Kali managed a weak smile at Jix's question about getting a little of her own back.
"Maybe, but I'd rather just grab my things and get out of this gods-forsaken city. I hate coming here," she says, rambling a little, "nothing good ever comes from me coming to Riddleport."
When Otho calls to her, she turns to face him, and jsut as quickly turns away when she sees how little is being covered.
"Guard," the flustered tiefling blurts out, "I was a caravan guard. I was looking for work when this all broke loose."
It's amazing how well a blush shows up on ashen skin.
"Why the details are simple! I give you some information that I estimate will save you a month's worth of work and save you considerable trouble and in return you help a few associates of mine and run a small errand for me. What do you say? As a bonus I'll even throw in a gift I'm sure you'll grow to love."
"Well ya know what they saw about the motion of the ocean an' all that rot." She smirked, very pleased with her little barb before returning her attention to the tiefling. "Ah what are ya on about? Nothin' good from Riddleport? Rubbish. Riddleport 'append to be an 'aven for poison makers, sellers, an' buyers the wold over! One o' me top ten vacation spots in Glorian so tis!" The rat-woman carried on as her golden eyes scanned the cell to get a better idea of the circumstances she'D found herself in. "An' yer a caravan guard! Perfect! Just like ol' Othy o'er there. We get outta this 'ere little predicament an' I just may 'ave work for ya wit' me regular crew. Pay's good, folks are decent, only slight risk o' death 'n dismemberment. What do ya say?" Jix made a little beconing motion with her tail before rounding her attention on the snow haired woman.
"Well, well, well, what 'ave we 'ere little duckies? Our very own aristocrat, duchess of the dungeon in all 'er grandeur as it were! 'as 'er own little servant an' everything. Well ain't that just a sight to see." She taunted the woman right up until, her little outbirst of anger, at which point the rogue took a slight step back and her grin widened even further. "Ha! Seems that even the pampered 'ousecat's got claws now doesn't she?"
Jix then strode toward the woman with the white hair and reached out a dirty paw. "Think we just might get along yet, after all we got so much in common, we're all brother's 'n sisters in chains now anyways, an' we kin all blame Othy fer this 'ole mess. The name's Jix, by the by, though most folk call me Jinx. 'n sister, I promise if ya listen to what I 'ave to say, I kin get even yer dainty arse outta 'ere Snowflake. Wadda ya say?"
Jix had never been too keen on rich folk but if collaborating with one was what it took to survive that's just what she would do.
Kali just shakes her head at Jix's commentary.
"I mean I always wind up getting cheated, or chased out of town, or both," she says a little more hotly than she means too. She screws her eyes shut and takes in a deep breath.
"So how is this Otho's fault," Kali asks, trying to change the subject and find out a little more about what their current situation. "It seems unfair to me to pin this mess on him when it's some self-important blowhard who likes lording his power over others that had us stripped and thrown in here as a prelude to killing us," she adds, "and why throw all of us in here if he only has a problem with Otho?"
Kalisuel lets out a groan as she hears Duke Maggory's name.
"Why did I agree to that job," she bemoans as she goes from sitting, to lying curled up on her side. "I was just going to talk to him, too! I thought the smarmy elf made that bit about him beating his son up to get me to agree."
Kali almost tells Jix to ask Lia, but she stops herself as she remembers that she never got the chance to tell Lia about the job she'd agreed to.
"An elf calling himself Desoran wanted Lia and I to get this Duke Maggory to stop selling fake ancient books or something like that. I'm pretty sure Desoran wanted us to kill him or run him out of town, but I was going to see if I could persuade him to stop selling the fake books," Kali explains, "his robe might as well been off when I met him to see what kind of work he had for me. At first I thought he wanted me for something else."
"It's happened to me before," Kali replies just a bit petulantly.
When Kali went on to describe Desoran and the situation in which she had found him Jix tried to cover her mouth with both hands in a vain attempt to stifle the laughter that escaped her lungs. "Oh, oh my sides, say it ain't so! Well me lucky lady it seems like you're just attracting all the men goin' all natural today now ain't ya?" The ratfolk girl giggled so hard she snorted and had to wipe a tear of laughter from her golden, glimmering eyes. "Ah, well don't be ashamed now, nothin' wrong with bein' a right proper courtesan. If anythin' you should take it as a compliment. 'e's sayin' you're a right crumpet, you are."
