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"How?" Baolus asks with amusement as he resists the foul energy that washed over his body. "Perhaps your Prince of Lies lied to you... perhaps you misjudged your importance. To me, you fancied yourself as a major player, but instead, you are simply a pawn... you were deceived... will you fall or will you see the truth and surrender?"
To make his point, Baolus continues his assault, following the tiefling and once more striking with his axe, holding it in both hands.
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Catina manages to ruin the moment slightly by looking just as surprised at the tiefling's apparent failure to invoke the doom he had hoped for. She then smirks, like the teenager she still is. "Hah!" To punctuate her utterance, she steps forward and slashes with her glaive past Baolus's shoulder, confident enough to twist the weapon and strike with the haft instead of the blade.
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Faustinia can feel the tide of battle swinging back into their favor. She shoots off another bolt, although trying to avoid her allies and fire into the next room proves too much, her bolt clanging off the wall. She mutters to the woman beside her, "I don't know how you manage to aim these things properly, Janiven..." before loading in another bolt.
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Petals feels the mood shift dramatically with the fiend's failure. Letting Baolus doing the talking and Catina doing the laughing, Petals' loud song tappers down to pleasant humming, moving forward, slipping past Catina and then next to Baolus. She'll try to harry and smack him on the side of his head.
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Baolus strikes again, holding his axe both his hands. The weapon sinks in Palaveen’s belly, and when Baolus takes it out, it is shimmering with blood. Palaveen tries to mumble something, but all that he’s able to do is to spit blood. Doubled over in pain, his face directed downwards, Palaveen is reached by Catina’s glaive right in his face. Pushed back, Palaveen lands on his back in a pool of blood and his red eyes close.
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…
It is finally over. “He was our leader…”, confesses Ostengo, still tied up. “Palaveen, a servant of the Prince of Lies”. The tiefling says so with a certain resignation on his face. He knows the Bastards of Erebus are no more. Thanks to a group of local heroes known as the Eyes.
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Palaveen had some interesting items on his body—a glass vial containing a violet fluid, a wooden wand, a magic breastplate, a magic morningstar, an iron unholy symbol of Asmodeus, a key and 330 gp.
Dravano also has some interesting loot on him, now that you have the time to search his body more carefully. The armor he was wearing is a masterwork spiked breastplate. Inside one of the pockets of his pants, he kept a glass vial. He also carried 50 gp in a belt pouch.
The leader’s room is filled with treasures. A good portion of this treasure was either stolen or taken by force by the Bastards from their original owners, as it is clear from several hints scattered around the room and from what Arael told you a few days ago.
The large chest to the north is locked. Palaveen carries the key, or it can be picked with a DC 30 Disable Device check. The chest contains all of the non-coin loot from the Bastards’ string of burglaries, along with a leather sack that contains 50 of the wooden Mammon coins the Bastards use to mark the places they’ve robbed and people they’ve killed. The stolen treasures include 600 gp worth of small gems (including one 100 gp pearl), jewelry worth 800 gp, a masterwork dagger, a masterwork rapier, and a jeweled non-masterwork short sword worth 150 gp.
The group of heroes is now faced with a hard choice—will they return the stolen good to their original owners or will they keep the treasure for themselves as a reward for dealing with the Bastards of Erebus?
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This large, open room has a bed, desk, and chair. Papers are scattered across the desk, and a large chest sits against the wall to the north. Two heavy chains are spiked to the wall in the northwest corner.
The notes on the table contain itemized lists of things the Bastards have stolen as well as some cryptic notes written in Infernal.
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All of the Bastards have been dealt with. An exploration of the room to the north of the main tunnel reveals only an empty building. The Eyes of Westcrown now need to make another tough decision. Dravano and Palaveen are dying, but can be still stabilized. Ostengo is still conscious, although tied-up and harmless. Most of the tiefling thugs died in combat, but three of them managed to survive and stabilize on their own. Also, there’s the tiefling girl in the temple which Catina seemed to care for. What will become of them?
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⁞⁞⁞⁞ LOOTING ⁞⁞⁞⁞
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Petals slumps against the wall after they realize it is finally over. Days locked away in the silent dark followed by the frantic storm of fighting for every inch of these catacombs. All of it has really taken it out of her.
But the bone weariness is coupled with a bright beautiful smile.
She actually DID SOMETHING! Made a difference. Years of endlessly toiling for nothing other than quickly serving drinks. Yes, sometimes she managed to help someone here and there but she never really made a difference. Now, an entire criminal organization. She can hardly believe it.
The warmth inside her approaches giddiness, forcing her to stifle a delighted laugh. Stifled cause even she knows laughing in the midst of blood and death, even bad people's blood and death, is frowned upon.
Getting control over herself she approaches the loot.
This is a lot of stuff to sort out and get back to the right people. Can your friends help? The Eyes. she asks Catina and Lady Faustinia, never assuming at all that the group would keep it. I'll help to if they'd have it... my help that is.
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⁞⁞⁞⁞ EXPLORATION ⁞⁞⁞⁞
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Petals looks around the room, seeing nothing she understands other than this was probably the lead Bastard's bedroom of sorts. I wonder what the chains are for. she muses, but she's still pretty high in spirits about doing good and does little more than glancing and wondering.
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With the fighting finally over, Catina steadies herself against a doorpost and wipes away some sweat from her brow. She kneels next to Dravano and stabilizes him, looking up to the others for confirmation. "We've done what we came here to do, right? Our actions here have effectively disbanded the Bastards. No one else has to die, do they?" When she's about to go to the Asmodean follower to stabilize him as well, she hesitates and looks at the others again. "So, he was the leader of it all, and a devout servant to the Prince of Lies. Do I ... ?" She lets the question hang in the air, not having the guts to say out loud what she's thinking. "If we let him go, would he just start another group to pillage and murder?"
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Leaving the magical treasure for Faustinia, Catina takes quick stock of the 'treasure' that the Bastard's had amassed. "Awful. That they'd kill just for wealth. It's... it's difficult to comprehend, isn't it? I think we should return as much as we can, to the people it was stolen from. Or just to the struggling families in the area, if we can't trace back what was stolen from whom." Petals remark puts her gaze to the chains, which she has been trying to ignore "I suppose they had more prisoners, just like you two...?" She leans over the desk and sees what she can make of the paperwork, informing the others about her discoveries as she goes along, and sharing the papers with Petals.
"Oh no," she sighs as she reads the notes. "So many of the families were killed. Here's a note about a weaponsmith. I guess we should take those weapons back to the temple. They might be used by the other Eyes." She 'hmms' to herself as she continues reading, holding up two notes. "These are most interesting, I think. Palaveen has been in contact with something called the 'Council'. They talk about it as if it were an application, he wanted to join their business? Which they weren't too keen on, anyway... We'd better take these back with us, to Arael."
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Once Catina finishes stabilizing Dravano and Palaveen, Faustinia takes a deep breath. She examines the two tieflings' belongings, watching them carefully as if they might suddenly wake from unconsciousness and attack her again. Unsurprisingly, the leader and his deadliest soldier are loaded down with some very nice trinkets and equipment. Faustinia strips them of their portable valuables, deciding not to try to get their armor off just yet.
In the inner chambers, Faustinia is immediately drawn to the chest. She tries the key she found on Palaveen and feels the lock catch and open with a satisfying click. Her eyes widen at the contents; setting aside the fine weapons she finds within, she runs her fingers through the loose top layer of precious gems and expensive jewelry. And here I thought this whole Eyes of Westcrown business was just for the city's glory. I bet I could have filled the Xerysis coffers again easily if I had gotten into the bandit-bashing business earlier! she thinks, fixated on the thought of being a noble and rich house once again.
Petals' voice snaps her back to the present. "What? Oh, yes... returning this to the rightful owners." Faustinia frowns and her brow creases, the images of overflowing coffers still dancing in her mind, but as distant and mocking things now. "I suppose you're right. Yes, I think it would be best if we took these back to be sorted out." Faustinia turns to look Petals in the eye, her expression relaxing into a smile at the elf's apparent nervousness. "I'm sure they'd love to have your help. I know I did. You were a wonderful asset, Petals; I've never met someone who could sing such lovely songs--and swing a hammer just as well. I'm sure Arael will have a place for you."
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With her initial excitement over the chest full of valuables tempered, Faustinia turns her attention to Catina and the papers that she's found. She examines the notes that Catina points out, reading over them herself with a scholar's scrutiny.
"What is this 'Council,' I wonder?" Faustinia muses, half to the others and half to herself. "It seems the Bastards had bigger ambitions than common theft and murder, even if they had trouble getting any further with this Council. Perhaps they were more than met the eye; if so, I'm glad we've damped their spark before it grew into a more dangerous conflagration. You're right, Catina, Arael will want to see these. Let's pack up these papers before we head back."
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When it comes time to deal with the awkward subject of the Bastards' fate, Faustinia's expression grows serious - though not heavy with moral judgement, rather her brow is creased with one eyebrow raised as her eyes flick to various points in space, as one does when trying to calculate the best strategy. "I don't think we can let that one go," Faustinia answers Catina, indicating the knocked out leader. "He has certainly committed his fair share of sins, but he may be useful. If we can imprison him, we may be able to get some more information out of him about this Council he's been talking to. We should find Arael and the other Eyes to help us take him back to our hideout."
