Pip begins singing tunes with the children and is excited to meet successful halflings in town. He leads them in a chorus of songs in his clear voice.
"Garrett, at some point we would well suited to get some mithral shirts made. Do your parents know anyone that can do this?"
After leaving the shop, Audria looks to the others.
"I'm going to look for the other children. Hopefully they're okay," she tells them. "I think the others know your faces well enough that you shouldn't have any trouble if you want to just go back to the Sanctuary of Shelyn."
"Zellara's." Shrike indicates the shovel she has now strapped to the other side of the backpack from her guisarme. "To find her son. Like to take her head too. Bury the lot in the Gray." She looks to Abella, who has to her knowledge been carrying Zellara's head around in its hatbox all this time because of some kind of interesting magical properties it has. She hopes Abella has had the time to investigate them if she wanted to, because burying the remains should not be put off much longer.
Shrike nods to the others and sets off with an assurance she does not actually feel. The Gray and its Grand Cathedral of Pharasma are usually open to all, and burial in Everyman Ward is affordable enough even for laborers, but who knows what it is like there at the moment, or what the priests will say if she comes to them with only two heads and a pair of hands.
Audria nods as Shrike lays out her plans. She could do nothing more than offer last rites to Zellara and her son, but she might be able to help the children that Lamm had under his thumb and hadn't come with them to the Sanctuary.
"Shall I meet you there when it is dark," she asks the others.
Audria steels her nerves as she approaches the Fishery. Asking around here would be the best place to start, even if it had been a couple of days since Lamm's demise and the scattering of the children to the winds. She looks to Talanaliel, and sees the thrush nod once. Audria takes in a deep breath and approaches the crowd still milling about. She finds someone that looks like they are familiar with the area and walks up to them.
"Pardon me," she says, "but have you heard anything about the children that Lamm," abused and beat, "had working for him? Have you seen any of them around?"
Gather Information: You can also use Diplomacy to gather information about a specific topic or individual. To do this, you must spend at least 1d4 hours canvassing people at local taverns, markets, and gathering places. The DC of this check depends on the obscurity of the information sought, but for most commonly known facts or rumors it is 10. For obscure or secret knowledge, the DC might increase to 20 or higher. The GM might rule that some topics are simply unknown to common folk.
The sun has long set by the time Audria has managed to verify some gossip regarding the location of where some of the Lost Lambs may have fled.
Audria is advised of an entrance to The Vaults under Korvosa where some of the Lambs may have taken refuge. It is most likely similar to the Street Hole, but may actually delve into the underground proper rather than just a collapsed basement.
Audria thanks the man as he hurries to catch up with his fellows. Talanaliel stays quiet until everyone on the street, of which there are very few as the gleam of lanterns light pockets of safety separated by wide shadows.
"You're not considering going after them this late, are you," the thrush asks.
"You said to do what I can to help others feel safe, even said something about feeling sorry for myself, if I recall." The young paladin smiles sweetly at Talanaliel before turning her attention back to the road before her.
"I didn't mean to be reckless!"
"It'll be fine," Audria reassures Talanaliel. "It's not like that time we went to Eel's End. I'm armed and I can take care of myself."
"Why is it that you are either too cautious and self-conscious or too bold and reckless? There's no in-between with you!"
"Sorry, Tallyfeather. I guess it depends on if my mind's made up or not."
Talanaliel lets out a long sigh and shakes her head.
"I suppose that's true. Whenever you, Eliana, or Trinia make up your mind, nothing is going to stop any of you. Promise me that you'll be careful and not get into any fights you can avoid."
Audria pauses under a streetlamp and sees her feathered friend looking at her with concern in her eyes. Audria's smile fades into a more thoughtful expression. She reaches up and strokes the top of the thrush's head with her fingers as gently as if she were just barely touching the finest of brushes to canvas to make the most minute of marks.
"I promise, Tallyfeather." Her voice is calm, without any bravado nor fear. It wis a promise to a friend and one that she'd keep if it were at all in her power to do so.
[b]"Alright. Now about those kids," Talanaliel says, accepting the promise and focusing on the task at hand.
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"Shall I meet you there when it is dark," she asks the others.
"Not me. I'll come by tomorrow. Might be a little late if the burial can't happen today."
She tucks it carefully into a side pocket of the new pack, steps out again into the midafternoon sunshine and hurries the few blocks remaining to Zellara's home, where she retrieves the key from under the mat where she left it, unlocks the door, and steps into the dim and empty house. A shaft of light full of dust motes illuminates the broken sticks of furniture remaining from that weeks-ago ransacking by Lamm's thugs.
With care, Shrike twitches the tattered velvet curtain dividing the front room from the rest of the house aside and starts looking for a door into whatever barren patch of ground a tiny dockside house like this might have. Bedroom... privy... kitchen... pantry... ah.
She walks out into bright sunlight and a small and crowded back garden overflowing with exotic-looking plants in pots, trellised flowering vines, a few neat rows of vegetables and wizardly herbs, and even a gnarled apple tree, half-bent over from the harbor winds, that looks like it might be older than the house itself. Once, this place clearly was meticulously tended, and Lamm's bullies must not have bothered to come out here at all. But the plants have gone without regular watering for several weeks of a warm spring, and despite the occasional rain the city has had in that time, some are beginning to wilt.
Shrike wanders the narrow dirt paths for a few minutes, confused. Between vegetables, herbs, flowers and pots, there does not seem to be any spot of bare ground in the entire yard big enough for even a makeshift grave. She takes out the Harrow deck and holds it one hand. "Where do I dig?" she asks the air gruffly, feeling like a fool even as she says it.
For a moment — nothing. Then she almost drops the deck as it warms in her hand and a gust of wind off the river blows over her shoulder, causing the top card to flutter away. But instead of the normal mud-and-fish stink, the breeze smells of a flower whose name she does not know, and someone else's grief slips pain between her own ribs like a needle-pointed blade. She turns and follows the card to where it landed, just visible under the shade of of the bent-over apple tree's branches, and sees what she missed before. There is just space enough for a small woman to stand under the curtain of the leaves, and that upturned stone pot before the bed of tightly clustered purple blooms on tall stalks under the tree could be used as a seat.
Shrike ducks into Zellara's grieving space, bowing her head awkwardly to fit. It is quiet here, and cool, and filled with the scent of this plot of purple flowers that whispered past her on the breeze. She picks up the Harrow card, tucks it back into the deck without more than the briefest glance at the design — a person kneeling before a grave, in case she was such a cloth-head that the meaning of this sign was not clear enough already — and puts the deck back into the side pocket of her backpack.
Already her shoulders are aching from this hunched-over posture. She takes off her new pack and weapons and puts them to the side. Grimly, Shrike stabs the shovel down through the center of the purple flowers and begins to dig.
Perhaps three-quarters of an hour later, she is sweating, grubby, sore, and has retrieved a dirt-covered wooden box, heartbreakingly small, from about four feet down. She brushes off the worst of the soil and places it inside the slightly larger rope-handled crate from Barrels of Goods without opening it. Finally, a sigh of relief escapes her as she squeezes out from under the apple tree's branches again and straightens up to stretch her arms and shoulders until they pop. There is still plenty of light left to make it to the Gray.
She is not holding the deck, but the breeze that whispers past her face softens her pinched brows with gratitude — and regret.
Lania looks at the shambles she made of the flowerbed and the carefully maintained path with the pile of dirt she dug up. She looks at the thirsty, dying, lovingly tended garden. She sighs.
