"Either way, walking gets us there. If you're ready," the half-elf taps the rings of his chain shirt, "we should set-out. The longer anyone is in the care of a slaver, the more that can happen to them."
Tiarsus didn't have overmuch to heft from where his things were near the wall, but it was obvious a crossbow was among them.
*******
As the group made way to the next step on their journey, the priest communicated a bit more about himself to the group.
"Sorry if I seemed a bit touchy about the subject. While I was never a slave myself, I was close to it - an orcish brigade captured me on a trading job years ago. I lost my father, and I would've likely lost my freedom or life if not for one of the band turning on the others." The passing of pain on his face was overt but brief; this was a common wound for him to tread. "Dakgorim was part of the original group that captured me, but he took advantage of the situation to secure freedom for himself and for me. Not all orcs or half-orcs are like what they say. He and I make a living with the Gluttonous Goblet in town, but chatting with the patrons isn't my specialty, just part of the job; I'm a better cook than speaker."
Tiarsus' feet made quick work of the ground beneath them. It was almost as if he were driven forward by some unseen hand. Perhaps it was the purpose within him that quickened his footfalls, or maybe it was his desire to be done with this stage of the job, but it would be met quickly either way.
Keezheekoni collects his belongings, strapping his weapons in place, and follows the others back out into the city. "As I spoken, slavers will not be tolerated, so long as I have the words to speak. My people have their faults, but we strive to live in freedom, and have no desire to take that from others."
Arturr nodded as the group prepared to depart. He grabbed his gear and hefted his Greataxe over his shoulder like a lumberjack.
Alista checks over his gear and is ready to go.
As everyone gets ready to leave, Estel looks about, slightly confused. "You really think we'll need our camping gear to go talk to people in town? Okay . . .." And he grabs all of his gear, too, in case.
Sheila
The Venture-Captain gives a small chortle..."If you need to stow your gear that you don't need right now you are welcome to do so in this library and I will have it secured for you. One of the many perks of being in the Society."
The group makes his way out of the manor house and out of the property and on the street. Those of you that know the city know that Washer's Row is in Beacon's Point. That means you will need to make your way down into Dockway and then south into Beacon's Point. Washer's Row is somewhere south near the Point's many docks.
Check knows that Washer’s Row is also primarily a front for one of Magnimar’s larger Sczarni gangs, the Washside Wringers.
The salt air is crisp and it blows on your face up here but as you make your way down to the docks the smells become less and less "friendly" to the senses.
"Do we want to make so decision about how we travel. Are we being sneaky? Who is at the back and front. Is anyone in need of cover? Or hindered by it?"
"Nothing is as well hidden as that which is obvious. No stealth should be required, just discretion. Be us. Be there. Don't identify as Pathfinders or suggest anything similarly about the girl. If we are obviously trying to hide something, then we will attract attention we probably don't want."
"I can lead us to the area, but we should be on guard. Washer’s Row is also primarily a front for one of Magnimar’s larger Sczarni gangs, the Washside Wringers."
You make your way through Dockway along the main carriageways thanks to Alistar's directions and knowledge of the place.
Dockway
The shouts and bustle of countless traders, fishermen, and foreign travelers stir the choppy waters of Outcast’s Cove through all hours of the day and night. Along the seaside district of Dockway, salt-blasted storefronts and cramped businesses cater to the typically rough seafolk, while exotic inns and taverns serve as familiar welcomes to visitors from afar. First and foremost a trade city, Magnimar owes its prosperity to the countless foreign merchants who readily make use of the city’s reputedly safe and certainly free port. Enforcing no taxes on harborage or imports, the city welcomes business from all lands and makes the
bounty of Varisia available for trade. As a result, several of the most prestigious trading coasters, mercantile families, and shipping concerns do regular business in the city, with some having even established offices and private local shipyards.
Dockway’s most incredible feature is the sprawling Bazaar of Sails,
yet the district itself is more than merely one enormous market. The waterfront is a constantly bustling scene of activity as ships bearing travelers and cargo vie for dock space, and even the neighborhoods farthest from the shore are noisy and raucous. The large number of fishing eagle nests amid the crags of the Seacleft is the source of the area’s less common name, “Eagle’s Quarter.” The streets here are cobblestone, and buildings are an equal mix of stone and wood. Streets are patrolled regularly, yet the high volume of traffic and the district’s close proximity to Underbridge make it difficult for guards and mercenary companies to always keep the peace.
