Drk Crimson Throne IC part 2

[farothel]

"Very well," Ciraneoth said, "then we just need some perfume or something to mask the smell of the sewers and some equipment to deal with wounds infected by the foul stuff in there and we're good to go. Oh, and torches or other light sources."

[rax]

"I would prefer shuttered lanterns, myself. I've heard that open flame can sometimes cause explosions in such an environment," Cassian adds.

[Haval]

'Something tells me that there won't be enough perfume in the world to make much of a difference, but it's worth a try. Otherwise, don't they have people that work down there. I assume someone will have what we need.'

[DrK]

Three solid looking shuttered oil lanterns with a couple of pints of oil apiece (2 hours per pint, so 4 hours total per lantern) are quickly dragged out by a guard and given to you. Cressida looks at you before gazing past you out through the arrow slit at the city beyond and the distance Castle Korvosa sat atop its ziggurat. "Thank you for coming back and offering help. Please come back, we will need the help. With the plague, the riots, Blackjack inciting rebellion and new advisors in the Palace I cannot help but feel there is going to be much to do to try and keep the city safe. Even if that means protecting it from itself."... She looks witsful for a moment before a tired looking messenger with a blood stained shoulder limps in. Nodding se bids you good day and heads to the courtyard where two squads are assemblng


anything esle to do at the GUard barracks or heading to the gold market?

[rax]

OOC: Perhaps we could stock up on healing draughts and a couple of antitoxin kits? Would they be available at the barracks or require us to hit the markets?

[wilphe]

I live here too Marshall, replies Winifred softly

Has Blackjack been seen again since the execution?

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Otherwise ready to go

[farothel]

Ciraneoth kept silent, but with a nod he accepted the offer for some healing equipment. He could get a few poultices at the market on the way to their contact. They might not smell nice, but in the sewers nobody would notice and from experience he knew they worked. A bit of perfume to get rid of the worst of the smell and he would be ready to go.

[rax]

Having packed a healing draught and an antitoxin kit in his backpack, Camlann turns to the others: "Shall we be off?"

[wilphe]

Yeah, but you are all thinking about this wrong.

It's not about we smell when we are down there, its about what we smell like when we come back up

[DrK]

At Winifred's query the marshall nods, "he has been seen since on a couple of occasions. Mostly whipping up the masses against the Queen." She doesn't seem inclined to discuss it further before you leave...

With some small flasks and oiled sachets of pungent liquids in your packs the party are soon heading through the streets. The city being busier now as the day has dawned and the streets seem near buys as usual, apart from the alleys where bodies can be seen, or those afflicted with the Red Veil coughing gasping as they lie in the filth.

In the streets many wear strips of cloth across their faces and people do seem to be giving each other a wider birth.

Reaching the Gold Market it is quieter, a few stalls each with guards watching people carefully as their masters try and sell a variety of jewellery. On the far side, near the edge of the market square you spy Erie. She is a mousy haired stopped back crone with withered clawed hands grasping a wooden cane. She stands by a ragged looking stall selling tired looking trinkets mainly of cheap glass and brass



As the four of you, with weapons at your waists and armour on she looks up, a face lined and tired looking, lank hair framing bright yellow eyes that gleam with sharp intelligence. "How can Erie be of assistance to the good sers?"

[Haval]

It's not about we smell when we are down there, its about what we smell like when we come back up[/B]

'I'd say that a long bath would be the least they could give us in return for going down there.'

In the streets Andrei will tie a clean handkerchief around his face just in case it helped.

[wilphe]

Greetings Erie

We are told you are the best in the city for trinkets like this

she hands over the disc that the Marshall gave them

[farothel]

Ciraneoth also put some cloth in front of his nose and mouth and would follow the rest of the group. On the market he would look out for the poultices he needed, as well as some perfume. It could be cheap, it just had cover most of the sewer smell. He also got an extra healing draught

When they arrived at Erie's stall, he would stand a bit at the back to let the others do the talking, keeping an eye out for any people trying to eavesdrop or people who have more than usual interest in the group.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I buy some perfume, an extra healing draught and 4 extra poultices. I have the money and since those items are common (average for healing draught), I assume I can get them without too much trouble along the way.

[rax]

Cassian remains silent and lets Winifred do the talking. Instead, he keeps an eye out for anything untoward.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Perception test (1d100)[72] vs. Int 51

[DrK]

The party buy some trinkets, perfume and some healing items as they walk through the streets. Eries looks a little worried as you approach, a muttered "I paid for my licence good sers... I don't need trouble.". At the amulet handed across she pauses and looks at you all more cautiously. "I knew a nice lady with a pretty name. Kressida she was called and she worked hard fer the city. For all the people of the city."

She steps slightly away from the stall gesturing you all closer as she holds the trinket. "She was a good one. She doesn't mind me, Doesn't mind old Eries. What do you need? You here to speak of Grazzt? He and his ilk are giving us a bad name. Casing trouble, attracting attention." SHe pauses, and its then that Cassian can see it, the hooked nose, the whiskered upper lip and the slightly hunched back to go with the long thin fingers... she is a lycanthrope!

