Kroft sees you out of the gate, waving you off. "Come back here tomorrow morning," she calls after you. "I should have your next task in hand by then!"
It's late in the afternoon as you all head out of Citadel Volshyenek, and start heading north through Midtown toward Old Korvosa. The city seems relatively calm, but you still see occasional knots of angry or disgruntled-looking people about, clustering outside the seedier taverns or flophouses. The lower classes of Korvosa have not been taking the recent strictures well. These groups only become more common once you cross into Bridgefront.
In the area immediately around the Rosa, however, things are quieter. It's a nice area (as Bridgefront goes), and you all make it into the brothel without any trouble. Lialda raises her eyebrows when she sees the whole group tromp in.
"Well, this is unexpected," she says wryly, though she smiles at Korriban. "To what do we owe the honor?"
"It was his idea," Raina mutters grumpily, jerking her head over at Korriban. "He's got himself in trouble, and now we all have to impose on you for the night as a result."
She pauses a moment, and then adds, with an apologetic smile, "... sorry for bothering you all the time, miss."
Korriban hangs his head in shame. "Yeah. I got us in trouble." He begins to explain. "Remember that woman I told you about? Pia? Well, she sent me the note that asked me to meet her at the Temple. I got there and she was there... along with a potential enemy. She lured me out for shiver. The guy's name is Tallak, a member of the Five Fists. His group is interested in Imperia and Celia for some reason and wants me to spy on them. I managed to stall for three days. I explained the situation to Field Marshall Kroft. She's going to ferret out some information on the Five Fists. Eventually, we'll spring an ambush. I just thought that we could keep an eye on each other until then." He adds in what Tallak told him of the Five Fists.
He turns to Lidda. "Sorry, sis. Kroft's handling the investigation. If your contacts get caught, then that would lead them to us. No offense."
He sits down, head in his hands, head still hanging. "I thought Pia wanted to do better. When she told us about the butcher's shop, she seemed to be getting better. And now this... Why does everything I try to do fall apart?" He sits there, mumbling "I'm sorry" and "all my fault" over and over again, tears threatening to fall.
Lialda's lips tighten when she hears about the trap, but she says nothing, letting Korriban get it off his chest first.
"Don't be an idiot, Korriban," she says tartly, when he starts saying that everything is his fault. "You're not responsible for the actions of that addict, or this...'Five Fists' group. And you talked your way out of it perfectly competently, from the sound of it, hopefully without tipping this man off to your true intentions at all. Things have ended more or less as well as they could have, I daresay." Her nostrils flare slightly as a cloud of anger crosses her face. "Though if I ever get my hands on that streetwalker..." She shakes her head and leaves the rest of the sentence unsaid. "Regardless, you're all certainly welcome to bed down here for the night, though I'm afraid we have little room to offer you. There's Korriban's room, of course, and then, let's see, we'll lay some bedding out in the common area. The women can take your room, Korri--you and the two men can sleep downstairs for tonight." Lidda mutters something to herself that Lialda clearly ignores, and the older woman heads out to give orders to the cooks and the women about preparing the rooms.
Lidda shrugs apologetically at the group as Lialda heads out. "Sorry I couldn't be of more use to you in the intel department...but hey, if the Guard want to take over, it's no skin off my nose. Let me know if you need anything else!"
In a few hours' time, all the rooms are ready and everyone has had a chance to eat. Although the residents of the Rosa are clearly curious about the group, and sometimes wary--two of the young women nearly lose fingers when they try to be friendly with Abu--they're consistently polite and welcoming. Business seems to be slow, just at the moment--only a few strangers curiously passing through the common room on their way to our from the upstairs chambers.
Gadriel shakes her head sadly at the majority of the magical loot. "We are sorry, we don't understand much of what Abu is showing us. Abu says the arrows are magically enhanced, but we don't understand what Abu is saying about the rest."
Once again, Gadriel seems uncomfortable with the number of people though her discomfort seems less than in previous times. "We would sleep on the roof. We prefer the wind in our hair."
Adoros bows to Madam Lialda as the crew makes their way back into the Rosa, "Our apologies for intruding upon your hospitality again so quickly, Madam. As your son explained and for security purposes, it might be best if we all stick a bit closer to one another for a short time until this Five Fists fiasco is resolved. I do hope we will not be too much of a bother on your establishment." When Lidda mutters under her breath, Adoros briefly blushes and flourishes another bow to the diminutive woman, "Tis a pleasure to be able to bask in your presence once more, Miss Lidda."
