Korva shakes her head quietly. Jay, once more speaking for her sisters, replies. "I think that after Riddleport, we all knew she was going to get killed. She was too vicious, and we couldn't protect her from the threats she was bringing down on all of us."
Treep signs something, and Korva gives her a strange look, almost sour.
Jay ignores the interchange and continues. "But still, we raised her from an egg, you know? She was our sister, no matter how strange she was."
The Raven returns from the kitchen balancing a platter of a mixed variety of empty glasses and a borrowed corkscrew on one hand. "Ladies!" He calls, setting the platter down on a barrel and taking up one of the brandy bottles. Using one of his daggers, he cuts away the wax seal. A few moments later, a pop signals the opening of the bottle and he starts pouring out the brandy. "...and ten! One for poor Nan, of course." He says as the last few drops fall from the bottle into the final glass. Once the others have gathered round, he lifts his glass. "To new friends, better futures and... Kintargo!"
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Vantine takes a tiny sip of the brandy for the toast. Her eyes widen in appreciation at the taste.
"This is quality stuff to be sure! We should be able to get about 50 sails for the remaining two bottles. My mother has sold Nan's fabrics and clothing before. It would be easy to have her take this batch and sell them as well. I could probably convince her to advance us their value up front, but at the least she would let us sell them on consignment, slower to get the money, but the same result in the end. The same goes for the Harrow deck if we don't find a better buyer."
Vantine has said very little about the strange and unfortunate chain of events that have led to deaths in the Wasp's Nest. She isn't interested in assigning blame, it seems that all the parties involved have suffered, and she can see not reason to point fingers or tack on some sort of moral lesson to what has happened. It's heartbreaking for everyone in one way or another, and that's all.
She saves the remainder of her brandy, and pours Nan's share into her glass as well. Before taking another brief leave of the underground hideout, she explains.
"I'm going to take this one to Laria. I'm sure she needs it more than I do right now."
When Vantine finds Laria she offers the glass to her.
"We had to toast to Nan's memory, and Kintargo's future. Here's your glass, you should be part of it too. Besides a solid drink will help right now. I'm sorry. I didn't know Nan as well as you, but I liked him."
Vantine takes a knee and hugs the halfling woman.
"If it would help, I can stay with you tonight. Sometimes it's better not to grieve alone."
"...to Kintargo!" Jessi echoes the last part of the Raven's toast before lifting the glass and brandy to her lips. The stuff's stronger and harsher than the red wine she prefers, but the spirit warms her insides on such a wintery day and fires her spirit as well. Taking a cue from Vantine's thoughtfulness, she brings the remainder of her drink upstairs for Rexus.
"I've decided to let my grandmother, the archbaroness, in on at least some of what I'll be doing," she tells Rexus. "She despises Thrune--she won't betray us. Who knows? Maybe she'll even support us, financially or by sending like-minded folk our way. I'm going to leave my silver raven figurine with her, in case she hears anything in her social circles that might be important to our cause."
After an uncomfortable pause, Jessi asks, "Our houses have never been truly at odds, and I know Archbaroness Eldonna was quite upset by what happened to your parents and estate. Is it alright to let her know that you're still alive, or should I keep that part secret?"
She takes a deep breath. "So, I've been wondering since Rexus told me... how did you get tied up in that riot, and then into the Silver Ravens?"
As she explains her plans to reveal her status to her grandmother, Rexus frowns. "I think we can trust Archbaroness Aulamaxa to not reveal anything... but I would recommend against letting her have the figurine. She is, I think, much more prominent than you in Kintargo's politics, and any discovery of association with us would end up devastating your House."
His expression darkens. "I don't want to see anyone else's home burn with their family inside." After a deep breath, he calms himself. "In any case, I would say let me remain 'dead' for now. I don't want to risk any word getting back to Thrune - not that I believe the Archbaroness will reveal me, but... I'm feeling a little paranoid, is all." He chuckles dryly.
Suddenly, he lifts a finger. "Ah, yes. I wanted to speak with you and Miss Roubanis soon. I believe that she may be able to identify this," he waves a hand at the paper that radiates magic, "spell. I admit, my academic knowledge of magic is quite lacking - what I do is intuitive."
