With several of the group seeing to the welfare of the children that were found in the fishery, Dragas stays with those who are searching through Lamm's boudoir. With the exception of the weaponry, most of the items do nothing to hold the Shoanti's attention, but even then, he's distrustful of the shuriken's exoticness and sees the dagger as more of a blade that might be used for a ceremonial rite than as an actual weapon. The arrowhead could be valuable, but the Shoanti had no wooden shaft to attach it to, nor did he have a bow to shoot it with.
Keeping watch over the searchers, Dragas remains silent until the hatbox is opened. "What kind of sorcery is THIS!?" he exclaims, making a clan sign of warding against evil spirits and magic with his left hand.
"Her head has been in that box for many days," he says, trying to make sense of what his eyes are telling him. "But if she's been dead for some time," he speaks aloud before trailing off as that moment of dawning comprehension bursts across his features. "Then who was it we spoke to who sent us here?"
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Viggo will take a few minutes to inspect the ledger.
"Well I don't think we are done here. We have quite a mystery on our hands. A dead fortune-teller who has contacted us all from the grave, a bunch of loot and several curious odds and ends. I think we should find a place to lay low for a couple of days and study all of this stuff. Maybe we can get some help from the local Pathfinder lodge?"
Sora pulls out the black wand. "Ah, a wand of magic missile, something I could definitely use! Mind if I keep this?" Of the trinkets, mundane or otherwise, she's quick to dismiss. "We should see if any of this belongs to the kids."
After having a closer look at the items, Sora comes upon the head. "W-what?" She stumbles, stepping back from the box. "You're right, Dragas. We.. We just spoke to her this morning, didn't we? Was that.. was she not real?" She runs her hands through her hair, tugging at the roots, looking for an explanation, any explanation.
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Viggo tries to crack the code Gaedren Lamm used to make his encrypted entries in the ledger, but he's unable to do so.
Meanwhile, Dragas discovers the garishly made up decapitated head of your client. The barbarian realizes she's been dead for weeks, meaning she was already dead when you met her!
With a harrow-born cartomancer's expertise and skill, Sora studies Zellara’s harrow deck. Hand-painted images decorate this harrow deck, and the cards frames are gilded in silver so that they sparkle and flash under ighting. 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.
ZELLARA’S HARROW DECK
PRICE: — SLOT: none CL: 10th WEIGHT: 1 lb.
AURA: moderate divination Alignment: Chaotic Good
Senses 60ft. Int 10 Wis 13 Cha 13 Ego 8 Language: empathy
Zellara’s harrow deck has a special purpose as well: to defend and protect the city of Korvosa, her home in life and in death. In order to attain this purpose, she can periodically perform powerful harrow readings for those she has chosen as Korvosa’s defenders—the PCs. These harrowings grant those who benefit from them a number of Harrow Points that can be used to manipulate fate and chance.
Zellara can suppress the deck’s powers at will and doesn’t hesitate to do so if anyone attempts to sell the deck or otherwise displeases her. At best, a foolish character could possibly sell the cards as a standard harrow deck for about 50 gp—thus, no pricing information for the deck is needed.
Zellara's spirit emerges from her harrow deck. "Well done, friends. Our hated foe is dead." She looks around. "What did you do with his remains?" she asks.
After helping Kradel calm the children down and reassuring them they will not be abandoned to an uncertain fate, Gerry returns back to the scene where Lamm met his demise.
He looks over the treasures recovered with an appraising eye...
Looking over the ledger she shrugs helplessly, "I cannot make sense of this code, but it would be worthwhile to try to break it. No telling what else that bastard was up to!"
Seeing Zellara's severed head causes his face to drain of all color. "But...but, HOW? We saw her just this morning!" Seeing her ghostly form reappear in front of them does not help his demeanor either. "Zellara? How...you died! How did...what...who...who did we talk to earlier?"
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Gerry looks over the treasures from Gaedren's strongbox. "The narrow teak cigar case inlaid with tiny bits of jade is worth 25gp, and the fist-sized scrimshaw carving of a kraken with garnets for eyes is worth 200gp. I'm not sure what the rest of these items are worth."
Meanwhile, the spirit of Zellara grows impatient. "Someone, please answer my question. Believe me, yours can wait. The city's in chaos right now. No time for pleasantries."
Sora is wide-eyed as the spirit rises up out of the harrow deck. Never had she seen such a thing. She looks on at the spirit, and back at the head, clearing her throat. "You were... dead this whole time? Lamm's dead, too. His remains are in there," she points outside of the room and down at the filthy waters, where the gator still roams. "His head is, anyway. His body's just outside the room. It's a ... gruesome scene."
