Kayleigh frowns as Nebbin tries to hand back the key she'd offered him.
"I thought we had all this worked out, Nebbin!" she says in frustration. "You were going to stay at my place while I'm staying here settling the matters of Amistan's burial and the placement of the Lambs."
After a pause, she sighs theatrically and adds, "But if you insist upon getting married, I suppose we could have Garlan perform a quick ceremony."
Regeris doesn't seem quite to know what to make of Nebbin. "We're not fighting the guard - the idea is we befriend the guard. For example, if we investigate this butcher shop and there is a fight, I'd prefer not to get arrested. Also, congratulations on the wedding. Let me know if you'd like me to officiate."
Turning back to the business at hand.
"I agree. At first opportunity we return the brooch and then investigate this Butcher Shop. If the town guard is sympathetic to our activities it will make our lives far, far easier."
Tassira seems quite distracted lately as she introduces herself. Her calico tabby looks around at the gathered party and meows.
"Er--yes. Brooch first, then this strange butcher shop."
Nebbin's jaw drops at Kayleigh's suggestion.
"B-b-b-but, I mean, I, it, I ..." he doesn't seem to know how to respond, especially right after someone suggested he had a point about something.
She wants to marry me? I mean, she's cute, but I don't really know her. But it'd be rude to say no, wouldn't it? I don't want to make her sad... Why do I always get into situations like this? Think, Nebbin, think!
"Oh Nebbin--I was only teasing! With Milani as my witness, I'm not sure if I find your innocence and propriety more endearing or annoying! I merely offered you the use of my small flat since your own got burned out; I'll be staying here in the temple looking after the priests and the Lambs, so any scandal it might cause should be minimal."
Turning to the others she offers her opinion on the group's next move(s): "Brooch and then butcher shop sounds good to me. En route, maybe we can quickly stop by Kevlin's parents' home to make sure they're all right and tell them we found their boy."
"Do you know where his parents live?"
Emi is a little disappointed Kayleigh didn't let Nebbin squirm longer. As sweet as he is, he's such an inviting target for pranks. She'd actually had to turn away for a moment to compose her face. She had been on the verge of laughing out loud at him.
"I think I'll skip dinner this evening and go up the hill to look for some clothes. I don't have a spare set anymore, and I can't keep wearing the same thing forever."
"I also might stop by a couple of places to see what I can find out about Pelts. I know a few good places for overhearing conversations."
Cressida Kroft has a reputation as an honorable servant of the city as far as Emileva has ever heard. Her position is appointed by the Head Priest of Abadar and confirmed by a committee of the city's magistrates, so it's both a religious and political seat. She enforces the commandments of the royals.
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Temple of Aroden
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Dinner at the temple is a chicken stew seasoned with some of the spices Garlan was able to recover from his trampled garden in back of the temple. In the middle of the meal there's a knocking on the door. Garlan gets up to check the door and Hal goes with him.
A moment later there's a cry of alarm from the chapel followed by the wooden crash of one of the pews being upset. Rushing out into the chapel you find the front doors standing open. Four young toughs stand in the entrance, two of them menacing Garlan in the corner, two of them walking around the upturned pew to get at Hal, who apparently just crashed over it and lies tangled in the seating. None of them wears anything like a uniform or badge.
One of the toughs screams at Garlan.
" ...told you old man! This house now permanently stays open to the public! S'what the Guard said and it means everythin' in here belongs to... uhh..." he trails off as he picks up Nebbin and company in his peripheral vision.
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Garrison Hill Shopping
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Reefclaw Run market is only populated by people trying to buy food - today's catch is exhausted and the vendors gone. But Emi's surprised to see guards in the market. Emi overhears one would-be shopper suggest trying the butcher shop in Old Dock - the same that Vencarlo mentioned, but the other states flatly that they already gave out their last remaining cuts of the day and locked their doors as well.
There's better luck up on Garrison Hill itself, and Emileva's able to find a shop that offers whatever quality she seeks, though at twice the normal price. Her tailor seems a very learned older lady who locks her door after she lets Emi in. Two broad-shouldered men, perhaps her sons watch over the place despite the relative order in the street outside.
As she helps Emileva she chats about the city's troubles.
