|
"Tracking down the Skinsaw Cult is not going to be easy." Adolian says slowly. "We'd best take back the Bleakbridge as soon as possible, that frees up a path to rescuing Jackdaw. Then once that's done and Thrune's hold on the city is that much weaker we can split our attention to tracking the cult down while our resident artist gets Jackdaw out. Everyone agreed?"
"Fine," Farrina says curtly. "Just as long as it doesn't interfere with my performing schedule." She shrugs her shoulders in a practiced manner. "What? I have fans that I can't disappoint."
Bleakbridge is a 475-foot-long stone bridge that spans the Yolubilis, providing the only direct route between the two halves of Kintargo. Following the events of the Ruby Masquerade, Barzillai Thrune ordered the bridge closed down completely in an attempt to limit the movements of the Silver Ravens and their supporters. Numerous shops that lined the bridge have been forced to temporarily close, their owners cowering in their shops and spending long nights without beds to sleep in, hoping that the closure will pass before the government finds a reason to seize their goods. The bridge itself is patrolled by troops of dottari, personally commanded by Vannases Trex, leader of the Kintargo dottari.
The gang of tengu thugs known as the River Talons have been recruited as enforcers as well, but the time has come to test their supposedly shaky loyalty. You are able to surreptitiously get a message to their leader, Ravzee, who is Chuko's brother. He agrees to meet with you and Chuko at a safehouse not far from the bridge.
The jittery rogue glances about as he enters the safehouse. "Nice digs. Hello, Chuko. See you've thrown your lot in with these bozos?"
"They are not bozos!" Chuko insists. "They care a lot more for this city and its people than Thrune does, that's for sure!" The tengu merchant looks to you to present your offer of alliance to Ravzee.
"Greetings, Ravzee," Farrina says with her widest stage smile. "Nice to see that you're surviving under Thrune's current ... benevolence." Her smiles fades. "Here's the thing. We're going to kick Thrune to the curb and all the way back over the bloody mountains. Then we'll be responsible for deciding who has power and who doesn't. At that point we'll be taking great pains to remember who actually assisted us and who sat by with their thumbs up their arses."
Her smile returns.
"Wouldn't you rather be counted among the former versus the latter?"
Ravzee bobs his head. "You make a convincing case. Alright, I'll agree to abandon the dottari and switch sides, but only if you run off the guards from Bleakbridge. My boys will keep quiet as you get into position, and when you do engage the guards, we'll turn on them and attack as well. Sound good?"
Tanjona slams the butt of his mithral trident on the bridge three times to punctuate the proclamation.
"This'll definitely get them coming," he mutters to Adolina.
"I see we're going for the subtle approach," Farrina mumbles.
"And I doubt it'll be fair."
Farrina turns to give Tanjona a disgusted look. "Gods! Who in their right mind would want to engage in a fair fight if they had any alternative?"
Tanjona shrugs. "Not I. Adolina brought it up."
The dottari quickly mobilize to meet your challenge, forming into two troops. Halberds bristling, they rush to engage you. A third troop of archers on one of the shop's roofs readies to open fire, but with a sudden rush of squawking tengus, Ravzee leads the River Talons up the sides of the building to swarm the dottari there, keeping them occupied!
Tanjona brings his trident down and steps up beside Adolina against the ranks of halberdiers.
From her position hidden in the shadows and definitely not out in the middle of the bridge, the Rose takes a deep breath and launches a volley of arrows!
Rose's arrows take out chief targets among the dottari as Adolina and Tanjona rush to meet them in melee, stabbing with rapier and trident. Several of the militia members fall in the opening moments, but they rally and strike back with their halberds!
The entertainer stands blinking for a moment before it dawns on her that the show has begun without her. "Well, f*!* me. It's not like anyone said 'go' or anything," she mutters to herself before gesturing over towards her companions to give them a magical boost of energy.
Tanjona leaps forward, smashing into the crowd and stabbing his trident through multiple foes at once.
The Rose pulls more arrows from her quiver in a swift movement and draws her bow, aiming at more of the militia.
With the added boost of speed, Adolina swiftly finishes off the stragglers of the first troop and lays into the second. Tanjona delivers a brutal blow that takes a soldier down, then Rose's arrows bring down the remaining survivors!
And not a moment too soon, as the leader of Kintargo's dottari, Vannases Trex, makes her appearance! Mounted on her warhorse, she maintains her distance as she fires glowing arrows at Adolina and Tanjona! Both arrows miss their mark, though, exploding into bursts of magical dust as they hit the bridge!
"Ah, someone to focus my charms upon," Farrina says with a grin as Vannases appears. With a suggestive shimmy of her hips, the entertainer vanishes from sight.
Hopefully concealed from any arrow onslaught, the Colorful One moves closer to the mounted menace before casting a spell at her.
Farrina gets her spell off before Adolina can close the distance. Vannases suddenly blinks and lowers her bow. "Wait! Why... why was I attacking you again?"
Entirely too full of her own success, Farrina reappears with a smug grin. "No reason at all, my dear. We're all friends here." She gives her companions a broad wink. "Now why don't you hop down from that beautiful beast, put your weapons on the ground, and then come over here so we can converse like civilized folk and clear up this misunderstanding, m'kay?"
Vanasses complies, dismounting and disarming before cautiously approaching. Atop the nearby rooftop, the River Talons have proven victorious against the dottari, the tengu thugs warbling in victory.
"I have orders from Lord-Mayor Thrune to allow nobody to take Bleakbridge. But...you are one of my closest friends." The turmoil on the duxotar's face is clear.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Oh, no one's going to take the bridge," Farrina says with a dismissive wave of her hand. She makes an effort to keep the woman focused on her rather than Adolina behind her. "It's pretty solid and I don't it's going anywhere."
