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Korvosa, a city on the brink!
King Eodred II lies dying of an unknown disease. A disease which has resisted all attempts, magical and mundane, to cure it. The Saffron King Was a shrewd negotiator, if unexceptional monarch, whose trade agreements often enriched Korvosa's coffers. Money which was as often as not spent on a lavish lifestyle as it was on numerous public works, which endeared him to the local populace.
It was such a lifestyle that, given his penchant for younger women, no one seemed shocked when he, after a scandalously short courtship, married Ileosa Arvanxi, a noblewoman from one of Westcrown's most powerful families, a woman a third his age. It soon became clear that Ileosa held nothing but contempt for Korvosa and it's citizens often calling the city little more than a "backwater colonial village". It was this disdain that did little to endear her to her subjects, many of which called her "the foreign harlot" (others called her much worse).
It is into this chaotic time our heroes find themselves given a chance to find revenge upon an old enemy who has wronged them and to rise to the occasion and be heralded has "Heroes of Korvosa".
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Upon returning to your office after another fruitless search for your clients missing child, an unfortunate waif who has disappeared into the streets of Korvosa like so many before her, you find a strange envelope sitting upon your desk. Opening it you find a Harrow card, a fortune telling device used by many of the local Varisian's to divine the future. The picture upon this one is that of a centaur loaded down with gear and equipment. On the back of the card, written in a woman's handwriting, is a note that reads "I know what Gaedren has done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done." Gaedren Lamm, the man you hold responsible for your personal downfall. A drug pusher and Fagin-like gang boss who uses the city's downtrodden children to do his dirty work. If this note is true and this mysterious benefactor knows Lamm's location you could put an end to this bastard and Korvosa would be a much better place.
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After the Zenith prayers and your midday meal You return to your cell at the temple for some rest and meditation before returning to the main hall for the Dusk prayers. As you hang up your cloak you notice something strange on the pillow of your cot. Lying there is a Harrow card, a fortune telling device many of the local Varisian's use to divine the future. The card is that of The Midwife, a card signifying the arrival of new ideas and information. Examining the mysterious card closer you find a note written on the back ""I know what Gaedren has done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done."
You drop the card in horror as the memories of your time under Gaedren's "mercy" come flooding back. Despite all the years of tutelage with the priest's of Sarenrae you can't help but feel the bitterness and despair of your youth return. Perhaps you would be doing Sarenrae's bidding if you and these "others" the card speaks about could give the citizen's of Korvosa a little mercy by ending Lamm's reign of terror over the city's forgotten children.
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Having arrived in Korvosa only a few short weeks ago you have spent your time prowling the city's streets searching the local jewelry stores and pawn shops for your beloved Svetlana's ring. Then as fate would have it you stumbled upon your ring in the window of a local pawn shop called "Tarren's Trinkets" owned by a man named Tarren Orwell. You charge into the shop the shop and demand the return of the ring but Tarren is unwilling to just give it to you, but he will sell it to you for 500 gold pieces. Despite your best efforts to intimidate the man he just won't budge. Taking pity on your story he explains that he purchased the ring off a man named Gaedren Lamm, a local ne'er do well and would be crime boss who runs a gang of local children to do his bidding.
That was two days ago and your search for this Lamm character has since turned up empty. The people you have questioned about his whereabouts have all told you the same thing, they've heard about him but couldn't tell you where he hides out as he changes locations often always to stay one step ahead of the local watch. Frustrated you return to your room at the Three Ring Tavern and hang up your cloak before turning in for the night to try again in the morning. As you place your cloak on it's hook something falls from it's inside pocket. How'd that get there?" you muse as you pick the object up. Looking at it you realize it's a Harrow card from a deck of cards the local Varisian's use to divine the future. Upon the card is a picture of a fortress or castle made mobile by some sort of mechanical arms and legs. Turning the card over you find a note scribbled across the back "I know what Gaedren has done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done." What in the Hells? How could someone know what Lamm had done to you and your beloved Svetlana when you just found out about him a few days ago? This bears investigating but if they're lying then God's help them.
