She gives you an impish smile as she adds: "And for you, it's free! ...I mean information..."
I scatch my neck and look around, "I wonder how Kriger's doing?"
"I don't know. Unless one of you has a spell that can check on him, I guess we'll wait until.. dusk, maybe?"
Kriger breathes a sigh of relief as she has obviously heard of him. "Whew, that was close. I thought for just a moment things were about to get violent. So you know of me and of Frieland; that's good. Now," he starts but then stops, looking a bit confused. "Attack? Which attack exactly? You gotta forgive me, it seems like we've been through a ton of fightin' here lately so if you could be more specific so as to jog my memory that'd be great."
"Did you come all by yourself? I heard you were good with the axe, but there is a lot of them, and the Baron is not bad either..."
As he now remembers that specific battle, "Oh yeah, that one. Yeah we managed to take care of those scumbags. She actually made it out okay. A little worse for the wear but she survived. And she was the one who gave us your name. Said you'd know about what the heck is going on in this town. Speaking of which: what the heck is going on in this town? What's up with the half-built buildings? Oh and no, I'm here with the others. They just figured it'd draw a lot less attention if only one of us went in." He then pauses a moment as the last of her words sink in, "Okay, hold a second, what do you mean by 'a lot of them'?" He asks, a curious look about him.
"So are you here to free the town? What's your plan?"
"Plan? Hell, I don't know. If it were up to me, I'd kill 'em all and let Pharasma sort 'em out." He winks. "Outside of that, we need to find Kisandra's father and the rest of the hostages. And while you obviously have a great hatred for Drelev -- I only say that due to the venom that escapes your lips when you speak of him -- he's nothing more than a puppet of Armag afraid to stick up for anything. He's a wimp and that's why Armag left him in charge. No way he leaves somebody with a backbone to hold down the fort." Kriger then ponders something as he strokes his beard. "Alright, I need to let the others know what's happening. You got any idea on how can I get 'em in here without attracting too much attention? Could I bribe those idiotic guards? Or can I just kill 'em?" He grins. "Just throw me a bone of some type and I'll take it from there. I have a feeling this is about to get real fun, oh yeah!" He nods, a maniacal grin attached to his face.
"That sounds perfect. Just tell me which wall it is and me and my crew will be there." Kriger smiles, absolute destruction of the bad guys dancing through his mind.
Once darkness settles, Kriger appears back at your camp.
"A ton. C'mon, get your things, fellas. I'll talk while we work. We're going to town. There's a lad and a ladder waiting on us at midnight." As they begin to gather up their belongings, Kriger relates what he knows. "Drelev is in charge, but he's just a patsy. That's why Armag put him there. Armag's not around right now; he's out and took several of his best warriors with him. Which means we need to find the location of those hostages and get them free before he comes back. Because according to Satinder, his army is not small. And the blasted town is falling apart too. Half-built buildings, shops with practically no one around to buy anything but still open. This place is a ghost town! -- or very nearly. Hey, there is a temple to Ol' Deadeye. They're doing somethin' right." He shrugs.
"Espionage, then. I will pray for Her aid.
"The plan is to avoid the guards. We're going to a certain section of the wall that possesses a ladder and a kid who's suppose to be waitin' for us. Just follow me." Kriger then leads the others to that very spot.
Servayn accompanies you to the battlements. He casts on each of you an incantation that renders you invisible.
Once this is done, it is very simple to make your way up the battlements and through the silent streets of Drelev's Fort. You pass a single patrol on your short way. They don't seem on alert.
The young boy brings you to the brothel's back door and Satinder welcomes you in.
"My Lord Kalsgrim, my humble establishment is honored to receive such a distinguished host. Please know that any of our services is available to you and yours. Always." She says the last part with a cheeky glint in her eyes.
Kriger elbows their fearless leader in the side, grinning wryly while nodding in agreement to that statement and winking.
I bow to our hostess, "Thank you. We need to understand where the captives are held, prepare an escape route and effect a rescue without detection." I shrug, "How can you help?"
Then I turn to Kalsgrim, inviting him to amend my request and awaiting his approval.
A pout rises on Satinder's mouth as Kalsgrim doesn't bite. She turns to Malaswyn, putting a defiant fist on a defiant hip: "I can help you get inside the walls... But we'll need some makeup... No, we'll need a lot of makeup!"
Kalsgrim notes, but largely ignores, his discovery. Though he can't help but wonder Did Kriger find out the hard way?