Later that evening when hopefully most of the house is asleep, Adoros does a horrible job of silently slipping from his bedding and trying to sneak his way through the unfamiliar building to Lidda's room, instead banging his feet, knees, and elbows against every piece of furniture between the two places. On finally finding what he thinks is the right door, Adoros nervously knocks before raking his hand through his hair to straighten it.
At his mother's tart response, Korriban looks at her. When she finishes, Korriban hugs her. He mutters, "Thank you." He pulls back, a smile on his face. "And don't worry. B*****d didn't suspect a thing."
At Lidda's mumbling, Korriban's ears pick up what she says. He starts chuckling, looking back and forth between the cavalier and his adopted sister. At Lialda's recommendation, Korriban nods. "You got it." He turns to Raina, Imperia, and Gadriel. "Follow me." He leads the girls to his room. He opens the door, showing them inside. "There's only one bed. But it's comfortable. Sorry if the room's a bit messy. Anyway, here's your room. The lavatory and the kitchen's downstairs and the baths are down the hall. And for Gadriel..." He moves to the window. "...you can get to the roof using the window. If you have any questions, problems, and/or concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know." He moves back to the door, bowing to his guests. "We hope you enjoy your stay at the Rosa in Fiore, the best place for comfort in the worst district in town." He moves back downstairs, helping in setting up bedding for both groups.
Before Gadriel goes to the roof, Korriban gives her his trench coat again. "To keep you two warm." He says with a gentle smile.
In the night, Korriban is awoken to Adoros, trying to sneak around. Realizing what he's probably up to, a smile forms on the rogue's face and he moves to follow.
Korriban has an easier time sneaking around the building. Before Adoros knocks, Korriban whispers out to him. "Now what are you up to?" He moves closer, a cat like smile on his face and the mischief in his eyes practically making them glow. "You takin' Lidda up on her offer? Interesting." He chuckles. "She has quite the interest in you, mate. I think she likes you. Be careful, Adoros. Like I said before, she's quite the little firecracker who likes to bite." He chuckles before his face he becomes serious, his mouth a thin line, nostrils flared, and eyes holding a slight green fire. In these ways, he resembles Lialda and shows that he's, indeed, her adopted son. "But let me make this clear, Adoros. Lidda's like a sister to me. And you know how protective I am about my family. If you hurt her, then we're going to have a problem. But you're too much of gentleman to do that. Right?"
It's at this moment that this smiling, light-hearted jokester with some comment on the tip of his tongue... can be relatively scary. He loses his intimidation and goes back to the cat grin and mischief. "Well, then. Goodnight."
He moves backwards, as silently as he came, almost melding with the shadows of the Rosa at night. He moves back downstairs and back into his bedding. He goes back to sleep, letting Desna and her dreams overcome him.
Korriban makes it up and downstairs without making a sound; Adoros, on the other hand, makes several noises, but doesn't seem to wake anyone beside Korriban (at least, no one who comes to investigate). Perhaps everyone assumes that one of the guests is just clumsily seeking a bathroom. Perhaps people in a brothel are used to things going bump in the night. Either way, once Korriban heads downstairs, the house is still again as Adoros knocks on the door.
"Whozat? Korri? Whatchu want?" emerges, muffled, from the room. A few moments later, the door opens, and a sleepy-looking Lidda stands before Adoros, clad in breeches, a shift, and a light robe. Seeing you, she blinks and stands up a little straighter, visibly waking up. "Adoros?! Wha--" she drops her voice hurriedly. "What are you doing here?!"
Gadriel smiles at Korriban, pulling the coat around her small frame while Abu pull it up over the monkey's shoulder from his normal perch. "We thank Korriban. We need it not, but we... like... the comfort. Abu will bring Korriban eyes for dinner sometime." With a skip and a swing, Gadriel is out the window and with almost no sound climbs the roof to a peak where she wraps the coat around herself and Abu before falling asleep with a smile.
At the sound of Korriban's voice behind him, Adoros tenses and panics as if he was just caught with one hand in the cookie jar. He turns to Korriban with a hastily donned expression of puzzlement, "Oh, Korriban, you scared me. I was looking... um... for the water closet." When the young man cuts him off with that knowing smirk and jokes about Lidda followed with his 'brotherly' warning, Adoros straightens himself and looks at Korriban with equal parts indignation and embarrassment as he whispers, "Thank you for the words of advice, Korriban, but when have you seen me treat a woman as anything but a lady? Regardless, I know where you are coming from as I have a few sisters myself, albeit older than me, that I have worried about the choices they have made in partners. She has nothing to fear from me. However, what consenting adults do in their own time is between them." The Chelish man looks back toward the stairs leading to the other floor and nods his head in that direction, "Goodnight."
