My friend nailed it to the mast so to speak - you want to retire and work among the people for their common good? Great - Cayden bless you, I'm supporting half a dozen homeless kids with my wages, that's the honest truth, but you gotta go in, face the music and hand in yer colours. March in with some pride, don't make us drag you in like we'll have t' do with the scum who took advantage of the chaos and who we lured out with the story of needin' criminals fer hire.
Now are yer goin' in bound or like a man, walkin' in t' acknowledge yer wrongs an' do the right thing?.
In the meantime, Gwen is searching the other rooms.
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"You must have some god complex, "sir". You actually think you can singlehandedly accomplish something that the Korvosan Guard can't?"
"No. But something the guard isn't even bothered to try? They are quelling riots, and paying hommage to the queen while the people die. We wont save them all, but the food we provide here saves lives. You may want to think about where you lay your loyalties girl."
Verik listens to Roj and Bordan, and is obviously swayed. "There simply wasn't time for that, to keep the food flowing we had to act quickly. Stopping for even a single day would have caused the farmers to stop bringing stock."
As he's talking Gwen finds what can only be a human finger poking out of a grill int he floor of the slaughter room. The ring with a small ruby gives away exactly what it is.
"Well, it looks like your men found a way to bring in more meat to supplement what the farmers could provide," Basil notes dryly, as Gwen makes her discovery.
Gwen is appalled, shocked and mad as a wild bear when she pokes Verik in the chest with the finger she's found.
"Feeding people, huh? Is THIS what you mean by feeding people???"
"There were five of you, Verik. There were ehough of you that you could have done both and-oh Goddess, what is that?!" Roj turns pale as Gwen pokes Verik with the finger.
"Verik, this is where I give you a final chance. Swear to the Dawnflower you had no idea this was happening, surrender to us, and submit yourself to Kroft's judgment or I will kill you here in the name of justice." Roj unsheathes his blade and readies his shield. Playtime is over.
Basil looks grim.
"Is there a meat locker? To be fair, all we have found thus far is evidence that people were being hacked apart... but if they were actually selling human meat, that would be another, even more horrible, thing entirely..."
Roj keeps his blade pointing at Verik. "You're coming with me to Kroft. You will confess everything you saw here to her and then she will decide what to do with you. Someone please bond his wrists; I don't want him getting second thoughts. Anyone want to stay here and search for more evidence? We should also collect our friend's 'decent men' tonight."
"First things first. We deliver this... man... to Marshall Kroft, then perhaps we can borrow a cart to carry his 'decent' accomplices."
Gwen intends to search the whole place as soon as we've delivered the lot (well, maybe tomorrow, it should be quite late by now).
Borden will do a thorough search with Gwen after the vagrant guards are delivered into custody.
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Ok. Verik is now a very broken man. Thinking he'd been doing good, although paranoid about the guard coming after him, the revelation that people were dying at the hands of his men was too much. He comes along quietly, and fairly easily.
A couple of Gwen's friends are about when you get him back, and they, slightly ore usefully this time offer to come and help toe the other three back. The Body of the last man is brought along in a cart.
There is a message for you to get whatever rest you can, and be at Croft's office at the strike of first bell in the morning.
Downstairs, in one of the cattle pens you find a small hole beneath a trough. It contains 450 gp, 740 sp and an assortment of gem stones.
In the office you find pretty much nothing of value, other than a silver dagger sat on the desk.
After searching the butchers Borden falls into his cot with a groan of fatigue knowing that he has to front 'the boss' in just a few hours... Borden would assess the gems later.
Gwen sleeps in the barracks again. She's starting to like the atmosphere of camaraderie there.
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After a few minutes waiting outside Kroft's office, she appears at the door. Still looking tired, and harassed. She welcomes you in and moves to take a seat behind her desk.
There is a man sat in the corner, who rises as you enter to bow a greeting, and on seeing Gwen, moves to take her hand an give a polite kiss. While he does this, Croft rolls her eyes, and announces "This is my friend Vencarlo Orisini."