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Returning to your flat after your last client of the night you watch the morning sun rise as you idly flip through your Harrow deck. Something feels odd as you shuffle the cards. Looking down you notice a 55th card, one with a backing different from yours. Pulling the card from the deck you realize it is The Vision, knowledge from out of the blue. Written across the card is a note "I know what Gaedren has done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at sunset. Others like you will be there. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done."
Gaedren Lamm, the man who got you addicted to the drugs that almost killed you. Gaedren Lamm, the man who enriched himself off your body. You hadn't heard that name in over a year and you had hoped that he had died and that cursed Lannis along with him. Yet like all cockroaches he had managed to survive. Yet this mysterious person who managed to place this card in your deck, no mean feat in itself, claims to have information about his whereabouts.
Your attempts at sleep throughout the day are fitful as you struggle with your dreams. Alternating between the old woman who started you on your life's path, Gaedren with his dirty face and rotted teeth, Lannis and his cruel smile, and like all recovering addicts, the seductive pull of Shiver and it's false dreams. You awaken covered in sweat an hour or so before sundown. If you hurry you can make it to this rendezvous with your destiny and finally end the nightmare that is Gaedren Lamm.
”My, the pickpockets and pushers in this city are quite remarkable.” Sykes muses as he stares at the card on the floor before carefully moving to pick it up. ”Lovely art, a playbill for a fantasy?” he thinks aloud as he turns the card over.
He has to catch himself before his fingers bend and crumple the card in his focus. ”This city is quite mad,” he finally says to himself before putting his coat back on and pocketing the card, heading to the address specified.
Viria stared at the fallen 'midwife' harrow card as she attempted to push away the old, terrible memories of Gaedren Lamm. Briefly closing her eyes, she uttered a whispered prayer unto the candlelit cell, "May the light and truth set me free. May the Everlight grant me patience, temperance and peace." It was an old prayer she had learned as a child in the temple and it could still her racing heart and mind for a short time. She opened her eyes.
Viria watched the flame of the lone candle on the worn night table by her cot. It swayed due the wind coming through the small breaches in the stone wall and she listened as it crackled and spluttered. This meditation helped Viria gain some greater control over her emotions. She bent down to collect the card from the stone floor. She wiped down its face before stowing it deep inside the pocket of her travelling cloak before throwing the garment back over her clothes and the hood over her hair. The note had said to meet at sunset and it was already dusk, so she would have to hurry if she was to arrive at an acceptable time. Who knows my secret? What others will be there? These questions turned in her mind as Viria briskly set out of the temple grounds and made for Lancet Street.
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Aleziella had felt shock and surprise at finding the harrow card in her deck. How has this gotten in here? Who put it there? But when she read the message she felt excitement and a grim smile lit up her face. Yes! Gaedren Lamm. Seems like you have wronged more people than me. It's time for you to pay. She offered up a brief prayer to Calistria in thanks. "Thank you Sacred Sting for bringing me in path of this opportunity. I vow that I'll do the utmost to uphold your holy vengeance, so please bless me in this endeavour."
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After waking up and noticing the position of the sun, Aleziella rushes over to the basin to wash herself. She's meticulous even as she hurries, being clean is important in her profession. Damn, I won't have time to commune to refresh my spells. She thinks while preparing herself. The young elf dresses in her provocative outfit, a low cut top that pushes up her perky medium sized breasts and makes them seem larger that also leaves her midriff bare along with a sheer skirt that hugs her hips with a long slit up each side to make movement easier and to reveal tantalising flashes of bare flesh underneath. She also fastens a metal corset that perfectly fits with the top. It's not much, but it might offer some protection and it doesn't impede her in any way.
