Wren's page

Still, we got a chance to talk to the healed girl about how she got ill, some silver silver she found on the shore and wisely quickly spent rather than trying to find the rightful owner was the only thing odd she could remember happening to her before getting ill. This may need looking into but as the silver will be all over the city by now that won't help. Hopefully this isn't too conagious, otherwise Mihai may have to save the city from a plague as the cards fortold sooner rather than later. I can't see an illness clinging too long to coins though, perhaps the disease was contracted from the container the coins were in.

Good deed done for the day it was off to see the lambs to see how they're settling in.

The Past; The Vision, Mihai's invitation card from Zellara in the beginning of everything, it feels so long ago already, card of mind control and exterior force. Joy. The Foreign Trader, past bargans that will hold true perhaps? But which bargains? The Hidden truth; A misaligned card, a secret being revealed to the subject's detriment, I keep thinking on what secrets we have learnt that will be to our detriment, I can't help but feel there are and will be too many to count!

The Present; The Midwife - I can't escape that damn wizard! I swear Calistria is having a joyous time playing with me. Of course this card being here and a complete match could relate to new information coming into the world but it is a card I can't help but apply to Mihai. Of course I had the brief worry I always have when I draw this card, new life. It always takes a moment to remember that I'm all up to date with various herbal remedies to stop any and all undesirable effects from having fun, including children. I'd make an awful mother. The Avalanche, unthinking and unreasonable disaster is upon us. By this point I wanted to stop turning cards but everyone knows you never leave a reading unfinished. The Cyclone; more disaster, probably stemming from intelligent beings. What's happening right now?

The Future; The Twin, duality of purpose or identity, indecision, different options, different paths lay ahead. Will we all chose the same one? The Desert - MIHAI! AGAIN! He plagues me right now! The card of a bleak journey that may lead to great things, the sphinx may refer to a doctor or mystic that will bring salvation to a plague or illness. Looks like Mihai has something big fated for him. The Liar, trecherous love. Obsession. Unrequited passion. Doomed love. One, or all of us are set for heartbreak in the future.

On days like these I hate the cards.

I don't think the others need to know of this reading just yet. Well maybe I'll tell Tal, he knows me too well to hide much from him.

Celebrations were short lived however as a message was delivered to us, the field marshal wanted to meet us, at a certain noble’s home. There was no escaping Mihai it seems.

The later conversations were, awkward, to say the least. Tal seemed certain that some of the family portraits in the wizards home bore a resemblance to me, and the family portrait with a little girl in a blue dress, much like the one I rescued form Lamm’s hideout, my dress, didn’t help matters. Of course Tal started asking questions, finding out that Mihai had an older sister who was taken away, Lamm tried to blackmail the family but instead they put up a discrete bounty on his head. Or some such noble nonsense.

Of course I refused to believe it linked to me. Mihai and I are nothing alike, I wouldn’t want to be part of a family that didn’t do more to recover their lost daughter and sent their son off to a school that might kill him…

That and I just had this image of a family who’d accept me… how could some nobles accept a street kid who became a cleric of Calistria?

The field marshal turned up and she too was giving me odd looks because of the portraits she’d seen but after some more irritated awkwardness we were on to why we had been called together. One Trinia Sabor, rumoured to be the King’s killer. An artist. What possible reason would she have to commit regicide?

The marshal wanted us to try to bring her in for fair questioning.

As Acastus lives in the same area of the city as Trinia we decided to call on him first for his help in tracking her down.

Long story short; we found her, there was a rooftop chase involving her, Tal and I. I’m not as nimble as I used to be and poor Tal kept catching up only to have spells launched at him. So despite our trying to call out that we intended to help her she ran right into the arms of the Sable Company. Joy.

Feeling dejected we returned to see the marshal only to be thrown into another situation I really wasn’t in the mood for today. A necromancer, the retrieval of Shoanti body parts to stop a war, not the nice day of moving the lambs into their new home that I’d expected. It wasn’t the nicest of experiences, by a long shot, but we eventually had the poor young man’s body.

It doesn’t end there, apparently in the few hours we were playing with necromantic mess Trinia had a ‘fair trial’ and was going to be executed.

Tal and I attended in disguise and Miahi and Acastus attended as well. Tal had his hand crossbow with him and hidden and I had spells left, we may have intended to meddle and we did, although not as much as one man. Blackjack.

Swoon.

Between his daring rescue of the artist and our possibly helping a little things were soon set right. Mihai even did something to endear him to me if even for an instant, the little subtle ‘Yay!’ that escaped the noble wizard as the executioner’s axe was stopped was quite adorable.

