The boy is looking directly at Paper's face, looking for his fate there.
The unwritten law of the street has taken over. People are going about their business as if nothing had happened. Even the arbiter of weights and measures, an official, is acting blithely unconcerned by the bloodshed of a moment ago. No one has time or inclination to get involved.
After the dialouge, Paper utters this sentence.
"Go now and never cross my path again if you enjoy the sunlit world thief."
Paper watches until the youth runs away, then he retreives his father's cloak and folds it up. He checks the two fallen ones for any other merchandise that belongs to his family. He returns to where Isat is standing.
Isat helps Paper clean off the worst of the blood.
"Breakfast now I think. I'll spare you immediate surgery. Does the name Javenus mean anything to you? The spawn of Mainu who defiled your property are his boys. Were his boys."
"Or perhaps we should look around for our friend Agrippa, and see what evil business he's about."
"Well, you know where he lives. We could go and see what he's up to. "Mouth of the Mese" indeed. I'd suggest a change of clothes and that haircut you mentioned as well. He had the chance to look at us all fairly closely. Apart from you of course Modius.
I'm happy to postpone finding my contact for a while - he probably won't be leaving the courts in a hurry, Agrippa is another story. Meanwhile brothers, breakfast awaits. We've paid for it, we should eat it. Anyone got any idea why Red is lurking?"
Isat helps Paper clean off the worst of the blood.
"Breakfast now I think. I'll spare you immediate surgery. Does the name Javenus mean anything to you? The spawn of Mainu who defiled your property are his boys. Were his boys."
Paper wipes the blood off himself as best he can with the towel and Isat's assistance.
"I believe that breakfast sounds excellent. Then we can see what Fate brings our way. Hopefully I will not deplete all your doctor's supplies."
Paper sits down at the breakfast table and ponders the name that Isat has mentioned, absently balling his hands into fists and releasing them repeatedly.
Paper has heard the name Juvenus before. He is a slaver and enforcer attached to the hippodrome. He is notorious for selling cheap slaves, who are often pressed into slavery. He also does heavy lifting for hire, and has a contract to provide fresh food to the local legion. He also runs a very low class brothel, but that has been officially closed down after an outbreak of clamydia. His 'girls' work the docks. He also is said to train enforcers and thugs. He is a man of few morals, but is rumoured to be god-fearing in a vaguely christian way.
So: Slaver, pimp, racketeer, mercenary boss.
He is not an established crime figure, and has no territories among the families that control things. He is an opportunistic middle man, with legitimate businesses that shade on the illegal. He is probably connected to other powers in the city by bribery or blackmail, rather than sanction, or his brothel would still be open. Local legion and watch do business with him for food and labour. Families on a budget buy his slaves. He specialises in Goths that he gets from other Goths in the North. If he could, he would be in the more lucrative gladiator business, but is too small a fish for that. He is usually at the baths next to the Hippodrome, where Isat has his tiny room.
Juvenus' boys are probably being taught to take future jobs as killers and thugs, and are definitely culled from street kids, and young slaves.
Paper is only privy to the most open and obvious rumours, but has heard one piece of gossip about Juvenus. Slave rumour has it that he converted to christianity to provide muscle to crooked churchmen, and not out of any piety.
As you eat your excellent grilled fish and onions, an old couple start to mop up the blood that your fight left. A pair of watchmen amble over and ask them a few questions, then the Goth fisherman walks over to them, wiping his hands. He points along the dock a ways, and the watchmen stroll away. A few people have loaded the bodies into the wagon, and better still, some of the local businessmen have taken their fish back off the wagon. No sense letting good wares go to waste, after all. This place seems to be covering up for you.
Sense motive checks are in order.
DC 15
DC 20
DC 25
Over the fish and grilled onions, Paper relates what he knows about Juvenus.
Modius, too.
"I wonder if my charming landlady knows where Juvenus lives. She's nosey enough. Maybe I should cultivate her instead of just paying the rent and sneaking past her."
He thinks for a second, savouring the fish.
"On second thoughts, it's not worth it. I definitely need to find new lodgings. The company gets worse by the day."
Paper winces at the thought of lodgings.
"I guess I will be needing to find shelter myself. Thank all the gods that my family is not in 'Nople right now."
"Persian nobles are raised to ride, use a bow and tell the truth. I only mastered the third. In your position, I would violate my upbringing and use a little discretion when the time for explanations comes."
Hrothgar tags along. He keeps to the shadows though and he pulls up the hood of his cloak to cover his face.
Hrothgar still needs to make his sense motive check.
The only time limits on you are meeting Rufinus at midday, and getting to Ruth Bram before Rafi finds her. That is not as urgent as it seems, and Levi is out of it at the moment to give you all a chance to direct things. I will follow, but you all have to lead...
"Well you lot, our ox-cart driving friend is around here somewhere, and I think we should start there. Sure you're supposed to turn the other cheek, but you know, the guys really does owe us some answers, he's part of this somehow."