With a last look around she grabs her bow and a quiver and offer another prayer to Calistria before leaving. "My desire for vengance burns bright. I've worked tirelessly in holy service to sate the lust of the needy. Please shine your blessings on me as I carry out that which is coming for the wicked men of this world. The unquenchable fire, the lady in the room, I call upon thee so you can see what I'm about to do and lend me what luck you can so that I might succeed." Finally she sets of, walking at a hurried pace to make it to the meeting place on time.
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Joeseph gets to his office a little tired. Although physically rested, he is tired of following cold leads, of people too scared to be helpful and of authorities too entitled to care. "Another unhelpful person", he says to an office partner that doesn't exist. No one wanted to share the space and the rent. Speaking of rent, Joeseph looked into his pockets and didn't dare to touch the two silver pieces to his name.
After hanging his old hat on the coat hanger he thinks over the leads he has so far, which aren't many. Little Tanya is still missing and he has no idea what to tell her parents. Not that they'd be able to pay him for his work, so he won't charge them for anything. Most of the times, thankful parents always offer something anyway. Last time, he found a boy who run away and his father gave Joeseph a young chicken. For a while, he considered keeping it as company, but hunger spoke louder.
Only then does he walk over to the table where an envelope is waiting for him. "Who...?", he starts looking at the door, then deciding someone must have slipped the envelope under the door and the landlord found it and put it on the table as he came for the week's rent. Good thing I was looking for Tanya, he thinks grinning.
Inside he finds a mysterious Harrow card and an address with directions. It mentions Gaedren Lamm, an old grudge of Joeseph's. Finally a chance of payback, he thinks. He considers for a moment that this is too easy for him. Solutions don't usually sit on his desk. In fact, he is used to be given problems in that office. On the other hand, an "organization" known as Lamm's Lambs kidnapped children to work on petty crimes, and if Tanya was caught there, he should follow that lead.
Joeseph immediately left his office with the card in his pocket. He took his old stained hat, walking cane and satchel filled with alchemical substances which he found useful and walked out the door looking at the sign that said Joes--- Hill, Pr---te Inv-stigations. He went to the designated spot way earlier than requested but kept his distance. The middle aged man spent the afternoon examining the flow of people and what to expect from whoever had summoned him, while at the same time keeping quite inconspicuous. Depending on what he sees, he enters the building at the designated time.
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Making your way through the unfamiliar streets seems to be more of a hassle than you anticipated but you finally arrive at your destination. Looking through the window of building you notice a large circular table set in the middle of a large front room. Several brocaded tapestries hang from the walls. Entering you wrinkle your nose as you breathe in the smell of flowers and heavy spice coming from several sticks of incense burning in some wall mounted burners. In the center of the table is a note underneath a stone paperweight. Picking it up you read "Thank you for coming. I had to step out for a bit, but shall return shortly. Please, have a seat while you wait. The basket under the table contains bread and drink for you.". For indeed a wicker basket wrapped in a blue cloth sits under the table. As you reach for it the door behind you opens.
Travelling from the Temple of Sarenrae to Lancet Street you arrive a little before sunset. Moving furtively down the street to make sure you aren't being watched or followed you arrive at #3. It's a rather nondescript house like many of the others on the street. Walking in you smell the incense of flowers burning almost being overpowered by the strong smell of spice. Three tapestries hang from the walls. One shows some sort of black skulled beast juggling human hearts, another depicts a pair of angels dancing on a snow covered peak, while the third is that of tall cloaked figure, shrouded in mist, holding a flaming sword in a skeletal hand. Standing in the middle of the room is a pale skinned man holding a blue wrapped bundle in his hands. As you open your mouth to speak the door behind you bursts open.
Getting dressed you leave your flat and stride purposely through the city streets to your meeting. Arriving just as the sun is beginning to set you barge into the tiny house. Taking everything in, the smell of burning incense to the macabre wall hangings you are surprised to see a pair of humans, a man and a woman, standing in the middle of the room. Both are as surprised to see you as you are them. As you begin to question them the door behind you opens again.
