Aerel watches the creature leave, permitting it to pass him by without further harm.
Despite a parting blow from Emma, Gobblegut slinks back into the water, the fight thoroughly taken out of it.
The monstrous Gaedren Lamm and his savage pet have been defeated.
On the body of the old crook, you find several items of interest. His padded armor and dagger both detect as magical, and his hand crossbow is of masterwork quality. He also has 10 bolts and a brass key.
The key turns out to open the door behind him, which opens into a squalid chamber. This foul-smelling room seems to be a combination bedroom and study. A wooden bed with a lumpy mattress stands against the east wall, while a round table heaped with dirty plates, bread crusts, stained goblets, fruit rinds, and scuttling cockroaches sits nearby. At the foot of the bed sits a large strongbox; a slightly rusted lock secures it and a moldy ledger with pages rippled from moisture sits atop its lid. A sagging dresser filled with moth-eaten clothes well past their glory days is in one corner. What appears to be a wooden hatbox surrounded by a small cloud of flies sits atop this dresser.
Looking back at Lamm, "We need to head back to the children."
Aerel turns to look at the corpse of Lamm, his expression dispassionate. Khara... He will never again harm another family as he has ours. I... I only knew you briefly, but our love was what illuminated those two decades. He sheathes his blade, flowing over the floor towards the elderly human, examining him more closely, and though he does flick an ear to acknowledge Emma's words, his focus is elsewhere.
He kneels down next to the old man's corpse, examining it quietly, before taking its dagger and slashing the corpse's throat. It is best to be sure.
After a moment, Lamm's stench hits him, overwhelming even the disgusting scent of the fishery itself. Ugh. Did he ever bathe? The elf's fingers flow through the air, still empowered by the spell-dance, and he chants the phrases needed to detect magic.
Aerel can tell that the armor and dagger are both of +1 quality.
"Hm." Aerel sighs softly, before raising his voice to speak to his fellows. "His armor is enchanted, as is his dagger... assuming anyone can stand wearing the former." His tone indicates he considers the possibility remote at best.
He looks to the others, allowing them to make of that what they will.
Marvel looks to Aerel - "We should search the place. Look for any kind of evidence and look for valuables. We need the evidence for those we took alive, and to make sure the authorities won't arrest us. If need be I can tell the police I was contacted by masked vigilantes who had saved my daughter, captured these men and found this and that evidence. I mean, I'm a lawyer, it, it would make sense, yes? And they know me. They would never think I had it in me to... well, to do what we did." Pausing shortly while staring at Lamm's body, Marvel continues "The valuables we should collect and hand over to the temple for the children's education, wellbeing and the improvement of their orphanages in general, if we find that much. Then something good comes out of this... I mean, more than just stopping him."
Looking to Emma, relief painted over Marvel's face as he realises this is over, he adds "I'll gladly go guard the children while the rest of you search here. We can search upstairs together with the children later."
Nicholas moves next to Gaedren and crouches down next to the now dead body. He's dead. He's really, finally dead. So...why am I not happy?
He had done it. Just like he had done it in his mind time and again, constantly imagining the finishing blow, and it had worked just like that. But where was the closure?
And why do I feel sorry for doing it?
Standing up abruptly, Nicholas briskly walks out and up to stand outside the fishery once more. Taking a breath of the night air, he slinks down agains tte building.
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"Very well, revenge is gained. The predator is destroyed. Better yet to destroy his reputation as has been suggested. Is the intent to make this appear as a robbery by a rival? If so, then take it all, sell it, and give it for the orphans."
"The one problem with that approach is that the survivors have seen us, and they know we came for the children."
Staring in to the water but still listening to everyone talking, "We take everything and sell it. The children deserve the gold. But we should not linger here long."
"Master Manyshot, you are a good man, and a knowledgeable lawyer." The elf says serenely. "But I do not think that you making a lie here would be the wisest choice."
Aerel inclines his head slightly at his companions' words. "Perhaps I might want to make a small offering to the Savored Sting, as well, in thanks for Shaeda's aid." He muses thoughtfully, taking the key from Lamm's corpse and using it on the door. His expression tightens as he gazes in on the disgusting conditions of living. ... gods, I hate this city.
