"While I will not speak for the others, I have a few minor curative powers and I am willing to see if there is anything I can do for the child." Arianna says, sympathetic to the man's story. "Though it should be said, Sgt. Soldado, that is not a guarantee that I will be able to help the child."
Iozif waves and motions Grau over as he enters. "Morning, Grau. What's troubling you? If you insist on continuing to walk around frowning like that, I guarantee some foul pox will take you as your spirit is weakened." Iozif's levity fades as Grau explains what's going on. Iozif pulls his pack from the floor and checks that his kit is with him and nods to his friend. "Of course I'd be happy to help, Grau. As Arianna has said, and I can surmise, I do not doubt that all will be willing to aid your niece. Would you be willing to take us there? If not, have you directions?"
As Grau responds, Iozif mulls over what he knows of Trail's End. A poor area, likely with poor hygiene, and a young child. It would not surprise me to learn that she has taken sick from her very environment. The Itching Pox is unlikely to cause this concern, but perhaps a...
Grau smiles as his friends agree to aid his niece. "You guys are the best! I can't ever repay you. While I'd love to come show you the place, my guard duty won;t allow it, as I said. I can tell you the place is a crooked block from the Jeggare River. It's a squat, two-story house. My sister-in-law is Tayce Soldado, her husband, my brother, died in the last Shoanti skirmishes, so she raises the kids herself. I give what aid I can out of my meagre paycheck. You should be able to find the place easy enough; just ask anyone local if you get lost. Tayce is well-known over there."
He proceeds to give you directions which are not hard to follow. Before he leaves for his patrol beat, he shakes hands with each of you, and picks up your small breakfast tab on his way out.
”Of course, Grau, I’d be happy to help as well,” Gyllan replies to the guardsman’s entreaty. ”My own niece got in trouble with that bastard Lamm - seems like an age ago now, in a different city entirely - but my friends helped me deal with that. I’d do the same for you.”
”As to Trail’s End, I know it well,” he continues, ”my mother, rest her soul, was Varisian, and some of her people are there. I speak the language as my cradle tongue.”
He stands, ready to go.
Familiar with the way to the outskirt village, Gyllan leads the party across North Bridge to the mainland. From there, they pick up the Magnimar Road, which heads all the way to the Lost Coast. First of the villages it passes through, however, is Trail's End.
This small subsistence level village eeks out a living from fishing and trade. The village has a reputation for being dangerous, and as you enter you see a fair number of Varisian thugs and toughs loitering about on the street, eyeing you with suspicion.
As you get to the crossroads, two men stop the party. One, a bald giant of man holds a large cudgel and is clearly Shoanti by birth. The other, who is small and wiry, with dark hair and a pencil mustache holds an empty boot. "All travelers must pay the toll," says the smaller man with a heavy Varisian accent. "Don't worry, guvner's, your Korvosan coins are good here. We take shields, sails, an' even crowns, eh? Perhaps, his Lordship there," he says indicating Corso, "will pay double? His clothes look mighty fine, an' I guarantee he can afford it," he laughs but his eyes don't look particularly friendly.
You see two or three other loiters taking sudden interest in the proceedings, their hands dropping to belts or ankles. One picks up a large chunk of lumber and stares at you with malevolent interest.
"We're not travelers," Gyllan replies cordially, "but Korvosans same as you." In Varisian, he adds, "and you," with a nod at the mustachioed man.
"We're here to see if we can help Tayce Soldado's girl, who's taken ill. Tayce's dead husband's brother asked us to come. You know how important family is, and he wanted to be sure all was well here. So how about you let us pass and get on with our good works, friends?"
"We look like Korvosans? You see Piotr draped in fur, and me in a fancy dress gown? Either of us covered with gold and jewels or a dainty little hat with a feather, like your 'man' there?" he laughs derisvely again, showing is thrice-patched pants, and the hole in his boot. "We may be lots of things, eh? But Korvosans we ain't! This is Trail's End, man, not Eodred's Square. Ain't no one here, but us emberek"
He and the massive man, step forward threateningly but just as they do, a voice calls out from the house next to the corner. "Abbahagy, Stefan! Did you not hear the man? They are here to see Tayce, and she is our unokatestvér. Let the rich men go. Perhaps they will see fit to leave a few coppers for Varisian orphans, but otherwise, let them pass, eh?" The speaker is a rail-thin man with long dark hair and an eye-patch over his right eye, where a knurl of pink scar tissue lies.
"The house you seek is around the corner, my lords and lady." says the scarred man, giving a low bow. "Give our regards to the widow, yes?"