Others like you will be there. The words from the card echoes through Aleziella's mind as she studies the two in front of her. Both of them look surprised to see her, so she quickly concludes they're not the ones who sent the card. She fishes out the card she received and holds it up. "I got a message to come here. That there would be others with a common cause against the wretched Gaedren Lamm. By the looks of things, you're neither the ones who sent the message, nor part of a setup against me, which you must be others with grievances against him, am I correct?" The brusque nature of her dialogue is quite at odds with her seductive outfit. The longbow certainly don't fit the image of a normal courtesan either. Still, her smile is genuine. She's excited to finally be doing something about her problems after several months of barely managing to deal with herself.
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Joeseph makes a mental note that the man seems to be looking for that place as well. He enters the building after many others entered and keeps an eye out to make sure everyone he saw is accounted for. He thinks he remembers the elven female from his darker days, but it could be his mind playing tricks on him. Still, remembering that time makes him shiver and he feels the drug's withdrawal. He picks a piece of chewing tobacco and puts it in his mouth.
"Pungent, but not unpleasant," Sykes thinks aloud as he takes in the cozy room. Looking at the note on the table he chuckles to himself, was he that early? But odd, he thought, to be asked for a meeting and then knowingly not be there to greet those whose presence you requested.
Crouching down for the snack he jumps and reumes his normal height when the door opens. "Oh, hello, summoner or summoned?" he asks.
He was tall, pale, lean, and sharp like a tree in the middle of winter. In a very spooky forest. He wore dark leathers under his equally dark duster, but had his traveling hat hanging by its cord next to the greatsword slung over his shoulder, showing off his curly dark hair and pale red eyes. "Regardless, Sykes Vorkanna, pleased to meet you."
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"That is correct," he tells the elf after she asks about the current situation they found themselves in. "Snack?" he offers while holding the basket out for her with a smile of his own.
Viria was uncertain that walking into the house without a face to face invitation was the wisest course, yet she found herself inside, surrounded by the pungent fragrance of burning incense and spice.
The three decorative tapestries were indeed curious and she examined their depictions a little more closely; hoping to discern any divine significance in their portrayals.
Viria then noted the pale-skinned man in the centre of the room.
Crouching down for the snack he jumps and resumes his normal height when the door opens. "Oh, hello, summoner or summoned?" he asks.
"I have been summoned, as you have, it appears. Well met..Sykes Vorkanna. I.."
Then the door opened behind her and Viria turned to see an intriguing Elven woman entering through its portals.
"By the looks of things, you're neither the ones who sent the message, nor part of a setup against me, which you must be others with grievances against him, am I correct?"
The Elven woman reached the point rather abruptly, that Viria gave a small, soft, nervous laugh before answering, "Aye. It appears we may all be familiar with Gaedren Lamm."
Then looking from the Elven woman to the Human male named Sykes, she politely introduced herself, "I am Viria Volus. Well met, mistress," Viria could not use the woman's name for she had not given it, yet.
I wonder if there will others attending this curious meeting?
"Snack?" he offers while holding the basket out for her with a smile of his own.
As the pale Sykes offered the Elf food from the basket he was holding, Viria shook her head and politely replied, "None for me, thank you. I recently supped."
Then she asked both people, her voice and manner/demeanour steady and respectful. "Do either of you know whose house this is and why we, in particular, have been invited?"
"Pleased to meet you as well, Viria Volus," Sykes states when the Cleric introduces herself. "I have no clue who lives here, being a recent arrival to this... city. But it's fair to say on why we were all picked."
"I'm not certain if it was a wise decision to come here when the person of the house is unknown to us and not here to greet us on arrival. I hope all will be well," she uttered quietly to Sykes Vorkanna.
Looking more closely at the pale man (yet not too directly lest she disconcert him), Viria gave a small, encouraging smile and asked, "If it is not too impertinent, may I ask where have you recently come from, Master Sykes?"