Keeping his spell of magical detection up, the elf examines the room thoroughly, his movements graceful, but radiating an intense disgust. "Patience, young friend. I am certain that there is yet useful items and evidence present here..."
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Marvel's experience with the town guard suggests that the group is probably in the clear. There can be little doubt that the activities of Lamm's gang were highly illegal, the children will vouch for the abuses they suffered, and the living members of Lamm's gang will have their best chance of escaping the noose if they cooperate.
On slightly shadier ground, a large portion of the Korvosan guard would be very happy to be rid of Lamm, and aren't too likely to examine the circumstances of his death closely.
Aerel's keen sight finds no shortage of both evidence and other interesting goods in the room.
A ledger on top of the strongbox contains a pretty concise record of Gaedren's transactions, including fenced goods, drug deals, and protection schemes. It's somewhat encoded, but when compared with the records found in Yargin's office, the numbers match and the meaning becomes clear. The guards will be very interested in this.
Gaedren's key opens the strongbox, and inside you find quite a few valuables. While most of the loot he acquired seems to have passed through the organization quickly, the quality of these particular goods suggests that either he collected them for their finery, or liked to keep a stash of especially high value items in case of a cash emergency.
There are:
* A narrow teak cigar case inlaid with tiny bits of jade
* A 2-pound gold ingot bearing the Cheliax coat of arms
* A miniature gold crown
* A fist-sized scrimshaw carving of a kraken with garnets for eyes
* A silver ring bearing the inscription “For Estra—the light in my nights”
* A highly realistic (and scandalous) ivory figurine of two entwined succubi
* 3 masterwork shuriken
* A masterwork dagger with a strange blade shaped almost like a key bearing the inscription: “For an inspiration of a father”
* An abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn
* A glass tube containing a silvery liquid that Aerel detects as magical
* An obsidian wand, also magical
* A bejeweled brooch with a broken clasp
Even to an untrained eye, the brooch is obviously the highest value item in the trove. It depicts a house drake batting an imp, with a amethyst for the dragon's eye and an emerald for the imp's. Despite the broken clasp, the piece is well cared for, and even looks freshly polished.
Nicholas realizes two startling things. The first is that he knows the origin of the brooch; it is the property of Queen Ileosa herself, went missing some months ago, and an reward is offered for its return.
The second is even more surprising; that key-like dagger matches the description of the weapon used by an infamous serial killer, one known only as the "Key-Lock Killer".
But even that pales when compared to the shocking revelation of what's inside the hatbox when Aerel peeks within. A severed head, clearly dead for some weeks, but crudely preserved enough that the features are still recognizable. It is the head of Zellara Esmeranda, who you last saw only hours ago. Also within the box is a deck of Harrow cards, which likewise look incredibly familiar. Several are missing from the deck; the very cards that summoned you to Zellara's home.
While Aerel searches, Marvel takes a few seconds to think, before turning to the group with a smile.
"I'm sorry, I should have taken some time to think right away. What we have done is not illegal per say. Well, I mean, a highly vicious judge hating everyone and everything perhaps could find something to punish us for, but no. We can safely inform the authorities of what we have done and found - and I even know most of the guard hate Lamm enough that they won't miss the items we find, whether we donate them to a temple or keep some for ourselves."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a daughter to hug."
Marvel quite literally runs off, quickly makes sure the children are ok and everyone is still tied, before lifting up his daughter, hugging her for a few minutes while telling her how much he loves her and has missed her, quite likely cries a bit, and should manage to return to the group carrying her before the take 20 perception is done.
Garnet Amulet -
Teak cigar case -
2-pound gold ingot -
Gold crown -
Scrimshaw carving -
Silver ring -
Ivory figurine -
Masterwork shuriken -
Weird key dagger -
Holy symbol of Shelyn -
Under the bed, there is a darkwood coffer containing several bags of powder. Clearly this is the stash of Shiver that Gaedren Lamm tried to bribe you with.
"Hm... Aerel looks over his discoveries, placing them quietly outside the door as he finds them. The key shaped dagger gives him pause. "It would appear that someone's child has a bitter sense of humor..."