Beacon's Point
As you walk through Beacon's Point you quickly realize that is a raucous home to traders, sailors, and hardworking, hard-living families of all sorts. Numerous warehouses, shipping concerns, and other businesses fill the area, as do numerous simple but boisterous brothels and taverns. The
farther one travels from this district’s borders, the more closely packed and poorly maintained the buildings get—many critics of Magnimar see Beacon’s Point as a metaphor for the whole city as being a shell of civility and industry wrapped around a corrupt heart.
This core of slums hidden in Beacon’s Point is known as Rag’s End, a cramped, and mazelike knot of alleys where the poorest of the city’s working class make their homes. Temporary laborers, crippled dockhands,
drunks, and the sorely out-of-luck scrape by on coin earned from begging, performing odd and often demeaning jobs, and the charity of the city’s sympathetic religions. Much of Rag’s End is owned by Slumlord Rassimeri Jaijarko, a greasy half-Varisian drug dealer with ties to a
Sczarni gang known as the Gallowed.
At the southern end of Washers’ Row, a tattered banner hanging over the entrance to the small side street advertises “Professor Callivario’s Stupendous Exhibition of the Outrageous and Sublime.” Beyond this overly exuberant advertisement is a squalid setup consisting of little more than a series of rundown sideshow booths and carts with assorted games and amusements of the meaner sort. To one side, urchins pitch pennies at lily pads floating in a small, scum-covered fountain while a bored carnie looks on. Nearby, the sound of cats hissing and fighting arises from behind a cart where a small crowd of ne’er-do-wells has gathered to cheer and place bets.
Everywhere lurk faces pinched with suspicion or hunger— expressions worn by carnival workers and visitors alike. This is not the sort of place to be careless with a coin pouch.
"Watch your coin. There are a lot of desperate people here often manipulated by criminals. Be wary if you hear the name Rassimeri Jaijarko."
Edril secures his valuables more carefully, though his quarterstaff is his most prized possession so he fortunately has that close at hand at all times.
"Any clue where to begin looking here? Should we start asking about, or simply listen?"
People pass you by as you stare at the scene in front of you. Most give you a look...all of you look out of place.
"Oi...you pissed or something. Jus standin ther lookin stupid!" A old women shouts at you as she bumps into the big one with the bald head and walks off.
A few young ones, boys and girls look at half-orc..."Dodgy...ain't they?" The little girl looks at the lot of you and you can hear her say..."Dodgy...really dodgy. Lets be gettin they be bad news if I seen any!" They both scurry off.
Keezheekoni is amazed at the sheer number of people working nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. At the warning to watch his money, though, he takes his coin pouch and buries it in his backpack, wrapped inside a blanket. As he does so, he feels the old lady bump up against him. He looks down, offering a brief apology before he moves on with the others. "Suspicious lot, aren't they? I suppose a life of hardship can do that do anyone," he comments to the others, keeping his eyes out for strange activity, as well as the contact that they are looking for.
The street urchins playing at the lily pad ponds seem to have lost something and are now knee deep in the pond looking for it. Two of them are on the side of it calling out instructions. Meanwhile the betting going on behind the carts on the cat fight seems to have become quiet... a few cheers and some cussing can be heard.
The smell of salt air hits your face mixed in with the smell of hard soaps hit in waves.
Arturr smiles. A few short years ago, he could have been one of those urchins playing in the fountain. This was all familiar to him.
"Oh, most are honest folk, but everyone suspects everyone else, so they look a bit crooked now." Arturr all but shouted as he clapped Keezheekoni on the shoulder.
"The real ones to look after are the little 'uns fast as the wind, quite as a mouse light as a bird alighting a branch. Nip your pouch and disappear in an instant, I should know, it's what I used to do." he laughed as if some grand joke was afoot.
He begins to survey the games, to see if any are worth attempting. He despised the fighting of animals and didn't ever bet on things like that. "For some reason violence entertains the downtrodden, gladiator fighting is one thing, but animals, is just cruel."