Jix then turned her attention to Lia. She gave a little acrobatic spin, putting her back to the door and withdrew a small lock-picking set from places unknown and wispered to the group. "Not fer long we ain't Snowflake, not fer long~"
Kali's cheeks burn a little redder as Jix almost loses all composure.
"But I'm not one," she says into her knees, more than a little pain causing her voice to crack, "though no one seems to believe me when I tell them."
Kali just shakes her head and moves to get a better look up and down the corridor the cell is in.
|
While Kali and Jix had made it blatantly obvious that they all had a bone to pick with Maggory, he'd quietly slipped into his new thong and caked his hands in dust.
"Back home, maybe, Sabal might have tried to hire you for the Witch's Pet. Man always did like his 'themes.' But I can tell you've got to much working meat."
He prodded a cord of muscle in her arm, leaving a pale fingerprint on her dark skin.
"Definitely guard."
He took up a position opposite of Jix and kept watch on the opposite direction.
"What'd your elf say about the kid anyway? I think I'm starting to have a sneaking suspicion."
"Said that Maggory beat him," Kali answers quietly.
"And I may have muscles, but even you can see that I don't look all that strong, just fit."
Desoran smiles and begins to explain.
You feel your jaw drop as he recounts the case you've been working on and even gets the correct details of the parents who've hired you. It drops even further as he reveals that you've been used as a pawn in an elaborate scheme to wipe out a sect of Scarzi influence and would later be cleaned up appropriately. True, you may have caught on and even escaped, but you would have to flee the continent in order to have a shred of opening your services again.
"So what you can do for me." Desoran says as he hands you a stack of papers which detail all the nuances that prove you've been scammed, "Is get some associates of mine out of pickle there in. It seems Duke Maggory is on a tirade and while he is brash, stupid and altogether just a terrible person, he has his uses. I implore you to collect my associates and even a few more who seem promising, and fulfill a favor I owe to an old friend. An escort mission if you will. Just a weeks journey or so to a small village to return a young boy to his mother."
Your mind is still making connections as the hunches and odd feeling for the past month add up and seem to make the info you're receiving completely obvious.
"So....What do you say? If you agree, I have your gift downstairs as a ride."
"Oy! What are you doing there!"
There are some heavy footsteps and 5 heavily armed guards, most likely part of Duke Maggory's personal staff, approach the selves, weapons out and and anger in their faces.
"What've you got there!" the one in front demands. "Hand it over!"
"So what you can do for me."
Owl holds a up a finger and takes moment to absorb the news. He knew he wasn't even close to the best in the business. But to completely miss the fact that he was being used. Disgraceful. Taking out a sect of Scarzi would have been a major achievement but being part of the clean up and having to start all over again. He didn't have that kind of time. He takes a deep breath and lowers his hand. "Continue."
After the explanation he says completely deadpan, "Their in jail aren't they? And I assume you have a plan for this?" The fact that he said ride intrigued him but now he thought the gift might not really be a gift. But at this point, he was just along for the ride and hoping to learn enough from a master to recover some pride.
At the sound of heavy footsteps, Laetitia quickly slips her mirror behind her, hoping that the guards are too focused on the ratgirl to pay her any mind. With the way her evening was turning out, it was looking more and more likely she'd be dead by dawn, and she was determined to leave this world looking every bit as good as she would on her best day. Still beats having to spend another night with Richter.
|
|
He would have said more, but it looked like they were already found out. Otho was confident he could take two of them easy. Five was just too much for him to handle alone. He just didn't know enough about the others to make a call on whether or not hey'd back him up. Still, no reason not to take his frustrations out them.
"So which one of you will be getting the lord's business tonight? Or is it all five? Just wondering."
Kali thinks about trying something to distract the guards enough to keep them from taking Jix's picks, but anything that would likely work would likely leave her dead, or wishing she were.
Part of her wanted to give into the mounting anger that had slowly built up over the years, but just as quickly as the urge comes, it goes.
Looking up at Otho's question, and glad he was at least partially covered, the young tiefling shrugs.
"I don't know. I just want out of this city. If I have the choice, I'm just going to leave and never look back," she says quietly, her voice once again leached of almost all emotion and tired.
Desoran smiles, and tosses you a pair of keys and a small bag. Looking inside, you see several flasks of acid.
