"But this woman is still human, isn't she? I would have expected her head to explode. Instead she takes this experienced Sable Company Marine and lifts him off the ground single handedly at the stretched out arm. That's ridiculous. Who knows whom she made a pact with. She is from Cheliax after all." Tyrandra comments. He is shocked. "We might as well start searching for a new home. If we think she might consider us opposed to her."
Avoiding the barracks seems wise. Perhaps camping with the wererats is looking more attractive, or even the Dead Warrens.
"No thank you. I'm no fan of being buried alive. I thought of new home in a bigger scale. Like leaving town." Tyrandro replies.
We did aid some Varasians in their section of the city, we can try to find a place there.
"I start to see why Black Jack only appears with a mask. It's utterly inconvenient to be known as hero of the poor once someone important takes offence at your actions." Tyrandro muses. "Being the hero of the poor might be a nice pastime. But living among them I deem lacking."
We can at least go to Zellara's old house until we find someplace else. I suspect that staying at the old fishery where this all started is out of the question. Ayako shepards everyone to Zellara's.
"In what part of town is that house? And what counts as a house for a Varisian Harrower?" Tyrandro asks.
By now, Sebastian was becoming used to Zellara's illusory Harrow parlor. These readings seemed to be happening more frequently than they used to, but the pace of life in the city has accelerated. This time around, he gets to relax and enjoy Tyrandro's reaction to the theatrics.
The reading leaves him uneasy. The first time, he had written the reading off as an act, and he was uncertain about the second one. But Zellara's vision of the elf at the masquerade couldn't have been a fluke. Sebastian is dismayed with his role card - The Idiot. It's no secret that he had been fooled by the Queen, but he hardly needed Zellara to rub it in. But I already know about that trick. And this time there was no Rabbit Prince, no Blackjack. Only warnings to tread carefully. Once again, it was her final words to him that set him most on edge. Madness...inside of me?
When he sees Tyrandro's role card, Sebastian chuckles nervously. For a moment, he was able to set aside his concerns about himself and entertain the idea that Tyrandro was the madman and they'd all been duped, but in his bones he knew that it lacked the ring of truth.
* * * * *
Sebastian's stomach turns at having to listen to Ileosa's speech. The way she glossed over Davaulus's crimes, even despite her previous claims that she had been duped, might as well be the nail in the coffin. He could finally see Korvosa's queen for who she truly was - a petty, selfish tyrant with no love for her people. Sabina's promotion brought him no joy. He still didn't know the extent of her involvement in all this - was she truly in the dark about everything? She had admitted to having concerns, but that was some time ago.
Things begin to blur together and time seems to simultaneously speed up and slow down. Caught up in the crowd, he tries to do help but quickly realizes the futility. Frustrated, he flees on his own and doubles back to regroup at the Citadel. Entering mid-conversation, he finds he no longer likes what Tyrandro has to say. "First off," he says angrily, "Blackjack is a hero to all Korvosa. And he wouldn't abandon the city just like that! What true Korvosan would? Maybe Zellara was right about you after all. You're no genius, just a madman who has us all duped."
Tyrandro chuckles. "Maybe I'm a madman, who knows. But if I'm indeed able to dupe all of you, then this says more about you than me." Tyrandro has been bystander in too many of his fathers intrigues to go full defence on that accusation.
"And I'm not trying to diminish the deeds of Black Jack. But wanting to be the hero of all Korvosa and being accepted as the one are two things. And let me assure you: No one who has the means calls for Black Jack to solve his problems. He does it himself or pays someone to do so."
"But I'm willing to take all of that back and apologize to you in due form if he rids Korvosa of that queen."
Before Sebastion comes running back to them, Ayako answers Tyrando. It is a small house, a parlor and I assume a few other rooms enough for two occupants. With four of us, doubling up should be no problem.
When Sebastion starts arguing. I must admit I know little about Blackjack, my youth was not spent being able to learn about him but I trust your belief that he does want to help. He did rescue Trina from the axe.