Edril listens to Arturr carefully. "Indeed, animals are not born doing cruelty, they must be taught by men. An animal will fight for many reasons, but not simply for sport." He considers amending his statement, but to account for all the sporting reasons animals may play-fight didn't seem necessary. Either his companions would understand his meaning or they were soft-headed.
"Do you think the small ones were lookouts? We may have been announced already."
"Ha, indeed Edril! Except Orc, Orcs fight for sport. Smartest, most dangerous animal." He chuckled at his wit.
"Little ones, old ones, anyone who says they are fortune teller has a handful of notes about us now so they can pretend to see our futures. Old old trick, especially on all of you sticking out like sore thumb." he chortles again.
"Let us see if the professor or any of his pretend monstrosities have seen our quarry." He thumbs toward the side street and heads that way.
Estel is forcibly reminded that not everyone is raised as well off as he was. He stays quiet, watching the people, trying to get a feel for the flow of people, information, and possibly even money through this micro-culture.
Despite the harsh nature of the elements at water's edge, Tiarsus didn't mind the feel of salt on his face; if anything, it was a welcome bit of contrast to remind him he was busy. He'd been down in these parts before when he hadn't as much coin, and their arrival was an abrupt reminder how much they'd changed. They run from us, thinking we're out of sorts. Some of us, maybe. Not all of us though. I guess a book's cover is the part one see's before the pages though...
The close quarters here had always bothered him. It wasn't a cozy feeling, but one of easy oppression. No escape. With a group their size though, he hoped not to need to worry about that.
"That's a good call, Edril; the children make perfect spies and need little more than a heel of bread for their tongues to wag." The truth in Estel's words from before seemed to ring now. Perhaps being direct and overt is better than even attempting to hide our passage. Confidence is its own defense.
A hand went to the symbolic key around his neck as a reflex. It meant more to him than the crossbow on his pack and might serve as a de-escalator if things got out-of-hand.
A cart goes by with a old women in a dirty dress and worn out sandals. She is pushing a cart full of dirty clothes. Her cart is heading to a location on the other side of you. "Cleer way!!! Cleer way!! Hey bloke! You da dall one...wit da ugle things all over! Move over!"
Keezheekoni and Arrtur move out of the old women's way as she pushes the cart by. The cart looks older than the women does... The clothes are in separate bags and baskets and probably are coming from a ship or an inn.
The old carnie standing by the kids that are in the dirty pond seems to give you a quick once over and goes back to minding his own business.
A group of sailors finishes losing some coins to one of the carnival games and the carny behind the booth resets the bottles on a table behind the both. The sailors walk off and start to look for something else to do. A old man coughing stands by several of the carny booths. He wipes his mouth with a dirty handkerchief and puts it back under his old tattered vest. He then drives off a few of the street urchins standing to close to one of the booths.
You are in Washer's Row and you are standing near a carnival and a bunch of places that wash clothes, sails, and such. Other places fold, some places even press the clothing. You don't see a place that specifically says "The Amazing Zograthy".
Your group makes its way into the center of the carnival area going past the carny games. There are tents and pavilions made with all sorts of materials and color patterns. It is a maze of booths, tents, and pavilions and it could take hours to find the one you are looking for without some assistance or guidance.
The six of you work around the area and none of you can find anything that stands out that would point you to this man. You're at a point where each of you seems at wit's end looking for this man when you meet up again at the far edge of the carnival.
You again near a few carny booths and there is a few little street urchins roaming the area.
Arturr cheerfully approaches one of the Urchins and kneels down."Oi kiddo, tell me where I can find Zograthy and I'll give ya a copper piece." He smiles his most disarming smile.
Just like Dakgorim, thought Tiarsus fondly.
He thought he would bolster the charity and - hopefully - their odds. "And another if you lead us there within the hour."
It was frustrating not being able to find Zograthy, and despite the good-natured priest's natural habits, his patience was wearing thin. I certainly don't want to be here at night.
Arturr cheerfully approaches one of the Urchins and kneels down."Oi kiddo, tell me where I can find Zograthy and I'll give ya a copper piece." He smiles his most disarming smile.
The little boy with a streetwise glare at first looks at Arturr. It then seems his stare turns quizzical. "Wicked! But a copper will only feed me an not me mates! Ya give me handful of copper and I'll take you to the tosser's tent me self!"
