"I like that idea! Paired with careful screening of course. If you point them out to me I could make the pitch. I'm excellent at social work."
Laria chuckles. "That sounds as fair an idea as any. Vantine's right, of course, but I trust your judgement, Aisling." She grins at the witch. "Though I do think she should be involved."
The Ravens go about their business for the next few days, gently spreading word about their successes and the excesses of Barzillai's government. The Fushi sisters are sent out to check out rumors regarding Hocus Fantasmagorium, while Vantine and Aisling try to get in contact with some of the criminals that Aisling has previously interacted with.
Around noontime, the Ravens reunite in the Wasp's Nest. Rexus is sitting with Vendelfek on one shoulder, while Crispus Doria - one of the merchants who has been working with the Ravens - is speaking to him softly. A piece of paper sits on the table in front of the pair.
Upon seeing the group, Rexus rises to his feet, causing Vendelfek to flap his wings to keep balanced. "Good, you're here." His eyes are wide, somewhat distressed. "The Fushis have found some information, and it's not good. People are saying that the Fantasmagorium has been seeing some traffic recently - from Asmodeans."
Crispus puts a hand on Rexus' shoulder. "My lord... please, you don't know they've found anything."
The sorcerer stiffens, but forces a smile. "I know, but... the sooner you all can find out the truth of the matter in the Many-Steps Monastery below the museum, the better. Please." There's a definite edge of desperation to his voice.
Jessibel smiles when she sees Vendelfek keeping Rexus company. She knows it can't be good for a newly-orphaned person to be alone reading through old texts written in half a dozen languages in a dank subterranean space a step up from the city sewers.
The bard watches Rexus surreptitiously throughout the meeting, trying to get some sense of his mental health.
At the mention of Asmodeans, she turns to the party's moral and legal compass, Aisling. "What do we do if we run into any Asmodeans inside Hocum's?" she asks. "If we leave any living witnesses, the church has the ability to come after us a lot harder than the CCG goons or even the dottari."
"We'll just have to make sure we don't then" says Vantine grimly. "If they're actual members of the church, acolytes or priests, I doubt they would surrender anyway. They're a bunch of fanatics."
Nyxra pats the hilt of her sword.
"What a shame it would be to have to kill innocent devil-worshipers." The Raven says in monotone. Alexius Vashnarstill, the Raven; they were not simply masks, they were entire personalities. They did not just speak differently, they thought differently and had different (at least outwardly) goals. Sometimes it was difficult to keep the chaotic desires of Alexius from influencing the Raven. The wealthy, spoiled noble had few qualms about crushing those who dared stand in his way.
"Welp, the sneaking-in-under-cover-of-darkness-and-killing-everyone-inside thing has been working out well for us so far. What do you all say. Busy tonight?"
Once the Silver Ravens are on their way to Hocum's (or at least out of Rexus's earshot), Jessi tells them her worries concerning Rexus's declining emotional state.
"If his mother or father were still alive, don't you think they'd have found a way to get a message to him by now?"
"Honestly I don't know. It's possible they can't send one. It's even more possible they could, but don't know where to send it. Rexus is no less in hiding. It's a very sad and depressing situation. I hope we can bring back some good news."
At the mention of Asmodeans, she turns to the party's moral and legal compass, Aisling. "What do we do if we run into any Asmodeans inside Hocum's?" she asks. "If we leave any living witnesses, the church has the ability to come after us a lot harder than the CCG goons or even the dottari."
Aisling sighs. She'd love to have a clear answer to that quesiton herself. "Killing isn't always murder, legally - and morally, standing up to devil-worshipers is the right thing to do. If anyone surrenders, don't kill them, but that soesn't mean you have to just let them go either. Tying them up or knocking them out so they can't raise the alarm is fine. But I don't htink it will come to that, they're probably fanatics. And once theyr'e in combat with us, it's kill or be killed."
That sounds a lot more confidnet than she feels.
Jessibel nods at Aisling's words...also a lot more confidently than she actually feels.
After separating from Rexus and discussing with one another, the Ravens adjourn until the sun begins to set - ironically, this is before curfew is enforced. In this case, this is a good thing, since the CCG and dottari patrol the streets far more proactively after curfew than before.