Aleziella looks suspiciously at the offered food then abruptly turns and step away from the door as it opens. She's surprised when she recognizes the guy who enters. Wait, I know him! He used to hang out at the Den! He's an addict! Did Gaedren coerce him to come here to attack us somehow? Her hands tightens on the bow before she takes notices he doesn't have a weapon drawn and she remembers the unfortunate incident where he hired her without being able to perform himself.
Stifling laughter she relaxes her grip and greets the group. "I'm Aleziella Libuyaza, it's a pleasure to meet you. You can't guess guess how happy I am to find someone who shares my desire for vengance against Gaedren." She nods against Viria.
The dual hair-colored elf then turn towards Sykes abs stretches out her hand with a smile. "Yes thank you, I'm famished and haven't eaten."
”Nidal,” Sykes answers without reservation. ”Does that unsettle you?”
When Aleziella takes up the offer of food and stretches out her hand Sykes roots around in the basket before producing the snacks for her.
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In walks a middle-aged man, with a stained hat, a walking cane, a satchel and dark bags under his eyes. He has a tobacco smell about him and his presence is uncomfortable. As Aleziella introduces herself, he makes a face that he remembered something, then looks down embarrassed. "Not sure I've come to the right place", he says. "What is this, a party?"
”About to be, it seems.”
"We are all offended parties in this it seems." Aleziella says with a grim look and looks over to Sykes. "What brings you all the way here from Nidal? I'm guessing it has something to do with Gaedren Lamm? It doesn't matter to me where you are from. If you're willing to help take out that vile being, I'll welcome you with open arms." She props her bow up against a nearby chair and spreads her arms wide to offer a hug to Sykes. There's a burning intensity in her mismatched eyes which contrast quite sharply with her lithe and young body.
Sykes looks at the elf for a moment before speaking. ”Svetlana. She was beyond dear to me, my own light in the dark. She was also traveling with circuit doctors to learn new techniques.” He pauses, just briefly enough. ”They found her body in this city, minus a gift I had given her. A ring. I made my way here as soon as I found out and scoured the shops of ill-repute. I found the ring... with a nice little price tag attached. So I found it, but can’t get. But I also got a name. Lamm. Haven’t found him yet either.”
He keeps his focus on the witch as she opens her arms, thinking, before sighing as just a little bit of weight leaves his mind, however temporary. ”Thank you.” he says as he moves to accept her hug in turn.
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Aleziella hugs him close, stroking his back slowly. His muscled body is turning her mind to other things for a moment, but she stops herself and focuses on business as she says. "Gaedren have wronged us all in some way. He does unspeakable things with little regard for those who's lives get ruined by his actions. I can't undo what he has done, none of us can. But we can make him pay."
She lets go and steps back catching the other with her eyes. "What do you all say? Gaedren deserves nothing but vengeance. We could team up and take him out of business."
After the hug Sykes takes a step back and bows slightly. "A proposal I'm all too eager to accept. Do any of you know where he lairs though?"
As if on cue the door opens once again and n attractive middle aged Varisian woman walks in her long brown hair held in place by a decorative scarf. She blinks a few times before saying to you all "My apologies. My errands ran longer than I anticipated. Thank you all for coming on such short notice. Please have a seat" She indicates the chairs stationed around the circular table as she seats herself. She pulls a deck of Harrow cards from her pocket and begins idly shuffling them as she begins her tale. "I am Zellara Esmeranda and, again, I thank you for coming and for putting up with my unusual way of contacting you. I have reason to remain hidden, you see—a vicious man would see great harm done to me if he knew I was reaching out for help. This man has done something terrible to each of you as well. I speak, of course, of Gaedren Lamm, a man whose cruelty and capacity to destroy the lives of those he touches are matched only by his gift for avoiding reprisal. You see, a year ago, his thieves stole this, my harrow deck, from me. It is important to me, an heirloom passed down through a dozen generations, and also my sole means of support. When Lamm’s pickpockets stole it, my son Eran tracked them down and returned my deck to me. But Gaedren had him followed, and soon after he left my home, Gaedren’s thugs murdered him.
