Branahm looks at the man appraisingly. "Odd jobs from whom? You're not going to lose anything by telling us."
T-t-thats th thing about Mercenary work, you don't know the buyer 'af the time.. or if ya do, ya find out later that they were using a magically disguised face... I couldn't tell you the identity of more than one or two, if I'm lucky
"I share your desire for just punishment, but hold back your blade for a moment. I want to give this man a chance to do the right thing."
Branahm turns to the guard again. "Let's start with the ones that you remember. I'm skeptical that these people just came to you from nowhere, so you might also want to remember who organized the jobs."
The guards confer for a few moments, and the one whom spoke earlier responds Well the only one who didn't just drop off a sack of coins, tell us the target, and let us do what we would with them was The King of Spiders - I'd love to watch your merry little band fight them. We can guess a few others, but we wouldn't be sure on them
"That was a wise choice. Who did this King tell you to kidnap and murder?"
"Verik, I still haven't heard who prompted you to begin the conspiracy that resulted in this atrocity."
""King of Spiders'? I could have sworn that I have heard that title before."
"The King of Spiders is a crimelord in the docks. He controls several permanently moored ships that double as gaming and bawdy houses, a wretched flotilla of scum and villainy called 'Eel's End.'"
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Knowledge (Local). (1d20+6=23)
Elizabeth shivers slightly when Eel's End is mentioned.
"We must be cautious," she says, wiping the drop of blood from the tip of Caress onto the prisoner's shirt before standing. "Eel's End is not somewhere for the faint of heart. I've only been there once and I have no desire to return. However if Kroft wants to pay me to go there, well, that's another matter entirely."
She looks at everyone else. "I'm asuming the rest of you will be heading there after we've disposed of this flotsam? As long as Kroft's coin is gold and it flows in abundance I'm in."
Arius looks at his brother, who nods.
"I think that we will take you up on that."
"The Needs of the people 'promted' my actions He keeps up his holier than tho attitude, but it is plain to all the the news of the deeds of his men has seriously deflated his ego.
"Ive about as much of this lot as I can stomach. Lets turn them in and be done with this affair."
He looks at his allies adding..."we have a wagon, lets secure them in it find some bags for their gear, and take them up to guard. Ive lost what sympathy I had for them."
"Good idea, but let's search the whole place before we go. We may find some leads about their backer or other evidence."
"Last chance, Verik. We've given you every opportunity to cooperate, and if you really want to serve the needs of the people, you should."
Keth ties gags around each of their mouths too and stays on guard.
Warft jumps on the guard who was talking's chest and starts Pulling his nose and ears and knocking the tied guard over Who wanted me dead? Was it the master? hmm who was it?
B5:
B4:
nothing else of note is found
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Warft jumps on the guard who was talking's chest and starts Pulling his nose and ears and knocking the tied guard over Who wanted me dead? Was it the master? hmm who was it?
B5:** spoiler omitted **
B4:The area below the rusty grating in the Southwest corner of the room has a disused sewer tunnel that runs due east towards the river under it
nothing else of note is found
Anju sees the halfling jump on the guard. "Easy there. These charlatans will get what's coming to them. I'm sure we will find out who is behind all this." Anju says this last part with a slight sigh. She hopes that they can get everything back to normal so that she can go back to her village, even for a brief visit.
Arius sighs, "Well, we should probably take these men back to the Field Marshal, though I wonder what is down in the basement entrance. Maybe we can just check for tracks and look inside quickly?"
"Let me check, but stand guard here Arius and watch these thugs. I'll check for tracks. I wont go further than a few seconds away. We can always come back and investigate further after dropping these off with the guard." His gesture leaves no doubt who he is talking about.
He attempts to pry up the grate going to the sewer, keeping an eye out for lurkers.
Arius keeps alert. He doesn't want to miss any sounds of trouble from the room that Keth is checking.
Keth pauses to look at the ground checking the tracks of those coming and going....
after looking at the ground and unsure if that really answered any questions he was thinking he turned and studied the tunnels straining his dark attuned eyes for the hard to notice...listening carefully for the hard to hear...