The group crosses Bleakbridge, paying the toll - though the dottari in charge of the toll warns them to "Hurry home." They make their way south along the main road into Redroof. Fortunately, much of the snow has melted, leaving only dirty piles strewn about at the corners of the roads.
Arriving at the Phantasmagorium reveals that the place has certainly seen better days. Only a single story tall and made from stone, the museum stands out from its brick-built neighbors, and its windows are boarded shut. The dim light of the half-moon likely can't get into the building at all, with that amount of work. Signs advertise rates and incredible exhibits within, and above everything a crimson sign announces “Hocum’s Fantasmagorium!” A large lock hangs from the front door.
Now that skullduggery is afoot, Jessibel ducks into an alley, dons her mask, prestidigitates some mithrally color to highlight her hair and armor, and emerges moments later as...the Magpie! After briefly (and unconsciously) striking a heroic pose, the bard keeps a lookout for patrols or other dangers.
Vantine adds nothing more to the conversation on killing Asmodeans. While she has no problem with it, she is also only very rarely in a position to do it.
She keeps watch, her eyesight allows it without a light source, while others worry about getting in.
Nyxra steps into the shadows...
...and watches for patrols as she approaches the Phantasmagorium.
The Raven looks up at the building, reflexively checking his wrist-sheathes to ensure the hidden daggers he carries are ready to deploy. "Hm. Nice place. A few potted plants, maybe a fountain. Take out a few of the interior walls to open the space. Shiplap fireplace. Could flip it for some quick gold." He nods, apparently satisfied. He unshoulders his silk rope and grappling hook and walks to the southern corner of the building, coil in one hand, grappling hook in the other. "I shall take to the skies. A roof inspection is in order, would not want any surprises during demolition. Hopefully there is a skylight. Do you ladies wish to inspect the rest of the grounds before investing?" The Raven lets a foot of rope out and begins spinning the hook in a vertical circle. Woosh! Woosh! Woosh! The third time around, the Raven lets the grapple fly, rope playing through his loosely gripped hands as the hook pulls it towards the sky. The hook clatters somewhere on the stone roof, and the vigilante pulls the slack out of the rope until the hook sticks fast on something above. He places one boot against the stone wall and pulls hard. He grunts, satisfied that the hook is fixed. "Meet you all back here in five minutes? Unless someone wishes to accompany me."
Vantine, Nyxra, and Jessibel don't see any patrols, or indeed, many people at all. The sun has set, after all, and no one is terribly interested in the status of Hocum's Fantasmagorium these days.
For his part, the Raven notices another door along the southeastern wall of the building as he tosses his grappling hook up. Climbing to the roof will be pretty easy now.
Jessibel suspects that she's a terrible climber...but the Raven makes ascending seem so effortless! After weighing her options, the would-be teen vigilante scoots over to the rope, risking enbarrassing herself, and tries to join her mentor on the museum's roof. With her boots against the outer wall, the Magpie pulls herself upward with her rather noodle-like arms. Her dancer's legs are stronger, however, and make the climb relatively easy.
Topside, Jessi lets the more experienced Raven do all the investigating. She takes a seat and looks out over nighttime Kintargo, enchanted by the panoramic view.
Wow...!
Vantine just watches the climbing. She's not sure what the point is. Even if there happens to be something up there worth seeing, she's not going.
Going anywhere with Raven is like trying to walk a cat off leash..."
A shame. I would expect a museum to have skylights to better illuminate the displays! Hearing the dull clatter of the grappling hook behind him, the Raven turns to behold the Magpie. "Ah! Dearest Magpie." He approaches the masked maiden, his movements confident and easy. The rooftops of Kintargo were his home, once. He bows and holds a hand out to Jessibel. "Dearest lady Magpie, would you care to take a walk around the eaves? We can observe the whole of the exterior, knowing we are safe in the fact that sentries rarely look up."
Jessibel looks at the Raven's proffered hand a moment too long before her adventurous spirit wins out over her common sense and she reaches out to take it. Once on her feet, the masked teen whispers, "Is there some trick to maintaining one's balance while moving across a slightly-pitched tile roof?"
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Vantine flops back against the wall and taps her head against it a couple of times dramatically.
"Of course Raven is the one we need here to open the door. Or at the least be present so we're not scattered all to here and gone when we open it."
