Didiana's spell proved unnecessary as Gregor pummeled the fight out of the militiaman. Instead her focus went to the half-elf who had just taken a nasty hit from her own thug.
"Lady Aulamaxa!"
She was reminded of why she trusted Gregor when the guardsman whizzed past her to the noblewoman's side. The man was openly bigoted against the Lady's kind, but he was perfectly prepared to part with his prejudices for his principles. Didiana just wasn't entirely sure what ranked highest among those principles: serving the public or upholding the law. That distinction might become very important indeed in the coming days.
The armiger loosened another spell at the thug now threatening both her companion and newly met acquaintance.
"Didn't you hear Thrune?! They'll kill these people anyway!" Lia snaps back before lunging at the 'militiaman' again.
Gregor move to try to strike the red thug, but fails to connect.
The Dottari Guards move forward in unison yet again, but this time a couple of them swing out with their maces at random members of the crowd.
Two of the protesters are struck and cry out in pain before quickly falling silent, their unconscious and bleeding bodies falling to the ground.
Two more of the dottari try to stabilize the fallen protesters and manage to do so. A final pair of guards clap manacles on the hands of both of the unconscious protesters.
Didiana once again casts daze, this time on the red thug, but the thug seems unaffected.
The blue thug continues to move further away from the protest, leaving Aria Park entirely in his search for the true threat.
The purple thug continues running away, following the blue thug out of Aria Park, but for a very different reason.
The red thug swings at Lia again, this time trying to deal lethal damage in response the damage Lia dealt. The blow strikes true, despite Lia's attempt to counter it. The swashbuckler drops her rapier and falls to the ground unconscious.
The green thug is dazed and can't do anything.
The yellow thug flees Aria Park, glancing back to make sure Matiscio isn't following.
Matiscio moves to strike the green thug who had injured Evander. His blow strikes home, nearly toppling the man, but the thug barely remains standing.
Lia is unconscious.
Nox is still nowhere to be found.
Evander moves down, trying to escape the thug. He then drinks an extract of expeditious retreat.
Gilda casts her evil eye hex on the green thug and achieves her intended effect.
The dottari are beginning to take prisoners, causing the crowd to panic even more. As they get pushed closer and closer to the water's edge, some of the protesters recognize the efforts of a few brave individuals to try to fight back. Despite the heroics, it was only a matter of time before the dottari succeeded in dispersing the crowd. But the dispersal wouldn't happen till the dottari were satisfied with the number of protesters they captured.
Evander looks about, swearing. The protest had become a full-blown riot, and the dottari were now beating and arresting people. They didn't seem to particularly care about whether or not the people died in the riot, either. It was time to get out of there.
Evander thought to run on his own. After all, the CCG didn't seem to be near him, and a good chunk of the crowd was between him and the dottari. Plus, he was pretty badly hurt. Breathing was kind of tricky now. He found himself wishing he'd prepared a restorative extract.
But there were still a lot of protestors - and they didn't seem to be dispersing, just milling about in confusion. He had to find a way to get them free as they were pressed against the water, or else a lot of people would end up in prison due to the whim of some mad dictator. Moving through the crowd with his now-enhanced speed, he pushes towards the greenery, hoping that maybe there's a clear path over there.
Breaking free of the crowd and seeing that the way through the park was clear, Evander took a deep, wincing breath and shouted,
Matiscio tries to focus on his direct opponent, but the pressing advance of the Dottari pushes a certain urgency upon him. People everywhere are screaming and just like them, Matis wants nothing more than to get out of here. But duty calls.
So with ruthless aggression he assault the thug, losing himself in the flurry of blows he unleashes upon the man.
From her perch, Gilda surveyed the assailants likely part of Boarzilla's hideous Citizens Thuggery Brigade.
"Ah! Thought you could hide, didya! Not from me!"
Gilda wiggles a finger and sticks out her tongue as her witchery once again takes hold of a new target.
Gregor hears Didiana call out in the middle of the fight, before jerking his head around toward her, "Aulamaxa?!" Noticing the direction of her gaze, he gets defeated before becoming more resolute. His shoulders slump only briefly as he looks down at the form of the bothersome half-elf, before nodding as if to say 'makes sense'. Digging into the performance of what he thinks a Dottari should be, and not what they've become specifically under Barzillai's rule, he shifts his stance.
First, he holds the shield directly before his body from thigh to neck, standing with one leg back to slim his silhouette and brace his body against a blow. Pulling his right arm back, as if holding a bow string, he rests the flat of the blade against the side of his shield so that only about six inches stick forward. Adopting his protective posture, he moves to stand over the body of the young noblewoman. "Drost, I'll hold ground, you get her out of here. I'll follow as soon as I can."
Lia groans. "...owie..."
Didiana looked on in horror as she saw the militia member, the government sanctioned militia member, strike at the half-elf with lethal force. It didn't seem entirely real; none of it did. The screaming populace, the dottari bearing down on the people, the quite possibly dying noblewoman - this was not Didiana's Kintargo. The lord-mayor had changed it. And for just a second she felt herself change with it. The armiger's hand lit up with whispers of pale light as her thoughts turned to retaliation, this time with a more offensive spell. How dare he? How dared this thug fell a citizen right in front of her?
"Drost, I'll hold ground, you get her out of here. I'll follow as soon as I can."
Gregor's words snapped Didiana out of her outrage and back to what should be her true priority. Just as he had indicated, a closer look at the half-elf's unconscious form confirmed that she was just that: merely unconscious. The armiger scrambled to her knees and picked up the noblewoman.
"I'll hold you to that, Ward. You'd better be at my back before I know it."
Leaving Gregor behind didn't exactly appeal to her, but Didiana knew that his call was the right one. Besides, she was fairly sure she couldn't dissuade the stubborn dottari even if she wanted to.
Gregor moves into a defensive stance, trying to shield Didiana, Lia, and himself from harm. He then moves to stand over Lia's unconscious body.