"All sorts of unsavory groups are moving in to capitalize on the instability in our city, like vultures circling. Thieving gangs, wererats from the under-sewers, even cultists of the goddess of Undeath. And don't you forget about these Shoanti! They never meant us well and I'll wager they still don't. There are more and more of them in the streets, don't you be surprised when pestilence follows in their wake."
Tassira is in absolutely no mood to entertain a gang of wannabe murderers and looters, and storms up to the nearest pair with a glare on her face.
"Imbre coloris." She points a finger at the pair, sending a garish fan of colours right into their faces.
The closer pair are the ones menacing Hal, but getting them without getting Hal is impossible. The other two are only slightly farther and are grouped more conveniently.
Though concerned about Nebbin, the two leer openly at Tassira as she advances. He's just about to say something crude when the spell goes off in his face like a bomb. Both toughs drop to the floor unconscious.
The other two take one look at one another and run as fast as they can out the front door and into the crowd.
Tassira shakes her fingers and snorts. "Well, that certainly didn't last long."
She turns to Nebbin and points at the garishly-coloured unconscious thugs. "Would you be so kind as to secure them, Nebbin?"
Nebbin's jaw drops as Tassira runs off the thugs before he even has a chance to register they're there.
"Um, sure. ... How?"
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Regeris stalks out behind Nebbin, his bow drawn and a dark look on his face as he sees the other two run off. He fires off an arrow over the heads of the fleeing young men but does not pursue them. With cold efficiency, he drops his pack and pulls out a length of rope.
"I'll bind them. Please see that the priests haven't been harmed. Nebbin, please help me carry these two fine young men somewhere out of sight of the street. Someone please see to the priests to ensure they are unharmed."
With practiced ease, Regeris disarms and binds both youths before indicating that Nebbin should pick them up.
"If none of you mind, I will question them. Ideally with others present. Please have weapons drawn. Tassira, if you can do try and look magic, that will help."
After the toughs have been moved somewhere private, Regeris leaves them on the floor and looms over them, standing forth from the rest of the group. His eyes scan both toughs, trying to determine which one is more fearful. He fixes them with an intense, dangerous stare, although keeps his voice calm and level, letting his body language do the talking.
"I do not believe you delivered your message entirely. Please, go ahead."
"Oh, of course!" Nebbin says, easily hefting the two men.
"But I don't have any weapons... I guess I could use a dinner knife..."
Kayleigh hands Nebbin her morningstar. "And don't smile at them," she tells the big man. "Look mean!"
Tassira follows, wordlessly calling magic to her fingertips. Her fingers start dripping with frost and snow.
You drop the men on the hard stone floor of the bath room. The floor drain in this room sets a certain tone. The men come-to slowly at first, and then in a panic as they realize they're blind.
"What did you do? I can't see! No... the guards said the church and everything inside it belonged to the publics - that the House of Aroden was broke. So it's lawful, see?!"
He squints at his questioner as his eyesight slowly returns. They both seem quite convinced of their peril.
"Being lawful, gentlemen, doesn't make it right." Tassira glares at them with no shortage of contempt. "Do they condone the public execution of Aroden's faithful, as well?"
Feeling a dangerously overwhelming rage beginning to overtake her, Kayleigh walks over to Garlan and whispers a question in the old priest's ear. "Are your taxes paid up-to-date?" She knows that it's a constant struggle for the priests of the dead god to keep the church open with a dwindling congregation of faithful.
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"Oh, right!"
Nebbin hoists Kayleigh's morningstar and scowls fiercely.
A moment later he remembers he's supposed to be scowling at the men, not the cleric who just told him to look mean.
Regeris doesn't react much as the youth blusters, his voice is soft and dripping with menace.
"Our wizard took your eyes, and gave them back because you wanted to see your situation. You are now going to answer a question or two. If you answer them in ways that I like, I will not ask our wizard to take something far more precious from you. Who sent you here?"
When Emi hears the two food shoppers talking about the meat giveaways at the butcher shop, she approaches them. Implying she is another of the people there trying to put food on a table, she asks them when she could find the place open, and if it's really true they give meat away.
Later, when she finds the seamstress up on the hill, she asks for trousers and a shirt, both in a cloth serviceable for daily wear, along with a vest to go with them. Her armored coat works better with vests than doublets.