The door to Zellara's house closes softly behind her. Shrike, fully armed and equipped once more, locks it again and replaces the key beneath the mat, in case any of the others come by here and need to get in. It is almost sunset now. But all of the purple flowers that were not too badly crushed to save have been replaced in their bed, and they along with everything else in the garden have received a share of water from Zellara's rain barrel.
The Cathedral will likely not be able to perform a burial with the little light remaining today. She will have to try to arrange it tomorrow. She will take Zellara and her son's remains home for now and go to the Gray in the morning.
The priests also would probably not be inclined to look favorably on a heavily armed woman in burglar's clothes who conceals her identity behind a mask bringing them only pieces of people to be buried. It raises all kinds of questions she would prefer not to answer. No, Merula must go, and come up with some kind of story too.
Shrike sets out on the half-mile journey, striding swiftly and purposefully. The two boxes are tied to the backpack by some of its adjustable straps in order to leave her hands free for weapons, but they are ungainly, and it would still be best to return quickly more than stealthily. She takes a direct route, thankful to see no one but a few similarly lone travelers or residents who dart into alleys or doors that slam behind them as she goes by. Less than a block from home, she swings up into the Shingles only so she can enter from the rooftop through her window without being seen. There, with it securely shut and locked behind her, she can finally take off the shrike mask, hanging it carefully on her chair as usual.
"Saints bless us, here is proof of life that does not require handwriting analysis. My lady was near to forgetting what her daughter looked like," Junie comments with her usual tartness when Lania, freshly scrubbed and gowned, makes a rare appearance at the supper table.
Mamma manages a wan smile and a murmured, "No, no, do not waste a thought on me, dearest. I am managing tolerably well. Only I wish you will take the greatest of care, and not do anything too rash. I am sure the young ladies are expecting you, but it is only money, you know, and we can surely afford a few days of grace for this turmoil to subside." Lania, comprehending the meaning of this speech at once, darts an accusatory glance at Junie, who busies herself with serving up the stew of preserved meat, barley, and root vegetables with a bricklike homemade bread. Ever solicitous of her lady's delicate mental equilibrium, the officious housekeeper must have taken Lania's instruction to keep Vita from agitation as a directive to preserve her from the content of the notes Lania has been leaving. Vita believes she is still going out into the city to the houses of the wealthy as a dancing-instructor, despite the unrest.
"I am always careful, Mamma, but indeed I did not encounter any trouble at all on the streets today. From what I did see of the activities of the Guards and the Order of the Nail, I should think they will soon expand the area of their control to include Pillar Hill, and then you may be perfectly easy." Lania tries not to outright lie to her mother, but conversing with her still feels uneasily like trying to navigate a rope bridge with many planks missing in a high wind. She changes the subject and spends rest of supper endeavoring to speak only pleasant and diverting nothings, drawing a few more wan smiles and one polite chuckle.
Isideo says nothing at all, but practically inhales the food on his plate in huge bites, so that he is finished long before his mother or sister; whereupon he politely asks and receives permission from Mamma to be excused so he may read in his room. Lania's worried glance follows him as he leaves. The meal is interminable.
After supper, she goes and knocks softly at the door of his room, but there is no answer, and no light of a candle spills from under the frame. She hovers for a minute, and then decides he must have fallen asleep already. With guilty relief, Lania creeps away to take care of her weapons, clothes and armor for the next day and find her own bed early. She uses the whetstone on the blades of her guisarme and the dagger taken from the greasy man; Lamm's magic blade is already sharp enough to cut a hair that falls onto it.
Two rooms away, Isi lies curled up and awake. He slowly falls asleep to the rhythmic scraping of the whetstone, with one hand under his pillow clutching the plain hilt of his sister's dagger.
Junie's eyebrows snap together. "I'm sure if I've told you once not to use such vulgarisms, Miss Lania—"
But she is too flustered to maintain her disapproval; in moments, Merula is out the door and gone, bearing two odd wooden boxes, and the sound of her humming the chorus to a popular tavern tune no lady should know is already fading away.
Merula fixes her eyes on the grim edifice of the Grand Cathedral of Pharasma about a third of a mile away and her face into a mask of solemnity and downcast eyes beneath the veil. She has Lamm's dagger at her belt and the two kukris concealed beneath her skirts, but still feels uncomfortably exposed without her armor, mask and most of her weapons, in a way she did not when walking as Merula even four days ago. Once inside the Gray she intends to make her way to the nearest of the black-robed priests called 'crows' by the irreverent.
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The gate leading into the vaults is unusually ornate for this section of the city. Stone carved in the likenesses of imps and other devils leer from their perches, their hollow eyes seeming to follow any who dare enter such a place. An iron gate, long rusted into just a mere suggestion of a barrier, lays crumpled to either side of the path leading down into the depths. Audria shivers as she looks over the foreboding entrance. Tales of what lurked in the shadows and gloom of the Vaults often haunted her dreams as a child, even before she fell into Lamm's clutches.
Still, this is where the rumors say at least a few of Lamm's wayward Lambs had wound up, sheltering from the chaos on the streets in the safety offered by the upper reaches of the dark catacombs. She swallows her fear and looks to Talanaliel. The thrush looks as nervous as Audria feels, and with probably more reason. She remembers hearing once that canaries were used by miners to warn them of bad air, since they would die before the miners would.
"It'll be alright," Audria assures Talanaliel. With a deep breath, she plunges into the darkness, carefully feeling along the wall of the tunnel as she does.
It feels like an hour passes as she makes slow progress forward, guided by the wan light filtering down from the grates in the ceiling and her own fingers on the rough stone. Her first sign she is on the right track is the flicker of light shining through a gap between two boards. She starts to walk forward, but a sharp hiss in her ear brings her to a stop.
"Wait! See there," Talanaliel whispers, bobbing her head to a spot just in front of Audria. The young woman frowns as she concentrates on the spot. Breathless heartbeats pass as she looks, trying to discern what had caused Talanaliel's caution. Then a breeze from somewhere, carrying with it the stench of rot and filth from somewhere deeper in the passages beneath the city, blows past, causing a thread of some iridescent material to shift and the light to play along its length. As she watches, she sees a few more of the threads crisscrossing the tunnel and each other in a somewhat sparse web.
"A trap?" Audria's brow furrows as she tries to make sense of what she is seeing.
"I do not know, but something about it makes me uneasy," Talanaliel answers. "Best to move carefully."
Audria nods and wonders if she should look down a different passage when she hears the soft voice of a child coming from the makeshift barricade. The words are unintelligible through the barrier, but she can hear the young voice nonetheless.
Talanaliel flits off the paladin's shoulder and perches near the door, her wings making nary a sound. Audria has a more difficult time of it. She ducks and twists, her armor hampering her agility somewhat, but careful movements and slow, steady progress has her almost to Talanaliel and the barricade when she makes a mistake. Her back brushes one of the threads she was trying to duck under. For a long moment, she stands there, wondering when the alarm would sound or the trap would spring.
Thankfully neither happen as she leans lower and bends her knees to get under the thread without further incident. Audria breaths a silent sigh as she clears the last obstacle and arrives at what looks to be the children's hideout. Unfortunately, while she was careful to avoid the threads and any traps they might be connected to, she hasn't been silent in doing so, and whoever was beyond the wood boards and crates that blocked off this part of the vaults has long gone silent.
Audria decides to try being neighborly and knocks.
"May I come in," she asks. "I'm one of the people that fought Lamm and his goons a couple of nights ago at the Old Fishery. I won't harm you. I just want to help."
Shuffling and hushed voices come back through the barricade, some excited, others sounding more skeptical. Audria waits until a girl's voice calls out from behind the barrier.
"Why should we believe you?"
Fair enough, Audria thinks. Lamm's treatment wasn't one that inspired trust in others.
