I know. Saphren concludes. I could see it in his smile. Best not to react to it. Let it roll off us like a joke and send him a fancy prepared filet for dinner.
Cervin looks up from the convulsing scullery boy and shakes her head once at Trig. "You're being naive. Gigantic red snakes don't just appear in kitchens the moment a dangerous competitor leaves. Vancaskerkin will probably have orders for us to follow this debacle up. Magnus? Any good with pies? They'd present better."
Trig comes over, looking abashed at Reva's admonishment, and sees if there's anything she can do to help. She doesn't know enough about medicine to do much, though, since the man has been envenomed much longer than Blossom, making her trick of removing the poison useless.
Oblivious to Trig's discomfort, Reva nods to her. "Thank you. Can you get a blanket or something similar? We'll carry him to a bed after a bit, but the sudden movement now may excite him and speed the venom. The venom will have to run its course. His survival is largely in his hands without magical aid beyond what I, and I suspect Vris can do."
Reva pulls a dagger from her belt and inspects it. "Sharp enough." She slices at the wound, opening it up more to bleed him. She then proceeds to make a few more precise nicks. Soon a thin trickle of blood flows from several points on his body.
"Bleeding the patient in key areas is essential in order to let the bad blood out while the body generates new blood. There's a fern that grows near Korvosa that I should be anointing on the wounds, but I don't know much about plants." Reva speaks calmly and clinically as she works.
"I grew up in Korsova, actually, but I don't know much about plants either. That would be interesting, though -- I'd love to spend time learning about medicinal plants and such." Trig sees one of her girls peeking into the kitchen, and sends her to find a blanket for the poor fellow.
Vris also aids in healing the poor poisoned cook. She seems to remember some woods lore for slowing poison using a salve made from items right there in the kitchen. She goes about preparing the salve and lathering it on the bleeding wounds that Reva is making.
"Efrain is beyond my ability to withdraw the poison, we can only slow it and try to make him more comfortable. Perhaps the Abbess of Calistria will assist us? I will supervise taking this poor man to see her."
"Eh. Too many bones for pies. I vill need breadcrumbs, and oil." the dwarf says, setting his bloodied warhammer down and picking up a cleaver and filleting knife. "... and somebody find the scullery boy. This mess vill need cleaningk."
"Say, what's that?" Trig's sharp gnomish eyes notice the slip of paper, and she goes to pick it up.
Soon the smell of frying meats fill the air of the kitchen. Seasoned properly, the snake makes some of the best eating made by Magnus so far. (Not that that's saying much...}
As you sit and eat the former deadly viper, one of the waitresses from the bar, Delilah, approaches Trig demurely. Miss Trig, can I talk to you privately? It's a personal matter, but you and your friends, well, they might be able to help me."
Trig will show the others, and then deliver this note to Saul along with an explanation of what happened. "The others think it's Clegg who left the snake and this note, but I dunno. Seems kinda too perfect for this snake to show up just as that schmendrick was leaving, eh?"
After returning and enjoying the snake meat, which Trig gushes about, having never tasted it before, Trig hears Delilah asking for help. "Of course, honey! What's going on?"
When shown the note, Saul just shakes his head. "If I ran out every time some slug threatened me, I'd be half-way to Absalom by now. Besides, I have new partners now to help protect me from anymore rough stuff." he smiles, and appears to be non-plussed at the threat to his person.
Returning to the feast, Delilah draws Trig aside from the others.
Her backstreet accent becomes more prouncouned the more upset and nervous she gets, and you can see it takes all her strength to come ask you for help. She looks down at you, her wide eyes, hopeful.
At the dinner table, Reva sits back with the group and finishes her bit of snake. She seems at ease but obviously upset at the day's events and even terser than usual to speak to.
"You've outdone yourself Magnus. Every time I eat here I ask myself the question 'Is this the worst meal I've ever had?'. And for once I can happily answer 'no'." She looks over as Delilah ushers Trig away.
"I wonder what she wants? I hope Delilah realizes that none of us know how to cure venereal disease."
Saphren gets to wondering about the sink and the drain. what is under the kitchen here?He asks as he tries to examine the drain. How large is the pipe?