Letting her eyes fall on the other tieflings, she continues to evaluate whether to keep them alive. "The big one... I do not know if we can make use of him. He seems to be a creature of violence, and probably little more than that. If he knew anything valuable, I doubt he would tell us. If we were to release him, would we simply be unleashing a creature of terror and murder upon the city? Even if he were to work for us, could we restrain his power?" she wonders aloud. "That girl we restrained at the entrance--I wonder if she could be convinced to join us. She showed some compassion to you, Catina, did she not? Perhaps she would find value in our cause."
Faustinia breaks her musing to approach the far corner of the hallway where Ostengo is tied up. She sits on the edge of one the beds near the bandage-wrapped tiefling and leans casually on one hand while she addresses Ostengo. "And what should we do with you, rat? You clearly know that your little group of Bastards in done. There's little reason for you to lie to us anymore, besides your natural inclinations to deceit I suppose. We could kill you. As you can tell, though, not all of us are particularly comfortable with that option, as long as you're our prisoner. Would you serve us? Or would that merely lead to our predictable betrayal? I suppose we could simply let you go--and if we ever caught wind of your activities, you know what we're capable of. A bandaged-covered tiefling is hard to miss. What do you say, rat? Death, exile, or service?" Faustinia asks, keeping her tone threateningly casual. "We may go easier on you, depending on whether you can tell us anything interesting about your friends here," she adds, gesturing toward the still forms of Palaveen and Dravano.
Petals smile turns bright again at Faustinia's words. To be a part of something, doing good. Almost like a story. No, an EPIC! Bouncing up and down in glee is also frowned on in these situations though.
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Petals seems very uneasy at the potential of killing any of them now that they are subdued. She knows she isn't capable of it, that it is wrong, but she doesn't know if she could bring herself to stop any of the others. They fought and nearly died down here at these people's hands.
She is vastly comforted at Faustinia's acknowledgement that none of them are comfortable with killing them. While the mage talks, she stands near peering at the bandaged tiefling who had tried so hard to end them, trick them, and generally be a bad guy. She is intensely curious about what his answer will be.
After the discussion about the Bastards’ Fate, Baolus goes to find Arael. On their way to the leader’s room, Baolus explains to Arael everything that has happened. Once Arael reaches the group, his eyes are filled with a mix of joy and sorrow. “It’s SO good to see you all safe and sound!” he says with emotion in his voice. He hugs Janiven, then does the same with Catina. “I knew you were destined to do great things, Catina…”, he whispers in the tiefling girl’s hears. He does not hug neither Lady Faustinia nor Petals, but he gives them an appreciative nod and a warm smile. “Thank you for doing this…Our city is safer now, and it’s all thanks to you”. There’s something sad in his voice though, and Janiven notices it.
“Is there something wrong, Arael?”, she asks with a kind voice.
The half-elf lowers his head and speaks in a whisper. “We lost another Eye…” Arael shakes his head, a tear on his cheek. “Lorenzo gave his life to stop a fleeing tiefling. He was such a brave man…He stopped the tiefling and tied him up, but a shadow assailed him. There was nothing I could do…When I arrived, it was already too late…”
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A shroud of silence falls into the room as the group meditates on Lorenzo’s death. “We will give them a proper funeral service in the temple tomorrow morning. Lorenzo and Sev I mean. They gave their life for our cause and we must ensure they’ll be remembered as heroes.”
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After giving the group some time to recover from the bad news, Arael looks around the room. “Have you decided what to do with this treasure?” he asks. “If you want to return the stolen goods, I can attend to that through my contacts. You should keep the weapons. It may be troublesome to sell these items, but I know a place where you could find buyers. We’ll talk about it tomorrow, after the funeral services.”
Then the half-elf approaches Ostengo and the other unconscious tieflings, who were grouped together by the Eyes. “So, what do we do with them? Perhaps Baolus can help us in turning them over to the Rundottari? I don’t trust them, speaking with all the respect, but I can’t see any other solution. Except perhaps for the tiefling girl…Catina, what do you want to do with her? We could use some new recruits, but we must first trust them”.
“It’s night out there. And Lorenzo’s fate should teach us a valuable lesson. We’d better spend the night here. You need to rest, me and the other Eyes will watch over the entrances to this place as you sleep. We’ll leave at dawn. Yakopulio has discovered an entrance to the sewers that could lead us right to the safehouse. We’ll use it in order to come back to the shrine”. Arael stops and gives a look at both Baolus and Petals. “Your help was invaluable. Why don’t you join us at the shrine tomorrow? I know you weren’t familiar with Lorenzo and Sev, but I’d like too see you there. And if you are willing to join us, you just need to say so.”
Catina visibly relaxes as she's hugged by Arael. With all the heavy decisions on her mind, the responsibility she had felt for her companions in the dark, on what to do with the surviving tieflings, she hadn't really taken the time to appreciate the result they had fought for. "Thank you."
Because her guard is down, the news of Lorenzo's death hits her hard. She's stocked and too stunned to speak, looks from Janiven to Faustinia in disbelief. She seems on the verge of breaking down in tears when she stubbornly sets her jaws and swallows back her grief. She nods emphatically at Arael's mention of the funeral service, not yet trusting herself to speak.
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"We want to make sure the stolen goods are returned to the people it belongs to, if that's still possible," Catina answers when it is time for more practical matters. She looks around the group, hesitating but sure that this is what the group decided (and the only right thing to do, in her eyes).
She's even more careful when speaking about the fate of the captured tieflings. "Taking them to the Rundottari? We... we talking about that when planning all of this, didn't we? Is that an option?" She looks at Baolus, especially. "Faustinia suggested we may hold the leader captive, for a while at least. There's some things we found, that he could explain. But I'm not sure whether we have the means to hold captives..."
That point brings her to the tiefling girl, the one that she had first encountered. Was I foolish back then, to think that we could 'save' these lost people? Or was she really different? Catina is silent for a moment, then eventually nods. "Yes, I would really like to believe that this girl is different, and that she might come around if given time. I'm not sure, of course. What if I try to talk to her tonight. And then maybe we could let her go, and I could meet her sometime later if she's still willing to change her ways. I wouldn't take her to the shrine yet, until we know we can trust her."
In her mind, Catina is already thinking of what to say. You've been unconscious. Sorry that is was necessary. The Bastard's had to be stopped, and they are no more. But there is a place for you, if you're willing to accept our rules. etc... She even thinks about her special 'trick' if the girl isn't willing to listen to her story; she's used it on occasion to distract people, and maybe it could help to jar the girl's mindset...
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Even as the last tiefling falls into the ground in a puddle of his own blood, Baolus doesn't ease himself. There were too much trickery and unpleasant surprises today for him to simply believe there would be no more hidden or invisible foes. He looks around, his axe still dripping with the last tiefling's blood, even if he can't find anything.
As Ostengo reveals the fight to be indeed over, Baolus eases a bit. The tiefling had lied to them more than once, but this time he felt he was telling the truth. Cleaning sweat from his head, Baolus can't avoid a smirk. "And you all thought it would be a good idea to be the servant of a prince of lies?" This was obviously a rhetorical question, since the rundottari wasn't really interested about what the only unconscious enemy would say right now.
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Even if still on guard, Baolus watches as Lady Faustinia removes the fallen enemies' gears and finds their treasure. Without thinking twice, Baolus agrees with Petals. "This treasure belongs neither to these thieves nor to us. They should be for sure returned to the families they rightfully belong... if we are unable to discover what belongs to who, I'd like to suggest for us to donate it to an orphanage, hospice, or a healing house or temple... this way we'd be indirectly helping more than one family."
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At Petals's question, Baolus points to the hulking tiefling still unconscious. "That one seemed quite angry... I'd not be surprised if they kept him locked here for their own safety."
To Catina, he shrugged. "I'd not know. A couple times there were screams in the nearby cells, but if my own cell could serve as a basis, I'd say that no mere prisoner would be kept so close to their leader, able to hear what they were saying... I suspect this chains have a much more personal or internal use."
As the talk turns to this mysterious 'Council', Baolus finally puts away his axe. "Well, a lot could be implied about this note's message... the Bastards had an association with this Council; the council was pleased with the Bastards works, which I suppose is murder and theft; and, that the Bastards wanted something more... the word 'application' leads me to think the Bastards were intending to be something more, perhaps join this mysterious Council?"
"Another important information is that this Council must be powerful and on the other side of the law... it treats the Bastards as mere underlings, threatening to wipe them. We actually did what they were threatening to do with difficult, which means a much more powerful enemy is still there, probably still pulling the strings." This whole thought process wasn't really making any good to his mood, so Baolus put the piece of paper aside. Better to worry with the immediate future for now.
