"M'aam. There's plague in the city. No doubt it came in off that ship. What's the plan?"
Kroft looks up at the sellsword as he enters the office. "That's what we're working on, Nalun. Like Demitri said, it's spreading the most rapidly among the poor, but we don't have any idea what's spreading it. So far, we've ruled out the water supply--if the water was what was carrying it, I'd expect the nobles & merchants and the like to be afflicted as well, not just beggars..."
Tayce & Grau listen attentively to Lyla as she gives them instructions on how to care for Brienna. "Right..."
Tayce wanders downstairs to wash her hands, and Grau stays behind with you.
"Do you have any idea where she might have gotten that from? Like... specifically."
Grau shakes his head. "Tayce would know more about what happened with Brienna leading up to this--I was on patrol when I got the news."
"Does Kroft know what's going on down here? This could be serious. I can't shake off the idea that that quarantined ship has something to do with it. I need to check on that."
"I told her, and she was kind enough to give me time off." Grau wrinkles his nose and starts pacing. "I have a bad feeling that you're right, but the Guard don't have the resources to conduct an underwater investigation..."
Ruck snatches up the rest of the gold you give him. "Many thanks, many thanks!"
His legs shake madly as he forces himself to his feet. "Maybe Abadar, or maybe Shelyn, or--" He breaks into a coughing fit.
"Thank who'll ever help you, cousin," he says, helping the man to his feet. "Do you have somewhere to sleep tonight?" Gods, the Forgottenfolk, I should be checking in on them. If this spreads to them... Ortik clenches a fist as his concern for his extended family grows, praying silently to Korvosa that she spare the Ffolk from the plague.
Ruck looks down at his old spot, still clutching his begging bowl filled with coins. He looks back at you. "There. Or anywhere."
Ortik nods, placing a hand upon Ruck's shoulder. "I know how that goes. I've spent more than a few winters on the streets. I know a place that may be able to give you some place dry to sleep for the night, and longer, depending on what may come. Do you know Old Man Hartleby, of the Forgottenfolk?" Forgive me, old friend, but I can't let a soul like this one suffer in the hopes that the pox skips over our flock.
Ruck blinks. "Old... Man?" He shakes his head. "No, no no. Never knew him. But if a roof is offered, Ruck would be grateful for it."
"We'll find you someplace to sleep, Ruck. Follow me, the Folk live this way." Ortik begins leading the beggar back to the commune, hiding his growing concern about what he'll find when he gets there.
Well m'aam, I can't very well stab a plague...but maybe I can see about how its spreading. Permission to ask questions in an official capacity? We'll settle on a fee in the future. Based on results.
Nalun gives Demitri a nod Care to lend a hand in the Dockside district? I'll probably need someone to watch my backside.
"Yes. I can go with you. Just let me drop off the little one and we can go. I really do need a sitter."
"I have a bad feeling that you're right, but the Guard don't have the resources to conduct an underwater investigation..."
Lyla smiles knowingly. "Of course it has", she teases with a wink. "Let me know me how Brienne's doing. If she gets worse, send for me and I'll come running. Now, to other matters", she finishes, excusing herself. Before going back to Althea's, Lyla makes a detour to Grouchy's Magic Writings. Though not really the establishment's name, that's how she calls it, anyway. Arriving at the small, clustered room squeezed between two decrepit buildings in a narrow alley in the Shingles, she greets the gruff old man sitting amidst piles and piles of old books, and helps herself through a bunch of dusty scrolls jumbled in a large mahogany case. Disappearing inside the box, Lyla coughs and sneezes as the dust swirls around her, untill she finally finds what she's looking for. "A-ha! This one", she exclaims, handing the scroll to the old man along with some special ink and a handful of gold coins. The old man counts the money far too slowly for Lyla's taste, but despite her inquietude, Lyla knows better than to rush the moody bookseller. When he's done, she thanks him with a forced smile and sprints off.