"So what exactly are you guys doing, that you needed a hiding place like this?" She asks. "A new gang? My sisters and I used to run with a little group of tengu in Riddleport. One of them even used a pair of swords from Tian Xia - he was quite impressive. Shame he left, though. I would've had him!" She blinks, before shaking her head. "Sorry. Shi always said I talk too much."
Jessibel listens to Rexus's words with a growing frown marring her pretty face. Perhaps her feelings are still a bit raw from Nyxra's appalling rudeness, but it's clear she's not thrilled that now Rexus is also shooting down another of her brilliant ideas.
"What's the use of having such a marvelous trinket if you can't use it?" Jessi whines. "Can't carry it with me at all times in case the Thrunies or dottari catch me out after curfew or drinking tea at the wrong time of day. And I've got no one else...."
The bard's eyes widen. "Carli! My friend, Carlissa Solstine! Her family's no fan of the Thrunes, and she's actively involved in the city's welfare...I think. Plus, her business is generally on the other side of the Bleakbridge. Maybe I can use the statuette to correspond with her: Keep us all apprised of the goings-on in the other half of the city, if this place is to be our new headquarters."
Jessi pauses a moment, allowing Rexus to reply. As for the magical paper-that's-not-a-scroll, she shrugs and says, "I'll take another look at it tomorrow when I'm not so tired and excited, and when my brain's a bit more clear."
Rexus shakes his head. "No, you should carry it with you, I think. It may not be much immediate use in an emergency, but you'll be able to call in friends without much trouble if you learn something while on your own." The nobleman shrugs slightly. "I will be doing that myself... though I'll probably be spending much of my time in the Wasp's Nest, to be honest." He grins a little, before his smile fades.
"Carlissa Solstine?" He ponders this for a time. "If you feel the need to give it away, Lady Jessibel, I think I would recommend giving it to her over your grandmother, but I still think you may find it more useful than you realize."
The Victocora heir nods in response to her dismissal of the magical page. "I've just gotten started on my study of the records. Honestly, I'm still trying to make heads and tails of the cipher. It's a bit... complex. Not to worry, though, I'll figure it out!" He clenches his fist. "This is something I can definitely do."
"Other than that, Lady Jessibel, may I ask what your plans are for the Silver Ravens? I know that Laria has a pretty solid idea of the broad strokes, but the specifics are probably best left to those who know how things go on the ground. We'll suggest things, of course, but, well... I'm no leader, and neither is Laria."
"My plans?" The teen sounds quite surprised that Rexus would ask for her views on the budding revolution. "I haven't given it much thought. I just know that Thrune's trying to break Kintargo and I won't stand for it! I figured I'd just chip in where I can to help. I also figure that if this effort's got any chance to succeed, we're going to have to get a majority of the noble houses sympathetic to our cause, and I feel I can help there."
"If you're looking for a leader, I'd suggest Aisling--she's the most respected and most dependable of our group."
Blushing a bit, she admits, "I was thinking of...this might sound foolish...I was thinking of wearing a mask and maybe helping out the Raven on his missions--if he'll have me. I think wearing a mask makes a lot of sense for me: I could be recognized as a member of House Aulamaxa by a certain circle of people, or as a budding entertainer by another. With a mask and some alterations with my magic, I could do my revolutionary business under a new persona."
Vantine pauses, nonplussed by Laria's question. She stumbles a little in trying to answer because she has to work around part of the reason. One doesn't just blurt out to people, even those one knows, that a mirror tells them what to do.
"It's been accidental, or at first it was. I went to the Aria Park protest because an acquaintance was going, just tagging along to see it. I never expected..., well you know what happened. The people I came with, we fled as a group, helping each other out to get away. Then not far at all from the park we came across Rexus and got him away from some of the ruffians who has been attacking the protesters."
"We'd figured out by then the whole thing had been planned from the very beginning. No matter what had happened or was said at the protest, Barzillai Thrune intended to set his people loose. They beat people, killed some of them. We took shelter at a bookstore with Rexus and we talked for a while. He's persuasive."