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Baolus shows himself sympathetic to Catina's thoughts, even if, in truth, due to different reasons. "I believe we have no right to kill them... they might be thieves and murderers, but Westcrown isn't a lawless city. We have guards and law enforcement, even if a tad corrupt. They broke the law, so they should be arrested, judged and punished according to the law. Letting them go or kill them, would mean that we are the ones 'making the law' which is as wrong as what they have done, making us no better than those corrupted people I believe we all despise."
Turning to Lady Faustinia, Baolus continued. "I believe your offer to this liar needs to be corrected. I can't allow him to be released... on the other hand, if he cooperates, I could probably put him in better words with the rundottari."
"I'll look for Arael and tell him we are done... I'll be back in a couple minutes. Please, don't let your guard down, we are still in enemy's territory until the others are able to join us and report on their success and progress." With this, Baolus draws his axe once more and also his bullseye lantern, disappearing in the dark corridors.
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Not knowing Lorenzo except from sight, Baolus remains silent while the others mourn their loss. He never knew what to say in situations like this and he was really close to anyone of them to try his luck just yet.
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Once more agreeing with Catina, Baolus nods and complements. "It is indeed the right thing to do."
When the talk turns to the Rundottari, Baolus crosses his arms, clearly not comfortable about their opinion about his corporation. "It is not only possible, it is the only acceptable option. It is an open truth that many dottari are deeply corrupt, but not all of us... some might say we few are fighting a lost battle in trying to do our jobs in an honest way, but I say it is worthy... I... I'm the living proof of this... if not for my commander, I'd probably be a thief not different from these bastards."
"My commander, Durota Arik Tuornos is a fair man and I trust him completely. I'd like to talk to him in your behalf. I'll do whatever I can to guarantee these thieves have the proper treatment, judgement, and punishment for all their crimes."
Catina looks troubled, feeling Baolus's loyalty to his colleagues (friends?) despite their flaws. She furrows her brow, trying to find a way to voice her concerns without putting him in a difficult position. "You are right, Baolus. They've committed crime, and they should be arrested. But we talked about this before we decided to go on this mission. This was meant to show the Wiscrani that there's people looking out for them." She quickly rephrases. "... that there's new people also looking out for them. We're trying to give them hope. That's why we're wearing the uniforms with the white cloaks. We've made risks, and... and... sacrifices," she swallows, but continues talking, "to make sure that this group was stopped, and to make it clear that we're taking a stance to make things better."
She stops suddenly, thinking about what she was trying to say. "I'm sorry. It's... We've risked a lot, and what we're doing - or going to do - might put us as odds with the Dottari. I hadn't thought that we would be working with them, hoping that our work wouldn't be undone by corruption." She thinks again, sizing up Baolus and making a decision. "But if you trust this commander, then I'll do that as well, and I say we should work to turn these men in." Her cheeks color at the end of her speech, and she mumbles something inaudible to herself to avoid the silence at the end of it.
I know the goal was to stop these people from doing bad things and not directly to save me and Baolus. But they did, you all did. I wouldn't miss saying thank you to them... as long as I'm not in the way.
She simply nods in full agreement and gives her an encouraging smile.
After that she kind of blends in the background, feeling a little out of place as the Eyes discuss and formulate plans. Right now she wants nothing more than to get a hot bath and sleep a long time before having to go to work. WORK?!? Ugh... they are probably not going to buy the "I've been kept in a dark cell by a gang of thieves and murderers for days" story, even being true.
She's going to be fired... again.
"The Rundottari would free the prisoners after a few days, of that I'm sure", bitterly adds Arael. "There are things you don't know about them, Baolus, but I do. I've been watching you, together with Janiven here, for almost an entire year. Your devotion to the Dottari's cause is admirable, but doesn't make it less misplaced. But I know you won't trust me. You're loyal to them, and that's the reason why I saw potential in you. I see the light of Iomedae shining bright over you, Baolus, but you won't see it until you won't recognize that those you now trust are traitors of what you're trying to protect. But we'll do it your way. The prisoners, except for the tiefling girl who showed mercy to Catina, are yours to dispose. Take them to your Rundottari if you wish so. There's only one condition: you shall not reveal anything about our group." As always, Arael appears very authoritative and confident when he speaks.
"But remember. When they'll fail you, you'll always have a place among us. You've earned it."
"And you, Petals, what are you going to do?" asks Arael with a smile to the half-elf. "You earned your place among us as well. Think about it. I'll give you all the time you need. I realize neither Baolus nor you know anything about our group besides what you've seen. If you're willing to listen, I'm going to explain it to you tomorrow, after the funeral rites. Now rest, everyone, I'll go and fetch the others. As for the tiefling girl, if you want to talk to her, you should come with me Catina". With that, Arael takes his leave.
There are several beds here for you to rest comfortably enough.
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Faustinia greets Arael’s entrance with a warm, if tired, smile. That smile quickly fades when Arael delivers his sad news. Faustinia says nothing for a moment, steeping in silence with the others. She eventually clears her throat and says, ”I see.” She can’t think of anything else to add. She nods at Arael’s suggestion for a funeral, trying to process Lorenzo’s death on top of Sev’s. ”So young…” she mutters quietly, before sighing and turning her attention to the matters at hand.
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”The gems and jewelry should be returned, if they can,” Faustinia agrees. ”It seems that the weaponry has no proper home, but we could certainly make use of it ourselves. That gaudy sword can probably aid our coffers, though,” Faustinia suggests. She shakes her head at the idea of donating their hard-won gold. ”Listen, I understand that it’s a pleasant idea to contribute some coin to the charitable institutions of Westcrown. But we can’t neglect our own supplies. Could that money help an orphanage? No doubt. But it could also help The Eyes to prepare ourselves against the evils of this city. By wiping out this burrow of thieves, how many murders have we prevented, and thus that many children prevented from becoming orphaned?” Faustinia asks, with a tone as a teacher presenting her lesson. ”It isn’t necessarily going to be cheap to restore Westcrown to its former glory--let’s not cast our resources to the wind so hastily.”
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As the other Eyes discuss what to do with their prisoners, Faustinia stays silent for a while, quietly but obviously thinking. Was there a way to turn these criminals in and keep the Dottari from claiming the glory? Faustinia interrupts with an ”Aha! I’ve got it!” She clasps her hands together and grins with joy at her own cleverness. ”What about something like this?” she poses to Fasutinia and Baolus, making her way to Palaveen’s paper-laden desk. She sorts through the things there until she finds a blank sheet of paper, an inkwell, and a usable quill, then starts to scribble down something. Once finished, she moves to the pile of wooden coins that were the Bastards’ calling cards and picks up a handful of them.
”Here’s what I propose: there is a way for us to deliver these criminals to justice in a way that benefits us, without exposing ourselves to risk,” she begins. ”First, we’ll secure our prisoners and in our uniforms deliver them to a public place at sunrise--we don’t want them to get picked off by the shadows at night. We’ll leave them tied up, scatter their little wooden coins around them, and pin this note to them:” she suggests, here indicating the piece of paper she’s written on. It bears the mark of Aroden’s eye at the top, to match the insignia on their uniforms. Under it she’s written: “The Bastards of Erebus are no more! Thieves and murderers beware, for The Eyes of Westcrown are watching!” ”If we leave them in the middle of the market or something, then our fellow citizens can find them and call the Dottari--but not before receiving our message. The criminals are arrested, and the message of our protection spreads through our fellow citizens. How about that?” Faustinia asks, confident in her clever arrangement.
"Even if the Dottari let them go," Faustinia adds, "we'll talk to them beforehand. We'll make it very clear that if we ever catch them up to their usual tricks in Westcrown, we will come for them again. And next time we won't be so merciful--this is their last chance."
Thank you Arael. I promise to listen to what you have to say about the group tomorrow. Petals says even though she's near bursting with wanting to say she'll join right now.
Listening to the others, or at least trying to, she realizes she's nodding off more than listening. Excusing herself quietly she pulls off her armor, pulls off her boots, and crawls into one of the offered beds.
Catina follows after Arael, looking trouble once more. When they are away from the others, she voices her concerns. "Why were you so hard on Baolus, Arael? Didn't you yourself suggest that he might help, through his connections with the Dottari? And that such might be the only solution?"
She then lays out the plan she had hatched for the tiefling girl. "So, I was thinking we would wake her up. Not bound, because we want her to see we mean well. I think maybe we should block the door, but that's it. I'll tell her what happened, and that I've found a group that... that accepts me for who I am. And then I'll ask her to tell her about herself, and how she came to join the Bastards. If she's unwilling, I might shake her 'awake' by showing her a glimpse of Shelyn's power. And then, if she seems amenable, we'll set a meeting for later, just me and her somewhere in the city. It might take some time, but I really hope I can win her over. If I get the impression that she's honorable and trustworthy, of course."
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As Lady Faustinia talked, Baolus wanted to disagree with her. He wanted to say her that it wasn't their place to plot to protect the city, that giving the gold to an orphanage would help and that there was no need to arm themselves simply because there was already an institution in charge of taking care of Westcrown. He really wanted to believe that... unfortunately he couldn't. The dottari were notoriously corrupt to the core, at least most of them, and even if there were still a few of them true to their purpose, they were the minority, rapidly dwindling. Instead, he simply answered. Very well. If you are sure you can help Westcrown more than a donation, you are free to do so... after all, I have no real vote on this. I decided to help you simply because I owed you my life. I believe my debt is paid. Just, please, don't say that donating to an orphanage is 'casting your resources to the wind'... for those in need, and they are always in need, this gold matters. A lot.
