The overload of information and "curious" characters that walked into the tavern forced the Sylph to pass the last minutes completely silent, absorbed in writing down both what the others were saying and his own observations.
Well, I'm glad that it looks like everyone forgot about me. With all the finger-pointing they're doing, it's not impossible that I'd accused of being one of Lamm's collaborators. In fact, if I was someone else I would think that I'm the person that's more likely to be a traitor, seeing as I'm the one that started the conversation.
After writing down his notes about the startled boy, the elven woman who was talking with the Iomedaean and the irascible half-orc, Whisper will resume listening to the wind in the group.
As he hears the Iomedaean asking for a private room to the owner, Whisper will consider if it would have been a better idea to directly follow the group or eavesdrop on them from somewhere else.
Maybe that's not a very good idea. Splitting from the group would attract even more attention.
The youth looks at Elise with surprise. Very few people asked his name when they could easily call him 'boy.'
"Se-Seamus. My name is Seamus." His voices grows a little more sure and he gives the paladin a flash of ivory.
Looking again to the elven woman, Elise marvels at her grace and poise, seemingly one trained in the art of dealing with others. Smiling slowly, Elise gives a short half-curtsey and finally introduces herself "I am Elise Warden, a pilgrim of our lady of justice Iomedae."
Lluvia listens to Elise and returns her smile unconsciously, though her features give it a bit of a roguish impressions, despite its actual warmth. She shows a remarkable fine and pleasant demeanor. Not to mention compassion. I like her, she thinks and returns the curtsey almost automatically - the long training of a diplomat and grace of a passionate dancer do that for her. "I am Lluvia, a freelance detective, scout and adventurer. And while I don't strictly belong to it I work regularly for Desna's clergy."
"While I certainly I we can bring him to justice Lamm is known to be elusive to the law. I am afraid it may be necessary use drastic measures if we are to stop him... unless we find a way to make him confess and repent his sins and subject himself to justice without tricks, which doesn't seem very likely." She isn't whispering, but she keeps her voice low enough that only Elise should be able to hear her. There is a slight concern in Lluvia's face as she wonders whether Elise is ready to confront him and kill him, should it become necessary. Not that she wanted to kill anyone; it wasn't just the respect for life but also realization of the darkness inside herself that made her hesitate. But she would do what she felt she had to in order to stop him from causing more harm.
The follower of Iomedae had cracked the youth's shell somewhat, that was good. Paulus felt sympathy for the young man, but he would have to be calm in order to give them credible information. He thinks of extending a hand in greeting, then thinks better of it before he speaks.
"Paulus, servant of the Dawnflower. I hope we are well met, Seamus."
With an apologetic look at Elise, he addresses the graceful elven woman. "Justice has failed time and again when it comes to Lamm. It is time to wipe this blight from Korvosa, so something better can be born from the ashes."
Aurora hearing of the disappeared daughter brings some bad memories to the front of her mind
"I hope your duaghter's alright, and hopefully she has not ended up where I went."
"Hullo, Paulus."
Some of these adults didn't seem so terrible. They also said they we eager to find Lamm. That was good. Seamus wanted to touch Lamm.
Hands still folded in-front of her, Elise nods and returns a genuine full smile to the boy, happy to see him reaching out. "Seamus, a strong name I'm certain; I know despair consumes you now Seamus, but Iomedae help me, we'll bring your tormentor to justice," Elise pauses a moment, allowing her normally cheerful and confident attitude to ever so slightly diminish into melancholy as she sighs before continuing "for you see, I too was subject to his wrath when I was your age." Allowing a moment for that information to sink in, Elise snaps back to normal self and smiles broadly once more "I am Elise, it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
"I am afraid it may be necessary use drastic measures if we are to stop him... unless we find a way to make him confess and repent his sins and subject himself to justice without tricks, which doesn't seem very likely."
With an apologetic look at Elise, he addresses the graceful elven woman. "Justice has failed time and again when it comes to Lamm. It is time to wipe this blight from Korvosa, so something better can be born from the ashes."