The red thug grins wickedly as Gregor moves to stand over Lia, lashing out with lethal force. Gregor feels the breeze from the mace narrowly missing his face, but is otherwise unaffected.
The Dottari Guards move forward in unison again, except for one who finds his path blocked by a Chelish Citizens' Group thug.
The dottari guard nearest Gregor tilts her head and shouts in Gregor's direction.
"Hey! You with the hood! Don't I know you?"
Didiana reaches for Lia's limp form, hoists the half-elf over her shoulder and moves as quickly as possible from the heart of the riot.
The blue thug is gone.
The purple thug is gone.
The red thug looks down at Lia's blood on the end of his mace and seems satisfied with himself, but he can't help but swing at Gregor in his glee. He once again fails to connect.
The green thug, looking pale, decides to flee. The dottari guards begrudgingly allow the man to pass.
The yellow thug is gone.
Matiscio, seeing the green thug flee, moves to help deal with the red thug. He dodges out of the way of two attempted strikes from the dottari guards and moves into a flanking position with Gregor. An audible crack can be heard as Matiscio's fist connects with the thug's collarbone. The thug's eyes roll back into his skull and he falls to the ground unconscious.
Lia is currently unconscious and resting over Didiana's shoulder.
Nox reemerges from the opera house. At her side is the all-too-familiar sight of a hellhound. The two of them survey the crowd from the opera house's doorstep.
Evander, despite his injuries, manages to make his way off the main paved road onto the nearby dirt path. Seeing the side of the lake is free of guards, Evander tries to force the crowd to flee in that direction. Despite his efforts, only a few of the crowd notice him and heed his advice. The rest seem to have missed his words entirely due to the general din of the crowd.
Gilda looks around, still deciding what to do.
Gregor has all the signs he needed to decide that his work at the protest has come to an end. With Armiger Drost having pulled the Aulamaxa woman away, and the chance he might recognized by one of his fellows, he turns to follow the one he came here to keep an eye on.
The time for resistance had come to an end with the thugs being routed. With the Dottari advancing, mercilessly stabbing and slashing away at anyone foolish enough to stand in their path, Matiscio falls in behind the woman with the fire-kissed hair. She's dragging along an unconscious half-elf maiden and obviously struggled with her weight. "Please, let me help you."
The man offering said help was sweating from physical exertion and judging by the damage to his knuckles, had been involved in the melee.
"arghlblarghl"
The half-elf replies, still unconscious.
"Ward! Are you unharmed?"
Honorifics had been largely forgotten between the two in the turmoil, and Didiana wasn't about to reintroduce them just yet. She was relieved to see Gregor beside her again, but they were not yet out of the proverbial woods. Not that she was entirely sure where they were going; 'away' was the destination foremost in mind at the moment, but they would have to find some place to let the noblewoman rest sooner rather than later.
It was downright disorienting then, in the middle of all the chaos, to be given a seemingly sincere offer of help. The clean-shaven man running beside Didiana came across as entirely genuine, his big eyes revealing nothing untoward.
"I..."
But Didiana wasn't about to hand over an unconscious woman to a perfect stranger. She simply wasn't that trusting a person. For all she knew this man could be an anarchist caught in the scuffle now looking to get back at Lia and herself for breaking up their little party. Circumstances being what they were, however, she could hardly afford to refuse help. Didiana was not ashamed to admit that her shoulders were not wide enough for her current burden.
"Alright, you want to help? Take that backpack of hers and don't wander off."
"arghlblarghl"
"Shush, you!"
Evander stamps a foot in frustration as only a few people hear him, then thinks, Well, I tried. With Nox back on the scene and that Hell Hound by her side, Evander knows it's time to get clear fast. Seeing others breaking free of the crowd, Evander moves down to them and says, "Hey, let's move. They aren't stopping us from escaping around the lake, so if we hurry, we can get clear before Nox decides to maybe loose that hound on the crowd. They probably won't chase us once we get into the streets of Old Kintargo, but we can't stand around all day waiting. Let's hop to it."
He sees that one of the people is the man who came and punched that CCG thug who'd been walloping on him. "Oh, and thanks for that assist back there. I thought I was in real trouble for a minute." Evander will then suit action to words and start moving to get around the lake.
With most of the thugs dispersed, Gilda shakes her fist at the balcony in irate silence before leaping from her perch on the fountain's edge, following closely behind her fellow Old Kintargan.
"Those 'Citizens' Brigade' thugs is gonna pay for what they did!"
Gilda quints her eyes at the limp form of Lia.
"Hey! I saw her givin' 'em a good one.. is she hurt? Let me take a look..."
Tilting back Lia's head, Gilda pushes open the half-Chelaxian's eyelids before checking her wrist.
"She'll live. In fact..."
Matiscio is taken aback by the woman's somewhat dismissive tone. By Asmodeus' brimstone balls ,someone has a hard time trusting others! But the situation demanded action. "Yes, of course, she seems in dire need of medical attention."
With haste he starts undoing the straps of the woman's backpack.
The crowd finally begins to disperse, but not before a few more screams are heard as the dottari guards fell a few more protesters.
If anyone were to look back at the opera house entrance, they would see Nox ordering her hellhound to attack. The hellhound seemed to relish the chance, leaping at the closest protester and tearing into him. Unlike the dottari guards who tried to stabilize their victims, the hellhound had no such inclination. Instead, the hellhound ripped out his victim’s throat, silencing the man’s screams forever. The hellhound stood triumphant over the man’s now charred and mutilated body.
The rest of the crowd was much more fortunate. They only had to endure the screams of those who had been captured or were being killed. The protest turned riot was now a bloodbath.
As fate, gods, or some other mysterious force would have it, six individuals found themselves travelling in the same direction. They also happened to be the only ones who had stood against the thugs and the dottari, even if only for a short time.
With Lia revived, the group of six proceeded south away from Aria Park.
Not long after they’ve started the journey south, Gilda hears someone shouting from a nearby side street along with the sound of steel clashing against steel. The voice is that of a man saying, “Please help! Someone he-,” before being abruptly silenced.