It was a nice evening, he’d obviously gone to a lot of effort and had spent a lot gold on it all –Bard’s End and the Crested Falcon for drinks and then dinner. If only his ability to sustain a conversation without bringing up painful pieces of my past matched up in some way shape or form.

He’s a sweet guy but I think he was expecting too much and making himself much too nervous, plus he went bright red in the face as the performer at Bard’s End, the adorable Lem, made some wonderful first date jokes so obviously aimed in our direction. I found it funny. Acastus less so.

We went for a walk after dinner and then he dropped me off at home, he leant in for the kiss but didn’t go through with it. I thought he had more balls than that but apparently not. He said his goodbyes and left, he really was a stupid man and missed out on an opportunity, his one and only. I’d have probably let him into my bed then but now I’ve thought on it it’d do him more harm than good, it wouldn’t be lust he appears to be feeling deeper and I’m really not.

At least Tal was still home and more than happy to help me relieve some, frustrations, from the evening! After all an empty bed after such a busy evening would just be an utter sacrilege!

I spent a lot of time with Majenko as well, he’s a lot happier now he’s free and seems to like curling up in bed with me, he’s like a cat in a lot of ways and I’m finding myself growing increasingly fond of him.

Then of course there were priestly duties. Not a lot to tell, just a consultation for a young woman wanting some petty revenge on a older man who’d scorned her.

An interesting day. To say the very least.

Another task given to us courtesy of the Field Marshal. At least this one was of far more interest to me.

For a start I got to meet the wonderfully charming Mr. Orisini and he was the dashing, attractive older man I’d always heard he was. Above all of that he’s a very interesting individual, he’d brought some information to the Field Marshal and I’m quite intrigued as to how he got his hands on it. Unfortunately an opportunity to pry didn’t come up as we were briefed on the job for the day.

Political intrigue and scandal, all very juicy and revolving around one Darvayne Amfrey a Chelish ambassador and it fell down to us to get information, some proof on his sordid affairs from Devargo, King of Spiders.

An audience with the infamous Devargo, it’s a mission I’d have possibly considered doing for free on curiousity alone.

So, bribe money in hand we made our way to Eel’s End. Acastus was a little lost of course but we soon set that right, giving him the role of a thug hired by the noble Mihai.. that and introducing him to a lovely lady helped him relax no end. Judging by the size of his grin and his asking me if ten minutes was a good amount of time and whether he’d tipped correctly it was his first. Bless him.

Tal and I were in our element and we managed to relax and blend well into the crowds.

After some gathering of information and discovering that Acastus had managed to somehow sign himself up for buying the most expensive wine in the place we came up with a plan. Exquisite wine is always a phenomenal door opener. Leaving words with Devargo’s guards that we’d like an audience to discuss business over a glass of vintage wine was all it took to secure an audience.

The Spider King’s court didn’t disappoint. So many cobwebs and spiders, guards and of course the man himself. That wasn’t what caught my attention though. A little caged purple dragon; I’m not normally a soft touch but the cage was much too small for such a majestic creature and I knew immediately that I had to get him away.

But first our official business. Before he would open to us Devargo proposed a little game, knivsies between our ‘hired help’ (Tal and Acastus) and his guards in training. I don’t think Acastus fully understood the method behind the game. Sure he won two bouts but technical knockout of your opponent kind of takes the finesse out of it. Tal on the other hand showed how it’s meant to be done (the secretly adding some of your own gold to your own pouch before the start of play and all)

After that and the delightful wine prying the proof from the King of Spiders wasn’t too difficult.

Then came the real negotiations, I had to make that pseudodragon mine. The price was quite high but I was sure it would be worth it, with no help from Mihai and Acastus it was down to Tal and I to secure the magical creatures freedom. After parting with an interesting wand and some interesting art pieces he was almost willing to part with his pet.

Then I offered some of my time. Two hours instantly secured the deal. Acastus worried, poor naïve boy he seems to be under the delusion I’m far more innocent than I am. A pseudodragon and a chance to see what someone so infamous is like on an intimate level, how could I not?

I’m starting to think I’ve been spoilt or expect too much from these encounters. He wasn’t bad by quite some way but nor was he as adventurous as I had expected – is it really too much to ask for for a little spider-silk bondage or a few trained spiders to skitter in a gentle tickling over exposed flesh? Oh well. It was a fun passing of time and I got my new companion, he’s apparently called Majenko and has promised to stay with me for at least a year, I’m starting to hope that if we bond well enough that he’ll stay longer than that.

