"We're NOT taking them with us if you plan on leaving them alive. Far too many people already have an idea of where to find us. The last thing we need is a bunch of witches with a grudge, or who see's the profit in passing on the information." Arani replies.
"Leave them here. I still have no idea what we're going to do with them. We can't just murder them. I don't think the watch would be interested in them either."
Domitius scowls. "They can't accidentally fall on a knife or eight, huh? Fine." His face perks up. "We should take like, I dunno, is it like a lock of hair or stuff like that? Make a real big show of storing it proper, too. We can tell them that if they mess with us, we'll use it to track them down and..."
Viro shrugs over at Dom, a somewhat curious gesture considering his heavy armour. "We don't need to be so elaborate, my mission to destroy evil is simple. Once we're back with the prisoners they will have an offer to revoke their evil goddess, seek no revenge on us, and start a better life. If they refuse, their lives are forfeit. I imagine they will say no but they get the chance at least."
Davina shrugs. "Viroleth's plan works for me. They get a choice. I can sleep with that at night."
RUINS OF THE LUCKY BONES (26 Gozran)
Backtracking to the chamber near the entrance with several bedchambers off it, your party finds the two captives still incarcerated where you left them. Though they initially glare defiantly when Viroleth presents them with his ultimatum, their bravado seeps away as they contemplate the possibility of their imminent deaths. The one not previously charmed by Falina finally speaks.
"We cannot disavow our mistress any more than you could turn from your own god," the woman says sourly. "But if you spare us, we'll agree to leave this city without seeking vengeance on any of you...or your loved ones. This we swear in Mahathallah's name!"
Not sure if I gave you this info earlier or not.
Mahathallah is a lawful evil deity, so although the priestesses would likely honor any deal they made, they're still evil and likely to cause at least some measure of suffering wherever they go after Kintargo.
You believe the two women would keep their end of the bargain, and yet...something bugs you. Maybe it's just the fear that some manner of evil will follow in the pair's wake. Or maybe there's something else at play that you don't quite see or grasp just yet.
Arani moves to stand beside Davina, her veil still across her face hiding the movement of her lips as she speaks in a whisper. "They aren't lying, but... I dread what they're going to do wherever they go next...they definitely aren't done with their evil acts."
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T'chazzar has been waiting with arms folded, but at this latest claim he uncrosses his arms and draws one of his swords.
"There comes a point at which violence in defense of the innocent is a necessary act."
Davavina nods to Arani in acknowledgement, and then responds to T'chazzar, "True. They may go on to do evil acts, but isn't this whole country run by evil beings who have agreements with the devils themselves."
She shoos the boys out of the room, "I can't let the children see what might happen next. They agreed to leave the area. I dislike letting evil leave. Viroleth is this lack of denouncing their goddess enough for their deaths for you?"
She then leaves the room to watch over the boys.
Viroleth shakes his head. "Their goddess compels them to commit evil acts. Freedom to continue their evil is not redemption. It would be selfish for us to let them free because they will avoid harming us."
His face hidden behind the visor of his helmet, he looks over to T'Chazzar. "You seem prepared. Let us be done with this."
Leaving the rest of the group out of this, Viro (and hopefully T'chazzar) approach the bound women.
"We've made our decision. Your worship of Mahathallah has led you to horrific evil. You were offered an option for redemption, and to forsake your evil goddess and embrace the path of good. You have refused that. In the name of Ragathiel the General of Vengeance I take your life."
Once T'Chazzar has had space to handle things as he sees fit, Viro executes the prisoner with a blow to the neck with his sword.
RUINS OF THE LUCKY BONES (26 Gozran)
The unrepentant prisoners are dealt with, and the party leaves the ruins, locking the door securely behind them. The surviving otyugh hasn't moved far from the spot where it was cowering earlier, and it makes no move to oppose your exit now.
The trip back to the Tooth and Nail is uneventful. The Vashnarstill twins would like to return to the family villa in the Greens, but that trip--across much of this half of the city, over the Bleakbridge, and then pretty much to the northeastern-most tip of Kintargo--might require a bit more planning. Especially with the Tian-blooded investigator likely still in the neighborhood searching for the missing twins.
T'chazzar doesn't look terribly happy about doing this deed, but he acts as executioner alongside Viroleth regardless.
"We can't allow this to continue. More people will be hurt, people who have no way to defend themselves. This ends today."
His short blades aren't made for a heavy executioner's chop, so he settles for a coup-de-grace through the heart instead.
