Cressida offers the group the use of the meeting room, saying "let me know when you're done and please don't delay too much."
Cressida offers the group the use of the meeting room, saying "let me know when you're done and please don't delay too much."
Callie's eyebrow shoots up at "ghost" but when she hears "Lamm" her facial expression darkens.
"I know how she feels. I had my own unfinished business with Lamm. I heard others got to him before me and stopped his nastiness for good. If that was you three, then I owe you."
She waits for them to reveal whatever message they have received.
Garran grins. "Lamm and his filth got the fate they deserved." It's clear he has no regrets whatsoever about their attack on his hideout, nor the killing of him and his lieutenants.
Cressida leaves the room, and the carved wooden box that holds Zellara's heirloom Harrow Deck opens of it's own accord, the cards rising out one-by-one and joining their brethern in a splendid dance.
At Garran's comment, a disembodied voice say "Yes my friend, they certainly did."
The ghostly image of a woman appears in the space where, once she is there, it appears the harrow deck was using as a centerpoint.
She then begins going through the ritual of a reading: She has each of the group members, including Callie, draw a card and asks each group member to note their card. For Garran, it is The Queen Mother; Alika draws The Empty Throne; Allistair pulls The Teamster; and Callie's card resolves itself to be The Cyclone.
After they have their "fate" card (as Zellara puts it), the cards are shuffled back into the deck and each group member then is asked to cut the deck.
After the last cut, 9 cards are selected and laid out in a 3x3 grid; the cards then flip themselves over to reveal the following:
Past Card #1: the Locksmith
Past Card #2: the Crows
Past Card #3: the Mute Hag
Present #1: the Beating
Present #2: the Betrayal
Present #3: the Dance
Future #1: the Foreign Trader
Future #2: the Uprising
Future #3: The Queen Mother
As Zellara takes in the lay of the cards, she begins to explain the divination of the cards:
" Long ago a crow flew into the darkness, sent by a hag who wanted more than she could grasp; the hag sought the key to her freedom, and the ravens were her agents; yet even though they were her agents, she treated them poorly, often killing or maiming them at a whim. As the hag held the heart of the crows in her hands, so did the key to her freedom own the hag."
"To stand at court is to be in a duel; words sing and clash against each other, and the knife of expediency hangs over all, ready to slice at a moment's notice and leave the chosen bloody and raw; trust is a commodity to slowly earned and too quickly spent."
"Long shadows rise over an empty mountain; where villages and towns once stood, only the bodies of the dead litter the streets and darken the doorsteps. A trail of tears leads to the mountain peak, which in it's turn is bathed in blood. Above all, that which abides in shadow watches all...and waits."
As she finishes speaking, her spectral form dissipates, and the cards quickly return themselves to the box, with the lid closing shortly thereafter.
Callie watches the reading with a blend of awe and alertness, watching the ghost and every card move. At the end, after Zellara disappears, she mutters first, softly, "And I thought I could do card tricks..." and then more loudly, "Well, it's most likely an actual divination," she observes, "As most fortune tellers err on the side of telling the client what they want to hear, and that... that was not it."
She places her hands flat on the table. "As fascinating as that was, it only emphasizes that the deck is stacked against us. Croft urges there's not much time, and two decent men's lives are in danger. We need to find a way into Old Korvosa. As she said, it may not be difficult, but we still don't want to be seen. Also, have any of you ever been to Old Korvosa?"
"Yes, I'm quite familiar with the area - I grew up there." The reading bothered Garran - he couldn't make sense of the divination. Who was this...hag...and what effect did she have upon the events of today. The present was obvious - being around the Queen was dangerous and could likely result in death unless you bowed to her whims. But what significance did this mountain of the dead hold to their future? Old Korvosa certainly wasn't a mountain.
Regardless, time was of the essence. "Let's go. We should avoid the bridge held by the Gray Maidens. A crossing by boat should be the best option, possibly at night."
"So... to the docks? If we want to be extra-sneaky we could wait a day, I could use a bunch of water breathing spells, and we could literally walk under the river to cross," says Alika. "Or a boat is fine and we are less likely to damage any of our gear."
Garran looks at Alika, opens his mouth, closes it, then asks, "That's an option?"
Alistair is a bit taken aback bu Alika's suggestion.
That is not an option. No offense but there are...some rather large creatures that hunt in those waters...It was bad enough seeing them from the safety of a boat. I do not wish to see them up close and personal in their own environment. I suggest we just walk in. The Greys have orders to keep those inside...well inside. I think we could just walk in. Getting out will take a little more work.