As Trig walks away with Delilah, Trig overhears Reva's snark. She whispers to the server, "Don't mind her, we're all a little fermisht tonight after Efrain and Blossom got bit."
"What kind of trouble, dear? Where do your folks live?"
The girl bends over and gives Trig a big hug, then embarrassed, hurries out of the room, sniffling and crying.
Saphren's investigation of the sink and plumbing (such as it is) in the kitchen and scullery prove fruitless. The piping to that sink is much to narrow to have held that big snake.
"The Pauper, Oy! I see. I can't make promises for the others, but I'll see what I can do. If all else fails, I'll loan you enough gelt to move them to somewhere else -- but let's try to take care of things first. "
Trig returns to the others and explains : "It's not the Goblin's problem, but I feel like she's our girl, we gotta take care of her. I've also never taken down a crime boss before. What do you all think?"
Reva's bad mood sours immediately as she hears the news from Trig.
"That is appalling and we cannot tolerate it! Of course we'll help
the poor girl."
Count me in. Sahpren says with a disturbing twinkle in his eye.
Vris has gone to take the wounded kitchen hand to the Calistrians for additional healing. She will not be making this trip.
Is the group decided to go to Splithog Alley and look for this Beltias Kreun? Do you need any preparation, and if not what is the plan, if any?
I will at least assume you wait until morning to head into the ghettoes of Riddleport.
Trig will ask her girls if anyone else knows anything about this guy.
Magnus, unsure what to make of Reva's backhanded compliment, merely smiles at the tone in her voice and tops up her wine. He turns to Trig. "Da. I vill help you, leetle one. Cannot have you getting yourself killed, now." he grumbles. "Rent is due next week."
Reva sips at her wine, looking around the group.
"Thank you. So this Pauper runs the lousiest part of town with an iron fist. He can't be particularly important - otherwise he wouldn't be extorting from poor people." She sets her drinking vessel down and runs a thin, calloused finger over the rim thoughtfully as she speaks.
"Here is my plan - it can of course be improved. It's based on the assumption he will not surrender readily and will not negotiate. If he rules the area with an 'iron fist' and has chased out the gendarmes I doubt he is peaceful. First, head to Spithog Alley and gather information about the size of his operation and location of his headquarters. Second, we prepare an ambush at his next likely target. This will reduce the number of thugs he has and may net us more information. Third, we move in on his headquarters. Saphren and I may be able to sneak in to create a distraction or head off an ambush so Magnus and the casters can charge in."
Reva frowns, and swallows another gulp of wine.
"A few problems. I would be happiest if we could simply pick off his messengers but I am afraid of a violent reprisal on the innocents in the alley. There's also the question if we can find his headquarters, or if he'll even be in there when we attack. Anyone have more ideas?"
Saphren listens to the plans being made. I will play my part to the best of my ability, whatever you choose for me Reva. But be warned that even if we will the fight the battle is not won. If we remove one operator and do not step in to fill the power void, someone or something will fill it. And that newcomer might be worse that what we have now.
Reva nods affirmatively. "You're right. If we remove the Pauper the alley must remain under our protection. I am comfortable with this - simply striking a deal for Delilah's parents will only encourage the Pauper's exploitation of others."
Trig's other wait staff have heard of the Splithog Pauper, but do not know of him personally; they are from different parts of town than the infamous alley.
You head to your beds, thinking of the intervention in mind for the morning, and considering what you'll need to take with you and the parts you'll play in removing a local boss.
Saphren goes out to try to procure masterwork Lamellar Leather armor. He can do this one of two ways. He would prefer to pay a church/cleric to cast Masterwork Transformation on his set of Lamellar Leather armor, which would cost 150 gold for the material component plus the cost of a second level spell casting. Or he will sell the Lamellar Leather armor he has at half price and buy the Masterwork version for 210.00. This leaves him about 9 gold remaining. First approach should be a little cheaper but might not be available quickly.
Trig runs out to the friendly local mageing store and buys:
Scroll of Magic weapon
Scroll of 2x Expeditious Excavation
Scroll of 2x Infernal Healing
Scroll of 2x Mage armor
Total: 175gp.
21 Gozran 4709 Absalom Reckoning - mid morning
After an early morning in the magic and gear shops of Riddleport, the group is ready to make for Splithog Alley. As they make their way, the neighborhoods go from harborside to middle class, to poor, to ramshackle and just when you think it can't get any more desparate, you see the crooked street sign for Splithog Alley.