Kradel returns from the children with Sophie in tow. The most greivous of her wounds healed enough so she can walk. "Sophie wanted to say hi and thank you." The young Dwarven girl waves with short stubby arms and a plump face with pig tails.
"Hi. Thanks." She isn't very talkative, likely still in a bit of shock.
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"I can't say I recognize any of these things for their value or significance." He announces after a fair bit of time checking them out.
"Zellara, you're... a spirit. I am truly sorry. Please, tell us of what is going on. Once I get Sophie safe I'll be more than happy to help if I can." He makes sure Sophie doesn't go anywhere near the box of flies.
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Viggo examines the items Gerry hadn't been able to appraise. "The miniature gold crown is worth 350gp; the silver ring bearing the inscription 'For Emmah—the light in my nights' is worth 150gp; the strange blade shaped almost like a key bearing the inscription 'For an inspiration of a father' is worth 750gp."
Korinne gasps in horror when she realizes the unique dagger is the blade that was used by one of Korvosa’s most notorious killers, a man who slaughtered at least 180 victims between 4690 and 4697 before his killing spree mysteriously ended.
The serial killer was never identified or apprehended...
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"Yes, I'm a spirit!" Exasperated, Zellara throws up her hands. "Gaedren's thugs caught me, brought me to him, and he fed me to his alligator." She shrugs. "And now this is what's left of me. Look, I know you all want answers, but now is not the time. The city is going nuts! I suggest you head back to my place, and Sora can call on me tomorrow."
The Varisian fortune-teller's spirit retreats back into the harrow deck.
Sophie turns to Uncle Kradel. "You aren't just going to leave me and my friends here, are you?" She wipes the tears from her eyes and her runny nose with her hands, her lower lip trembling.
"And what about all the others? Only nine of us are here, but there's 26 of us altogether. The other kids are out doing Lamm's bidding. They won't be back till dark, when Giggles would lock us all in."
She's afraid, not just for herself, but for all of Lamm's Lambs.
Even through the walls of the old fishery, you can hear the growing din of a populace in chaos outside on the streets.
Torag give me the strength to make it through this day! Surely this has to be some sort of cruel joke. After all this time he's finally saved his niece from this piece of filth, but instead of whisking her out of this place and back to the mountains of Janderhoff he's tasked with saving an entire city from... something?
Sometimes your messages confuse me. Protect family. Defend what's right. Be strong in your convictions. Respect the earth. And now help save this sad excuse of a human city? First, the children.
Kradel gives the little girl a hug "No no, we won't leave any of you all alone here ever again. Sounds like we'll need to camp out here for a bit while the others come back. Then we can track down your families, or find other arrangements in the city. Ok?"
Hearing the goings on outside he heads over to a window and cleans it off to have a look at whatever their ghostly friend was talking about. "Anyone see anything out there?"
The barbarian gives a snort of derision at the news of chaos in the city as he makes another warding gesture as Zellana's spirit disappears. "Isn't that why they have a city watch?"
As the group canvasses the fishery and begins to pick items from the spoils of their excursion, Dragas keeps silent as the others pick from among the items. "If no one objects, I would like that," he says, pointing to the suit of chainmail armor, "and one of those," he adds, looking in the direction of the vermin repellent, thinking about how he could have used it when fighting the spiders on the ship. "And enough coin to buy something back that was lost," he says with noticeable reluctance.
"I'll stay with anyone who's going to wait for the remainder of the cubs to return here. Then I buy back what is mine and I leave this city."
Gerry takes the news of the necessity to stick around the fishery with a note of reluctance but seeing the little dwarf child close to tears stayed his resolve. "Yeah Sophie, I'll wait to make sure the rest of your friends are taken care of."
After the spirit of Zellara vanishes back into her deck he cannot help but snort. "Chaos? Isn't that the very heart of a city. Considering how much of this shiver I found, I am not surprised in the least!"
As he experiments with first the kukri recovered from the henchman Hoodshanks, then moving onto the enchanted dagger from Lamm's corpse, he looks up from his practice at the Shoanti barbarian, a look of curiosity on his face. "I can understand why you don't want to stay here." To be honest, I...I really don't know where I want to go...this place holds little for me.
"Where are you going to go, Dragas?"
"After I buy back what I lost?" Dragas says, still feeling uncharacteristically weak. "Home to my people now that I'll be able to return to them."
The Shoanti is about to say more when his eyes fall on the longbow and the quiver of arrows. "I'll take these, too," he adds.