Vantine smiles after commenting on Rexus, but there's a lot of sadness in her expression.
"I had a conversation with... myself there. I've never thought too much about politics. It always seemed a faraway Egorian kind of thing. But things have gotten very serious. If nobody stops it from happening, Kintargo will become a place very unlike the one we know. I don't know what we should do, but I have to help somehow."
Vantine sighs and shrugs as if some things can't be helped.
"Anyway, after a night of sleep I felt the same way. So here I am with them."
At her suggestion, he smiles. "Sword Knight Talbot has her own difficulties, I'm sure. At any rate, when the Ravens are this small, we don't really need a single leader - just to agree on what to do in a general sense. It may grow more important as the rebellion grows, but..." The nobleman shrugs. "That is for the future."
At first, Rexus looks surprised that Jessi would want to don a mask, but as she continues to lay out her reasoning, the sorcerer's expression grows thoughtful. "It's true. While you are not as recognizable as you would've been had the Opera remained open, you are still known to a few circles. I wouldn't say it's necessary, but it certainly won't hurt your chances of remaining secret."
Her face grows bitter. "Not that that's really an option for us halflings." Abruptly, she grins again. "Mind you, I don't think I can complain about being involved in politics. I'm helping people, and that's what's important."
She folds her hands on her lap. "So, what do you think of your fellows? I've only just met Nyxra, Aisling, and the Raven, and I never knew Jessibel that well."
The little tengu pauses, looking around, before ruffling her feathers as she seems to realize how bleak that came off. "Sorry, I... well, it's been a pretty s#@+ty month."
Jessibel takes her leave of Rexus and returns to the Wasp Nest. She seems deep in thought and is definitely more quiet than usual.
Again, Laria's question isn't an easy one for Vantine to answer. She is forced to admit she really has only a few quick impressions of most of the others to draw from.
"Well... I only have an extra day or so on you in knowing most of them. And as I'm sure you've noticed, I'm good at finding things I like about people. I think all of them are sincere. But the reasons behind their sincerity aren't clear to me. I know Jesibel the best, and I can say sincerity, or maybe it's energy, comes easily to her. She latches on to things fiercely and doesn't easily let go. But... she also has a habit of latching on to the next shiny thing that comes along later just has passionately. She needs to be contained somewhat, and reminded of priorities perhaps."
"It took me a little while to place her, but I have seen Nyxra before. She's been to my mother's shop. She seems very serious, like anything that isn't essential she discards as dead weight. But I've met very few elves and it's hard to to know how they think about things."
"For example, the man in the raven mask is an elf also. Maybe he is also very serious. He's the only one of us who seems to have given any thought to any of the things we're now suddenly doing before it all started happening. He did show up in a mask after all. But on the other hand, it's hard to take him very seriously. He might be serious and a bit incompetent, or this might be some sort of performance art project for him. I don't know which to think. He's the one who fascinates me the most. He and Nyxra seem almost complete opposites so maybe it doesn't matter at all that they are elves."
Aisling makes me a little nervous, she can be intimidating. But she should be the most dependable of them all based on externalities. Being Iomedae's should priestess should ensure that. But the religion has also seemed to me a harsh one, all sharp angles, hard surfaces, and self-denial for its own sake. She seems to fit into that way of being, but she's brave, and I believes she has a good heart."
"I suppose I think that of them all. They have good hearts. They've all been braver than me at one time or another. They all also seem, in their own various ways, to be more in their element doing this than I am. But I'm not the one who can tell anybody the way forward from here. So I guess it's for the best. I'm here to just help them as best I can."
Vantine pauses because she seems conflicted, but she presses on albeit a little nervously.
"I need to tell you something I don't tell anyone. Please don't think I'm crazy."
Vantine settles back down close beside Laria, on her knees and sitting on her heels. She removes the silver mirror from her bag and takes off the protective slip.
"My mirror talks to me. It shows me things. It doesn't say things out loud, I hear it in my head. It started almost as soon as my mother gave it to me, years ago now, and it's very real. Everything I know about magic, and a lot of other things, it taught me."