She looks at you all. "What do you mean to do with our people...."

[rax]

"You um, you're...Oh! You're...not human?" Cassian blurts out in surprise, though he manages to keep his voice down. "We were told man-sized rats are causing trouble...I was thinking something more literal," he admits.

[Haval]

'That does explain some things.' Andrei added. 'How many of your people are there anyway?'

[wilphe]

Winifred does her best to look unsurprised

I doubt we were sent to do you harm

Only that the city is on edge right now, and it would seem that some of your people are adding to that be being indiscreet?

Tell us of this Grazzt and how we can help?

[DrK]

She pauses looking at them all before nodding. "There are many of us. Not too many, but more than you folk would be comfortable with. We mind ourselves, we keep to ourselves and just keep a low profile. Its your kind that pushes and attacks us." She breathes a sigh quietly. Then looks at the amulet. "So... Grazzt, he is an angry one. he was not bitten like I was. he was born with the condition..." she stumbles a little over the description.

"He was injured by a city guard. Normally we aren't that bothered by your kind, we are tough enough but the guard had silver bolts, Gods only know why. So they hurt Grazzt bad. he has never forgiven you city folk for that. With the plague he wants revenge. He wants to carve out a place for our kind that isn't in the sewers and and the shadows. He says we can kill and scare your lot into it with the plague." She pauses and shakes here sadly.

"Its not the way to do these things and will only lead to blood. I do not like to go against my kind, but he is causing attention and not good. I can tell you where he is" She continues describing an area of the docks, ironically only a quarter of mile further north than Llam's fish guts processing plant. But even further into the dubious parts of the docklands. He has a small caverns and old cellars made into a sort of lair in the depths of the sewer. She describes that its Grazzt and maybe 2-3 other hot heads and violent thugs that are following him that would be there... Enough to be dangerous.

[rax]

"Well, it would be preferable to avoid stirring up even more trouble if possible. Do you believe it would be possible to reason with Grazzt and get him to stand down?" Cassian asks.

[farothel]

Ciraneoth wasn't too pleased to be dealing with lycanthropes, but as long as they didn't cause problems, he could live with them. But if they did cause problems they had to be dealt with.
"Do you know the layout of his lair," he asked, hoping she had been there at some point and could give some pointers about entrances and traps and the like.

[Haval]

'Would he happen to know the name of the guard who hurt him? I don't suppose punishing someone who might deserve it would win us any points?'

[wilphe]

Good idea adds Winifred

Like silver, what does hurt your people and where can we get it?

I don't want violence to be our first resort, but I also don't want to be outclassed if we end up in a fight

[DrK]

Se shakes her head to most of the questions. "I keep to myself, and maybe a few friends and family. If I don't bother anyone then they don't bother me." At the more detailed questions she shakes here head. "I only know where the sewers were that he has used, I have never been there. He leads a small gang, all firebrands that are out for blood and trouble. He hates how you treat us and wants to be the one with the boot not the one under the heel."

At the query on the guard she shrugs, "All of the guards look the same. Its impossible to know, you would know better than us. As for what hurts us..." she laughs, "Silver will hurt us, so will normal swords if you swing them hard enough. I have no idea where you would find silver blades... its not something I would have bought."

Spoiler: Damage Reduction

Show

Essentially DR functions as a bonus Toughness Bonus. For examples Demons have a Demonic aura that adds to the armour; but would be ignore by appropriate weapons.

[wilphe]

If you could tell us please the place to find him, we will see if we can talk him down.

She looks at the others

Trip to Kundark's might be in order

[rax]

"I'm sorry to hear that," Cassian replies to Eries as she makes it clear that Grazzt is set on resolving his grievances with violence.

"Kundark's? Should I know who or what that is?" he questions Winifred.

[DrK]

Eries nods, "He is under the Slopes" she says (and you all know, its a dense residential area in the Midlands district near Tiadora's flat) "But its easier to gain entry from one of the storm grates that empty into the West Docks". She pauses and pulls out a scrap of grubby old paper and sketches out some maps of the tunnels to guide you.

As for the armourer she scowls, "I don't like that dwarf..." she mutters. Then seeing some more customers she makes a move to shoo you away from her stall as she greets the pair of young lovers coming up to her. Both the young man and woman have red blotches on their necks and she has a hint of blood on her brow...

[wilphe]

Where I got this armour, Ciraneoth has also done some business with him

[farothel]

"He's not a bad chap for a dwarf," Ciraneoth agreed while keeping a bit of distance from the two new customers, "and no matter what you can say about dwarves, their craftmanship is top of the line. Not always elegant, but it won't fail you. He probably has silvered weapons and if he doesn't, he probably can give us a location to get them."

[rax]

"Very well, I suppose we'd best pay him a visit then," Cassian assented.

"Thank you for your time and assistance, Eries," he bid the rat woman farewell.