The six arrive at the end of the side street to see two Chelish Citizens’ Group thugs kicking a man on the ground. Nearby, two other thugs lie unconscious. If it weren’t for his tattered and dirtied clothes, the man on the ground would appear to be addressed in the way of a nobleman. Though it’s hard to tell from the other side of the side street, it appears the thugs’ victim has a black glove on his right hand and no glove at all on his left.
The blue thug notices the six new arrivals and walks away from his victim for the moment. Both of the thugs still standing are disturbingly familiar to the group. They happen to be two of the thugs from the Aria Park protest.
The blue thug smiles as he sees Didiana and says, “I found the true threat you spoke of! We’re dealing with him and he won’t be a threat to anyone after we’re finished with him. Would you like to join us?”
Eyes wide open with shock and disbelief stare at the thugs, then the body and last but not least Didianna. "Y-you are one of them?!" came out in what was little more than a stagger. His eyes ran over her, trying to find any and all indications of her allegiance(s), but he couldn't find any. What was going on here?!
The man. Missing a hand and wearing a single black glove. All the adrenaline coarsing through his veins made it hard to think clear thoughts and he blinked, remembering seeing him there. Was he .. is he a Silver raven?!
Evander snorts. "Hey, clearly you found the wrong guy. The one you're after has a red glove on his hand, not black."
Evander has no idea what's going on, but he knows he isn't up to tangling with these guys, and he's trying to redirect them elsewhere.
Lia, exhausted and embarrassed, doesn't speak up when the young man with them speaks.
He's got this covered. And Milani knows that if I were to speak up now, I'd just get a bigger asskicking...
"Hey, clearly you found the wrong guy. The one you're after has a red glove on his hand, not black."
The blue thug looks over at Evander and his mouth drops open in shock. He glances back and forth between the bloodied and bruised man on the ground and the investigator.
"You... you mean he wasn't the true threat?" The blue thug looks back at Didiana and says, "Is this true?"
Didiana looked on in some surprise as the older woman, previously at the center of the protest hecklers, walked up to Lia and healed her with a flash of light. Never judge by the cover indeed. As the noblewoman roused, the armiger immediately set her down on her feet. However, before Didiana could inquire further into her state, the small group found that they were not alone in the alleyway.
“I found the true threat you spoke of! We’re dealing with him and he won’t be a threat to anyone after we’re finished with him. Would you like to join us?”
The armiger felt a fair few scrutinizing gazes on her after the thug's genuine query, but none of them were as harsh as the denunciation she gave herself in her own quiet mind.
S+!#. S*$+! Son of a Lamashtan whore, s&&%! Didiana, you bloody idiot!
Like the fabled deal with the devil, Didiana's own infernal power rarely came without repercussions; just one of many reasons she tried to follow the hellknight's strict principals of self-control. And now some poor guy was lying beaten and bloodied in the street because she had tried to use her powers to spare the protesters. It was downright poetic.
The man with the shaved head in particular, seemingly as well meaning as he was well muscled, appeared to be very eager for an explanation, but there was no way Didiana could explain herself in front of her charmed victim; at worst it could break the spell.
Salvation came in the form of the young man clearly born with a silver tongue.
"You... you mean he wasn't the true threat?" The blue thug looks back at Didiana and says, "Is this true?""Hey, clearly you found the wrong guy. The one you're after has a red glove on his hand, not black."
"I... *sigh* Yes, I fear so. This man must be some hapless decoy. You should report back to base. Please, we'll take care of things here."
Gregor merely watches the exchange with scrutiny. He was ready to reprimand the foolish Chelish Citizen thugs for their actions, but the big man's accusatory question to Armiger Drost changed Gregor's focus. He was prepared to defend her should the big man turn his anger her way. Luckily, Didiana's previous magics were still on one of them, and a quick lie by the young man with them allowed her to redirect the Chelish Citizen member to different orders. All the same, he stands defensively before Armiger Drost, if for any reason the tide shifts against her.
Gilda blinks a few times and rubs her eyes, as the two thugs seem to share a kindred spirit with Didiana for some reason...
She tilts her head and considers Evander's bluff and decides to chime in.
"Yea.. doncha know, black gloves are just the pawns on the chessboard! When theys wearin' a red glove it means they're some sorta leader!"
Gilda takes a couple steps back and looks down the main street.
"Ah, he's right there too, 'boutta turn that corner! If you hurry, you can catch 'im!"
The blue thug is crestfallen when he hears he found the wrong target. He had seemed so sure before, but now he is filled with nothing but doubt.
Meanwhile, Gilda is closely analyzing Didiana’s every movement. The shaman notices that the sorcerer seems genuinely horrified that the thug was happy about the situation and looking to her for guidance. It seemed as though Didiana was particularly mad at herself.
The blue thug turns to Gilda as the woman begins speaking. His expression goes from despondent to exuberant in the course of a few seconds.
The blue thug glances back at the two unconscious thugs before calling out to the purple thug, “We got the wrong guy. The true threat’s trying to get away around the corner down the main street. We have to go. Now!”
The purple thug glances down at the man, still prone and doing his best to appear unthreatening. After a moment’s hesitation, the purple thug runs toward the blue thug, sees Gregor, and quickens his step.
“Uh… come on! We need to go fast if we’re going to catch the right guy!” the purple thugs says, beckoning his companion to move faster while keeping an eye on Gregor. The two thugs brush past the group as they pursue the new imaginary foe.
At the other end of the side street, the man on the ground slowly sits up and grabs his sword cane that was lying at his side. He looks around, seemingly disoriented and also confused as to why the thugs suddenly left. His face is badly bruised and one of his eyes is swollen shut.
The man looks in the group’s direction and seems to notice them for the first time. He slowly stands to his feet with the aid of his sword cane and hobbles over to the wall of a nearby building.
“Thank you very much for your aid. I fear I would have soon perished without it. I…,” the man trails off as he pauses, still apparently disoriented and not entirely himself due to the thugs’ blows. A moment later, the man slouches to the ground, seemingly unable to keep himself standing.
