Kali walks out of the room silently, dejected and frustrated by Krovax's parting blow.
Magda accepts the head tussle with a toothy grin. Her da used to do the same as she remembers it, not that in any way this wall was like her father... still it was the thought that counts.
Distracted by the looting she gets to the scuffle between Marcus and Vera too late. "Stop picking on someone just cause YOU don't understand something, dump head." she slips past Marco, nose crinkling at the head in a box, and then asks Vera "Are you okay?"
"He wasn't picking on me--he was just . . ." she looks at Marcus, cutting herself short for making an excuse for him. She looks back at Magpie. "That's just how men are, right? I'm fine, really. We're lucky he's here to protect us. I guess we can thank my mom for that." It was a strange thing to say, but it was true.
Watching the fight between Krovax and Kaliyah is extremely awkward. But she had to think that Krovax was doing the right thing. Even though he was still a super scary dude.
As Magpie opens the door, though, all slights are forgiven. "By Desna, we're rich! Look at this!" Vera starts to giggle. She had never seen wealth like this in her life. "We could live like royalty with all of this!" That was unlikely true, but this was more wealth than her young mind could comprehend. "Mom, thank you for watching over me," she says. "I thought you were gone, but you weren't. You were always there."
Magpie will grab one end of the lockbox "Probably easier to cart the whole thing at this point. Lend a hand?" she asks the remaining armored fighter.
As you are searching these last few things, you all hear the distant sound of bells, slowly growing louder as they reach this edge of the city.
Searching Giggles, you find: two potions, medium chainmail, a medium composite longbow (+3 Str) with 20 arrows, a flail, and 72 gold.
Searching the cabinet near the front (unlocked with Yargin’s cabinet key), you find: six small pouches, four of which contain 50 copper each, and two of which contain 50 silver each
When everyone seems to coming this time Shi moves ahead of the others and notes ”I’ll check upstairs.”
She scurries off ahead and goes room by room checking for anything useful or valuable as the others make their up. She grabs the stuff from the one dead man and after getting the cabinet open grabs the valuables there as well. She meets the others and then follows Krovax to his ‘secure’ location.
Having found some peace with the idea of her mother as a watchful spirit, Vera opens up the small box and examines its contents, including its magics.
And looks at the magics of the hatbox.
And there may be an obsidian wand?
Flask of oil.
Yargin's wand.
When Vera opens the small box, she sees a Harrow deck, and a sharp memory overwhelms her.
When she brushes her fingers against it, Vera stands still for a moment as if looking into the distance.
Everyone notices that this deck is identical to the fine-looking deck held up by Zellara earlier, at her home.
ZELLARA’S HARROW DECK
SLOT none CL 10th WEIGHT 1 lb.
AURA moderate divination
Alignment chaotic good Senses 60 ft.
Int 10 Wis 13 Cha 13 Ego 8
Language empathy (but see below)
Hand-painted images decorate this harrow deck, and the cards frames are gilded in silver so that they sparkle and flash under lighting. Despite the worn condition of the card backs, the images on the faces are so vibrant they seem to move when viewed out of the corner of the eye. The deck handles with surprising ease, almost shuffling itself. A bent, torn, or lost card always seems to mend itself or reappear when no one is looking.
These features are subtle manifestations of the spirit that haunts the cards. In life, Zellara lived by this deck, and in death, she has become the deck. Although this magical harrow deck wasn’t created using the standard method for creating magic items, it should nonetheless be treated as an intelligent magic item. Zellara can sense the world around the deck via sight and sound, and she can communicate with anyone who holds the deck via empathy. She can create a major image once per day, often doing so to generate an image of herself manipulating the cards—in this manner, she can carry on conversations with other creatures in Common or Varisian. She can also cast identify for anyone who holds one of the cards of the deck to his forehead (a move action) up to three times per day.
Eventually, as you all emerge from Lamm's dock, the bells have become loud, and the horizon to the west, deeper into the city, and east, across the widest part of the Jeggare, is glowing. Much of the city is aflame. You couldn't tell before, but there is a hum to the air, as the echoes of screams reflect off of the alleys and reach your ears as a low-level cacophony. Magical explosions of green and blue fire are visible on occasion, and the ringing sound of desperate people fighting in nearby alleys is almost omnipresent.
The avenue in front of Lamm's dock is deserted - for the moment, and you all breathe a sigh of relief, when a flight of Sable Company hippogriff and their riders pass overhead, all clearly wounded. One, apparently too wounded to keep flying, barrels into the building, crashing in a mass of fur and feathers at high speed, the rider and their poor mount dismembered by the force of their descent. Kali notices that the other Sable Company marines do not even slow down.