Ulgrim's hands twitch towards his bow, and he opens his mouth to say, "You are under arrest for unlawful extortion." But then the scarred man intervenes. The surly dwarf's brows bunch up in the middle of his scarred forehead like a bank of thunder clouds. They'd better listen tae that scarred bastard, if theys know what's good fer 'em. He slowly closes his mouth and waits to see if the thugs back down.
Gyllan can tell the scarred man carries some authority here, and is confident the toll-takers will leave them be. He moves past the two thugs and, with a nod to the man, says, ”Köszönöm, uram, we’ll do that. Who should I say eased our passage? My name is Gyllan Dow, and though I live in the city, I too am your unokatestvér.”
Arianna arches an eyebrow at the scarred man's behavior before saying to no one in particular, "Lords and lady? That's a far cry different from what I heard the last time my caravan came through this city."
Iozif snorts in amusement at Arianna's observation and keeps his hands free and ready as he joins Gyllan, eying the two toughs warily. "I was an orphan and am also an unokatestver. I will leave a piece or two for those who grew up like me and offer my help to any here who are sick. You can find me on the Avenue of Arms. Tayce Soldado's brother-in-law is a good friend of mine, so I appreciate your assistance in seeing us to her safely." Iozif fishes out around two gold pieces worth of silver and copper from his belt pouch and hands it to the scarred gentleman.
The one-eyed man smiles as Iozif drops coins in the boot. "A pillangó vezet, hogy a jó szerencse" he waves off the others, who go back to their loitering positions alongside the road.
After that it is not far to the house you recognize as belonging to Tayce Soldado. It is a squat, two-story affair in desperate need of repair and gardening. From the outside, it seems very ill-kempt in most repects.
Knocking on the door, it opens swiftly revealing two boys, aged 10 and 8, who have distinctly Varisian features. Both have the same unruly black hair, olive skin, brown eyes. "Welcome, I am Charlo," says the older boy. "And who may I say is calling?" he asks very well mannered.
The inside of the house is remarkably clean and well-kept. The furntiture is worn and well used and crafts and scribblings of children fill the walls and surfaces.
The smell of cinammon and anise comes from a door that must be the kitchen, and if you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of coughing from upstairs.
Iozif smiles and nods to the man, replying, "És a csillagok fénye világít utad"
Iozif looks over the yard, evaluating it for sources of sickness. With this lack of cleanliness, it's entirely possible the sickness has an environmental factor. Iozif stands idly to the side of the others, leaning his longspear next to the door. He smiles at the polite welcome of the boys and replies, "It is good to meet you, Charlo. My name is Iozif Vasile and I'm a friend of your uncle Grau. He told us that your sister is sick. May we speak with your mother?"
Arianna follows along, content to let the others do the talking for now, more intent in seeing to the young girl.
The boy turns, and hollers up the stairs, "MAMA, strangers at the door! MAMAAAAA!" in the inimitable way of all small children.
Before long footsteps on the stairs reveal the presence of Tayce Soldado. "Please excuse the mess," she says, blowing a strand of hair out of her face and looking a little out of sorts. "Now, how I can help you?"
Nearly 40, Tayce Soldado possesses a simple beauty, scarcely hidden by her hurried and disheveled appearance and wan features -- she looks as if she has slept very little for a while.
After the introductions, she frowns. "I told Grau I had this under control. A healer from the Bank of Abadar is in the kitchen this minute creating a poultice that will heal our little Brienne right up. You can go in there and see him, if you like. I will be upstairs just a moment more and we can talk when I am back down."
Apologizing for her rudeness, Tayce makes her way upstairs pointing to the back of the house, where the spicy scents are coming from.
Iozif smiles at the boy's reaction and waits patiently for Tayce to appear. He nods politely to her and introduces himself, "Iozif Vasile, ma'am. I'm a medical student at the University and a friend of Grau's. He explained that your daughter was gravely ill and begged us to come and see what we might do."
As Tayce explains that the Bank of Abadar has already been called, Iozif maintains his composure despite his surprise. They will surely be able to heal the poor girl -Brienne, was it?- but it will cost this poor woman a whole fleet of golden sails that it doesn't look like she has. He replies, "I'm sure Grau meant no disrespect to you, ma'am. I believe he was worried about the cost the Bank might demand, but I cannot say that with any certainty."
Iozif bows and thanks Tayce as he is invited in, he steps in and enters the indicated room, looking for the priest.
Gyllan just barely manages to keep from rolling his eyes at Corso's words. Typical rich man's answer, throw some coins at the problem...