"My name is Audria. I used to be under Lamm's thumb until about two years ago. I know what he was like."
"You said you fought him? Were you the one that strung him up like a gutted fish," the girl asks, her voice growing excited.
"No," Audria answers. "I don't know who fished him out or how they dealt with that gator of his. I did keep him from running away while one of my companions slit his throat."
She shuddered at the memory. Being sprayed with hot blood and screaming as she shoved the lifeless corpse away would likely stick with her for the rest of her life, but there's no reason to let the children know all of that.
"Right, you said you was Audria? Whatever happened to, wossername? Rosaline? The girl that disappeared the same time you did."
"Her name is Eliana, and she's fine. We were both taken in by the Sanctuary of Shelyn."
Silence hangs in the air for several moments before the girl speaks again.
"You left us, you know." Hurt and hope war in her voice, and Audria can hear the tears being held back.
"I know. I'm sorry, and I'm here now."
A board shifts as the girl moves it. Beyond, Audria can see even others huddled close by.
"Is this everybody," Audria asks.
"Everybody here," the girl, the oldest of the group, answers. "No idea where the others ran off to."
Audria lets out a breath. Of course it wouldn't be that simple.
"Well, as nice as a hideout as this is, I think I can get you all warm beds and hot meals. At the very least you won't have to worry about those threads."
The other children's eyes light up as she mentions food, but the girl gives Audria a puzzled look that is quickly turning into fear.
"You didn't touch them, did you?"
"I brushed one, why?" Audria's voice pitches up as she picks up on the strain in the girl's voice.
"Oh, crap!" Was all the answer Audria gets when she hears the scuttling of hundreds of tiny, chitinous legs on stone. Spiders, swarms of large spiders that could kill grown men with a thousand bites if they couldn't get free of them fast enough. The threads are part of a web, Audria realizes as she draws her longsword.
"Too late to do anything about it now," Audria says before turning to where Talanaliel is perched. "Can you see them?"
"Barely," the thrush answers, "and it looks like there's a big one coming!"
"Time to go," Audria tells the others as she draws her shortsword and handing it to the girl. "Cut through the webbing with this, I'll be right behind you. Follow Tallyfeather here, she'll keep an eye out for danger."
The girl, stunned by the sudden change in demeanor and the revelation of a talking bird, nods as she takes the blade in both hands and starts clearing a path. The other children follow as Talanaliel flits to land on the girl's shoulder, but Audria only watches out of the corner of her eyes as she reaches into the chamber and grabs the lantern the children had. The light helps her get a better look at what is coming, and she wishes she hadn't. The spiders the size of her fist are bad enough. The thing that followed them is far worse. It's mouth is like spider's fangs and it has eight eyes on it's misshapen head, but it's body and clawed limbs look more like a pot-bellied man's than any spider or bug that Audria had ever seen. They are closing quickly, and it's then that Audria notices the youngest of the children, a little girl no more than five, frozen in terror as she looks at the onrushing swarm.
No time to be gentle, Audria decides and grabs the young girl's arm and drags her out of the hiding spot and shoves her after the others.
"RUN!"
The shout, barked like she's heard Bartholomew do a hundred times, breaks the young girl's paralysis and spurs the others on. Unfortunately, the delay in getting the girl free leaves Audria with no time to avoid the swarm herself and she can feel dozens of burning pinpricks as they crawl over her and bite wherever they can find purchase. The young paladin shakes some off, bats others away, and scatters some with her sword as she scrambles back and out of the mass of legs and fangs. One has managed to get under the back of her armor, but before it can bite her a second time, she slams against the wall, squishing it and sending ichor squirting out the top and bottom of her armor. Adrenaline helps her move past the urge to gag and she bolts after the children, one eye on the swarm and the monster behind her.
They chase Audria and the children through the passages of the vaults. Slowly, the swarm diminishes as the spiders begin to return to wherever their nest is. The half-spider, half man monster kept up the chase. It is faster, but clumsy with its ungainly limbs. The twist and turns through the vaults kept it from catching Audria, but it is slowly gaining ground. With a screech, it launches itself not at Audria, but the young girl who was tiring and beginning to lag behind the others.
Audria doesn't think. She barely even knows what she is doing when she screams back at it and white holy light flashes down her blade as she swings. The monster screams in agony as three of its eyes are ruined and it crashes into the wall. Audria wastes no time assessing her handiwork and grabs the child after dropping the lamp. The screams and what sounds like curses follow her all the way back to the entrance of the Vaults.
She assures herself that everyone is safe after making it out. She is the only one hurt, by some miracle, and as the adrenaline wears off, she feels her muscles ache all over. Her knees threaten to buckle, but she forces them to hold her upright and steady enough to not look drunk. It doesn't take much to convince the children to come with her. Fighting off a monster seems to buy a lot of trust.
===
Later, after dodging a few patrols and making it back to the Sanctuary, helped the last few hundred feet by Brother Theolan, whom Talanaliel had flown ahead to let know what was coming, Audria sits in one of the small infirmary rooms set aside to help those who were sick or injured when they came to help.
"Audria," he says as examines her, "I'm glad you found them, but you know you had us worried sick."
"I couldn't just leave them," she says, her voice soft and tired from chase and the journey back to a safe haven.
"No, you couldn't," Theolan agrees. "And I figured something like this would happen sooner or later."
Audria looks over her should at him, wondering what he means.
"Audria, you are growing into a fine young woman, and while you are prone to bouts of getting caught in your own thoughts and fears, you are a kind person that cares for others. Time and again, when it comes to saving someone else or yourself, you have proven that you'll save whomever you can. I've known that since Eliana told me what you did that day."
He walks around and kneels in front of her to look her in the eyes.
"Promise me, though, that whatever our goddess has in store for you, whatever dangers you face, that you'll not throw away you life cheaply." His eyes glitter with unshed tears as he speaks. "The world needs good people like you too badly for you to do that." He hesitates, then wraps her up in a hug as fierce and loving as any she could have hoped for from her father. "You are like my own daughter, Audria. Please promise me that you'll be more careful."
Audria reaches up and returns her mentor's embrace and lays her head on his shoulder.
"I will. I promise," she says, holding back tears of her own.
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Pip stays with the hobbits and begins to find the ingredients to cook up a massive stew. Using different ingredients and some exotic spices, a concoction in the largest pot begins to brew.
Hoping to instill comradeship and belonging in his new friends, he has some of the children running to fetch some ingredients with a few coins to complete his "Estate Stew". He informs the group that this is what keeps some manor houses running for days--a well cooked stew that is brought to a boil and lightly heated for a day while everyone partakes.
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Abella heads off on her own for some much-needed alone time, back to the place she has shared with Cainabeth. She has always needed plenty of alone time, but she never considered her twin sister a challenge to that alone time. They were always two halves of the same brain, as far as they were concerned.
She has enough self-awareness to know that she is using her new allies as a method to compensate for that loss.
The apartment is barely big enough for one, much less two, and it does not have a lavatory, kitchen, or any other amenities. It has a closet and a bed, and some furniture pieced-together from cinderblocks and found furniture. The landlady, a doddering half-orc woman with a kind face and only one leg, does not realize that Abella is a different person from Cainabeth, and has thus only been charging rent for one person.
The books are eclectic, really just whatever Abella found and was left unclaimed with guard long enough that Cainabeth could take them. A few romance novels about a knight and her lady, some mid-level academic texts on summoning, an Osiriani dictionary with all the dirty words circled, the journal of a shoe merchant who has been having the most tedious affair in history, a essay defending Chelaxian hegemony over Korvosa written by someone with an inferiority complex, a firebrand satirical experimental comic lambasting said essay (and folded up behind the cover), two mysteries written for children (in Abella’s estimation), and an introductory necromancy textbook full of Abella’s commentary in the margins.