Keth sees waves and hears hitting the sides of the tunnel, but those could just be the disturbance from the river or a nearby Otyugh you do notice a few lines in the water that appear to be moving against the flow of waste. Could they be fish, or something else.. you're not sure.
Keth watches the ripples...shrugs his shoulders and thinks it prudent to go back up
"Ok Didnt see any tracks, but it doesnt mean anything. Its pretty nasty down there. Saw ripples in the sewage..probably means theres some critter there. I also think this goes down to the ocean. Could be used as a smuggler access."
It looked like the ripples could have been caused by a fin of some sort.
Arius shudders. "Not another shark."
"Perhaps we can give it some of the not-formerly-ensoulled carcasses in the next room to convince it to leave us alone while we explore. I think that we should probably check the sewer after we take in these men."
Branahm turns to Verik and the other captives. "Perhaps you can comment on this sewer entrance now that Keth here has reminded you of it."
One of the captives shrugs his shoulders and says That's where the scraps and blood go when we clean the floor... no big deal..
"Lets get these scum to the Marshall and now that I know the kind of people they are, I do not have any regrets taking their equipment as a 'finders fee' if you others don't disagree."
You parade the prisoners back to the guardhouse without incident. As you enter the grounds a patrol comes up to you, thanks you for bringign in the deserters, and takes the prisoners away. The captain of the patrol brings you towards the Field Marshal's office, telling you that Kroft is currently in another meeting, but he will announce your presence to them.
He opens the door to the office, and sticks his head in, conferring with the Field Marshal for a moment, and then opens the door wide, obviously inviting you in. As you enter you see the the Field Marshal is sitting and talking to a dashing older man (See user picture), who has a confident posture, and a rapier on his hip. Cressida introduces the man as an old friend—one Vencarlo Orisini. He rises and bows deeply.
DC 15 Knowledge (local):
most respected and renowned teachers of the honorable arts of fencing and swordplay.
Kroft explains that, although Vencarlo himself has always been an outspoken critic of Korvosa’s government, she has always valued him as a friend and adviser. His input about the temperament and morale of the citizens of Korvosa is invaluable to the Field Marshal in the attempt to get the city back under control.
Vencarlo smiles, congratulating you on your work so far. He looks at Liz. He Reaches for her hand and Kisses the back of it. It appears that he is going to say more when Kroft cuts him off.
“As much as I would enjoy continuing the conversation, I fear we just don’t have time. Vencarlo has often come to me with news of important changes on the streets, and this is no different—indeed, what he’s learned could degrade into sanctions, embargos, or even war against Cheliax if we don’t act now. This problem is a man named Darvayne Gios Amprei. You might have heard of him—he’s an ambassador from Cheliax whose disdain for Korvosa is well documented, and yet he’s
taken great pleasure in what our city has to offer. Even before this recent unrest, this man was ready to recommend to his government a sanction on trade, or perhaps even an embargo. Vencarlo has learned through his own considerable sources that Ambassador Amprei’s actual goals are to undermine Korvosa’s economy to the point where he can buy up large portions of the city from desperate landholders and establish
himself in a position of power here. Whatever the ambassador’s reasons, we can’t let his bias or personal plans hurt Korvosa. Yet neither can we take drastic action—not only would killing him be wrong, but it’d simply martyr him in Cheliax’s eyes.
Fortunately, Darvayne has his foibles. Again, Vencarlo has learned that Ambassador Amprei has been making fairly regular visits to a place in Old Korvosa called Eel’s End. This den of vice is run by a dangerous man named Devargo Barvasi, better known in Korvosa’s alleys as the King of Spiders. I’d love to put Barvasi out of business, but he pays his vice taxes regularly and never causes any problems—in fact, since he keeps his business constrained entirely within the five ships moored at
Eel’s End, he’s actually one of the least of my worries. Truth be told, I can’t decide whether Devargo is a stirge or a kraken. He seems like a bloodsucking pest most days, but sometimes I fear just how far his tentacles have wormed their way into our great city. In this case though, his insidious web stretching across Korvosa’s underworld might prove to our advantage.