"Should be enough to melt through the bars of that sewer of a jail cell they use. Though, the others might not be keen on leaving their possessions. Anyway, there's a small carriage outside that's hitched to two horses. Hopefully, you're a decent enough driver. Keys are to the carriage in the back, should have everything you need for the road. Just tell everyone to get inside. Might be a bit cramped though."
The flurry of words and connected thoughts hit you, but you find yourself nodding along and hurrying outside to pay back the debt. Deciding haste was better option, you quickly make your way to alley by the constable station, directly above where the cells are.
One of the guards spits on Otho through the bares, before giving you a delightful sneer.
"Don't you worry big boy, our boss will enjoy hacking you to pieces inch by inch."
The guards leave, the tools in their possession. And hopelessness sets in a bit more than before.
A carriage pulls up outside the bars that hold prisoners in the cells against freedom of the outside. Soiled, dirty water drips down the side of the wall, and man hops out and peers down into the cells. Some of you recognize this man.
Slipping her mirror back out from underneath her, Laetitia's lips quirk up into a pleased smirk as the guards walk away with Jix's tools. Their chances at escaping may have just gotten that much slimmer, but at least she still has her mirror, and in such situations, one mustn't forget to find joy in the little things. Whatever joy she feels quickly shifts to confusion, then again to exasperation at the familiar face that peers into the bars of their cell. "Owl?! What in the name of..." she begins to ask, then abruptly stops, her mind reaching the only obvious conclusion to be found. Turning her back to the suddenly infuriatingly clever man, Laetitia bites out, "If you're here to collect me on Lord Richter's behalf, you can forget it. I'd rather swing by my neck in the morning than be married to him."
"Owl," Kali asks as she looks up at the spot Laetitia is looks at. Her eyes widen in surprise at the man looking at them.
"Oh, guess you're either with the Duke, the Gendarmerie, or Lord Whatsit," she guesses, "doubt we're lucky enough that you'd want to rescue us."
Owl squats down and cocks his head to the side slightly. "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Sewer cells. They are fantastic for ridicule. People can walk by and laugh at the poor fools and spit, piss, and s*#~ on them till their hearts content. But," he says, pulling out one of the vials of acid, "it is very easy to pass things to the prisoners or just...break them out. Could you stand back please? This would sting if exposed to fleshy bits." He then begins to slowly poor the acid over the bars, careful not to pour too hard. It'd be bad if it splashed. When the bars have been completely eaten through and fall to the cell floor, he takes a canteen and judiciously pours water over the nubs to wash away excess acid. He then lowers a rope. "Chop chop. Our mutual benefactor probably has some work for us. I know curiosity killed the cat but I am just too excited to turn back now."
As Otho comes up: "I guess you're the muscle but dear lord what happened to your clothes?"
As Tish comes up: "Lucky for you Richter isn't involved. Also you appear not to have listened about toning it down. I am rather impressed though. Few can pull off 'Life Sentence'."
As Lia comes up: "I would be cross with you for your mistake. That was my contact, not yours. But things have changed in a very interesting way."
As Jix comes up: "Boy we are quiet the eclectic bunch."
As Kali comes up: "You could guess all day and never figure me out."
"Alright, everyone in the back. Gonna be crowded and bumpy."
Kali, the last one up jsut shrugs.
"If I was any good at that, I wouldn't be half-naked in a cell," she says flatly before getting inside the wagon.
"If eclectic means fabulous then yer spot on killer." Jix said with a smirk as she hoped into the back of the carriage with a spring in her step and plopped herself down with a sigh, folding her arms behind her head and spreading her legs out rudely taking up as much space as possible in a showing of dominance. She wasn't about to turn down this new and unexpected help from someone she assumed was associated with that Desoran figure Kalisuel had just spoken of but she wanted to make sure everyone knew she was accepting the help on her terms.
"Just so ya know I 'ad 'em on the ropes though. I yer just one step away from really givin' it to the bastards. Buuuut you got style kid so I'll let you 'ave yer moment."
"What'd I tell Kali-girl stick wit' me an' you'll make it anywhere. . . it is a shame about all our stuff though. . . me crossbow 'n armor especially."