"Oh heavens, child. I have no depth perception in this mask. I merely throw myself forward and hope for the best. Gravity has not gotten the best of me... yet." A melancholic and uncharacteristic silence falls over the Raven as the pair makes their short patrol around the rooftop. Looking out over the city, the lights of the nightlife winking in and out throughout Kintargo, stalking the rooftops with Jesibell, reminds of him of his childhood. Stalking the rooftops of Kintargo with another girl. A simpler time. A time when he was happy. When he was Alexius Vashnarstill. That was a long time ago. It felt like a lifetime. It was a lifetime, in a way. In those days, the Raven did not exist. Now, Alexius Vashnarstill is dead. There is only the Raven. Those days are gone and they are not coming back.
They complete their uneventful circuit of the rooftop and return to their starting point. The Raven releases Jessibel's arm. "We should do this more often. Quite theraputic, I think." He gestures to the rope. "After you, my dear."
Nyxra watches the two bird-brains as they dawdle about on the roof before glancing over at Vantine. There's a look of annoyance and understanding in her eyes.
"It's a whole different world from up here," Jessi comments quietly. "Well, not really; it's a whole different viewpoint though. Breathtaking."
Not quite daring the Raven's impressive dismount from the rooftop, Jessibel instead tries simply sliding down the rope. Then she moves after the Raven, joining the others outside the front door.
The pair of vigilantes remove themselves from the roof, and make their way back to the front door. After the Raven struggles with the lock for a few seconds, he recalls that Rexus gave them a key. Pulling out the object in question, he unlocks the door and pushes it open... revealing a bit of a hallway. At the edge of the moonlight, the heroes see that it opens up into a wider chamber, but darkness takes over before then.
To the right of the entrance, a door leads deeper in, though it hangs open slightly - a sign of the disrepair that has overtaken the house of oddities.
Vantine mutters under her breath.
"No, I didn't mind waiting at all. You're welcome."
Looking into the darkened area, Vantine reports what she sees.
"All I see are some taxidermy animal displays."
Jessibel lets Vantine's snarky comment slide, figuring it must be directed at the Raven. Although there's no sign of any light emanating from within Hocum's (at least not yet), the bard decides the bigger and closer danger still likely lurks within the building than without. Turning to face (and close) the front door behind them, the bard casts a quick light spell upon her newly-drawn rapier, feeling it wiser for her voice to project back toward the city streets rather than deeper into the premises.
"Any footprints in the dust?" she asks Nyxra.
"What if we are going about this all wrong?" The Raven posits. "Why do we not try reasoning with the devil-worshipers?" Stealth was more or less out of the question, as none of the party (at least, none of the four most important members) could see in the dark. He could probably sneak by quietly on his own, even in the dark, and he expected, with a little coaching, Magpie could as well, but he did not think anything could mask the shining light of Aisling.
Nyxra checks for footprints.
As Aisling steps up to follow the Raven, her sword-light illumines the circular room enough that even the humans are able to see its far corners, albeit cast in shadow. Macabre taxidermy covers the walls, as Vantine had indicated. A somewhat mediocre fresco of fantastic and terrifying beasts covers the domed ceiling, and three sets of double-doorways line the sides of the room. To the northwest , both doors hang open, while the other four doors remain tightly shut.
The Raven swiftly examines the door for any traps or locks, and, finding none, pushes it open. Inside, he finds theatrical costumes, ropes, posts, blank signs and banners, paints (long since dried up), well-worn musical instruments and an opened cashbox. He appears to have found the box office.
Nyxra doesn't notice any tracks in the dust, but she does notice the exhibits in the circular room. There are a mess of oddments and strange creatures that Nyxra doesn't recognize... but before she can call any further attention to it, three of the skeletal displays shift and begin lunging towards the Ravens, the clubs in their hands raised.
In eerie silence, the bizarre skeletons move swiftly towards the Ravens. One rushes at Aisling, launching a barrage of attacks with its club. The priestess, however, is far more armored than her compatriots, and the club deflects off of her metal carapace.
Another, moves in from the other corner of the room, passing swiftly by the unprepared Ravens to get into close proximity with more of the invaders as the last lopes across the taxidermy-filled hall to get closer to the Iomedaean priestess.