"And... like I told you, I know where he lives."
"I also know Paper is curious, and as much as the man deserved it, my former employer and his people were slain by these thugs and I feel a little responsible for bringing their deeds to light."
Hrothgar. Because that was a natural twenty, I am considering that a thirty.
Not only do you know exactly who called the shots, you also have an inkling why.
It seems that these Goths are pagans. The men despise Javenus because he takes slaves from the Arian Christian Goths that support Alaric, They want him to come to the docks so they can kill him and get away on ship. They spoke quite freely, and your hearing is excellent. They probably assumed no-one else could understand them.
The leader is called Ulfric. He is the one from your tribe. He was once loyal to the Thane who was deposed by Alaric and his father. His family swore to the cross and apostated themselves.
"The courts will not move far I think. Agrippa is another matter. He's certainly made some interesting friends. He seems to have brought an indecent amount of trouble on our heads, which for once was not of our own devising. I think we should pay him a visit. He claimed to know everything worth knowing going on in the city. Perhaps we could test the truth of that.
It seems to me gentlemen that we have several things to discuss with him, but the one that is uppermost in my mind is finding out more about Rafi and Lycurgus. All roads in 'Nople seem to end rather abruptly at their door.
My own affairs are pressing, but they will keep. From what Paper says Stratos Kopteros will not go far. Nobody wants him dead yet - as far as we know.
Whatever we do, I need clean clothes. And it probably won't hurt to look a little less Persian. This is Modius's party. I'll follow his lead."
Paper nods to Isat
"I think you have summed it up nicely. Agrippa is the place to start, and we work our way up from there."
Paper grins unpleasantly
"I have an itch to repay Agrippa's kindness in giving us a ride yesterday."
"A man should pay his debts don't you think?"
Isat's smile is almost a mirror image of Paper's.
"No cheek turning today. Agreed. Lord forgive me. Amen."
Big smile, Modius is missing one of his bottom front teeth.
"Let's finish our meal first, shall we?"
Modius bows his head for a moment...
Barely audible, he speaks: "Bless o Lord this food to our use and our hearts to thy service, in the name of Jesus, amen."
Perhaps it is a miracle. Agrippa walks angrily into the square, about seventy feet away, from the direction the burly lad was running. He has eyes only for germanicus, and is red with anger. Close on his heels is a toothless man in his late forties, wearing a dishevelled wrap and barefoot, with a thin reedy walking strip. The man has said something to Agrippa, and has a hand outstretched for alms. Agrippa swears at the man, and tosses a coin into a pile of fish guts in the gutter, stabbing a finger at it in a curt and rude gesture. He is moving fast toward his Ox and cart, and looks very concerned for them. This all happens in about fifteen seconds. He has not seen you, shaded as you all are. He does not see the Goths that close off the way behind him. They have fishknives. The knives still have sequin-like scales glinting in the morning sun off of the water. He is alone.
Initiative checks to work out our sequencing. The Goths that were busy cutting fish are now watching the scene, and the crowd is starting to shift out of the way, in the moblike way that they surround and avoid trouble. There are people between you and Agrippa. He is forty feet away from his wagon and moving toward it.
Init: 1d20 ?¨ [7] = (7)
1d20-2=16 The two Goth fishermen are right behind Agrippa as he trots, livid, toward his abandoned Ox and cart. As he turns toward them, they grab at him with their free hands. Another Goth has come out from next to the cart. He is wearing a fishstained apron. As the two grab and pin Agrippa, the new Goth quickly and expertly chops off both of Agrippa's ears, and stuffs them into the terrified drover's mouth. A fourth Goth slits the ox, Germanicus, belly open; like gutting a large fish. Then he cuts the rope that tethers the ox to the loading ramp. The two that were holding him let him go after a few rib breaking kicks. Their leader calls out in German: "You must piss on him, like they pissed on our wise one!"
Then, stunned by the rapid turn of events, and encumbered by the tables and guests around you, you all belatedly get a chance to act.
Paper rises from the table
"I think if we are to get any information from our 'friend' Agrippa we will need to act fast."
The stiffness of Paper's recent wounds and the heaviness of his breakfast slow his movments.
"His debts came with heavy interest. Intervention gentlemen?"
"That really ruined my meal. Well, there will be nothing left for us to cut off if we don't get out there..."
Modius will move toward Agrippa drawing his weapon on the move.
Are you doing anything diplomatic, or just charging the fishermen with knives drawn?
Hrothgar will need to make another hide check, unless he is coming out into the open.
It does not look like they are going to kill Agrippa. They would have killed him first, and cut off his ears second, if they were. A lot less difficult that way.
"Guys, these men are about to kill a fellow named Javenus. You sure you want to witness the entire thing." Hrothgar whispers.