The carriage is of sturdy wooden construction, led by two horses who seem a bit miffed at being up this late at night. Opening the door to the small yet sizable carriage reveals something a bit odd. You see large iron tubs nestled on top of coal stoves, racks of fresh flour, leafy greens, and other ingredients hanging from the top of the ceiling. A rounded wooden bowl is nestled in the corner, peering inside you can see water as clear as sunlit day. On further inspection, it seems that one wall panel props open to form a makeshift window and you even find a a stack of four stools underneath the water basin.
However, even with this suprise one thing downs on all of you. There is no way in the nine hells that all of you are going to fit inside here comfortably.
There is another door however, which is odd as it seemingly leads to the back of the front of the carriage, a seemingly impossible space.
Fortunately, one of the keys is a perfect fit and with a push the door opens to reveal something that makes your jaws drop even further. An impossible room, in an impossible space. You all walk into a large room that ceatures a table for six and a hearth already lit and giving off a pleasant heat. There even seems to a be a few more doors, three to be exact.
Kali is stunned to see the far too large interior of the carriage. Curiosity soon gets the better of her, however, and she moves to look into the other three rooms.
Jix's jaw nearly hit the floor as the interior of the art became revealed to her. "By the gods. . . you really know 'ow to pick up a girl in style ya do!" She addressed her rescuer with a delighted grin, similar to that of a child receiving gifts on some festive winter holiday before hoping off to go investigate one of the rooms eagerly.
"I call dibs on this un!" She chirped pulling the door open.
"Mhm, you charmer you. Did you really expect me to listen?" Climbing out of the rathole they had been in, Laetitia steps delicately around the sewage running through the street and climbs into the uncannily spacious carriage. After taking in the interior with no little amount of amazement, Laetitia follows Jix and Kali into what appears to be a large, warm common room, before breaking off to explore the last unoccupied room. Once the wonder that has rendered her momentarily speechless wears off, Laetitia calls back to the man that sprang them out, "Who exactly is this mutual benefactor of ours?" And can I get them to fashion me a similarly enchanted carriage, but in scarlet?
Desoran was right. It was a lovely gift. He'd been rather disappointed at seeing it. But knowing who the man was, their had to be something special about it. And special their was. But he couldn't admire ti too long. Had a job to do.
Once everyone was in, Owl guided the horses to a different inn and guided everyone back to the one Desoran was staying at. If someone saw the carriage leaving the cell and made a connection, he didn't want any guards storming in on their meeting. He leaves them in the common area and heads back up Desoran's room, politely knocking this time. "I have found the missing kittens sir."
|
|
The carriage and its magical spaces did nothing to ease Otho's misgiving about this whole thing. He still took the out he was handed. Better than fighting though the guards to freedom. He didn't explore with the others and instead he just stewed at the hearthside table as they went wherever it was that they were going.
He didn't trust Owl, didn't trust their benefactor, and coldn't understand why everyone else was so willing to accept this situation.
Desoran nods in approval, and taps his head.
"Yes you have indeed," he says brightly. He moves over to the wardrobe in his room, and opens it.
"Your rides here!" he calls into it merrily.
One moment. Two moments.
A heavyset man wearing an apron steps fromt he wardrobe , dislodging several of Desoran's outfits onto the floor. Close behind him, a small boy.
"F!~!ing hell Des, clear the closet next time we come though." the Cook complains, who introduces himself as Bjorn.
The boy looks nervously around, but Desoran reassures him. He gets down to one knee, puts a hand on his shoulder, and speaks softly.
"This kind man will take you to your mother. He's got quite a reputation as a problem solver, and I'm sure you can trust him."
With that, the boy seems to relax, and Bjorn leads him downstairs and out to the carriage discreetly. Desoran begins to pick up the knocked down clothing and throws them on the bed, probably to be straightened later.
"You'll be heading to Ilsurian. Might take some time, but I'm sure you've discovered by now that the carriage I lent you has its uses. Do keep it in good repair as I am loaning it to you for this favor. I have business here in Riddleport so I cannot join you, but I'm sure he'll be fine in your capable hands.
-----------------------
While you all try each of the new doors inside the impossible room, you find that none of them actually lead to anything. Each one merely opens to a blank wall. This is especially hilarious as Jix called dibs on a blank wall, and Lia is excited to show Kari a blank wall.
There's a small knock on the carriage door and it opens to reveal Bjorn the cook, and the boy Thomias, both look a little ragged but not bad.