She also asks for a simple dress, again something suitable for daily wear. For all the garments she asks for cloth in darker colors, black, grey, and deep blue are fine, whatever is on hand. The shirt can be white if need be.
Emi stresses that she has only the clothes she is wearing at the moment. Everything else has taken from her home by looters. Ideally she would like to get the clothing today or early tomorrow rather than waiting.
She listens with interest and offers sympathy on the various ills the city is now experiencing, while prodding the woman (and the two men if they will) to talk in greater detail about anything they've seen or heard about the problems she brings up.
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Temple of Aroden
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"No one sent us here, sir," one of the men says, his voice cracking under his obvious panic. "Dunbar said he smelled food, and Malgor had said there was s'posed to be a young..."
"Shut up, Ned!" the other barks. "Yer stupid mouth is gonna get you and me both killed!"
"Dun... is that you? I can't see right! There weren't supposed to be no warriors and wizards here!"
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Reefclaw Run Market
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"It's for real enough," the man replies to Emi's question about the butcher. "Meat was damned stringy, like they starved the poor sow afore they butchered her, but they do give away meat for free on occasion."
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Tailor's Shop
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The old woman goes on and on about the Shoanti. Her husband served in the guard and made a career riding against the tribes in the hard lands east of the city.
"Before this unrest you couldn't walk the street without running into a nest of the savages, and they're not here to learn to dance at court. They're up to trouble. My husband says they're secretly on the warpath - sizing us up for an attack while we're weak!"
Regeris stares at the youths for a moment.
Ned. Dun. Good.
Regeris points at Dun.
"Nebbin, please move that one to the privy for now. We'll talk with him shortly."
After Dun has been moved out of earshot, Regeris squats to look Ned in the eyes as the young man slowly regains his vision. Briefly, Regeris whispers to Kayleigh and Tassira.
"He is a scared youth. He may need our help more than our harm. Let us see what choices he makes."
"Now Ned. You need to tell us everything you know. Who you are, where you are from, and what you were told about us. If you cooperate with us, we will not only let you go, but we will help you. We can offer you a way out. If you cooperate. If you do not, you will wish you were the one we stuffed in a privy."
The woman's talk of an immanent Shoanti sounds a bit paranoid to Emileva. The idea is one she can't take very seriously.
Within the span of days the Shoanti would need to learn about the King's death and the city's disorder, come together to and decide to act on it, agree on how to act, and then infiltrate and the city and muster the needed warriors, all for what would without a doubt be a suicidal and pointless attempt at, what exactly? The woman is just directing her anxieties at those she hates.
Still, even though she doesn't put stock in any of the things the woman says, she makes a mental list of extra things to look for signs of: Shoanti, wererats, and death cultists.
After leaving the shop Emi just has to smile at that list, too fantastical to believe.
Since she skipped dinner Emi stops off for a small meal on the way back to the temple. She chooses one of the places along the way that she used to frequent with Ansel, figuring to see what might turn up on him and Pilts at the same time. She has a drink with some food, and then another while circulating among the other patrons, talking and listening.
"Who's Malgor?" Nebbin blurts out before Regeris' instructions, which he follows.
"Um, you stay here I guess. If you need to use the chamber pot, you can, but don't try to leave!"
Kayleigh remains silent, watching Regeris's interrogation with interest.
Regeris glances over his shoulder to Kayleigh and Tassira, quietly mouthing a few words.
"I'm the bad guard. If he starts talking, you be the good guard. Make an ally."
Kayleigh catches Regeris's eye just long enough to confirm that she indeed got his message. Although she doesn't want to play 'good' with the young thug, she'll do what she must for the benefit of Garlan, Crayden, and their temple.
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Temple of Aroden
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Ned is quite overwhelmed by the interrogation. As near as you can tell, he totally folds once Dunbar's been dragged from the room and the questions start to come.
He's a street punk. He joined the crowd that stormed the church doors on the day the King died, but claims he had no part in the violence against the temple or the priests. When you ask him why he joined the crowd he goes mum. Claims he doesn't know.
