Xnauth’s Cowhide – Part 3

Xnauth’s Cowhide – Part 3 (June 11, 2011)

Pharast 14

I can only guess what is going on inside the butcher shop. Apparently the Cowhammer Boys do not agree with being arrested. The highly educated lawmen use all their diplomatic skill to bring this meeting to a bloodless end. A fight breaks out as fast as wildfire would tear through the Shingles. Tyrion, the only one still outside, desperately calls for a cease-fire. It gets briefly suspended now and then during the talks, and in the end it falls on deaf ears. Slippery sword grips and itchy trigger fingers are offered as flimsy excuses. Ah, the pitfalls of body language. The butcher also has two more thugs helping him.

Meanwhile, I am up against far mightier foes. The door to the pigsty is unimpressed and stubbornly refuses to let me into the building. In the end I manage to break through and continue my surprise attack. Two huge, snorting, furious boars are locked in the pigsty. I briefly consider letting them out, but decide against it. I am not sure of their loyalty. When I enter the butcher shop, a stocky fellow tries to work on my face with a warhammer. He is lying in wait for me. One heavy blow with the greatsword ends the fight right there. In the end the butcher is gutted like one of his pigs in his own blood-soaked hall. Nobody is around to take in the poetry of the moment, and I move on.

Things in the shop are almost under control when I come charging in. One of the guards has surrendered, but I do not notice right away. He uses that insulting name. It makes me even angrier and swallows up the last of my thoughts in red-hot rage. The former guard dies minus a leg. I feed the rest of him to the boars. That bastard will never insult me again. Zyraso has the other one in a headlock. I want to know where Verik is and threaten him with the leg, but he trembles with fear. We get nothing out of this one.

Meanwhile, Syrandor has done the obvious thing and searched upstairs. After a skirmish with Verik, he brings him down as a prisoner. Verik is shocked at the loss of his friends. A discussion of political views breaks out between him and Tyrion. I have never seen the runt so angry and worked up. I cannot follow the conversation, but the matter is clear. Only strong rulers may rule the clan, but nobody may stab the tribal chief in the back or turn away from him in a time of need. That is shameful. I think Tyrion said something like that.

Calista brings us more “glad” tidings to round things off here. Apparently the Cowhammer Boys have been selling human meat to feed the people of Northpoint. Verik is genuinely shocked. He knew nothing about it. I taste the neatly trimmed chop Calista has brought. It does not taste like cow or pig. To get at the truth, I drag the remaining guard to the pigsty. The boars are already grunting below him in greedy anticipation when he confirms the grisly truth. Expendable townsfolk were turned into “Chop Special.” That makes him no better than a stinking rat, and he should be treated like one. I throw him in and get ready to drive my club’s nails into his skull if he tries to get out. Somehow this act has earned me the displeasure of my companions, because suddenly Zyraso is hanging on my arm, trying to stop me. It happens very fast. He insults me and I try to pulverize his jaw. A perfectly normal way of settling a disagreement, really. But the fellow is quicker than a weasel, and my blow misses. Then he lands a mighty haymaker on my temple. Davian sees his chance for an “honorable” fight with no risk, and now blows are coming from the side as well. I go down.

I was only told about what happened next. Someone else can dress it up:

• Tyrion tries to strengthen faith in the new queen among the people gathered at the butcher shop.
• Verik gave them safety and food. Only when they learn what meat they have been eating does their resistance crumble. Verik is cooperative and also tries to change their minds.
• On the way back, a drunken Captain Grau staggers out of a tavern with a beer mug on its sign. He thinks he recognizes “Neffi” in Zyraso. He is invited along and taken to the Citadel. Grau was taught by a famous swordmaster
• Tyrion heals a beggar with burn scars and sends him to the temple.
• Cressida Kroft takes custody of the prisoners. Later we learn that Verik is pardoned and the other man was sentenced to death by torture.
• We were to wait until there were new jobs.
• The companions rest at an inn in Northpoint.