"Unh? Ahh, ok." Modius is going to get into the crowd of onlookers and remain unnoticed, but try to get close enough to hear and see everything.
"Javenus trained those boys who attacked Paper. Anyone see him?
We need to talk to Agrippa. Hard to do that if he dies. Do you think he'd be grateful for a little first aid - nothing sensational, just enough to keep him alive and talking?"
Are you doing anything diplomatic, or just charging the fishermen with knives drawn?
Hrothgar will need to make another hide check, unless he is coming out into the open.
It does not look like they are going to kill Agrippa. They would have killed him first, and cut off his ears second, if they were. A lot less difficult that way.
Modius will be closest. Hrothgar stepping out of the restaurant has, unbelievably not been noticed by his erstwhile countrymen.
Group spot for Goths:
The fight is over as Paper and Modius get to the crowd.
The two closest Goths have urinated feebly on Agrippa, as ordered. They do not seem to have done it maliciously, and in fact, seem to have found it demeaning.
The one who cut him says to Agrippa: "We will not take you as a slave. We will not hang you. We will not harm your women. The man you serve would. Run to him, and tell him to come, and bring as many men as he wishes. We will meet him here at dusk. Fail to do this and we will unman you."
The Goths are rapidly assembling, and moving away from the docks, along the wall to the East.
Agrippa splutters, and looks aghast at his ears on the ground.
The crowd is moving back to their places. The show is over. Many of the more prudent are packing up, for they can tell the trouble may continue. The Northmen have left their fish to rot in the afternoon sun. some vendors are looking at each other to guage whether it is wise to take the fish.
The arbiter of weights has run away.
Isat is startled to hear the Persian man in the restaurant say something quietly to him: "The wise one said 'you cannot win a war, any more than you can win an earthquake.'" "We are Persian. We should not be here for this. "
The man is getting ready to leave.
"Audentis fortuna juvet."
Isat is startled to hear the Persian man in the restaurant say something quietly to him: "The wise one said 'you cannot win a war, any more than you can win an earthquake.'" "We are Persian. We should not be here for this. "
The man is getting ready to leave.
Startled to be addressed by his countryman, Isat turns towards him and speaks quietly.
"For what purpose should we Persians be here?"
He tries not to draw attention to himself, but in view of the fact that every time he's spoken to anyone apart from his comrades in the last 24 hours a fight has started, he keeps a wary eye on the stranger.
Paper strides through the crowd to the angry fishermen and Agrippa. He keeps his sword sheathed, but his hand is on the hilt. He speaks to the assembled Goths.
"I have a message for this man as well, and whatever scum-sucking piece of pox-ridden garbage he works for."
Paper stares into the mutilated face of Agrippa.
"When you deliver the fisherfolk's message to your master, treacherous dog, you can give him one for me as well. Better to have soiled Theodosius' robe with his feces than made an enemy of Gnaeus Cornelius Papyrus."
Paper spits in his earless face.
"Wow. There is a lot of anger here. Perhaps we need to pray together?"
Unless you have acted to stop them, the Goth assailants have gone along the wall and run.
The market is emptying. Customers have been chased away, and anyone still here when authority arrives will have some awkward questions to answer.
The persian in the restaurant lifts his eyebrows and says: "We persians are to spread the word of Zoroaster, and make an honest living that we can pass to our children. Any other reason to be in Constantinople is misguided. I want no part of you, or your violent friends. Does the faith of our fathers mean nothing to you? I should not have spoken." He is making to leave, and will be gone in a moment.
Agrippa looks at Paper in surprise. "Friend! You must help me. They lie, I did you no wrong. I would never even touch a hair on a Roman head! I helped you with that man, remember? I took you to your home, and that is how I know you. Agrippa is my name, remember?"
"I saw you changing coins outside after the attack, fool. Lie not or the Lord's wrath will lay full upon you!"
Agrippa looks blankly at Modius. He does not know him. He speaks again to Paper, and tries to crawl forward, and grab at Paper's hem in the traditional gesture for mercy. "Master Papyrus, this Hibernian lies to you. I am a businessman, coins go in and out of my hands all day, but that is not a crime. You are a Roman! Don't believe the lies of Spaniards! The devil himself made Spain, and they are all heretics and idolaters there. I took you to your house, and that is all we are to each other. I never told anyone where you were...I mean never told anyone where I was. You must believe me. These men are bandits. Savages. Goths! They are like animals. Look at what they did to me, and I never did them any wrong!"
Please carry on with dialogue, but I also need a perception check from Gnaeus Cornelius Papyrus, and Modius Larci, difficulty 18.
I also need a deception check from Hrothgar the Red. DC 20
Isat bows slightly to his compatriot.
"Let us at least acknowledge that the Gathas invite us to show our devotion through deeds as well as words. As a doctor, I see there is one in great need of my services."
Unless the Persian wishes to carry on this conversation, he will join Modius and Paper beside Agrippa.