As Tyrandro turns the conversation back to talk of the queen, Sebastian becomes uncomfortable again. Ayako tosses him a lifeline, and he's grateful. "Blackjack did rescue Trinia, after I brought her in. If it weren't for him, her innocent blood would be on my hands." He sighs, deflating a little as his blood cools. "Blackjack is a hero, but we can't pin all our hopes on him to solve our problems. That's why he wears a mask. He stands up for those who can't stand up for themselves. He's not a blade for hire, he's a reminder that those of us who do have the power to help ourselves also have the power to help others. Not for glory. Not for money. Not even because it's easy, but because it's the right thing to do."
Wearily, he shakes his head. His whole life he had grown up hearing stories of Blackjack's deeds over the years. Each teller had their own take on the familiar tales, but Sebastian's favorite versions were always the ones the taught a lesson. And the lesson that spoke to him most clearly was that, no matter who was underneath the mask, anyone who was willing to fight injustice and wrongdoing had a claim to the name Blackjack. Making good on that, no matter how foolhardy, is what has led Sebastian here to this moment. If he hadn't gone after Gaedren Lamm, he would still be nothing more than a smith's apprentice, scared and helpless as the rest of the city. He and his friends - Ayako, Nadya, Col, Lucien, even Iolana - that's what brought them together. They were the ones who would help.
His hand reaches for the clasp on his cape - his Pseudodragon Mark. "Perhaps it would be smarter to flee the city. It would certainly be safer. But I don't wear this mark because I do what is safe. I don't care what happens next, I don't care where we make our next home. But I will not abandon the city to the madness of our queen. Marcus Endrin sacrificed his life so that we would know what we are truly up against. I will send word to my sister, but make no mistake, this is our fight." Standing his ground, he looks Tyrandro in the eye. "You risked your life in that hospice once before. I ask you now, will you stand and fight with us? Will you defend this city, to the death if necessary? Do you have what it takes to wear this mark?"
Iolana listens quietly to Sebastian's speech. He's right. We have a chance to help the city. The Queen no longer has the city's interests in mind. We need to do what we can.
"After we find a new place to stay, what do you think our next move should be? Should hang around the markets and see if we hear anything interesting."
Maybe try to find this Blackjack. Although he no doubt has some kind of protection to have avoided capture this long.
You spend the night holed up in Zellara's old home and the next day Ayako receives a sending. "It's Archbishop K'pirra. Cressida has been looking for you. She sends an urgent request to meet her at the Citadel. Come right away."
"I'm interested in bringing this city back to a state where it's worth living in. And as long as there is a reasonable chance to do so I'll help. But I'll take living someplace else to dying a heroic death while trying any day. Once the queen is set on getting us I'm gone." Tyrandro replies.
After a night in the confined home of Zellara Tyrandro is glad that something happens and they are called to the Field Marshal.
Ayako spends a cold night in Zellara's house, the dusty and empty dwelling reminds her of the acolyte cell and the beef jerky and dried fruit from her rations upsets her stomach.
Ayako is awoken by the words of the Archbishop and she bolts awake, hurrying to the others. Cressida wants to see us right away at the Citadel! Ayako hurriedly gathers her things and will head out with the others.
Iolana sleeps uncomfortably, and is keeled awaje with Ayako's announcement. "Let's go, but be careful. Are you sure the message is from the Archbishop?" She casts Mage Armor on herself before they leave.
-Posted with Wayfinder
There are no guarantees, but I feel this is a correct action.
When you arrive, you are shocked to see the place so understaffed. Only one guard stands at the citadel entrance, and none train in the large inner courtyard. The citadel halls are silent and empty, with refuse and trash scattered here and there, dust gathering in empty barracks, and an overall state of creeping neglect hanging over the place like a pall.
Cressida Kroft looks haggard and tired when the you arrive. "I sent guards to find you after the incident yesterday, but you must have gone into hiding. Good. That'll make this easier."