A man with a scroll unfurled and a powerful voice walks north, up the avenue, a veritable retinue of hangars-on following him in a daze. They appear to be commoners, merchants, and others, seeking safety in numbers, and watching numbly as the city is destroyed - piece-by-piece.
The herald shouts in a powerful voice, repeating "The king is dead! Long live the queen!” only to be shouted down by ragged cries of “Hang the queen!” or “The usurper must die!" and the gurgled sound of death, and steel-on-steel.
The city has gone mad while you battled Gaedren in his lair.
As Vera takes ahold of the harrow deck, she starts to toy with its abilities. Placing a card on her forehead, she focuses on the mystery oil once more.
She then reaches out with her thoughts and feelings, trying to make contact with Zellara. Mommy, mommy, are you there? We avenged you. Did you see? Can you feel it?
Finally, as chaos arrives in the city, Vera is utterly confused. To everyone else, Vera looks vacant. But she is concentrating. Mom, there's chaos everywhere, what do we do?
Krovax looks to the horizon and growing chaos with a sneer. He turns to the others and says ”Come on. Stick together. And keep away from the main roads.”
He then leads the group towards the hideout he has in mind, keeping as close to the river as he can while clinging to alleyways. That way, hopefully no threats could come from the river side at least.
Magpie frets, "The other kids... does anyone see them? I told them to go to Bala, but with all This there is no way that cow isn't in some hidden hole eating cake or something."
If she doesn't see them, she knows running off by herself in this madness is... madness, so she'll keep to the others, but constantly trying to catch a glimpse.
If she does see them, she'll run, get them, and pull them into the group.
Distracted by the looting she gets to the scuffle between Marcus and Vera too late. "Stop picking on someone just cause YOU don't understand something, dump head."
Marcus ignores Magda. He doesn't appear bothered or interested by her comment.
"He wasn't picking on me--he was just . . ." she looks at Marcus, cutting herself short for making an excuse for him. She looks back at Magpie. "That's just how men are, right? I'm fine, really. We're lucky he's here to protect us. I guess we can thank my mom for that."
Marcus continues to ignore the conversation. Clearly an active decision since he is well within earshot and the topic is about him. Does he not want to have an argument, or does he simply not care?
"If you want to do right by her, then you come with me! But this rubbish is getting turned in for proper disposal!" he says as he tosses the container holding the drugs to Marcus. "See that she doesn't get even a drop of that s@~~!"
Marcus catches the container of drugs, raising a brow at the pair.
She scrambles to all fours and crawls over to Marcus, interrupting his conversation with mudg-girl. On her knees she reaches up her hands to his waist, pulling on his belt. "Please. You can tell him you got rid of it or whatever you want, I don't care. I'll do whatever you want for it, just tell me. You don't understand. I need it. "
Pulling herself to her feet, she tries the seduction route with him that failed with Krovax. Slipping both her hands behind his head she whispers "Just tell me what you want for it and it's yours. It'll be our secret."
Marcus grabs her wrist, holding it so tight that it's painful. He pulls her arm away, forcing her to step back and meet his gaze. "I will not work with an addict. You will put us all at risk." He releases her wrist as Krovax comes to retrieve her. He meets the armored man's gaze. "She gets none of this. You have my word."
"Would you PLEASE stop bickering like two hungry rats and come help carry these!"
Marcus stows the drugs away in his pack. He coils the end of his rope around the container, tying a knot and attaching it to the bag. If Kali wanted to take it from him, she would either have to cut the rope or rip the whole bag off him.
He walks over to Magda, and for the first time his face does something other than frown at everything he sees. His frown deepens to more of a neutral expression and he tilts his head slightly. The closest thing to an ear-splitting grin he ever gets. He starts packing up the equipment. "We will find an inn where we can safely look through this and divide it up."
He stops when Krovax mentions a brooch belongs to Queen Illeosa. He stares at it a moment, then nods and hands it over. He was beginning to like this man. A right bastard and a rude cunt, but honest and straightforward. Almost like a long lost twin.
When they step outside and see the fire he sneers, swearing. He nods to Krovax's suggestion, following his lead. He lets the others all walk in front of him, taking up the rear guard and constantly checking behind them. He keeps his greatsword and shield in hand, ready for trouble.
Shi is surprised to see the chaos going on outside and even more so when there are calls of the king being dead. She follows behind Krovax sticking close to the man in case there is any trouble.
Kail's frustration and depression over her inability to retrieve the drugs is short lived. When she notices the chaos outside, her training kicks in and she immediately starts to panic about helping. When the Sable Company marine and its mount die nearly in front of her, she covers her mouth gasping. She stammers "We. We need to do something! We should help!" notices that her pleas are mostly falling on deaf ears as the ground seems to be marching to some hide out.
Too much was happening too fast and her head was spinning as she tried to keep track of everything was going on.