While Korriban saunters off like a cat that has been into the cream, Adoros takes a deep breath and gently raps upon the door once more. A few moments later, the sleepy halfling woman emerges and quickly awakens as she whispers her query to the man. Adoros drops to one knee to be in a better position to look Lidda in the eyes as he lets out the breath he has been holding in, "Lidda, we have known one another so short a time yet I find that I can no longer bear to bury my feelings behind etiquette. Your gaze ignites things within my soul that I have rarely felt before in full. I find myself waiting with anticipation on every word that slips forth from your lips. Every whispered thought caught by my ears when none were meant to hear is a gem that I horde as if I was some greedy dragon." Adoros takes another breath and lets it out as a sigh as he reaches out to take Lidda's hand to cup between his, "When tomorrow is never guaranteed to any of us, I felt I had to unburden this heavy weight from my shoulders by letting it free to fly into the night sky. I hope I have not been remiss in my interpretation of your feelings in this manner though if I have but tell me I am a foolish man and I shall never bother your door again, m'lady."
"Fare thee well, I'll be on my way." Teodor walks outside to find a doorway or alley to sleep in.
Lidda stares at Adoros, wide-eyed, as his flowery speech flows freely. "Calistria's t+$+," she mutters when you're done. "Ain't your kind supposed to be all about...I don't know...buying me dinner first or somethin'? And I dunno about you, but I'm sure planning on still being around tomorrow, so..." She hesitates a split second longer, then grabs the Chelish man by the collar and hauls him into her door. "All right, no words, then, for the moment," she whispers. "And to anyone else--never."
Raina offers Imperia and/or Gadriel the use of Korriban's bed early on in the evening after they retire to the rogue's bedroom. Outwardly, this is from modesty and niceness ("You're not used to sleepin' on the floor, Imperia," she claims, "and Gad needs to have a good sleep every now and then too!")... but inwardly, mostly, she just feels awkward sleeping in some guy's bed. Even Korriban's.
A slightly uncomfortable eight hours of dozing off follows, blissfully unaware of the rather...lewd goings-on elsewhere in the Rosa in Fiore. Probably much better for Raina's conscience that she doesn't stop to wonder long at the loud thump followed by Adoros' quiet cursing means...
Sometime later that night (maybe a few minutes, maybe a few hours after entering Lidda's room), Adoros exits the room quietly and makes his way back downstairs to lie atop the mat and blankets provided by the Rosa. He stares at the ceiling and ponders a great many things until sleep eventually steals over him for a short nap before dawn.
Adoros's return to bed is...somewhat more subtle than his departure upstairs, and no one seems to notice him in the dead of night. The next day dawns clearer than the previous, but watery, with mists stealing in off Conqueror's Bay. It's a cool, foggy summer morning as Teodor wakes up in the street, stretches, and makes his way back inside while the inhabitants of the Rosa slowly rise.
Breakfast is a somewhat subdued affair, with most people clearly not morning folks, and Adoros and Lidda are yawning more than the rest. Lialda passes the food around, quietly chatting with Korriban and Falko about possible improvements to the Rosa, while everyone else makes conversation, the employees of the establishment trickling in and out as they busily prepare themselves for the day ahead. Once breakfast has been had, your group sets out for Citadel Volshyenek to find out what Field Marshall Kroft has for you today.
The streets are quieter this morning than they have been, and you get to the Citadel without any difficulty. You're shown directly to Kroft's office, and find her deep in conversation with a slightly older, handsome, dignified looking gentleman, who rises from a chair by her desk and bows to you as you enter.
"Ah, good," Kroft says. "You're here. Please, allow me to introduce you all to Vencarlo Orsini, an old friend of mine and a neighbor of yours. You may have heard of him; he's got a bit of a reputation as a critic of the government. But he's also an important informant for me, keeping an eye on some of the rougher parts of Old Korvosa and letting me know how the populace is feeling about the Crown, the current state of affairs, and so on and so forth." She smiles crookedly. "It's the sort of information I need pretty badly, with the city the way it is these days...."
She introduces you each in turn, and Orsini grasps your hands with a firm, vigorous handshake--though he deftly converts the action when he meets Imperia and Raina into a gentle but full kiss on the back of the hand. "Soft hands here," he comments to Imperia, "And working ones here," he continues, nodding to Raina. "You're quite the diverse group of citizens, my friends. Cressida's been regaling me with odes to your several successes and manifest good qualities--if Korvosa had more fine folk like you, we'd already be out of this mess." His eyes sparkle with interest as he turns to Raina. "I hear that you damn near stared down Mistress Vox the other day--that must have been quite the sight to see."
