"And Nan told you nothing else? Nothing about his contact here that was arrested?" Morvena presses, her expression still rather dubious. "I understand that he would not want to give away too much lest any of you be 'detained' by the local authorities, but it still seems odd for him to have kept you in the dark - literally and figuratively - as much as he apparent has done."
|
Can we trust this quartet of crows?
"Greetings, Korva, Maggie, Jay, and Treep. Congratulations on your escape. Nan must have trusted you enough to bring you here, though I don't understand why a little boredom would be sufficient cause for mistreating the man."
Pádraig Henry considers what to do. "The one you call Chough offered us violence, and he died by it. If you would leave in peace, we can perhaps open a way out through the sewers by eliminating the threat of the alligator. If we agree to take that risk, what would you offer us? Coin? Some service?"
|
Morvena and Padraig sense that the four tengu have not lied in their statements or explanation.
"Chough's dead?!" Korva leaps into the air in delight. "Good riddance. He... It deserved nothing better. We'd thought he was a tengu just like us, but after hatching, well, he soon became that... thing."
Maggie nods, rolling her eyes, while Jay continues his persistent card shuffling. Treep stands from a wooden crate, bowing to you without a word.
"The gator's not really our problem. It's just... We don't want to be held responsible for Nan's death, and if we're found here by the guards, we certainly will be. We didn't kill him, honestly!" Maggie pleads. "We don't mind staying in Kintargo, but to what end?"
"Yeah, ain't no way I'm goin' back to prison," Jay adds.
"What do you guys do to avoid the guards? Place is on lockdown, isn't it? Maybe we can come to a sort of mutual agreement here," Korva offers.
"Now we're talking." Issil looks at the rest of the party. "We need a place to stay as well, yeah? And our current boss, she leaves food and drink down here, supposedly for Nan. So how about this? We explain to the boss what happened to Nan, that it wasn't your fault. She doesn't call the guards. In exchange, you keep this place clean and help us turn this into a new home."
Issil looks at Victor. "I know a few good routes around town at night time, but something tells me Victor knows more."
Hmm...seems that perhaps we all have at least one common goal. Good.
"A fine suggestion Issil," Morvena smiles in agreement. "Although we would of course need to speak with Miss Longroad before making any formal or binding arrangements, I suspect that she would be willing to have your assistance in keeping these tunnels secure in exchange for having use of them yourselves - she strikes me as a reasonable and pragmatic sort."
Geoffrey glances back at the ladies, unsure if he had heard correctly, before realization dawns in his eyes at the deal being offered.
I don't believe this...we are going to TRUST these...tengus? They still have not explained HOW he died!
Still he stays his tongue though he is not able to hide the look of disapproval on his face to his fellow compatriots.
I hope Padraig and Victor have not taken leave of their senses here...
|
|
Pádraig Henry nods at Issil's suggestion and at Morvena's important caveat about securing Laria Longroad's blessing. "Before we will consider recruiting you to our cause, you must explain the circumstances of Nan's death. Tell us what happened, and leave out nothing."
"We should also know the crimes you were accused of committing that led to your imprisonment. And if anyone is seeking a bounty on your heads."
The Revolution will need more than poets and dreamers to succeed. These four have the sort of, em, experience we might need.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Issil yawns as the inevitable haggling and fine print begins. She starts thinking about which corner of the lair will be hers. Maybe she can smuggle a fine bed down here, covered in luxurious silk, embroidered with silver trim and a golden headboard. Maybe she can add a foot locker and fill it with coin and jewels.
She's grinning at the thought!
Issil looks at Victor. "I know a few good routes around town at night time, but something tells me Victor knows more."
The myth, the man, the.. butcher's fourth son named Victor, nods along with Issil "Don't cause a stir, don't attract attention, don't get caught being out at night. All good ways to get around the city right now."
When Padraig speaks of recruitment Victor adjusts his position on his crate as he takes a neutral stance on the issue, focusing in on listening to the overgrown crows and their story. "This should be good, do tell, don't leave out the good stuff either. Morvena's magics will know if you do.."
|
|
"A home? For what, though?" Korva asks Issil.
"It's just like we told you. Nan's a merchant. He told that lady upstairs that he was bringing in Varisian scarves and skirts as he usually would. Instead, he brought us in. After we arrived here, Nan was to hand us over to his contact for further transport. No idea who that contact was, but it never happened. When he finally returned from town, he told us we were on our own. Some of us have a bit of a temper," Korva aims her beak at Treep, "Like my brother there. And so we um, beat Nan unconscious. He wasn't dead, honestly, but then Chough took it too far - she finished Nan off while he slept. And that's honestly it."