Sora places the deck in a safe place after Zellara's spirit drifts into it. "Looks like Z will be coming with us for the time being, and in fact, she can even conjure images and talk to people from within the deck."
Could be useful for the shop. Imagine the look on the face of anyone naysaying my readings if she suddenly popped out!
The fortune teller breaks from her brief reverie when Korrine suggests having a look outside. "I'm coming with you," with a wink, the witch joins Korrine in trying to get an idea of just what's going on out there.
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With his newly acquired skill, Kradel takes another look at the loot and successfully appraises a few of the items. "The highly realistic and highly scandalous ivory figurine of two entwined succubi is worth 450gp, and the crystalline vial itself is worth 50gp. But I'm still not sure what's in it."
Casting an orison, the cleric identifies Lamm's blade. "It's a dagger +1."
"Yargin Balko's garnet amulet is worth 100gp." Similarly, Viggo takes another look at Gaedren's hoard. "The 2-pound gold ingot bearing the Cheliax coat of arms is worth 100gp, and the abalone-shell holy symbol of Shelyn is worth 300gp."
"Suns and stars!" Kradel's jaw drops when he takes another look at the bejeweled brooch with the broken clasp and recognizes its provenance. "This brooch belongs to Queen Ileosa herself!" The dwarf admires the craftsmanship of the circular gold brooch depicting a house drake and an imp coiled around each other in an almost yin-yang pattern. The pseudodragon’s eye is an amethyst, while the imp’s eye is an emerald. "The brooch has got to be worth at least 2,000gp."
"Hmm... Maybe Gaedren hoped some day to use the brooch’s return as leverage with the queen should he ever be arrested," Kradel speculates, thoughtful.
Viggo finally begins to comprehend the crime lord's encrypted ledger. "It would take me several hours to decode the whole thing, but it contains a remarkably complete and concise accounting of much of Gaedren Lamm’s criminal activities. As soon as I have the time, I should definitely decipher the entire ledger."
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Several members of the team head outside to investigate the sounds of the disturbance.
The sight of smoke rising on the horizon is impossible to miss. The frantic clang of alarm bells sing out in harmony with a multifarious cacophony of screams, the clash of steel on steel, shrieks of terror, and even the periodic detonation of arcane power. A wing of Sable Company hippogriff riders swoops overhead, angling toward Castle Korvosa at a breakneck pace. One of the badly wounded hippogriff mounts rains blood down on the street around you before it succumbs and crashes headlong into a statue, taking its rider and itself to a messy, bone-crunching demise. The others in the flight do not pause to check on their fallen ally.
Amid the chaos, the voice of a Korvosan herald cuts through the din: "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!" The city has gone mad while you battled Gaedren in his lair.
You round up the children and bring them inside the relative safety of the old fishery, where the team hunkers down, waiting for the rest of Lamm's Lambs to return at dusk.
While the heroes wait, Viggo takes the time to finish decoding Gaedren Lamm's ledger. After several hours of study, he finally puts the tome down, standing up and stretching out the kinks in his neck and wiping the ink stains off his fingers.
"This ledger is worth more than Gaedren’s death or capture to the Korvosan Guard, for it contains notes that allow the authorities to close the books on dozens of minor (and a few major) unsolved cases." The bard rubs his hands together, pleased with his work. "I'll wager the Korvosan Guard would pay us a handsome bounty for handing over the ledger—probably even more if I provide a key for the code in which it is written."
As night falls, Lamm's Lambs return, alone or in pairs, until all 26 are accounted for. Though terrified by the riotous chaos rampaging through the city, these children are survivors, toughened by their hard lives under the iron fist of Gaedren and his goons.
They're shocked to see our heroes surrounding their friends, but overcome with relief, when Sophie tells them Gaedren Lamm's head sleeps with the fishes--and the gator.
"What's to become of us now?" They all want to know, looking at each other anxiously, and at you with the very faintest glimmer of unaccustomed hope in their teary eyes.
Seeing and hearing the anarchy that's erupted outside the defunct fishery warehouse Kradel turns to the others "The King is dead? How? Treachery?" He slowly lowers his head and offers up a silent prayer to Torag for his soul, hoping he deserves one.
After a few moments in silence he looks around the room at the other heroes present "I think I now know what the ghostly soothsayer meant about the city needing heroes, and those heroes would be us..." He trails off in thought, not seeing himself as a hero before today. And even hardly AFTER today, besides saving these children.
I now see your message clear as a bright vein of silver running through rusty iron ore: help these children, and the rest of this city survive what's coming.