Korriban chats with his mother and unofficial father-figure, throwing in his own two bronze pieces. At the sight of Adoros and Lidda yawning (and no doubt looking at each other with blushes on their faces), he gains a knowing smirk on his face. After getting ready for the day and retrieving his coat from Gadriel (possibly on the way to the Citadel), he heads off with the others, giving his mother and everyone his thanks and a farewell for the day.
As they walk, Korriban walks next to Adoros. With a grin on his face, he whispers to him. "So, how did it go last night with Lidda? Should I start calling you brother?"
Upon arriving, Korriban's jaw drops at the man in front of him. "You're Vencarlo Orsini. You're Vencarlo Orsini! A critic of Korvosa's government! An expert fencing duelist! And the owner of the Orsini Fencing Academy! By the Gods! This is amazing! I've always wanted to meet you and here you are! Standing in front of me! It's a pleasure to meet you, sir! I'm Korriban Balros!" His shock turns to joy as a huge grin forms.
Orsini blinks, then grins at Korriban's excitement. "Well, you've heard the name, then," he says with a little chuckle. "Always a bit embarrassing. And you seem equally excited about both my political and fencing careers, which is pretty unusual. It's a pleasure to meet you too, Korriban; I see you make a living with your blade as well." He nods to your rapier with a little wink. "Must come by my school sometime--I'd be curious to see what you've got compared to some of my students." He smiles, then turns to the group. "Were you all at this infamous parade two days ago? That must have been quite the sight."
"This new ...queen wished to show authority and she did so in manners most base. Hellknights versus common people? Telling, was it not?"
Korriban grips the hilt of his rapier. "Yes, sir. I've always wanted to attend the Orsini Academy. But, my family could never make enough money for me to attend. So, I learned on my own." At Vencarlo's offer to come by the school, Korriban smiles. "It would be an honor to learn." At his question, Korriban responds, "Yeah. We were all there."
Raina knows this older gentleman the moment she lays eyes on him, so much so that she's not particularly surprised at his (in her opinion) curmudgeonly insistence on greeting the 'ladies' in the way he does. It's difficult for a person in her line of work to not be familiar with Orsini's fencing school; plenty of good mercs and other such sellswords came out of his tutelage, including many of the more successful ones. Nevertheless, she weathers his gentle kiss with gritted teeth, only to forcefully grab his hand and impose a strong handshake on him in return once he's done.
"Orsini, your reputation proceeds you," Raina says with a smile, hoping that would take some of the edge out of her... perhaps rude actions. It's not like she disliked the guy, after all; she had a lot of respect for his fencing, and of course his political activism as well. Just... y'know. It was the principle of the matter. "Nice to meet you in the flesh, rather than just your students."
Raina nods at his question to her, barely able to hold back a sneer at the memory of that so-and-so of a woman. "Wasn't much of a sight to see, really," she drawls, unable to hide the venom in her voice. "That... Vox woman ain't much of a looker, after all."
"Would've loved to have done more than glared at her..." Raina adds, clenching her fist before her chest and gazing down at it sadly. "Anything to get her and her kind out of Korvosa. Bloody awful, those Hellknights are!"
Gadriel stays quiet, a look of relief on her face when she realizes the man isn't planning to try and kiss her hand. Of course, the glower from Abu, his eyes glowing red may have encouraged him to move past her. Looking over the items in the office, she listens to what goes on around. She doesn't care much for political activism, nor does she have any particular leanings on the Queen, one way or the other. The Hellknights, however, are a different matter. The scene of the parade has left an impression on her, and as Raina ends her emphatic statement, Gadriel pats her awkwardly on the arm and nods her head in agreement.
Orsini claps Korriban on the shoulder enthusiastically as they make plans to train together; he seems surprised, though not upset or disturbed, by Raina's fierce handshake. He chuckles and nods to her. "Not meaning to put you on a pedestal or in a cage in any way, Miss Thornton. I just have an appreciation for pretty women, of all kinds. And for children, of course," he adds, throwing a gentle smile down to the silent Gadriel. At Raina's snipe about Maidrayne Vox, he bursts into laughter.