She takes the sheet off the bed and dumps the books into it. She debates taking the one extra outfit that Cainabeth had, finally deciding to take it as she knows Beth holds sympathy for such things. Everything else in the apartment is of no consequence. Abella is destined for greater things, after all. She pulls the corners of the sheet together and ties them off before throwing it over her shoulder. As she begins to leave, she pauses, rips out a blank page from the tedious affair journal, and scribbles “All items within are considered garbage and worthless by the now former residents. Recommend keeping them as historical relics of the soon-to-be famous. Or dispose of them. I don’t really care. Just thought I should be nice and let you know.”
She slides the note under the door and strides off to bigger and better things.
"My parents sell hammers and nails, not armor. I think we would need to look in a different part of town for that. Assuming we were not looking to find "used" items" Garrett says.
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Most of the group awakens to strange calm in the city of Korvosa. The smell and sight of smoke still hangs in the air over the tops of the buildings in different directions, but something seems quiet for the first time in a few days.
As usual, the Sanctuary starts its day early. Small groups of Shelyn's faithful come nearly every day and while not always consisting of the same folk, a smiling priest/ess leads early morning prayers asking for the blessing of their goddess to quell the sudden rage of the city and let love blossom once more. With all the extra mouths and hands, the small kitchen gets an even earlier start on baking bread and making preparations for the mass production of the Korvosan/Varisian breakfasts staples. A new rotation of those manning the makeshift barricades is implemented while those on night duty take their turn in the temple's now cramped sleeping quarters.
For those of the party who returned before the morning bells, two surprises await: the Hellknight armigers posted to the barricades have been recalled and are no longer present, and Lina Derexhi, the half-drow sorcerer, has departed. A note she left with Jenelyn Trover details how finally achieving a conclusion with Lamm, she's found a desire to investigate her own origins which she already knows will lead her into a far away place deep into The Darklands. She wishes everyone luck as they seek to defend their home and realize the destiny of which Zellara has spoken.
Also absent is the imposing but now familiar figure known simply as Shrike. However, she never returned to the Sanctuary that night, and she had already announced her intention to seek out the remains of Zellara and the fortune teller's son for ceremonial burial. Perhaps she will return soon enough.
A contingent of Korvosan Guard appears and stops by the Sanctuary to speak with Brother Theolan and the other citizens essentially in charge of the organized neighborhood. Unlike the Hellknights, they are very impressed with the setup and provide compliments as well as a few pointers regarding the operation. Through them, the group learns the Castle is still on a fairly secure lockdown, but there are chances this will end soon as whispers have surfaced Queen Ileosa has recently reached a decision on how to handle the current unrest and begin to return the city to normal.
Merula will naturally find a Pharasmin priest fairly easily. With a successful DC18 Diplomacy, she can reduce the cost of 2s for each body to 2s for both to be placed in the Everyman's Ward due to the rather small amount of actual body needing to be interred. If Merula would like to remain in The Gray for the actual interment service, she may. If she chooses so, Merula/Shrike will likely not return from The Gray in time to take part in the daily activity selected by the team unless they choose Charitable Works or possibly Harebrained Scheme (which depending on the scheme could result in the group being at the Sanctuary on Shrike's return).
If you return immediately and directly without making any other stops, Merula will make it to join the team for the day by a hair. Also, keep in mind aside from Audria, most of the group would not likely recognize you in your current state of disguise. Prepare to roleplay accordingly if you make contact by arriving in time to join or when they return from daily activity or other encounter.
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Ileosa fought down bile at the notion of the man's touch, and reminded herself to make Sabina wash her hand—no, arm as soon as these proceedings were concluded. For her part, Sabina only barely allowed her lips to compress slightly as the slimy looking butterball removed the seal to stamp the contract offered by the Hellknight.
As soon Togomor removed the seal, Something -Ctor produces a long nail, more like a spike, which then turning to one of his subordinates who holds up a square piece of wood, slams the nail piercing the top of the contract into the wood. The man drives the entire length of the nail through in that motion and the force nearly impales the nail through the wood into the armor of his assistant, stopping just short much to Ileosa's disappointment. That would certainly have lent a little bit of fun to these dull proceedings.
Even from here, Ileosa can feel the nail radiating with a pure divine power derived from the Lawful planes. Being out of her control, the nail made her skin crawl, but it made the terms immutable and unchangeable except by great and powerful magic. Without a word further, Something -Ctor and his retinue of Hellknights and armigers turned and departed; the assistant handing Togomor the wood containing the contract for Korvosa's record of the agreement. The Order of the Nail had no need to keep it. They knew precisely what is agreed upon and would not deviate from it. All at once, their greatest and most infuriating quality.
Ileosa sat stoically until the last Hellknight had left the throne room, and her attendants had shut the doors. Then she allowed herself to droop with an explosive sigh of relief.
"Oh, my dear Sabina, this part of being in power is absolutely the worst!" she bursts out with frustration.
Her bodyguard lets out her own small sigh and gestures at Togomor to disappear. The man's beady eyes glances at the queen and he shrewdly departs with the contract wood with a simple nod. "My queen, I know you wish it could all be balls and fine parties, but now that both your husband King Eodred has passed and Seneschal Kalepopolis is missing there is no one else capable of performing these duties...unless you wish to turn to the Peerage." Sabina braced herself for the inevitable fury.
"By all the Dukes of Hell, no!" the snarl erupting from the extraordinary beauty seems so out of place, one would wonder if the queen was possessed by a demon. "This throne, this city, this power is mine now. Those cretins won't get an inch from me."
Ileosa's full lips twist in displeasure and yet still look kissable and worthy of desire. Was it any wonder there are artists aplenty submitting requests to paint and sketch the form and face of Queen Ileosa Arabasti?
She abruptly holds out her hand, and Sabina quickly takes it and helps the queen stand gracefully as otherwise getting up from the throne could be a somewhat clumsy experience in her beautiful full-skirted emerald gown. Sabina leads the way eyes checking all the corners of even the most familiar passages until they reach Ileosa's private sitting room. As they enter Sabina sees a sealed scroll tube very conspicuously placed in the center of the Queen's writing desk.
"It would seem your special eyes and ears have returned with the answer to your inquiry," Sabina says quietly. Ileosa waits quietly as Sabina approaches the tube and allows Sabina to be the one to open it. A simple slip of paper appearing to be a receipt unfolds from within. To confirm no spell triggered by reading has been cast, Sabina glances through the contents before looking up at Ileosa and giving a nod.
The queen approaches and imperiously offers a hand into which Sabina nervously places the receipt. As the she reads the contents, Ileosa's face begins to match the color of her beautiful dark red hair, her beautiful visage twisting into a rage Sabina had anticipated.
"" Queen Ileosa screams. She grabs a porcelain vase on an end table and hurls it across the room. Sabina cringes and watches quietly as the powerful fury living in her queen erupts and the room quickly becomes a maelstrom.
Sabina swallows a sudden lump in her throat. Something terrible is about to happen...
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"Her name was Zellara. And her son..." At first she can't remember his name, though she is sure Zellara told it to them that first evening when sending them after Lamm, and momentarily almost panics. A soothing whisper, softer than the first breath of spring, and the name is in her mind as though she had always known it. "...Eran."
Apprehensive of being asked any further questions by the old priestess, who gave Merula the uneasy feeling that she understood far more by her words than she intended to say, she slips away almost as soon as the boxes and the appropriate amount of money have changed hands. But before she gives up the remains she bows her head and murmurs over them softly in Elven, her lips barely moving. "Hunter, please watch over these souls on their journey up the River, and let no fell thing prey upon them. May the Gray Lady receive them kindly in their time, and in her wisdom grant them peace."