The abalone-shell holy symbol is carefully placed in the elf's backpack. There is probably some Shelynite cleric whose day might be made by returning this...
The wand makes the elf smile, as does the liquid, and he carefully studies each item, his eyes aglow with the magic of his spell, attempting to understand the nature of each. His mind flashes back to when he had learned of this art. "Look deeper, child. The aura is just the start." His mother had said patiently. "See how it emanates, how it's pattern is shaped? What else do you know that follows similar patterns?" The young elf had replied. "Like the waves on the seashore at full moon. This seems like it might hold a spell to conjure aid." His mother had smiled, nodding.
Shaking himself from the memory, Aerel places the box of shiver outside, then pauses, opens it again, and frowns. I ought to destroy this... but... how? Letting the thought stand for the moment, he turns to the last piece - a bejeweled brooch. Hm. Well crafted, even if the subject matter is... distasteful.
Finally, he examines the hatbox. "Ah." His voice is bland, but he feels a surge of sudden panic and distrust welling up within him - not anything physical, though - that was already quite disrupted by simply being at the fishery. He cleared his throat, then speaks aloud, that his companions might hear. "It would appear that something was not as it seems this night. You... may wish to come see this yourselves."
He reaches gently around the head to pick up the harrow deck. Hm... curious...
After a few minutes of clearing his head, Nicholas forces himself p and heads back inside. The colder air had done him so good, and he felt a little better now. That is, until Aerel over a head of the Harrower.
"Um...what...what is that?" Nicholas asks.
Glancing over the things Lamm kept with a hollow gaze. Moving over to the box Aerel just passed off. Looking down into it and gasping, "What is the world..but we.. was she a figment or a lie?"
"Her sister maybe?" Nicholas muses. "Could be her take against Gaedren."
Trying to not look at the head, he glances at the other items. Picking up the dagger he looks it over. "For the inspiration of a father. Sounds like the Key-Lock Killer, some serial killer from a while ago. Didn't think Gaedren would be interested in something like this."
Inspiration of a father, huh? Nicholas thinks, glancing from the blade to Gaedren. I shall keep this to remember what good you did do, even if you were horrible, Gaedren. Rest in peace.
As he slides the blade through his belt, Nicholas picks up the brooch with a laugh. "This is all we need to convict Gaedren. This is the brooch that Queen Ileosa wore. Rumors had gone around a few months ago that a gang leader had stolen it, but I didn't think Gaedren would have been stupid enough to hold on to it. There's a pretty hefty sum out for its return, too."
"I say we stick to the plan. Some of these items we might be able to place with their rightful owners. The drugs we destroy. Everything else, we sell for the orphanage to support the children, the reward as well. This was not done for personal enrichment, but rather to right wrongs persecuted against you. As for the woman's head, it matters not. She got her revenge, or her spirit did, through us. Debts are paid, let's get out of here and back to our lives."
Marvel covers Alana's eyes as he realises what's in the box, with an absolute look of horror and wonder on his face.
"I... how is that possible? Did she contact us from beyond the grave?"
Absent mindedly looking at Nicholas's new dagger, Marvel says with an almost automatic monotone lawyer voice "It's not a good idea to take the Key-Lock killer's weapon. No one knows who he is and with that weapon you will probably be mistaken for the killer, Nicholas. Perhaps Lamm was the Key-Lock Killer? We need to inform the guard."
"Gaedren? The Key-Lock Killer?" Nicholas echoes with a laugh. "Gaedren couldn't work alone like that if his life depended on it, as you can now see. No, he was a good theif and fighter in his prime, but he was definitely not that serial killer.
"Few in the guard will recognize it, but it will be helpful if I need to intimidate someone who does later on. The guard has probably stopped caring now that the killer has stopped, and there is no reward that I know of for his death, not on the up-and-up anyway. I still don't know what I'm doing after this, but this might just lead me to...something. Besides, I want to keep it as a...momento of sorts of this event."
Aerel listens quietly, allowing his companions to speak as he reflected quietly on their words and the discovery of the head. Idly, he toys with the Harrow cards, his expression distant. When he finally speaks, his voice is quiet.