"The whole truth is I didn't just decide to throw in with the others by myself. For a long time my mirror has told me a time would come when there would be something very important I would have to do. Now it's told me the time has come, this is it."
Laria listens to Vantine’s assessment carefully, pursing her lips in thought. ”Hm, thanks. I think I have a better sense of what’s going on with them now. Still, plenty to learn and plenty of time to do it, I suppose.”
The halfling woman thinks for a time. ”Well, we’ll see how things fall out. I’ve got a few ideas on what we should be doing next as an organization - well, so far as we can be called that. We’ll want to get more support and more members, but… well, I want to talk to all of you about that.” She shakes her head, running a hand through her blond hair.
Upon hearing that Vantine’s mirror talks to her, Laria looks briefly nonplussed, before giggling. ”Honey, that’s far from the weirdest thing I’ve ever heard. Quirky, sure, but not strange. You want to hear strange, one of my customers claimed that there were secret reptiles from beyond the sky trying to disguise themselves as people in a plan to take over the world. Ol’ Augus was always a bit strange… Anyways, I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to. Promise.” She pats Vantine’s hand gently.
”In any case, I think Rexus wanted to speak with you soon - something about a magic paper you found in the Livery? But I’d like you to wait on that - I have to talk with you all about how the Ravens are going to move forwards.”
”If the Thrune want to keep us under control, they’ll have another thing coming.” The small tengu practically preens.
”Maggie! You’d better not be bothering them!” One of the Fushi sisters calls from the living area. It sounds like Jay.
”I’m not!” She shouts back, before looking at the others. ”I’m not, right?”
Jessibel sweeps back into the Wasp Nest, a grin forming when she hears the tengu's bravado in the face of House Thrune. "She's not!" she calls to the other tengus.
To the other Silver Ravens she says, "Hey--I'm going to the Greens to check in and let my family know that their favorite daughter and granddaughter is alive and well still, despite Thrune's loopy proclamations. In the morning, I'm planning on crossing the Bleakbridge to visit a friend and gather a few items from my apartment. We are planning on staying here for the foreseeable future, right? I'll also take the alabaster holy symbol we found to the Abadarans at the House of Golden Veils to see if they might want to buy it. I'll stop back here first thing to see if anyone wants to come with." She looks at Aisling, the Raven, the tengu, and even Nyxra in the hopes that maybe she'll get a volunteer immediately.
"Thank you, I know how it sounds. I don't even expect you to completely believe me. But remember the times I stayed with you, when at the crack of dawn I would be up with my mirror? You ribbed me for being vain. I let it go since you're weren't really being mean and explaining what I was actually doing was too hard. But now you know."
"I should probably go back down to the Wasp's Nest. I didn't mean to bother you for so long so I'll let you have your time alone again now. Take your time coming down, but if you have some ideas for us I'm sure they'll be welcome. I think we could use some help figuring out what to do."
"If you'd like for me to stay with you tonight tell me when you decide. Since I'm being extra honest today, it wouldn't be only for you. It would be for me too. My mirror is telling me where I should be right now, but not what to do or what's going to happen. I'm frightened. It would be lovely to spend a night pretending it's a couple of years back when everything wasn't such a mess."
Vantine rises to her feet and gently tousles Laria's hair. She then leaves Laria to go back down to the Wasp's Nest.
Laria pats the taller woman’s hair gently. ”I see. You did enjoy your mirror a fair bit, I recall.” She grins. ”Not that I think you can deny that you focus on looking good.”
”I might as well come with you down there. I need to talk to everyone before we get started running this rebellion.” Laria hops to her feet, though the height of her head doesn’t change much at all. ”You can stay if you’d like… I… well, we can talk again later.” She says with a slight sigh as they go down to the Wasp’s Nest once more.”[/b]
”Before you go, Jessibel, would you mind sticking around for a brief discussion about how I think we ought to proceed with this?” Laria’s voice comes from the top of the stairs that lead into the storage area where the Ravens have gathered.
