The sting to the back of the neck seems to have taken the fight out of Cabbagehead as his arms drop limp to his side, a glazed look comes over him as he sways back and forth.
Sgt. Drakus asks Marra and Panish; "Did ye want this ape alive?"
He holds his bardiche ready.
"Ask those we rescued!"
"I say no. This brute has not the sense to understand consequence of his actions. Prolonging his life for the courts would be cruel."
Sgt. Drakus nods at Panish and brings the bardiche down on cabbagehead:
Mw. Bardiche power attack: for a possible cutting damage.
Cabbagehead staggers and falls into the pit, his neck shortens by a good 4 inches as he falls directly on his head. Then crumples into a heap, quite dead.
"Now ken we gets out o this fricking place?"
"Wait tha ladies gots tah check his pockets, likely full o cabbage worms!"
"Not yet, remember the screaming we heard? There's people down in the pit, or elsewhere!" Panish checks to make sure.
"Well cabbagehead won't be screamin again anytime soon."
almost as soon as Cabbagehead falls, the cries for freedom from those in the pit cell. 2 men and 1 woman are in the 15' deep pits.
"Wha tha f+@* err yah screamin fer?"
Because they obviously want to party with the famed Donagar of Cayden Calien, thus they cry because they can't yet throw themselves at your feet your holiness..Marra rolls her eyes and intones with the most sarcastic tone possibly, fully expecting the dwarf's ego to not realize it's sarcasm...
you see the pseudo dragon repeated stinging the corpse of the ogrekin, you also realize his armor is magical as you examine the corpse with detect magic. You release the prisoners, gather the segmented corpse or the poor Shoanti into the bedsheets from beds to keep from scaring the locals, and head for the surface. Only hours have passed, but it feels like weeks, you're worn-out and dirty, covered in the stink of the dead. fifteen minutes seems a day in combat...
you hear a commotion as you exit the Dead Warrens, night is falling, yet there is revelry in the streets. Cries of "Hang the Traitor", "Trinia the Assassin dies on the morn.", "The King is Dead, Long Live the Queen." echo throughout the streets...a sense of dread hangs over the group as you head back to the Eerie and General Croft. A sickly cat tears chunks of flesh from a rotting rat. You arrive, unaccosted, as the mood of the city has changed in a few hours. The guards see you directly to Cressida.
Thousand Bones and the Field Marshall are talking as you're shown in. "I'm glad you've returned, you've recovered Ghaeken's body?"
Sgt. Drakus slams the butt of his bardiche to the ground as he crashes to a halt, rigidly at attention as he snaps the salute.
"Mission accomplished General!"
"Not sure if tha whole thing is there but a stout needle an strong thread an yah ken make a golem out o him!"
"Mah appolpgies tis too soon tah joke o tha evil forces found so near tah town! Field marshall I shall scribe a full report once I complete mah drinkin o someone else does it first."
"Yah think some potions tah let these see inna dark would be helpful. I do need a bit o rest an a bath tah boot."
"Don't want tah be known as a dirty diety!"
Panish looks to Cressida. He's rather exhausted from the ordeals - and as such has not been giving proper attention to the citizens cries. On reflection, now, he asks: "Fieldmarshall - what is going on outside? They say the traitor Trinia will hang in the morning, how is this possible?"
Donagar pulls his mug away mid-sip...
"I had not really thought about tha commontion an wha tha people was sayin, seems tha I was busy rememberin battles both recent an remote. I will think about payin more attention in tha future."
"Were we betrayed? Was Trinia taken?" Marra asks in a near panic, she'd grown to respect the young lass over the hours they were able to talk.
Thousand bones looks at Donagar with a burning hatred. Cressida has nearly the same look at Donagar's black jest.
"Stay your tongue dwarf, I'll not have you insult an elder of the Shoanti, if you insist on such jests you can excuse yourself from this meeting."
Thousand bones returns to the corpse and quietly chanting in Shoanti while he shakes an owlbear claw fetish over Ghaeken.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
After a pregnant pause, Cressida looks to Marra and Panish.
"No, she wasn't taken, Vencarlo is still with her, I sent a trusted messenger after I heard the news. That's what is puzzling me, Queen Ileosa is going to execute someone in her place. It's a facade of something deeper."
"Twas luck tha wha I said did not come to fruition, for we battled such an abomination in tha catacombs where tha remains was recovered, tha seriousness remains o what we found so near!"
Sgt. Drakus barks; "Orders, General?"
With an arch of his eyebrow, he indicates; Do you want something specific done? Or shall I hang around the execution field and snoop?
"Unfortunately we can't show a heavy hand in this, it would tear the city apart seeing the Monarch's justice overthrow like this... if only..."she trails off...