She ushers you into the central keep quickly, leading you into a smaller meeting room in the depths of the keep to a doorway that, when opened, reveals what appears to be a room filled with fog. Beyond is a plainlooking chamber with a single long table (on which sits a small closed coffer) and enough chairs for each of you and herself. "Don't mind the fog. It is magic to prevent scrying." After everyone is seated, she speaks in a low voice.
“Korvosa is dying. No, strike that. Korvosa is being murdered. Killed by our queen. The evidence you’ve uncovered that links her to the plague is damning enough, but now that she’s disbanded the Sable Company and reallocated our own funding to the Gray Maidens, she’s more in control now than ever. I dare not move against her, as my guards would be executed to the last fighter by her Gray Maidens before sundown. But she must be stopped. And I know of no one else but you to do this deed.
Whatever foul magic the queen has wrapped herself in is obviously of the highest order. Endrin’s aim was true, and his shot should have dropped her. I had feared he was going to take matters into his own hands like this, but hoped he would find it within himself to find a better route. If only he could have waited.
You see, just this morning, new information came to me. Vencarlo Orisini’s been one of my most trusted sources of information regarding the public; it’s hard for an officer of the Korvosan Guard to get honest opinions from the citizens, and Vencarlo’s observations on these topics have been a godsend, particularly since the plague started. When the queen quarantined Old Korvosa, I’d feared his messages would end, yet he managed to find ways to smuggle updates to me every day. Recently, he wrote of discovering something of vital importance regarding the queen. He mentions something about dark magic and a pact with a devil, but until the events of this morning, I found his claims difficult to believe. But even more astounding, he hinted he’d found a lead on Seneschal Kalepopolis, and implied the man might still be in hiding in Old Korvosa!
That was the last I heard from him. It’s been several days, and I’ve started to worry for his safety. The rumors about riots and gangs seizing control of entire neighborhoods in Old Korvosa are disturbing. Certainly, the plumes of smoke we all see rising from fires on the island are proof that as bad as things are elsewhere, they’re probably worse in Old Korvosa.
I can see a time in the near future when the Korvosan Guard is disbanded as well. Even now I lack the resources to mount my own investigations. Which is where you come in. Trusting you may have been my best decision over the past several months, for your group holds the possibility of Korvosa’s salvation. I ask you to seek out Vencarlo in Old Korvosa, and to learn more of what he’s discovered about the nature of our queen’s increasingly violent and destructive turns of personality. Ironically, you should actually be safer in Old Korvosa, since the queen’s quarantine has cut off the island entirely, and word on the street is that she plans on leaving it to rot. She won’t think to look for you there if you maintain a low profile and avoid confrontations with the Gray Maidens. Once you contact Vencarlo, we can only hope what he’s discovered will suggest a course of action we can take to save the city!”
Leaning forward and speaking quietly, "It's quarantined. Do you have any suggestions on how we can get into Old Korvosa? There must be smuggling or you wouldn't be getting messages. I suppose I could ask my mother's family for help, but there would be a price. The Sczarni don't do anything for free."
"Great. I should stop making predictions. It's no fun to be right in these times." Tyrandro comments as the Field Marshal shares her information on the queen.
About old Korvosa Tyrandro ponders if he should tell, but decides not to. You could probably walk in over a bridge greeting the grey maidens. Walking out on the other side... Let them find a solution that works both ways.
Ayako looks about the Citadel as they are ushered inside, the dusty and dilapidated halls are oddly a welcome change from the chaos and noise that is happening outside. Seeking out Vencarlo is agreeable, just where does he dwell? Plus slipping across during the night shouldn't be to hard, a simple boat would no doubt do the trick.
Running her fingers along the misty table, Ayako ponders some more. IF we are able to find them, where should we take them? Someplace hidden since trying to get them into the Citadel would be too risky.