"As for why we were arrested? It was Chough again. See, when we found Chough's egg, we thought she was just like us. Another sister of ours. Instead, she turned into that monstrous bird. We thought we'd be able to tame her, but one night, she went on a murder rampage in Riddleport. By association, we were all hauled off to the cells," she sighs. "It's why I firmly believed Chough deserved the fate you provided her. She was no sister of mine!"
"Yeah! Lousy beast got us into this mess in the first place!" Maggie enthusiastically adds.
"Is there a bounty on our heads? Maybe, but I doubt its offer would stretch so far as Cheliax. So, what do you think?"
|
|
"Excuse us a moment, please, while we consider your request."
Pádraig Henry invites his friends to join him in a private conversation out of earshot of the tengus. "I'd like to double-check their story with Laria. If their characterization of Nan checks out, I'd like to recruit them to our cause, conditional on their continued good behavior. They could be useful. We can't hope to deal with Thrune on our own."
Issil shrugs, considering most of this action done.
"Sounds good to me, or whatever. They can clean up the place, too."
Geoffrey nods in approval, "A good plan Padraig. Once we have been vouched for their character, we can offer them your deal, then return to deal with the crocodile. If we have any plans on using these passages then that must be taken care of as quickly as possible!"
"Fair enough. Just a fair warning... a bunch of Tengu stick out like... well Tengu. Best keep their roles behind the scenes." Victor gets ready to head up to speak with Laria.
|
|
Pádraig Henry pokes his head back in to the large storeroom and addresses the tengus. "Korva, Maggie, Jay, and Treep. We've decided to make you an offer, but first, we must check with our partner above. We'll be back momentarily work things out." He pauses, "Say, did any of you see Nan's other boot?"
He returns to the group and follows Victor, walking and talking. "I'd like to return quickly, settle terms with The Crows, complete a thorough search of these rooms, then deal with the gator." He grins, "And I'd like to see what's in that compartment under the statue of Calistria."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"That last bit sounds the most interesting to me too!" Says Victor, brushing some stray crumbs of frosting from his pocket, then getting a gleam in his eye after he does so. Doughnuts... score!
"That seems a sound plan to me," Morvena nods as they turn and head back towards the entrance to the tunnels. "And for what it is worth, I did not get the impression that they were attempting to fool us with their story. Though if they were willing to ah, beat poor Nan into unconsciousness, we might want to be mindful about rousing their tempers," she points out.
|
|
The four tengu don't have a whole lot to bargain with, and agree to the terms. "Alright, we'll wait here. As if we have a choice anyway," Korva jokes. "The other boot? Well, last I saw Nan, his leg had been chewed off. Is it possible the gator ate the boot too?"
____
"One minute, dearest! I believe I have some double chocolate croissants in the pantry," Laria's familiar, small voice rings out as she turns from serving one of the corner tables, noticing the first of you emerge from the basement. "I'll be right back!" She scrambles into her office and shuts the door, dusting her sugar-frosted hands on her apron. "So, you've returned! Well? Any sign of Nan down there?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"You want me to start this, or...?" She glances at Pádraig.
After a quickly wishing herself luck:
"So Nan brought 5 Tengu with him from Riddleport, as they were falsely accused of murder. Well, 4 Tengu. It turns out the fifth was a violent beast that looked like a Tengu. She killed Nan and then began trashing the place."
Issil pauses. "An alligator was chewing on his remains when we found him. We pulled him out of the drink but we're going to need some place to let him rest. As for the 4 Tengus, they were accused of crimes they didn't commit in Riddleport and would like to stay downstairs. You okay with that, or..?"
Issil is disinterested in the details, she hates explaining things, and she just knows this halfling is gonna start grieving any day now...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As Issil's voice trails off Geoffrey speaks up in a surprisingly eloquent tone, "As Issil has said we were too late to save Nan but we did recover the remains for a proper burial. As for the tengu," here he pauses briefly to collect his thoughts, "they seem to be trustworthy to an extent...and they truly have no place else to go. I believe they would prove invaluable to us down the road, once they have proven themselves worthy of our trust."
Hanging around nobility you cannot help but pick up a few things...
Victor looks between the two as they relay the goings on "I think they've pretty much covered it... You got any idea who Nan worked with that got himself locked up? I guess they must have half the city locked up by now I bet."