“Devargo would never let someone he recognizes as an ally of the Guard into Eel’s End, but your group’s a different case. I’d like you to pay a visit to Eel’s End and secure an audience with Devargo. Find out what he knows about Amprei, get proof of any illicit goings-on the ambassador might be involved with, and bring that proof to me to use to undermine any forthcoming attempts by him to get Cheliax to cut us off.
Devargo might not be willing to part with his information easily. I’ll supply you with some gold to bribe him, and whatever’s left over you can keep for yourself. Remember: the man is dangerous, but so are you—if things get violent, I wouldn’t mourn his passing.” She pushes two bags of gold across the table to you. (the first is the gold promised for bringing in Vanderkin alive, the second is 1,000 gold for the bribe mentioned above.) She begins to give you directions to Eels end, before Vencarlo intterupts.
He winks at Liz.
Liz and anyone looking over Vencarlo:
Arius looks at Vencarlo with interest. He seems to have recognized the man's name.
"What an interesting coincidence. Your rebel guardsmen claim that the King of Spiders also provided an... er... highly unorthodox and unethical source for some of the meat that they distributed. We will provide you with the full details at your convenience, but the Guard has a criminal-charge cudgel to accompany its golden carrot for the negotiations."
"Could this ambassador be Vancaskerkin's mysterious backer? Verik did not reveal any names to us."
"In Verik's defense, I believe that he was unaware of the more nefarious activities of his men. He believed that he was only distributing food to people who needed it--a worthy goal, even though his plan to achieve it was faulty."
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Vencarlo Orisini is a tall man of advanced years, yet with a twinkle in his eye and a bounce to his step that hints at a vibrancy and inner fire of a man under half his age. He wears his salt-and-pepper hair pulled back tightly into a bravo’s top-knot. His eyes are a cast of deep green like the ocean after a storm. He is of Old Chelish blood, and it shows. Orisini wears black leather gloves to ensure the oils of his skin don’t rust the pommel of his shining steel rapier. This rapier is his pride, and he speaks of it in tones normally reserved for a loved one.(make an additional spot check)
Perception
1d20+8 -> [15+8] = (23)
Keth, lept quiet as usual when he was around a people who he was unfamiliar and felt inferior to...He just nodded and listened..watching...
when they mentioned Eels End he nodded..expecting that was where they would go next. He still felt something was not quite right about all this, but though he didnt trust the Guard...he was disgusted at Verik and his men.
Time would tell what exactly was up...until he could put a finger on it though...
Kroft looks at you grimly and contemplates your words. I don't think the ambassador would stoop to actually killing people if that's what you mean..
Vencarlo cuts in again
"My apologies if I was unclear. I actually meant to suggest using the evidence as a way to persuade the King of Spiders to cooperate, not the Ambassador."
"Why threaten him at all? We can bribe him, get the information, and then arrest him for his conspiracy to murder. But because our past negotiations have been concluded by arguing with sword and hammer, it may be prudent to rest and go in tomorrow when we're fresh."
"I would prefer to rest and prepare more enchantments, unless the Field Marshal or someone else among you thinks that we can't afford the time."
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Knowledge (Local) Check. (1d20+6=10)
Elizabeth has never hears of the man before, but his attentions are met with a flirtatious smile as she accepts his flattery.
"I too would like a chance to rest and prepare myself," "and maybe have some time left over for other pursuits" she thinks to herself, once again looking over Orsini with an appraising eye. "If time is of the essence however I am sure that there will be ample time later for other pusuits." She gives Orsini a seductive smile as she says this last part.
Orsini looks you all over again and smiles. He waits for a nod from Kroft before bowing gracefully on his way out the door. After he leaves Kroft turns back to you smiling Velerno's intelligence has always been correct, I don't know where he gets it, but he is well respected by many of those in Old Korvosa, and keeps his ear out for rumors from his students, and the tradespeople he works with. It is refreshing to hear things with only one person in between the streets and my ear... reports on the subjects he brings me are usually incomplete at best. He has never given me reason to distrust him.
Branahm nods to Orsini. "We could plan to meet here tomorrow morning at the fourth hour."
Arius seems lost in thought for a moment.