She leaves the Gray at a brisk pace. It is only three blocks to Eodred's Walk and she wants to see if the weapons shop there is open.
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Jenelyn gently smacks Audria on a still tender shoulder as she finishes casting her spell. It had taken more than Brother Theolan had left to give to set Audria aright.
"I'm afraid that this is the last time I can do this for you," the priest says as Audria rubs feeling back into her shoulder. "Too many are in need of Shelyn's blessings, and it is not fair for us to hoard up our goddess' beauty and love for ourselves."
"Besides, you need to learn to be more careful," Jenelyn adds as she frowns at the young paladin. "A bloody ettercap, of all things," she shakes her head.
"It didn't get me. It was the spiders that did most of it," Audria explains before realizing that she should have kept her mouth shut as she sees the glare leveled her way.
"Oh, Audria," Jenelyn sighs before turning her fiery temper on Talanaliel. "And what were you doing, fluff ball? Aren't you supposed to be keeping an eye on her?"
"ME?!" Talanaliel's voice squeaks as she shrinks back. "I'm her guide, but I'm not omniscient! Besides, would she be the Audria we all love if she wasn't a little reckless."
"Talanaliel has a point," Brother Theolan says as Jenelyn takes in a breath to fire a response back at the thrush. "As do you. However, I think it has been made and we all have long days ahead of us."
"Yes, Brother Theolan," Jenelyn says, somewhat stiffly. "If that is all," she asks before leaving as Theolan nods.
"Now," he says as he puts up the ointment he'd used to reduce the swelling from the spiderbites, "I think we should all get to bed. Tomorrow will take care of itself in due time."
Audria wakes up wondering where she is before remembering that she'd slept in the crowded room where the young children she and the others have rescued are staying. Sometime during the night she'd become something like a teddy bear and has a couple of the younger children clinging to her arms. The day is beginning and she can already hear Olga singing as she works in the kitchen. Time to get up, she figures and tries to get herself extracted without waking the others.
She doesn't have much luck.
===
The others find Audria helping Olga in the kitchen with a couple of new faces among the children helping out with keeping the place somewhat tidy amid the frenetic chaos of too many people in too small a space trying to cook too much food in too few pots.
"Ah! You must be the nice people Audria has been telling me so much about," a matronly woman in her silver years says with a smile. "Olga's my name, dears, and would you mind giving us a hand? There's so many to feed nowadays, I'll have to talk Brother Theolan into building a bigger kitchen!"
Pip realized they were going to split up to take care of personal business. He wanted the group to be excited about the brooch, but they did not see it as anything to be used or exploited. Knowing nobles and how they thought, Pip decided to investigate the brooch and the missing seneschal.
Riding to a local craftsman, Pip carried a detailed drawing of the brooch he was obsessed with. He was going to get as many copies made of the brooch as possible in the shortest amount of time. The craftsman looked at Pip curiously, and Pip explained "The queen is coming into power, when she recovers her brooch everyone will be wearing them. I need as many made as you can!!"
Pip hands over some money and will pick up the each article as it is made -- paying for the first one in advance.
As she approaches, Merula can see a rather well organized band of tough looking men and women manning some kind of waist-high barricades blocking most of the entrances to the mall. Some of the store fronts show some fire damage and other signs of vandalism. Very likely, this location was hit early on during the unrest. It doesn't look open for business.
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Abella wakes clutching the “bag” of her collected possessions in a bed in the Sanctuary. She figures nothing will happen to them. Those goody-goody Shelynites wouldn’t let thinggs just get stolen from under their noses, would they? She just finds something familiar and comforting about the smell, which vaguely reminds her of Cainabeth.
She finds Audria off at the kitchen. ”Good morning, Canary! How are the coal mines.” She casually, instinctively tries to swipe a bit or a bite from the kitchen as she talks. ”Do you like reading, Canary? I have all my books now. Dreadfully small supply, I know, but everyone has to start somewhere. You like romances? I have a few of those.” As she chews on some bread, she taps her fingers on the wall. ”I suppose you still want to go find the little kiddies? Might as well until things die down. I shan’t mind.” She takes a piece of black, charred bread and crunches into it. ”Mmm, would like…to go find…a new apartment—“ She holds up a finger as she searches for some water, finally settling on a bowl of steaming soup. She continues holding up the finger as she drinks. ”—yes, a new apartment. But I do not think the market is very stable at the moment, if you know what I mean. Also better to not sign anything until we brooch a certain subject.“ She elbows Audria as she says “brooch,” just so she knows that Abell made a pun, and did so intentionally, which shows that she is skilled in the art of conversation. You have to be good at talking to so naturally drop a pun in conversation.
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"Abella," Audria sighs as she shakes her head. Her arms up to her elbows are covered in flour as is her apron. "that was terrible. You and Trinia would get along great."
The young paladin starts back on kneading the ball of dough she has in front of her as an older, matronly woman walks up.
"Is this a friend of yours, Audria," she asks while wiping her hands off on a cloth tucked into her apron strings. "Oh deary," she cries as she sees the burnt heel of bread. "We have better food than that! Here let me get you something more filling to put some meat on them bones."
"Best let her," Audria whispers when the woman had scampered off to fix Abella some breakfast.
"If you're looking for some privacy, I don't think Eliana is going to be back at the Sanctuary until the city calms down anyway. I'd be fine sharing our room with you. Just promise not to mess with her things."
The older woman comes back with a couple of plates with bulz and a few gogosi on them.
"Here you go," she says before looking from Audria to Abella with a questioning look on her face.
"She's Abella, Mrs. Olga," Audria answers.
"Thank you, dear. Here you go, Ms. Abella," Olga says while handing Abella a plate, "You and Audria come back if you want more. There's plenty to go around." She turns to Audria and chivvies her towards the door after practically shoving the other plate in her hands. "Now shoo, little Canary. There's too many hands in here already! It sounds like you have more important things to do than be my little helper."
A moment later, both Abella and Audria are outside of the kitchen, having seemingly been teleported by magic.
"Looks like you have a new nickname, Little Canary," Talanaliel teases as she lights on Audria's shoulder.
"Quiet, or I won't share any of my gogosi with you," Audria threatens a shocked Talanaliel before looking back to Abella.
"Well, do you want to tell me about the books while we go back to my room and eat? What kind of romances were you talking about?"
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Abella takes the plate and tosses a half-salute, half-wave in response. ”Abella Tribastarion, Genius, Mistress of the Thanergetic Arts, and Future Famous Person. I’m thinking of getting it on a card.” She begins walking away, then hears Cainabeth’s voice in her head. ”Thank you.” Glancing over her shoulder, she tries one of Beth’s favorite lines. However, unlike Beth—who could make the line sound utterly guileless, effortless, and seductive—Abella renders it matter-of-fact and flat, perhaps even patronizing. ”I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”
She takes the plate of beans, sausage, and bread and has the astoundingly brilliant idea to put the beans on the toast and then wrap the beaned toast around the sausage. Efficient and ingenious, as she would expect nothing less of herself. She raises her eyebrows at Audria as she is about to take a bite of her creation. Sadly, she does lose a few beans while she gets the grip and angle perfected, but one cannot cry over a few spilled beans in Science. She laughs to herself and notes to save that spilled beans line for later when she needs to make a mixed metaphor joke about someone letting a secret loose. She then sets her plate down on the first surface she passes and resumes her conversation. ”Ah yes, the romances. The White Knight and Her Bright Lady and The Black Knight and Her Dark Lady both by Brianna Wessex. The author writes nothing but romances about lady knights and ladies of knights.” She takes another bite of her creation. What should she call it? ”Word is that some royal brat in Mendev pays for her living expenses so she can keep churning them out. More than a bit sappy if you ask me, but Cainabeth loves them, and the steamy bits are worth getting through all the damned chivalry.” She takes another bite. Sausage-wich? No, no music to it. ”You can borrow the books if you want, but she will be rather cross if they are gone when she gets back, so I will need them back.” Another bite. Toasted beans and sausage? A bit cumbersome. She tells herself she will workshop names later, but she knows she probably won’t.