She storms into Althea's shop and heads straight to her bedroom, where she immediately starts working on replicating and understanding the scroll she just bought. After a couple of hours of hard work, she manages to completely decipher the arcane writing, and transcribes the whole text into her formula book. To put the new formula to test, she prepares an extract and lets it cool down while she brews a mutagen designed to enhance her strength. Finally, she sits down a writes a message to Althea; she folds the sheet and leaves it in the counter, addressed to the herbalist.
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There's a plague spreading around town. Not sure what it is, but it's nasty. If you want to make some bucks while saving lives, I recommend working on a batch of antiplague, people are going to need it. Also, there's one thing I'd like to ask, if you can help me.
I need you to go to the address on the back of the letter and see how the family who lives there is doing. Tell them I live with you and urge them to stay home to avoid getting sick. Please take them some supplies, bread and potatoes wiill do.
In case you're wondering who they are, that would be my sister, father, nephews and such. I found them yesterday. I'll tell you all about it later. Don't be mad.
Lyla
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Once the halfling girl has finished her preparations, she heads to the docks, where she bumps into Nalun and Demitri doing some patrolling, apparently. "Hey there!"
"Oh, hi. What are you doing all the way out here?" Demitri responds to the halfling.
Hello short stuff. This place is dangerous, people are getting sick.
"Tell me 'bout it! I've seen it around the Shingles... and I just took a closer look at it with Soldado's niece, the girls is awful sick. I gave her some basic medicine, let's see how she reacts." She glances at the dock workers scrathing their necks and forearms and says "I'm not too optimistic, but if it works we have a starting point for the treatment." She snaps out of that thought as her initial reason to be here comes back to her, and her face lights up. "Anyway, slim, remember that ship we saw yesterday? I think it might have something to do with the disease—I mean, no healthy crew sails under a quarantine flag just for the heck of it, right? It just so happens that I have an idea on how to explore the sunken ship... and it's sooooo cool!", she whoops, looking up and clenching her fists.
Lyla then browses the docks for a quiet space, and moves to a deserted dead-end alley. "C'mon, we're gonna need some privacy, or people will freak out with what they'll see", she explains disappearing into the alley. She gives Nalun and Demitri a reassuring wink. "You guys can take it." She chugs down a weird, opaque brown solution, places her hands in the back of her head, and solemnly remarks "Behold, mortals", holding back a chuckle.
Thrusting her fingers into the flesh, Lyla slashes the skin easily, and starts pulling it out of her head. The incision runs all the way through her back to her toes, and she goes on peeling her skin from her body, along with her attire, as if the flesh were merely one more layer of clothing. The squishy sounds of skin splitting from body, and the vision of the underlying muscles, tendons and veins, are quite disturbing. When the magic is over, Lyla's helpless body is lying on the ground, while a perfect hollow version of the girl stands right beside her. She looks down at her motionless skinned body and grimaces. "Yup, that was exactly as gross as I thought it would be."
She smiles at Demitri and Nalun. "Did I mention it was gonna be cool? Here's the plan: while I'm like this, I don't have to breath, I can see in the dark, and, better still, I can't get sick. It's perfect for an exploratory dive, which I'll do right now. Of course, since I'm currently as strong as, say, a squirrel, I brought this too to help me swim and move things around in the ship." She drinks a strength mutagen, and her skin body grows in bulk; looking back at he unconscious body, she sees her visible muscle structure expanding, too. "Take care of my body, will you. If something happens to it, I'm toast." She drinks another extract and starts walking to the water. She looks over her shoulder at the two men behind her. "I'll be back in about an hour." She dives in just as the skin in her hands and feet turn into flippers. Disappearing into the depths of the bay, she starts looking for the sunken Direption.
Nalun looks distastefully at the skinless "Lyla" Uh. Yeah. Sure thing... he tries and fails to suppress a shudder.
"Well you don't see that every day."
The walk to the Forgottenfolk commune feels longer than you thought it would be. As you lead Ruck through the streets and cross into East Shore, you start to notice that the crowds are getting thicker, and more ill. Most of the people who cross your path give you a wide berth as you go.