Turning her attention from Seamus for a moment, Elise addresses Lluvia with multiple nods and responds in a similar tone and volume "Agreed Lluvia. I'd like more than anything for him to face justice and the full weight of the law for his crimes here in Korvosa, but he has proven himself adept at evading justice." Shrugging with a hint of frustration, Elise adds "Yet for life of me, I can't figure out how. Lamm is a petty crime lord, but his crimes are ignored and overlooked by authorities, which leads me to believe he has some influence beyond his rank in the world... though that is mere speculation on my part."
Glancing over at Paulus, Elise listens closely but frowns slightly as she contemplates all actions distasteful, but perhaps necessary in this instance "We may need to resort to such vigilante justice yes, but I'd like to reserve that as a last measure... but you are right, Lamm's reign of terror on the vulnerable needs and must end," pausing again, Elise lowers her voice so only Paulus and Lluvia can hear her "one way, or another."
"I been hunting for Kathlyn for about that long, myself. Maybe if we pool what we know, we can find a puzzle piece that we missed separately." Garran offers a hand in greeting to the older man. Barnabas might notice that it is not as calloused as the hand of a farmer would be. "I'm Garran Oakthorn, from Mosswall." Not expecting anyone to know the tiny place Garran explains: It's in the Fenwalls, overlooking Conquerors Bay..."
"I hope so too." Garran answers the towering unearthly woman. "I'll do everything I can to find her." Garran's face grows fierce. "Whatever it takes."
His look grew thoughtful as Elise spoke, nodding solemnly at the end of her first statement to him. The warrior woman would make no play to stop Lamm from meeting the only justice he deserved at this point. She might condemn it, but would not prevent it.
Nodding assent to her request, he glances around and settles on a knot of folks. Paulus slowly strides towards them, a grim smile on his face. After almost a decade, he would perhaps be free of his demons.
To Barnabas, Aurora, and Garran: "Excuse me, good sirs and lady. My friends and I,"he nods towards Elise and Lluvia,"were wondering if we could have a private word with you about our mutual acquaintance."
"Sure, Elise."
Looking down at his hands, Seamus notices that his has cleaner hands and a dirtied hanky. "That nice old man gave me his hanky. I should give it back," the youth says dully.
Internally, a storm rages. Justice? He cannot get away. Lamm must die! I mustn't make them angry. I must be a good boy. Lamm must die!
Whisper will continue to focus on the Elven woman and Elise. It was a little hard to read the lips of the elf, seeing as she pulled her hood over her head and the general illumination of the place was lacking, but it was easy enough to see what the crusader was saying.
After a sigh, he will move near the two, trying to move as silently as possible this time.
He will almost appear out of nowhere behind the two. "Don't get on a false trail. It's not that he has connections, it's that he's so pathetic that no one is worried about him. Someone that has to enslave children to do his work is an horrible human being, but not a threat." he will say to Luvia and Elise without raising his eyes from his journal. The remembering all the introductions, half-curtsies and all that the crusader did, he will introduce himself to not offend her and lose a potential ally. Raising his eyes from the journal, he will look at the two and point himself ""Whisper""
Lluvia nods to Elise and Paulus as they depart: "Iomeda guide your path, you two. Contact the clergy of Desna when your looking for me. And watch out for the sign of the Black Butterfly*." In elven she adds: "Peace and light." and makes gesture with two fingers vertically aligned in front of her chest. A greeting for friends going to a battle or on a dangerous quest.
Without a further word she slips into the crowd, taking a few moments to not just step out of the light, but out of the minds of whoever may have watched her, until only a the vague impression of a cloaked figure in the crowd remains.
Strangly, she can't make out the white-haired, somewhat shy man of unknown descent anymore, though that may be due to the hood she uses to guise her face and, in consequence, makes it harder for her to look around as well. He said something about child abuse as she entered and she noticed him taking notes earlier. So for now she remains in the dark and tries to get an overview over all the other enemies of Lamm in this tavern.
