Book 2, Part 1b: Seven Days to the Grave

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Post 31

---

There are surely answers to be had through further investigation, but none of them will be found tonight around the Soldado dining table. The group makes their preparations to leave, which prompts another round of hugs and tears from Tayce Soldado, who is still clearly coming to grips with the minor miracle of her daughter's cure. It's abundantly clear that she loves her children, and the group has earned a stalwart friend and ally through their efforts.
 

Maria's Vignette

The troop walks together for a time, with Maria and Dhatri separated by a short distance from the others to give them some semblance of privacy.

"Forgive me if I seemed distracted today," he apologizes. "Between my duties to the church, and the growing urgency of this disease, and my sister suddenly abandoning her faith and her position in the church, I've barely had any time for me and things I might want for myself."

"I just wanted to thank you for reminding me that it's okay if I take a few moments for myself to enjoy life," he turns to face her and leans in for a proper, uncomplicated, unclumsy kiss.

Whether or not the kiss is successful, the two walk some more in conversation and in companionable silence until he leaves to return to the church. From there, the group goes to find Mina and Shireen.

 

Venrek's Vignette

"You're back!" Shireen shouts as she leaps into Maria's arms, the preteen girl's usual affected air of aloofness drops away at the return of her 'aunt' from her travels. As the young girl rattles on, commanding Maria's attention with stories of everything that's been happening all week, Mina welcomes the rest of the group into her home.

"Welcome back," the halfling witch-turned-potion merchant greets the group warmly as they get comfortable. "We've had some ... interesting times since you guys left. This disease -- whatever it is -- is no joke. I hope we get things sorted before things get out of control. Again." She frowns as she remembers the riots and the violence that followed the Crimson King's death.

"Now that you're back, Venrek, I could use your help in the shop. Another pair of skilled hands in crafting curative potions would be a boon to our business. And, between you and me, it would free up time for me to look into this 'Lavender's Luxuriant Liniment' place and their claim to have a cure for this disease. I got my hands on a bottle, and if I can figure out the process, maybe I can duplicate a cure that won't bankrupt half the city!"

 

Nykla's Vignette

After leaving the halfling's home, the group split and go their separate ways. Nykla, eager for a hot bath, a hot meal, and maybe a romp in front of a roaring fire on a comfortable bed, heads to Amin's manse to the north.

The journey there is uneventful, but she is unprepared for what she finds there. The staff welcomes her in with the usual deference and respect, but are unable to tell her Amin's current whereabouts. It takes a little coaxing, but eventually she gets the full story -- as much as they know of it -- from them. He left for a party the night before. A fancy dress gala the kind of which the wealthy often throw with there's turmoil amongst the lower classes that they're desperate to ignore for a time. The young lord of the manor has not yet returned home.

Unfortunately, they're unable to tell her where this party was located, leaving her to drown her loneliness in overstuffed blankets and overpriced fruit-filled pastries, wondering where in the world her lover has gone. His absence doesn't sit right with her, stinging in a way that she hasn't felt since ... since Valian. "Screw this," she grumbles to herself. She didn't spend the past two decades remaking herself just to crumble the first time someone was taken from her. Tossing off the covers, she goes out into the night to figure out what in the Nine Hells is going on.

 

Chappie's Vignette

"Let me go! Let! Me!! Go!!!" A female's shout cuts through the quiet night, instantly attracting his attention. Hand on the hilt of his blade, he moves to investigate. Moving quietly but quickly, he follows the sound of the struggling woman, moving closer and closer until, turning a corner, he finds the source of the ruckus.

Approaching from about a half-block away, he sees two Korvosan Guardsmen on either side of his friend Deyanira. The guards stiffen at the sight of the strange man ready to draw steel, hands moving to their own weapons before they seem to recognize Chappie and relax slightly.

As Deyanira continues to hurl insults and vituperation at the two guardsmen, they do their best to ignore her and address Chappie curtly. "We were just bringing her along to your place. We know she's a friend of yours and that you're a friend to the Guard and all. We caught her trying to break into one of the manor houses in South Shore, and we ... well ... between you and me, we didn't want her getting dragged off by the Gray Maidens, if you know what I mean."

"So listen, you take her off our hands, and we never saw her. But if she gets into trouble again, I don't know that there's anything that we can do for you, saavy?"