Laria listens closely, her face dropping as Issil steps through the details. "Nan was a trusted ally and one of our best transporters. The Network endures another blow..." She sighs, bowing her head. "I'll see to it that he's interred with care. In any case, if you firmly believe that these escapees can help out the Silver Ravens, then I agree we should allow them to join our cause. Oh, and thanks for the help clearing the place out."
She nods along with Victor's questioning, "I don't. Yet, another day means another dozen innocent townspeople locked up. At least."
"... Which leads me to our most important matter."
She opens the bottom drawer of her desk and rips out the false bottom, handing you a sheet. "With the tengu and Rexus here in our ranks, we might possibly be the most organized form of resistance in Kintargo yet, believe it or not. The Wasp Nest is officially yours to use a base of operations. I hate to see good space go to waste, and the Bellflower Network does not stand a chance of resuming normal operations while Kintargo is under martial law."
Victor takes the document quickly and looks it over, he seems to have a thing for documents and language, as you saw when he made up false papers to avoid curfews. "Thanks Laria. Its a pretty good space, well, minus all the trashed furniture thanks to that mutated looking Tengu..." He pulls up a chair and pulls another doughnut from his pocket and continues to read, a twinkle appearing in his eye as he goes.
"Ah and there is still the matter of the alligator, but I believe that between us and our new tengu friends that it will not be too difficult a chore to dispose of it," Morvena adds as she peers over Victor's shoulder at the sheet.
"Hum...seems we still have much work ahead of us. But for now we should focus on tidying up and making the tunnels feel a bit more, ah...comfortable. Since it seems they will be our new home for the foreseeable future..."
_______
|
|
The sheet in your hand, you spend a few moments organizing yourselves into roles appropriate to your skills, personality, and behavior, and before long, you have some semblance of your very own personal rebel group tucked away in the back of Longroads Coffeehouse.
"As for me," Rexus speaks up, "I plan on staying in the Wasp Nest and working on those documents. It's going to take some time, but I know I can figure out everything we should know about the Silver Ravens, and maybe even learn a thing or two about my parents. One can hope, at least," he says half-heartedly, heading back down the ladder into the Nest. "Oh, right, the tengu sisters. Looks like they're cleaning up! Lovely!" He calls.
Laria cracks the door and smiles back at you. "If I can be of some help, do let me know. My advice for now is to rally and recruit. Build up the Silver Ravens by tracking down supporters in Kintargo. There must be hundreds of people fed up with Thrune. You might even comb the Coffeehouse in a subtle way to find a potential supporter or eavesdrop and listen in for a rumor or two to learn something helpful."
Issil uses her magic to help repair the furniture. She also entertains the tengu, because she's kind of bored. As time passes, she picks up a few combat tips from Geoffrey and figures out how to draw her weapon and advance at the same time. Very useful!
Issil wakes up one night, squeezes her way past the tengu surrounding her, grabs her brooch, heads to the bathroom, and spits flames in a spread. "Whew...that uh... what did I drink?"
As they talk about what to do with the Ravens, she kicks back. "Let's find more members." She frowns. "Spend some money" and then she smiles again. "And then we can fill this place up a bit, eh?"
She hesitates. "Wait, we gotta sell all this stuff!" Issil notes the various pieces of jewelry. "I like these leathers, but maybe I have to get something thicker, I guess..."
Geoffrey looks at the documents and sees many elements of organization he learned back when he studied them in his war college days. "I think we can concentrate on recruiting additional supporters to our cause. Unfortunately drawing them to our cause will cost money, so I agree with you," glancing at Issil, "We will need to sell most of the items we have discovered so far...and also come up with a revenue stream."
As Issil shows off her fighting skills he tries to hide a grin. without much success, "I thinkyou won't cut off anything valuable, but you should allow Victor and I meet the charge of our foes in the future. Upgrading your leathers would be a wise decision."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Count me in on that plan Rexus, I've got a brain for languages!" He spends a considerable amount of downtime helping with this, picking up Strix in the process.
"Maybe we should start by getting some appraisal equipment, a lense and maybe a scale.. should help us know what's worth what... no sense trading a diamond in the rough for a ham sandwich. Even though I do really like ham."
|
|
With the team planning to sell off some of its acquired loot, Pádraig Henry takes another look at what they've got. "We might get the best price, if we knew better the value of this stuff. You guys want to take a closer look?"
"Hey, guys, if no one's claimed the leather armor +1, I'll be happy to don it."