Seeing everyone heading out, Vera puts away the things she's collected. The Harrow deck goes in a pocket, while she puts her mother's head back into its hatbox. A bit of magic cleans the head and removes the worst of the scent.
If light is needed, Vera conjures it, though she would prefer to avoid using lights that draw attention.
Still carrying her morbid prize, she follows along. She walks to Magpie and offers some reassurance. "Those kids have survived on the streets this far. They'll find some cover just like you and I would." Vera hoped she was right.
"Where are we going? You probably know now that I used to live these streets--I might know a safer way to get there." Vera considers whether this is true.
Magda looks nervously at Vera "Yes, but... I need to go check. They might just be at the end of the street." she can't abandon them. "Hey, the rest of you. I'm going to see if the kids are still where I told them to go. You all keep going and just scrape a spear along the road every few strides. I'll find you." looking quickly at the lack of spears, she'll toss her spear to Vera and then runs off.
Vera seems utterly distracted the moment Magpie speaks, as if she were paying attention to something else entirely. When she realizes that the spear is being tossed at her, she just cowers as it clatters on the floor next to her. When she looks up again, Magpie is running.
"Mags, wait!" Vera impulsively goes in pursuit of Magpie.
The long-legged orc slows down for the girl to catch up, but doesn't stop. "Just past these buildings here. That's all, then we'll make it back to those others, no worries" though she is clearly very worried.
When Magda turns to leave and Vera stops to follow her, Marcus's arm snaps out and clasps Magda's arm like a vice. "No." He stares at her for a moment, then looks back to the others. "Don't be idiots. You have clearly never been in a riot before. Numbers is the only thing that matters." He releases her arm. "We check together. We're in no rush, our only concern is arriving safely. Small detour and we might save some kids."
"You take your HAND off me now, or I'll burn it off. Do you understand me jackass." worry bleeds away with anger. Once he does, she'll agree to wait for the rest of you, picking up her spear, and then scouting ahead, just a bit.
Marcus turns from Magda to face the rest of the group; it's almost like he was deaf to her threat. "Detour, aye?" He says to confirm with the others.
Being ignored, means she ignores him. And leaves.
Kali hurries after Mudpie, not wanting to be near the cunt or the a!&+#&@.
"Wait up." she calls as she runs after Magda.
Shi shrugs and follows the others on their detour, knowing it is better, in this instance, to stick together than to split up.
Once released, she'll keep just ahead of the others(or with the other scouts), using her darkvision and soft movements to scout ahead.
Krovax turns and watches them go. He was about to say "Let them go be fools," but then his sister-in-law shows her incompetence and takes off after them. He groans and gives Marcus a look that can only be interpreted as "DAMN IT."
He then secures his grip on the gnome and follows along. He gets to the front and says "Stay in the shadows, and do not try anything stupid."
Stopping at the end of the street, quiet in the shadows (after needlessly being told by one of the walking clangers to do so), then looks back to the approaching Bird "waiting..."
Marcus exhales softly out his nose, tilting his head slightly in response.
Krovax rolls his eyes and nods his head ever so slightly towards Kali.
Kali catches up and whispers ”Thanks. You and that other lady, Farrah? Mera? Whatever. You two are the only two have been nice to me today. Thanks for that. Those men are a*%%~+%s and that fox is a stuck-up sneaky b##!&..”
Magda gave a quick smile, "Yeah, those two are bossy shits. Too full of themselves to see how much they don't know, but the others are... Wait who is the fox person? Lamm didn't even know. That's odd, isn't it?"
"The kids shouldn't be much father past this road." she looks back to make sure the slow armored ones are still on the move this way.
"F@%& if I know. She just shows up with her bushy-ass tail wagging everywhere acting like Queen B&~%*, right?"
Kali shakes her head and then nods to Mag's statement on the kids. "I think I recognize some of the kids. Gaedran had me doing some ... things and I have seen a few around before. I'm glad you're looking out for them."
Marcus nods his head a couple times in understanding, then gives a resigned exhale from his nose.
Marcus turns with Krovax to move after the others.
Magda looks at the other woman, trying to recognize her, but she, like most of the other kids, desperately avoided the adults with Lamm. Most were monsters just like them. This person, despite her issues, didn't seem like a monster.
"I was one of them..." she said softly, heavy with memory, giving her the reason she is helping, and then adds "Whatever you did for him, you killed him." giving the older woman a look of gratitude. "I wouldn't have minded him screaming in pain for a while, but the world's a better place with him dead and us moving on."
Nodding in agreement "I would have buried another six arrows in his face if that stupid idiot brother-in-law of mine hadn't fallen of the f@@*ing pier. I had to jump into that filth just to save him from dying down there. Then what does he go and do? Take away what I found because he's OOOHHH SO MUCH SMARTER THAN I AM. Did I cross a line? Maybe. But you do what you have to do, am I right? PFtt. F*!~ing Men."
