"The city could use more people willing to help, that's for sure."
Ortik is about to add something to the conversation, but he notes the curious way that Vencarlo is looking at Lyla - or, more appropriately, how he's taking pains to do so without looking at her. It's like he's interested in Lyla's reaction to Blackjack's story. He couldn't be...
The party soon comes to an intersection by the bridge across the St. Alika Narrows. "Ah! My home is just down this way." He starts off down the street before turning back to the rest of the party.
"This is where we'll have to part ways, I suppose. Come pay me a visit at my Academy next time you're in the neighbourhood--Korvosa could do with more upstanding citizens like yourselves." With a final flourishing bow, he turns and takes his leave, disappearing into the cold night.
"Take care," Lyla says watching Orisini go. She turns to the others with a smirk on her face. "Hah. Look at that guy. He's not too bad, but... so naive! What's all that about Blackjack? Talk about urban legends..." As they continue marching back to Zellara's house, Lyla warns them she won't be spending the night there this time. "I'll leave the stuff back at Zellara's with you guys and tomorrow I'll divide everything into the usual shares... but tonight I gotta make sure Althea is alright." She looks at Demitri. "I didn't mean to put you in danger or anything by not telling about her. I just... I didn't want to make this about me. Devargo had to go down regardless."
"I know, but you should be able to trust us by now. I don't like going in without all the facts. I understand that you care about your friend and going in to save her was very noble of you. Just clue us in next time? Please?" Demitri ends with a gentle smile.
Lyla bites her lips and nods. "Got it."
"Now go check on your friend. She could use your company."
Karri thinks about Lyla's words, "I didn't want to make this about me." Her thoughts are mocked by the Legion, and she struggles to block them out. And I won't make this about you. Her whirling mind stops when Demitri says the words "trust us" She focuses on the former guardsmen and smiles slightly with him.
Ortik nods in agreement with everything said by his friends. "Yes, go check on her. Insist on making the first pot of tea, but let her make the second. Unless I miss my guess, she's the sort that won't just sit by and let other people do everything for her." He lays a hand on her shoulder. "We're all here for each other, Lyla. If there's a problem, bring it to us. We're stronger for the bonds we forge."
The Calistril air is pleasantly cool for a change as you make your way back to the Shingles and Althea's shop. The skies above are surprisingly clear tonight, with the light of the moon and stars casting long shadows down on the streets below.
You reach the shop just as Althea & Corporal Griggs step through the door. Griggs looks back, waving to you.
When you return to Zellara's home, you see a candle lit in the kitchen. You can also see two figures seated at the kitchen table... upon closer inspection, you can see one of them is Marissel. He's talking with an elf woman with white, disheveled long hair. They both appear to be very distressed.
"Hail and well met. You both look like hell right now. What happened? Are the kids alright?"
The two elves look up as the party (sans Lyla) steps through the door to Zellara's home. Marissel opens his mouth to speak, but the woman next to him beats him to it.
"It's... it's Deredel. He's taken a turn for the worse." Her voice wavers, as if she's on the verge of bursting into tears.
"Yes." Marissel nods. "Semond came by to fetch me--she needs someone at home to help care for him."
"I see. Well then you should go help. Family comes first."
Lyla acknowledges Griggs’ wave, cocking her chin and eyebrows. Once she gets to them, the girl raises stretches her tiny hand forward for Griggs. “Good job. You could have arrived a little sooner, though”, she teases. The two shake hands, and she adds “Thanks.” She opens the door to Althea’s shop to let them all in; the place is still a mess from before. She scratches her head and apologizes to Althea. “Didn’t have time to clean up,” Lyla says scratching the back of her head. “Anyway, I thought it would be best not to change the scene in case we needed to come back for evidence or something. That’s why Griggs sealed the place.” She pushes Althea into her bedroom. “Now let’s get you to bed, I’ll take care of the shop later.” Lyla applies some bandages and curative ointments to Althea’s wounds and watches the elderly woman drift into a heavy sleep. She then goes back to the shop’s front and, hands on her hips, stares at the broken lock, shattered vials and stained floor. “It’s gonna be a looooong night.”