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After spending some time looking over items with a more focused eye, Kradel, with perhaps a bit of guidance from his heavenly watcher, gets a better read on some of the items they've recovered. "These are quite valuable, especially that brooch. Selling them off to the right buyers would give all of us a healthy stack of coin AND help these children into a better life." He says thoughtfully as another miserable looking wretch wanders inside.
"Welcome child, you're safe with us. What's your name? You can call me uncle Kradel." He smiles and offers her a meager fish stew he's pulled together with the help of his priestly powers and a knack for culinary creation.
"Let's get some food in your bellies and a good night's rest before we go making any grand plans for you all. Best we stay tight inside these walls until morning, then we'll have a light breakfast and be able to look past these clouds and into the sunshine of your futures."
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"Well, I can't say I saw that coming. Honestly." Sora sighs to Korrine as she watches the chaos from afar. "On the other hand, we were warned, weren't we? This must have been what Z meant."
Sora grips Zellara's harrow deck tightly, knowing that it's likely only the start of help she might offer the heroes over the journey.
"Come, children, gather around Auntie Sora," the fortune teller flourishes, setting down a bedroll on which she and a few kids might sit. "Once Uncle K has you all fed, it's story time. Want to see my cards? They're magical, and," leaning in close, she whispers to the Lambs, "Shh. Don't tell anyone, but spooky ghosts actually live inside of them."
A lifetime of toil, just like I had. And now, a city in chaos. What a wondrous childhood. They deserve a laugh. No... they deserve a life.
Gerry only shakes his head helplessly concerning the news about the death of the King. "That is...most certainly unwelcome news," he addresses Dragas here, "I would strongly advise staying in the city...at least until this anarchy dies down. The guards usually bar exit from the gates anyway, in my experience that is."
"We definitely should return the ledger to the Guard, along with this shiver, yet I think it is a bad idea to try selling that brooch!" His face grows into one of alarm on the notion of selling the brooch. "We could be imprisoned...or worse! Somehow I don't think she will buy the explanation we just happened upon it during our travels!"
"I agree staying here would be wise. The Guards have be more worried than checking up on some old fishery here." He agrees with Kradel here.
He watches the display from Sora with a wistful look on his face, one he had not worn in a very long time, it seemed. Perhaps...now it is time to heal...while I still have this hole in my heart at least now it will grow smaller...in time.
Before Sora and the kids turn in for the night, the witch gets up and has another look at the mysterious items found in Gaedren's hoard. Perhaps she'd find more information there? She holds Zellara's deck up, allowing the spirit to come out and sense what the items' properties may be.
"Oh no, certainly don't sell that brooch, but some of these other items with value for sure." Kradel tucks the brooch into a belt pouch for safe keeping. "I'll hold onto it if you don't mind."
He drains the last of his fish soup with some satisfaction considering what he had to work with. "We should definitely set watches. Two of us at a time. I'm good with any shift since I can see well in the darkness. Maybe its best I take the middle watch so the rest of you can sleep soundly with no lights to attract looters or worse."
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Deliberately holding one of the cards of Zellara's harrow deck to her forehead, Sora takes another look at the glass tube and the crystalline vile. "The glass tube contains a dose of oil of keen edge, and the crystalline vial contains a dose of silversheen."
Sophie introduces her friends to everyone. They're orphans of varying ages, though most in the range of 10-12 years old. Gaedren Lamm forced them to work for him in slave-like conditions. They toiled away at the fishery, and those who behaved well were sent into the streets of Korvosa to pickpocket and fleece. Lamm punished disobedience savagely, ultimately feeding repeat offenders to his pet alligator Gobbleguts.
Kester: Varisian boy, age 11
Abha: Vudrani girl, age 9, twin sister of Revhi
Ilinica: Varisian girl, age 10
Revhi: Vudrani girl, age 9, twin sister of Abha
Ursion: Chelaxian/Varisian boy, age 11
Alezandaru: Varisian boy, age 10
Alika: Varisian girl, age 11
Alinza: Varisian girl, age 10
Hargev: Shoanti boy, age 11
Iolana: Varisian girl, age 11
Korva: Half-Orc girl, age 10
Pavo: Half-elf boy, age 12
Vioric: Varisian boy, age 7
Yantur: Vudrani boy, age 10
Anca: Varisian girl, age 14
Eugeni: Varisian boy, age 12
Henric: Varisian boy, age 12
Luminita: Varisian girl, age 12
Mirelinda: Varisian girl, age 10
Piousa: Varisian girl, age 8
Rulla: Chelaxian girl, age 12
Satinder: Half-elf boy, age 10
Tiberiu: Varisian boy, age 10
Tig: Halfling boy, age 8
Valeria: Chalaxian girl, age 9
Zeldana: Varisian girl, age 11
Huddled inside Gaedren Lamm's lair, the team sets a watch. The erstwhile crime boss's brutal reputation causes the rioters to avoid the old fishery throughout the night. Our heroes wake the next morning, a little stiff but recovered from yesterday's battle with Lamm and his goons.