Evander catches Gilda's wink, and as the two thugs rush by, he practices an old trade, quickly and quietly lifting the purse as he runs by. Otherwise, he lets them pass unhindered.
As the man comes forward and thanks them, he says, "No problem. So, need directions any-" and the man collapses. "Woah, hey, could someone take a look at this guy?"
Lia winces and looks away. "...I don't know how I can help..."
Gregor is more than eager to let the two thugs pass, knowing that any opportunity to avoid a tussle is a worthwhile endeavor. Since neither of them appear to be ready to strike out at Armiger Drost, or the other citizens it seems he got caught up with, then there is no need to harry the men at all.
Gregor checks first to see if there are any other Dottari or Chelish Citizens Group in the area before relaxing his guard. It does not mean he sheaths his weapon, or looses his shield, as he is not that comfortable with his current situation just yet. As the thugs' victim tries to rise, before crumpling, Gregor's sense of duty to the community takes the fore. He moves forward with purpose, actually sheathing his weapon, to tend the man.
Gilda even surprises herself with the ease with which she liberates the second of the two coinpurses.
As the two men are out of earshot, she smiles at Evander and holds out her pouch.
"Whaddya bet both of those lugs had the exact number of coins?"
As the man hobbles and nearly falls, Gilda shoves the pouch inside a compartment of her scarf and scurries over to kneel at his side.
"Alright, hon. Tell me where it hurts the most?"
She motions to Lia.
"Why doncha come a little closer, sweetie? Let's see about mending you both up at the same time. There's still a few tricks up ol' Gilda's sleeves today..."
Lia tentatively wanders over to the strange old lady. "...thanks."
"By the way--I don't think I caught your name, ma'am." She looks over at the others. "I don't think I caught any of yours, either..."
Although that guardsman looks oddly familiar... have I annoyed him before?
Didiana let the two militia members pass without comment. The young man's bluff earlier should ensure that the two wouldn't beat up any other random pedestrians. After all, what were the odds that they would find someone wearing just one red glove?
Don't tempt fate, Didiana...
On that same subject, she really shouldn't keep the sympathetic strongman wondering about her allegiances much longer.
"A charm. That poor fool thug was charmed into thinking me his ally," Didiana explained as she lit up her hand with a simple cantrip to prove the magic flowing through her. "I placed it on him during the protest. Sent him away so he wouldn't harm anyone. Only, that clearly backfired here..."
Along with the others, the armiger stepped up to the injured man, feeling terribly guilty about his condition. The curious healing light from the older, shabby-looking woman was a godsend, but did little to alleviate that guilt. Perhaps she could at least escort this man safely home?
"Sir? Could you tell us your name?"
The man stands back to his feet and doesn’t seem to be leaning as heavily on his sword cane as he was before. His color seems better and some of his wounds have healed as well.
“I… I don’t know what to say. I’m doubly in your debt now,” the man says.
He looks at Gilda and says, “I am especially in your debt, madam. I know not what deity you venerate, but they are to be praised this day.”
"Sir? Could you tell us your name?"
The man pauses and listens to Didiana’s question before looking over at the pair of thugs who are still unconscious. His tone grows more serious when he says, “My name will have to wait. I fear it is not safe to speak here. Barzillai Thrune has eyes and ears throughout the city. I know of a place where we may speak without fear of others hearing. I suggest everyone make formal introductions there.
“My apologies if I seem an enigma to any of you, but it is best that as few people know my identity as possible. Know this: our meeting is no happenstance. If you agree to accompany me, I promise to explain more once we arrive at a safe location.”
Almost as an afterthought, the man adds, “And if any of you went to Aria Park today in search of a contact, consider yourself successful in your endeavor.”
The nameless man points toward the side street’s entrance with his sword cane and begins walking toward the main road. He looks up at the setting sun in the sky then says, “I must insist that we move quickly. The curfew will be here before we know it and I am not interested in receiving a second beating today.”
Lia's eyes widen. "...Ser Victocora?"
"Yes, let's get off the streets immediately!"
Gilda takes a look suspiciously at the one-gloved man.
"Just follow you without knowing yer name?"
She gestures towards Matiscio as if to indicate the man wouldn't tolerate any shenanigans.
"Don't try anything fishy. You better not be leading around the corner into some sorta ambush. That'd be a real sour way to repay us..."
Evander smirks at Gilda. "Who cares? They bought us a few rounds."
Gilda's healing energy washes over him, and he feels his ribs mend a bit more. At least it stopped hurting when he breathed. "And thanks for that. Now, why don't we all get out of sight?"
As the man makes his pitch and suggests the follow him without giving his name, old alarm bells go off in his head. Casually, Evander loosens his rapier in its scabbard so he can draw it should this be a trap. "Lead the way, please."
As Gilda and Evander celebrate their spoils, Gregor looks at them askance, "Did you just... did you just steal from tho... You know what, nevermind. I'd rather not know. As if I don't feel bad enough about what I've resorted to, now I may be lumped up with criminals." He closes his eyes, and takes a deep calming breath, hip jaw clenched in a hard line.
He continues his work in trying to aid the man at least to his feet, cocking his head and nodding when the stranger mentions the eyes and ears everywhere, as if the statement is already widely known by all. Though he doesn't feel comfortable just blindly following the man, he does have a point. They need to get forgotten, out of sight, and indoors before curfew. If they don't follow the man, they could get picked up by the Dottari, if they do follow the man and it's a trap, they could get picked up by the Dottari. At least with him, there's a chance that it's not a trap. He doesn't see any reason not to trust him just yet.
"Lead on, good Ser, I am in your hands." He keeps the shield on, but pulls his cloak further back over himself. After the one Dottari might have recognized him, and the thug he punched looked like he will remember him, he needed to be more careful about getting seen.
Matiscio blinks at Didianna, visually unsure what to do with her explanation. "I'll have to take your word on that. Magic, alas, is not my field of expertise." And he meant it.