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Baolus eyes Arael with a mix of embarrassment, anger, and wariness. "Apologies, but you can't say this without more elaboration... if you are so sure about what you are saying, you must tell me, and not in a generic way. I need names so I can investigate something. The way I see it, if something is broken, you fix it, you don't simply throw it away and buy something new. The dottari are broken, I'm completely aware of this, so I'm trying to fix them." This was always Baolus intention. As a young man, Baolus always saw the dottari as opponents, always running after him to send him into some dark cell. Once he became part of them, nothing really changed, for he still saw many of his other colleagues as corrupt criminals in uniforms, also his opponents. Since then, his goal was to turn the dottari into the incorruptible force of law he feared when he was a stray thief.
Now, a bit more reassured of his older goals, Baolus continues. "Also, handing them to the rundottari is not my way... it is the only option, unless you are willing to kill them in cold blood, turning yourselves into murderers, or holding them into your hideout, turning you into kidnapers... neither option is acceptable I believe. If I could, I'd like to give you an advice, not because I'm older or wiser, but simply because I current see the situation from another point of view and because I've seen this before more than once: you are well intended, but you are also threading between the lines of law and morality... one step on the wrong direction, and suddenly you'll start making decisions for the greater good... I'm sure you've already heard more than one story about how this generally ends."
Turning to Lady Faustinia, the rundottari continues. "Pardon me, milady, but even if I utterly respect you wisdom, I must disagree with your plan, unless you are more interested in being seen as the heroes instead of just helping the people." He crosses his arms once more, feeling a bit uncomfortable and out of place among the others. "You are just a step from turning yourselves from concerned citizens into vigilantes, something no dottari, honest or corrupt, likes... doing so, would not only put the thieves against you, but also all the dottari against you. To me, your message reads: 'The dottari are incompetent, but now there is someone capable of doing their job.'"
Baolus sighs before easing a bit. And... and this message would not be that wrong, unfortunately... Once more, he wanted to believe his own words. "Either way, I agree we must rest, and, perhaps, interrogate them before anything else."
Arael is enthusiast about Faustinia’s idea. “I find it extraordinary! This is just what we needed. I knew you were an unquenchable source of inspiration, madam. Thank you for sharing you wisdom and intelligence with us. We’ll do as you say.”
After listening to Baolus, Arael smiles kindly at him. “I appreciate your devotion, Baolus. That makes you special, just as everyone down here, except from me, is. I don’t want to judge your faith in the institutions, since I know all too well what it feels like when someone condemns what you believe in. But please, keep your eyes open. You’ll see the truth then. Nonetheless, I invite you to join us tomorrow morning for the funeral rites. We’ll talk more after the services.”
---
With that said, Arael wishes you good rest and takes Catina with him in the temple’s first floor, where the tiefling girl is lying on the floor, tied up with a rope. Arael helps Catina in undoing the knots, than heals the tiefling girl invoking Iomedae’s powers. As the tiefling girl starts to open her eyes, Arael steps aside, laying against one of the farthest walls and carefully keeping an eye on the tiefling girl.
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Catina instinctively tries to dissolve any tension that may have been brewing. "I'm sure she didn't mean it like that, Baolus. I can say, from eh... personal experience, that money given to an orphanage would be well-spent. And I fully support giving the stolen goods back to who it belonged to. But we also have to consider our group. We're just starting out, and if we can invest a small part into building that into something greater, we can do even more."
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Catina again wants to intervene and find common ground, but she's not sure that there is any. "I don't think we're going to be vigilantes," Catina starts without really thinking it through, "but we are something more than just concerned citizens. There must be so many concerned citizens in Westcrown, thousands upon thousands, but we were brought together by Arael to actually do something about it. People here have been terrorized by the Bastards for weeks, and they've experienced that the Dottari didn't help. I can see how Faustinia's plan must sound like we're making fools out of that, but that's not out intention. We just want to make visible that something's being done." With that, she comes back to her opening statement. "I'm... Actually, maybe that does make us vigilantes, in a way. A good way, I hope. I don't know. But we're not going to be these people's judge and executioner, if we can help it." She stops talking then, not precisely sure if she made her point.
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Catina is tense when the tiefling girl opens her eyes, and says a silent prayer to Shelyn. Trying to save people, those who show a wicked nature, may be a fool's errand, but I suppose you teach that it is always worth it to try. If we don't open ourselves up to the beauty in everyone, we can never truly see it in anyone. I've... not really had the opportunity - or inclination, Catina admits to herself - to actually act on what you preach. I'm not sure if I'll be any good at it, but please guide me in this task... She summons the feeling that Arael gave her when he first approaches her, and tries to present a warm smile as the first thing that the girl will see.
"Hello. Please don't be alarmed, we're not going to harm you... We did knock you unconscious, for which I'm sorry." Her expression should show that she's sincere. "We're... My name is Catina, and we came here tonight because we couldn't let a group of thieves, like the Bastards, have their way in the city unopposed. I can understand what it must be like, to have found a group that will accept you - really, I do - but I hope that you can understand, in your heart, that the way of the Bastards of Erebus was not the right one. If you'll listen to me, I hope that I can convince you that there is an alternative." She looks to Arael briefly, both for support and to hopefully show her that she is accepted by the half-elf.
The tiefling girl spits on the ground as she takes on a more comfortable position without standing up. She looks at Catina with a skeptical expression until the Shelynite ends her speech. “So what are you? Some sort of private guards? Or perhaps you’re Dottari in disguise. Oh, I got it! You’re heroes…Tsk, please…You deceived me, but you’re not going to…” The girl’s eyes widens as she realizes Arael is also in the room. And that there’s no one else in there. “Wait, did you actually defeat Palaveen?” Incredulous, the tiefling girl breaths deeply. “So you’re pretty powerful, after all. I see. I’m not buying your tales, baby girl. Tell me why I should even listen to you. We both know that you’re never going to set me free, considering what your group has done to the others…So why even bother? I learned a long time ago to abandon all hopes of acceptance. So just get it over with now, I’m ready. I knew the Bastards were my last call. I failed, just like I did any other time in my life. Kill me, and free me from this miserable existence.”
Catina is disappointed at first, but quickly manages to turn that around. At least she's honest, and she's not interested in playing nice with me just to try and weasel her way out of a bad situation. That's something. "No, that's not it. We're not going to kill you." She thinks for a moment how to dispel the girl's preconceptions. She considers for a moment weaving a tale as she's used to, but eventually decides on the truth. Harder for her, but it seems like the right thing to do.
"Yes. We defeated him, if you mean your leader, the Asmodean priest. And it's true that we had to kill some of his men, in combat. We captured the rest, knocked them out just as we did with you. We're still deciding what to do with them, but most like we'll turn them in to the Rundottari. We're not going to kill them, anyway. and I'm not going to kill you, like I said."
She comes a step closer, and lowers her voice slightly. "I didn't really know what to expect when I came here. But when you opened the door, I thought I saw something. You say you've failed at everything in your life. I think that's just how others made it seem to you. Or maybe you've just never tried doing the 'right' things, the ones you're going to be good at." Catina feels out of her depth, trying to persuade someone by being honest and forthcoming, but she bravely moves on.
"I guess I was luckier than the tieflings here, who ended up with the Bastards. I know I got lucky. Because I ended up being found, by a remarkable group of people who aren't bothered by these horns, or by any of the other things." She looks up at Arael again, fondly. "The point is, I can understand that life has been hard on you - terrible even. But please don't waste the opportunity I'm willing to give you, just because you think it's too good to be true. I really think that the girl who opened the door for me, she's not done with life. There is a chance for you. If you've got the courage to try, please let me get to know you, and we'll see together whether my group can come to accept you as they have me."
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Arael smiles back at Catina. His smile is full of love and pride. The tiefling girl, on the other hand, seems to be confused. "I...You're not trying to convince me, just like the others. I'm impressed! And let me tell you, you're good with words, but you wouldn't convince anyone, not even a mule". The girl laughs bitterly, then clears her throat. "And now let me guess. What would you have of me if I accept your offer? Would I be free to go on my way? Or would you watch over me as an older sister? I can't stand those who think to have the right to judge the others".
Spending the night in the underground tunnels once home to the Bastards of Erebus is not the most pleasant among the possible experiences, but you’re so tired and weak that even those frayed mattresses look like a comfortable bed in your eyes.