I wake up in a cell in the Citadel. My skull is pounding. I need to puke. I do not understand why they did not leave me in the sty. The pigs make more loyal companions. Eventually the “heroes” visit me. Zyraso’s flood of words washes over me. Seems they did not agree with what I did at the butcher shop. Even Syrandor is against me. Just having Davian there makes my blood boil. Cowardly, mangy dog, bastard … (two more sentences of curses). Once Zyraso’s litany is over, I agree to take the law into my own hands less often. Of course it is better to die slowly under torture than to be fed to the pigs. I do not quite understand all the fuss. I would not have complained if only Zyraso had beaten me. That is how men settle things. They should just stop insulting me. But I will try. I give the Lord of Coins my share for his healing powers. I get some of it back and buy myself armor. With chainmail I might not get hit so often.

Time passes. Things in the city have become a little more stable. In the meantime, the queen has spoken to the people. She calls for unity, points to the virtues of the Sable Company and to cooperation with the Seneschal. Tyrion gives Abadar’s blessing to the people.

Pharast 25 (Starday)

On the way to the Citadel, an old, ragged man approaches Davian and promises him an agonizing death. How does this old man know about our differences? Davian escapes his attempt to grab him and sends him away.

In the Citadel, a man between forty and fifty is waiting for us alongside Cressida Kroft. Very elegantly dressed. Clearly of Chelish blood. He bows deeply and introduces himself as Vencarlo Orisini, who runs a well-known sword school. He has information for Lady Kroft and us:

• The ambassador from Cheliax, Darvayne Gios Amprei, wants to propose that his country cut the cord with Korvosa in light of current events. This could mean trade sanctions and an embargo. War in the end.
• He is only looking out for himself. He wants to weaken Korvosa’s trading houses and drive prices down so he can buy buildings and land in the city cheaply.
• We are to stop him by gathering information that could hurt him. Darvayne has a vice. He hangs around Eels End, a cluster of ships. They have everything there. Drugs, taverns, whores, and gambling.
• This delightful establishment is run by Devargo Barvasi, the King of Spiders.
• We are to go there and find out what business the ambassador is doing. Proof of his dealings is absolutely necessary.
• We do not have to kill everyone and burn and pillage the place. Devargo pays taxes and is tolerated. We get 1000 gp in a small chest to try bribing him.
• Vencarlo warns us about the King of Spiders. He is very dangerous.

We decide to go to Eels End in the evening and scout the place out. I will apply for work as a bouncer in the afternoon. I am turned away and told to come back an hour after sunset.

At Eels End there are four barges with huts built on them and a galleon with an eel figurehead.

1. Dragon Breath: Smoke-filled drug ship run by a gnome who sells happy dreams
2. Galleon 100ft long with two deckhouses. Spider door marks the entrance to Devargo’s rooms. Only the main deck is open. Guards keep people out of the rest
3. Twin-Tigers: Gambling den
4. Golden Hawk: Inn run by the gnome Tuggins
5. House of Clouds: Brothel with snake figures, birds, cushions, etc. etc

The companions spend an evening at Eels End trying to get information. Syrandor gives in to the drugs on offer and is useless that evening. If only we had sent the cat. It has more sense and is smarter. Davian tries his luck at gambling with modest success. Tyrion lets the guards show him around and falls for the House of Clouds. Zyraso is on a secret mission, standing around on the main deck and trying to question his female company about the ambassador.

When I return, I am led inside the galleon. A bunch of thugs are waiting there. They seem to be looking for work too. After an hour, Devargo comes and greets us. As a sign of his hospitality, he serves food. I eat nothing and wait to see what happens. After two hours, I speak to him and tell him I have been sent here on a job to make contact with him. I offer him gold for information. He is interested and agrees to a meeting. But only two companions may come with me.

The next evening, Tyrion, Zyraso, and I meet the King of Spiders. Syrandor and Davian stay on deck, ready to act. We have all swallowed something against spider venom. The thugs from the night before are here again too. The King of Spiders acts bored and partly amused by our performance. He exposes us as liars, but in the end he is willing to do business if we play his little games. With impressive speed and skill, Zyraso wins the tournament by shoving his opponents off the table. Devargo keeps his end of the bargain and hands us love letters he stole from the ambassador. The ambassador is having an affair back home with his superior’s wife, Asmoda Ambusta. Darvayne had to visit Devargo every week and buy the letters back one at a time. That is enough for us. We leave the realm of the King of Spiders, 500 gp lighter.