As for the beleaguered gentleman, the road ahead seems obvious to Matiscio. "I say we accept the invitation and move quickly. Thrune's fall into madness seems to be reaching terminal velocity and who knows what wickedness he will release upon the city tonight after today's .. troubles?"
Much like Gregor, Didiana chose to bite her tongue over Gilda's and Evander's thieving. It just wasn't the time or place. And to perfectly frank she was more concerned over the still bruised man's speech.
We just so happen to find you beaten and bloodied in the alley where the these thugs who just so happen to find you, just so happened to include the guy who I just so happened to charm - and none of this is 'happenstance'?
The man had gone from unfortunate bystander to incredibly suspicious in Didiana's mind. What was worse was that while she would simply have dismissed the average lone nutter, she couldn't do so here. She eyed the two unconscious thugs still lying on the road; the man had apparently taken out half of a four man team before giving in. Anyone able to stand against such odds was clearly capable. And most likely dangerous.
It was only Lady Lia's swift endorsement of the man that convinced Didiana to give him a chance. It seemed she knew something the armiger didn't. Besides, it was true that she needed somewhere to lay low for a little while. She wasn't about to draw unwanted attention to her Order by going straight back to Citadel Vaull and the only other option, her mother's, was out of the question.
And so it was that Didiana accompanied the mysterious man along with the others, all whilst wearing a somewhat skeptical scowl.
"...Ser Victocora?" "Yes, let's get off the streets immediately!"
The man turns to Lia and whispers, “Lady Aulamaxa, I appreciate your shared sense of urgency, but I must ask that you please refrain from speaking my family name in public. Even being out in the open is a risk for me. I would prefer as few people as possible know that I still live.”
The man pauses for a moment to look at the others in the group, then says, “Ah, but I’ve said too much already. Please, follow me. The safe location I spoke of is not far.”
With that, the man walks out of the side street and onto the main road, seemingly unperturbed by some of the group’s distrust of him. He also doesn’t seem particularly concerned about his safety while the group is nearby.
The seven figures make their way down the main road, traveling south away from Aria Park. The man takes a right turn when the main road the group is traveling on ends.
True to his word, the trip is a short one and the eclectic group soon finds itself standing in front of a bookstore. The sign over the store reads Crissali’s Fine Tomes.
The man glances back and smiles when he sees that all six members of the group have accompanied him. Without further ado, the man opens the door to the bookstore and walks inside.
When the rest of the group enters the store, they find the man already in conversation with the shop’s proprietor – Crissali himself. Crissali is an elderly human gentleman who, despite the deep wrinkle lines on his forehead and his grey and thinning hair, can't help but smile as he speaks with the nameless man. The bookstore itself is lined wall to wall with tomes of various sizes. Some look old and worn, but others appear to be freshly made.
“...so we would like to use your back-room, if it’s not too much trouble.” The man motions toward the group of six, “The seven of us have urgent matters to discuss and privacy is of the utmost importance.”
“Yes, yes, of course! How could I refuse?” Crissali says. “You’ve been nothing but a good customer and conversation partner in the past. You should know by now that my store is always open for your use. Anyone you associate with is free to use my back-room as well, though I wouldn’t mind it if they took a look at some of my tomes.” Crissali winks at the group of six as he finishes speaking.
“Thank you as always, Crissali,” the nameless man says to the shop owner. He looks back at the group of six and says, “We’ll be free to speak openly in Crissali’s back-room.”
He motions with his sword cane toward a door at the opposite side of the room from the bookstore’s entrance and proceeds to open and walk through it. The room on the other side is about half the size of the front room of the store, but sits seven people quite comfortably. It is sparse, containing only a long table in the center surrounded by ten wooden chairs.
The nameless man sits at one end of the table and waits for the six others to make their way in and situate themselves wherever they're most comfortable. Once everyone has settled in, he takes a moment to look over each of the six. After a few seconds of awkward silence, the man finally speaks.
“Thank you again for that timely rescue. As I indicated before, our meeting was no coincidence. I was a bit late to the protest, unfortunately, but I observed your actions once it turned into a riot. In the panic that erupted, I tried to escape, but was attacked shortly after leaving Aria Park. You proved yourselves to be people of uncommon skill, and I am a man of uncommon needs.
“My name is Rexus Victocora. Lady Aulamaxa can vouch for my identity. Until last week’s Night of Ashes, I was one of this city’s nobles. My parents’ estate burned to the ground that night—I escaped simply because I was studying at the Alabaster Academy during the fire. There were other fires that night, as you know—fires that many believe were started by Barzillai Thrune or his agents in an attempt to squash any spirit of rebellion Kintargo might have.
“Now more than ever we need that spirit of rebellion to stay strong, but Thrune’s actions have driven into hiding those who would stay strong and resist. Those who could once rally the city to a cause, such as Lord-Mayor Jilia Bainilus and my parents, are missing at best, and are more likely dead. I cannot do this on my own, but with the aid of talented citizens such as yourselves, I have hope that we can.
“Will you aid Kintargo? Will you save the city from the devil?”
Evander gives Gregor a side-eye as he decides not to comment on the purse plucking. Have to watch out for that one. Come to think of it, he's pretty well-armed for a protestor. Seems close to the redhead. Maybe he's her bodyguard? Gotta watch him, too.
The quick trip to the bookstore settles Evander's nerves, somewhat. He'd heard Wilhelm speak of this place quite fondly, and the old man had mentioned the proprietor was a good man. As they enter the store and he sees someone who might be Lord Victocora speaking fondly with the proprietor, he also takes a moment to look over the shelves off books. In particular at some of the newer titles to see if any works of the Reverend Loflar happen to be there.
Once they enter the back room and find no one there to ambush them, most of Evander's unease settles. He moves off to the side of the room and leans against the wall where he can watch both the man and the door.
Evander listens to Lord Victocora's pitch, and he likes what he hears. After all, he did publish works that criticized the government. However, he doesn't know if he can trust this guy, or if this is a trap. Best to feel things out, first.