Vantine quickly retreats from the skeleton that comes near her, going to hide behind most everyone else. She also curses the creature with misfortune.
Vantine unleashes her magical prowess on the creature threatening her, but feels it falter against whatever dark magic animates the skeleton.
Aisling was in two minds about her spell, but ultimatly the need to see won over the need to be stealthy, especially since her armour stops her from moving quietly or from climibng around like the Raven. She's grateful for the choice she made when the skeletons attack - she can see them properly.
She uses her holy symbol and the power of her goddess to send a burst of positive energy smashing into the things, burnign each of them with holy light.
The ever agile Raven deftly dances his way through his allies' space, dodging out of the way of the flailing limbs of the skeletons, to put himself in range of the melee. "Skeletons?! Since when do devil-worshipers have skeletons?" He socks one of the skeletal apes, the spikes of his gauntlet digging into the exposed bone with satisfying bite.
Nyxra draws her sword, slashing at the skeleton. Though her first few strokes only chip away at its bones, she does land a deep cut on its arm.
The Raven dodges desperately past the skeletons to engage with the selfsame creature, but his agility is not quite enough to avoid one of their clubs, which swings viciously at his head. The blow cracks into his skull just above his forehead, sending him staggering, but he manages to keep his balance and dodge close enough to the slightly damaged skeleton. With a single precise punch, he shatters its sternum, and its ribs clatter to the floor.
Aisling draws upon the Light of the Sword, unleashing a pulse of power that sears the skeletons. Iomedae's purity blasts the damaged skeleton, obliterating the foul magics animating it and causing it to clatter to the ground. The other two skeletons suffer greatly, their bones loosening and trembling from the sheer fury of the divine energy.
However, they do not fall, instead focusing on attacking Aisling. Due to her focus on her goddess' power, she is unable to get her defenses up in time, and the clubs rain down heavy blows upon her. She feels a collarbone snap under one strike, and her ribcage give way from another. A third crunches against her jaw, sending her staggering.
Aisling cries out in suprise and pain as the skeletons managed to get past her defences. Gritting her teeht, she keeps her guard up and focues on not getting hit again. She trusts her companions to finish off what she has started.
Jessibel gasps beneath her mask as Aisling and her mentor both get bashed by the brutish skeletons. And they're the only ones who can damage these things! The bard regrets not bringing the light mace she'd claimed from a fallen CCG foe on the expedition; she instead carries a sap to bop living foes. A gal can only carry so many accessories!
Luckily, the Raven's penchant for blabbing and taunting (even when on a stealth mission) allows her to start an inspirational song to help out a bit.
"These fools don't know they're dead/Snap their arms and crush their heads!"
Vantine takes a step back to stand beside Jessi, and tries her Misfortune hex against the freshest seeming of the skeletons.
Vantine steps away, unleashing another hex at the overlarge skeletons. Unfortunately, weakened though it is, the dark magic holding it together resists her magical prowess once more.
Jessibel, meanwhile, pulls forth her mace and begins mocking the skeletons with her song. The Ravens feel a familiar burst of courage running through them at her song.
Despite the Magpie's reassuring tune, the spooky monkeys have spooked the Raven, making his next attack less accurate and devastating than the first. Still, he steps up next to their fearless leader.
Nyxra keeps on slashing at the skeleton, quietly regretting that she didn't bring something blunt to smash them apart!
Nyxra steps forwards, slashing at the skeleton. It blocks with its forearm, club, and even shoulder, and her blade does little more than chip at its bones.
The Raven jumps into action, flowing forwards over the bones of his previous victim to swing a sharp uppercut that literally knocks the skeleton's skull from its neck. It flies in a lazy arc before hitting the ground with a thunk in the circular chamber.
Aisling keeps on the defensive, fighting off the pain and blinking the stars from her eyes as she tries to make sure that she won't be struck again.
The sole remaining skeleton shifts its focus and lashes out at the Raven. The vigilante is more than prepared, though, and deflects the club with his gauntlets, dodging beneath a particularly vicious swing.
The Magpie steps forward, brandishing her light mace. "Trade?" she asks Nyxra, offering her mace in one hand while opening the hand of her buckler arm to take the elf warrior's weapon.