When suddenly spoke someone spoke the word "Whisper" right next to her, Lluvia twitched and tried her best not to show how startled she was. "Where, for the love of the dar...." She cleared her throat, managed a polite smile and whisper as asked: "Greetings - I am Lluvia. I shall whisper if you insist." She pauses briefly. "He does have a feeling for corrupting people using their darkest desires. Greed. Oblivion. And he knows to use the weak and frightened to his advantage." She indicates a curtsey to him as well, and watches him curiously with her large, deep green eyes.
-------
The door swings open and a haunted woman in a wedding dress that looks like has been shredded and stitched together repeatedly.
She takes in the occupants of the tavern with an appraising glance.
"I seek one named Lamm, I have been told that there is information on him here."
Whisper will look at the elven woman for a second "No, I am Whisper. It's my name. I was trying to introduce myself."
He will pause for a moment "I think you're giving him more credit than he deserves. Corrupting people with their desires is what devils do, and we've agreed earlier that's not the case. He picks on the weaker, and not only children. Take all those people he sells Shiver to: they probably went trough something horrible, they're in pieces, Lamm comes, sells them Shiver, they get addicted, and then die of overdose in a forgotten alley until someone finds the corpse a day or two after. That's not corrupting, that's exploiting people misfortunes."
Lluvia hides a smirk with her hand and looks a little embarressedly down. "Oh, but of course. I hope you'll forgive this faux pas of mine. My name means 'rain' in Azlanti, by the way. Well met, Whisper."
She ponders a bit about Whisper's word. Lamm wasn't one of the most influential crime lords and gang bosses in Korvosa, just a particularly disgusting and reckless one. But he was more than just a thug... She herself would have first associated politicians and courtiers with corruption rather than devils, but that may be due to different life experience. Eventually she nods. "Be that as it may; I understand the urgency of the matter, but I would prefer to avoid reckless actions, so that even slight possibilities to give our common opponent an edge are minimized. I am glad to find so many allies in the matter; it does indeed look like he wasn't shy about making enemies. But I have made my own, very unfortunate experiences with angry mobs trying to take justice in their own hands..." She sighed and remembered the day the embassy on Absalom was raided by an angry mob and her husband killed by hired goons which ensured that there were no loose ends. Lluvia could very well imagine that Lamm would pay for information on what "transpired" here and that there were those who took money from wherever it came - she would not mind a little less transpiration in the literal and figurative meaning. "Do you have any leads on upcoming business or the locations of his caches and hideouts?
She glanced over to the woman in the wedding dress who just burst in and had no such reservation. A woman left standing by her betrothed at a wedding was a common motif in human drama, so a certain unrest was to be expected. And it was a beatiful dress - and woman - indeed, she looked quite out place here. Lluvia was slightly amused and her ear tips twitched in curiousity what a slime like Lamm had to do with that. Then again, if Lamm had anything to do with it it was probably not even remotely amusing after all.
Listening to the parade of desperate souls, of misery introduced to innocent people, Barnabas is thoughtful for a long time. The woman in the wedding dress was the last drop of a barrel already overflowing with uncountable tears of the lost and desperate."It seems fate has brought us together, in this tavern. It is time to act, not to accuse. Sometimes the law is unable to do what is just, then it falls on those who see injustice to do what they must. We are fueled by desperation and that makes us more dangerous now, than a couragious man. Who will join me to find us some piece of Lamm, who will join me to avenge our lost, who will join me to end this injustice, once and for all."
Paulus listens to the older man's pleas once again, remaining patient. While he himself had been through hell with Lamm and his cronies, his time was over. The nightmare for this man had just begun. When Barnabas finished his call for justice, Paulus clears his throat.
"Friend, we would help you, over here." He nods again toward Elise and Lluvia. "You are right, justice must be served. Please join us in a more private setting so we can turn our thoughts away from recruiting help, for help has been provided by Her, and towards planning the downfall of our common adversary."
@Mr Oakthorn
Aurora replies
"I hope so as well,
but if she did go there, pray she's still alive.
For the underground arena is brutal."
@Paulus Westland
Aurora replies with a slight grin
"If our mutual acquaintance, happens to be Lamm. I'm all for it."
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@Barnabas
Great! No one noticed me! but her happiness was short lived, soon after that, the crowd began to separate into groups.