Standing in the swirling intrigue of the scry-obscuring fog fills Sebastian with an appreciation for his course. It's a stark contrast to that rainy night so many months ago where he stood alone over Vincent's shivering body as he succumbed to his addiction. Things were bad in Korvosa, but he and his friends had already prevented a far worse fate for the city, and there was no place he would rather be than in this fog-choked war room, conspiring against their all-powerful tyrant.
Cressida's praise of Orisini fills Sebastian with pride. He himself had heard nothing of his master since Old Korvosa had been quarantined, and in darker moments he had feared the man was no more. "If Master Orisini is alive, there is no force in this city that could deter us from finding him," he assures her.
As his companions start scheming a way to get across, Sebastian laments that they hadn't had the foresight to hold onto a couple of sets of Gray Maiden armor. Disguising themselves had worked remarkably well in the hospice. Iolana raises a good point about the smuggling - somebody must have a reliable way of getting across. But he didn't like the thought of enlisting the Sczarni to help. "It wouldn't surprise me if the Sczarni are behind the smuggling. Those thugs wouldn't hesitate to profit from this misery," he growls. "What about Col? It was his work that helped discover the cure for blood veil. Maybe he can make a potion that would help us get across. If we could breathe underwater, we could easily swim across the channel."
"Interesting concept of swimming you have." Tyrandro chuckles. "But for guys like me in heavy armor it would be nice to be able to simply walk there on the ground of the river. If we can't find a way to get there without getting wet. But everyone besides me seems to know this Vencarlo. Who is he?"
[b]A weapon instructor and mentor to Sebastion I believe./b]
"I've never met him either. Seems to be a good man by all accounts. We could try to procure potions of fly. I have enough uses of invisibility to possibly get us across the river."
-Posted with Wayfinder
"You're some sort of spellcaster - so can you use scrolls? Because scrolls are a lot cheaper than potions. I'm no friend of saving on the wrong end. But if you're able to use them then potions won't bring us a benefit." Tyrandro gives a lecture on economics.
Once he is done he realizes that no matter if scroll or potion this would mean flying. Which might be exciting but could also become really scary. Because it is moving at significant heights with no safety rope. "One could fly low to stay in the shadows, right?"
"Scrolls? Good idea. I don't shop much so I don't know the difference. " She gets a little gleam in her eye. "I guess we could fly low, but we might be heard. Flying high would be better. Less chance of anyone hearing the screams." Iolana can't help but tease Tyrando a little bit.
-Posted with Wayfinder
"Let me be of further assistance." says Cressida. "I suggest that Vencarlo’s home near the grounds of the Orisini Academy should be your first stop in attempting to track him down. I've also heard rumors about a new leader who has risen to power in the streets and is calling himself the “Emperor of Old Korvosa,” but I haven’t yet been able to determine who this man is. If Vencarlo’s not in his home, a meeting with the island’s new self-appointed ruler might turn up the swordmaster’s trail, but I prompt caution here. Whoever this “emperor” is, he’s likely a dangerous man indeed."
"As important as finding out what’s befallen my friend Vencarlo is to me, discovering what actually happened to Seneschal Kalepopolis is of even greater concern to the city. Not only might Kalepopolis have valuable insights into what’s going on with the queen, but his return may well give those who oppose Queen Ileosa a legal way to, if not remove her from the throne, at least wrest away some of her power."
The citadel treasury is nearly empty, but I do have a small cache of potions and a few wand I want to give you to aid you in your mission into Old Korvosa."
The cache contains four potions of cure serious wounds, three potions of lesser restoration, a wand of invisibility (10 charges), and a wand of cure moderate wounds (30 charges).
After handing you the gear, Cressida says, "I urge you to make haste to Old Korvosa and track down Vencarlo. I doubt the queen will take long to recover from the indignation of the failed assassination, and once she does, I fears she might make things very difficult for those who remain within the city walls. If you need a suggestion on how to infiltrate the quarantined island, I suggests swimming or taking a skiff from the northern banks of the Jeggare, optimally under the cover of darkness to avoid notice."
A boat would be better, I can see in the dark so I can guide everyone. Ayako begins parceling out the items. Let us use this time to acquire a skiff, I assume that all purchases are finished?