Obviously spurred on by his encounter with the lovely Varisian prostitute and by the fact he was worried for me while I was ‘working’ Acastus did something unexpected as we left Eel’s End – he asked me out to dinner. Of course I agreed but the more I think on it the more certain I am that the silly boy probably thinks of it as a chance at a ‘proper date’ rather than him paying me with a good meal for my company. I’m sure it will be an ..interesting.. experience.

There was a knock on our door, unfortunately I went to answer it. Opening the door I saw that irritating wizard’s face, Mihai.

I slammed the door, left him there on the doorstep and went about my business.

Unfortunately Tal went and let him in.

Turns out his high and mightiness went and contacted the royal court without consulting us and now we had a summons from the Queen herself to deal with. Not saying a word I dressed and followed our little group to the castle. I may hate the guy but there’s no way I’m painting a target on my head by ignoring a summons.

We were taken to meet the Queen herself, the staff seemed unimpressed by the fact I wished to be introduced solely as “Wren”, but that’s all I have so that was what they were getting. Sure it paled in comparison to “Mihai of House LeRounge” but I wasn’t there to impress the high-ups, just to claim my part of the reward and leave.

Her highness gave one of the most sickening speeches I have ever heard. Something about us being good strong people, upstanding blah blah blah. To be honest I tuned most of it out, she obviously knew nothing about us, the former Lamms who still dabble in the criminal side of life, the pretentious wizard with a wand up his rear-end and the blunt instrument who likes swinging hammers. Oh yeah, we practically scream ‘holy and just defenders of the Queen and the city’.

Which is why I was surprised when we were practically volunteered to help the watch in some of their endeavours. It was apparently optional and I was so very tempted to just walk away from it all, I just wanted my reward and to wash my hands of the ‘heroing’ and that damn wizard.

I did what I usually do in times like this. I drew a card. The Wanderer, a positive card of the suit of books and the center card from Zallara’s reading, I took this as a sign and followed to meet the Field Marshall.

It seems the watch has had it’s problems with members of their ranks going rogue. One in particular a ‘Verrik Vancaskerkin’ warranted some looking into and bringing back to the watchhouse. I missed a lot of the details as I dwelled on matters with the wizard. I think Zallara wanted to help as I saw a new reading laid out before me in my mind’s eye.

The past; Lost, The Crows, The Foreign Trader. A misaligned card, clarity under duress? And the Crows, a violent taking of something loved.

The present; The Survivor, The Winged Serpent, The Midwife. The Survivor, in the exact same position as in Zallara’s reading – something lost has been refound, apparently, but how does this relate to my turmoil, my hatred of Mihai right now? The Serpent tells of knowledge and prudence and then the final card.. I almost laughed! The misaligned Midwife – a new arrival not inspiring much joy.

The future; The Bear, The Tangled Briar, The Brass Dwarf. I wish I was a Harrower sometimes. I believe utterly in the cards but don’t have complete skill in their interpretation and this future spread threw me a little. The cards seem to think that brute strength may see me well, but also that an ancient object or person may have an effect and then the dwarf, a failure? Darkness? But it will somehow save others.

Zallara may have been trying to help but the reading just left me more confused than ever. I am intrigued by that Survivor card though. In the same place twice? That really can’t be sheer coincidence, can it?

So over a drink the men filled me in on the briefing I vagued out on. Turns out we’re off to a butchers and trying to reclaim Verrik in a reasonably alive state. Turns out Acastus was there only yesterday, claiming some free meat (which he didn’t deem suspicious in any way). So he was our in, he was going to distract them and try to get as much information as he could from the butchers. That was the plan at least.

I’m not entirely sure what he did but a rescue attempt had to be launched and we got him free.

New plan. Mihai and Acastus were to distract from the front, probably by setting up a small fire whildt Tal and I snuck in the back. Much better. For the mostpart. Acastus got himself almost killed, again. I’m really starting to worry about that boy.

Exploration of the butchers lead to more pain for our young Acastus. This time both emotional and physical. We found remains, human remains.. everything except the torsos. That explains the suspicious free meat. Now of course the silly boy is certain that he’s a cannibal and is freaking out. We tried telling him that there’s only a chance the meat he got yesterday was a person and it wasn’t a certainty but that didn’t seem to help him much.

In his distress Acastus decided to dunk his head in a barrel of water without checking the temperature first. Of course with his luck he dunked his head in the boiling water and almost fell in and drowned himself.

Problems aside we found Verrik and returned him and some of the evidence over to the watch and were free for the night.

Tal and I returned home and shared a nice warm bath, I even managed to focus some of the goddess’ power through the water to help heal Tal’s wounds. It was bliss, especially after such a long day. After that all we had the energy for was curling up in bed together.

The events of yesterday made even prayer a chore today.