Pip stays with Garrett, having reconsidered spending his money.
Another of the guards standing with arms crossed lets out a grunting snicker. The higher pitch from the tall humanoid of orcish descent is unexpected considering the beefy muscles and barrel chest. The first tough hesitates and then asks, "What's so important? I can't promise anyone from the shop is around, but you've good reason to be here, we can try and let somebody know."
Audria convinces the others to wait for Shrike to return to the Sanctuary before heading out to search for the lost orphans previously in Lamm's Lambs.
The group spends several hours asking around in the neighborhood if anyone may know of places the former gang of pickpockets may be found.
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She smiles sadly. "We've got to be able to take care of ourselves, you know? No one else will."
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"Steamy," Audria asks, confused for a moment before realization dawns and she looks away as her cheeks blaze crimson.
"Uh, thanks, but there's a lot to do. I don't know if I'll have the time," she says quickly while Talanaliel trills a laugh.
A few moments later, Audria opens a door and shows Abella into the room. Two beds with chests at their feet line two of the walls while a desk sits between them under the window. on it is a journal open to a two page spread of sketches, one of which has Abella's likeness.
Audria waves to one of the beds while she takes a chair.
"Make yourself at home," she says before tearing into one of the pastries on her plate. She chews thoughtful before looking to Talanaliel, who nods.
"Abella," she asks, "who's Cainabeth? I've heard you mention her a few times, but I don't think you've told us much about her."
Hey sorry for not writing out more, but I'm getting tapped out on creative energy tonight. I do have some ideas for the diplomacy checks.
Check #0: Audria asks the kids they've rescued where the rest of them might have gone to hide out after fleeing Lamm's clutches.
Check #1: After looking in the spots where they have good descriptions and directions, Audria's asking around points them to an old flame of one of Lamm's cronies (was thinking Yargin or Hookshanks.) The woman recognizes Audria and sees her wearing the Holy Symbol of Shelyn or perhaps worse recognizes the breastplate as Giggles' and things go downhill from there.
Check #2: Audria finds an old beggar that gives them a lead on where to continue their search. Could be someone that recognizes her from her time as one of Lamm's Lambs or could recognize her from the times she's been helping the Shelynites do charitable works in the area.
Check #3: Fortune smiles on them and they find a (retired?) guardsman that has seen the kids and can point them in the right direction, maybe to the beggar for #2?
Thoughts? Hopefully I'll have more juice in the tank to do some writing tomorrow.
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Abella pauses at Audria’s question. “Who is Cainabeth?” is such a ridiculous question to her, as one might as well be asking her who the right side of her body is. Not to mention Cainabeth is usually the one to meet people first and thus evoke a “Who is Abella?” She takes a moment before responding. ”Oh, haven’t I mentioned? She is my twin sister. I got the brains and she got the beauty. All bronze and gold. She has a bit of a goody-goody streak, but I never hold it against her. Could talk the bones right out of your skeleton, too. We are just two puzzle pieces, perfectly matched that make a whole person.” She clutches at the pommel of her sheathed sword, but she keeps her amused expression. ”Bastard Lamm killed her. That’s why I had to end him, you see. You don’t kill half of a person an expect to get away with it. No, you either finish the job or you learn that half a person can still chop your bloody head off.” She relaxes as she reminds herself that she essentially did just that. She then begins rooting around in her bag. ”It’s fine though. She’s just in the queue in the Boneyard, and I need to figure out how to pull her back. I’ve already got the materials.” She produces a cleaned but unbleached skull. She kisses it on the forehead and pets it. ”A bit tougher than with a fresh body, but gives plenty more time to prepare.” She carefully wraps the skull and places it back in her bag. ”Certainly you see why improving my abilities is so important, yes?”
Abella will first check with the guard, as she figures they have been all over and might have heard anything.
She then struggles to think of any place children might gather or be noticed, so she just begins randomly asking around.
She then heads to a occult bookstore she had heard about but never been to because she wanted to go anyway, and who knows? Maybe a kid will be there. Or some mystic on staff will suddenly have a fateful vision in the cards. Or one of those kiddies likes incense. She continues coming up with various excuses for why it’s not just her selfishly going off on her own.
Merula is the picture of an attractive yet competent woman speaking words amounting to music to someone used to taking jobs as a bouncer and bodyguard. The tough's heart thumps and he simply stares at the woman for a moment before the orc-blooded warrior surreptitiously clears his throat.
"I, uh, I think that..." he abruptly turns to his fellow. "Durk, would you, um...?"
Durk chuckles in his startlingly high tones and uncrosses his arms to move deeper into Eodred's Walk.
"He'll be back in a minute."
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Audria listens to Abella as she shares her story. What if Lamm had killed Eliana that day before she could step in and save her? What if he had managed to kill her? Would this burning hatred have spawned in her as well? They are questions that she has no answers to.
"I guess you, me, and Shrike are all alike and all so very different at the same time," she says as she takes another bite out of one of the still steaming bulz. "We all care for those that are close to us, but I don't know if I could bring myself to hate Lamm as you two did, even if he'd managed to kill Eliana that day. The two of us feel incomplete without our closest friends, but I don't know if Shrike's ever felt that way. And you two are so confident and know what you want to do, meanwhile I seem to have trouble getting out of my own head."
She laughs, a surprisingly genuine sound after her self-recrimination.
"Guess we're three sides of the same coin."
Talanaliel gives Audria a look as she chuckles into her food.
"You didn't slip anything into her food, did you," the bird asks Abella. "Even I know that coins only have two sides."
Audria took in a deep breath as she found herself alone. The others had split up, asking around and looking for where the last half-dozen or so of Lamm's victims were hiding. Talanaliel rubbed her head against Audria's cheek, reminding her that she's not alone. Feeling encouraged and remembering the lesson from yesterday about offering comfort and showing Shelyn's love where she can, she walks into the shop called The Embercat's Fancy.
"Pardon me," Audria says as she enters the bauble and trinket filled front room, "I'm looking for a Katrina Embresi. Is she here?"
No answer comes, and Audria shrugs as she looks to where Talanaliel sits on her shoulder. The narrow room looks to open up to another with a counter further back and door beyond that. Perhaps whoever is here didn't hear her. It wouldn't have been the first time. She moves into the next room and listens for any sounds that would give her clues to where anybody in the shop might be.
"Hello," she calls out again as she reaches the counter and steps to where it ends to allow people around it. "Is anyone here?"
The silence that answers is deafening. Audria waits a few more breathes before deciding that no one is here and she'd better move on to the next place. She feels like she's about to jump out of her skin when a husky voice purrs behind her.
"Ain't we just so well-spoken fer one o' Lamm's Lost Li'l Lambs."
Audria turns to face the voice's owner, a woman who's graying hair and lined face marked her as older, at least twice Audria's age, and who must have been beautiful in her younger years. A hard life had left her haggard and gaunt, looking more like a starved vulture than a pretty songbird. Something about her tickled Audria's memory, and the way venom dripped from her words marked her as no friend.