Vencarlo is a handsom man, in his middle years although still strong. He has gray hair and carries a rapier. He wears black leather gloves. "Cressenda speaks highly of you, and you deeds. If Korvosa had more fine folk like you, we’d already be out of this mess."
"Indeed you did do well there, it is a shame about the guard who died, and Verik's broken state, but you did very well to bring them in with no more casualties." Kroft cuts him off, as he moves to take his seat back again. "Here is the gold I promised." and she hands a heavy purse to Bordan.
"Vencarlo has often come to me with news of important changes on the streets, and this is no different—indeed, what he’s learned could degrade into sanctions, embargos, or even war against Cheliax if we don’t act now. This problem is a man named Darvayne Gios Amprei. You might have heard of him—he’s an ambassador from Cheliax whose disdain for Korvosa is well documented, and yet he’s taken great pleasure in what our city has to offer. Even before this recent unrest, this man was ready to recommend to his government a sanction on trade, or perhaps even an embargo. Vencarlo has learned through his own considerable sources that Ambassador Amprei’s actual goals are to undermine Korvosa’s economy to the point where he can buy up large portions of the city from desperate landholders and establish himself in a position of power here. Whatever the ambassador’s reasons, we can’t let his bias or personal plans hurt Korvosa. Yet neither can we take drastic action—not only would killing him be wrong, but it’d simply martyr him in Cheliax’s eyes.
"Fortunately, Darvayne has his foibles. Again, Vencarlo has learned that Ambassador Amprei has been making fairly regular visits to a place in Old Korvosa called Eel’s End. This den of vice is run by a dangerous man named Devargo Barvasi, better known in Korvosa’s alleys as the King of Spiders. I’d love to put Barvasi out of business, but he pays his vice taxes regularly and never causes any problems—in fact, since he keeps his business constrained entirely within the five ships moored at Eel’s End, he’s actually one of the least of my worries. Truth be told, I can’t decide whether Devargo is a stirge or a kraken. He seems like a bloodsucking pest most days, but sometimes I fear just how far his tentacles have wormed their way into our great city. In this case though, his insidious web stretching across Korvosa’s underworld might prove to our advantage.
"Devargo would never let someone he recognizes as an ally of the Guard into Eel’s End, but your group’s a different case. I’d like you to pay a visit to Eel’s End and secure an audience with Devargo. Find out what he knows about Amprei, get proof of any illicit goings-on the ambassador might be involved with, and bring that proof to me to use to undermine any forthcoming attempts by him to get Cheliax to cut us off. Devargo might not be willing to part with his information easily. I’ll supply you with some gold to bribe him, and whatever’s left over you can keep for yourself. Remember: the man is dangerous, but so are you—if things get violent, I wouldn’t mourn his passing."
At which point she hands Bordan another purse of equal weight.
"Any questions?"
Gwen is so embarassed when Vencarlo kisses her hand that all she can mumble is "uh... thank you mister", swaying uneasily on her feet.
When Kroft finishes her explanation, Gwen seems already focused on the new task at hand.
"Marshall, what exactly goes on at Eel’s End? Gambling? Women? Alcohol? Do we know if Ambassador Amprei is on friendly terms with this Devargo Barvasi?"
"The Goddess would no doubt frown on this 'Eel's End', but it doesn't sound like this Barvasi has broken any laws. Is that the case? If he's clean, our business with him is strictly that. I would also like to know more about this place before we enter the stirge's nest. Finally, I would like to tell my daughter what I'm doing. May I meet the rest of you at the entrance to this 'Eel's End' place say, an hour after we leave here?"
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"Marshall, what exactly goes on at Eel’s End? Gambling? Women? Alcohol? Do we know if Ambassador Amprei is on friendly terms with this Devargo Barvasi?"
"All of the above, probably a few more things we don't know about."
"The Goddess would no doubt frown on this 'Eel's End', but it doesn't sound like this Barvasi has broken any laws. Is that the case? If he's clean, our business with him is strictly that. I would also like to know more about this place before we enter the stirge's nest. Finally, I would like to tell my daughter what I'm doing. May I meet the rest of you at the entrance to this 'Eel's End' place say, an hour after we leave here?"