Maggie swiftly excuses herself, almost dashing past the halfling, whose hand flashes out and grabs her by the wrist. ”Go get your sisters. They should hear this too.”
Maggie gulps, but bobs her head swiftly.
When everyone has assembled, Laria gets up and sits on the table that the group had been sitting around and using to hold their goblets. ”Alright everyone. I’ve got a few ideas of how to proceed with the rebellion. These are very broad, sweeping goals, which I think you should consider more of a long-term plan than any real immediate one.”
She looks around at each of the gathered Ravens. ”There are five steps in this plan. First,” she lifts the index finger on her right hand, ”we need to rally support for the Ravens among the populace, and recruit more agents. Right now we have eleven members, and I doubt there are any who are aware that we exist, let alone willing to support us.”
”To do this, Rexus and I are agreed - we need to help the downtrodden people of Kintargo - the tieflings, the poor, the homeless, and the oppressed - and find outspoken dissidents that we can recruit or ally with. Rexus and I have a couple ideas on this, but we can talk about that later. You’ll also want to keep an ear out for any chances to prove that the Ravens are the heroes Kintargo needs, rather than the opportunistic anarchists that Thrune might try to paint us as.”
”Second,” her middle finger joins her index finger, ”you’ll need to secure a stronghold. Once you grow to a point that the Wasp’s Nest can no longer support the rebellion, you’ll need to start looking for another place that can, well, house and serve as a base of operations for the Silver Ravens.”
”Around this time you’ll also want to start trying to contact other factions that might oppose the Thrune rule of the city. That’s groups like the Rose of Kintargo, the Order of the Torrent, and maybe even bureaucrats or other governmental agents who’d be willing to help us. Dottari might be especially helpful to us, so we can keep an eye on what Thrune’s cronies there are doing.”
”Once you’ve done those things, it’ll be time to get support from Ravounel itself. That’s cities like Vyre, and other aristocracy, including your families.” Laria lifts her ring finger as she looks to Jessibel and Aisling.
”Fourth,” she lifts her pinky, ”we take back the city. When we’ve gathered enough support from across the Archduchy and within the city, it’ll be time to take the fight to Barzillai’s doors. This could be attempting to take the Opera House, neutralizing high profile government officials, or hitting the Churches of Asmodeus or Zon-Kuthon. Until then, we should avoid doing that, because that will force Barzillai’s hand and he’ll respond with tremendous force.”
”After that, well,” she lifts her thumb, ”it’ll be time to plan for the future. Make sure Cheliax doesn’t come after us, get international allies, that sort of thing. We can wait until then to make those plans, though.”
She sighs, looking around at the group once more. ”If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I don’t know everything about the city, of course, but I do know a fair bit, especially about its underbelly.”
Aisling nods along as Laria talks, itemeising the actions that need doing sounds sensible to her. "I think we should call ourselves a resistance, though. Rebellion sounds like broken glass and riots and bad for business. We want the locals on our side. We're resisting Thrune, the foreigner from Egorian. Heo maed it clear he thinks we're provincial when he spoke at the protest the other day. I'd like to throw that back at him. He doesn't belong, adn we do."
Laria looks at the priestess curiously before reassuring her. "I think 'resistance' is too weak a term to describe what we plan to do, Aisling, but I can promise we'll do our best to prevent riots and the like. We're not going to cause trouble for the people of Kintargo, or at least as little as possible. I don't think anyone here wants Kintargo and Ravounel to descend into the madness of Galt."
Jessibel nods at all the right places of Laria's speech and shakes her head at the mention of Galt. "Do we really have to keep quiet about this to our families?" she asks Laria. "My grandmother loves this city, and she probably knows people who would be able to help our efforts. Then again, she is a serial gossiper...."
"Revolution doesn't quite fit what we're doing, either," the bard opines. "Besides, it implies we want to change things. We don't: We just want everything to be as it was before Thrune swooped in and ruined our city. Maybe uprising is the word you're looking for, but 'uprisers' sounds kind of stupid."
Vantine's jaw almost drops at the long list of things Laria lays out for them.
All that will take a very long time!