But how had she known that Audria was one of urchins that Lamm had used and abused?
"I'm afraid you have the better of me," Audria says as something inside of her screams for her to draw a weapon.
"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," the woman says, her tone mocking in its faux familiarity and friendliness. "Ye're rather young when ye last seen me."
The woman moves closer, and Audria instinctively backs away until her back bumps into the shelving behind her. The young paladin feels Talanaliel shift uneasily on her shoulder. The air feels cold and crackles with tension. The woman's eyes, no remorse, no life, just burning, venomous hatred.
"Yargin always did say that the two of ye, Lamm's li'l songbirds he called ye, were a timid pair. Didn't stop ye from stringin' him and the others up, did ye?"
Talanaliel takes off as the woman lunges with shocking speed, a dagger aimed at Audria's belly. The young paladin twists out of the way, training drilled into her until it was instinct taking over. The squeal of metal on metal pierces the air as the point of the dagger is turned by the breastplate Audria pilfered from Giggles. The woman's face twists into an ugly, feral mask as she turns to follow Audria as the paladin stumbles back a couple of paces.
"F+&%in' B!%#!! Always the same wit' ye holy-types. Ye ain't nothin'! Nothin'! Ye hear?!"
The woman lunges at her again, but Audria finds her feet and draws her shortsword, the pommel up and the blade down along her forearm as she parries the knife. The woman's eyes widen as she sees the blades and quiver belted around the paladin's waist. She doesn't see the pommel of the shortsword before it crashes between her eyes.
===
A few minutes later, Audria is several blocks away, leaning against an alley wall as she tries to calm her nerves. Skill and instinct had taken over after she'd clocked the woman and laid her out cold. It was all she could do not to panic as she left, but what was she supposed to do? Tell the guards she'd been attacked by a crazed woman with a dagger while she's carrying half an armory on her? The guards would never believe her.
Talanaliel lands on her shoulder, having flown out of the door just before Audria calmly passed through it herself and closed it behind her. The thrush is tense, probably shocked by the violence and the speed things had devolved at. Little wonder. Talanaliel hasn't seen how badly things can go and how quickly they can get that way. Not like Audria.
"Are you alright," Audria asks Talanaliel after a few minutes.
"She just... She just went straight to killing you!"
"She did," Audria replies, distantly surprised at how calm she sounds.
"Sometimes people are like that," she adds after a moment. "Life is hard here, and sometimes people grow up to be monsters."
"Did she even know you," Talanaliel asks, still stunned, but coming back to normal.
"If she knew Yargin, maybe. He was with Lamm as long as I could remember," Audria answers.
"Maybe it's a good thing you didn't stay with the crowd yesterday. I shudder to think about what she could have done to you or anyone else if she went berserk like that."
"Maybe, but you're right. I need to show people love and ease their fears where I can, even if I'm scared to death."
"At least you seem to be learning something," Talanaliel teases.
"Well, I do have good teachers."
A quartet of guards tense as they see Audria emerge from the alleyway. Seeing them and the looks on their faces, Audria slowly raises her hands to show she means no harm. Two of them grip their spears tighter, their eyes hardening as they spy the arms she carries, but the other two relax as they see the holy symbol glittering on her chest.
"State your business," one of the still tense guards demands.
"I'm looking to do what I can to help," Audria answers. "I was looking for some children that I heard were around here."
"Of course you were," the other tense guard says, his voice dry enough to turn the Jeggare River into a rivulet. "I bet you were just looking for some lost jewels to return to their owners as well."
"Is your name Audria, and do you know a man named Batholomew Holdt," one of the other two guards asks before Audria can reply, or the other guard can butt in.
"It is, and I do. His wife, Mrs. Olga, helps in the Sanctuary's kitchen, and he taught me how to defend myself."
"Easy there lads," the oldest of the guards, and the other one that had relaxed on seeing her holy symbol, says to the other two. "She's no troublemaker. If she says she's looking for lost kids, then she's looking for lost kids." The guard turns to Audria and leans on his spear. "Bit dangerous out here, Miss. Old man Lamm and his cronies got themselves killed and strung up, wouldn't be his lost Lambs you're looking for, would it?"
"Yes, actually. My friends and I have already found most of them, but we're looking for the last six or so. Have you heard anything," She asks, hope sparkling in her eyes.
"'Fraid not," the oldest guard answers, and Audria's expression falls. "There's an old beggar that might, though. Name's Silver Sven. Should find him around here somewheres. I think I saw him around Knucklehead Street"
Audria's smiles, happy to have something after the way her first lead fell apart on her.
"Thank you, Mister," she says, pausing as she waits for the guard to give his name.
"Leo. These three are Kay, Riccardo, and Ionatan," he says, pointing to the guard that had recognized her then the other two.
"Thank you, Mr. Leo and Mr. Kay. Hope you two, Mr. Riccardo and Mr. Ionatan have a great day," she tells them before hurrying off.
===
"See," Kay says as Audria rounds a corner, "She's a sweet young girl, ain't trouble to anyone."
Riccardo snorts while Ionatan shakes his head.
"If Mauler's the one that trained her, she'll be plenty trouble when she gets riled up," Ionatan grumbles as they resumed their patrol.
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She makes small talk of this nature, trading what information she can and drawing on Junie's recent remarks to her in sometimes near-verbatim form, until Durk returns with someone from Slicing Dicers.
A willow thin young woman named Ursula returns with Durk to discover Merula's needs from Slicing Dicers. After hearing that Merula desires some rather rare Elven weapons, Ursula thinks for a moment and then advises Merula that they do not have these currently in stock, but they can be procured if she is willing to wait a couple of days. She does warn Merula there will be an extra cost for locating the specialty item while such an exotic piece would be greater than the typical cost, especially if Merula wishes to obtain a weapon crafted by a verified Master artisan.
The group returns from their investigating to discover the imposing Shrike has returned from her foray into The Gray. Audria has obtained a lead on someone who may know some additional information regarding the whereabouts of the remains of the scattered pickpockets once controlled by Gaedran Lamm. Both Abella and Pippip received some general location details from some of the Korvosan Guard (whose presence seems to be increasing in the area greatly) which matches the places about whom the beggar Silver Sven Audria had been advised.
As group decides to try and locate the man and heads away from the Sanctuary, one of Garrett Goodbarrel's several kin come hurriedly into the temple. It seems Garrett's mother has discovered the cypher in the ledger, and it does contain proof needed to get his father free. However, it looks like the custody of Mr. Goodbarrel had been turned over to a contingent of Hellknoght administrators, so the laborious legal process will take quite awhile and require Garrett's presence attending hearings and representing his father's interests will require Garrett's exit. He bids the group adieu and heads off with his cousin.
As the group approaches area of Knucklehead Street Silver Sven is indicated to be found, they will notice once again, a strange quiet in this area. The feeling the surrounding tenements and shops are abandoned or uninhabited increases despite clear evidence they must surely recently have been.
Everyone except Abella notices some shadowy figures ahead which scuttle along the edges of the buildings or leap between the rooftops nearby. Shrike and Pippip catch the gleam of steel clutched in the figures' hands. The darkly dressed shapes appear to be stalking something in the streets ahead. The area is steadily darkening due to the ever-increasing overhang of the surrounding structures making it more difficult to see them as the team progresses forward.
"'Ware arms," Shrike mutters to the others, indicating the weapons carried by the scuttling figures. She takes up the heavy crossbow and starts moving from covering shadow to covering shadow in pursuit of the rooftop pursuers.