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Understanding the difficulty of the actions that need to be taken, Arani hangs back long enough to drag the bodies to leaving them for the otyugh to dispose of, before following the others out.
"They're going to need to lay low for a day or two so we can come up with a safe route to getting them home.", the urban ranger points out, once they are back at the Tooth and Nail.
Davina goes and stands before the two twins. Looking up at them from her diminutive height. She gives them her best, don't lie to me young man look and says, Gents. Why would a Tian investigator be looking for you? What mischief have you gotten yourselves into?"
Viro keeps the helmet on so his emotions are unreadable. "It needs be done."
With the oytugh disposing of the bodies to both his relief and extreme distaste, Viro rejoins the others and just tries to stand imposingly behind Davina as he deals with his own dark thoughts over the executions.
RUINS OF THE LUCKY BONES (26 Gozran)
The Vashnarstill twins seem to answer Davina's question truthfully.
Angus says, "Well, we snuck off to the Tooth and Nail without telling our father, but we do that all the time."
"Maybe us getting kidnapped this time might explain why Dad hired someone to find us," Phenio points out to his brother snarkily.
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The cowering otyugh stirs when the cultists' bodies are presented, and it quickly begins devouring the remains. You all get the impression the changelings might've used the beasts in the past for just this sort of gruesome task.
With the distasteful but convenient task taken care of, Viro looks to the rest of the group. "Right, I'm new. Lead on."
Arani watches the otyugh's eager acceptance of the offering, making a mental note.
"I'm sure after a day or two, concern got the better of him." she replies to the twins. "So, do we rest here for the night, take a day or two to get them home, and then head back down, to finish clearing out the place?" she asks Davina.
"That sounds like a good plan. I'd rather not run into the Tien woman if we can avoid it. I'd like to keep a low profile."
"I'll need some more facepaint," says T'chazzar wryly. "I should see about getting one of those magical hats or stones that lets you disguise yourself."
"I considered getting one of those but nobody seems to bat an eyelash at a tall man in plate mail," quips Viro.
"That would likely be a very good idea." Arani says with a nod, "Though you'd think in a city full of devil worshippers, judgement based on appearance wouldn't be a thing."
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Falina accepted the end of the cultists and their being fed to the otyugh. At least they wouldn't be a problem anymore. Once they got out of there and tried to determine how to deal with getting the twins home Falina found the idea of changing appearances amusing given she was still in one other than her own at the time. "You could always go make a pact with something for the ability," her gaze darkened slightly as she looked into the past and added, "but I wouldn't recommend it. No matter what kind of entity you do it with there is always a price."
KINTARGO (28 Gozran)
In the Tooth and Nail, you are greeted by the Sabinus cousins, both of whom are interested in hearing a report of what happened in the ruins. Also showing an interest is the young female armiger, Hortense Lierre, who seems to have become Octavio's lieutenant during their stay at the tavern.
After hearing the tale and agreeing with the plan to lay low with the Vashnarstill twins for a day or two, Octavio tells the Silver Ravens that he and his armigers will do what they can to aid the rebellion. He says that Hortense will lead a rescue team, doing pretty much what the Hellknight Order of the Torrent did until Thrune outlawed them--rescuing people unlawfully imprisoned by the new lord-mayor's wicked regime.
Hortense's Armigers is a bonus team. They function as a group of infiltrators, and thus grant the Reduce Danger and Rescue Character rebellion actions. When used to take a Rescue Character action, the armigers can rescue up to four characters at once from a single location. A failed Rescue Character attempt by the armigers does not increase the Silver Ravens’ Notoriety score.
The morning of 28 Gozran dawns overcast with occasional drizzle, a day when no one will think twice about folks traveling the city with their hoods up. The trip across the shop-lined Bleakbridge goes without incident; the Dancing Devil Gambling Hall seems to still be in business, though it's closed at the early-ish hour you pass it. The trip through the other half of Kintargo is quiet until you reach the gate leading into the nobles district called the Greens. There you are stopped briefly, but when the Vashnarstills flash their signet rings, the party is allowed to pass.
Over the top of a stout stone wall you can glimpse the burnt-out skeleton of the manor that once housed Rexus Victocora and his parents. The Vashnarstill estate is located near the midpoint of the district, along its west wall. The guards at the gate admit your group when the twins reveal themselves, one guard providing an escort while the other keeps watch at the gate.