"I agree, we should try to recruit some supporters. If we have time and opportunity, I'd also like to try to recruit a more specialized team. Street performers would be great as our eyes and ears in the city."
Issil learns the slightest bit about magic. The Raven figurines confuse her, but maybe she knows what the boot is.
Now, when it comes to jewelry, Issil has plenty of good ideas.
|
|
Pádraig Henry has a closer look at the Juliac signet ring, and determines it must be 250 gold pieces. Issil determines that quartz earrings are worth 10 gp each, the pearls 100 gp each.
Of the remaining equipment, Padraig and Issil estimate the buttons to be worth about 3 gp each, though they aren't certain.
Issil identifies the blazing red boot as one half of a set of Daredevil Boots.
The figurines remain a mystery for now.
Not only did the tengu sisters relocate much of the rubble in the main room of the Wasp Nest, they also fed Chough's corpse to the gator, unsure of what else to do with it, and seeing it as a fitting burial for something that caused them so much trouble. With Issil's mending magic, she gathers pieces of mahogany and scraps of silk and crafts a bed and dresser. The Wasp Nest has the buds of an emerging hideout.
"Yer pretty good with that dagger there, Issil," Jay says, watching her practice. "Oh, thanks for convincin' Laria up there to let us stay here. Trust me, ya won't regret it when ya get back and just wanna play a game of Towers," he says, shuffling his harrow deck. Meanwhile, Rexus sits atop a stool with his nose deep in one of the Silver Ravens' document sets.
________
Outside the Longroads Coffeehouse and just down the street towards the Nightways Gate, you find The Newt Market, a popular market for adventurers who know of its high availability of magic items. Inside, the shelves are the image of chaos, with broken bottles next to full ones, rusted nails popping out of the walls and one section of the shelf that's collapsed entirely, dumping its contents below. Behind the counter stands a stocky gnome whose nose is lined with warts. "The Newt welcomes you," he says, his smile filled with more gaps than teeth. "What do you need?"
"If you guys are busy here I may take a bit of a trip out to get a couple things. A scale and an eye loop especially to help gauge the value of this stuff."
"Hey there fella. Lookin for some appraisal tools... a scale and one of those jeweler's loops? You know, those little glass things you stick in your eye ta help get a good look at stuff?" He glances around at the beat up place "Oh. And some crossbow bolts too if ya got em. You happen to sell anything like magic potions or, stuff like that? Hard findin' that stuff any more."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Yer pretty good with that dagger there, Issil," Jay says, watching her practice. "Oh, thanks for convincin' Laria up there to let us stay here. Trust me, ya won't regret it when ya get back and just wanna play a game of Towers," he says, shuffling his harrow deck.
"No problem. Keep buttering me up like and we might play even more that that!" She raises her eyebrows suggestively before Geoffrey reminds her to look where she's thrusting that dagger.
Outside the Longroads Coffeehouse and just down the street towards the Nightways Gate, you find The Newt Market, a popular market for adventurers who know of its high availability of magic items. Inside, the shelves are the image of chaos, with broken bottles next to full ones, rusted nails popping out of the walls and one section of the shelf that's collapsed entirely, dumping its contents below. Behind the counter stands a stocky gnome whose nose is lined with warts. "The Newt welcomes you," he says, his smile filled with more gaps than teeth. "What do you need?"
"I'm looking for some Chain Shirt armor." Issil peers among the goods. "If you have masterwork quality I'd be very excited, but that's like asking for a virgin in a temple of Calistria. I know that doesn't come cheap, so I have some- I have some pearls on me I'd be willing to sell. 100 Gold Pieces a piece." Issil hesitates as she thinks about parting with such pretty gems...
"I would agree with you there Padraig. Many a soldier's life was saved by having a healing potion stashed away on his belt"
|
|
The Newt scoffs when asked for "Bolts? Do you mean to insult me? Figures the Citizens Group would be struggling to stay properly armed." He laughs, heading to the back of the shop and bringing back the requested goods.
When asked for a masterwork armor, The Newt goes on an unnecessarily long tangent in which he talks about how Thrune is the best thing to ever happen to Kintargo. Despite his goods supply being stymied, The Newt feels putting magical items in citizens' hands only means to harry Thrune's goals. It takes about twenty minutes before he finally stops talking, reaches below a counter and pulls out the armor.
"Here, lady. Last one I've got today. Now give me those pearls!" He uses the loupe he just put on the counter for Victor to get a closer look at their detail. "Fine specimens indeed." He puts the rest of her change on the counter.