Other than that we counted money and evaluated the things we liberated from Gaedren.

Mihai and Acastus entered first, Mihai as the ‘business man’ looking into the purchasing of dock dumplings to feed his workers cheaply and Acastus as his hired muscle.

Tal and I however took up a role we’re more than familiar with, that of ‘Little Lamms’ As we’re still quite short it wasn’t too difficult. Mingling amongst the children we had a chance to warn them of what was about to happen, that they were to scatter and remain safe, they could help but their survival came first. We used to be just like them so we knew the kids would do well and look out for each other.

Mihai and Acastus went further into the building for their business meeting and Tal and I started to set about some personal revenge. I distracted Hookshanks whilst Tal snuck up behind him and skillfully introduced his blade to the gnomes side, ending him.

Of course ‘Giggles’ heard this and the half-orc came running. Of course, running up stairs when surrounded by revenge-fueled small children that have shovels that can be used for tripping is a tricky endeavor. I love those kids.

Giggles was soon dead as well and we made sure Hookshank’s dog was kept locked away. Then is got.. interesting.

It seems business negotiations did not go well and the man Mihai and Acastus was dealing with was soon running around yelling for help from Giggles and waving a wand about.

One chase around the whole building later we cornered him but both he and Acastus ended up in the water. With a shark. Acastus survived, but took a huge wound to his arm, the other man, less lucky. Oh well.

Next was Gaedren and Gobblegut. Revenge was served and it was utterly delicious. Laying my goddess’ doom upon him before we entered combat was beyond satisfying.

Mihai and Acastus, lacking a little in luck. I healed them and kept them stable and away from the croc’s den though.

Still, it worked out well for Tal and I, it meant we could search Lamm’s room whilst the other two were unconscious. Beyond the interesting objects d’art (including a fabulous succubi statuette that is going to be taking pride of place in my bedroom) we found the queen’s missing brooch and then something disturbing.

Zallara’s head. She’d been decapitated days ago. In the box with the Varisian woman’s head was her Harrow deck which I took, wondering if she had any family so they could be passed on. As Mihai and Acastus came around Zallara reappeared, she sealed part of herself in her cards so revenge could be served. You have to adore dedication like that! The cards are mine now and will guide us well I’m sure.

I set to work channeling the energies of the goddess to heal the men before we headed onwards only to start to wish I hadn’t as our wizard started to show his true colours. In the corner of Lamm’s room Mihai found an old, ratty child’s dress. Once a gorgeous blue affair it’s been beaten by time. I guess Gaedren had still been using it to send girl’s to pick pockets in the better areas of town. Mihai wanted to take it, to sell it and despite my insistences that it should be left where it was the noble was having none of it.

Couldn’t he tell from my passionate words and insistences that we leave the dress behind that there was more at play than he could see? I used to wear that dress. It may have been the dress I was wearing when I was taken, I’m not sure I can’t quite remember. Either way it still feels like it’s mine and I didn’t want him taking it and selling it, nor did I want him asking questions as to why I wanted it so I had to say we should leave it.

He wouldn’t back down. So I took the dress, just touching the material brought back so many pained memories.

We made our way back through the building and to the Lamms only to be asked by one of the children if ‘it was true’. They were all abuzz with the news that the king was dead and the sounds from outside started to reach our ears. Outrage, riot. I felt my heart aflutter at it all; a chance for some looting!

Unfortunately it seems my companions are of different moral fiber to me. So after Tal helped get the kids set up so they can support themselves we went out into the streets to investigate. Pandemonium doesn’t even begin to cover it, the city really does not want to live under the rule of the Queen and were all out for showing it.

The Sable Company were out in force and something took one of them down. We hurried to help the poor soul but both rider and hippogriff were destroyed in the fall from the sky. Stood beside the bloody smear we got onto the subject of the Queen’s brooch somehow.

Again, Mihai showed what a blunt tool he really is, for a ‘learned man’ he really is an idiotic, insensitive bastard! He told us that he was going to contact the royal court about the brooch, despite the fact Tal currently had (and still has) possession of it. I objected of course, Tal and I found and recognized it.

He looked at me with that snooty noble look and declared that he should be the one to contact the court because..

“My family has connections, does yours?”

How could he?! He knows my background. He knows I have no idea. My family is the goddess and Tal, and now hopefully the Lamms as and when Tal and I have time to visit and train them.

I left him there on the rooftop with the remains of the Sable guardsman, I never want to see that stupid egomaniacal face again.

Just down the street another nobleman took completely the wrong turn and fell into the grasps of an angry mob. Acastus, being the blunt object he is ran in to try to save the man and just made matters worse. Thinking on his feet as usual, the lovable Tal ran past the entire mob with a look of pure fear.