He puts a hand out with five fingers...and gives you a big partially toothed smile that only a kid can give you. He then wiggles them a few times and then puts his other hand out palm up.
When the half-elf comes up and offers another coin then one of the boy's friends comes up behind him and chimes in. "Mus be importin these fancy punters askin. How bout a tenner of coppers to feed us all?" He gives a big smile as well as he looks at both of you. At this point the rest of their crew seems to quickly surround you and you now have close to eight or nine kids around you as well as the two boys. Like magic, they suddenly appeared everywhere. The original boy looks at Arrtur and his friend. "Souns bout right mate! A tenner of copper for us and I can get you to this sod's tent right way! Seen it seems portent to you an all!"
"Should have seen this coming, don't you think? I don't know that you've left yourself any options, here. I imagine if you try to not pay them, they'll get a tad more pushy. Not sure I want to attack children to save you a few copper coins."
"Of course we don't attack 'em!" Arturr shouted with a playful nudge of the elbow towards Estel.
"The lad's gotta eat like the rest of us. Good on ya for looking out for your mates lad." Arturr fished a copper out of his pocket and handed it to the lead boy.
"And the rest for your mates when you take us the way. And I ain't no punter, just some gutter slime like the rest of you." He smiles playfully and knowingly at the kid.
Alistar deals in chemicals and seems to know a lot about this area. He talks to the boy the way the boy will understand.
Alista addresses the boy.
"Yes son but now we know he has a tent. That will make him much easier to find. If you're gon'a hustle 'em hustle right. Don't giv'em no information. Ya din't even think about that, now did ya? Never give 'em anything."
.
Keezheekoni finds himself fascinated by the pack mentality of the street urchins, using their numbers to try and gain an advantage against a group of obviously armed adults. "You boys are fierce and brave," he says in his deep voice. "You would go far among the Sklar-Quah, were you born such."
[dice=Local]1d20
Alistar deals in chemicals and seems to know a lot about this area. He talks to the boy the way the boy will understand.
Alista addresses the boy.
"Yes son but now we know he has a tent. That will make him much easier to find. If you're gon'a hustle 'em hustle right. Don't giv'em no information. Ya din't even think about that, now did ya? Never give 'em anything."
.
Alistar realizes that they are surrounded by tents and pavilions as well as booths. One of the little street kids, a small one, leans on your leg as if listening to his friends work this deal out with you. As you look down you notice he is hugging your leg. He might be all of five or six years old. Dirty, poorly dressed, and clearly in need of food.
The second boy gives the first one a small punch on the shoulder when they realize they gave up some valuable information. The first one grabs his shoulder but quickly repositions himself. "Ga luck finding him! I gotta copper in hand thanks to tusks! I can take ya to the tent for our deal of a tenner of copper! It will fill me lad's bellies!"
The second boy chimes in. "Fiver now and me mate will also give you da onions on him as he walks ya to his...booth!" He seems to check the location as he says it. The first boy finishes..."Ain't no nick here mates...fair transaction tween us and you!" The boy seems to straighten up as he makes his last sell on the deal.
Not one to be taken for a fool, Tiarsus waited for the others to affirm the willingness to increase contributions before chipping-in. He agreed with Alistar's frugal thinking, yet his emotions leaned toward generosity toward the poor. These children can be bought-off by people who might wish us harm though...
Either way, he had a handful of coppers ready to go. His eyes panned the horizon for people other than the small ones who might be watching them.
Arturr agrees, this boy was a good haggler. He didn't want to hand them all the coppers at once, seeing as they'd likely just run off. He hands the lead boy four more coppers.
"Fair deal lad, half up front, now lead and onion away."
The first boy smiles. "Deal mate!" He takes the four coppers rings them in his hands and drops them in the second boy's hand. "Be back in a shake or two while I take our fine punters to Zograthy."
The boy taps Arturr on the thigh to tell him he was heading towards the tent. The boy starts walking and doesn't bother to look back. "So what ya need to know Guv?"
The young boy takes to the left around several patched up tents and pavilions. They then has you walk by a booth that looks like it is a game of strength using a sledge hammer and some sort of bell at the top. He then turns to the right and past three or four booths that do skin painting, piercings, and braiding of the hair.