He stops and thinks for a moment.
We could take a boat back and forth from the north shore. Coming and going from the city through trails end and the north bridge. They have put so much effort into keeping people inside the island that they may not have the resources to secure the land around the island.
2) Walk across the bottom;
3) Walking around the long way.
Callie appears lost in thought for a moment. "I don't know of anyone headed into the area--rumors of Blood Veil still being heavy there are going to make it hard to convince anyone to aid us. I agree with... Garran, you said your name was? A boat, by night, incurs the least risk. But we may be on our own to obtain and pilot it. I like the sneaky water breathing option but not so much the being eaten by river monsters part. And for walking in... sorry, Alistair, but no. If you're the renowned 'heroes' of Korvosa, the Maidens will keep an eye out for you even if for no one else. They might ignore us but that is not a risk I am willing to take given the nature of our mission, not when there are other options. Any of you have contacts at the docks?"
She nods at Alistair. "Going by North Shore isn't a bad idea either... but that presumes we can cross one of the other bridges to get there without drawing attention. How guarded are they right now? If traffic has resumed as normal, we should be able to blend in with the crowd."
I do not think we will have any trouble moving about the city, I doubt even the high and mighty queen would block off every entrance to and from this city. We head east out of the city by way of the north bridge. Once across we have two options. A...we turn north and make for Trails End. That neighborhood is not too friendly but I have had a drink or two there...and yes I lost my coin purse just about every time I was there. I think we could get a boat there...for a price. Option B..we turn south and make for Thief Camp which is just above East Shore. Most people there do not care much for the majority within the city itself but we should be able to find what we need there. Once we get a boat we sail north and then west. We land on the north shore of Old Korvosa. Stash our boat and make our way inland. All under the cover of darkness of course. This is if all goes well and we know how our luck is, so it should be fun.
That night, the group makes their way down the the docs area between Old and New Korvosa. Surprisingly, you do not encounter anyone down on the docks, almost as if people were terrified of sharing water with Old Korvosa.
You can easily find a boat whose owner you manage to convince to let you use: he's too busy getting drunk to care.
The group clambers in and a tense session of stealth rowing begins. Trying to be as quiet as you can, it takes considerably longer than it normally would to row the boat across. No one is waiting to meet you as you tie up the boat and climb onto the dock.
As you stand on the docks taking in the...absolute lack of people, it quickly becomes apparent why: arrows start raining down on you from the still-standing bridge. None hit you, but the message is quickly made loud and clear when a boulder the size of a human head smashes into your boat, followed by a pair more for good measure. It quickly begins to sink.
Taking the hint, you make your way up the ramps and into the city proper. There is no one waiting for you.
Old Korvosa is, if possible, somehow even worse that you remember it; in addition to the perpetual trash, dead bodies lay in the gutters as well, a few with visible signs of Bloodveil even from this distance; the scent of disease and dead bodies has only heightened the truly horrific odor the place gives off, and so bad is it that you can almost taste the smell.
In addition to the normally dilapidated buildings, there are several places where fires have consumed buildings entirely; the skeleton laying on what remains of a bed inside one of these buildings tells the story of what happened all too well.
Garran looks about the streets of Old Korvosa, getting his bearings, before asking, "Alika, does the temple of Sarenrae have any presence here in Old Korvosa?"
"We had to address the Bloodveil, and it's worst in the poorest parts of the city," says Alika while she casts her gaze around the downtrodden and suffering, even as she pulls a veil over her own face to help filter out the smell of the dying. "But... no formal temple structure in this specific area; too much of the city is suffering from decay and neglect and all we can manage are traveling medics and the occasional shrine. We might be able to find a marginally safe place to stay for the night, but... this part of the city has long been afflicted, and it's only getting worse now."
Once safe from the volley, Callie looks around, trying to figure out who fired upon them -- Grey Maidens or residents of Old Korvosa?
"I would have preferred a stealthier approach, but we're in now for better or worse, I guess." She looks around, grimacing at the grisly sight around them. "In a rougher part of my life, I lived around here and had a few hidey holes, but I'm not sure what might be safe to go to. Still, we should keep moving... and stick to the shadows as much as we can. I'm sure there's got to be somewhere..." She gestures toward moving northward, deeper into the old city.
Alistair turns his head this way and that, trying to get a sense of where they are.