“I sought help from the Korvosan Guard, but they turned me away. And so I asked around. I paid bribes. I consulted my harrow deck for advice. And recently, I was rewarded—I found out where Gaedren dwells. He can be found in an old fishery north of here, at Westpier 17, where he trains abducted children to be pickpockets and counts his stolen treasures.
“But I need your help. I cannot hope to face this man on my own, and the Guard moves so slowly that if they were willing to help, Gaedren would certainly know of their coming well in advance. And even if they arrested him, what guarantee would I have he would be punished? This criminal has evaded the law for decades. But you know of these frustrations as well, for word on the street has it that Gaedren has wronged each of you, too. So there we are. It is time for him to pay.”
Aleziella takes a seat when offered and bears a grim smile through the woman's tale, but she speaks up at once she is done. "We are the ones who should be thanking you. Thank you Zellara for bringing me, for bringing me, for bringing us here. I've considered for months how I would be able to bring holy blessed vengeance down upon Gaedren Lamm." The elf holds up her holy symbol for a moment, the three knives of Calistria.
"You bringing us here, give us that opportunity. With his location known, all we need to do is but strike. Of course we should plan first. We can't afford to fail. You'll have my bow and my magic as well." The elf pats her bow at the mention of a weapon and at the mention of magic, she brings forth her own harrow deck and begins shuffling.
Taking out the vision she was given she hands it over to the woman. "I believe this belongs to you?"
Sykes takes a seat as instructed as Zellara begins her tale, setting the bowl of refreshments on the table as he does.
"It is," Sykes simply says after. "My sympathies for the loss of Eran." he says as he also offers her back her harrow card.
Before she could respond to Sykes' question regarding Lamm's lair, the door opened and their host had apologetically arrived. Taking one of the empty seats, Viria listened to the Varisian woman's explanation and reasoning. She respectfully echoed some of the others' words of sympathy, "I am sorry for the loss of your son, Mistress Zellara." The knowledge of Lamm's current location was a boon - he was a slippery one for sure and didn't linger in one place for too long. So, he has newly abducted children to do his dirty bidding ... Viria understood what that meant from personal experience and a dark anger began to rise inside her even as her mind tempered the reaction with the teachings of her faith. We use our powers of good to avoid violence when possible. We cleanse the foulness around us with blinding flames. Gaedren Lamm was certainly an evil man and Viria wished his reign of terror would cease sooner than later. She would aid these people, in the manner she could. Her anger and pain weren't wretchedly bloodthirsty, but a searing flame which inspired her toward good. Her hand instinctively reached up, inside the front fold of her cloak, to brush across the iron symbol of the Everlight.
"We must do what we can to stop Gaedren Lamm from continuing on his malevolent path and rescue the children. It would appear there are, at least, two goddesses represented in this sacred endeavour. I am a healer in main, yet possess holy fire to cleanse the darkest stains. I will do what I can to aid you in this pursuit." The timbre of her voice was softly husky and her words were steady and measured. There was no hubris behind her words; simply an earnest promise of aid.
As she watched Sykes and Aleziella return their cards to Zellara, so did Viria follow suit; drawing the card from the pocket of her cloak and offering it to their host. "Here is your card, Mistress Zellara."
"We must do what we can to stop Gaedren Lamm from continuing on his malevolent path and rescue the children. It would appear there are, at least, two goddesses represented in this sacred endeavour. I am a healer in main, yet possess holy fire to cleanse the darkest stains. I will do what I can to aid you in this pursuit." The timbre of her voice was softly husky and her words were steady and measured. There was no hubris behind her words; simply an earnest promise of aid.
"Three by my count, or am I alone in seeing the roses sprouting from the ground?" Sykes states as if what he was saying was the most obvious thing as he idly points his hand towards the floor.