"I believe that this is Madame Esmeranda's deck, or one so similar as to be indistinguishable." He muses, almost to himself. "As to the plan, I concur with Shaeda, though I would hasten to add that should anyone of us have need or want of any of these things, we ought to let them have it."
The elf ponders for a moment. "I believe that I shall return to Madame Esmeranda's home, to investigate this matter further." He looks to the humans and Shaeda, arching a brow inquisitively.
"Well, I believe my role in this is completed. It has been my pleasure to serve you on behalf of the Savored Sting."
"If you want to keep that foul blade then do so. I hope it does not cause you any harm."
Glancing over at Aerel and then over at Marvel and the children, "We should figure out where we are taking the children before looking into Madame Esmeranda."
Marvel, still staring at the head (not noticing that his daughter long ago has managed to evade his hand and observes EVERYTHING), continues speaking in a rather annoying, lecturing, fatherly way - "Nicholas, it is your decision what to do with the blade, but I believe it is wrong not to hand it in to the guard. If the killer never was caught this could help them catch him or figure out who he was. Just like we got closure from ending Lamm, the families of his victims could find closure from knowing who he was or him being captured."
Finally looking away from Madame Esmeranda's head, Marvel turns to Aerel and Shaeda. "I agree with you both. We, or, well at least I need to know what happened tonight and examie Madame Esmeranda's place closer. We also need to settle on which orphanage to choose. Personally I favore Abadar's, but, well, the important thing is that they get a good life and supportive guardians."
Rationality setting into his eyes, Marvel speaks to Aerel's feet. "Also... we also need to hand in that brooch. What we have found here, it should help the children for life. But I have lost much the past year. I assume all of us have put our lives on hold. We could give the children what we found here, but divide the reward for the brooch among ourselves. Help us resume our lives. I... know I want a part to help my daughter and, well, I need some time off from work to see if I can get my family together again."
"I need no part of such a reward. My reward was serving the needs of my Mistress and helping you all to obtain your revenge. I will back to my vocation, until and unless, She calls me to alternate service again."
Aerel watches quietly as the others speak, contemplative. "Shaeda, thank you for your aid - it was of great help for our collective endeavor. I wish you well on your journey." He inclines his head slightly.
"Master Manyshot... if I may? I believe that Nicholas is correct - the Guard is unlikely to care overmuch about a case closed so 'long' ago. In my experience, they tend to be more concerned with the crimes that are happening now, or happened within the past few months." He shrugs. "But your experience with the Guard likely differs from my own."
He pauses, considering the possible orphanages. "The children should have a say in any choice made for their futures." The elf says softly. "But that aside, I would agree that those of us who wish to rebuild our lives here - or build our lives here," he looks at the young humans significantly, "should be able to take some small part of this, especially if their need is great."
"My thanks Aerel, best of luck to you in the centuries ahead. If any of you find yourself in need of the assistance of a priestess of Calistria in the future, especially you Nicholas," she winks at him,"please do not hesitate to call upon me."
"I may very well take you up on that offter," Nicholas says to Shaeda with a smile. "I don't have much else to do, so I guess I'll check out this Harrower's house for now with you. I'm not a superstitious type, but this...well, it has my interest piqued."
After a pause, he adds, "If any of you are in the Old Korvosa area, I work at the Crimson Dragon. Any of you are free to drop by at any time."
Aerel identifies the wand as being Magic Missile, with 23 charges remaining, but cannot identify the potion.
He can't recall anything more about the local orphanages.
Centuries... Aerel sighs inwardly, reminded of how quickly these youths will grow old and die. Khara, I knew that you would leave me soon, but so soon? I am lost again...
Recalling his surroundings he smiles at the halfling, bowing his head. "I shall certainly keep you in mind, then." He nods slightly to Nicholas, smiling gently. "Your aid is appreciated."
After a moment, the elf adds thoughtfully. "Does anyone actually know of the locations of any of the orphanages? If not, I would imagine that Madame Zellara's home would make an acceptable place to stay with the children until we can ask, at least for the night. I would not wish to stay here, certainly, were I them... or anyone else."
"If the orphanages are close by the respective temples, it'll take us some time to walk to them. Staying the night at Madame Zellara's might be wise, unless we wish to take our captives directly to the to avoid any trouble from them."