The Halfling girl falls asleep halfway through the task of putting the shop back together.
Marissel nods. "Thank you, Demitri." Semond takes his arm and starts toward the door. "I don't know how long I'll be gone for. Don't worry so much about me; I'll be fine."
Althea appears to be exhausted from the day's events, and doesn't make much of a fuss as to how messy the shop is, for once. She lets you tend to her injuries as she falls asleep.
Corporal Griggs pats Lyla on the shoulder. "Cutter, how about you tell your friends to swing by the Citadel tomorrow? I'm sure Kroft would love to properly reward you for your expertise."
With that, he takes his leave.
Mocking, He is leaving because of you because of you!!! Karri's stomach tightens into one big knot and she excuses herself to her room.
Ortik grows quiet at Marissel's words. He lays a hand upon his elven friend's shoulder and looks him in the eye. "He's your brother, Marissel. Be with him. Ease his pain as best you can. And if you need a shoulder to lean upon, you know where we will be." He looks to Semond. "That goes for you as well, lass. If I can help in any fashion, just say the word."
Lyla wakes up the next morning with the sun shining on her eyes, and only then realizes that she never went to bed. Her sore back makes her regret that decision, and yet, the mere thought of Althea sleeping safely only a few feet away makes her wake up in a better mood than usual. She quietly sneaks up to the old woman's chamber to check on her, and seeing her still asleep, slides back to the front of the shop and spend the next hour picking up glass shards and scrubbing the wooden floor. The effort whets her appetite, but the kitchen cabinet only has enough food for one person to feed properly, and she decides to pass on it. Instead, she heads to her room and opens the box where she keeps alchemical raw materials.
The girl opens her formulae book and starts following her own notes, prepairing a few mixtures and stuffing them in her belt and backpack. She then prepares an infusion and goes on to check on Althea once more, gently waking her up. "Mornin'. Made you some tea." She helps Althea sit on the bed and giver her the cup; the halfling girls tries to ehave naturally, hoping not to offend Althea with excessive care. She then fires away her usual verbosity. "I finished cleaning up the store, but I don't think you should open today. Actually, it will take some time to replenish the stock. Most of it was ruined. I'll help you later, if I can, but right now I gotta get back to the Citadel. I kinda signed up for the guard in exchange for they helping me find you and... well, I can't just quit now, can I? Gotta uphold my end of the bargain, at least for a little while. Anyway, there's some food in the kitchen, the bread's a little stale, but I think it will do. I'll get you something on the way back." She pecks Althea on the forehead and heads out to the streets.
Her stomach growling, Lyla spots the apple stand that usually serves her breakfast, at its owner expense. She waits for a group of dock workers to pass by and follows them closely up to the fruits, using their legs as cover while she plucks an apple from the pile.
Just as she is about to walk away, she remember all the the gold she has recently earned, and turning back, discreetly throws a copper straight into the merchant's coin pouch.
The coin toss misses the target and bounces off the pouch, but lands close to the man's feet. Walking away quickly, she imagines the man will probably notice it soon enough and bend down to pick it up.
She arrives at Zellara's and flings the door open, yelling "Rise and shine, people! Griggs wants us back at the Citadel right away!"
Demitri is already awake making breakfast for the children. They all wave high to the energetic halfling when she makes her entrance. "How is she? Just let me finish up feeding the kids and we can get going. If you're hungry I can scrounge up something."
Distrubed by vivid dreams Karri has a restless night and only with the dawn creeping into the small room's window does she find any rest. For a short time she sleeps like a stone.
Ortik is up as well, cracking eggs into a skillet. "Eggs and bakey first, then off to the Citadel."
-----------
You do not dream often, but tonight, the visions are clear and disturbing. Long have you walked, but now you find yourself back inside the secret training grounds of Egorian, the stones cold and rough beneath your bare feet. The circle of runes around you glow with a sickly green light, etched in a shaky, deliberate hand. You try to escape the circle, but as you put a foot across, a shock leaps from the runes, forcing you back.