He tells you that Malgor is one of Captain Verik's sergeants, a member of the guard, and that it was he who led parts of the riotous crowd on their little anti-Aroden pogrom. Malgor and some of his men did the violence. Drago, short for Baldrago, is one that Ned knows by name. He's a sadistic piece of work who carries a big sledge hammer with him, and it was he who did the killing. But he only heard that last part, because one of his friends got his hands on four bottles of the priest's wine and his little cadre stole off to drink them.
"Tonight we was just lookin for food," he says flatly.
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Bridgefront District
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There's a popular though small place called the Traveling Man that lies just off the path back to the temple. The only fare they have to offer is the tail-end of a beef stew, but drink they have in plenty. In such a small place, the heavies really stand out and it's obvious to Emileva that the Traveling Man's owner has doubled his house muscle.
The crowd from the place spills into a rear courtyard that the tavern shares with other businesses, all of them closed, and Emi finds someplace nice to sit with her memories and her bowl of brown. The curiosity in the plaza is a great stone plug at its center. This plug opens onto a large subterranean chamber that's part of the city's sewer, and in that chamber live some of the city's sewer monsters. On occasion the monsters may be heard through the cobbles howling and bellowing at one another.
The crowd here feels muted and wary. Conversations more private than usual. Some patrons near her discuss taking their coin down to Eel's End for alternate entertainment.
After giving herself a couple of drinks among the patrons at the Traveling Man and finding no low-hanging fruit, she decides making it back sober is probably worth more than anything she might find there. Emileva has some morning plans and wants to the in good condition for them.
On the walk back to the temple she muses over the idea of going back to work. If she could pick up a job at a place like that, she could hear much more than she would by stopping in occasionally.
"So now what do we do with him?" Nebbin asks. "If he's working with the city guard, they're not going to arrest him..."
"Thank you Ned. You've done a good thing here. It could be the start of more good things."
Leaving Ned for a moment, he takes the group to the side to speak to them.
"He's a hungry kid looking for purpose. I suggest we let them both loose with a warning, and then tell Ned privately that if he wants food and work, he can come back later and arrange something. We will need informants. Then we need to deal with this Verik as soon as possible and strike before he strikes back. We should still speak with Cressida first still, but this just presses our mission."
Kayleigh's face gets flushed as it dawns on her that she was one of the reasons the hoodlums targeted the temple again. Emileva was right: Staying in the temple was dangerous.
Her anger and horror at the situation make it difficult for her to gather her thoughts. Regeris wanted her and Tassira to play 'Good Guards,' but that was proving difficult now that she knew how callous and insatiable these hoodlums were. She balls her hands into fists but is unable to speak with the conscienceless captive.
When Regeris finishes up his interrogation and takes the group aside for a conference, Kayleigh finally finds her voice.
"No, I do not want Ned back here ever again--he makes me...uncomfortable. I agree that we should speak with Ms. Kroft and deal with Verik and his lieutenants immediately."
Emileva arrives back at the temple as the rest of the group are debating the fate of the prisoners.
Regeris looks over Kayleigh seriously for a moment before he nods.
"Fair enough, I won't argue it. He needn't be rewarded for attacking the temple. Let's just run them off. Use your anger. Let it terrify them."
Asking Nebbin and anyone who wants to look scary to accompany him, Regeris hauls out the two young men to the front of the temple, cutting their bonds. He steps back with an arrow nocked.
"We're letting you live because we want you to deliver a message. This temple is protected. Any who attack it will die. Now run. Do not come back."
Once the two thugs are gone, Kayleigh thanks Regeris for acceding to her wishes and then apologizes for ruining his plan to set Ned up as a sort of informant. She's happy to see Emileva return safe and sound and tells her, "You probably shouldn't go off alone again; it's too dangerous."
**********************************
That night, Kayleigh sits down with Garlan for what she figures to be a difficult conversation. She invites Regeris to attend as well, if he'd like.
”You know I’ve supported your church, your faith, and your independence from the moment I moved into this neighborhood,” she tell the head priest. ”And you know I appreciate your allowing a small shrine dedicated to Milani inside your building, even though she has so few devotees in this city. I can’t thank you enough, but….”
