As Scream folds his arms across his chest, hugging himself tightly, Laori emerges from the "palace," whistling cheerfully. "Well, you're right about losing your muse!" she says to him cheerily. "Your latest work is crap. But these, now--these are the old ones, right?" She's got a bundle of three canvases under her arm, and she sets them against the wall to admire. Scream nods timidly. "Yeah, I thought so. These are good, man! I like them. Thanks for the donation!"
The first painting is a full portrait of a rail-thin humanoid, garbed all in shadows, standing framed by a massive dolmen. The figure's bright blue eyes are the only true points of color in the painting, and they seem almost to glow with fury.
The second painting depicts a rugged mountain range under a harsh, blue desert sky. In the foreground, a quartet of Vudrani tusked camels ridden by tribespeople garbed in silk race across dunes that, when you look closer, you realize are made up of tiny skulls.
The final painting is the most disturbing: it depicts a human man peeling away the skin of his forearms as if they were simply gloves. Underneath, his arms are muscular and covered with glittering blue scales. The man's expression communicates delight, but his eyes are pits of absolute blackness. Half seen in the shadowy background are thousands of humans impaled on towering wooden poles, erected in the shadow of an indistinct shape on the horizon: perhaps a castle, perhaps a mountain, but likely something more. This piece is truly an extraordinary masterwork, showing craftsmanship far beyond the others.
Laori turns back to the two of you. "Still good for me to keep these? They're of, uh...artistic interest to me."
Knowledge (Religion) DC 25:
You recognize the subject matter of the first painting: it's meant to depict the god of pain and subjugation, Zon-Kuthon, when he appeared in the nation of Nidal thousands of years ago to become the nation's defender, patron, and overlord.
Knowledge (Religion) DC 30 (separate check):
You recognize the subject matter of the second painting: it's a minor, but memorable, haunting, and relatively popular passage from Umbral Leaves, the unholy text of Zon-Kuthon.
Knowledge (Geography) DC 30:
Looking more closely at the third painting, you're certain that the looming shape in the background is not meant to be a mountain--it's got to be a built structure, almost certainly a castle.
Same check, DC 40+:
You recognize that castle by its silhouette: the painting depicts an old ruin known as Castle Scarwall, in the Hold of Belkzen.
Knowledge (Arcana) DC 30:
There's something about the man in that third portrait...looking closer, you realize that the shape and luster of the scales on his arms reminds you of those of a blue dragon. What that could mean, it's hard to say.
Laori blinks. ”Huh. I was...actually not expecting that. Would’ve preferred to ask in private, but...ok!” She squats down next to Scream. ”Hey. Hey, man. Salvator, right? I’m Laori! Big fan of your work. I was wondering...could you tell me a little bit about...uh...” she glances around at the crowd, seemingly wary. ”Where you get your ideas from?”
The man on the floor lets out a low moan. Grabbing Laori’s hand, he pulls her closer, and murmurs something in her ear.
Perception DC 20:
”Please...help me...get me out of here...”
Laori straightens up, face neutral. ”Huh. Iiiiinteresting. Thanks! I’m gonna let my friends ask some questions now, mmkay?” She glances at you as she steps away from him.
“OooooooOOOOOoooh it’s really him! Do you guys wanna ask your questions first, or should I??” Laori looks back and forth between you and the artist excitedly.
Laori, seeing the ball drop, lunges for it. The two thugs kick at her, but she manages to emerge with the ball in her hands! "Woohoo! C'mon, team! Someone take it!" She dances forward toward Matoska, Teodor, and Callie.
And it's Matoska, Lantressa, and Callie's (already posted) turn! Unfortunately since Laori lost the ball she can't pass it--but Matoska or Lantressa could take it from her as a standard action and run with it!
Initiative:
Green Thug, Yellow Thug
Laori
Callie, Lantressa, Matoska<------
Blue Thug
Teodor
Devargo [shaken 1 more round], Purple Thug, Red Thug
Korriban
"The castle seneschal, huh?" Laori raises her eyebrows. "I'm with Matoska--I dunno who that is or why he's important, though it seems like he must be. Regardless, should we head outta here?"
Laori grins and seizes Korriban's hand, shaking it eagerly. She doesn't seem to notice the switcheroo Callie pulls. "Awesome! Great! Lemme throw my stuff together and we can get underway." She scampers around the room, tossing things into her bag--including, most unceremoniously, the skulls.
"So, when I got here Salvator was already gone, like I said. I couldn't find any immediate info, but fortunately one of his neighbors showed up later that day, coming to check on the place. I think I intimidated her a bit...I can have that effect on people, for some reason! Anyway, she told me that the people who showed up here and dragged him away were almost certainly thugs in the employ of the Emperor of Old Korvosa, so-called. She said that Salvator had been worried about such an eventuality, apparently because he used to know this Emperor fellow. So, I figure the only thing to do is go seek out an audience with him...and see what we can make of it! Hopefully he's just brought Salvator along to be his pet artist or something, and we can figure out some kind of trade.