Baron Sendi Vashnarstill proves to be a dashing fellow, now middle-aged, but still fit. He hugs his rescued sons in a touching display as another noblewoman--aged about halfway between the Baron and the twins--watches on uncomfortably, smiling only when she gives each twin a brief hug. After hearing the tale of the boys' kidnapping and subsequent rescue, Baron Sendi asks if there's some way he can reward you all for your efforts. He throws out the idea of a grand party in your order, but the younger noblewoman whispers that the family's finances might not support anything beyond a modest dinner party currently.
"Hell's bells, Helena!" the baron fumes at the woman in exasperation. "These fine people rescued my sons--my scions and successors--from cultists, devils, and monsters! Truly, you cannot ask me to be frugal in my reward for the great service they've provided to my house?"
The noblewoman is Helena Ciucci, originally from Westmarch. She is Baron Vendi's current ladyfriend. (His wife died a few years back.) Baron Sendi is rumored to be quite a womanizer, however, and it wouldn't be surprising if he has other love interests on the side.
"Sir, as much a tangible reward, the one thing you could give us that we would value above all else is, well, your discretion," Dom says. "If anyone asks where you were, or how you were returned home," he turns his head to the twins, even forgetting to be scornful of them for a moment, "The less our names come up, the better."
Viro keeps his helmet on when delivering the twins to the baron, remaining implacable and anonymous. He quietly clocks the baron's love interest. Maybe useful gossip, maybe not. Still very unsure of what the rebellion's situation is and what would help or not, he just remains quiet.
Falina had considered asking the Baron to help them figure out what nobles might be on their side but she decided that, if they could be trusted, Davina would have brought them in already. With that in mind she said, "It would be good to wait until this current unrest is over with," Falina spoke in her usual, slightly archaic, way of speech, "while you and I know that we are decent folk who helped your sons it could be seen poorly if you were to associate with us too much right now."
Falina gestured to Domitius and said, "As my friend here says, the best thing you could do for us right now is keep the details to yourself."
VASHNARSTILL ESTATE (28 Gozran)
Baron Sendi seems shocked that anyone would turn down the opportunity to enjoy a feast or party, but he acquiesces to the request. His ladyfriend seems relieved at the development.
"Well, it seems the Vashnarstill clan will have to owe you a debt of gratitude for the time being," the baron says. "If I or any of my kin can help you folks out in the future--and what you ask for is within my capability to give--you shall have it! Thanks for rescuing my boys. I don't know how we'd have gone on if they'd been lost to us."
******************************************************
TOOTH AND NAIL (28 Gozran)
When your party returns from the long walk to the Greens, you find Setrona Sabinus awaiting you with a message. She seems very paranoid and distrustful, now that her neighbor Luculla has been outed as a murderous cultist.
"You received a summons while out," the short lady informs you all quietly. "The Rose wants to meet you at his place of business," she adds. "Apparently, it's very urgent."
"The summon is urgent. Let's go see what the Rose wants of us. Do you need to Falina do you need to rest first to regain your spells?"
"Very well, let us see what the Rose wants. It's urgent. Is anything not urgent in this city anymore?" Dom heads to the door with a sigh of resignation. Too many fires to put out, he thinks to himself.
THE DEVIL'S THREADS (28 Gozran)
The Devil's Threads seems to be just another small storefront, but the building is deeper than it is wide. Leading you to the back room, the tiefling owner, Hetamon Haace, gestures to a heavily bloodstained sheet covering a corpse lying on the floor.
"This poor woman was Myrletta Banks, one of the newer members of my congregation," the tailor begins, drawing back the sheet and revealing an unassumingly average human female absolutely ravaged with stab wounds. "Myrletta missed an appointment with me yesterday, so I went searching for her this morning. I found her--like this--in an alley in the southwest corner of the city, not far from where she lived. Figuring the dottari can no longer be trusted to investigate the murder properly, I had it transported here instead, in the hopes you folks might look into the matter. If necessary, I can prepare and cast a spell to speak with Myrl's spirit on the morrow."
"Apparently, there's been a string of similar murders in recent weeks of which I was unaware until today--most of which have occurred in the southern parts of the city. I've been made aware of four similar murders; there may be more."
Poor Myrletta is a bloody mess. A quick inspection reveals she died of about three dozen stab wounds all over her body.
The wounds were caused by a light bladed weapon like a dagger, most likely a kukri.
The weapon used was likely enchanted to cause additional bleeding damage to its targets.
Dom tenses up as he sees the sheet. Dammit, it's the f*!$ing tooth fairies all over again! Thinking of that, his mind immediately makes the jump to that being how he met Zea. Taking a moment, Domitius breathes deeply, trying to center himself. With a look on his face like someone was stepping on his foot, he says to Hetamon, "OK, let's take a look at her. This Miss Banks, I assume she wasn't into anything... dangerous, like us? And do we know of anything she shared in common with these others you mention?"