Satinder beams at you: "You'll have to pass for the new courtesans! I have you brought directly from..." she eyes you all and shrugs "Numeria I guess..."
She turns to Kriger: "You'll need to shave... But those long blond hair will be awesome, once washed..."
Kriger looks to Satinder with a raised eyebrow. "Look, lady, I'm not shaving anything, and I'm not dressing as no woman. That's crazy. And a little disturbing if I do say so myself. Anyway, I may be crazy but I'm not that crazy. Now, I'll go in with my axe removing heads if they get in my way. Otherwise, you're gonna have to find us a better way in."
I smile at the realisation, look at Kriger and raise an eyebrow well, well, well.
"Satinder looks at Kalsgrim with a naughty smile, but figuring that there was not a single hint of double entendre, the smiles turns to a pout, but immediately after she turns pensive: [b]"I might know someone... A spadassin of great gravitas. He's been staying with us for a few weeks now. I've done my best to keep him from the Watch, or perhaps it is the other way around... YES! This is a marvelous idea! I'll be your host for a feast tonight, and the introductions will be made there and then. What do you say?"
It is night as Raveneau wakes. Immobile, he tries to keep a steady breathing in case someone is with him. His eyes scan the room for signs of intrusion, but then his ears pick up shuffling sounds from below.
Someone is coming...
Through the floorboard, he can make the suave voice of Satinder. Nothing in her voice betrays trouble. He relaxes.
Getting up softly, he slides his feet with even pressure across the floor, not making a sound, and reaches for the door and locks his ear to it.
For long minutes he listens, aware of a hint of nervousness in his breathing...
When he goes back to bed, he is smiling and looking forward to the coming day.
Kriger glances at Kalsgrim before deciding to respond himself. "I could eat. As long as I don't have to shave anything. Or dress up as anything. I just want to make that real clear. You might as well be asking a dwarf to shave his beard off and stop drinking. Shame! Shame on you, lady!" He continues to grumble under his breath about it.
Contented that the arrival of the one below did not betray further interruption to his night, Raveneau pauses a moment with a longing glance towards his sheathed blade. The night beyond is likely bright with the kiss of the silver watcher above... it would be a shame not to bless it with a dance for the True Spark. yawning as he stretches before his bed beckons to him with the gossamer touch of silken sheets Tomorrow perhaps...
Trying to find an amicable solution, I chip in, "Perhaps Kriger could dress to please your female customers?"
"As for me," I shrug, "If it's good enough for Sarenrae..."
It is morning when Merten Falstaff stands in the centre of the town surrounding Fort Drelev, taking in with curiosity its deflated state.
Once, perhaps, it had been more vibrant, and filled with the buzzing of activity, of growth, but no longer. He can smell the fear in the rare people he passes, the desolation in the empty buildings and the abandoned shells of numerous building projects, the cupidity in the heart of the watchmen eyeing him as they patrol its empty streets.
Odd that Griselle would settle in such a place. The rumour had caught up to him as he traveled north to Frieland, and he opted for a detour, curious, perhaps still filled with hope?
In front of him stands the narrow purple building called The Velvet Underground, Drelev's brothel.
Perhaps we could have a word... thinks he as he looks up and down the building's curtained windows.
The rest of the night passes without incidents. You are offered small smelly rooms and extra accommodations that Kalsgrim made a point of refusing for the three of you.
Merten stood back a ways from the bordello, dithering. Perhaps a simpler divination, something that wouldn't be expected... he thought. The mage adjusted his tabard, unnecessarily straightening it before cocking his head to the side. Well yes Luca, I agree, no divination has ever found her before... His features firmed abruptly as he continued his conversation with the tiny dragon perched above the door. I am not trying to delay the inevitable! I just don't want to go charging in like some blind bull! What if she's in there? What if she isn't... He concluded in a quieter voice.
Fine, fine. I'm going. Just keep your eyes open, and try not to get us into any trouble this time.
Merten hitched up his belt and strode purposefully into the Velvet Underground.
As they often do, things conspired to bring together agents of fate, as Merten gets ushered into a large dining room by a smiling conniving Satinder, where sits the Duke of Frieland and his High Priest and his Warden.
At the same time, Raveneau comes down the stairs to take his usual breakfast, noticing the seated and standing newcomers.
"Well, well!" calls Satinder, "The Velvet Underground has never before been graced by such an extraordinary collection of heroes. Be sure to keep our windows tightly shut, for I fear a maelstrom of change is blowing Drelev's way!"