The guardsmen release the young singer into Chappie's custody and move off into the night. Still heated, the girl's invective continues until well after the men are out of sight, completely oblivious to the fact that they did her a favor by not hauling her off to jail or delivering her to the Gray Maidens.

After getting her to calm down, she explains her situation. A few days ago, her brother took a job to entertain some rich, hoity-toity types. He went into the manor, but hasn't come out. The doors are locked, the windows shuttered, and she couldn't get anyone to help her or even believe her story. And so, fearing the worst, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

It takes some convincing, but Chappie eventually convinces her to stay at home and let he and his friends look into what's happened to her brother, to which she reluctantly agrees.

 

Habus' Vignette

"Lookit you," the elderly woman's voice calls from out of the shadows near his apartment. Eries Yelloweyes, a thin, mousey-looking woman steps out into the dim moonlight. She and Habus haven't seen each other since the bad-old-days of him drinking his problems away, but he hasn't forgotten the way the churlish old wererat looked after him even when he was penniless and down on his luck.

"Rumor had it that you'd begun to make something of yourself. And here you are! You look pretty dapper once you've combed all of the fish bones and grains of rice outta yer beard." she crows with laughter. Turning serious after her moment of levity, she changes topic. "Trouble's a-brewin' down in the sewers," she begins.

"One of ours got roughed up by some townies wanting to blame us were-folk for this plague that's happening. You know ... the usual stuff. Most sensible folk just pulled up stakes and moved deeper into the sewers or just put some distance between them and the troublemakers. But not Girrigz -- you remember that hothead, don'tcha? He got all stubborn and wants some eye-for-an-eye style justice, and got some of the younger ones to agree with him."

"Now, they're not listening to an old woman like me, but if someone they know, who also knows how the Guard works, were to warn them not to take things too far, maybe they might listen. Hell, they probably won't listen. But at least I'll be able to sleep at night knowing that I did everything I could to keep the peace."

"Now, can you help an old lady out? Talk to Girrigz and calm down a few flared tempers ... for old time's sake?"

 

For Everybody

A folded piece of paper slides beneath the front door of Zellara's place. In large but tidy script, the note reads, "I need a favor. Come see me. Kroft."

 

Show Missions and Mysteries!

1. Visit Kroft as requested - Oh Gods, what now?!
2. Investigate Lavender's Luxuriant Liniment - What's the story behind the 'cure'?
3. Vanishing Virtuoso - what happened to Deyanira's brother?
4. Where is Amin? - Nykla's boy toy is missing, and she's not happy about it.
5. What's going on with Father Dhatri's sister? - and what can the team do about it?
6. Trouble is brewing with the wererats living in the sewers! - As if we didn't have enough problems!
7. RAVS (unrevealed)

Edited March 6 by CharmingSatyr (see edit history)

[Kylia Quilor]

 

(just making sure my rolls from before get preserved)

Edited March 6 by Kylia Quilor (see edit history)

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Chappie

---

 

Deyanira

"I know where!" she blurts out, excited to have an ally in the search for her missing brother.

"Well, not exactly where, but I've narrowed it down to a few manor houses."

"Well, it technically might be more accurate to say I've narrowed it down to a few blocks in a smallish-district."

 

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Nykla

---

Nykla's investigation begins with nothing but more frustration -- everywhere she went, she was either surrounded by drunken aristocrats and horny dilettantes, or drug-addled gamblers so focused on the game that they wouldn't notice they were on fire until their money went up in flames. After hours of trying, she was no closer to an answer. There were simply too many rich idiots either partying like the world was about to end, or cowards who boarded up their homes and scattered to the countryside until the worst of things blew over. Unfortunately, both of which complicated her search for her paramour. As the sun began to light the sparsely populated city streets, Nykla knew what she had to do.

 

---

 

Vimanda Arkona

An hour or so later, Nykla finds herself standing outside a Northpoint estate, one of many houses owned by the Arkona crime-family. As she approaches, several barely-dressed and somewhat disheveled men and women come stumbling out of the front door, bleary-eyed and squinting painfully into the early morning light. Nykla lets them pass, and approaches the two guards standing sentry at the still-open doorway. They look her up and down and, apparently satisfied with what they see, gesture for her to enter. "You're either really late to the party, or really early for tomorrow."