Nodding in Iozif's direction, Gyllan offers, "I'm sure my friend is right, Tayce, your brother means well and asked us to come because he cares for your family." When she hurries upstairs, Gyllan moves into the kitchen with Iozif, curious to learn what he can about the priest here to treat the ailing girl.
Working in the kitchen, preparing a concoction that smells of anise and cinammon, is a familiar face. You met Ishani Dhatri during the early riots in Korvosa, saving him from a gang of thugs, and an out of control otyugh.
The Vudran priest recognizes you and steps away from his brewing kettle to say hello. "I did not expect to see you here, my friends, so far from the city. What is the honor or your presence doing in the house of the sick, eh?" He looks guiltily indulgent as he speaks.
Iozif looks at the Abadaran priest, trying to recall if he's met the man before. I can't say this his face is familiar. Perhaps the others might know something more. He replies politely, "I do not believe we've had the pleasure. I'm Iozif Vasile, medical student. I gather that you know my companions? We are indeed here to see to the child, though it looks as though you may have it well in hand."
"It is my distinct pleasure," says Ishani bowing severely to Iozif. "You study the healing arts, but not the divine magicks? I wonder what the Bankers would say about that? I entered the Bank to be a healer, and yet..." he shrugs as if there is more to say, but he doesn't say it.
To Corso, he smiles warmly in greeting and then when asked about the girl his face falls. "The girl, Brienne, she is quite sick. But more than that, she has a strange combination of symptoms that I have not seen together before. Fatigue, coughing, and headache are all common enough, but this rash. Like a veil of blisters on the head and face. It is something new, a new disease perhaps? The rash, despite my poultice, it is spreading to her limbs and and neck, and the cough is worse." He grimaces and looks Corso in the eye. "So, yes my friend, it is bad."
"Were you able to do anything of use for the girl?" Arianna asks.
Ishani looks at Arianna troubled and sighs in frustration. "If I had been sent for earlier perhaps I could, but I'm afraid that my duties at the Golden One's Vault required me to entreat him for similar miracles already this day. Even if I could use divine magic, the tenets of my church force me to request a donation for Abadar's power -- one that these simple folk could scarely afford."
Ishani goes on to explain that the herbal remedies he is preparing are his ways of skirting the system for folks who can't otherwise afford the Bank's rates. "The problem is, nothing I try seems to be working. The girl is getting worse."
"Ishani," Gyllan says in a calm, soothing tone, "is something wrong? Something other than the girl's illness? You seem a bit on edge. As we've helped you in the past, I'm sure we'd be happy to help you now, if there's anything we can do."
To put the man's mind at ease, Gyllan adds another question on a more comfortable topic, "As far as the donation your church would ask, can you tell me how much it would be? These folk are of the same blood as my mother, rest her soul, and I would help them if I could."
"Ah'll gladly donate tae the church," Ulgrim throws in. Was raised partially by the bastards, least Ah kin do.
Ishani looks shame-faced. "I just want to help the girl, my friends. I want to, but my church will punish me if I commune with Abadar and dont' bring home proper fee for it. It is their way, and that is also my faith. I am torn about how to proceed."
As you bring up the idea of paying the fee for healing, his face brightens. "That is a capital idea! Would you really pay for this family you don't know? How splendid! What a noble concept!"
His voice lowers as he tells the price. "My fee for Remove Disease is 150gp. I also must charge for the house-call, instead of bringing the ill person to the Grand Vault. That is another 50gp. So all in all I will need 200gp to make the cast. Even then, there is not guarantee the girl will be cured. Each casting costs the same."
"Will you pay it?"
"A noble concept indeed. Just not so noble that the servants of the god of law, merchants, cities, and dare I say nobility itself will do anything without being paid." Arianna says, obviously disgusted by entire concept.
Turning her attention to her companions, "If the girl is beyond our aid, I would be willing to contribute to the Abadarian's price."
"Commerce turns the wheel of civilization, dear lady." says Ishani quoting from the The Order of Numbers, Abadar's holy text. "Our services are rare and therefore have value. It would not please the First Banker for his servants to not get maximum return on their skills. From each according to his abilities, from each according to his means." although he looks embarrassed as he says it, the acolyte of Abadar means it just the same.
Iozif grimaces, his mouth twisting as if he smelled something unpleasant, as the fee the Bank of Abadar demands is raised. Arianna seems to have the right of it. Gold is the means by which this world will always turn. Clearing his throat, Iozif adds, "I am sure that your magic might be efficacious, but I might appreciate having a look at the girl myself first. That is, of course, if Ms. Soldado doesn't object. I have certain degrees of alchemical and medical prowess that may make the bank's services unnecessary for the time being. If my search is fruitless, then I suppose we will need to reevaluate."