"After what happened at the protest today, I can see that conventional tactics may not work. However, if you're proposing the seven of us storm the opera house, I think I'll go grab a drink somewhere. That's a suicide mission, hands down."
Lia looks a bit chastised when Ser Victocora asks her to keep quiet about his identity. "Oh... of course, Ser."
--------------
She listens intently to Ser Victocora as he explains the state of things in the bookstore. "I remember Baron and Baroness Victocora... your family and mine shared similar tastes in poetry and the written word. We feared the worst when the Night of Ashes happened."
"For the longest time, I always considered it my civic duty to find the loopholes in the law and exploit them for all their worth--that way, those who actually make the laws will learn to catch them sooner, so everyone else can benefit from more intelligent law enforcement. That's what my best political sketches were for, really." Lia's eyes darken. "Now, it's clear to me that it's not going to be enough anymore."
"I'm in."
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During the civil war, most of the then-existing hellknight Orders allied themselves with House Thrune. They did this not out of any loyalty to the damned noble House, but because they acknowledged that the Thrunes stood the greatest chance of ending the war. War, and civil war in particular, was the true enemy of the hellknight. They recognized that the utopia their philosophy aimed for was unobtainable in a nation defined by infighting. The social cohesion hellknights fought for could simply never be achieved in a shattered society. Only Thrune could bring order back to the nation, and so an alliance of hellknight Orders made sure the Thrunes took the crown. This was a necessary evil. But then, so are the hellknights.
When all was said and done, and Queen Abrogail I sat on the throne, the sovereign had asked the Lictor of one particular order to abandon their traditional impartial ways and join hands with the government, to work for her personally. A generous offer by all accounts; a reward, really, for their services to the now royal house. The Lictor had diplomatically told the Queen to get stuffed.
This account of the role of the hellknights in the rise of House Thrune was one Didiana had learned and mostly inferred from the notoriously unreliable Chelish history books and her hellknight superiors. She reflected upon it now as the irony of the situation was palpable: here he was, Rexus Victocora, a member of a minor noble house, asking a hellknight armiger to take down a Thrune. It would have been laughable if the situation wasn’t so deadly serious.
"After what happened at the protest today, I can see that conventional tactics may not work. However, if you're proposing the seven of us storm the opera house, I think I'll go grab a drink somewhere. That's a suicide mission, hands down."
A suicide mission? No, no, that was exactly it; this was a suicide mission per default. To go up against Thrune was to go up against Hell itself. Barzillai Thrune had access to more forces, magic, capital and knowledge than any of them could imagine. And should any one of those fail him, then Hell offered support beyond mortal imagination. Make no mistake, the young Lord Victocora's proposition was as hopeless as it was ludicrous.
So why did a part of Didiana feel ready to answer the nobleman's plea? Rebelling against a legitimate lord-mayor, and a member of the royal family at that, went against her every base instinct. Her training too, as the hellknight supported Chelish law. But, she reflected, were situations such as these not exactly what the hellknight institution was created for? Her thoughts went back to that Lictor who had aided and then defied the Queen. He had done so because he knew merging their Orders and the throne was tantamount to betraying their principles. They were a third party to the public and the state; they had to be. The Lictor denied the Queen because he knew the moment might come where the hellknights would have to judge the sovereignty itself. Was this not that moment? Had he feared for his life in denying the Queen her wish? Had he actually died for his principles? Didiana had no idea; her research hadn’t been extensive enough. She hadn't even found out which Order he ruled over. But she did know this: she could not abide Barzillai Thrune’s rule - the decision had been made for her 100 years ago.
Didiana chose to speak simply to distract herself from the frankly terrifying realization that her ethics would lead her to rebellion, and to her very likely death. But that did not necessarily call for an alliance with this unknown nobleman.
"Lord Victocora - my condolences for your loss. But I must echo the earlier sentiment: what exactly are you proposing? Staging an insurrection? Founding a resistance? Do you have any support or means for such a scheme?"
Didiana knew that she would have to oppose Barzillai Thrune. She was quite sure, however, that doing so with a naive aristocrat possibly only driven by revenge for his parents would only hinder her. She needed to know that she could trust this man.
Gregor has no reason to not trust the man, other than his own natural suspicions trained into him as a guardsman. He follows, but at the back of the group, allowing him to watch the odd assortment of strangers in front of him, and any signs of onlookers following them.
His concerns grew tenfold as they headed toward the House of Truth and Clarity. Was he leading them straight to the lion's den, to be both tried and executed as political outlaws? He hung back slightly, ready to grab Armiger Drost at the least, and get out of there, but they turned away from it. He relaxed only slightly, his heart racing more than it did during the fight at Aria Park. He kept his attention on the old courthouse to the point that he almost bumped into Didiana when they all stopped at a modest bookstore.
Upon entering the back room at the behest of the man, Gregor, sticking to being the last in line still, stopped just inside the door to stand beside it. He made certain he remained on the side to see anyone coming in, or have a clear path out if it turned out to be a trap after all. Once the door was closed, he finally decided to slip his shield back into place across his quiver. In so doing, he sloughed off the confines of his cloak so that it no longer hid or hindered acces to his bow. Once he sorted himself he stood, not leaned, beside the door with his hands folded in front of his belt in a very official manner.
As Rexus mentions the Night of Ashes, Gregor's demeanor soften into one of either regret or remorse. That was the night, the first night I ever questioned my orders. The night that may have sealed my fate in ever being chosen to move up the ranks as Dottari. Probably the one reason I wasn't chosen to move up past Senior Recruit alongside my peers. Gregor has no questions, as Armiger Drost asks the very same ones that come to his mind, and he is not surprised that once more her thoughts mirror his own. He only adds his opinion. "I swore an oath, that I would lay down my life in defense of Kintargo from all her enemies. Never in my darkest nightmares did I ever consider that those enemies would be the very people sworn to do the same thing. If those that would allow this fair city to fall into ruin, be the ones in the seat of power, it does not change the oaths I have made."