The inside looks much like Nykla remembers it. Opulent tapestries depicting salacious acts. Marble statuary of impossibly endowed men and women line the four walls, sensuously posed and subtly lit by hidden magical trinkets. As she walks, her feet sink into a decadently thick carpet, soft and plush and pillowy. Around the room, on pillows and couches and other over-stuffed furniture, semi-nude bodies drape and recline, exhausted from the night's revelries. Half-empty bottles, partially eaten deserts, and slowly browning fruit litter just about every horizontal surface that isn't already filled with discarded clothes or unconscious bodies.

In the center of this maelstrom of bacchanalian aftermath, a woman lies on a horizontal table, nude and without a care in the world as a quartet of servants massage different sections of her well-toned, olive-hued flesh. Nykla approaches but, before she can speak, the woman at the center of the attention speaks.

"Ewww," she gasps. "Why does it smell like penniless skank in here?" The woman turns her head to face Nykla, and adopts a sad, pitying expression, "Oh. It's you. I should've known."

Edited March 8 by CharmingSatyr (see edit history)

[Kylia Quilor]

Statblock

Nykla Haldane
Female LE Tiefling (Hellspawn) Sorcerer, Level 3, Init 2, HP 12/12, Speed 30 Feet
AC 13, Touch 12, Flat-footed 11, CMD 13, Fort 1, Ref 3, Will 4, CMB +1, Base Attack Bonus 1
Masterwork Dagger +2 (1d4, 19-20x2)
Dagger (For Throwing) +3 (1d4, 19-20x2)
(+1 Armor, +2 Dex)
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 17
Condition None

Nykla inhaled sharply at Vimanda's words. The woman was... well, calling her a nightmare would be an insult to nightmares, frankly. She was effectively impossible for Nykla to read, and her brother was just as bad. Vimanda, of course, was worse by virtue of being prettier than Nykla, and - Norgorber damn it - better at lying and manipulating people. Her mentor had always reminded her that pride had no place in the con, but he'd never set his eyes on moving in elite spaces quite as much as Nykla had, so he'd never been forced to put up with the woman, or any member of the Arkona family the way she had.

Arching an eyebrow and matching Vimanda's cultured, clipped tone, Nykla returned the barb. "If I'm a skank, Vimanda, I shudder to think what you could be qualified as? Or is it your contention that the only difference between us is a question of degree, rather than kind?" If she'd had another choice, she wouldn't be here, and Vimanda would likely figure that out. On the other hand... if Vimanda felt in a magnanimous mood, or decided it suited whatever game she was playing...

Nykla was not quite so egotistical to think that her theory that Vimanda or her brother wanted her under their thumb, in their beds or both meant that she was all that important to either of them. But their past interactions and the family's reputation certainly suggested they wouldn't be averse to having her forced to be part of one or another of their criminal enterprises, under the right circumstances, and their past interactions had seen them make a play her to join one of them somewhere more... private. The genuineness of their flirtations and hints, and their motivations was up in the air, but even if it was a game, the game could still be played.

It was a dangerous affair, to risk giving them a chance to sink their probably not all that metaphorical claws into her (or Amin, especially Amin), but...

She brought a hand up to her face and along the back of her neck for a moment. "I'm always open for suggestions on how to improve myself from experts in their fields, and when it comes to shocking and appalling the prudes of this city, I must admit you have us all beat." She gave a bow with a flourish.

Truly, there wasn't anyone better at slutting it up than Vimanda, and given that the Arkona's money was about as legitimate as any money she'd made from her previous work... it really was a matter of degree, rather than kind, as far as Nykla was concerned.

"That said, I'm rather hoping for some information, rather than that sort of constructive advice."

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Nykla continued ...

---

"Information?" the ravishing young lady asks, her voice dripping with uninterested disappointment. "Darling, how droll."

Done with the massage -- whether or not her attendants had completed their tasks -- she rolls over and sits up, transforming as she does so into a completely different form, this time resembling an anthropomorphic fox. The fox-lady's fur covers her formerly bare flesh, yet somehow seems equally salacious as it only serves to accentuate the woman's impossibly perfect curves.

Bright blue and guilelessly innocent eyes blink up at Nykla before stepping up to the sorceress and embracing her in a warm, plush, fuzzy hug, complete with a cheek-tickling whiskered air-kiss to both of Nykla's cheeks. She quickly breaks the embrace, but not before giving a luxuriantly soft nuzzle of her fur-covered temple to the crook of Nykla's neck, followed by a girlish giggle.