"That's his tent Guv?"
He points to patched up tent with a dirty painted sign next to it saying "Amazing Zograthy, Seer of the Dark", a small, well-patched tent crudely painted with mystical symbols and decorated with chicken bones and other oddments.
Not thinking much of it, Estel moves to the tent flaps and lifts one, holding it open for others to go through, while also hopefully lighting the interior a bit more than the dusk you expect in a fortune teller's tent.
Alistar enters and waits for someone likable to start talking
Not thinking much of it, Estel moves to the tent flaps and lifts one, holding it open for others to go through, while also hopefully lighting the interior a bit more than the dusk you expect in a fortune teller's tent.
Estel walks up to the tent flap and opens it smoke from cheap incense lingers out the doorway into the air. It is hard on the nose but it seems to thin after a few moments.
You can see candles are burning in several sections inside but most of the area is covered in shadow from the doorway.
Your young guide looks at Arrtur and the others as Estel walks up to the tent. "Ok Guv I am going to need the rest of our payment! That is another fiver of coppers." He tugs on Arrtur's pant and covers his mouth with his hand so only Arrtur can hear. [whisper]"Ya pay well and I like you so just be careful with that that one...he be a bit spicy and ain't afraid to call for help if ya know me meaning!"[/whisper]
Arturr bends down as the group reaches the tent so he can better hear the lad whisper.
"Got it, I'll be careful, thanks little brother." He shoot the kid a wide grin and presses five more coppers and a whole gold coin into the boy's hand. "Keep yourself out of trouble now and watch out for those smaller and weaker than you." he whispers to the kid.
Alistar can't help but smile at Arturr's gentleness with children.
Arturr bends down as the group reaches the tent so he can better hear the lad whisper.
"Got it, I'll be careful, thanks little brother." He shoot the kid a wide grin and presses five more coppers and a whole gold coin into the boy's hand. "Keep yourself out of trouble now and watch out for those smaller and weaker than you." he whispers to the kid.
After Arturr puts the coins in the boy's hand and turns the boy opens his hand expecting to see five copper but sees the gold coin and his mouth nearly drops. "Guv! Guv! If ya need anything else just give us a bell and we will help ya if you need it! Me and boys will give ya goods if ya need it!"
Edril is thankful that Arturr is good with children, and generous. It boded well for the future. Things have a way of coming back to you.
Edril also enters the tent and waits for one of the more talkative and genial folks to engage the occupant.
Alistar enters and waits for someone likable to start talking
The rest of the group files into the tent as they do they see within the stuffy, cluttered tent is a table covered in blue velvet stitched with moons, stars, and arcane symbols. A dusty crystal ball and a dog-eared harrow deck sit upon it. Behind this table sits an aged, bald, Varisian
man with threadbare purple robes and piercing eyes—the one and only Amazing Zograthy you assume. He appears to be straightening his robes and looking at the number of people filing into his tent. He is clearly a little nervous.As Arrtur comes in and being the last one he lowers the flap. The man before you clears his throat quickly and he gestures broadly and states
in a tremulous voice, “The Amazing Zograthy sees all and knows all. A double fist of silver for a turn of the cards or a vision in the crystal; a treble fist of gold for the secrets of the multiverse.”
Anyone who succeeds at a DC 20 Perception check
or a DC 12 Heal check on Zograthy notices the telltale
signs of pesh addiction.
"A wonderful job setting the tone," remarked Tiarsus flatly to Zograthy. He relaxed a hair. He's scraping by, it seems.
Maybe he needs a bit of help. That man is an addict, but does the pesh cause delusion, or is there some truth here in the crystal?
He places his hand on the table, the feel of the velvet ample distraction for a moment. Surely he had some means to afford this setup...
"Quite a sum. The children around would do well with but a fraction of that. Do you help feed them? Many could use some bread."
Keezheekoni thumps Arturr on the back and grins at him. "You have a good heart, my friend. It is good to look over the young."
As he steps into the tent, Keezheekoni waves a hand in front of his nose to try to dispel the overpowering incense while looking around intently.
After a brief examination of the man at the table, the young Shoanti man immediately notices the signs of a Pesh addict. "Be wary," he warns the others quietly, "this one is lead by the pesh. Even some in my tribe have succumbed to it's poison."