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A little perplexed, Viria looked to the indicated place on the floor; however there were no roses she could see. Is this man plagued by some malady of the mind or is there something more ethereal going on? she silently mused. Viria did not want to cause Sykes any distress, so she did not speak her true thoughts aloud. Instead, she tried a subtle gambit in hopes of the prompting the pale-skinned man to explain. She cast her mind to any gods who took on the symbolic form of a rose.
"Perhaps, you have been blessed with seeing such roses? Is this a familiar and sacred sight to you, Master Sykes?", Viria asked discreetly.
Sykes blinks at Viria’s question, he then looks around at the other’s reaction, or rather lack of reaction till now. ”I... hadn’t even thought of that. I started seeing them in fever dreams, from a disease that nearly slew me some time ago. Those dreams and Svetlana helped me recover, so it didn’t occur to me that seeing roses sprout up through blood in the ground might not be an everyday occurrence. I only started seeing them outside my dreams after I learned what happened to my Lana. They followed me here. Or did they lead me?”
He then tilted his head. ”Granted I don’t really talk to.... well, anyone that much so the subject really hasn’t really come up before now. My apologies for not realizing and presenting a fool. Something I wanted to look into is who is sending these flowers, that only I can see apparently. Or is it simply some lingering madness from the disease?”
”Or a divine madness? Regardless, that is merely a whimsy. Taking care of Lamm before he can conduct any more tragedies into being takes priority first and foremost.” he said with a bit of a sad smile.
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Viria noted the sadness-tinged smile and it moved her heart. She reached out and gently and briefly touched the top of the man's hand in an effort to comfort; even being strangers as they were. Comfort was not always available to the victims of Gaedren Lamm. She had learned this from a young age.
"That the rose dreams, alongside your Svetlana, helped in your recovery makes me believe that there is a divine presence watching over you for good. This is a sacred boon. Let us take care of the troubles with Lamm first, and you say, and then permit me to help you discover the significance of these roses? Gaining this knowledge may give you a semblance of peace or greater purpose."
"It's great that we have the backing of the gods. The more we can do to tip the odds in our favor the better. I might not be as well-versed in divine practices as you Viria, but I'm quite adept at arcane matters. Maybe I can help shed some light on what is causing these roses to appear." Aleziella turns towards where the rose was, briefly shuffles her cards then draws one and holds it forward. "The vision, chaotic neutral card of intelligence, help me reveal what magic is hidden here. Show me the power in a way I can understand."
Sykes briefly glanced down as Viria touched his hand, the bitterness leaving his smile before the smile faded away into stoicism. ”Thank you both, whatever insight into this would be most appreciated and comforting. But as you say, after. Lamm has not just hideously wronged Lana and me, but each of you as well. I will not treat my pain as more important than anyone else’s, and am glad to have your company as we work together.”
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Joeseph does not sit at first. He picks up a piece of snack and fiddles with it in his hand. He thinks a bit about this Zellara Esmeranda person. He is bothered that she heard of him and tried to remember if he has heard of her.
A little suspicious, he sits down and tosses the card he brought with him. He says "You know, miss Zellara, it would be quite the irony if you turn out to be in Gaedren's pocket, hunting down people that don't like him and sending them out on a trap, wouldn't it, now?" After that, he analyses her reaction to what he said.
"Before I can get onboard with this, how about you tell a little more about yourself. What are these harrowing paintings over there? And why did you give me that card in particular?", he says further.
"Speaking just for myself, with the ease she got my card into my coat without me knowing if she wanted to kill me she most likely could have and no one would be the wiser," Sykes brings up.
"I believe she has already stated her terms and wants for bringing us together," he replies back.
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With a sigh, Joeseph mutters under his breath "I'm surprised this one's still alive.", while not attempting to hide it. He, then, replies "Well, how about we all join hands, and walk towards the setting sun, dancing, like a happy family, huh? As you say, we can all trust each other on word alone!" The middle-aged man did not realize, but he looked sad rather than angry.