As Dom bends down over Myretta to examine her wounds, he thinks to himself, I’m sorry we didn’t know about this until now, Miss. We are so few, and this city’s troubles are so many... He nods to Davina as he points to one of the defensive wounds on her right forearm. "Sudarynya, look at this. The weapon that made this came down with a powerful chopping motion. Not quite a hatchet, more likely a bol'shoy krivoy nozh, right?"
Frowning as he looks up at at Hetamon, he says, "You had best prepare that spell you mentioned, sir."
THE DEVIL'S THREADS (28 Gozran)
"Well, the city's more dangerous with Thrune in charge, but Myrl--and most of my network--don't go looking for trouble. Mostly, they just keep their eyes and ears open, passing along what they learn to others. Myrl was the first Milanite to be attacked. I'm not sure who the other victims were. Some of my people are trying to look into things further, but they're likely not as skilled at investigation as you folks."
The tiefling nods at Dom when the half-orc asks him to prepare a speak with dead spell the following day. "I'm not sure this killer even has anything to do with Thrune, but with the curfew the city's economy is already strained. If people learn of this new threat, they'll be afraid to leave their homes at all."
"I'm not sure this killer even has anything to do with Thrune, but with the curfew the city's economy is already strained. If people learn of this new threat, they'll be afraid to leave their homes at all."
"Just because we've got a great big mudak for Lord-Mayor, doesn't stop all the smaller mudaki from being that way. Hell, whoever this is could be acting out 'cuz he wants some attention, doesn't want Mayor Barry hogging the limelight, you know?"
Davina examines the body carefully. She stands and lets out a few curses. "It's not bad enough they treated her like a pin cushion, the blade caused her to bleed even more than she should have. This was overkill for sure."
"I'm sorry for you loss Rose. This is unacceptable, and we'll do what we can to put a stop to this. Please prepare the spell. I think we should ask around for information on the other victims, and if anyone has more information."
T'chazzar simply rests his hands on the pommels of his swords and watches the investigation quietly.
Viro clanks over and looks over the body as the rest of the group speaks. He quietly performs a rite over her before kneeling down to look at the wounds more closely.
"My condolences, how horrible. She was stabbed almost forty times with a dagger that caused bleeding that's..."
He trails off trying to find the word. "Extreme. With permission I can pray for a speak with dead spell on the morrow but for now we should ask questions around that alley. Perhaps learn about the other victims. Why would anyone stab someone this much?"
Viro clanks back his visor and kneels down by the body, looking over the wounds very closely.
"Definitely a khukri....not the most commonly used weapon, especially not by your run of the mill cutthroat, though a good one for that. Whoever did this....there's a lot of rage here....stabbing her that many times...they kept going after she was already dead. Either they hated her, or get off on the violence and the sight of blood." Arani says darkly, but in a cold professional tone, as she inspects the multitude of wounds on the poor woman's body.
"And a magically enchanted one wouldn't be cheap...this is likely someone with means."
THE DEVIL'S THREADS (28 Gozran)
A closer examination of the corpse reveals that a handful of wounds were potentially the fatal strike, but most of the wounds on Myrletta's extremities were likely post-mortem. It seems her killer was full of rage. Or particularly twisted. Or both.
This discovery surprises Hetamon. Although he's only known the woman for a fairly short time, he's never heard anyone say a bad thing about her. Myrletta was quiet and unassuming; it seems unlikely to Hetamon that she could make any enemy who could hate her as much as the heinous attack would seem to indicate.
Putting her skills and knowledge of the city to good use, The Black Thorn prowls the night, following whispers and murmurs, as well as no small number of terrified babbling confessions, to find out where Myrletta's body was found, and where the murders most likely occurred.
A predator was hunting in her city, preying on the innocent, and she meant to put it down.
As he watches Arani run off, a thought occurs to Dom, and he turns to Davina. "Sudarynya, once we know where the various attacks have taken place, maybe we see if our new friend knows anything useful? This time, I will buy the big velvet cushion," he says, amazed at his sincerity.
Falina looked at the remains of the woman with a combination of disgust and interest. Down deep, in the part of her tainted by the abyss, the sight was...stimulating. She tore her gaze away from it and looked at the others. "The person that did this was passionate, they may have started cold but that didn't last long."
Falina looked at Hetamon and asked, "Were all of the victims women, did they have anything in common, and where have they all been found at?"