"We've never pinned anything outright illeagal on him. Though his activities are things your goddess would dislike, he pays his dues, and has been known to hand over fellons who try to hide out on his boats."
"Ok guys, we need to think about this and come out with a plan to approach Devargo. Why don't we meet at our place in an hour?"
Sounds like an interesting place - we will need to tailor our approach for sure. Our place in an hour then. Just out of curiousity... if this Devargo Barvasi fails to part with any information... what then? If it gets down to violence what is your expectation?
Whoa there boss - you didn't answer my question.
"Very well, I will see you three soon." Roj turns for the door and begins heading home.
"Well guys, how do we approach this Devargo? Perhaps we could try different tactics. I could try to get a job there as a bouncer or something, to keep an eye on things, especially the Ambassador, and find out what's going on, while you try to get him to talk, what do you say?"
Lets play it straight - a criminal ain't gonna trust fresh talent, I say we go in big and look hard and offer to trade for info.
"I agree with Borden. While it would be nice to do this job over several weeks to get you in good with Barvasi, I think Kroft is paying us for results. We have the bribe money, we should just go in there and talk to him."
"We will need a story to explain why we're interested in the ambassador, something that's not related to the Korvosan Guard. Besides, if the two of them are on good terms, what's keeping Devargo from checking out our story with him?"
Best lies are kept simple. Say we've chosen him as our 'mark' for a bit of a con and may need some additional leverage - that the current chaos provides the right short term environment for getting this done hence us wanting to cut a few corners coming to him. We offer 300, go as high as 500, say our take is none of his business but is expected to be about 3000 if he presses.
Gwen looks at Borden for a moment, then bursts into an uproarious laughter.
"Oh man, you ARE the king of bu11$!77ing, aren't you? Ok, let's do it your way mate! I'm your bodyguard again, aren't I? Goddess, this is too funny!"
"Very well, Borden. your plan seems good. We should head north to Old Korvosa soon. Hopefully he's not doing anything too wrong. That last job has left a bad taste in my mouth."
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The trip North is short and uneventful. Eventually you find your way through old Korvosa to the pier. The sound of carousing booms from the elegantly painted ships moored to this long pier. Large signs painted in several languages hang from ropes slung between ships or are nailed to pilings. The closest ship to the east bears a sign that says, “The Twin Tigers—Take the Tiger by the Tail and Try Your Luck!” Opposite that, to the west, a barge’s sign says, “Welcome to the Goldenhawk—No Safer Stay in Old Korvosa!” Further to the southeast is “Dragon’s Breath Corridor—Dream the Dragon’s Dreams at Affordable Prices!”, while opposite that is the “House of Clouds—The Caress of Our Lovelies Will Take You Straight to Heaven!” Only the largest ship, to the south, bears no signage at all. Short rope bridges or gangplanks provide access to the decks of these ships from the pier, or from the decks of other ships. Sailors, thugs, drunkards, prostitutes, and what could even be a few well-dressed nobles carouse on the pier and the decks of all five ships, seemingly oblivious to Korvosa’s recent troubles. Here and there, large men dressed in chainmail patrol the area, grim faces in a sea of revelry. Two of them are stood at the end of the pier, not blocking access, but able to if they wanted.
Borden approaches largest ship to the south and heads up the gangplank.
Eels end?, Borden asks gruffly?
Though many of the women aboard the ships catch Roj's eye, he spares them only a glance or two. Unwilling to compromise Borden's plan, he simply stands behind the bard, doing his best to look tough and intimidating and hoping his holy symbol is tucked out of sight.
Gwen is just trying to look as bulky as possible. Of course she'll need to breathe out sooner or later...
Need to speak to yer boss - we ain't lookin' t' make mischief. Got a business proposition fer 'im. Where we gonna find 'im?
Didn' recall askin' fer yer commentary, Borden says hard as stone , I asked where t' find 'im
"As the man said, where is he?"
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The first guard looks at the second, who nods, and shouts to a third guard walking further down the pier.
"Jones, come over here." as the other guard comes to take his place. The first guard moves to show you the way. "I'm Stanris, the boss is this way."