"Ahahaha! No, that she's not, is she? All the more reason for her to swing that greatsword around, I suppose. But don't get too cocky, there--she may not be a looker, but she's chopped bigger men than this fellow" (he nods at Adoros) "cleanly in two. I would not want to tangle with her, I tell you that much." He snorts. "Though I'd enjoy the chance to score a hit or two."
When Teodor and Raina make their comments about Hellknights, Orsini scowls. "Aye, Domina's Devils are a proper blight on the face of Korvosa. I suppose they're Ileosa's Devils, now--gods know they were never Eodred's. Most of you lot must be too young to remember Queen Domina's reign. She was a good one, though inviting the Order of the Nail into Varisia was a terrible idea." He shakes his head and sighs. "I suspect that she worried her son would be a lax hand at the law. Turned out to be right, of course, but still..." He sighs. "The good queen died before the Devils were really entrenched, of course; but that was just over a quarter-century ago. These days they feel like a permanent addition."
"Nothing is permanent hee hee hee ..."
At Raina's statement, Korriban laughs with Vencarlo. "Ahahahahaha! I thought that she was a man! Or a centaur! For some reason, she struck me as a centaur."
Turning to Kroft, he asks, "Kroft. My family and I have been talking. And we're interested in possibly setting up a safe house for when things get dicey. Or a safe for our valuables. Any ideas or suggestions? I suggested 3 Lancet as a possible safe house."
Raina decides not to press the issue of 'appreciating pretty women' further--after all... Orsini was clearly not a bad guy. She'd gotten her point across, and felt good about it, and that was what mattered. "Next time I meet her, I'll be ready to deal with her and her stupid sword," she grumbles. "But I'll heed your advice and pay her the respect she deserves. ...For her combat prowess, at least. Not the rest of it."
Once Korriban has gotten an answer to his question about a safe house, Raina presses Kroft on the reason they were brought here today. "So, I take it you've got a new job for us, then?" she asks, straightforward as ever.
Kroft looks slightly puzzled by Korriban's question about a safe house. "I don't know very much about the property...is it secure? Easily defensible? If not, you'd be better off with something purpose-built." Orsini seems about to come out with his own suggestion when Kroft gently cuts him off, responding to Raina's question.
“As much as I would enjoy continuing the conversation, I fear we just don’t have time. 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. Any questions?”
Korriban says to Kroft, "Well, it's in some state of disrepair and is abandoned because the owner passed away. We've been using it as kind of a base of sorts. I'm not really sure. Perhaps you may need to look at it for yourself." He looks Vencarlo, his facial expression showing that he's interested in hearing his suggestion later.
Korriban's eyes widen. A smirk starts to form. "So, you want us to dig information on Amprei from Barvasi? Sounds interesting. Might be a good chance to take out some scum in the slums." He turns to the others. "Eel's End is a den of vice, a group of ships. Each ship has a different vice. The Goldenhawk's a cheap flophouse. The Twin Tigers is a gambling hall run by two Vudran brothers. The House of Clouds is a well-known and ill reputed brothel. The Dragon's Breath is a ship where people can buy and indulge in drugs, such as shiver, pesh, and flyleaf. The Eel's End itself is Barvasi's headquarters. Now, onto Devargo Barvasi himself. He's known as the King of Spiders. Apparently, he has some supernatural ability to control spiders. He also uses poisons. The name is also a reference to his underworld connections. The guy has contacts all over the city. Rumor has it that his influence extents to some venerable city organizations. The reason the Guard doesn't work there is because Spider-man enforces strict rules. So, he's a very dangerous individual."
"However..." he smirks and begins to stroke his chin. "if we take him out, we take out some of the drug trade in town and help clean up the streets." He turns to Kroft. "My apologies, but personally, I say we kill Spider-man."
Korriban goes back to staring at the knife, chewing on his lower lip. Again, he's debating on taking it. "Again, does anyone want the knife? If not, I'll take it."
Adoros struggles to contain a blush at Korriban's question as he gives the Korvosan a withering look, "As I said last night, a gentlemen does not speak of such things." He goes back to staring ahead and prays the others in the group don't show interest in the exchange.
Adoros draws a blank on the name though that wasn't surprising as he was still new to the city. "While his methods sound devious and counter-productive, is Ambassador Amprei committing any crimes against Korvosan law, Field-Marshal? I'm fine with shaking this criminal Barvasi until all his dirty secrets rattle free from his head but if this is going to be used against a legitimate business venture then how is this just? Those of you that are natives of Korvosa or from places other than Cheliax might not care much about angering Chelish authorities but those of us that call it home have to walk a fine line. However, if the Ambassador is committing or plotting criminal offenses then that is one thing and he should be taken to task for it."