"I've purchased everything that I can. I'm ready to go into a city that is cut off from the rest of the world." Iolana shivers slightly at the thought of a city not able to get supplies and trapped together.
Cressida what can you tell me about Seneschal Kalepopolis? What does he look like? Does he have any habits that might help us locate him?"
"The seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis commands the defenses of the castle itself, and is regarded as the second most powerful individual in the city, behind only the King or Queen. He is a middle-aged Cheliaxan man with graying black hair and muscular build. I don't know him or his habits well but from what I know he is very strict and regimented. He is also dedicated to the city and wouldn't abandon it without good cause. If he's hiding from the Queen, he's probably hidden himself well. Unfortunately, you're on your own to find him. But perhaps Vencarlo has more information on his whereabouts."
"I don't know where they stand guard exactly to ensure the quarantine. But I guess they don't have the numbers to also guard Old Korvosa from the outside. But with invisibility on a stick it might be worth to at least take a look at the bridges if it is possible to simply walk over." Tyrandro suggests.
Going in during daylight will give us the chance to make it to Vencarlo's house easier for certain, so we have at least two ways in.
"I think we have everything we need from Field Marshal Croft. Let's visit a mage shop on the way. I'll buy some scrolls enabling us to fly. Better safe than sorry." Tyrandro tells.
I have a goodly supply of healing items, both magical and items if we need an extended rest. Ayako shows her brand new Healer's Gloves.
The Gray Maidens have been ordered to quarantine Old Korvosa, preventing anyone inside from leaving. Troops of Gray Maidens patrol the boardwalk along the northern side of North Point overlooking Old Korvosa, while additional Gray Maidens stand watch atop the wall along North Point’s northern shore. They confront anyone they spy trying to leave Old Korvosa, warning them to turn back. If this order is refused, they open fire on anyone who continues to try to return to the city proper, either chasing them off or slaughtering them where they stand.
The Gray Maidens have also burned and wrecked all of the wooden bridges that cross the Narrows, leaving only the stone Jeggare Bridge as a physical link between Endrin Isle and the mainland. On that bridge, they maintain a barricade raised via several castings of wall of stone and augmented on the southern side by wooden catwalks, creating a 15-foot high stone blockade across the bridge’s southernmost end. The bridge deck is kept clear of obstacles, so anyone spotted on the bridge can be easily fired upon if the intruder ignores warnings to turn back to Old Korvosa.
However, while these measures are quite efficient at keeping the bulk of Old Korvosa’s citizens locked in, entering Old Korvosa is simple. The Gray Maidens take no such actions against anyone they spot entering Old Korvosa, though. If someone prefers to flee the city, they consider the departure of such an undesirable as simply one fewer agitator or troublemaker they have to deal with.
Utilizing a combination of fly and invisibility you have no trouble entering Old Korvosa.
The last few weeks have been the most terrifying the good people of Old Korvosa have known. The king’s death and the plague were bad enough, but it was the sudden destruction of the bridges linking the old city to the new that heralded the final breakdown in law and order in Old Korvosa. Abandoned by the government, Old Korvosa descended into anarchy. Where honest laborers once toiled, a mob now rules.
Among the four wards of Old Korvosa, Fort Korvosa, the highest point of the district, has weathered the quarantine the best, in large part due to the Arkonas’ influence. Existing in the shadow of Fort Korvosa’s relative order, Garrison Hill has not had the benefit of this protection. Several fires have destroyed buildings in this district, and the citizens here venture out only as necessary to scavenge for supplies. Bridgefront has suffered the most under the quarantine, the destruction of the bridges over the Narrows having had a similar destructive influence on the morale and sanity of the locals there. Yet Bridgefront is not the most dangerous place in Old Korvosa today. That honor falls upon Old Dock.
As you make your way through the streets to Vencarlo's home, you encounter a group of children.