With a backwards hop, she sits down on her massage table, where her quartet of servants have quickly and seamlessly switched from hot oils and warm towels to combs and brushes, and begin attending to their mistress' newly sprouted fur.

"Everybody wants information today!" she pouts, batting her eyelashes. "Nobody wants anything fun." She begins kicking her feet like a bored child waiting for a lengthy and uninteresting church service to end. "What are you looking for?"

Edited March 22 by CharmingSatyr (see edit history)

[Inash]

OOC: I'll deal with pictures and stuff another time. I'm trying to get my momentum back and don't want to loose it by fussing.

 

Habus nods at Eries. "Of course. Don't know as they'll listen to me, but I can try. Any idea where they'd be about now?" He pauses, thinking for a minute. "Come to think of it, you hear about everything that goes on in this city. My new friends are looking into this 'plague'. It ain't natural. If you hear anything, I'd appreciate knowing."

 

[Kylia Quilor]

Statblock

Nykla Haldane
Female LE Tiefling (Hellspawn) Sorcerer, Level 3, Init 2, HP 12/12, Speed 30 Feet
AC 13, Touch 12, Flat-footed 11, CMD 13, Fort 1, Ref 3, Will 4, CMB +1, Base Attack Bonus 1
Masterwork Dagger +2 (1d4, 19-20x2)
Dagger (For Throwing) +3 (1d4, 19-20x2)
(+1 Armor, +2 Dex)
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 17
Condition None

Nykla played along with Vimanda's flirtatious movements, still not sure how much they were genuine, and how much they were about making Nykla uncomfortable. Vimanda was playing the role of aggressor here, and the one driving the action - even when Nykla wasn't being the aggressor, in flirtation, she was normally the one in control, having lured her target in.

Here? Not so much.

"Amin Jelato. A dear friend of mine. He seems to have... vanished, swallowed up by one the parties the city's aristocracy is holding with the... state of everything. I've had little luck turning him up on my own, which brings me here, asking for your help."

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Chappie

---

Despite the late hour that he arrived home, Chappie gets an early start on the day. With a lot on his plate, and even more on his mind, he feels the need to get busy and make things happen. Following a quick wash and a quicker meal, he retreats to the laboratory, eager to make use of his investment of the alchemy lab, books, and supplies.

Opening the door to the lab, he finds a surprise waiting for him in the form of a young elven boy sitting with several of Chappie's books, pouring through them deep in concentration. Engrossed in the activity, the lad doesn't hear the door open or notice the increased illumination from the open door. As Chappie approaches, he can get a better look at the youth's activities, getting a good idea of what he's doing. Judging by the sketches and writings, the boy is copying over the text from Chappie's books into a cheap notebook of his own, complete with diagrams and alchemical formulae.

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Habus

---

Eries Yelloweyes

Her little yellow eyes sparkle a little at Habus' request for information about the plague. "Look at you. Still looking out for people in the community who need help. I'm so proud!!" The little old lady, only a few inches taller than the dwarf, reaches out and pinches his bearded cheek like a grandmother doting over a particularly adorable grandchild.

"Such a good lad!" She grins an unabashedly satisfied smile.

"They're not hard to find. They're in the sewers beneath the Midland district, right near the wall to the Gray district. They've moved into one of the abandoned dens over there, not far from the surface. Which is crappy, because they're blocking easy access to the sewers, and people have to travel far out of their way to exit safely."

"If you can do this, then I'd be happy to ask some questions and share what I find out about this terrible, terrible disease. You've got to put a stop to this before that reckless boy escalates things too far. But ... but don't hurt them too much. You know, make them rethink their course. Just scare them a little ... " She twists her pleasant, wrinkled features into a poor approximation of Habus' menacing scowl, before returning to her more natural, kindly expression.

"Thank you. Thank you so much!"

Edited April 3 by CharmingSatyr (see edit history)

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Nykla continued ...

---

"Junior Jelato?" She asks, genuinely curious. "Really?!" She spends a quick moment lost in thought before continuing.

"I mean, I guess if you like fixer-uppers or whatever, then you do you, baby girl," comes her dismissive conclusion.

"You're like the third or ... " she vaguely waves her hand in the air, " ... I dunno like the eighth person to come around here looking for their missing husband or daughter or whatever. I mean ... I'm flattered and all ... but I can't be responsible for every missing lover or relative."