"I'm from Nidal," Sykes says with a smile. "There's a difference between wariness and malignant paranoia. Also there's a difference between curtesy and trust. I have no reason currently to believe she is lying, and grouping a few random strangers, one who is very new to this city, who have grievances against Lamm in some overly elaborate plan to dispose of them is just that, elaborate and fantastical rather than credible."
He tilts his head again. "Now if you had thought the food and drink had been poisoned that would be a different matter, but you didn't, and are quite eagerly partaking of it."
He then settles his head back, keeping his gaze on the gruff Investigator. "You disbelieve because you want to, rather than having any evidence to do so, and concoct a miserable fantasy in the place of a small glimmer of hope that has been lit before us."
Viria inclined her head toward Aleziella as the Elf witch promptly called upon her arcane faculty through the harrow cards. It cannot hurt to have two casters studying the magics in this place; arcane and divine working in unity.
Taking a deep breath, Viria began to recite the words to her own spell, calling upon the Everlight to help her see what magical emanations could be lingering in this place; concentrating on the floor where Sykes had seen his roses rising up from the blood. She lifted her hand and drew something in the air; the gold in her amber eyes suddenly brightening/flaring in intensity. Viria contemplated the space in silence; hoping to make a discovery.
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"I will not treat my pain as more important than anyone else’s, and am glad to have your company as we work together.”
"I do not believe you treat your pain as having greater significance than any of our own, fear not. I would be glad for your company and to work alongside you."
Listening to the elder male dispute Zellara Esmeranda's purpose for bringing them together and listening to Sykes reasoning, Viria waited for a lapse in the conversation and merely added, "Let us come together, now, in this place. The pain we have suffered in the past has shaped us in every way (good and bad). Let us not forget we have survived Gaedren Lamm's violence and now have this opportunity to stop him before he ruins more innocent lives. At the very least, we should heed Mistress Zellara's words, and, as Aleziella has wisely counselled - put together a plan of action. First, we could go to the old fishery by the Westpier and simply observe, from a discreet vantage, what measures and traps Lamm has in place there and the number of people working for him, before we blindly rush in. We must be very discreet, so he will not know we are coming for him. If we take him by surprise, we may stand a better chance. Is there someone among us skilled in moving quietly, almost silently, without drawing notice or suspicion? I have not been trained in such things and do not wish to ruin our strategy."
Sykes offers Viria a smile at her words of encouragement.
”I can be sneaky.” He then offers when she brings up scouting the supposed location Lamm was holed up in.
"Sneaky will certainly do, Master Sykes. Would you be willing to undertake the scouting mission at the old fishery? Perhaps one of us could aid you and keep watch from a distance while you move in? I wouldn't like to see you left without aid..."
”Of course.” Sykes replies without hesitation.
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As Sykes exposed Joeseph's contradiction in eating the offered food, the middle-aged man put the snack down and resumed chewing on his tobacco. Finally willing to participate in the conversation, he says "Yeah, I have some gruff with this Gaedren fellow. And I'm looking for a kid he may have taken too, so this is double victory for me. I'm good at stakeouts myself. You all didn't see me, but I saw each one of you enter the building as you came. And uhhh... you'll see that this paranoia here will end saving your life, Sykes the outsider. You can say... moving without being seen is second nature to me."
Afterwards he complemented saying "Name's Joeseph, by the way. Call me Joe if that's too hard for ya."
”Whichever you prefer, it’s no effort for me to remember someone’s name, it’s the barest form of respect one person can offer to another.” Sykes states. ”And using your paranoia constructively rather than letting it control you would indeed be a boon.”
"Good to meet you, Joeseph. I am Viria. Since you and Sykes have the required talents for such things, then it would be good if you both scouted Gaedren's current hiding place in order for our small party to formulate a plan and then act. If we're all in agreement?" Viria cast her eyes to Aleziella to hear her thoughts on this since she was the one who counselled a plan of action before striking.