When Owl stops at the first inn, Kali refuses to go anywhere.
"Not until I've got something on that does actually leave something to the imagination. I've been humiliated enough for one night, thank you."
Her voice is quiet, but the tone is clear. She was staying in the carriage until she got something besides the rags the guards had replaced her clothes with to wear or someone bodily carried her out.
Kalisuel blinked in surprise. She didn't know what she was expecting, only that it wasn't that.
Thinking about it for a moment, she closed door and kept her hand on the knob.
A closet with underwear and clothes, she thought before adding, clothes that fit me for a change, on a whim. After concentrating on that thought for a moment, she opens the door again.
Owl thought about several coming out of the closet jokes but squashed all of them. Poor timing. The closet was a neat trick, as was the carriage. "Speaking of the carriage," he starts. While he talks he does a bit of sleight of hand with a silver coin for the boy. He pulls it from behind the child's ear, pretends to eat it, makes it pop from one hand to the other. Simple tricks to put him at ease. "Are keys necessary for the doors? Or perhaps intense thought and imagination? Command words? Two more is going to make it even more cramped. And if you intend those others to accompany us, they are going to need some...items. Especially the women. Nothing more eye catching than some half-naked women. Most of the time I prefer anonymity."
|
|
Otho lumbered out of the door to greet the new arrivals. Considering the expanded interior, it still felt a bit too cramped on the inside for him.
"Bjorn, kid," his usual grimace cracked into a genuine smile, "Looks like I might be able to keep my promise."
Despite his misgivings, he was glad that they were OK.
"What happened after we got grabbed?"
Jix glared at her wall and slammed the door, folding her arms in a huff, "Yeah it's just a stupid wall to nothin'. 'ow very anti-climactic.' She growled before turning her attention to Bjorn and the child and her ears perk with delight.
"Cookie! I thought ye'd gone an' left me forever you tease you!"
Laetitia sighs at the blank wall that greets her upon opening the door, unsure of what she was hoping to find, but disappointed in the punchline to this seemingly cruel joke. Shutting the door with a bit more force than necessary, Tish takes a seat at the table close to the hearth, her lips pursed in irritation as she watches the rest of the motley crew mill about the common room. Her scowl turns into a look of surprise--and perhaps the slightest bit of relief--at seeing the boy at the door. She's never been a particularly maternal woman, but it's certainly shaping up to be a night of many firsts. "Thomias, sweetling, you're alright," she says, neatly folding her legs in front of her. "Come, warm yourself by the fire while the grown-ups discuss how we plan to get you to your mother."
Desoran tilts his head at an odd angle., a small smile on his face. He then fishes out two ornate keys from his pocket. One was made of simple stone, almost a rough marble. The second was made of iron and seemed like a simple key except tied to it was a strip of cloth.
"My proudest feat to toot my own horn," he proclaimed, handing the keys over to Owl. "Spatial magic in the form of a contained and weakened gate spell. Simply plug a key into a suitably enchanted lock, open the door, and a specially sealed room awaits you on the other side. These two will lead you to rooms that you may find useful, but as each key takes a considerable amount of power to create, these are the only two I will let you have for the time being."
"As for you equipment and clothing, that should sort itself out by the time you return downstairs."
He gives you a wink.
Kalisuel thinks with considerable might and opens the door to reveal!
The same damn blank wall.
Lia can't find any sort of instructions or map either.
Thomias seems to not want to leave Bjorn's side, but the fat man prods him forward, and so Thomias goes to the fire to warm himself from the chilly night air. Laetitia, you also not Bjorn gives you a look of warning, but also one of thanks. It seems this man maybe a bit deeper than most and has seen many a face, and many an act. Regardless if this is an act, its one he's thankful for.
He turns to Jix and Otho, gives Jix a wink, and pulls out a sweet potato from his side bag.
"Did'ya think I forgot your second bowl? It's not as hearty as the stew, but it'll have to do."
He pulls out several more, handing them out to each of you and sets a small bundle on the table.
"I had a tip off that Maggory was looking for you lot and the boy, but didn't have time to warn you and scamper too. We hid, there's a small compartment that holds....um....merchandise" his large hands make air quotes, "And we held out until the last guard had finished chaining you lot and taking off. After that, I heard from my old buddy Desoran that he had finally gotten a group together to escort the lad to his mum, and here we are."