Marvel looks to the others while still hugging his daughters, almost as though he is afraid she'll disappear if he lets go.
[b]"I'm going upstairs to search the rest of the building before we go."
Finally focusing on Shaeda, Marvel almost smiles while speaking to her ear "And thank you for your help, Shaeda. I do hope we meet again in more peaceful circumstances"
Heading upstairs, you quickly notice something is amiss. Although it is by now quite late, a strange glow can be seen outside the windows. Looking through them you can see columns of smoke rising from parts of the city. In the distance, you hear glass break.
The cause of this sudden unrest soon becomes apparent. A wagon pulls down the street, with a town crier standing on it, ringing a bell.
"The king is dead, long live the queen! The king is dead, long live the queen!"
"Stuff the bloody queen!" shouts someone, and throws a rock at him.
"What? This is crazy! You don't suppose Lamm was the lich's phylactery do you?". Shaeda chuckles at her joke.
Aerel looks gravely out at the streets. "All the more reason to find a place that is safe for the children to spend the night..." His eyes drift half-shut. "I hope this does not cause too much chaos. Rioting and destruction causes little to be resolved."
And all to often... the elf thinks, but does not say, the violence is an excuse to attack those who are different. Perishial, old friend, I have to help these children, but I will go to you as soon as I can.
"We might not want to let the children leave the building, right now," Nicholas states. "Looks like a lot of the city is rioting. It would be safer to stay here until it passes rather than herding a group of kids through the streets. The farest we might want to risk it would be the Harrower's home. I wonder who killed the king this time."
"It is not that far and there are enough of us." Looking down at the children and forcing herself to smile at them, "It is up to you though. There is a house not far but you all have to stick close to us."
Marvel takes in the scene, holding Alana tighter while whispering "Don't worry, you are safe now, we'll protect you."
Looking to the group, Marvel's face is grim - "Rather looks like I'll be working overtime the next weeks. Looting and riots. We really need a better government if all the excuse people need to break our laws and act like savages is that the king died. The King isn't supposed to be society, he isn't our civilization. But for how these criminals act they certainly seem to think that one man's death excuses them acting on their base instincts."
Realising that he has begun rambling Marvel shakes his head, forces out a bit of a smile looking more as though he is standing in front of a mirror trying to see if he has got something stuck between his teeth, Marvel muses aloud "Well, it looks like we'll be spending the night with a priestess of Calistria. We'll need your help, Shaeda, to protect the children, especially if we take our prisoners along as well."
Aerel shrugs slightly at Nicholas' words, then nods slightly in agreement with Emma's. "I will not make the choice for you," he says softly to the children, "but I would imagine that you're all rather tired of being here, and things appear to be quite dangerous outside."
Ah, yes, the prisoners... The elf considers that for a few moments. "I am reluctant to bring those two to a place where they might awaken and find the children nearby... but we lack the numbers to deal with them whilst also protecting the children, if we were to take them separately to Citadel Volshyenek or the Longacre Building." Abruptly, he smiles. "I believe Arbiter Zenderholm ought to find their case intriguing."
Aerel looks to Shaeda, inclining his head slightly. "While I will not say that you should come to aid us with this, I would ask that you do, if you are so inclined. Things... well, suffice it to say that I have a rather bad feeling about this."
"Well, I certainly did not intend to spend the night alone, so Calistria has me here for a purpose. Shall we see what it is?"
The children look scared, but they'd much rather stick with the adults who just rescued them than stay here.
"Right. I don't think it is a good idea to march or carry the prisoners through the streets." Smiling warmly at Alana and a bit more hesitantly at the rest of the children, Marvel asks them: "Do you know if a cart or wheelbarrows are somewhere inside or outside the building? We could hide the prisoners that way, place some of that disgusting fish on top of them and hopefully attract a bit less attention."
"With what is going on we will not be able to get the guards attention to come here."
One of the kids knows that there is a covered cart outside that the gang would use to transport drugs (or bring in kids).
Marvel thanks the kid rather stiffly and then turns to the rest of the gang - "Right - should we check which of them are still alive, make sure they are unarmed and carry them and the bodies to the cart? We should get to a safe place before things get too bad."