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Never had Dal seen Korvosa in such a crazed state. It was like the city itself had lost her mind. Three days and it seemed like the Queen was no closer to quelling the anarchists than when it had all begun. On top of that, someone had finally had enough of Lamm’s crap and put a sword in his back.
Or a bolt in his heart.
Or a pace to his skull.
Or some other satisfying end that was preceded by plenty of suffering. Maybe even leave his body for that damned pet of his…
Dal let the thought of Lamm’s demise brighten his mood for just a tad longer than someone who was devoted to helping the downtrodden should have. Afterall, Lamm had been a victim of corruption in his own way. As much as it had pained Dal to admit that to himself.
Regardless of how Lamm had met his end, the death of Gaedren Lamm meant that there were now kids on the street with nowhere left to go for food or a place to sleep. Lamm’s last, cruel punishment had been making sure his Lambs were solely dependent on him.
A large cat bunted its head against Dal’s leg and sent the man stumbling a step or two. Brown and tan-gold with black stripes, the large cat curled its tail and strutted in front of Dal as if he hadn’t just tried to end the man’s life.
“Would you cut it out? All morning with this.” He grumbled at the cat.
The feline turned its green eyes up at Dal and let out a pitiful sound that could barely pass as a “meow.” More of a strained “mer.”
Dal caught the beggar, Silver Sven, watching him and he shook his head. “Don’t listen to the cat, Sven. He’s not hungry. Pockets gobbled up a mouse right before we came looking for you.”
Word was that whoever had taken out Lamm had already started scooping up the kids too. Dal had been so focused on keeping people out of harm’s way that he had not had a spare minute to follow up on anything else.
Someone had dropped Silver Sven’s name in connection to the rest of the kids. Dal had seen the beggar around before - it was hard to miss an oread with shining silver hair - but he had never had reason to speak with the man before.
A decent meal (and an extra couple of copper) had been enough to get the Oread to speak with Dal.
“As I was saying before someone interrupted me,” Dal gave Pockets a playful nudge with the toe of his boot, “once this craziness is over with, if you ever need any help finding work or food, the clergy there will take care of you. And before you ask, no, that offer is not reliant on what you’re able to tell me today.”
Just as Silver Sven opened his mouth to speak, Dal felt a shiver run up his spine. He held up a finger and he spun only to catch a glimpse of something ducking out of sight. Dal glanced down at Pockets and realized that the feline had been trying to communicate its anxiety to him. All morning he had an uneasy feeling. Like something was looming, biding its time to strike. He had chalked it up to being in a city currently amid an upheaval. But now Dal realized Pockets had been trying to warn him of something.
"You expecting someone, Sven?"
Pip moves confidently into the shadows. It seems hiding and awaiting developments was indicated. He touches the paladin and points out the threats he had seen. He was not so naive as to think there were not others hiding.
Audria takes in a breath to call out to the mysterious figures when she feels Pip touch her elbow. She looks down and sees the halfling tutor motion to the figures. She nods then looks around. Shrike has disappeared into the shadows, and Pip has vanished before she could return her attention to him. Abella seems to be a sneaky sort as well, Audria thinks to herself, so she might as well do her best to help them avoid these people's gaze.
"Get ready to fly," she tells Talanaliel. She can feel the bird bobbing as she nods.
No more delaying. She is as ready as she will ever be.
"Hello there," she says, striding forth as if she fears nothing, even as her heart begins to pound in her chest. "It's rather dangerous to be out and about these days. What business do you have with Silver Sven?"
She opens her arms wide, as much to show that she is not helpless as to distract them from whatever the others are doing.
Abella happens to be writing down some notes in her journal as the party arrives, trusting that Canary or Butcherbird will call upon her when she is needed. She hears Canary talking to someone as she is writing a note estimating the range of effects various conjurings of thanergy produce. Looking up, she takes only a moment to realize that there are people about and her flock are standing at the ready for something. She slams her book shut and puts it away. ”Hmm? What is all this? Trouble?”
Upon hearing Audria call out, three figures stop moving and turn to regard the young woman while the others continue without pause. One gestures to the other two and then continues down the twisting turns of the narrow streets after some of the other shadowy figures. The remaining two silently take stances clearly ready for combat.
Three figures suddenly emerge from the shadows of the awnings, drop from the edge of a tiled roof, or appear from behind a stack of crates to one side. They evaluate you and Silver Sven from behind cloth masks covering all but their eyes. They glance at one another and make several hand gestures back and forth. One displays a long slender dagger and begins to stride closer while the other two seem to melt back into the shadows .
Silver Sven clutches Dal's garments with a swift tug. His voice is gravelly as Oread's often are.
"I don't know this person." The simple statement would almost be funny if not for the clearly deadly blade before their faces.
"Come now, there's no reason to be shy," Audria says even as warning bells clang loudly in her mind. She moves up, arms still spread wide, as she continues to talk. "Unless you're just giving me the silent treatment to be rude. I'd be a little upset about that. Why don't you get your friends to come over here for a chat. I'd like to know if there's a way I can help."
Dal took a step forward, placing himself between Sven and the would-be assailant.
"Not exactly my favorite place to be," Dal thought as he glanced at the dagger. "I hope this pays off."
"I know the city is in a rough spot right now but there's a group of guards just on the other side of this stall," he gestured to the textile shop behind him ",they can be here in a heartbeat, friend."
The masked man hesitates and takes a step back glancing over his shoulder towards the shadows where his compatriots disappeared. Someone makes a hissing sound, and Blue emerges quickly pulling itself onto the awning above and leaping out of sight. It seems Dal's bluff is worth confirming.
Green lets out a shaky breath and seems to be gathering his resolve.
Shrike sees two of the figures silently prepare to attack Audria in response to her unthreatening greeting, which is enough for her. With the men's attention on the girl, she drops the point of the crossbow toward the ground, flattens herself to the shadows under the overhanging buildings against the wall and moves forward as silently as she can. The wooden handle of the sap comes free from her belt in equal silence. She seems to appear from nowhere as she brings the blackjack around for the back of the man's head right where it meets his neck.
Seeing that his ruse may have bought a few more precious seconds, Dal spoke to Sven over one shoulder, ”Now we go.”
With that, Dal headed south along the street.
When he spotted a second coming from around a corner, Dal kicked himself for not being prepared, I should have never left without the proper protection.
Upon seeing Dal and Sven hustling towards him, Purple rushes forward and stabs at the witch with a simple dagger.
The attempt is clumsy and the thrust gets caught up in the fabric of Dal's clothing.
Shrike solidly strikes Pink. He's going to have a wicked headache, but he remains on his feet for the moment.
Shrike's sudden appearance seems to trigger Orange who suddenly produces a throwing knife and flings at the target Orange had been expecting, Audria. Orange's eyes go wide at Shrike's frightening visage.
Due to his shock, Orange's aim is terrible, and the knife soars past the young paladin without her even having to move.
Pip begins his oratory in a loud, clear voice. Projecting from the diaphragm a stirring set of couplets:
”These are the times that try men’s souls. Throwing daggers from foes intending to make holes!!”
Audria, though she'd been half-expecting it, blinks as the knife comes hurtling past her and bounces off the stone cobbles of the alley. The smile disappears as Talanaliel trills in alarm from her shoulder just as the bird takes off. Madness truly has taken hold in the city, Audria thinks.
"I suppose asking you to surrender will do no good," she says as she draws her sword and closes in. "May Shelyn have grace on both of us then. I do not wish to fight, but fight I shall."
As her opponent staggers, she shouts out to Talanaliel.
"Talli! Find Silver Sven and make sure he's alright!"
Abella draws her sword as she moves up, clicking her tongue in displeasure. She uses her thanergetic powers to hinder the confidence of one of the enemies.