Merelda moves outside coils her whip in her hand ready for use. It is not an effective weapon per se, but it can be
a good shock and awe weapon to those who know how to use it, and it is perfectly legal to carry out in the open.
"Let's go then. As Him as mentioned several times...every second could count. I hope you people aren't the 'go to bed early' types."
"Thank you, Kirzon" Lilinda says. "My family gave me this to defend myself when I set out," she pulls a wand out of her bag, "I didn't think I'd need it, but now I'm glad I have it."
The night is dark as the illumination of the waning moon shines little light on the shipyards. You see no one about in your general vicinity as the shops near the Tankard & Pike have long closed their doors and shuttered their windows to the outside.
With Kirzon leading you turn south along the shipyards hoping to run into the constabulary. You fear without their help finding an entrance to the Locker would take considerable time and given your current condition and that of Basila's that is something you can spare little of.
Heading along the main walkway you have traveled about ten minutes when you pass by a couple of late night establishments – a tavern named the Raunchy Rat and a brothel named the Mermaid's Cave, both relatively close to one another. Neither of these seem to be aware of the attacks that just took place at the Pike & Tankard by the number of people you see coming and going between these two places.
Ahead you spot three men moving at a steady pace ready to turn down one of the main docks. Kirzon immediately recognizes them from their attire to be the Cassomir constabulary. Each carries a pike and is dressed in a white long sleeve shirt worn under a leather jacket. In addition one also carries a lantern.
As the group set out the Keleshite approaches Innis, "Lady might I ask for a favor? I have a Wand that brings forth magical armor, but sometimes it's use can be difficult for me. I would be grateful if you would armor me. And feel free to use it yourself," he proffers a slender grey wand,
Him'wazir bows to the watchmen, "Excuse me gentlemen, but could you direct us to an entrance to The Locker? We have become aware that there is a dangerous cult, aligned with monsters from some terrible underground place, lurking down there, and seek to do ourselves, and the great City of Cassomir, a favor by bringing them to justice. Time is of the essence, and the fate of a beautiful daughter of Cassomir - and daughter of a tavern keeper who would doubtless be extremely grateful to any who aid us - lies in the balance. In more ordinary times we would entrust such matters to the fine men of the Watch, but our mission is urgent as we must act swiftly to cure the young beauty of a supernatural malady."
Innis nods and accepts the wand from Him'Wazir
Merelda subtly flashes 5 gp to the watchmen while Him and the others are not looking.
The constables turn to face your party their weapons ready should you make an ill advised move. None of the faces look familiar Kirzon.
The constable holding the lantern, a rather young fellow with a nose that looks like it has seen it share of fist fights, addresses you with a curious look. "What now? You wouldn't happen to be making a jest would ya? No you look like a serious lot here. Don't reek of ale and you are armed well enough like you mean to be going somewhere."he pauses a little to let what you just said in. "Your story however is a little far fetched and why would you think that these cultists would be hiding in those rat $hit infested tunnels and even worse aligned with the creepy men from down below."At this the man and his companions break out in a raucous laughter. "A good tale friends but we have work to do here and you should be moving on. Delaying a constable is a fine-able offence in Cassomir. I had known you Qadirans could lie but seems like you can spin quite a good tale. I'm sure they'd appreciate hearing this one in the Raunchy Rat. Sure that beautiful maiden can be saved there."
The constable takes a look over at Merelda. "Elf what you got there in your hands?"
"This? Just willing to pay the fine for bothering you Sir Constable. Mmmmm, you have such strong shoulders for one so young. Do you exercise every day?"
Mereleda bats her eyelashes and tries to give an impression of a damsel in distress.
As the men have a good laugh at Him'Wazir Innis whispers in his ear "Truth is a limitation, these men could be our enemy for all you know."
The young man gives Merelda a long glance looking at the armor then at the whip carried at her side."You some sort of elvish harlot? Never seen one like you before? How much do you charge?"
He stops and turns to Him his tone seems to get more serious. "What is this about a map? Where exactly did you meet these cultists?"
The young constable raises his hand at Kirzon. "I can not understand what you are blabbering dwarf. I asked your friend here some questions I mean to hear the answers now."
Him shrugs, "We were assaulted by cultists at the Pike and Tankard. And I am given to understand that rat infested tunnels are a good hiding place because nobody wishes to frequent them. It is a little difficult to both traffic with underworld horrors and stay at an upscale Inn. We really do not care if you believe us, but our business is urgent so I would appreciate it if you would direct us, refuse us, or name your price. I fail to see a downside to you, but I am told we Quadirans are not especially bright."
The young man gives Merelda a long glance looking at the armor then at the whip carried at her side."You some sort of elvish harlot? Never seen one like you before? How much do you charge?"
The 5 gp has become 8 gp, and Merelda licks her lips quickly to moisten them.
"Too much for you to afford my dear Sir. I am an inquisitor of Calistria and I can guarantee you
however that if you were inclined to help us, I could see to it that the local church provide you appropriate ...compensation later?
For your help of course. I would have to be be directly involved in order to make sure you are treated fairly by my fellow sisters so I need to
resolve this situation quickly."