You look up, up, up into the Master's eyes. A middle-aged, fear-inspiring man clad in violet, extravagant robes, his greying beard stringy and caked with... blood? Hopefully. His storm-grey, violent eyes drink you in--a child of no more than seven years--and he draws a knife from his belt. The knife catches your eye--carved from fine ivory and inscribed with words from a language alien to human ears.
"Now... your training begins." The Master says, his voice disturbingly deep, clear and tinged with madness. He grins and steps forward, the ivory knife gleaming, pointed at you. He lunges, the knife's point aimed for your heart. You scream and shield yourself with your hands...
...but the blow never lands. The Master is frozen in mid-step, his knife raised high, a frenzied grin on his face. Time itself appears to have stopped all around you. It does little to quell your palpable fear.
A condescending chuckle comes from the darkness of the room, followed by a slow clapping. You turn and look for the source, and it immediately becomes clear as its maker steps into the light. Velaro steps forward, looking for all the world like the man you once loved... but something is very wrong. You remember enough to place his real name... Kasdaye.
"Now now, is that the Karri I once knew? Hardly." Velaro/Kasdaye looks between you and the Master, unimpressed by your predicament. "The Karri I remember was always in control. She could make the most powerful of men quiver in fear..." At his words, you *feel* it welling up within you...
"...or can she do that now?" Velaro's/Kasdaye's eyes flash gold. Your body moves of its own accord, facing the Master, still frozen in time. Your fear boils over as you focus on him... and it leaves you. It washes over him. All at once, the Master's face contorts into a look of utter terror and he recoils from you, the ivory knife clattering to the floor. The runes around you stop glowing as you walk forward to pick it up.
The knife fits your hand perfectly... as if it was meant to be wielded by you all along. You feel in control of yourself again. Kasdaye looks between you and the Master, a small grin on his face. "What now, little Karri? What now?"
---------
As you awaken, you feel something awakening within you... your Legion can be heard cheering their approval.
YESYESYES! Finally, you LISTEN! You realize you now can harness the fear that once controlled you... and direct it toward others.
Karri comes down the stairs, her face is washed and her hair is brushed, but her eyes still have a tinge of worry. She tries to mask that with pleasantries, "Good morning, one and all. Is there something already made for breakfast?"
"Eggs and bakey. Have a seat and we'll get you a plate." The kids all smile at the woman as she takes a seat.
Moonday, 13th of Calistril, 4711 AR
Once everyone has had their fill of breakfast, it's off to Citadel Volshyenek.
It's a beautifully sunny day today as the citizens of Korvosa rise and begin to face the day. Some of the locals give the party a fond look as they pass by--it appears word of their exploits is beginning to go around.
Surprisingly, Field Marshal Kroft is waiting for the party at the gates to the Citadel. Sergeant Soldado & Private Clay are flanking her--the sergeant looks clean-shaven, healthy, and more than fit for duty. The private, on the other hand... well, it'd be kind to say 'not'. His eyes have very dark circles under them, and his hair is wild and uncombed. At least he looks thinner--evidently, Kroft's work is doing him some good.
"Good morning, ladies & gentlemen. I was hoping you'd come by today." Kroft says with a rare smile.
Grateful for Demitri's kindness and the kid's simple generosity, Karri takes a seat at the table. She doesn't eat much, a roll with jam, but she is content with the table chatter-so much calmer than her own chorus.
The day is glorious she thinks to herself as they walk towards the Citadel. Of course it is, you are opening to my teachi-Silence, Kasdaye! Once at the gate the scarred girl answers Marshall Kroft's smile with a nod and small curtsy, "And to you, m'Lady"
Demitri gives his daughter a kiss on the forehead goodbye before he gives all the children chores to do for the day. They range from sweeping the floors to scrubbing the bathrooms.
Later on Demitri will salute Kroft out of respect. "Well met, Marshal. Any particular reason?"
"Oh, I can think of a couple." Kroft turns and starts walking back to her office, bidding the party to follow.