The night goes smooth, and you wake up the following morning. As you open your eyes, you see that the Eyes have already managed to gather the treasure and the unconscious tieflings in one place, ready to be moved. After giving you enough time to recover from the sleep, Arael steps forward and addresses you. “Good morning, heroes! As you can see, we’ve worked hard throughout the night in order to ensure that we could come back to the shrine safe and sound. After a long meditation, I decided that we won’t be using the sewers to leave this dreary place. That would be way too dangerous, and I’m not willing to even consider the idea of losing other Eyes in the process. So here’s what we’ll do. Faustinia and Catina will wear their uniforms and deliver the prisoners to the Rundottari. If Baolus and Petals want to join them, I think they should. I’ve got some uniforms for them as well. Otherwise, me and Janiven will be coming along with you.” The half-elf takes a sip from a mug of water and ensues. “As for the treasure, the other Eyes will attend to that. They’ll haul it over to the shrine using a cart as a disguise. A few of my contacts among the Rundottari will ensure them to pass through the gates without too many questions.”
Arael smiles and waits for an answer from Baolus and Petals. “So, what are you going to do?”
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Petals wakes to see the efficiency of the Eyes, and is really impressed. She listens intently as Arael tells everyone the plan, after a bit of stretching to work the kinks out from the night in the lumpy bed, then a series of maddening itches from whatever insect life lived in said bed, then a way too loud rumbling of her stomach, and...
... well she realizes she did miss some of what he said. With rosy cheeks of embarrassment, she has to ask him to repeat it.
Once he does(if he does), she'll reply quickly Yes sir, I'll help.
At the offer of a uniform she breathes For me? On loan, or do I... get to join? she holds her breath, waiting for the answer.
Catina looks as confused as the tiefling girl, trying to make sense of her backhand compliment/insult. Once again, she decides to go with honestly. "Well, yeah... You can tell I'm new at this kind of thing. It wasn't so long ago that I spent the entire day covered in the hood of my cloak, hiding myself and avoiding people if I could..." She sighs.
"Anyway, you asked me what I'd expect of you. That's simple, I hope. Just two things." She counts them off on her elongated finders. "One: I'd like to know your name, just so I have something to call you, and two: I want to shake your hand." There's a reason for the handshake, but Catina hopes that the girl doesn't catch on yet. "With that, you're free to go in the morning. Nothing more, no follower, and no big sister. I'll give you some silver. Not a bribe, mind! - but enough to see you fed and safely off the streets at night. Then, if you want, you can meet me day after tomorrow, around ten in the morning, on the shadow-side of Arodennama. We'll talk, and I'll tell you a bit more about myself."
She keeps her gaze focused on the girl, hoping that she made more of an impact this time.
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Faustinia smiles at Baolus with sad eyes. From the proud noblewoman, perhaps patronizing eyes, or at least a little smug with age. ”Apologies, Baolus, I spoke carelessly. I don’t mean to say that the poor of the city don’t need help. Just that we need to be careful about how we control our resources - it’s no good to warm the poor by setting our house ablaze, is it?” she poses, trying to be gentle.
When he criticizes her plan, she frowns in annoyance, especially considering Arael’s ringing endorsement. Setting her upset aside, she clears her expression and gives a playful bow to the priest and says, ”Thank you, Arael. I believe it is a suitable compromise, and it brings me joy to hear such validation from another of our esteemed Eyes.” She turns to Baolus, brow creased and ready to argue further, but doesn’t manage to say anything before Arael chimes in with his admiration and encouragement to see things differently. She slowly relaxes her combative expression and lets out a sigh.
She heads off for one of the nearby beds, feeling the exhaustion of the day’s conflicts seep into her old bones. However, as she does so, she passes by Baolus and gently lays a hand on his arm, if he allows it. ”Listen. I really do appreciate what you’ve done for us today. This city isn’t what it used to be, and I should know. As a historian, that is--I’m not quite that old,” she quickly interjects with a conspiratorial smile. ”The point is, the Eyes of Westcrown are going to continue to watch for ways to make things better for people. Even if--especially if those in charge can’t, or won’t. You’ll be able to go back to your post and do what you do to make things better there--this isn’t an all-consuming life.” She utters a little laugh, and smirks. ”You know, I was ready to argue with you up and down until you caved, but I think Arael was right. Your devotion is impressive, and an asset to you. But if you feel like you see truth in what we stand for, the Eyes of Westcrown will be glad to have you, I’m sure. Have a good night, Baolus,” she finishes, heading off to a nearby bed.
---
In the morning, Faustinia performs her usual magic-aided ablutions. A light headache starts to sneak up on her as she fails to find any suitable coffee, but she makes the best of it with some of the tieflings’ stored food and a mug of hot water. Once her spells are prepared, she pulls on her armband and cloak, ready in her uniform. ”I’m ready when the rest of you are,” she confirms, rolling one of her shoulders to relieve some tension in her old joints. ”I’ve got the bag of wooden coins and the note to pin on them. The only thing that remains is to take them out to some place that will be busy later in the day. Unless one of you wanted to interrogate their leader--Palaveen, I think it was--about this Council. I doubt he’ll be very chatty, though.”
"Of course you'd get to join, but only if you want to. And we may even have a job for you, Petals."
Arael then turns to Faustinia. "I know more than enough about the Council. Should you wish to know more, you just have to ask me. In private, possibly."
Janiven comes closer to Arael and the others. "Good morning, everyone. We were all tired yesterday, I hope the night has mitigated your differences of opinion. Anyway, these are the uniforms you asked me for, Arael."
"Petals, the smallest one is for you. And Baolus, I'm still waiting for an answer. I know, it can be hard to decide to join if you don't know what you're up to. Mind to follow me? Petals, come with us."
With that said, Arael takes Baolus and Petals in the leader's room. The half-elf walks across the room for a few seconds before suddenly stopping and staring at Baolus and Petals. "I'm sorry. I've been too harsh yesterday. I trust you, Baolus. And I appreciate your devotion. I just want to make clear that joining us doesn't imply that you have to leave the Rundottari. But I believe the time has come for me to explain you what do we mean by us."
Arael takes a sip from his mug of water and ensues. His voice is firm and inspiring. "We are the Eyes of Westcrown. We choose the name together. We are a group of Wiscrani who want to improve our city. Westcrown was once Aroden's city, the focus of his faith, the place with the highest number of temples and shrines. Our people were good natured and willing to help the world transition into a new era of greatness. As you know, that dream collapsed together with the Last Azlanti. But Westcrown didn't die that die. When House Thrune rose to power, Westcrown endured despite the humiliations. The capital was moved to Egorian, and the nobles left the old Crown of the West. Then, our city became haunted with shadows. No one can go out at night in the City of Twilight, as they call our home now. There are shadow beasts lurking at every corner. We're not under martial law, but it's like we are indeed. No freedom, no choice to determine our lives without leaving our homeland."
Arael shakes his head, a bit carried away by his own speech. "We deserve better than this. Our guards are corrupted, and even though a few of them are tenaciously loyal to their duties, most of them are not. Our nobles are decadent schemers, and many of them are criminals or worse. Our city is filled with slaves, and its whole northern part is entirely made up of ruins."
The half-elf clears his throat and comes closer to you.
"I have lived in Westcrown my whole life, and although I love this city, I must admit, as must you, that despite our peace and prosperity, we continue to suffer. Fear should not be an expected part of life, and yet each night brings fear to our doorsteps. Yes, Westcrown has been safe from war and famine for nearly seventy years, and yes, our businesses has prospered—but this safety and prosperity has been bought in the coinage of fear and prayers to Hell. Other lands live free from tyranny. Other cities do not fear the night. Other governments do not cede the streets to monsters of the infernal shadows. Westcrown was once such a place, and she wants to be such a place again. Westcrown is not only her buildings and canals and docks and history—she is also her people. Westcrown is our friends and neighbors, our mothers and fathers, our siblings and cousins, our sons and daughters! With but a small group of supporters and dedicated brothers and sisters, we can earn the trust and admiration of those people. We want to give the people of Westcrown hope. Hope that someone cares for them and will protect them even when the government fails to do it. These are the Eyes of Westcrown."
With that said, Arael relaxes and takes another sip. "Now, you know what this is all about. It's your choice whether to join us or not. Don't feel obliged. We saved your lives, but you don't know us any debts, and even if you did, you have more than made up for it. Are you up for this?"
Baolus listens to Lady Faustinia, surprised with her tone and attention. She had some good points, but he would need to sleep on it. The day was tiresome and he knew for sure that his mind wasn't properly working right now. With a nod, he simply replied. "Good night, milady. I'll give it a thought."
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Baolus listens to what Arael has to say, paying attention to every word. What the half-elf said made a lot of sense in his opinion, but, even so, the rundottari was reluctant to agree with him, for he could not shake the feeling that by accepting his offer he would be turning his back against his own organization, against his mentor, and against what he believed... no, not that, for he would be directly fighting for what he believed.
Rubbing his temper, Baolus thought, extending the silence in the room. Even if these men wants to help the city, aren't them going against the law? What right do they have to arresting and attacking thieves? The dottari should be the ones doing this, not them... yet, they had to, since we failed them... I failed them. Opening his eyes, Baolus saw once more a scar on his left wrist that was caused many years ago when he was incarcerated for the first time, just before Arik freed him, and soon he found his answer.