I am not sure exactly where we are but I might be able to direct us to a place where we may get some information. I have made the rounds here a few times.
Garran looked over the area - it was clear things had only gotten worse in Old Korvosa since he'd gotten out. Idly, he wondered if any of his siblings were still around - or his parents. They'd never been a close family, and he had few fond memories of them. Still, they might know him for who he really was, and the last thing he needed was for it to get around Tymo Flint was alive. He'd gone to too much effort burying his past for that.
Alistair smiles slightly...
I think I know where we are...I think there is a tavern....
Alistair does indeed know where there is a tavern; it's what remains of a small warehouse, and the walls have holes in them, but there are people inside drinking and laughing, unlike the streets outside.
Light from multiple fires flickers out of the holes in the walls, and the large warehouse doors are closed against the night cold.
Not an exciting place to stay, but there are at least people having a good time inside...
As Garran walks, he tries to remember safe places in this area, but nothing in this area looks similar to what he remembered from his younger days, or even recent trips to the city.
As Alistair proposes the tavern, Callie nods. "Let's see what we can find out about what's going on in the area."
Presuming they go in, she orders whatever most people are having and listens to what people are talking about before approaching someone for more information. She pays attention in particular to mentions of the Maidens, Orsini, or this "Emperor" that Kroft mentioned.
If she needs to, she'll start initiating talk but wants to see what the buzz is first.
Garran goes into the tavern, buying not only himself a drink, but also others to see what they can tell him about goings on regarding Orsini, such as where his home might be and if he's been seen recently.
Alistair starts to walks towards the tavern. With a light skip to his step, he enters with a bright smile. While the others make the rounds in the main room, the handsome man goes right to the best sources in any drinking establishment. Stepping up to the bar, he places a silver coin on the bar. When the bartender comes by...
...an ale. Thank you.
When the bartender returns, Alistair slides a gold piece on to the bar. He pushes it towards the tavern worker.
...just for your time...
Alistair keeps his voice polite and loud enough that it is heard by the bartender.
I am looking for Master Orsini. I would be most gracious with any information to his whereabouts.
He pushes one more coin forward.
Taking a long draw from his mug of ale, the agile warrior glances around the room for a moment to get a good look at the patrons.
His gaze returns to the bartender and he again pushes a coin forward.
...also would like to know anything about...others that have been asking about the man.
Callie recalls where Orsini's house is located. He lives in a smaller house about a mile from his school, and if you didn't know better, you'd miss it. The only reason she knows is she played a gig at a house down the street, and someone mentioned it offhandedly.
Pulling open the warehouse doors reveals a grimy looking open space dominated by makeshift tables and mismatched chairs. Each table has a candle sitting on it, although less than a quarter actually have lit candles.
Turning to your left as you enter, you see the bar, which appears to be made of crates that have a bunch of pieces of cloth thrown over the top.
Behind the bar sits a burly, scarred Half-Orc who is missing half his left ear, and the only places on his arms not covered with tattoos are covered in scars.
Sitting at the bar are a half dozen men generously described as guards. A better description might be thugs; they appeared to the the sort of disposible brawler that rogue's guilds love to employ in great numbers and muscle.
Each, however, wears a tabard made of red cloth with a black crown on the chest. The group of them are laughing when your group opens the door.
The laughter stops, and all eyes look the character's direction.
Seeing the Unwelcome Wagon receive them, Callie decides to create a distraction so the others can have quieter discussions.
At the intense silence, she grins and spreads her arms wide. Her accent has shifted slightly, to the rougher tones usually heard on these streets, as though she'd lived here all her life. "Ah, my friends, I see you recognize Cobalt and are dying to hear a good story! Tough times we have to be sure, so how's something to lighten spirits, like the one about old One Eyed Yakob?"
She perches on a stool and begins telling a well known tale about a Old Korvosa thief cutting the knees out of a nobleman; it is full of violence and debauchery--something she guesses this crowd will enjoy.
Garran looks over the toughs, considers whether or not he could handle them if this turned violent, and decided the best option was to defuse the situation. "Gentlemen, no need to stop your carousing on our account. May I buy you a round?"
Alika keeps to herself instead of speaking up, so far; but she follows Garran and makes no attempt to hide her calling as a priestess, indeed wearing her golden angelic-shaped holy symbol proudly.