Taking a look outside, the streets seem quieter, but smoke still rises around various parts of the city.
"Uncle, we're hungry," Sophie tells Kradel. "And my friends want to know what you're going to do with us."
"I'll take first watch," Dragas says. "Tomorrow, cubs, then sell stuff." And buy one thing. "Then take brooch to the queen," he says.
As he collects the items he asks for from the spoils, the young Shoanti looks around at everyone before he takes his post to keep watch. "Not great with plans for many. Make plan that makes sense, like staying here and I'll make plan work."
Sora begins her day with her ritual: setting out her harrow cards on the ground in front of her in a nine by three grid. Sitting in front of the card grid in the lotus position, Sora closes her eyes and concentrates intensely, wisps of magic burning off the cards and disappearing into her head.
1st: Charm Person, Command, Ill Omen
Cantrips: Detect Magic, Guidance, Light, Message
Afterwards, she collects her spell deck, and gets up, a grim smile on her face. "Looks like we've got something of a daycare on our hands if we keep this up, huh?"
Given the sensitivity of the subject, Sora passes a message to the party so that the kids don't hear. "These kids... They probably don't even know who their families are, anymore. We can't just leave them here, and marching through the city with them all, especially after last night's chaos. Maybe there's a proper orphanage in town?"
Gerry spends most of the evening trying to talk with the young halfling child Tig. I see much of myself in him...
Once the morning has come he yawns and stretches, a relatively restful night's rest which is rare for him. Strapping on his weapons and other gear he looks longingly at the meager leftovers before tightening his belt. "We definitely need to find some food here...before we do anything else! Also I am not too keen on marching up to Ileosa and handing over that brooch! I am curious...how did Lamm get his hands on such a valuable item? Don't tell me he happened on it by chance!" he shakes his head in disgust, "Other than that I think Dragas has the right plan."
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Viggo smiles at Sora, "So you are their 'aunt' now? Don't think that's your cup of tea, but it does make for an interesting turn of events. I know a few of you have your hearts set on turning these kids over to some temple or such, but why not see if the local Pathfinders can find something better for all of them?"
Viggo waits for a response before he continues, "Yeah, about that brooch and stuff, that's all great, we should take it back. But we need to get rid of some of this loot and do some shopping first. I for one know I need a few things if we are going to keep investigating the who's who and what for's going on."
Uncle Kradel does the best he can to learn the children's names, but relies on Sophie for help when he needs to single out anyone in particular. "Its nice to meet you children. Now lets get some sleep, its been a long day!"
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"Yes children, breakfast is high up on my list too. How about we stop for something on our way through the city? I know of some tasty breakfast dives near the shrine to Torag. I could really do for a few runny eggs over brioche with a side of marmalade myself. Maybe some of the others know a place that could handle such a crowd on short notice?" Kradel speaks like a bit of a foody, and certainly looks like he doesn't miss meals. By the looks of him in general he's had a much easier life than these children.
Listening to everyone's thoughts it becomes clear not everyone's priorities or thoughts on how to handle things are aligned. "Hrm, sounds like we need to find out what sort of organizations can help raise these children. Legitimate organizations, be it spiritual or perhaps homes for displaced children, or even maybe these Pathfinders you mention."
"Before we go actually there were some spots on that relic of a ship that haven't been looked at closely. We rushed off to find you guys before we had a chance." Kradel looks at Korinne and Dragas specifically.
"I'd prefer not to spend longer here, and these kids have seen enough fish slurry to last several lifetimes, I'm sure," Sora begins collecting her things in preparation to leave, but first, she tries to recall where she might find a well-run orphanage for the kids to stay.
Gerry shrugs on hearing Kradel's suggestion. "I see no harm in checking out that hold. We may find some further revealing clues as to what Lamm was really up to."
He struggles to recall what sort of orphanages were located in this city.
Dragas shakes his head. "I can find my way back to my room at the inn. I know where Picker's Pawnshop is. But I can't tell you of any homes for cubs in this swell of people."