"But while I was digging around the house, I also found this. I don't know much about it, but it might be of interest to you..." She holds out a battered, bloodstained piece of cloth that bears the city's crest on it. "It seems like it was part of some politician or official's uniform...but I don't know anything more about it! Seems like your Mr. Scream was mixed up in some rough business, though, what with there being blood on this. And that scrap looked like it had been there for a while."
Once someone else takes the scrap of cloth, Laori shoulders her pack. "So, any other questions you guys have? Anything else you wanna look into here? I'm ready to go!"
Knowledge (Nobility) DC 15:
You know immediately that Laori's right--this scrap of cloth came from the uniform of a city official. On closer examination, though, you see something more pressing, and indeed almost shocking: the piping on the uniform scrap, which seems to have been part of a jacket's sleeve, matches only one uniform in the city's use. It's from the uniform of Castle Korvosa's seneschal, Neolandus Kalepopolis!
"In this house? Just a couple of days. When I got here, Scream was already gone. Been hanging out here, chatting with my skulls and meditating, since. Trying to plan my next move when you guys showed up! I personally think it's really fortuitous, and I think we can help each other--even though I have no idea who this 'Orsini' is. But you want to ask Scream questions. I want to ask Scream questions! Neither of us has found Scream! We should team up! Because I thiiiiiiiink I know who diiiiid iiiiiiit." This last line comes out sing-song, with a mischievous smile on her face.
She sticks out a hand for Callie to shake. "Whattaya say? I think we could both use help dealing with the people who abducted Scream, and I'll throw in some more info for free..."
Laori blanches slightly when Lantressa introduces herself. ”Shelynites...oi. Alright then...” Shaking it off, she addresses the group. ”I’ve been holed up here for just a couple of days, since I found it empty. I’ve been in Korvosa for a little more than a month now...I came into the city pursuing a criminal on behalf of the Nidalese government, pursuing a criminal, but I understand she’s been brought to justice. I figured out the political lay of the land pretty quick, and came through the plague unscathed...though having a direct line to the Midnight Lord helped a lot, I admit. I don’t know anything about ‘tentacled terrors,’ though now you’ve piqued my interest! The offer to share information still stands, no offense taken (though I’m surprised you’re all so sensitive about using the dead for divination). Does that answer your questions?”
”Oh, and as far as Korriban goes, don’t worry! I don’t like to mix business and pleasure. And I would never cut off a sexual partner’s organs or limbs!”
”Well, not without the properly blessed scalpels, in any case.”
Ugh, the new picture of Laori Vaus from her statblock in the book is so much better than the old versions...but it doesn't seem to be online anywhere. Probably because it's not as ridiculous.
The elf nods to each of you as she clambers to her feet, scooping up the chain and looping it around her shoulder. "Pleased to meetcha, Korriban, Cobalt, Matoska, and...?" she glances at Teodor and Lantressa questioningly.
"Like I said, my name's Laori! Laori Vaus. I'm not from around these parts--from up near Riddleport, originally--but I've been in Korvosa a little while now, taking in the art scene. I'd be super-interested in talking to Mr. Scream, as you call him, about his inspiration. His muse, as you were. As for the skulls, those are the artists I've been looking for!"
Seeing (I imagine) the looks on your faces, her eyes widen and she holds up her hands. "Oh hahahahahaha no, wait, sorry, it's not like that! I swear! Lemme start again."
She clears her throat. "In addition to being an art lover, I'm a follower of Zon-Kuthon. You know, the Midnight Lord? When I got to Korvosa, I was surprised to find that a number of artists on the scene here were doing work that incorporated what looked like, to me at least, pretty clear Kuthite themes! So, naturally, I decided to track them down and ask them about where they got their ideas. Only problem is...all six of the ones I've been able to find so far are dead. All suicides, funnily enough. Or not, I guess. They mostly killed themselves after the old king's death, over the course of a couple weeks. I dug up their skulls in the hopes that they might be able to tell me something, but so far...eh." She gives a what-can-you-do shrug. "Those on the table are Jeonia, Boathar, Velaka, Maxtel, Yvos, and Imon. Say hi if you want!"
As far as any of you can tell, she's telling the truth...Teodor gets the idea that there may be more to the story than she's willing to share openly, at least right now, but she hasn't lied.
Korriban's Knowledge (Local):
Although you've never heard of this elf woman, one of the names of the skulls does ring a bell: Velaka Hoon, you know, was a writer that your mother admired, although she always said her books were scandalous in ways both good and bad. They combined romance and sometimes pretty gruesome horror. Hoon was a minor celebrity, and you had (vaguely) heard that she killed herself weeks ago.
Laori is giving you all a calculating look. "I'll admit I do think I know who took Salvator Scream and where they've gone...but information isn't exactly free, you know. What say that we team up? We both want to find him, he's in a place (trust me) that you'll need some help with...it could be to both our advantage. If it helps, I found something of interest in here that I could add in to sweeten the deal a bit."