”What happened here proves you and Crayden aren’t safe here alone any more. At the very least, I think I should move in here full-time. I can clean and cook to help pay my own way, and can contribute my fair share of taxes to keep the building open. Well, I’m not much of a cook beyond scrambled eggs at this point, but I’m willing to learn. And long-term…perhaps you should consider adding a shrine to Iomedae and bringing in a full-time priest from the Pantheon of Many. That would bring in another source of revenue and add another person capable of defending this place to ensure there’ll be no repeat of what happened here the other day. I hope the streets will return to normal soon, but…if what I witnessed at Exemplary Execrables is any indication, there will always be a lot of dangerous people walking the streets of Old Korvosa.”
”You don’t have to answer me now—just give it some thought. I always knew that Old Korvosa had its criminal element and was cautious when out tending to the needs of the neighborhood, but I never felt such fear, anger and—well, loathing for some of its less savory inhabitants until I saw that theater packed with people eager to see a kindly old man—and a priest at that—murdered for their own entertainment. I’d never witnessed such evil before…I’d never even considered that such mindless malice and hatred could exist in our city. I’ll be honest—the experience has deeply shaken my faith in the people I’m supposed to care for and tend to. I’m finally grateful for the weapon and armor that my mysterious benefactor donated to keep me safe while I tend to the less fortunate in our corner of the city. I only wish I’d been here to crack a few skulls when those cretins broke in and….” At the thought of Amistan’s broken form, however, Kayleigh bursts into tears.
”I don’t know what to do anymore!” she sobs. ”I just know that I have to do something! Perhaps Regeris’s presence and wisdom will help me find my way again.”
Having been hovering over Regeris' shoulder with magic at the ready, Tassira steps back and takes careful aim at the two prisoners with her fingers. She had no intention of actually shooting them--just to make sure the message was driven home with the force of a sledgehammer.
She was tempted to blast them anyway. The mention of one of the Korvosan Guard being the one who inspired them to raid the place (and perhaps cause Kayleigh or herself harm) makes her seethe with barely-visible rage.
Garlan listens carefully to Kayleigh as she builds her case, and lays a comforting hand on her arm when she bursts into tears.
"Kayleigh, as long as I've known you, you've practiced with this inner faith that focusing on hope will increase it. Your compassion for your fellow man - that's the foundation for your connection to Milani. Lose that and you will lose everything. You'll find you have nothing remaining of yourself."
He pauses to think a minute about the next thing he says. Let's her have a nice cry.
"Amistan was a priest of Aroden. Aroden is the God of Man, be he dead or living. Amistan knew the nature of man - embraced it and sang its praises and follies all the days of his life. Man is the same beast who has sustained this house through its charity 104 years beyond the life of its god. The same beast who thrills in the dark mystery that an illusion filled murder show provides. It's not the practice of our faith to drive such tendencies away, but rather to try and understand what they say about us."
He laughs a dark laugh and coughs an old man's cough. Wipes a tear from his eye and continues.
"Of course the God of Man should die, how better to demonstrate he is the true God of Man than to walk our road before us? Amistan now walks that road with his God and I shall join them presently."
"It's no coincidence you know, the tie between our faiths. I sometimes believe that the only Hope for Man lies with your goddess, and with the notion of throwing down all the thrones. It may be." He says this as he rises from his seat, and makes motions towards the door and his own bed.
"Of course you will stay here Kayleigh, for as long as this place helps you find your goddess. As to the rest, Aroden will provide."
Kayleigh manages a weak smile as Garlan concludes his speech. All good advice, she thinks, without answering my real question. The priestess had a feeling that come the morning she'd be walking her own difficult road of faith. Before Garlan can escape, however, Kayleigh asks for the address of Kevlin's parent, determined to look into that matter en route to the planned meeting with Cressida Kroft.
When Emi arrives at the temple, the first clue something isn't as usual is the zealousness with which Hal is acting as gatekeeper of the door. Once she's inside and learns of the situation, she stays quiet. The others have the problem well in hand, and given her earlier conversation with Kayleigh, she doesn't want to create any type of "told you so" impression. She lends her presence to reinforce the message of a well-defended temple from the background.
Later, after everyone has moved on to other things, she looks for a chance to speak with Tassira in private. When it arrives, she asks the mage "You've been sort of quiet today. How are you doing? I mean, well, with you-know-what..."
Regeris remains silent while Kayleigh pours her heart out to Garlan. He finally speaks up.