"I have procured the deed to Zellarra's house, and the manor house nearby, who's former master left no living relatives wither, and was killed in the riots. I will sign it over to Marra (only cuz I know she's not going anywhere)."
"Sergeant, if you could write a report of the incident in the Dead Warrens, please. I know you're used to the way we prefer reports written."
"Now, go get cleaned up, you reek of death."
Sgt. Drakus waits a beat, waiting to see if there are any further orders, then executes a sharp salute and marches off to write his report.
Donagar is certain there is some foul things bewtixt the plates of his armor, and he himself is over-ripe.
Headed to scrub down armor and self......
Followed by a trip to the potion wand shop....
"Thank you Commander. You know how to get hold of me," Panish bows and leaves, heading for the temple of Iomedae. Just for the moment he goes only through the perfunctory regulations - to get to his quarters and a fresh change of clothes (after a rigorous and hot bath).
"The Execution is at noon, return here at around the eleventh hour."
Donagar digs between the stone plates, scrubbing fiercely he finds....
"E gads wha tha hell is tha?"
"Intah tha fire yah nasty bits o gunk!"
Once the armor is cleaned...he goes for a long soak in a warm tub with a large mug of ale...
Sgt. Drakus goes down to the NCO offices and grabs a clerk-private to dictate his report to. Once that is complete, he'll get cleaned up in the Chelaxian bathhouse, clean his weapons and armor, check Zellara's old house to see if it's been compromised, and return precisely at the appointed eleventh hour.
You notice Marra's gear around the room, her chain shirt hanging from the chair, while her crossbow is on the table. Marra steps out of the other room in the little house, it's the first time you've seen her without armor on. She's dressed in some Varisian style clothing, a sash at her belt.
"Morning Drakus, sleep well? Looking all the soldier once more I see, nice and clean shaven. Care for some spiced eggs and , I bought them this morning."
Sgt. Drakus looks astonished at Marra's offer (and unarmored!) and starts to snap a reply; but he hesitates, then he nods his thanks. After all, they had plenty of time before the scheduled execution.
"Ah, yes. Thank you. Everything is in order here then?"
She looked very odd in civilian clothing, he caught himself staring.
"Yeah, everything's in order, I came back here after the meeting with Kroft. Vencarlo dropped in around the midnight bell. It's obviousl the Queen is going to execute someone who isn't Trinia, I don't call that justice. I met the Queen a couple weeks ago before the new crew that Kroft assembled joined me. I'd like to meet her again with Iomedae's increasing favor."
Hot water to clean the outside and a barrel of beer to clean the inside, followed by a drunken stupor......
Hot water to clean the outside and a barrel of beer to clean the inside, followed by a drunken stupor......
Everyone regroups with the Field Marshall at the eleventh bell. Well Donagar arrives as the last bell tolls, holding his head as the bells clang through his skull.
"Welcome friends, well the hour is nearly upon us. The Queen is to execute someone in place of Trinia. I found out through my sources that this girl to be executed is a pickpocket who was awaiting trial, now it seems she's to die, for her blond hair."
"Present an clean!"
"Pick-pocketin ain't no capital offense!"
Sgt. Drakus seems to have trouble with the concept. His knuckles turn white on his bardiche as he tries to reason it through.
"But... the Law doesn't... not that kind of trade."
"So justice is been seen to get done," Panish's face curls in disgust. "This is a mockery of the law. Commander, I thank you for your information and understand that our hands are tied." He smiles, but in a dead-pan voice adds, "I, perhaps the others as well, shall go to the execution. To ensure that nothing goes wrong."
"Wha is tha method o execution tah be?"
"Beheading by Great Axe is the method our executioner uses."
"Yes, go to Executioner's Square now."
"The actual execution doesn't take place until sundown, it appears to be an affair not to be missed, many of the noble families and guilds will be attending."
The execution it is not an affair to be missed. The toast of Korvosa is in attendance in garish gowns, fine capes, and enough jewels to blind a common man. The overall feel of the event is that of a grand ball or party, not an assassin’s public execution.
Marra points out Sabine, the Queen's personal guard, and former student of your friend Vencarlo Orsini. She also points out the many Hellknights patrol the crowd, obviously looking for threats to the Queen.
You note at least 3 patrols working the crowd.
"Bah wha kind o decadence requires celebration o execution?"
"I think you forget this was once a Chelish city, remember the recent conversion to Asmodeus and it's easy to see how these nobles turn out in droves to watch a commoner beheaded for the murder of a King."
"I thinks tha others slipped off fer a drink let me check tha bar right quick fer em!"
"Shall I bring yah back an ale?"
Sgt. Drakus arrives in his first class uniform. He seems rigid. Er, more rigid than usual. This... diversion from the Law seems to have affected him more than any enemy you've seen. He doesn't seem to know what to do with himself.
"Drakus yah ole dog, where is Pansieish?"