"But ... oh mama ... what a party that would be if I tried!" She leans back on the table, her unnaturally alluring hourglass figure on full display, crossing her shapely legs as she stares up towards the ceiling, biting her lower lip as she stares into the lower distance for a few long, silent moments. Long enough for Nykla to wonder if the shapeshifter has completely forgotten that she was in the middle of a conversation.

 

About Vimanda

I'm writing her as kind of a terrible person. Rude, condescending, and maybe a little psycho. Kind of like if the girls from Euphoria were given phenomenal magical powers. If I cross a line, please don't hesitate to point it out to me so I can correct course.

[Kylia Quilor]

Statblock

Nykla Haldane
Female LE Tiefling (Hellspawn) Sorcerer, Level 3, Init 2, HP 12/12, Speed 30 Feet
AC 13, Touch 12, Flat-footed 11, CMD 13, Fort 1, Ref 3, Will 4, CMB +1, Base Attack Bonus 1
Masterwork Dagger +2 (1d4, 19-20x2)
Dagger (For Throwing) +3 (1d4, 19-20x2)
(+1 Armor, +2 Dex)
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 17
Condition None

"I don't particularly think he's here. But I was hoping you might be able to help me find him." Nykla said, trying very hard to not inhale sharply or stiffen visibly. Was this what it was like for other people when she was playing them? She liked to think she was more subtle than this, but then, a good con played to the target. Vimanda would know Nykla would expect a con and a game no matter what, and probably knew the way she was behaving would upset her more.

"He's also not exactly my husband or anything quite so... proprietary." Because then Nykla would be far too tied down herself, and that was unacceptable. Not that Nykla would have tolerated Amin's affections wandering much (not so much in the sense of sleeping with someone else casually, but repeat instances, or emotions...) but she'd also have a great deal of trouble admitting that to herself. "I would be very grateful for any assistance you could offer in the circumstances. If there's something I can offer, now or in the future, in exchange for your assistance, I am willing to do so." She added, carefully, schooling her expression to make clear that she was earnest in her offer, but not desperate.

Because she wasn't. Actually desperate yet. Hopefully, if there was something Vimanda wanted from her, she wouldn't try to ask for too dear a price.

[Inash]

Habus nods and waves to Eries as he heads toward the Midlands District. As he walks, he starts gathering his anger and bad mood; his habitual scowl deepens as he considers the short sighted foolishness he has to go deal with instead of working on the plague issue. By the time he reaches the sewer entrances near the wall to the Gray District, he has a pretty good mad on and practically radiates stern implacability.

[CharmingSatyr]

Seven Days to the Grave - Nykla continued ...

---

"Huh?" Vimanda is shaken out of her reverie. Apparently, she really did get so lost in her own salacious fantasies that she forgot that she was in the middle of a conversation.

"Why are you ... Oh yeah." A new mood, and a new face. "Listen, normally, I charge a premium for this kind of service." Shamelessly, she runs her eyes up and down Nykla's figure, letting her know in no uncertain terms what kinds of "premiums" she prefers.

"But all these whiny milquetoasts coming in here all 'where is my mom?' or 'what have you done to my son?' or whatever are totally harshing my post-coital glow."

"What I know is this ... a few days ago, there were whispers of an exclusive party ... invitation only ... making the rounds with the old money nobles. I'm sure you know the ones. Somehow, even I couldn't get an invitation. Deplorable!"

"I can tell you where this party was held," she offers, "and, in exchange, you figure out what the deal is, and get the story out, so these plebeians will leave me alone."

"Do we have a deal?"

[Kylia Quilor]

Statblock

Nykla Haldane
Female LE Tiefling (Hellspawn) Sorcerer, Level 3, Init 2, HP 12/12, Speed 30 Feet
AC 13, Touch 12, Flat-footed 11, CMD 13, Fort 1, Ref 3, Will 4, CMB +1, Base Attack Bonus 1
Masterwork Dagger +2 (1d4, 19-20x2)
Dagger (For Throwing) +3 (1d4, 19-20x2)
(+1 Armor, +2 Dex)
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 17
Condition None

"Harshing your glow should be considered a mortal sin," Nykla said, largely seriously. Given what Vimanda was, it might even be a good way to take a trip to the lower planes one way or another. "I agree."