When you reach the commune, you find that the streets are deserted, but there appears to be a commotion coming from the meeting hall...
You leave your remains behind and step into the cold waters of the Jeggare River before diving down.
The water is murky and dark, and you can feel it in detail along the scars upon your skin-construct. As you swim deeper into the harbour, you become aware of just how *deep* it is... it could easily take hours to find the ship.
Ortik picks up his pace, almost dragging Ruck along behind him as he makes haste for the hall. He squares his jaw, preparing himself for whatever row is taking place inside, though he has a harboring suspicion that his fears of Ruck bringing the plague to the Folk will soon be the least of his problems.
The underwater view of the river fascinates Lyla as she swims around looking for signs of the shipwreck. Once she realizes the dimensions of the harbor, her plan starts looking less and less brilliant. Not as easy as I thought it would be...
As the day wears on Karri seriously begins to worry. She says to the Pseudodragon, "It's bad enough they are all out and who knows how safe - and now, even the Legion is silent." Suddenly a thought occurs to her. "Majenko, when you talk to me, can you feel the Legion?" She pours more boiling water through a coffee press and sits down with her fifth cup.
The first hour of searching doesn't yield any results...
...nor the second...
...nor the third.
But on the fourth, you find something.
Lying at the bottom of the harbour, just north of the North Bridge, you can make out the broken hulk of the Direption, lying split in two across an outcropping of rock. The hole in its hull left by the catapult stone offers entrance to the ship.
Unfortunately, you also notice something else near the shipwreck. At least three sharks are swimming around the ship... and they appear to be on patrol. They haven't noticed you (a small mercy), but you don't stick around to explore any further--your extracts are running out of time, and you can feel the currents of the harbour starting to drag your skin construct around.
As the day wears on Karri seriously begins to worry. She says to the Pseudodragon, "It's bad enough they are all out and who knows how safe - and now, even the Legion is silent." Suddenly a thought occurs to her. "Majenko, when you talk to me, can you feel the Legion?" She pours more boiling water through a coffee press and sits down with her fifth cup.
Majenko sits across from you as you pour yourself yet another cup of coffee. <Legion? Thatwhat youtalk towhen noone isaround?> His tail flicks around.
<Ionly hearyour voice. Ican't listenfor anythingelse.>
Entering the commune's meeting hall, you walk in on what appears to be an emergency meeting of sorts. The Old Man is standing on the platform at the back of the room, trying his best to calm the attendees.
"People of the Forgottenfolk, I understand your worries about the sickness sweeping through Korvosa's streets. I do not know how it is spreading, but rest assured I will not allow any of you to come to harm because of it." Hartleby paces back and forth on the platform. "Until this disease has run its course, please, I implore you--return to your homes and do not go outside. If anyone does fall sick, tell me as soon as you possibly can--"
Then he notices you enter, followed by the diseased Ruck. "--Ortik?" He steps down from the platform and walks over to you, the crowd parting for him. The crowd eyes Ruck with fear and disgust.
"Who is this? Why have you brought him here?"
"His name is Ruck, but that's not what's important," Ortik says to the Old Man, his voice betraying the conflicting emotions warring within him - relief, fear, and a bit of indignation. "I brought him here because he's in need, like every one of us in this room was at some point. When the Penkaty place collapsed after the hard storm we had two years ago, we came together and helped get them a new home. When fire claimed the lives of parents of the Tutledge orphans, we accepted them in, and found them new families, new lives. We have a history of giving a hand up to those that need it, even a destitute and disgraced dwarf from Janderhoff." He stops, swallowing and collecting his thoughts.
"I am sorry I have brought this plague to the Folk. This was never my intent - you know I care deeply for each and every one of you. But we have extended our hands to the needy in Korvosa for years, to pick them up when they have stumbled. How can I withdraw my hand now, when Korvosa needs us the most?"