"Should we open up a soup kitchen, or maybe start a clothing drive? It IS very cold right now..."
Vantine says this without the slightest hint of sarcasm. She's brainstorming.
"Yes." Laria replies to Jessibel bluntly. "I am unwilling to trust the lives of everyone here to pretty much anyone in power at the moment. Until we get more numbers, and more potent allies, we're very frail and as like to blow over the moment a wind comes as not."
"Do you have the resources to open a soup kitchen?" Jay asks, tilting her head. "Because, y'know, if not, we could help procure some..."
While salon-type quibbling over which words are perfect probably isn't useful at the moment, it is at least something Vantine is used to and comfortable with. She forays into the conversation in support of Laria.
"No, I believe rebellion is more precisely correct. You not wrong in what you say Jesi, but your premise is flawed. We cannot return to the way things were because Cheliax has made it clear they will no longer honor the old status quo."
Kingarto can only be preserved as it used to be by removing it from Cheliaxian rule. That is rebellion. We will not be able to merely resist until Cheliax gets tired of the trouble and consents to restoring the old. We must be severed from Cheliax to go our own way completely, a total break with the old in the bigger picture."
Vantine brightens when the tengu woman suggests she thinks the idea of a soup kitchen is a good one.
"I don't know; I've never run one before. But maybe we could figure out if we do, and if not make a list of the things we need."
Laria sighs. "While I think it is a good idea to help people out, it is mostly a charitable endeavor, Vantine, dear. It might get us some support, but then, it might not - we aren't a charity, so being associated as one might not gather supporters willing to face up against Thrune." The halfling raises a hand. "I'm not saying you shouldn't pursue it, only that it shouldn't be a priority, I think."
Jessibel frowns and crosses her arms at Laria's decree; it's obvious the young noblewoman doesn't like being told what to do...or not do. "My family or the servants might get suspicious if they see me in this neighborhood--I'm supposed to be performing my tail off in Jarvis End, getting rich and becoming famous."
"I suppose I could lie to them all," the young bard sniffs, pretending that's something she didn't do all the time during her not-too-distant youthful indiscretions. "Maybe I could say I'm in Villegre helping a playwright work on a new play; they might buy that."
"You won't always be here, Jessibel." Laria says gently. "But if you have a reason to be here, so much the better. Alternately, let them think what they want - I doubt their first thought will be 'she's joined a rebel group.'" She grins.
After a moment, she brightens. "You could also use the sewers to get here. That is how I'd prefer you come to the Wasp's Nest, because I can't really explain to my customers why people keep going into my storeroom but not coming out for hours."
Jessibel's frown returns and she crinkles her nose in distaste. She points at the disemboweled alligator, feeling that's a good reason not to use the sewers to enter and exit the Wasp Nest.
Vantine can be patient, and she is very rarely confrontational, but Jesibel is pushing her out of her usual placidity. She speaks up without raising her voice, but there is an unmistakable 'don't f+$$ with me' tone as she speaks.
"That's really enough Jesibel. If this is all too inconvenient for you, maybe you should find yourself another hobby. Laria is taking great risks, more than our own. This is a well known and public place with plenty of people in and out. Yet she is still harboring us. She is involving herself even though as a halfling the danger to her is greater than it is to us."
"She has offered opinions and advice, which we desperately need. She has some experience in skirting the authorities and working without drawing attention, while we don't. If you can't at a minimum show her some courtesy, why don't you go upstairs and stuff your mouth with a bun. We'll fetch you back after it's safe for your delicate ears down here."
Even so, Vantine isn't particularly scary.
"Vantine, it's fine. She's right that the sewers aren't exactly safe. However, Jessibel." Laria looks at the young woman. "Neither is rebelling. If you wish to remain safe, then you really shouldn't be here."
Jessi glares at Vantine, several cutting comebacks on the tip of her tongue. She opens her mouth but no words come out. Then Laria seems to pile on, and again the teen opens her mouth to retort...but again, no words come out at first.
"You can't just kick me out!" she eventually squeaks in a pathetic voice. The bard seems about to break down and cry when her eyes suddenly harden.