Upon reaching her office, the party sees two people seated at the large table in the centre of her office: Acolyte Dhatri & Judge Zenderholm. They appear to have been in the middle of having tea--two cups and a teapot are between them. Dhatri eyes the party with his usual nervousness, whereas Judge Zenderholm has a small half-smile on her face.
An elegant-looking chest decorated with images of pseudodragons sits on Kroft's desk.
"Thanks in no small part to your efforts, Devargo and his men have been taken off Korvosa's streets." Kroft says, standing at the head of the table. "The testimony from the workers you freed will go a long way towards his date with the gallows." She sounds like she's enjoying this a lot more than she should.
"Did you happen to find anything else of import in his hideout?"
"We did find some disturbing evidence of an ally of his." Demitri will retrieve the documents and letters he found and hand them to Kroft.
"The most important is that one right there," Ortik says, pointing out the page found in Devargo's desk. "He was working for some mysterious employer, and he apparently was the next link in the chain up from Lamm. That didn't please Devargo's boss, whoever he might be. Lyla tells us that they laced the page with liquefied shiver, which explains his addiction to the stuff. It's lost its potency, though, so you're fine."
Kroft takes the letter and reads it over, her expression turning grim. Dhatri gets up and moves to take a look at the letter as well.
"Dhatri. Good timing." Kroft turns to the acolyte as he approaches, handing the letter off to him. "Take this in as evidence. Compare it to the one addressed to Verik--see if there's a connection between the two."
The acolyte nods after casting a forlorn look at his teacup. Without another word, he departs.
"Now, as to why I was hoping you'd arrive..." Kroft walks over to the chest on her desk and carries it over to the table. "You went above and beyond what a citizen of Korvosa would have done for their city--not only did you save innocent lives, but you brought in a dangerous criminal as well." She opens the chest.
Inside is a leather bag jingling with the familiar sound of coins, which she removes and sets on the table. Under the bag are five pins, each of them shaped to look like a pseudodragon. "These are pseudodragon marks: only awarded to those who have contributed greatly to Korvosa's continued safety & stability. They're badges of honour here, not handed out to just anyone."
Demitri hands out the pins to his friends before taking one for himself. "It is an honor."
"Indeed it is," Ortik says, a warm smile upon his face. "But I'd like to think that I'm just doing what anyone who had the ability would do in my situation. A city's like a living, breathing thing, and the people in it are its organs. When a sickness arises, the body tries to fight off the infection, and sometimes it needs medicine from without to cure it. I'm just the willow bark here." He takes the pin and attaches it to his crumpled hat. "Any time Korvosa's people need my help, you know I'll be there for you, Field Marshal."
Lyla leans over the open chest and stares at its contents for a few seconds, focused on perusing its contents. Her lips move silently as she quickly opens the bag, counts the coins on the top and then raises it to test the weight. She smiles with satisfaction, taking the pseudodragon mark and pinning it to her chest."Nice! It goes with Jakob's new buddy", she says looking to her friends. She then puts on a more serious expression and speaks to Field Marshal Kroft. "Boss, I was wondering if I could speak to Devargo for a moment."
Kroft arches an eyebrow at Lyla. "Well..."
"Oh, let her, Cressida." Judge Zenderholm speaks up from her seat. "Abadar knows he can't escape his fate." She takes a sip of her tea.
Kroft shrugs and nods. "Very well, then. Sergeant Soldado!" She calls out. It isn't long before the clean-shaven sergeant appears in the doorway of her office. "Escort Lyla here to the prison, would you? She'd like a word with our newest prisoner."
The sergeant nods and looks over at Lyla. "Right this way, miss." He turns and leaves, crossing the courtyard to the great double doors leading to the Citadel's armoury & prison.
Lyla follows Soldado quietly, grinding her teeth while she plays out in her head the conversation she is about to have with Devargo Barvasi. He worked with Lamm all that time. Maybe he knows. He has to, she tells herself. They pass the double doors, walk past many guards and barred doors and who knows how many flights of stairs; she barely pays attention to the course, snapping back to reality only when Soldado announces "He's here". The sergeant swings open a sturdy wooden door revealing a beat up Devargo sitting on the floor, chains strapped around his wrists and ankles, binding him to the back of the cell. The girl takes a step back into the corridor and whispers a few words to Soldado, out of Devargo's view.