Gilda's eyes widen as the group crests the interior of Crissali's Fine Tomes.
"Wow! That's a lotta books! Look at how many still gots their covers! I mean we gots some books back in Old Kintargo, but nothin' like this!"
Taking a seat at the larger table, Gilda rattles her knuckles on the table.
"Fancy table, too! Betcha this cost a fortune! Hey, any chance we eatin' soon? All that protestin' got me hankerin' for a sandwich, maybe some soup..."
Gilda listens with rapt attentiveness as Rexus tells his tale, leaning into the table and looking eagerly upon the faces she's in attendance with.
"Hey, we gots ourselves a pretty good group here! Muscle and brains - a little magic too! I betcha we could give Barzeelie a real ulcer if we put our minds to it!"
She does look toward Gregor a bit suspiciously.
"But how do we know this dottari here ain't planning on turning us over as soon as we get outta here? What's got yer knickers all in a twist against Boarzilla, if you don't mind me askin' so we can be sure you and Red ain't gettin' cold feet if we go stickin' our necks out?"
As a fledgling member of the Dottari, Gregor has learned how to keep his cool in the face of irate citizens, regardless of him not being prone to much in the way of emotional outbursts in the first place. As such, he is undaunted by the questioning tone of the older woman. He raises his left eyebrow slightly, before speaking "First off, citizen, I would much sooner arrest you for the theft performed on the member of the Chelish Citizens Group that was chased away from the assault on poor Mister Victocora here. As that was an illegal act against an, unfortunately, legal member of a Lord-Mayor reconized militia. However, I looked past your indiscretion in that moment for the sole purpose of needing the threat to have passed."
He switches his position, to fold his hands behind his back, and begins to stride around the table, a precisely-timed click of boot heels on hardwood follow him. "Had you even considered for one moment, if you were caught, that your single act of greed could have undone the efforts made to redirect the attentions of the thugs? I doubt it. But I regress as, due to recent events, I have to look beyond this minor transgression when there are greater issues at stake." He returns to his place by the door, having circled the table once, and moves his hands back to the front. "As I said, I swore to defend Kintargo with my life. If the laws of the legal authority present a threat to the greater success of the city as a whole, then they are not within the city's best interests. Any law that would reduce the city, is a threat. The need to protect this city, my city, from harm is far greater than my expectation as a Dottari Recruit to follow the laws to the letter. A corrupt leader, such as Barzillai Thrune, is a threat to my city, and I would give my life in whatever lawful means necessary if I felt it could successfully remove such a threat."
He scowls hard, jaw clenched, staring directly at Gilda "Do not presume to question the level of sacrifice I'm willing to give, or have already given just by my actions today, to ensure this city thrives under a just and fair leader. It is certainly not just to line my pockets with pilfered coin to drink away my youth in some back alley." He takes a deep calming breath, absent-mindedly rubbing the left side of his jaw before catching himself and returning to his rigid posture.
Matiscio fell silent when the nobleman guided them to the bookstore and he hasn't changed since. Quietly he observes everything that's going on, soaking in the new impressions and only when confronted with direct questions does he open his mouth. Wisdom is knowing when to speak.
When posed the big question, Matis falls in with Lea. "I'm in.
This madness has to be stopped. Barzilai treats the city like his plaything and it has become obvious that he man isn't sound of mind. In fact, I'd say he's barking mad."
You don’t notice anyone following the group.
Crissali’s Fine Tomes has the greatest reputation for rare books and magical arcane items of all the bookstores in Kintargo. The shopkeep, Nenden Crissali, is curiously without politics in a town defined by such, and has little patience for those who would use his store for anything other than the discussion of literature and magic. He often has many minor scrolls for sale.
The Victocora family is known – or at least it was known – for its interests in fishing, literature, and poetry. Rexus tends to associate with a variety of people from different social classes and occupations: musicians, servants, tutors, and even street urchins. Many of his early years are mysterious to all but his closest friends and family, many of whom perished on the Night of Ashes. Rexus is known as an insightful man, blessed with good health and a keen wit. He also has a bit of magical aptitude, which could account for his ability to disable two of the thugs on the side street.
Rexus listens to each of the six speak in turn, eager to hear their responses to his plea. The results are mixed, at best. His smile falters a few times, but he quickly recovers it. Despite the loss of his family, he seems to be doing his best to keep up a good front.
As each member of the group makes their initial remarks, Rexus responds to them individually.
"After what happened at the protest today, I can see that conventional tactics may not work. However, if you're proposing the seven of us storm the opera house, I think I'll go grab a drink somewhere. That's a suicide mission, hands down."
“I am proposing nothing of the sort. The time may come for open war, but I’m not so foolish as to think now is that time. I also have no illusions that this undertaking will not be incredibly dangerous. Regardless of our approach, I acknowledge that there are substantial risks involved. The dea… disappearance of my parents and the destruction of our estate prove that to be true. Still, I think – in time – we can make a difference for Kintargo. Bringing down Barzillai will not happen overnight, but if we move strategically and work together, I believe it can be done.”
"I remember Baron and Baroness Victocora... your family and mine shared similar tastes in poetry and the written word. We feared the worst when the Night of Ashes happened."
"For the longest time, I always considered it my civic duty to find the loopholes in the law and exploit them for all their worth--that way, those who actually make the laws will learn to catch them sooner, so everyone else can benefit from more intelligent law enforcement. That's what my best political sketches were for, really.
“Now, it's clear to me that it's not going to be enough anymore."
"I'm in."
Rexus seems particularly moved by Lia’s remembrances of his parents. His smile widens when she agrees to join the cause.
“Thank you, Lady Aulamaxa. It is good to know there are other members of noble families that believe Thrune must be deposed. If we can attract other nobles to our cause, it will make rebellion much easier and less likely to cause permanent instability to Kintargo and Ravounel as a whole.”