Korriban looks at Adoros with a deadpanned look. He says sarcastically, "Oh, I don't know. I would think that undermining the city might have some problems. If the people found out about this, then there would be even more chaos."
"Is undermining a crime? What is a crime? Cheliax has its crimes and it commits its crimes. All men sin sometimes. And all men die."
Gadriel stays quiet through most of the discussion, trusting the judgement of her friends. She listens well, and as the discussion of Barvasi starts she actually speaks up. "We wonder. Kroft says the Guard is taxed. Many problems, few men and women to help. We remember the Hellknights. They are here because the Guard is stretched. Should we be attempting to stretch the Guard more? If this man is keeping order, then let him. We say fix the problem when stability returns."[b] Suddenly realizing she's been speaking aloud for a significant time, she squeezes Abu in discomfort. [b]"At least, we think. Abu may know better. We will ask Abu later."
"Enough!!" Kroft holds up her hand for silence. Orsini, who had his mouth open to speak, shuts it, looking slightly surprised. The Field Marshall turns to Korriban.
"You first," she growls. "You do not have any orders to kill Barvasi. Do I make myself clear? He pays his vice taxes, he keeps, as far as we've been able to discover, order in his own house, we cannot prove that he has committed any crimes not accounted for by his taxes. You have no orders to kill Barvasi." She pauses slightly. "I'd like him gone as much as the next person, but my job isn't to carry out a personal vendetta against every crook in town. So you have no orders. Which isn't to say you can't defend yourself or that you should be completely passive--but you're not the special Criminal Murder Squad. Understood?"
When she sees that you've all heard her, at least, she nods firmly and turns to Adoros. "As for you--you have a fair concern, but one of the things I'm asking you to do here is investigate to find out whether or not Amprei has, in fact, had any illegal dealings. If he hasn't, he's got nothing to fear from me, or anyone else in Korvosa. If he has, that's another story. Frankly, I can't think of many 'legitimate' reasons one would be spending so much time in Eel's End, myself. He's far more than just a casual customer there." She turns toward her desk, adding as she walks, "Not to mention the fact that his possible action isn't a 'legitimate business venture.' Ambassadors of Cheliax are supposed to advise the Queen as to the best course of action, not use their power to advance their own wealth. The crown would likely thank us, if we found evidence of his plot and exposed it. If not, we'll just have to settle for stopping him."
She pulls out a weighty looking purse and plops it onto the table with a jangle. "There. 1,000 gold sails for bribes, and anything leftover for you. What do you say?"
Now, Korriban knows when not to question others. He nods at Kroft with a salute. "Yes, ma'am. No killing except in self defense." Korriban takes the purse. "Got it. Get evidence from Barvasi about Amprei's secrets. Don't like it though. But, I'll do the mission as given."
"Glad to hear it," Kroft growls, glancing around at the others. "And the rest of you? You in?"
Adoros rubs the back of his head before nodding at Kroft, "Yes. I suppose as long as we're only investigating and not looking to see a man hang evidence be damned then I'm in, Field-Marshal."
Gadriel just nods her head, more interested in the knick-knacks on Krofts' desk.
The honest-to-god delight her team-mates seem to be displaying when considering whether to kill a man they don't even know yet turns Raina's stomach, and she's rendered speechless at the whole conversation. Her mind wanders back to that night, not too long ago, at Lamm's warehouse, and the ferocious and merciless way these people treated his lackeys... her hatred for the man burned just as bright, but she could never kill a man at point-blank range like that. Raina purses her lips tightly as she frowns; I really do not know these people at all...
Thankfully, thankfully, Kroft comes forward with some common sense on the matter. Her initial respect for the woman swells yet again, and she nods in acquiescence, glad that she would not have to physically hold down her companions should they get a little bloodthirsty. "Got it, Field-Marshall. I'll make sure this goes as you want. Promise." Raina offers Kroft a confident, toothy grin and a thumbs up to seal the deal.
"I'm merely here to see we live as long as we can and to help this city. I am no one's hired murderer. Krofft, you have my word I will do everything I can to keep as many people alive as possible, including our target. Many confuse the god of All Endings as a god of killing. Remember, 'twas I who changed our encounter with Vavcaskerskin more peaceful."