Where should I go now? Catcher was preparing to follow the eloquent woman when she heard the old Aasimar calling others to join him.
She walks to where he is, amazed by his confident manner. Tripping on the table, a loud metallic sound echoes, as her big sword falls the ground.
”Ouch! I am so terrible sorry! It was not my intention!” says the girl, putting on the table a large bag and picking up her sword again.
”I will go with you.” she says simply.
"Don't worry about it" comes a voice from behind Catcher. The hooded figure of an elven maiden is right behind her, helps Catcher up and helps her pick up her things, displaying a friendly and calm demeanour. Only the sword she regards with a certain degree of amazement.
'The girl is young, even for a human. But old enough to decide for herself - I just wonder whether she realizes what she's getting herself into.' "Were you trained to handle that sword?" Lluvia wonders. "Have you ever taken a life in battle?" She pauses briefly wondering whether there is a point in sharing her views in the first place, but then it's like her lips start to speak on their own and her tone is strangely distant. "When an elf... or a human for in that's worth... dies in battle: the shattered hopes, the fear, the pain, the simple desire to hold a hand. It's wound to this world every time a living thinking creature of this world has to leave it by the hand of another. There is no glory in it. There is only pain. A pain that will never let go of those who survive. I am not asking you to listen to the words of a stranger; I am asking you to look inside yourself, listen to your heart and tell me: Do you truly wish to extinguish life? It will haunt you forever. Or do you choose to let go of whatever anger may cloud your soul, love a man, and lead a life that can bring so much joy - to yourself and the world."
Lluvia sighs. "And here I stand drowning an innocent, spirited woman in my so called wisdom. I am sorry - I just - you know I do know the darkness and think it's better to choose the light. But I don't even know what you are truly here for. I shouldn't talk to you like that. What... what is it that drives you to do this?" The elven woman is visibly shaken, her green eyes look strangely dim and for a moment, despite her smooth features one can see her age of one and half centuries.
|
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Catcher was startled with the voice behind her, and even more when the gorgeous elf helps to pick up the fallen objects.
Then then elf asks "Were you trained to handle that sword? Have you ever taken a life in battle?"
Ouch ”Well… no and… no?” says the girl embarrassed ”I’m not sure that I ever participated in a battle either…”
Then the elf woman talks about life and death, and the heavy burden that’s to take’s someone else life.
I can’t deny that, I’ve not taken a life, however… ”Everyone is due to his own acts and intentions. There are unfortunate cases where someone receives what he does not deserve. Just look around, you will see several examples in this place. Lost children, lost childhood, torture and so much more, I am not sure where to begin that list.”
Why am I so nervous? Taking a deep breath, trying to calm her trembling hands she continues.
”There are those,” says Catcher looking at the paladin ”That are happy to give their life for one cause or belief. I do not claim such devotion. But I believe that on this life or another, your acts will be held against you. For better or worse.”
She looks at the people in the inn, and some good seconds passes before she start talking again.
”For better or worse, Lamm’s actions are stacked against him.”
Lluvia measures the girl for a moment, though there is something unsteady, undecided in the way she looks. "They did indeed. His actions were his choice and they are what condemns him. Your action are your choice. But beware, in my experience the deepest darkness is not the one outside. May the Starsong watch over you."
Lluvia tries a smile and to drop the overbearing demeanour. "I am Lluvia" She gives Catcher a friendly nod. "And some training with your weapon might be in order. Ever thought flying on the back of a hippogriff?" The elf adds a wink to the girl and silently sends her wish to the Black Butterfly and through her to Desna to guard her spirit and body.
Zeverin crosses his arms, somewhat pleased with himself that it seems some of the uproar has calmed. People appear to be gathering in smaller groups, and planning hidden meetings. Granted, they should be more discreet, in being discreet, but they may have luck. He will just have to keep an eye out for who looks like they may be more successful and glom onto them.
He actually smiles, thinking he was going to find some leads when he came out, and seeming to have a few small groups looking to suss the man from hiding. Now all he has to do is decide, to which pony he will hitch his wagon.