A narrow alleyway, with 3 story building built up so they crowd out the light. On both sides the street is narrow, but opens into square of sorts about mid-way down the alley with another narrow stricture marking the other end.. The street is mud, and covered with muck from countless chamberpots and livestock, which seem to roam the Alley with abandon.
The parents of Delilah are said to live in the fourth buiiding into the Alley and on the 3rd floor. Finding the building is easy enough, and the locked tenement door is broken enough to allow access with key or notice.
The stairs, which could pass for a garbage dump by the smell, are missng a few risers, but once navigated open into a dingy hallway. There is a door on either side but neither is marked.
Reva looks to the group around her, speaking softly.
"Trig, by chance did you get Delilah's parents' names? If not, I suppose we knock on one door after another."
After speaking she listens intently, cocking her head to the side.
Saphren moves quietly for his size. He seems quite alert but has drawn no weapon. We got a plan? he asks.
As you stand in the hallway, the door on the right opens, and a half-dressed heavy lidded woman stands there. "You have me leaf, luv? Ain'tcha the Pauper's boys? Yer 'posed to bring me leaf a'ready. Now give it lovelies, give to Hilda." She sways dreamily, and holds out her hand. When nothing appears, her eyes open, not quite focusing and she says a little more shrilly:"I paid 'em what I could. They took me coins and never brought me leaf. You got any coins? Just a copper pinch'll help a girl eat...c'mon, I'll make it worth your while." She tries to grin and look seductive, but her missing and blackened teeth, a sign of flayleaf addiction, make her rather horrible to look at.
She begins rubbing Reva's arm, and pulling her into the flat behind her, which looks atrocious and smells worse. "Hilda'll give you a ride, sweets, a ride you'll never fergit. C'mon me lovely, come with Hilda."
Reva gasps as the addicted woman grabs her. Gently, she pulls her arm free before looking over her shoulder to her companions with wide, pleading eyes. She turns back and puts on a fierce expression, gently but firmly pushing ol' Hilda back to her room. At a loss for words, Reva responds as simply as she can.
"No! Bad!"
Trig stifles a gasp at the woman's condition, then hides a giggle at her attempting to accost Reva. The gnome ducks into the room behind the iomedean and the woman. "Are you Delilah's mother?"
Hilda gets the message that you aren't in the market for her services and don't have any flayleaf to give her. She starts to slam the door, and shouts:"Across the bloody hall" at Trig's question.
Knocking on the door there, it is eventually answered by a stooped old woman, with wireless glass perched on the end of her nose.
"Aye dearies, how can this old woman help the likes of you?"
Thank Abadar that wasn't Delilah's mother! Trig thinks, then greets the other woman, who does look a bit like Delilah. "Can we come in? We're Delilah's employers," she explains.
The old woman opens her eyes wide, and ushers you all in. "My, my she's told us all'n 'bout ye! She's ever'sa impressed wit' ye. Now why on eart' 'ave you 'eroes come all the way down to the Splithog? Are ye lookin' fer Delly, that's what we call me Delilah?"
She begs you to sit although the furniture is quite ratty, and may not support a big load like Saphren. From the rear of the house you hear a merciless coughing and hacking.
"Care fer some tea, dearies?" the old woman says bustling to the stove on one side of the room, where a dreary small cookstove sits.
"We're not looking for her, but rather here at her request. Wow, I've never been to an area like this before. How long have you lived here? What's it like being oppressed by a crime lord? How often do you have to pay protection money?"
Trig is trying to balance her gnomish enthusiasm for new experiences with concern for the seriousness of the situation.
Saphren, having seem "homes" like this all to often lingers in the hall and does not go in. He did get a good chuckle from Reva's experience but tried not to laugh openly.
If she scowls at him he will quickly gain in interest in his shoes.
Reva gives Saphren her best scowl before she heads into the room after Trig, keeping near the door and generally not saying much. She looks around the room carefully, paying attention to the coughing in the back.
This is hell. I'm not even sure what I could do to help that awful cough in the back.
She gives the kindly old woman a weak smile and shakes her head at the offer for tea.