to one side and a larger section of the stern on the other. Two relatively intact interior decks lie within both halves of the ship, along with the captain’s quarters situated at the stern. While the bow sunk in a way that allows explorers easy access to any of its levels, the stern cleaved to the rocks it fell upon, limiting entrance to its lower decks. Upon the stern section’s upper deck, the 10-foot-square main hatch and a covered ladder lead to the berth below. The trebuchet stone that struck the ship its killing blow also punched a sizable hole into the Direption, about 10 feet of open space into the hull.
Aloysia swims to the hole in the ship, pulls her daggers, and peers in doing her best to stay as motionless as is possible...
A yawning wound in the ship’s charred timbers allows murky water to flow through this debris-cluttered hold. Loose timbers, small fish, and dozens of identical boxes float eerily in the quiet darkness.
Aloysia sees a shark, roughly the size of a dog, swimming throughout the hold. It seems to notice her and swims deeper in, heading toward the aft end of the ship.
Aloysia looks back to the group and mimes her hand opening and closing like a mouth while moving it forward in the water to convey a shark, then puts her fingers together about a foot apart that mime a short creature. Then she points toward the aft of the ship to indicate where. She waits for others to catch up in case there is an ambush she missed in there waiting.
Nicolai swims a little further into the wreck, holding the glowing stone out to illuminate the ship's interior.
Gamon follows Nicolai towards the ship, looking around them for any other signs of life.
After communing with his ancestors, Jolon recieives the benefits of Nicolai's scroll before commenting, "I don't imagine we'll have to worry. My ancestors have aided me in bonding with a water spirit, who has granted me the power to cast the same spell. Should yours run out, I can cast it anew for us...provided we find a pocket of air so I'm able to propitiate the spirit properly."
He also life-links to each member of the group, as usual. As they swim, he keeps close, watching and listening. When Aloysia indicates the shark ahead, he frowns. What if it's the pup of the jigsaw shark they drove off outside Gaedren's hideout? Knowing Pharasma's occasional sense of irony, he wouldn't be surprised.