As Corso steps outside into the germ-free air, Ishani bows slightly to Iozif acceeding to his wish to see the patient.
The creaky steps open into a bedroom loft above the main room of the Soldado home. A young girl with auburn hair lies in one of the beds, her slight frame dwarfed by the bed's size and the pile of pillows, afghans, and quilts surrounding her. Splotches of an angry red rash cover her face and arms, appearing in irregular shapes and sizes. Suddenly, her restlessness is interrupted by a violent fit of hacking, coughs that jerk her entire frame, lifting her well off the pillows. The spasm passes after a moment, dropping her back to the bed, but seemingly having done little to ease her breathing. The waif of a girl appears to be only semi-conscious.
The worried mother sits on the bedside gently stroking Brienne's curls and biting her nails in worry. She looks up at Iozif eyes full of hope. "You can do something for my little one, yes? Why else would Grau have sent you. Please, she is so sick, so small." A single tear runs down her dusky cheek, her big brown eyes brimmming with more and a trembling smile on her lips.
Gyllan leaves Iozif to check on the little girl’s condition, waiting in the kitchen with Ishani and any of the others who choose to stay. ”Let’s see what the good doctor can figure out,” he suggests, ”then we’ll know whether we will be paying the temple of Abadar for the girl’s healing.”
Arianna follows Iozif into the room with the sick child, in hopes of being a help to the more experienced healer. "Iozif, if there is anything I might be able to do to help you, just say so."
"Ah'll pay the whole price myself iffin yehs don't fancy tae," Ulgrim says.
Moved by the woman's entreaty, flying in the face of her stoicism earlier, Iozif replies gently, "Of course, Ms. Soldado. It would be a far harder heart then mine that would turn away from her." The doctor-to-be kneels by the child and conducts a quick examination. He lays hand on her forehead for temperature, checks the sores and listens at her breathing. I greatly mislike the sound of that cough and the accompanying paryoxsm in the musculature. The child might do herself a harm. The rash is also far too irregular for most regular ailments, I think.
The disease presents with an unusual combination of symptoms. The red purulent rash across the face is the most obvious, but the respiratory distress is most troubling.
It is obvious to Iozif the girl is fighting a losing battle. Her strength is sapping as she tries to fend off the infection, and without aid, she likely will lose the fight.
Unfortunately, the infection is unknown which means a medicinal cure is unlikely to work at this point.
Frowning, Iozif stands and turns, thinking hard about what he could accomplish to help the poor child. I've no means to directly address the disease, but perhaps one of my companions does. Turning back to Tayce and child, Iozif says, "Stay strong, both of you, I believe we will be able to help in some fashion."
Iozif returns downstairs and relays what he found, "The disease isn't one that I'm familiar with, sadly, and is wreaking havoc with her. Her strength wanes and I find it unlikely she will fight it off without aid. I can treat the symptoms, but likely not the underlying cause. It may be best to have Ishani here try his luck. I'll be willing to help pay your cost of course." Iozif's disdain isn't well hidden as he nearly spits the last few words. "Our alternative is to treat the child's symptoms and hope she can fight it off. There are alchemical means of this, but I'd need to find and buy the formulae before I could prepare it."
"As I said before," Gyllan offers, "I'm willing to help pay for the girl's treatment - though I will say that Ishani could consider making us a deal, since we did save his life not long ago. He can decide whether he covers the difference in paying the temple or works out something else."
Arianna's words still dripping with disgust for the situation says, "As I said before, I am will to help pay the Abadarian's price. Just do not hold your breath waiting for Ishani to make any deals, Gyllan, he has said as much that it is in his church's nature to do so."
Ishani looks at you sheepishly. "I have been trying to do what I can so the family does not incur a lot of expense, but Abadar will not allow me to use his divine magic without a commercial trade-off. It is the way of the Bank. I understand that it looks bad from the outside. Also, I have spent all my healing magic for his day already...If you wish to pay for the cure, it must be tomorrow. I will gladly stay here through the night and tend to the little one, in the meantime."
Looking each of his companions in the eye, Iozif replies to the priest, "I believe we will all pitch in to assist the girl. Return tomorrow and we'll meet you to see you get your payment then. Much thanks, Ishani." Despite his chilly tone, Iozif bows slightly to the cleric. Once the man has left, he addresses his friends, "I've forty in to help the girl. I'll need to return to my apartment to retrieve it though. I think it might be best if we have a fallback solution in hand in case this cure isn't effective. We could seek out the formulae I discussed? If nothing else, and worst comes to worst, it will keep the girl in good health while we search for another solution."