Lyla floats away to the shore, her weak limbs trying to direct her skin construct as best as she can. She crawls out of the river under the imposing arches of North Bridge, and starts heading back to the docks where Demitri and Nalun await her. Man, they must be worried. People stare at the dripping girl, though she keeps her head down trying to avoid further scrutiny; a good look at her face would surely draw more unwanted attention, once people realized her eyesockets were hollow, with only a pair of tiny bright dots lighting the cavities where her eyes should be. Plodding along the bridge, she suddenly feels a searing pain in her whole body. It goes as swiftly as it came, but keeps returning in spasms. Ouch! Oh-oh... the magic must be wearing off. Damn!
The girl immediately starts running down the street, fighting the pain; within a couple of minutes, Nalun and Demitri come within Lyla's view, and she runs even faster towards the dark alley behind the two men. Approaching the duo, she shouts out "Outta the way!" Reaching her lifeless self, she quickly pulls up the body and starts placing it inside her skin; the bizarre scene looks as clothing putting on a wearer instead of the other way around. She can't hide an expression of agony as her body and skin come together once more, and when the ordeal is over, Lyla is left sitting on the ground, panting, soaked in a mix of water and sweat.
She looks up and stares at Demitri and Nalun, catching her breath, a fake smile trying to hide her discomfort. "Sorry to keep you waiting...!"
The sharks were literally patrolling the ship—like, circling around an established path, covering the perimeter to avoid anyone from approaching?
The Old Man listens quietly, then nods. "Of course. Come this way."
He walks next to Ruck and gently takes the beggar's hand. "Please follow me, Ruck. Everyone, do not worry about me--please see to yourselves for now. Take precautions against this disease--stay as clean as you can, and offer aid where you can."
Hartleby leads you and Ruck from the meeting hall down the streets of the commune. "I thought we would have more time to prepare before this struck... I'll have to treat him at my home."
Nalun gives Lyle a look of...well disgust isn't the word, more like apprehensive dislike Well, what did you...see?
"Please don't ever do that in front of Nadia. But yes, what did you see?"
Ortik winces as the Old Man mentions where he'd be housed, but he's not entirely surprised by the answer either. "One of my friends is a healer - she's forgotten more about tinctures than I'll likely know. Perhaps the two of you can confer and help figure out what's going on."
"Just give Nadia a few more years and she'll think this is bizarrely neat, you grumpy old man! Anyway... well, I totally lost track of time, since it took me forever to find the ship... and by the time I found it, I felt like it was time to get back—and boy am I glad I did", Lyla says standing up and stretching her back.
"To sum it up, I didn't have time to actually enter the wreckage and explore the Direption. There was thing that was really, really weird. I saw three sharks swimming around the ship and... well, call me paranoid, but I got the impression that they were, I dunno, guarding it or something. You know, just swimming around, making sure no one got near. Good thing they didn't pick up on me. Got me wondering if they have been following the ship all along or if they just got there. Either way..." She scratches her head trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. "...can anyone tell me what's the relation between mind-controlled sharks, a quarantined crew and a plague oubreak?"
Nadia uncovers her eyes as Lyla starts explaining things. "...please don't do that again. It sounded really really icky and horrible." She whimpers, her face turning paler than normal.
"We call it a cover-up. We need to find a way to investigate that ship." Demitri says picking his little girl up in his arms.
Lyla suddenly realizes that Nadia had been standing closeby all along, and blushes a little. "Well, kiddo, sorry about that. We'll revisit this when you're older, it's actually kind of fun", she winks.
Nalun frowns, breaking heads and beating the fences for clues was more his style, not swimming to the bottom of the harbor and dealing with mind controlled sharks. So, we have to do what you just did to check out the ship? Why don't I just go ask around at the harbor about the Direption instead
"That could work, too. Honestly, I'd rather we ran out of options up here before we have to face a bunch of razor-toothed sharks... and I think my formula wouldn't work on you guys, I designed it for my physiology. We can start by finding out who owns the ship, perhaps?"
"That would be the best idea if we can find out."