Kali kicks a loose rock down the street out of frustration. "F+@%ing a%*~!%%."
"The croc ate him... well started to. Come to think of it I've never seen a croc just drop a meal like that." Magda wonders aloud. "Um... I know the city is burning and all, plus them behind us just walking are make more noise than when that bird horse slammed into the wall, but..." she nods to the rock bounding down the alley, she feels a bit out of place reminding an adult about being quiet.
Kali looks at the rock, forgetting that she is supposed to be quiet. "Oh. Right. Yeah. Sorry."
She stops talking and walks silently for awhile with Magpie, bow in hand just in case something unexpected were to pop out and she needs to shoot something.
The party makes its way uneventfully to the street where Magpie had asked the orphans to go in about ten minutes. They are huddled together in a nearby alley, easily identifiable when Ollie emerges and says "Mags, it's you!"
The boy runs over with Jesse and they both give Magda a hug, tight, and long. The other kids, about a dozen, come out from the shadows, and three more run up to Madga and dogpile her. "You saved us Mag! You saved us!" The remaining Orphans, aged 6-12 hang back, looking warily at the assembled party. Ollie, Jesse, Minerva, Kelvin, and Zev all pull back and look at Magda, and Jesse says "We can't find Bala, and we can't find the others. They're probably hiding here and there." Ollie says "What should we do? What happened to Papa Lamm?" Ollie looks at her expectantly.
Relief washes over Magda and she gives as many hugs back as she got. Then she talks to them, even the ones hanging back, "Lamm's gone, for good." some of the kids will get same giddy hope she does at that news, some will just get that cold doneness, others... "Listen, no matter if you were his pet or his kicking post, he hurt too many of us to be feeling for. And anyway, it's done. No going back. These people..." she'll wave to the others coming up from the street, and to Bird standing with her. "… helped bring him down, and so far haven't shown any signs of being monsters. Rude a time or two, woolen headed with puckered holes so tight air can escape right and proper... but not monsters at least. We going someplace safe... well safer at least. Stick with us and later we'll find those of you who still got parents, and the others we'll either sort out another or you can come live with me, which is in the sewers but hey, you'll be free for once."
The kids behind look warily at everyone, but Ollie and Jesse, as the biggest kids, turn and reassure them, "we can trust her." Then they turn back and notice the form of Hookshanks, held by Krovax.
"Why do you have him with you??" The younger kids look very afraid, and even Ollie and Jesse pale for a moment.
”He has much to pay for. Far too much to warrant a quick death,” Krovax says to the kids. He then looks to Mag and says ”Satisfied? Can we go to the safe house now?”
"You did it, Mags! You found them!" Vera felt a little embarrassed that she had suggested just abandoning them. Seeing these kids again made her realize how stupid that was. "You all listen to what Mags says. She's one of you guys, and you're a team. You're all little Magpies now."
"He needs to ask him some questions is all." she adds on to what the gnome carrier said "See all that blood all over him. That's his. He's the one who has been hurt for once. Ollie here did the last of it too." she'll give him a proud pat on the shoulder.
"Yes, good now." and then barks an embarrassed laugh at Vera's little Magpies.
Marcus takes a slow, deep breath as the kids reveal themselves. He glances at Krovax.
Shi smiles when she sees the kids are alright, but she looks around still concerned with the chaos engulfing the city. She notes to the others "Less talking and more moving, we need to get somewhere safe before we get caught up in some kind of trouble. It's great we found everyone, but we can catch up after we are somewhere safe and not exposed out here on the streets." She nudges Krovax slightly and adds "Lead the way big guy."
Kali rolls her eyes "For less talking, you're sure doing a whole lof of it, fox lady."
Moving up next to Shi, Kali asks suspiciously "Since we're talking, how about you tell me why you're even here? Or how you knew where we were going? Or what time to get there?"
Shi takes in a deep breath and rolls her eyes at the woman. "I'll answer your questions when we are somewhere secure. Let's go." She gently brushes past Kali, not trying to forecfully bump her or anything but making it clear she has no intention of sparking up a conversation when the city is literally exploding around them. She starts walking the direction Krovax was going and motions for them to come.
Marcus takes a step towards the kids as the others begin moving into formation. "Listen up, city's gone to shit but we're focused on getting out of here safe. You stay in between us, walking two at a time, and move quickly and quietly. When we tell you to do something, you do it without hesitating. And you do not leave our sides unless we're corpses or we tell you otherwise. You get me?" He waits for a response, and when he inevitably gets a lackluster one he repeats himself. "YOU GET ME?"
"Good. Now start moving. That big armored bastard, Krovax, is to be in front of you at all times. And I'm behind you. Let's move."