"Good," Kroft says with a firm nod. "I'm glad to hear that you're all willing to take this on. Now--"
Across the room, Imperia delicately clears her throat. "Erm. Excuse me," she interrupts softly. Kroft, surprised, turns to her. Imperia takes a deep breath, seeming to steel herself, then speaks quickly. "It's just--with all this business about the Five Fists, who may or may not be after Celia, and the fact that the Acadamae is closed and I can't get Celia behind its walls to safety...I think that I'm going to have to bow out of this particular mission. I'd just rather stay at home with Celia and make sure that she stays safe. While I'd love tot help you all out, if I get hurt..." She swallows slightly. "I have a responsibility, and Celia can't take care of herself." Crossing to Kroft's desk, she takes a piece of parchment, tears it into five pieces, and quickly scribbles her address onto each piece, handing them to the five of you. "There. Now if you need to get in touch with me--and I hope you will, even just to say hello--you know where to find me." She smiles, though she looks worried. "Stay safe. I'll see you soon! Don't go TOO easy on this Barvasi fellow..." She smiles at Kroft and Orsini, then bows and departs.
Kroft seems slightly taken aback, but then shrugs and presses forward. "In any case...I was going to tell you, Eel's End is on the eastern end of the Old Korvosa docks. Shouldn't be too hard to find--even at this time of day, things are usually pretty busy down there." She grimaces. "Go, find out what you can, and report back to me. And try not to let your...bloodthirsty impulses get the better of you. You're dismissed."
As you all make to leave, Orsini rises. "My academy is in Old Korvosa--since my business with you is done, Field Marshall," he sweeps an exaggerated bow and kisses her hand, causing Kroft to roll her eyes, "I'll depart, and walk with you fine folks as far as the other side of the Narrows. I'm fascinated to hear more tales of your group's exploits!" Swirling an elegant black cape around his shoulders, Orsini follows you out of the office and across the courtyard of Citadel Volshyenek.
The fog has mostly burned off by this point, though it's still a bit chill, even in the sunshine. "You're all certainly chomping at the bit to get after the King of Spiders," Orsini comments with a chuckle as you walk along. "Particularly you, young Korriban. I can't blame you--he's a crook--but Cressida's right, you know. Too much bloodlust is an unhealthy thing, and charging into a fight with Devargo's likely to get you killed. Talented warriors though you all are, of course." He flashes a winning smile. "By the way, Cressida mentioned that I have something to thank you lot for, in addition to your broader services to the city. You helped a fellow several days ago by the name of Grau Soldado--a Sergeant in the Guard?" Orsini shakes his head a little sadly. "Although it's been some time since I was his teacher, Grau was once one of my most promising students. It sounds like you handled his little...indiscretion with tact and thoughtfulness, for which I thank you." He nods his head, sea-green eyes kind and sincere.
Korriban nods at Imperia, an unreadable expression on his face. "Go to your sister. Family comes first." He takes the address and places it gently in one of his more secure pockets. He smiles. "I'll stop by. Don't worry about that." Korriban gives a salute and nod at the Field Marshall before leaving. Before that though, he takes the silver dagger.
While walking to the Eel's End, Korriban smiles at Vencarlo. "It's not that I'm bloodthirsty. It's just that if something's dragging Old Korvosa and the city into degradation, then we should fight for our city." He obviously sees something odd about Orsini's left hand. "By the way, may I ask why two of your fingers are stiff and unmoving?"
When the subject turns to Grau, Korriban smiles. "No problem. Grau's a good man and a good Sergeant. Least we could do." He turns his head back forward. Eventually, his face slowly turns to shock. He wheels his head back to Vencarlo. "You were Grau's teacher?! Wow! He's so lucky! No wonder he made Sergeant!"
As he walks, Korriban takes out the silver dagger. He looks at it carefully.
Orsini smiles at Korriban's desires, but his face falls slightly when Korriban mentions his fingers. "Ah--sharp eyes, young man!" He sighs slightly, but then chuckles and seems to shake himself back to his usual genteel self. "Well, you see, I was in a bit of a nasty scrape a couple of years ago--lost those fingers in a duel. I keep bits of wood in my glove so it looks a little more natural, but those two came clean off." He smiles crookedly. "I prefer not to talk about it. Tell me more about yourselves! You, Korriban, are a native of Korvosa, I understand? And what about the rest of you?" He gestures expansively to the group. "All Korvosans born, or do you hail from other lands? What do you do when you're not enforcing Cressida's will?" He snickers slightly--though not in an unkind way--at this description of the Field Marshall.