"Maybe we can build a couple of rafts with all the broken furniture Chough left behind, along with some of the crates in this place," she suggests in a strangely businesslike tone.
Nyxra watches the proceedings with a detached eye, letting the arguing run its course before stepping in.
"Alright--enough with the bickering." The ranger speaks up. "Whether or not we decide to call it a rebellion is irrelevant--Thrune will apply whatever label they want to our efforts to fight back, so whatever it is they decide to call us, we should appropriate it for ourselves and wield it against them."
She looks around the room. "Now, Ms. Aulamaxa's idea has merit--moving along the currents via raft will be more efficient than trying to navigate the rat's maze of sewer tunnels down here on foot. Given enough time, I can also see about mapping the place out--finding animal nests, chokepoints, blocked passages."
"It's not clean or even tasteful, but it's necessary work. And we won't get anywhere if we're not willing to get our hands dirty."
Aisling is glad Nyxra has spoken up, and joins her voice with the elf. "If we're going to argue amogn ourselves then Thrune is on the way to winning already." She looks at Vantine and Jessibel, beofre carrying on talking. "Mabe we jsut call ourselves teh Silver Ravens and have done with it. Everyone knows what they did for Kintargo. If people hear that they're reborn that might bring them to us."
"Laria, thank you for your suggestions, keep them coming please. What should we do next? I think Jessibel is right adn those of us with families should try and see them soon to avoid them getting worried - or suspicious."
"Yes. Telling them what you've been doing is unwise, but they will need an explanation, otherwise they might start looking for you... which might make others start looking for you." Laria agrees.
"As for the rafts, I'm fairly sure that my guests broke the ones we had for the Bellflower Network..." Laria looks at the Fushi sisters.
Jay blinks, stepping forward. "While Chough did break most of the things in the living area, the rafts are still intact." She gestures at a corner of the storage room. "She didn't break anything in here. Just in the living area, when she was throwing a tantrum."
After a moment, Laria looks to Aisling. "First, get some rest. You all have earned it. Next, get armed and prepared, because I have an idea that might be a bit higher stakes than the operations you've engaged in so far."
"But we, uh, will clear out a path in the sewers, right? Because we're really tired of being underground, and we'd like to get out, even if it means going through the sewers." Maggie asks.
"To be honest," Laria says, "the sewers aren't safe, but they're not too dangerous, either. It's mostly vermin down there - nothing so large or threatening as the alligator - there's a reason most people think those things are urban legends."
"Other than that, talk to Rexus - he had a request for all of you, as well as for you, specifically, Vantine." She nods at the witch. "And I'll let you know what I think you should do first tomorrow."
"Finally, we'll need to get this rebellion working. That means you sisters will be put to work, and all of you will have to deal with some organizational work, as well. Keeping an organization a secret isn't easy, but I'll help you along the way, okay?"
With the others no longer berating her, Jessibel gets back down to business. Laria said that Nan's boots were magical: Perhaps these will let me walk on water...even sewage!
Jessi casts detect magic and tries to identify the boots' function, but she's unsuccessful.
The Raven listens quietly as the women talk. He stifles a chuckle as Jessibel wonders aloud how she might keep up appearances, fulfilling both social obligations and what one might call vigilanti desires. He was so tired. Always so tired. Despite Alexius growing into more of an antisocial shut-in with each passing day, Alexius still had to make public appearances, and the Raven still had to be the Raven. Every muscle in his body ached. How nice it would be to make a nest of the fine Varisian fabrics in a dark corner of this cellar and finish off those two bottles of brandy.
The Raven finally breaks his silence. "There could be something to that soup kitchen idea. Nobody sees the impovershed, least of all the nobility. We have all trained ourselves to overlook them - an act that is far more convenient than actually caring - but they exist. In the shadows of society, and from the shadows they see things, hear things. No guard gives thought to what the one-eyed beggar man might overhear as he shines their shoes for a ha'penny. Could be a good way to gather and buy information from the people no one sees." He looks again into the bottom of his empty glass. "I don't know. Just a thought."