Stanris leads you to the largest of the five ships tied off to the pier; A warship bearing the name Eel’s End, its figurehead a coiling eel with a woman’s head. Several drunkards, sailors, and revelers dance and drink on the large open main deck here, while the aft deck is relatively clear. A pair of large double doors bearing a complex painting of a spider allows entrance into the stern section of the main deck. There are four more guards on the deck, taking their ease, who stand at your approach. Stanis moves forward and whispers something, and they allow him to move forward. As you follow him below deck, they move to follow.
Inside is a large room, once a captain’s cabin, has been converted into a throne room of sorts. The walls are thick with spiderwebs, in which scuttle dozens of spiders some as large as a fist but most considerably smaller. These spiders seem content to stay in their webs and do not venture into the room itself, which is furnished with two sturdy oaken tables surrounded by chairs.
Aft, a wooden stage supports a large leather chair, itself covered with cobwebs and scampering spiders. A narrow door stands to port, hanging ajar and revealing a flight of stairs leading below. An iron birdcage hangs from the ceiling like a chandelier, inside of which lingers a tiny, tired-looking purple dragon.
Sat in the throne is a tall man with close-cropped black hair, a warm smile, and blue eyes. He accents his black leather armor with a steel spider-shaped shoulder baldric and a thick chain criss-crossing his chest, linked together in the shape of a spider’s web. His signature weapons—gauntlets fixed with blades over the knuckles (functionally identical to spiked gauntlets, save that they deal slashing damage) glisten with poison. Now and then, spiders clamber over his skin, but he takes no notice.
Stood atop one of the tables are two men, their right arms strapped together, and between them, stuck in the table is a dagger. As you enter a man on the throne is counting to 10.
"Huh, that's interesting..."
Gwen whispers in Borden's ear "Don't step too close to the throne, boss."
Roj shivers as he sees the tall man's glistening blades and pet spiders, and he begins panning around the room, looking for signs of evil.
Borden heeds Gwens words and stands short of the floor trap, spotting it himself thanks to her heeding. He patiently waits for the man to finish his counting and for action to start, not sure if this is a game of chance or a punishment for two underlings who now must fight to maintain Devargo Barvasi's favour.
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When the man reaches zero the two on the table diver forward at the knife.
The furthest from you is taller, and broader, and quite obviously slower. The smaller man takes the knife. There are small piles of coins all over the table, and a crowd of people at either end.
The large man begins grabbing at the coins, while the smaller one concentrates on trying his best to stab him. Eventually the big man gets visibly frustrated and and swings himself forward, snapping the smaller mans arm painfully, and throwing him off the table. The crowd erupts into cheers from the large mans end, as the crowd at the smaller mans end move away, mostly to the bar. Someone moves over to untie the men, while the coins get shared out.
Stanris moves between you and the man on the throne. "You stand before the King of Spider. State your intent."
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It's a cursed state of affairs that have brought Erik to Devargo's throneroom. The place reeks of a noxious combination of spilt beer, salt water, and dried blood. Half the time Erik goes to set his drink down he has to jerk it back up for fear of crushing a damned arachnid. Would it offend the King of Spiders if he killed one of his eight legged minions? Erik's not intent on finding out.
Nursing a drink and trying to appear inconspicuous, the young man sits at the end of the bar, flush against the sloping wall of the hull, poised on a poorly nailed down stool, watching everything and saying nothing. His sandy brown hair falls before his eyes, and his expression hovers just shy of a frown. Were it not for the arcane spells that throb and resonate within his mind, each requiring just a final phrase to be unleashed, he would feel horribly defenseless.
Even with his magical abilities, he's on the verge of bolting and running. There's too little regard for human life in this room. It's too easy to get yourself killed. Still, if Erik's to change his situation in any meaningful way, he has to cultivate opportunity. And hiding in his garret studying his moth eaten books won't open any doors.
No. He has to frequent places like this so as to seize upon a chance, any chance, to improve his lot. So Erik pretends to sip at his drink, does his best to avoid eye contact with the wrong people, and watches with interest as a group of newcomers step up to address the Spider King.