"Not to presume. I'd also like to stay here, not only to help Kayleigh with the temple, but I also don't have a place to stay."
He looks over distraught Kayleigh for a moment, taking a moment to choose his words.
"Those young men who attacked us. Recognize that they have no voice, no power, no purpose, and no hope. When you take those from people, they lash out. They become angry. When they came here, they saw what they were missing. Power, authority, a voice, purpose, and food."
Regeris becomes heated as he speaks.
[b]"Those who have power, authority, a voice, purpose,
Regeris remains silent while Kayleigh pours her heart out to Garlan. He finally speaks up.
"Not to presume. I'd also like to stay here, not only to help Kayleigh with the temple, but I also don't have a place to stay. I will help however is needed and appreciate the fraternity between our faiths."
He looks over distraught Kayleigh for a moment, taking a moment to choose his words.
"I ask that you to think about something. Why did those young men attack this temple? When you come to your first answer, look beyond that. Look for the 'why' beyond the 'why'."
After the meeting with Garlan, and depending on his answer, Regeris spends his time helping out with cleanup and repairs at the temple, despite not really knowing what he's doing. He spends a good while in prayer at the shrine, seeking direction and summoning courage and discipline for the coming day.
Kayleigh starts briefly when Regeris speaks his mind, apparently having been unaware of his presence while she spoke with Garlan. When her eyes turn toward her fellow Milanite, however, they're not angry--they seem thankful and relieved. It's likely she sees Regeris as part of the solution, not part of the problem.
She sighs before trying to answer the man's question. "On the surface, I'd guess those thugs attacked the temple because they figured they could beat up a couple of old men again and--unless I'm reading something into their words and actions that wasn't there--have their way with me before taking whatever else they wanted for themselves. Or maybe they did so simply because they could and knew they could get away with it. I get that they're lashing out, but they're not lashing out at the folks who may deserve it. The priests of Aroden may have a voice in the community and a bit of food in their pantry, but they haven't had much in terms of power or authority since their god died a century ago. I think...I believe...perhaps these ruffians simply have evil in their hearts and see in the chaos of the new monarchy the opportunity to act upon their wickedness."
Kayleigh lowers her head in shame at having said such a thing about her neighbors in Old Korvosa...yet she lets her words stand.
"Huh?" Tassira blinks and looks down at her feet. "Oh... I suppose I have been, at that."
"I'm... surprised Neziana left so suddenly. And she took something else with her..."
Nebbin, happy no one is trying to have to any confusing conversations he probably wouldn't know how to respond to with him, starts planning for the rest of the night. He pulls out some spare linens to sleep on near the door, to make sure no one tries to come in again.
I came here looking for guidance, but Kayleigh is looking for it as much as I. She needs hope.
Regeris looks at Kayleigh for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully.
"This is where you ask 'why' again. If they have evil in their hearts, why is it there? Who put it there? They didn't come here because they're minions of Lamashtu. They came here because they believed that if they were the strongest and meanest, they'd get to eat tonight. They lashed out at the temple because they were told this was the best place to do it."
Regeris points to a plume of smoke in the distance from an extinguished fire.
"Something has gone badly wrong in this city. Those riots are a roaring bonfire that was built over decades - the King's death was just the spark. The unrest gave predators like Verik and Pilts an opportunity to exploit the smallfolk. The Everbloom is about hope. I'm not good at love and redemption, I am trained to hunt down, interrogate and kill people. But you have a glad heart. Don't lose hope for yourself, or for those who have done cruel things. Everyone has a chance."
Eel's End is a pier and a collection of ships moored alongside that together make up a devil's fair. It sits right at the eastern mouth of the Narrows, right by Nebbin's burned out apartment. There's a ship for every sin there, so there's no telling what the men were suggesting. It's definitely a place where people go to find trouble.
Back at the temple, the thugs certainly leave with a different impression of your strength than they entered with. They disappear into the crowd the instant they're given the chance. The bar's laid and the temple made secure again.
---
Garlan looks from Kayleigh back to Regeris and smiles again, his calm totally incongruous to his circumstances. He dips a quill in ink and scrawls an address as he answers both of you at once.