"Of COURSE I've got potions. Have you seen my shelves?" He exclaims, insulted. "What do you need? Wands might be a little tougher to come by. I'd have to check the storage pile," he points to a massive nest of goods in the back of the shop, where junk is mixed in with armor, weapons, rations, and other items.
Issil nods along with the salesman's rant and hands him three pearls. "Nice armor you've got here..."
Victor tests out the new jeweler's loop on those pesky buttons and gets a much better view of their value. "Well now, this is much easier."
"I agree...we cannot accomplish very much with just this meager group," Morvena nods once the time comes to get down to business and plan a rebellion. "Recruiting more bodies to our cause is most important. Once we accomplish that, we may be able to extend our influence and take on more daunting tasks."
Noting that Victor seems to have picked up the basics of Strix, she smiles approvingly. "Ahhh, perfect. I have been working on expanding my Elvish vocabulary where I can, so perhaps I can assist Rexus on translating those parts of the documents next week."
Morvena also attempts to unravel the mystery of the raven figurines...
...but has no better luck than Padraig or Issil.
_______
Though Morvena tags along with the rest of the group to the Newt Market, she seems content to remain silent for the moment as the others wheel and deal on acquiring new supplies - though she does mull over whether or not she herself could use anything in particular.
Hum...I have little need for finer weaponry myself. Armor is out of the question...
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Victor has better luck with the buttons, and figures that a vendor should pay about 5 gp for each of them.
Despite digging through the pile of items for a wand for some time, The Newt returns to the counter with his hands empty. "Well, you made me go through that stack of crap to find your wand, and I found nothing!" He grunts in annoyance. "Check back next week when we get our next shipment."
You rummage through your packs to produce the rest of the pearls, copper bracelets, silver locket, signet Juliac ring, quartz earrings, and coat buttons. The Newt looks over each of the items closely, then offers you a fair trade of 1,710 gold pieces.
_____
Morvena blinks and then stares at Pádraig with a look of admiration. "Why, I would not have thought of that but the skin of such a creature would surely fetch a decent sum! Alligator-skin bags have been rather popular among the nobility as of late..."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Geoffrey rolls his eyes, shrugging helplessly in reply to Morvena's suggestion. "Sooo...no blades correct? You wish the skin to be undamaged right? That sounds like a...reasonable plan," waving his arms skyward in exasperation.
Nobles and their fashion trends...six months from now no one will give a rat's rear about alligator skin!
"I thought you had to pay a tanner to skin gators." Issil shrugs. "They're not as shiny, anyway." She looks at the pearls as the party turns them in for gold.
|
|
After completing your item exchange with The Newt, you head back for the Coffeehouse and into the Wasp Nest. The tengu sisters and brothers are lounging, playing cards, and looking generally bored yet content.
Rexus rushes over to Victor when you enter. "Victor, thanks to your help, I've got it! The first piece of translated information from the documents!" He pulls out a piece of parchment with an absurd amount of scribbling on it. At the very bottom of the page is the following summary of the translation:
The Silver Ravens defended Kintargo from being conquered no fewer than a dozen times during the Chelish Civil War: five times from power-hungry noble families, four times from agents of Thrune, once from an invasion of skum from the sea, once from a cabal of Nidalese vampires, and once from a blue dragon named Rivozair.
"Not bad, eh? And this is only the start! Who knows what else we may find in here," he excitedly rushes back to his chair to continue working on the cipher.
You stand before the shallow pond and statue of Calistria where you spotted the albino gator. What will you do?
"So, what's with the statue?" Issil wonders. She peers at it curiously.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"I knew plenty of performers and patrons who paid homage to The Savored Sting, but her rituals are a little too S&M for my spiritual tastes."
Pádraig Henry shivers, gets a faraway look in his eyes, and licks his lips, recalling some of the freaks he's dallied with in the past. Loads of fun. But sometimes, C-R-A-Z-Y, crazy!
"To be honest, I'm more interested in what might be in that compartment at the statue's base, just below the water's surface. And what's in that alligator's belly, besides the missing boot."
He tries to spot the gator.
Geoffrey looks at the tengu with a faint look of disapproval on his face. "I hope at least one of you is watching out for that gator. I would hate to think it snatching one of you up for a snack! Which reminds me...have any of you seen anyone else down here, or any signs of that gator?"
He also peers into the murky water for any sign of the gator.