“Your reputation precedes you, of course, so I’m delighted to know you’re willing act on your principles in addition to making satirical paintings. I must admit that I particularly enjoyed hearing about your renditions of Queen Abrogail the II.” Rexus chuckles to himself at the memory. “The imps were a nice touch.”
"Lord Victocora - my condolences for your loss. But I must echo the earlier sentiment: what exactly are you proposing? Staging an insurrection? Founding a resistance? Do you have any support or means for such a scheme?"
“Thank you for your sympathy, but I cannot afford to feel sorry for myself. Not now. I’ve had a week to mourn since the Night of Ashes. Now I must be strong, for the sake of every Kintargan.
“Insurrection and resistance are both good words for what I am proposing. I don’t expect it to be public resistance. Not anytime soon, at least. I was hoping that you six would be the start of my support. Though after observing your actions at the protest, I believe others would be eager to join any formal resistance we might construct.”
"I swore an oath, that I would lay down my life in defense of Kintargo from all her enemies. Never in my darkest nightmares did I ever consider that those enemies would be the very people sworn to do the same thing. If those that would allow this fair city to fall into ruin, be the ones in the seat of power, it does not change the oaths I have made."
“An oath, you say? Your pledge sounds like the same pledge I have heard the Dottari give. At least like the ones they gave before Thrune’s arrival. Now they just pledge their undying loyalty to the Queen and Barzillai as her proxy. I must admit, I am surprised to see one of your number here. Yet, I believe an assortment of people – from every social strata – will be essential to Kintargo’s liberation.
“I must warn you, though. I fear that the Dottari’s actions in Aria Park today indicate that any impartiality they might have had has been completely eroded. You may be forced to take up arms against some of your fellow guardsmen. I can’t imagine the internal turmoil that must cause, but I will understand if you decline to join our cause. I only beg that you not reveal the others in attendance at this meeting and their decisions regarding opposing Barzillai.”
"But how do we know this dottari here ain't planning on turning us over as soon as we get outta here? What's got yer knickers all in a twist against Boarzilla, if you don't mind me askin' so we can be sure you and Red ain't gettin' cold feet if we go stickin' our necks out?"
“I share your concern to some degree, madam. But after his actions in defense of Lady Aulamaxa, I believe him to be a man of honor. I hope that will be enough to compel him to keep this meeting a secret.”
Rexus shifts uncomfortably as Gregor passes his end of the table. It seemed the nobleman indeed harbored some reservations about the ranger’s presence at the meeting. Still, Rexus listens to Gregor as he chastises Gilda and recounts his views on the law and the city.
Rexus seems particularly concerned at Gregor’s harsh reprimand as he finishes speaking. The nobleman’s cheery smile falters again and he is unable to recover it this time.
His tone grows serious as he says, “I must insist that we not fight. We’ve barely begun and I can already see there are fundamental differences in many of our philosophies about life. That is no reason to unnecessarily question the lifestyles of others.”
Rexus looks directly at Gregor when he says, “If you do decide to resist Barzillai and his rule in Kintargo, you will in all likelihood be forced violate more than the letter of the law. Unjust or otherwise, some laws may have to be broken out of necessity if our budding rebellion has any chance of success. You should know that upfront. I don’t want you to get the impression that we can merely skirt the law. We will likely trample it completely before our rebellion ends, regardless of whatever end it may come to.”
Rexus takes a deep breath as he finishes. The man is clearly not used to being so forceful.
"I'm in. This madness has to be stopped. Barzilai treats the city like his plaything and it has become obvious that he man isn't sound of mind. In fact, I'd say he's barking mad."
“Thank you for your support. I’m also glad to see someone got my invitation to come to Aria Park. I put out quite a few feelers, but wasn’t sure if anyone would respond. Kintargans are not to be toyed with and Barzillai will soon see that that is the case.”
Rexus looks at each person in the room and seems to be studying them - their facial expressions, their attire, the way they carry themselves. After another several seconds of awkward silence, he says, “ If any of you decide you don’t want to join in resisting Barzillai, now is perhaps the best time to leave - before we get to specifics.”
The nobleman pauses for a moment to see if anyone decides to leave then continues, “Now, then. I don’t believe many of us have had a chance to formally introduce ourselves to each other. I know of Lady Lia Aulamaxa, of course.” Rexus looks at Gilda and says, “And I believe, madam, I heard your name is Gilda.”
“Perhaps we would be more comfortable in each other’s presence if everyone would share their names and a bit about themselves. If we are to work together, we should build trust from the start. That begins with being open with each other.”
Rexus glances at Evander and Gregor. “I must insist that everyone take a seat. We are all Kintargans, so our equal standing should be reflected in some tangible way.”
“I’ve mentioned a bit about myself, so would the rest of you be willing to do likewise?”
“Your reputation precedes you, of course, so I’m delighted to know you’re willing act on your principles in addition to making satirical paintings. I must admit that I particularly enjoyed hearing about your renditions of Queen Abrogail the II.” Rexus chuckles to himself at the memory. “The imps were a nice touch.”
Lia beams with pride. "I'll admit, that one was the one I was most concerned about--I wasn't sure something so, well..." She clears her throat. "...offensive would be well-received."
"Anyways..." She takes a seat, slips her backpack off and digs out a few things--a journal, a vial of ink and an ink pen. "...in case you ladies and gentlemen didn't know already, I make my living as a satirical cartoonist. I used to mock our aristocracy in sketch--now, Thrune's given me much more material to work with."
She flips open her journal to a variety of sketches, a few of which appear to be either half-finished or scrapped, but all those depicted therein are exaggerated to comic proportions. Three particular sketches are quite noteworthy:
- A sketch depicting a rat catcher delivering a full sack of rats to Barzillai Thrune, and the lord-mayor flipping a single copper piece his way with a contemptuous look;
- Barzillai Thrune fleeing in terror from a nursery of confused babies with sprigs of mint in their hands;
- And finally, the aforementioned sketch of Queen Abrogail II. It involves several imps doing... unspeakable things to her. A gallon of candle wax and three yards of barbed wire are involved.