"I have a different 'why'. They feel they can because transgressions against a dead god carry no consequences. There are no young priests or priestesses to turn this house over to, and Crayden and I are old. Of course you must both stay, or this house must grow cold and abandoned before long. Surely you just told those two men as much - that this house is protected now by a living goddess, and the young priests and priestesses of her faith. That's what I heard you say in any event."
He hands Kayleigh the note - directions to Kevlin's family home.
---
The orphans are settled into their little chamber. Cots are pulled back out. Crayden bunks in with Garlan to make more room. You settle into small night-time conversations and the night passes without further interruptions.
Gozran 16, 4708
The morning dawns bright but foggy. Though swirls of the stuff hang low in the streets down by the river, you have little doubt the sun will burn it off shortly. After scraping together what fare remains you get your things together in preparation for the cross-town trip to Citadel Volshyenek.
The way is quite familiar. You've walked this road many times in the last several days. You observe as you push your way through the crowd assembled at the Jeggarre bridge that not much has changed in the balance of power on the street. North Point is still a disaster with people and trash everywhere and the guard keeping mostly to themselves in clusters around the courthouse and the Longacre building.
Taking a hard left, you loop around toward the riverside and the address that Garlan gave you. The house it leads you to is well-appointed, sitting high up on the riverside crest with a view over the waterfront and the fog enshrouded river to the east. A pull on the bell brings a man to the door. He opens the door just a tad and peers out with one dark, suspicious eye at the lot of you standing on his doorstep.
Once you explain who you are and why you've come his expression grows significantly kinder, though he still doesn't let you in until Kevlin's mother appears at the door to verify Kayleigh's identity. It doesn't take you long to convey the message that Kevlin is alive and found. The feeling of relief - elation even - is palpable and you cannot help but smile despite all that's happened. At least here you can say you've done something objectively good for the city, and the success fills you with the smallest measure of hope that things can be returned to normal - one life at a time.
You leave with the agreement that you'll make your way back down to the home with Kevlin in tow later that day. The parents thank you profusely as you leave, the father promising to collect a substantial reward for you when you return.
From there you trek back down the river's edge toward the Citadel. The guard presence between the borders of North Point and the southern reaches of the city is minimal, but so is the crowd. You pass by the burned out orphanage, the now hopefully deserted fishery, Emileva's uncle's warehouse and Zellara's old flat before the crowd begins to pick back up again.
The citadel stands just north of Eodred's square and east of the Gold Market on a little peninsula that juts out into the flow of the Jeggarre River. The main keep is a large squat building of black Janderhoff marble. Guardsmen keep the gate and ring the plaza before the fortress. In the plaza itself there's a huge protesting crowd. As you make your way through the press you pick up snatches of the day's news and none of it seems very promising.
There's word that the Hellknights of the city have had some terrible falling out either among themselves or possibly with the guard or the queen, and are retreating from Korvosa entirely. The citizenry is fairly polarized over the use of Hellknights in general, with the wealthy favoring the uncompromising guardians of law, and the poor generally reviling them. This crowd is mostly the latter, though even here you can sense that the people understand that having fewer guardians of the city's laws is not a positive development at present.
Another thing you hear as you push you way to the gate is that there's been another string of assassinations. One of the scions of House Jeggarre was murdered yesterday in his home. The queen reacted to the killing by disbanding the Peerage Review, further consolidating the power of the city into her own slender hands. Though she proclaimed that this move would insulate the members from violence by temporarily rendering the members impotent, the verdict on the street is that this was a naked power grab by a monarch who will hear no voices of dissension and who'll suffer no check to her influence.
Lastly, you hear that all processing of criminals taken in by the guard, all courts and hearings of any kind have been suspended indefinitely due to the disappearance of the most influential judge in the city, Zenobia Zenderholm. Though she's known as a pitiless member of the judiciary and the street has no love for the woman they name the 'hanging judge', her disappearance shows that no one in the city is safe from the chaos that is overtaking her streets.
Fighting your way through the last 100 yards of crowd is the hardest of all. The folks clustered nearest the gate believe themselves to have real, personal grievances with the guard that need to be addressed, not just general protest, and these do not yield so easy to your press for the gate. Still your group is large and well-armed, and none of these confrontations come to blows.
The guard at the gate eyes your party nervously as you approach. From the ramparts above you count no fewer than a dozen archers and you've no doubt they're mostly trained on you.