Korriban smiles at Vencarlo's compliment of his sharp eyes. However, when the duelist explains his story, Korriban frowns. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
When Vencarlo asks about Korriban, his face falls slightly. "As far as I know, I'm from Korvosa. Been raised in an orphanage since I was a baby. No birth parents to speak of. After the orphanage burned down, I turned to the streets. Eventually, I found my adopted mother when I was 9. Now I'm trying to find my birth parents. I mean, all I have from them is my first name. If what the matron told me is true, that is."
At the question about what they do when not taking jobs, Korriban smiles. "Oh. Not much. I just walk about town, learn swordsmanship, and helping out at home with the... business." His smile turns to a smirk. "My mother is the matron of the Rosa in Fiore. A brothel in Bridgefront. Been around since Grandma Kazallin came over from Kaer Maga and met Grandpa Andrezi, who came from Riddleport."
Korriban fiddles with the dagger. "So, you're only silver? Interesting, I suppose."
"I am of us that live and die here. I played the game, I thought, and got played out. Now I just praise God."
Gadriel shrugs her shoulders at Orsini's inquiry. "We think we are from here. We don't know, and Abu won't tell us. We stopped caring long ago though. As long as the wind blows our hair, we are happy." She pauses a moment, before slightly blushing and adding "Or with friends. Friends are as good as wind Abu says. We think Abu may be correct." She then skips ahead some, turning into a narrow alley and using the close buildings to bounce up to the rooftops. She then scuttles along the roofs with the party, apparently a bit embarrassed and dealing with it in a slightly peculiar way.
"No worries, young Korriban," Orsini says gallantly. "There was no way for you to know. And I won the duel, after all," he adds with a little wink. His eyebrows raise slightly, when you explain your family's profession, but he just smiles with gracious interest.
"You worship God, you say, Sir Niculescu? Which god would that be? I myself tend to feel beholden to few, if any, of them, but I can certainly sympathize with those who find comfort in their tenets," Orsini says magnanimously. He stares after Gadriel as she disappears up the wall. "Strange girl, that one...sweet though, in her own...peculiar way." He shakes his head with a little smile.
"And you two?" he calls to Adoros and Raina, who are walking ahead. "You, sir, clearly come from a position of some gentility--and you, Miss Thornton, though quite a beauty, are clearly used to hard work."
"There are many gods of many things, and all these things make life worthwhile, in their own ways. But to me, and too many others, there is only one god. The God of the End, sweeping the multiverse clean when it is time."
Adoros nods his head at Orsini's line of deduction, "My family has done well in Cheliax, which is the land I call home though I am hoping to add Korvosa to that list even if the city seems to be conspiring to find ways to kill me off as of late. This beautiful place could be so much more in the right hands then the turmoil that plagues it currently. Let us hope the queen possesses the touch needed to bring forth its glory."
Orsini looks a bit askance at Teodor's description of his god, but says nothing--perhaps he doesn't fully understand the implications of the priest's speech. To Adoros, he says dryly, "Well, sir, I'm glad you think we have some potential, at least!" A smile takes the sting out of his words. "We may be a backwater compared to Egorian or Westcrown, but I assure you Korvosa is all the world that I need. She's a hard horse to ride, but those who manage it find life both deep and thrilling here." He frowns slightly. "Though I worry about this new queen's ability to master the steed..."
At this point, your group has finally crossed over the Narrows into Old Korvosa, and Orsini stops with a sigh. "I'm afraid I must leave you now, friends; my academy lies another way than the infamous Eel's End you aspire to." He bows with a flourish and smiles. "I hope, though, that you will all visit me there, when occasion warrants. Korvosa has need of fine people like yourselves, and you would be most welcome. Farewell until next time--and take care of yourselves down there!" With a wink and a brisk turn of his heel, Vencarlo Orsini heads off into Old Korvosa, leaving you to make your way to Old Dock and Eel's End, nested on the eastern tip of the island. People grow thicker as you head east, into increasingly dubious neighborhoods, and the sound of barkers, prostitutes, and the lower class citizens of all stripes in Korvosa resound in your ears.
It doesn't take you long to find Eel's End; one dock, forty feet long and more sturdily built than the rest, stretches out into the blue waters and ends in a square platform around which five ships are moored. Even at this hour, the sound of carousing booms from the elegantly painted ships. 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 these men, wearing longswords, stand guard where the pier meets the shore; they glance at you as you pass, but otherwise pay no more attention to you than to the many others passing to and fro along the pier.
Korriban waves as Vencarlo leaves. He moves carefully on the dock, taking in his surroundings. Seeing the House of Clouds, the rogue grimaces. 'I have no idea what it's like in there. So that's a no.' He stops in front of the southern ship and takes it in. He turns to the others. "We ready to go?"