She ponders for a moment.
"That would make a hell of a trick, though, wouldn't it? To make a bridge disappear?" Shelving that idea for another time, she returns to the subject at hand. "So how are we going to solve this particular conundrum?" Her question seems more directed towards Adolina than the armored woman between them.
|
|
"How long does it hold?" Adolina asks, trying to consider a method that doesn't involve murder. "Maybe she'd like to go and visit some family or friends? Take a trip away from town for a while?"
She steps sideways so she is no longer behind the duxotar, and makes sure Whisper is held nonchalantly by her side, to try and minimise any visible threat.
Farrina does some quick calculations in her head.
"Typical duration for a friendship such as ours would probably be less than twelve hours. Barring anyone pushing against the Divandell Envelope," she says. At the questioning looks she rolls her eyes. "Asking her to do anything contrary to her ideology," she clarifies with obvious disdain.
"See what I have to put up with?" she says to Vanasses. "Surrounded by those ignorant of even the basics. It's a wonder how I manage."
Tanjona is too happy to continue the fray, but as the chaos dissolves into retreats and general disarray, he stands back warily with his trident held at a guard position.
"So, what exactly does 'control the bridge' mean, then?"
Seemingly going off on a tangent, Rose perks up. "How about a nice drink Farrina, perhaps simply to celebrate the glorious day which we're getting to experience?." Rose pulls out a hip flask and holds it out to the singer. "Its pretty strong stuff, but theres enough for everyone!"
"I imagine it is quite trying, indeed," Vanasses says to Farrina. She looks to Tanjona. "Only those in the direct employ of Lord-Mayor Thrune or the Hellknight Order of the Scourge are allowed to traverse Bleakbridge. All others face incarceration for attempting to bypass or disrupt the blockade. I have sworn an oath. I fear I cannot make exceptions, not even for you."
"No need to worry, Hun," Farrina says with a wave of her hand. "We would never expect you to do anything against any oaths you may have taken. That would just be rude."
She turns to Rose, trying to discern the woman's plan. "Sure. How about we all have a drink?" Reaching out, she takes the hip flask and, to anyone watching, appears to take a long drink. She then hands it out to Vanasses. "To friendship," she says. When the woman takes the flask, Farrina gives a slight questioning shrug in Rose's direction.
Vanasses follows Farrina's suggestion, drinking from the flask...
The Rose looks back and mimes drinking again and then pastes a silly smile on her face and meanders a couple of steps. The message is pretty clear. Get her drunk!
"Farrina will have an easier time talking her around if she's three sheets to the wind." She whispers to Adolina in explanation.
Vanasses finishes her drink and wipes the back of her lips with her sleeve. "Oof, that's some strong stuff. Thanks." She offers the flask back to Rose.
Tanjona stays quiet for now, what with talking not being his strong suit.
"Look! You've fulfilled your oath and made some new friends in the process," Farrina says with a smile and a pat on Vanasses' back. "Here, why don't you have yourself a sit and celebrate. That doesn't happen every day, you know." She gives the woman a friendly push. "Don't worry about the bridge. No one will take it on my watch; You have my word."
Vanasses nods. "Alright. I'll take you on your word," the duxotar says. "Hmm. What am I going to tell the Lord-Mayor about what happened here? He's not going to be happy." She takes another drink.
The Rose seems to have a similar concern. She looks from Adolina to Farrina and then shrugs. She mouths 'Your problem!' and slips away to talk with Chuko and Ravzee and organise the defense of the bridge for the retaliation that she fully expects at some point soon.
Farrina's smile falters for just a moment and she closes her eyes. When she reopens them, her friendly demeanor is restored perfectly.
"Here, you won't have to tell him a thing. We'll explain it all," she says with complete confidence. "Now in the interest of our friendship, I'm going to show you my favorite place in the entire world. I've only shown this to one other person, so you should feel very special."
Her eyes quickly scan the horizon until they rest on a distant mountain top. Returning her attention to the armored woman, she reaches out a hand. "Now take my hand and hold on. This will feel a little strange."
It only takes a few magical phrases and a simple gesture and the pair vanish from the bridge.
... to appear on a wind-swept, icey mountain peak.
"F@&!, that's brisk, isn't it?" The Colorful One offers while attempting to still her chattering teeth and pop her ears. "You don't get a beautiful view like that from the city, do you?"
She gestures for the woman to take in the view.
"Now you'll just excuse me while I arrange accommodations."
With a twist of her ring, Farrina repeats the spell and vanishes again.
Farrina reappears alone in the middle of the bridge, clutching her stomach. "Calistria's cunt! Doing that always makes me want to puke," she spits out, looking decidedly green.
The River Talons promise to maintain their presence on Bleakbridge and work with Chuko and the Silver Ravens to keep it out of Thrune's hands. With that, Yolubilis Harbor falls under your control, and Barzillai's influence in the city is significantly weakened!
You still have to worry about the presence of the Skinsaw Cult, though, as well as rescuing Jackdaw from her prison. But you are one step closer to liberating Kintargo!
|
|
"The Skinsaw Cult isn't going to march itself out into the open and challenge us to a duel." Adolina says grimly when they reconvene underneath her new hospice. "We need to get all our eyes and ears focused on rooting them out, and quickly. Rose, can you take the lead on that?"
With the vigilante's assent she moves on. "Farrina, you wanted to lead on rescuing Jackdaw. Where are we with that? What are your thoughts?"