The man hesitates, but finally gives in to her request after sizing her up. Lyla strips from all her gear and hands it to the sergeant, who then frisks her to find anything of notice. "I'll call you when I'm done", she says before entering the cell completely unarmed. The door closes behind her, and suddenly she is all alone with the man who haunted her life and dreams for many years. "Do you know who I am?", she asks, sounding somewhat cryptical. "I mean, who I really am, like my family name? You were there when Lamm took me. There must have been some word on the streets back then." A moment of silence. "Maybe I can help you with the hanging judge. I'm someone now", she says, flicking the pseudodragon badge.
Devargo looks up from his chained seat, glaring up at Lyla from beneath a furrowed brow. Several bruises mar his face, and his nose has a trail of blood running to his upper lip. His prisoners' togs are ragged and have fresh bloodstains on them.
"Do you know who I am?"
"Some slip I should've thrown in the harbour the first chance I got." Devargo growls. The ex-King of Spiders twitches, flexing his hands, possibly to keep them from falling asleep.
"I mean, who I really am, like my family name? You were there when Lamm took me. There must have been some word on the streets back then."
Devargo snorts. "You're a Fairwoods, if it matters." He breaks into a coughing fit before settling down. "Sailing family--not out of the ordinary for Korvosa. Never knuckled under to the nobles--made your own way without being servants." He sighs. "Should've thought of that."
"Maybe I can help you with the hanging judge. I'm someone now."
Devargo scoffs. "Right. And I'm Eodred's long lost son." He growls before he barely avoids breaking into another coughing jag.
After a moment, he speaks again. "Oh, what do I have to lose? Fine, I'll humour you, slip. What could you POSSIBLY do to save my neck?" He looks at the pseudodragon's mark before meeting your eyes again.
You think you see a glimmer of... hope? in his eyes.
Lyla's heart skips a beat when Devargo speaks. Fairwoods, she thinks, letting the name sink in. Devargo's reaction takes her by surprise; the very fact that he so quickly decided to give her what she wanted is enough to throw her off her game. That feeling fades away when he gets back to his normal, abrasive self, and then... that look. For a second, Lyla feels sorry for the King of Spiders. It is not enough to let her forget all he did to her. She looks down with a sad frown on her face.
"I shouldn't do anything", she says. "It's kinda funny, this. You and I, switching places. Not funny 'ha-ha', but you know, funny. And the funniest part is that if you hadn't taught me how to cook, how to mix this and that, I'd probably be one dead little Lamm by now and you would still be out there. Instead, I turned a bad situation into something good for me. That lab set me free... of course, I could've done without the slamming on the way out." She walks in circles around the cell, thinking. "You're a good alchemist. Not great, but good enough. And with all the junkies you created out there, there's some real need for people with our skills right now... to treat the addiction, and the withdrawal. I think they might spare you, if you're willing to work for the town. You'll defintely be working in chains, but it figures. Just don't try to blow up your way out like I did, and things could work out fine for you. Do you think you can do that?"
She waits for the Devargo's answer and acknowledges it with a straight face. "Okay then." The girl smashes at the door, calling out Soldado to let him know she's done. Before the door opens, she looks at Devargo one last time, and asks "Are you even sorry?"
"You're a good alchemist. Not great, but good enough. And with all the junkies you created out there, there's some real need for people with our skills right now... to treat the addiction, and the withdrawal. I think they might spare you, if you're willing to work for the town. You'll defintely be working in chains, but it figures. Just don't try to blow up your way out like I did, and things could work out fine for you. Do you think you can do that?"
Lyla's words definitely catch Devargo's attention--he's doing his best not to show it, but he's genuinely surprised you're even making him the offer, all things considered.