Alistair starts to walks towards the tavern. With a light skip to his step, he enters with a bright smile which fades quickly at the sight within. While the others make the rounds in the main room, the handsome man goes right to the best sources in any drinking establishment. Stepping up to the bar, he places a silver coin on the bar. When the bartender comes by...
...an ale. Thank you.
When the bartender returns, Alistair slides takes a drink and turns to watch the story bneing told. He makes sure to keep an eye on the thugs.
As Garran, Alika, and Alistair approach the bar and Callie grabs one of the more stable-looking chairs near the bar, the man who appears to be in charge of the thugs nods at one of the guys, who leaves the tavern. He then addresses the group:
"Well now bois, here's somethin ya don see everahday: a group of people holding the King's tax come find his collectors!" this sparks a round of laughter from the men, who have all sat down their drinks.
He then addresses Garran and says "Tell you what. You give us a poke at your three [INSERT VARISIAN WORD FOR FEMALE SEX WORKER]s and we'll give you a discount." he gestures at Alika, Callie...and Alistair when he speaks.
"How's that sound to you?"
Meanwhile, the Half-Orc takes Alistair's coin and pours him a drink. It's watered down rum, a sailor's drink known as Grog.
When he hands Alistair his drink, he stares at him hard in the eyes and then looks pointedly at the door.
He's passing you a secret message: Go.
Callie is not the type of person used to being ignored or to stop things once she starts--what kind of bard would she be to give up on the opportunity to perform?--so while she catches the signals being shared swiftly, carries on beginning her story, but pulling upon her bardic training, she swiftly turns the tale toward One Eyed Yakob making short work of impotent drunken toughs. The language she uses is graphic, vibrant, and dark--and aimed at intimidating the red-glad hooligans.
"This..." says Alika quietly, holding her angelic gold holy symbol, "... is hardly the attire of a sex worker."
Alistair catches Garran's eye and nods towards the departing thug.
"Well now bois, here's somethin ya don see everahday: a group of people holding the King's tax come find his collectors!" this sparks a round of laughter from the men, who have all sat down their drinks.
He then addresses Garran and says "Tell you what. You give us a poke at your three [INSERT VARISIAN WORD FOR FEMALE SEX WORKER]s and we'll give you a discount." he gestures at Alika, Callie...and Alistair when he speaks.
"How's that sound to you?"
Meanwhile, the Half-Orc takes Alistair's coin and pours him a drink. It's watered down rum, a sailor's drink known as Grog.
Alistair looks from the Half-Orc to the thugs and then back to the Half-Orc. He downs the Grog in one gulp. Nods appreciatively at the bartender and turns to head towards the door. Motioning to each of his companions to head for the door. As he gets to the door...
Gentlemen, no need to be rude...I will wait outside for all of you. I will take one at a time or all at once. Whatever your desire.With that he winks and blows the speaker a seductive kiss.
Garran looks at Alistair somewhat confused, then shrugs. He says, "Sorry, gentelmen. Perhaps another time." He heads to the door with Alistair.
Alistair and Garran head outside, with Alistair making his proclamation. The men get to their feet, and then Callie's words wash over the men, and the greed and anger in their eyes is replaced by a more primal emotion: fear. The leader audibly gulps, then sits back down as Callie and Alika exit the bar.
As they move away from the warehouse-turned-tavern, Callie speaks quietly to the group. "Nicely smoothed over, my friends. But did you see those outfits they had on? Gangers weren't really wearing 'uniforms' last time I lived here. But with the crown and mentioning a king, I reckon they might have something to do with this 'Emperor.' If we can find a place nearby to lay low, we could wait till they leave and then follow them and see where they take these 'taxes' they've claimed to collect."
Alika nods. "That's as good a lead as any. Nice thinking, Callie."
The group doesn't have long to wait after hiding in one of the burned husks of building nearby. After several minutes, the thugs come swaggering out, clearly having taken a hit to their ego.
Not seeing the group, the leader instructs his men to spread out and find our heroes, while he "Goes and reports to Jabbyr and tells him to warm up his Tall Knife. One of the thugs involuntarily shudders when his leader mentions the Tall Knife.
The thugs then scatter, looking for the party, while the leader turns and heads in a different direction.
Callie nods in thanks to Alika.
When the thugs come out of the tavern, Callie points to each member of the party and whispers a mystic command, and then everyone can hear her whispering in their ears via a message spell.
"Let's follow," She says, pointing at the leader. "We should probably spread out a little, but this spell will let us converse up to just shy of 200 feet or so away from each other."