So... I've been shackled all this time... not by a physical one, but by my own blindness and hope. This isn't a black and white matter anymore, it has never been. If the dottari were as adamant as I wished, I'd be incarcerated and probably dead by now, but here I am... Arik bent the law by helping me and so did I more than a couple times to help some misguided urchins... but even so, I can't turn my back to what I am...
Baolus looked at Petals, already knowing what her answer would be, and for a couple seconds he envied her. Turning to Arael, he gave his answer while extending his hand. "Very well, I'm with you, but not entirely in an open way. Even if I agree that what you are doing is necessary, I still believe that by publicly announcing yourselves, you'd be undermining the dottari image even more... that I can't do, both because my own moral compass, my loyalty to them and my commander, and even thinking about you, for my open association might bring the hammer against you even harder."
"I hope that, one day, Westcrown won't need you anymore, but until that day, I'm with you." Taking the uniform and unfolding it, Baolus looks at Arael once more. "I won't be joining you in the 'delivery' today, though... I need to make a couple arrangements before I can safely wear this uniform."
Catina holds the girl's hand for a little longer than necessary as she smiles and locks gazes. She hopes to capitalize on that basic human need for contact, that she herself had to go so long without. She guessed it wasn't any different for this tiefling. Still, she's quite surprised to find her agreeing so readily. Hoping to cover up her surprise, she nods, even as she critically examines Azivah to look for signs of reception. "Yes, Azivah. That's really it. I have to go back to my friends now, and I suspect we'll be busy in the morning. Here are the coins I promised. And I really hope to see you in two days time. Take care." With another look up at Arael, she leaves the girl and returns downstairs.
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Catina doesn't say much to the others before it's time for bed. She sleeps restlessly. Halfway through the night she wakes screaming from a dream of Azivah standing over Sev's bloodied corpse, laughing at her and calling her gullible even as she casually slits Lorenzo's throat. She doesn't sleep any more after that...
In the morning, Catina excuses herself for morning prayer. She moves to a distant part of the hideout, but unsteady singing can be heard echoing through the tunnels. When it's time to make plans, Catina rejoins the group but she doesn't say much. As evidenced by her puffy bloodshot eyes she has been crying, a lot.
Petals listens, bright and hopeful, but when he gets to a certain point her smile drops and worry enters her eyes.
Um sir, I hope this still means I can join, I do want to help, but... she hesitates before confessing I do not love this city. Not in the least little bit. You talk about darkness but it is much much more. Every misery soaked board holding this city together bears down on us all, smothering us with despair. I've lived here all my life, just like you, and I cannot understand how you can have any feelings for it other than hate. looking resolute she adds firmly I HATE this city. Very VERY much.
Please don't get me wrong, I want to help. The people though, not the city.
I've been beaten on multiple occasions, stabbed once, molested countless times, worse thrice, and left to die on the streets by my own parents. So I should hate people just as much. But for every evil there is countless good done in return. Little things, unnoticed things, like making sure a drunk gets home to his family. Like when a poor mother gives a hunk of bread to one of the countless street kids when she has barely enough for her own or an old woman shouting away a careless tormentor from a slave risking the torment being turned on her.
Even finding an elven child crying in an alleyway and not simply walking away.
People are amazing. Even the Dottari, Baolus. For the most part they are just normal people doing a job, trying to make a way for them and their families through this cesspool of a city. Caught between the streets that hate them and the uppers that use them. I hear them talk, I hear the people they both hurt and save talk. I’ve been listening for decades it seems. And now I... we... have a chance to help. No matter whether we’ll be seen as vigilantes, it is right, is it not?
She clutches the uniform to her chest, looking at both Baolus and Arael as if she is worried one or both of them will take it away.
It pains him to hear the girl besides him to voice such dark emotions towards the city and, even if he did not agree with her, he could definitely understand her. He reaches for her, but instead of grabbing the uniforms in her arms, he puts his hand on her shoulder. "If that is the case, them fight to turn Westcrown in a place you'd like to live and be proud of."
"I... I believe your Goddess says that there is beauty in everything... even if buried beneath less pleasant things. Westcrown is no exception, and I hope you'll find its beauty someday, but don't hate it... such ugly feeling doesn't suit you, or your Goddess..."
Petals' eyes turn sharp, I know quite well what my goddess believes thank you very much! she snaps, then regrets it immediately.
Sighing to push back a pain Baolus has nothing to do with, she then smiles softly before continuing. While I love her dearly, I don't always agree. Probably why I never made it as a priestess. Her laugh is unconvincing, but she manages a better smile up at the larger ranger You are right, and I will try, but for now, I'll fight for the people, not the city. with a nod she turns back to Arael, Is that good enough? she asks hopefully.
“It’s Avirah”, specifies the tiefling girl with a snigger. “And yes, we’ll meet soon.” Catina can’t really read the mischievous look in Avirah’s eyes, but she has no choice but to trust her and hope the spark of beauty she was in her soul was true.
---
Arael listens wide-eyed at Petals as the elf tells him and Baolus about how much she hates the city. Arael is left speechless by the girl’s rancor towards the city, but as soon as he’s about to talk, Baolus anticipates him. Arael nods at the ranger with a smile. “Baolus is right, Petals. Anyway, that uniform is all yours. But remember these words. Westcrown is her people. If you want to help the latter, you should help the earlier. Welcome to the Eyes.”
Arael stares at the young elf, his mind filled with unspoken thought. Then, he turns to Petals. “Well, now go and join the others. Tell Janiven she’ll come with you and that we will meet at the safe house as soon as you’re done. Good luck”. Arael does not break down, neither does he give away his feeling easily, at least until Petals is in the room. As soon as the elf steps out, though, he shakes his head and his smile turns into a perplexed scowl. “Young elves can be very difficult to handle, at time”, he says to Baolus with a sigh, “Their emotions are twice as strong as ours. We just need to turn that hate into a more positive energy.”
The half-elf reaches for his cloak temporarily leaning on a crate. “We should go as well, Baolus. I’ll let you free after the last rites. Would you mind following me for now?”
Assuming Baolus accepts the offer, Arael leads him in the main tunnel, where the leader of The Eyes of Westcrown gives the last guidance to his men and women. Catina, Faustinia, Petals and Janiven are already gone. As the other Eyes prepare to leave the lair of the Bastards of Erebus, Arael leads Baolus in the temple, upstairs. Once they’re there, the half-elf priest smiles at him encouragingly. “You should be familiar with Parego Dospera and I trust you with my own life. Lead us out of this place.”
Baolus doesn’t fail Arael’s expectations and leads the half-elf through safe paths amid the ruins. They walk together in silence for a few minutes, taking care of where they put their feet. Then, Arael’s voice pierces the silence. “I was hoping to get the chance to talk with you, Baolus. I’ve got something to tell you, and I’m sorry not to have done it earlier, but this is a rather private topic…”
“Durotas Arik Tuornos knows about this group. The Eyes, I mean. We grew up together, and he was the first I contacted when the idea to form such a group struck me for the first time. He refused, because he had already taken his role as leader of the ruin wardens, as he calls them. The Rundottari. But Arik knows perfectly what needs to be done, and assured me maximum cooperation. This is we we’re able to get in and out Parego Dospera so easily. And…the last time I saw him we talked about you”.
Arael gives Baolus a quick look in order to assess his reaction, then ensues. “Up to that time, his collaboration consisted in him telling the most trustworthy of his men to allow us free entrance in the ruins. But he wanted to do more. He had one underling in particular he was especially proud of. It was you. He told me about your story, how he saved you from your life of crimes, and I was impressed. He asked me to keep a close eye on you, and if I deemed you suitable for our group, to go ahead and recruit you.”
Arael clears his throat. “Now, I know this is not easy to believe, but we’re not criminals. We cooperate with the Rundottari because they’re the least corrupted among the city’s guard, at least those loyal to your leader and not to that Eccobar Drumnis. Arik knows his command is a posting of low prestige and social punishment, but he and his men take pride in their responsibility to man the walls of Rego Cader and keep the threats and dangers of the ruins contained and out of the city. And he’s especially proud of you. So…Well, you can tell him you joined us, if you want so. He was the one who suggested it, after all”.
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Catina, Faustinia, Petals and Janiven do as planned, and deliver the surviving Bastards of Erebus to the Rundottari along with a letter and pouch containing the Bastard’s unholy wooden coins. They leave before anyone can notice them, and quickly reach the safehouse.
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As Petals snaps at him, Baolus quickly removes his hand from her shoulder, containing the impulse of commenting about roses also being made of thorns, not only petals. "If it works for you, it works for me." In his mind, truly worshiping a God or Goddess was a full commitment... or you trust and follows all Their dogmas, or you don't worship them at all. In truth, he knew it was much more easily talked than done, a proof being the large number of lip-worshipers of Abadar and yet the reduced number among them who indeed receive divine attention and blessings. Catina was clearly a true believer of Shelyn, but perhaps Petals was just a dabbler in her faith. Nevertheless, it wasn't his business.