A flock of incongruously happy children sing a strange little rhyme as they gather around something in the middle of the street and sing, “Headless, headless, that’s what you’ll be, brand-new dolls in the Emp’ror’s cemet’ry! Choppy, choppy, chop, the tall knife calls, waitin’ for the day for Korvosa to fall.” One of the children has fashioned a crude guillotine from sticks and pegs, and the children are using it to behead a collection of dolls.
Iolana approaches the children in a non-threatening way. "What are you doing there? That's an interesting song. Can you tell me about it?"
The children turn to Iolana and speak to her in a creepily cheerful voice. "The Emp'ror rules Old Korvosa now. We've seen the emp'ror's real tall knife at his palace. You'd best be good or choppy, choppy, chop. Hehehe."
"The Emp'ror huh? What does he do beside choppy, chop? If we wanted to say hi where would we find him?" She tries not to look completely creeped out by the children.
Children grow up so fast these days. Ayako operates the toy guillotine if allowed and lets a head tumble to the ground. Such clever children you are, where is the Emperor's Palace? I am sure he would be delighted to hear he is adored so by the children of his kingdom.
It seems that Ayako is in her element here amongst the despair and pain.
"I wonder what it takes to become Emperor of Old Korvosa." Tyrandro comments with a mischievous smile while counting through his arrows.
"Oh...um...he's in Old Dock." one of the children says.
Before he can say more four thugs congregate out of the shadows. "Well, well, well. What do we 'ave 'ere?" one of the ruffians announces.
The children scream and flee.
The thug continues, "We 'aven't seen you in these parts before. What is the meaning of your intrusion into the emperor's domain?"
While the first one thug talks, the other three hurl lewd comments, racial epithets, and all manner of insults. The scruffy men are armed with wooden shields and battle axes and slowly position themselves to surround you.
Ayako is...annoyed by the crude interruption and the scaring of the children and turns to the thugs.
Oh I think that is none of your business, such boors should engage in pastimes befitting themselves, like picking your noses and rearholes. Ayako's teeth chitter and her head seems to vibrate back and forth as something flickers out from her mouth.
Ẃ̠̪h̴̼̦͕̫͙y͟ d͎̝̭̪̘ọ̡̬̣͖̘̖n͏̹̱͈̙̳'̫͈̥̤̝̤t̸̘ y̪̖͚͓͞ó̤͚̤͍̞u̫̫̺͕͜ l͚͎e̠̲̻͞á̗͔̺͙̙͔̪v̴͖̳̫e̪?̣̙̖͟
"Don't waste your time on them. They are only the stupid low lives of the 'emperor'. They wont get it anyway." Tyrandro tells while drawing his greatword.
Iolana steps back out of Tyrando's way. She's never seen Ayako do that thing with her head before. "What the? This has gone downhill fast." She readies an elemental ray if we go into full blown attack mode.
As they walk through the streets of Old Korvosa, Sebastian beholds the place with despair. As they flew toward Endrin Isle, he could see the bird's-eye view of things, but even that hadn't prepared him for the situation on the ground. Memories of the Old Korvosa of his youth - even the Old Korvosa of a month ago - lay atop the desolation he sees before him, and he struggles to comprehend how it could have come to this.
The four thugs bring a welcome distraction for Sebastian. He had always loved to fight, even before he took up fencing. Orisini had tried to temper that urge in Sebastian for years, but his unsettling surroundings have eroded those years of lessons. "No, no," he says to his friends. "This should be fun!"
Tyrandro smiles at Sebastian. "I'm looking forward to see what Vencarlo taught you"
"... if we go into full blown attack mode"
Ayako's words send chills down the enemies' spines.
Tyrando slashes at the nearest thug, catching him off guard. The attack hits but the thugs are tougher than they look.
The thug looks at the blood flowing from his wound and stares at Tyrandro. "Well, now why did you have to go an' do that? Boys, it seems these four need to be taught a lesson."
The thugs attack one of you each. Ayako and Sebastian each take a hit but Iolana and Tyrandro manage to dodge.