The young constable turns to look at his companions who share the same look of confusion. "I.. uh.. don't appreciate your tone Qadiran. But the Pike and Tankard you said? I know it. Up closer to the abbey. Decent place the owner takes good care of who he lets in there. I ain't ever known myself to have to be called there. How exactly is he involved in all of this? As for you elf if what you are saying is the truth then we'll work out the arrangements later. Right now I need to hear what exactly happened at the inn and how are you all involved?"
Leaning into whisper to the others behind Him, Merelda puts away her coins with a look of disgust.
"They will want to take us in to their superiors and slow us all down! We need to keep moving! So
unless you want me to start killing these unhelpful idiots..."
"A number of cultists and monsters burst into the tavern and flung some sort of contagion at Vasaro's daughter Bascilia - we slew several and found a map of The Locker on one. In order to stop it we need to find and destroy some evil artefact down there in The Locker. Please show us the way, we do not know how much time the girl has. I appreciate that you will have procedures, but I swear by The Dawnflower that I believe any delay might cost a good girl's life," Him says earnestly, obviously anxious to get moving.
"We are truly in a hurry good Sirs."
Merelda smiles elegantly in a pathetic attempt to put the nightwatch at ease and trust Him.
"My dear sirs, please. You must help us, we're running out of time. We're all slowly dying, and we just need to know where there's a suitable hole in the ground." She lets out a small, blood-flecked cough, as if for emphasis.
The constable raises his hand. "Enough of this I can barely hear my own thoughts. I am convinced you have a problem Qadiran and quite possibly it is cultists, men from the sewers and who knows even a horde of demons from the Worldwound itself. But I still have a duty to investigate any problems in the shipyards. You and your companions will accompany us back to the Pike and Tankard. Once there we will assess the legitimacy of your claim. For your sake I hope you have a citizen of the city who can corroborate your story. Misleading a constable is a serious offence that will find the whole of you in the Swift if this is a lie." he turns to one of the other constables and lowers his voice.
You watch as one of the constables leaves heading in the opposite direction you came from. "Alright let's get moving. If any of you think of fleeing or doing anything else which can be seen as hindering this investigation you will be considered fugitives of the city. If you cooperate and this happens to be legitimate I will do whatever is within my power to help you. Understood? Now I would like to see this map you were speaking about?"
"Do you know why I look like this you son of a pig? Because I spent six years tortured and abused, my limbs wrent from my body, forced to endure endless agony. So I know suffering, and I know how to inflict it. If you do not give us directions I will begin by castrating you, and then start to get inventive. You think I care about earning your petty little wrath when my friends daughter lies dying and your pathetic prejudice and insecurities get in my way! I will gut you and dance in your entrails you arrogant little toy soldier. Tell me the way to the Locker now!" Him hisses, spittle flying as his eyes burn with barely suppressed fury.
"By the triple sting, you will TELL US WHERE WE NEED TO GO DOGS!"
Merelda let's loose with her whip and cracks it over the soldiers heads her teeth clenched in a grimace of hate.
Lililinda turns to Him and is about to say something stern, but when Merelda starts swinging her whip, she sighs and flicks the wand out at the watchmen. With a swish and a nonsense word, a riotous flash of color washes over them.
The constables immediately halt as Him begins to subject them to his anger and frustration over their lack of asubstance in this direction time. Gripping their pikes they begin to back away from the party. "Qadiran listen we will.." the CRACK of Merelda's whip cuts the young constable's sentence off as he quickly looks between Him and Merelda unsure of what either of them will do next. It is then out of nowhere a fan of bright colours light up the area the effect so srong that the constables both immediately drop as they lose consciousness. You all stand there for a moment wondering what just happened and it is in this moment when you hear a shout ring out from somewhere off to the east of you. "Call the Watch! Someone help!"
"Downslope! Which way to the water Kirzon? Most of these entrances are sewers correct? Then if we follow the
slope we should come across a sewer that is open eventually. If not, then the closer to water you get, you
generally get closer to unsavory types that can be bought, like beggars and thieves that will know Cassomir
better than us!"
Him sighs, kicks the uncooperative guardsman in the unmentionables and races towards the sound, reasoning that someone might need help, and that if the cause of their distress was his group's actions the shouter would be safe enough anyway, and could perhaps be persuaded to silence.
Looking at Him run off in a seemingly random manner, Merelda shakes her head sadly.
"Or we could just run wild and see where Him leads us..."
"You know running wild is good for the soul!" Him calls back, "besides somebody could be in trouble, and if on the off chance that trouble is not us we just delayed their help!"
Innis makes an unimpressed noise at the scene that had just played out before her. "We best be off before they recover their wits. But if we start picking fights with everyone in this city I am going to be very cross. The sickness is an issue but we've not dropped dead yet we have some measure of time."
"I'm going to have to turn myself in after all this," Lililinda laments, gripping her wand nervously, "I've just assaulted the guard. They weren't being very helpful, but that's no excuse, but then it looked like things were about to get violent, and I didn't want anyone to get hurt!"