---
As Petals leaves the room, Baolus nods in agreement to Arael's words. "To be honest, I think I'll believe your words, since I've never met a young elf before. As far as I understood, despite appearing full mature, you suggest she is still a teenager?" This was an immensely important information for him. The elf was beautiful and he would not be surprised if, along the missions they would need to undertake as the eyes, all of them would not form a close bond with each other. Knowing this, Baolus was now determined to never let such bound develop into anything more than that. Unconsciously, Petals image was instantly turned into that of a younger sister.
---
Baolus moves around the Parego Dospera with ease, knowing much of its layout from memory. To those strange tp these parts, Parego Dospera might look like a crumbling and lifeless labyrinth, but to him, it was it... there were always large vermin and even a couple wild animals skulking around it, and even a couple hidden monsters, so knowing how to avoid them was the key. Even more dangerous than its denizens, was the terrain itself, comprised of difficult terrain, crumbling buildings and floors... a step in the wrong direction could bury you beneath a pile of rubble, or send you to some long forgotten underground passage.
Baolus listens to Arael without removing his attention from his guiding task. As the leader talked, the rundottari felt as if removing a heavy burden from his shoulders. "Thank you for sharing this with me, Arael. I utterly respect Durotas Tuornos, and knowing that the endorses your... no, our, operations, indeed makes my decision to join you much more correct in my eyes."
"I'll talk to him as soon as I return to the world of the living, and I'll let you know if he has anything else to say. I believe the conversation between you and him will be coming through me? Unless you two are close friends, of course..." Then, yet another thought crosses his mind. "Oh, I recall something important... How will I be able to reach you? I don't know where your base of operations is located."
"I think so", says Arael with a doubtful expression. "Otherwise, her behavior would be unexplainable."
---
"We are close friends, Baolus. Although we somehow took different paths. But we still meet each other every now and then, and we share a strong bond."
When Baolus mentions his concern about how to find the safehouse, Arael giggles. "Didn't you say you would attend to the last rites for Lorenzo and Sev? Well, there's no other place where we could celebrate those rites other than our shrine. We're headed there, actually."
Once the two reach the civilized part of Westcrown, Arael takes the lead and takes Baolus to the shrine of Aroden, the Eyes of Westcrown's hideout. "The temple was abandoned after Aroden's death", explains Arael as he opens the unassuming back door, "But the church of Iomedae inherited it, although the appropriate licenses are likely lying under piles of paperwork. Chelish bureaucracy, what can you do? One must learn to exploit the weaknesses in the system if he wants to act by the rules and do something good for the city at the same time...".
Once inside the safehouse, Arael leads Baolus to the upper floor and shows him one of the private rooms. The chamber contains a bed with clean sheets, wooden chair and desk and a washtub. "Make yourself at home. I expect the others to take a while before they gather in the main hall. I assume you're longing for a bath, don't you? We have a vat filled with hot water on the ground floor. Feel free to use it. In the meantime, I'll have a bath as well and prepare for the memorial service. We also have a training room in the basement, if you're interested. I'll see you later. Oh, and if you want some books to pass the time, you can find a good collection in the main hall. See you later, Baolus."
When Catina rejoins the others in the morning, after her prayers, she's wearing her uniform. She seems to draw some strength from it. She's been silent for most of the morning, but the wait for Arael, Petals and Baolus is too much for her. She pours out her heart to Faustinia and Janiven. "I talked with the tiefling girl yesterday. She agreed to meet me in two days, but... I don't know. It all seemed to go so easy. What if we never see her again. Did I then turn a known thief - or a killed, even - loose in the city? When the Eyes went through all this trouble to stop them?" She sighs, then keeps on talking. "She seemed kind enough, but how can you tell, really. I was just blathering. Maybe she was laughing at me the entire time while I spoke." There's a small pause before she blurts out "I even got her name wrong!"
She sighs again, and fiddles with her bracelet. Then, she suddenly changes the subject, addressing Faustinia in a more cheerful tone. "You know, I think I have some new ideas for working my magic! Yesterday, when that ghostly weapon appeared to harass you; I think I could also do something like that. And I've been working on a spell for a while now, that will stop a person in their tracks. I think I'm really close"
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Faustinia joins Janiven and Catina in preparing to deliver the captured Bastards, unusually peppy. She drinks from a stone mug filled with something hot, about to explain that she managed to find some coffee grounds, when Catina unleashes her deluge of concerns about the released tiefling woman. Faustinia lets Catina finish, then gives her a small smile. "Catina, I wouldn't worry too much about it. We've stopped their gang, so I doubt one lowly door guard is going to be so bold as to commit more than petty thievery, if that. Look at it this way - there are two possibilities. First, she runs off and we never hear from her again. Obviously, this isn't ideal, but she won't be the kind of trouble that the Eyes can't handle. Also, it may feel like you've made a mistake, but it's no great sin - you can't stop her from lying to you if she's so inclined, and you'll move on and grow from this. You're young, but trust me on this. Or, the other option is that she decides to humor your request, and you can continue your conversation with her from there," Faustinia takes another sip of coffee and shrugs. "And this time, you'll get her name right," she concludes. She reaches out an affirming hand toward Catina's, as if to give it an encouraging squeeze. She realizes what she's doing before she completes the action, and - for Faustinia's benefit or Catina's, the old woman can't say in the moment - instead moves her hand up and lightly pats Catina on the arm in a friendly way.
Faustinia continues to drink from her mug, and raises an interested eyebrow as Catina explains her explorations into magic. "Ah, yes, what many priests call a spiritual weapon. I imagine yours would take the form of a glaive, yes?" she asks, eyeing Catina's own physical weapon. "A quite powerful thing, if it hits the right way. Do keep me updated on your spell to stop people, too. That could be quite powerful. Myself, I've been thinking about that pesky weapon and the infernal leader of the Bastards as well. His tactics were frustrating - and quite effective, until he was cornered. I've been thinking of a way to be that effective myself, and I think I've cracked it." She winks. "You'll see it eventually, I'm sure. We should get moving, though. We want to get the thieves nice and tied up before there are too many people around. And then, well... then I suppose we wouldn't want to be late for the memorials."
The Eyes are all gathered in the Shrine of Aroden. A number of tall, white marble columns divide the main hall in three different sections. The columns are finely decorated, although their style appears to be quite old. On the walls, several torches affixed to them shine on some awe-inspiring frescoes. These wall paintings are clearly old and faded, but they appear to represent scenes from Aroden’s life. The table and chairs normally occupying the hall have been moved to one corner in order to leave room for the assembled people. At the northernmost side of the room, two wooden coffins are placed, one significantly smaller than the other. Behind what once might have been altar stands Arael, wearing the formal raiment of his faith—a white cassock with gold trim and matching mitre. Two large gold plated censer hang from the ceiling on the half-elf sides.
“Brothers and Sister, Eyes of Westcrown and new friends, we’re all gathered here, today, to commemorate the death of two of us. Lorenzo and Sev were very different from each other, but they shared something—the will to fight for what they deemed right. They wanted to see this city restored to its former glory, to improve the life of our fellow citizens, to fight against those who would cast us in the shadow of vice and decadence. And they did it. To the last. They both lost their life fighting for what they believed in, and we shall always thank them for their sacrifice. I…” Arael stops, visibly touched, “I feel responsible for their deaths. It was me to recruit them. Tonight I couldn’t sleep. The burden of my fault weighed too much over my mortal shoulders. But then She showed me the truth. Death is not the end. Lorenzo and Sev are both in a better place now. They did what they could in order to improve our city, but they were too pure to stay too long among us. Iomedae called them to her side, but we shall never forget them. May their valor, the justice they embodied and the glory they brought to our group be never forgotten”.
Fiosa and Ermolos each bring a small token sword made of brass to Arael. The half-elf places one in each coffin before closing it. “An afterlife without constant battle is the reward for all the righteous souls who pursued honor and justice in life. Instead of their weapons, Lorenzo and Sev will make their journey accompanied by these small tokens, so that the sword will watch over them in the afterlife and fight battles on behalf of them, so that they can remain at rest…May their souls rest in peace” he says solemnly.
“If someone wants to say something, come here and speak.”
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As Baolus follows Arael inside the old Arodenite temple and receives the explanation about the place, he can't stop himself from thinking if the hideout wasn't too obvious, after all Aroden's symbol was know to be an stylized big eye and calling themselves the Eyes of Westcrown was a big clue about their whereabouts if someone was clever enough to put the pieces together. However, he decided that, as a newcomer, he should watch first and ask questions later. They might have thought about some sort of contingency...
"Thank you, Areal." He says with a nod. "I'll take care of myself now... go on, you might be even more tired than I am. Prepare yourself for the memorial... I believe I'll take your offer of a bath. A friend of mine always said that, once one asks you if you'd like to take a bath, you should always say yes, for you might be stinking like the armpit of a goat." With a smile, Baolus closes the door, being alone for the first time in the last days... or weeks. Baolus then leaves his considerable number of weapons and armor near his designated bed before leaving for the promised bad.
After asking for directions, Baolus finds a beautiful and kind tian woman who points him to the correct way. By the mourning faces of those he met, he imagined Sev and Lorenzo would be missed dearly. By entering the vats, Baolus then realized the extent of his wounds and bruises, as well as the new cuts on his face left by that hulking tiefling. If this stuff with the Eyes continues to go this way, I'll have more scars than skin by the end... well, that is if I live to the end. Despite these dire thoughts, Baolus wasn't really worried, used to the same thoughts each day when he used to enter the Parego Dospera to work as a rundottari.