"Alright. Let's ask around, then. There's a watering hole just around the corner." She looks at Nadia, and then remarks discretely to Demitri "Not sure that's suitable for her, chief."
"Take Nalun then. We'll wait for you back at Zellara's."
Unfortunately, you don't make any progress asking around about the Direption--some of the people you ask are surprised to learn the ship even had a name to begin with. All most folks (that you've asked) know is that a ship sailed into the harbour, then it sunk, and now beggars and working-class people are getting sick at an alarming rate.
Ortik winces as the Old Man mentions where he'd be housed, but he's not entirely surprised by the answer either. "One of my friends is a healer - she's forgotten more about tinctures than I'll likely know. Perhaps the two of you can confer and help figure out what's going on."
"That would be a good idea, I think." The Old Man nods as he leads you and Ruck to his home.
Hartleby is a practical man, and his home reflects that--it's a simple, two-story affair that could easily be mistaken for any other house in East Shore were it inside the city walls. He opens the front door with a *creak* and shuffles inside. A plain wooden table large enough to seat six people sits in the middle of the ground floor's one room, surrounded by chairs in various states of disrepair. The house's hearth is cold, with a black iron pot hanging over it.
"Now, Ruck, if you would kindly follow me upstairs, I'll see about getting you settled in. Watch your step--these stairs can be the very devil of my existence some nights." The Old Man guides the ill Ruck up the steps, and they *groan* with each step they take.
After a minute passes, he comes back downstairs and sits at the table. "Now, Ortik--since you're here, I need to ask you something. Have you any insight as to how this is spreading so quickly?"
Majenko blinks and looks over your shoulder. <Isthat... isthat Nadia? Withher father?>
A glance out the front window shows that Demitri & Nadia are coming up Lancet Street. Nadia looks pale-faced and disturbed.
Karri rushes to the door and has it unlocked before Demitri can even knock. "Thank the Gods you two are safe! Hurry now, inside." Demitri barely has time to get past the threshold before Karri is slamming and locking the door. "What is going on out there?" She looks down at Nadia and realizes she may be spooking the girl. Maybe she needs to be frightened? Maybe you should show her what you he showed you last night?
"All the poor are sick and no one knows why. Though there's evidence that the ship they sank last night had something to do with it. Apparently someone is using sharks to guard the boat from investigation. Lyla and Nalun are asking around for information."
Nalun does his best to find out more, he spends a little gold to loosen tongues.
Karri nods slowly, "Let's get Nadia settled first." Holding out her hand for Demitri's daughter she leads the way into the kitchen, "Look who stopped by to see you!"
Majenko stands up and offers that trilling purr, excited to see Nadia. "Majenko, can you help her make a snack? Demitri and I need to talk."
Karri points to the parlor, and follows Demitri in. She closes the door behind her and says bluntly. "They showed me the city dead of disease in a nightmare last night. I have been worried sick with you, Lyla and Ortik. And Nalun out there. Tell me, how bad is it?" Her eyes hold a haunted look; too much stress, too much caffeine.
Nadia follows to get a tasty snack with her friend.
Demitri sits down in the parlor with Karri. "It's pretty bad. All the working class and poor are getting sick. We don't know the cause and there isn't a cure. If we can't find either, your visions will be right. Someone evil and powerful is trying to murder all the poor and working class in Korvosa. And they're succeeding."
"I suspect it may have something to do with the quarantine ship that the Sable Company sank in the harbor a few days ago," Ortik says with a heavy sigh, stroking his beard with his thumb as he thinks. "Maybe the fish ate some of the diseased bodies, and then the people ate diseased fish. That's about all I can think might be at work - I'd warn the Folk away from fish, just to be safe until this pox passes."
He's silent for a moment as he collects his thoughts. "I'm sorry, friend. I prayed that the City would spare us this plague. I prayed that she would skip over our houses and spare our families and friends this pox. It never occurred to me that the most horrifying thing that could happen is that she would listen. Please...forgive me."