The King of Spiders looks at the floor of his cell. A spider scuttles by, oblivious to the goings-on around the cell's two occupants. Devargo Barvasi looks back up at you.
"If Kroft'll go for it... fine." His hands are shaking in their bonds. For the first time in your life, you see a look of fear appear on his face, mixed with no shortage of desperation and a futile effort at aloofness. "I'll do it."
"Are you even sorry?""
"...not sure it's worth much, but... yes." He says, resigned and surprised.
Perhaps it's because of the threat of the noose looming before him. Perhaps it's the fact that he's helpless before you. Perhaps it's because you've proven to be the better person here...
...but you think you got through to him.
His eyes follow you as you leave his cell and Sergeant Soldado escorts you away.
Lyla accompanies Soldado and heads out to meet the rest of the group, thinking about her promise to Devargo. That one'll be hard to sell. Already with a plan in mind, she looks for Demitri as soon as she enters Kroft's office, where the meeting is still taking place. Excusing herself, she quietly asks him to step outside for a minute with her. She does the same with Karri, Ortik and Jakob, scheduling an awkward meeting just oustside Kroft's office.
Out on the corridor, she keeps her voice down, and makes a hand gesture pleading everyone to bend down closer to her face. "Here's the thing, folks. I kinda told Devargo we could maybe save his neck. And before you all flip out, it was the only way I could think of to get him to help me find my parents. You see, I was very little when... you know. I can barely remember them... but now I have something to start digging. Meet Lyla Fairwoods", she says with a bow, introducing her family name for the first time. She waits to see everyone's reactions, and adds "There, total transparency just the way you guys keep yapping about."
She takes a deep breath and continues. "I know, I know, Devargo is a scumbag, and he probably deserves whatever the judge has in store for him. Trust me, I'm well aware of that. But he's done so much bad stuff already, that maybe we could put him to do some good for the town instead of just placing a noose around his neck." She feels Zellara's warm presence at the mention of Korvosa. "He can make remedies, oils and ointments to help treat the shiver addicts. He's going through withdrawal right now, so that might even help him understand what he'll be dealing with. Now, I don't trust him enough to give him unsupervised access to any labs, but I could make a list of harmless raw materials for him to work with, and make sure he's not doing anything stupid... and me and Althea could maybe check on his work from time to time. I don't know, I'm just thinking out loud right now."
She looks at each of her allies as she goes on. "I need you to back me up on this. Actually, I need you to do the talking—especially the two of you", she adds pointing to Ortik and Demitri. "Your word carries a lot more weight, chief, you being Kroft's boy and all" she says looking at Demitri, "and you, Ortik, jeez, you may look like a beggar but damn, you're good with words—pardon the language." She then looks at Karri and apologizes. "Nothing personal, sunshine, but you're a little weird and sometimes speak to yourself, so I'm putting my money on these two here", she says with a wink. "As for Jakob... well, the guy barely even speaks."
"I know I sometimes put my foot on my mouth, so please, can you do this? Please?" She anxiously waits for their reply.
"I will be the bigger person and ignore that Kroft's boy comment. You did the right thing, for yourself and the city. Family is important. Putting him to work will do more good than putting a noose around his neck. I'm willing to speak to Kroft for you. " Demitri smiles.
Karri feels a wash of envy that may or may not be her own when Lyla reveals she knows where to look for her family. Of course it's yours. The little rat has always been trying to one up you!. Regardless, she understands Lyla's worry about how she deals with people. "It's true Kitten, I am a bit strange, but we all are. A loyal guardsman that refuses to be in the guard, a scummy diplomat, a silent fury, and a predator posing as a house pet. For what it is worth, death is easy to mete out; justice much harder. Should Devargo be forgiven, or enslaved, or simply done with? He has a wicked soul. A selfish one. How long do you think he would behave himself before he found a way out of the chains? I say kill him, publicly, and wash our hands of him."
Kasdaye whispers to her, Yes, make a gruesome example of him. Teach the meat puppets to fear their betters... Karri recoils at the idea that her own idea fits the demon's, and she blurts, "Or, have him heal Korvosa!"