After the relaxing bath, Baolus returns to his room, conscious that it would still take a couple more hours before the memorial. Resting his head on his pillow, Baolus jumped from the bed as he noticed the sounds. The memorial! To his surprise, the rundottari had not even realized he had fallen asleep almost instantly, barely missing the ceremony. He run as fast as he could without making too much noise.
Luckily, he had missed almost nothing. To his experience, it was a beautiful ceremony, even if simple and private. He imagined if either Sev or Lorenzo would have friends outside the Eyes who would never know about their passing, never know they died as heroes... As Arael asked if they would like to say something, Baolus remained silent... he would not stain their memory with generalities about someone he barely met. Let those close to him provide the remarkable words...
Petals stays silent and in the back. She does not know these men, but it was obvious they were loved and respected. And that they gave their lives to better those in need. Dear Mother... she whispers in her own mind. These men are heroes that no one will know, please remember them.
The warm melodious voice responds, Child, a goddess remembering will do nothing, instead maybe a little lost songbird can help make sure they are never forgotten.
How?
The laugh was delightful as always, A song of course, sweetums. A lovely song for them.
Petals has the twinge of doubt that comes more and more these years that the voice in her head isn't the goddess, but simply madness. Still it speaks sense. She decides to talk to the others later to gather stories of these two men, and maybe she can honor them in her own way.
Catina, being humble or nervous, gives others the chance to speak first, then eventually steps forward. She's wearing her white acolyte's robes for the occasion, with a multicolored sash and her pewter bracelet. After much fussing, she had decided to forgo a cloak, leaving her scarred arms bare for all to see.
She gently strides forward, not trusting herself yet to look at the coffins. She first seems to direct herself toward Lorenzo's, then decides to talk about Sev first. "I am very sorry to say that we didn't get the chance to know Sev as well as we could have. Should have, perhaps. He... He didn't talk a lot about himself. Out of modesty or fear, I think. Or perhaps a little of both. He..." she smiles despite her sorrow, "he always seems so jittery, nervous. But despite that, or perhaps because of that, I think he was very brave. Probably braver than we all realized. I hope he has found peace now. Sev, you will be missed."
She then turns towards Lorenzo's coffin, and swallows. It's clear that talking about him weighs heavy on her. "The... first time I met Lorenzo was actually before we were brought together by Arael. You know that he's a stonemason - was a stonemason. He was working at the north wing of the opera that day. I had been watching the men work for a while, and I noticed that his chisel broke. I felt obligated to do something about that, even though I had been watching from the shadows up until that time. We..." Her eyes moistens, and her smile turns into a short laugh. "We didn't really get off on the right foot, I suppose. He was very polite, which I'm not really used to. And then he asked if I sang in the opera, considering I was there. I... I took offense and got mad at him, which he totally hadn't deserved." She pauses. "If it had ended there, I never would have known more about him. I consider myself lucky every day that we were brought together here, and that I got to know him better. I know that he hadn't just been polite that day and that he turned out to be much more than just a polite stonemason with good looks."
She looks over those gathered and straightens herself. "We fought beside each other since then, and I could talk about his courage, his prowess with a blade, or his resolve to protect me. But instead, I'd like to say that I never stopped seeing him as a concerned Wiscrani, someone who would have been happy to just be a stonemason and care for his family, his sisters. They were always the reason why he did what he did, to give them a better place to live." She pauses one final time. "Lorenzo cannot do so any more, but others will take up his place, and his death will not have been in vain. We'll make sure of that." With a tear rolling down her Infernal-scarred cheek, she steps down from the altar and returns to the group, resting shortly by both coffins to say her final and silent goodbyes.
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Faustinia follows after Catina to give her own eulogies. She steps up to the old altar, wearing the white cloak of her uniform. She takes a deep breath, looking out over the assembled Eyes, then clears her throat solemnly.
Following Catina's lead, she starts with Sev. ”Sev was, as Catina pointed out, a bit of a mystery - at least to me. But I spent enough time with him to recognize his bravery and his cleverness. Unsure as he might have seemed at times, he was still there with us as we faced the dangers and iniquities of Westcrown. He had a quick mind and a good heart, and we won't forget him.”
Faustinia finishes with Sev and turns toward the larger coffin, before turning back to the crowd. ”Lorenzo Mancini, the young stonemason, believe it or not, came from a long line of old noble Wiscrani. The boy had a lot to learn about his heritage. As a historian, it was honestly a little frustrating for me that he seemed to care more about doing the right thing than learning his own history,” Faustinia jokes with a small, sad smile. The spot of levity is fleeting, though, and her smile quickly drops before she continues. ”Lorenzo was brave and valorous - despite his rudimentary religious training, he was every bit a knight of Iomedae. May his sacrifice lead us to glory and peace.”
Faustinia stands at the altar for a beat, then lets out a long exhale. Her stately posture, impeccable as she spoke, shrinks a little as she steps down and returns to stand with the rest of the Eyes. Looking at the coffins directly again, her vision starts to blur. She reaches up with a sleeve and wipes the forming tears from her face, trying to stand strong for everyone - for the Eyes, and for Westcrown.
After Faustinia and before Catina, many of the Eyes step up to say something about Lorenzo and Sev. All of the speeches have one thing in common—everyone loved and admired both Lorenzo and Sev, and they will be missed dearly by all the members of the group. A mournful silence follows each speech. With Catina’s words, the ceremony comes to an end.
Tired, some even wounded, and with their hearts full of sorrow but also pride for the great endeavor recently accomplished, the members of the Eyes of Westcrown leave the shrine at intervals, so as not arise suspicions in the passers-by.
As the others leave, Arael approaches Catina, Faustina, Baolus and Petals. Janiven is at his side. The half-elf face is still filled with sorrow. “Would you mind following me in the studium?”
As soon as you join him in the studium, Arael seats behind his desk, while Janiven rests her shoulder against the stone walls of the small room. “Once again, I would like to thank you for what you’ve done. We’re all together in this now, so I see no reason why we should not help each other as far as we can. In my case, this means that should you need a spell that I’m able to cast, you should come here at the safehouse and I’ll do my best to help you, without any sort of payment of course. Also, I’m able to brew magical potions. Essentially I infuse water with my spells and seal the result in a vial. I trust you know how potions work. Anyway, their cost is usually very high. Part of that cost is to pay for the needed materials, and there’s nothing I can do about that. But when it comes to my retribution for brewing the potion, which usually amounts to half of its value, I won’t charge you with that. Basically, I’m going to brew potions for you for free, if you can provide me with the needed components or pay for them”.
Arael is clearly absentminded, but her proposal isn’t one someone would turn down easily. The half-elf sighs, a bitter smile on his weary face. “Apart from that, you’re now free to return to your normal lives. We need to lay low for a second time, as we don’t want to draw the wrong attentions. I don’t know how much this will last, but I’ll contact you as soon as I’ve got something for you. Also, Baolus, Petals. You’re now official members of the Irises, the elite squad of our group, composed by you two plus Catina and Faustinia. You deserve it.”
“Feel free to come back at the shrine anytime you want. As you know, Mathalen lives here, as do I. Whatever you need, anytime you need it, you’ll find one of us here”, adds Janiven in a much more joyful tone.
“And don’t forget about the other Eyes, as well. They see you as heroes now, and some of them would give away everything they have to be trained by you. Lorenzo had accepted to teach Ermolos, Rizzardo and Yorith a few tricks with the sword, but now…” Arael stops, and he seems about to burst into tears. Somehow, though, he manages to control his feelings. “That’s all. Thank you again, for everything.”
As you leave the room, Arael’s voice calls out. “Petals, please stay”. When the others are gone and the door has been closed behind them, Arael looks the elf in the eye and smiles. “I know about the hard life you had to endure. This is all over now. Me and Janiven bought an abandoned tavern a few months ago. Vizio’s Tavern. We’re planning to reopen it soon, as a public place where our member could gather and as a cover for our organization. Taverns are also good places where to learn the latest rumors, something which would come in handy to us. Would you like to work for us? You would get paid of course, and well enough. Also, you’d be allowed to perform in the tavern anytime you want. Also, you’d be granted free board in the tavern and a private room here in the shrine. Yakopulio is already in for this. You’d work with her and Janiven. Rizzardo’s still thinking about my offer to work as a bouncer. So, what do you think about it?”
A job! She claps with a little bounce, actually slightly disturbed that it makes her so happy. She's been without one before, and it was very bad. I... well, it's just right to let you know, I've been fired before... more than once... well kind of a lot. I'm good at it, I promise, just can't keep to my own business at times, but I'll try, my very best. She babbles, The worries had been building as she thought about trying to find a place. To work and to live. After a few days, even the kindest would have thought her dead, meaning all she owned was now on her back, the rest being claimed by the landlord and such.
I mean.. she settles, gives a proper curtsey and says Yes, sir. I'd be honored.