“Hellknights!” He called out in a terrified tone. Spotting his ploy quickly I followed his lead and quickly ran after him with an equal look of ‘fear’ at the imaginary Hellknights. The mob scattered, including the gullible young Acastus. The nobleman however was less naïve and thanked us for our help, in platinum no less, score.

After this Tal decided he wanted to do more, to keep an eye on the city and make sure things didn’t go too badly for the people like us, the ones that always get trodden on in times like this. Unable to just let him go on his own I followed along, keeping an eye on him as he saved people from the excessive ‘justice’ of the Hellknights who were eventually dispatched. We even found a drunken watchman who we had to return to his rightful place – I’m so glad drunks are easy to guide around.

And now it’s morning. It has been such an exhausting day. I need rest.

Lust

So, my 'guest' last night is handsome and shared my bed. But nothing happened, we cuddled through the night and that was it yet despite it being against my goddess' portfolio it seemed oddly right.

Mihai. He's an odd one to say the least, whilst Tal and Acastus put the start of our plan into action I got to spend some time with him in an inn. Something big happened to him and his family but he won't tell me what, usually I have no problems getting people to confide their darkest of secrets yet somehow this wizard evades me.

Callistria, is this some sort of divine prank you're playing on me?

Revenge

The plan is in motion. Last night Tal & Acastus employed two workmen to head down to westpier 17 for us, they're under the impression they're looking into buying some of the better dock dumplings to feed a worksite on an upcoming job. They'll be there right now. Once they're done Tal and Acastus will be drilling them for information on the inside workings of Gaedren's building.

Trickery

None yet but I haven't even had breakfast!

Speaking of which it seems my guest from last night is cooking for us, for a mysterious rich boy he's not half bad!

More later.

Two cards.

The Wanderer was my card for the day but the other came into play.

I was out on the town enacting the will of my goddess (details aren’t needed, let’s just say I had fun!) I came across The Courtesan, not from my deck but from another’s with a message.

Someone else wronged by Lamm and a meeting time and place. Needing a wash I made my way home and a mere look from Tal told me all I needed to know, he’d been contacted to.

The Dance. The card in his hand made me smile, he always knows where to plant his feet to come through in the end.

Curiousity got the better of us. We left three hours early, camping out on the shingles opposite the address given on our invites. For an hour we sat and reminisced – I know the average woman wouldn’t get all nostalgic over hiding out but those quiet moments away from Gaedren with the other Lamms were the fun that got me through my childhood.

An hour later a strange addition to the neighbourhood arrived, an acadamae wizard, attractive, mousey hair and blue eyes, his gaze drawn to the building we were watching. Then arriving on time, his near opposite – tall, scruffy well built, a young workman.

We waited a little longer but nobody else came so we let ourselves in. The other two had cards as well; the wizard The Vision and the workman The Paladin. Sitting around we waited to see if anyone would appear for the suit of shields and the suit of stars but that theory was soon dashed as our last joined us.

Zallara, the Varisian Harrower who had called us all to her home to tell us where we could find Lamm. She lost her cards and her son to Gaedren and wanted revenge, something I’m firmly behind. She even did a reading for us to help us realise it was the right path to take.

First the role cards, The Peacock, not too bad but not one I felt an instant affinity with which worried me.

The past; The Courtesan, The Forge, The Queen Mother. My invite in the spread, the positive past for this group and our future actions. Then The Forge and Queen Mother, together they painted a picture of our diverse dark pasts, but pasts that would make us strong as a group.

The Present; The Survivor, The Wanderer, The Eclipse. Another familiar sight, The Wanderer, my card for the day, almost as though the spread was calling out to me to pay attention. Zallara read the present as something thought lost had been refound but there would need to be some looking through the rubbish to see what’s found and even then there would be doubts.

The Future; The Carnival, The Publican, The Joke. Knowledge will see us well in the future but fate may play a prank on us if we aren’t careful. Again the possibility of our becoming friends came up, The Publican is hard to argue with.

I will keep notes on how that reading plays out, it seemed important at the time like the others that came true for me.

In the hopes of getting to know each other a bit better I tried to learn more about the others at the table. The workman, Acastus, showed his young age and simply blurted out his story. Once the son of a wealthy family he spent his family’s savings on Shiver, bought from Gaedren, and because of his addiction is now all alone.

The wizard, Mihai, was a little less forthcoming. It took no end of nagging and trying to persuade him to even get him to admit it was his family that was wronged in some way. I’m determined to get the full story out of him.

We then made plans, I will go into those and how it goes tomorrow, I have company.