Aisling flinches slightly at the Raven's comment. "I see them. I do what I can. But I admit it's not enough." She realises she's getting defensive and changes the subject. "Adn recruting from people who already have nothing to lose makes practical sense as well."
Laria tilts her head slightly at the Raven and Aisling, rubbing her chin. "You know, you're right. That said, I think we should focus on getting everything set up here first - I need to replace the beds and furniture over in the living area," the Fushi sisters flinch, "and right now we're not exactly flush with gold. For the time being, I think we should focus our efforts on establishing our reputation, and getting things together. Then we can take the time to do that sort of thing."
"We can gather funds pretty easily." Maggie volunteers. Jay swats her beak again, and the smaller tengu shoots her sister a wounded look.
"Maggie's right. If you point us at some legitimate targets, we can... erm, 'collect' money. Not from anyone who needs it, of course." She hastily adds. "But loyalists, diabolists, wealthy Asmodeans, minor Thrune-loyal nobles, that sort of thing."
Meanwhile, Threep pats Aisling on the shoulder sympathetically, apparently having noticed how defensive she was getting. Her expression is difficult to read, but the priestess thinks she's trying to comfort her.
"I can use my magic to warm, chill, or even flavor the soup," Jessibel chimes in quietly, apparently still a bit shaken by almost getting kicked out of the Silver Ravens after just one day. "Generally speaking, though, kitchens and I mix about as well as oil and water."
To Laria she asks, "Did you say that Rexus had a matter he wanted to address with us all?"
"Yes, but I recommend you take the rest of the day to rest and recover. It's not like you'll want to go out to do whatever it is he wants... I think he mentioned something about investigating the Night of Ashes, but I didn't pressure him." The halfling replies.
The mention of Rexus wanting to investigate the Night of Ashes causes Nyxra's eyes to flash.
"...I'll keep that in mind. Now, I really ought to go get cleaned up..."
Aisling smiles at Jessibel's words. "I admit, I don't know my way around a kitchen as well as I probbly should. But I can serve out whatever someone else can cook. There's a plan for every occasion." Seh looks around the room, keen to emphassie something. "We have to plan what we do. Anyone taking risks or doing something without telling the rest of us, could get everyone in this room killed or worse." This is Cheliax, there's awlways worse. "The revolution will not be improvised."
Laria inclines her head at Aisling. "Indeed. Which is why we should look to what we'll be doing at least for this forthcoming week - if not further in the future. In addition to the missions you want to pursue personally, we should decide what these sisters should be pursuing, and keep in mind that things will keep moving in Kintargo even if we're not involved."
When the discussion about next steps concludes, at least for the present. Vantine goes to find Rexus and volunteers herself for whatever he's needing her for.
"Rexus? I heard from Laria you needed something?"
Laria claps her hands. "Well, if that's all, let's get to work, shall we? I need to start replacing the furniture over in the living quarters - that will probably take a few days. In the meantime, I'd like you all to rest, get equipped, and decide which direction the Silver Ravens will fly." She hops off the table. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office."
Vantine follows Laria to her office, only to ascend the ladder into the small bunkroom that Laria has above.
”Ah, hello Miss Roubanis.” Rexus looks up from his position on one of the beds, where he has spread out papers across the whole thing. ”I wanted to consult with you on the matter of this.” He takes the paper that the witch recognizes as the one that Jessibel and Rexus had confirmed was magical, but not a scroll.
”I thought that you, as another practitioner of the arcane, might know better than Lady Jessibel or I what exactly was cast on the page.” The nobleman offers her a tired smile. ”Unfortunately, the fact that I came into my magical powers only recently means that I didn’t take the chance to study magical lore when I was at the Alabaster Academy.”
He hands her the page, before describing in detail exactly what he knows. .
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Vantine doubtfully takes the page and looks at it for a while. Then she turns it over and looks at the back side. Then she sits downs and squints while looking harder. Finally she gives up with a frustrated pout.
"The thing is Rexus, I've never really studied magic in any regular way. I know what my mirror decides to teach me. But I don't think it's very concerned with academic sorts of things, just what it thinks I need to know. Sorry."
She hands the page back to Rexus.