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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carnifex" data-source="post: 733186" data-attributes="member: 227">Burl pondered what Ecurius had to say about getting out of town quickly to let things cool off, then looked to the others, asking, “It probably wouldn’t be such a bad idea to get on the road. I only wish I had enough time to finish preparing the healing salves that I had started before we leave. With our past history, they probably would come in handy. We have a few items that need to be delved into also, but we can probably do that on the road to the Tower, although it would be better to do that here in relative safety. But my biggest question is what are we going to do with all this?” pointing to the large pot and the smoke powder. Just then, a thought popped into Burl’s head. What brought it to mind, he didn’t know, but it was there. I wonder what happened to the bird Tewlcroghen was sending for the information I gathered? I hope nothing has happened. Ecurius settled back into the comfort of the chair. "It depends what you want to do with all that powder,"he replied to Burl's question. "Though I can't see what you'd need that much for unless you're going to be carrying enough firearms to equip an entire force of Dawn Guard. If you do want to leave it here, I'll make sure it's kept somewhere safe and away from fires. There's plenty of room down in the cellars.""We will need a day's rest, certainly--"Ebri said, mopping the excess water from her mass of braids. What she wouldn't give to have a bald pate again; the hair was a nuidance and a vanity and a curse, but necessary for appearances in the world. "--and though it would be more appropriate to stay and address the moral ills and conditions that made it possible for us to act freely without regard to the law in this instance--for example, how is it, Lord, that an underground city exists at all in this fair and enlightened place? It is a breeding ground for disease and criminals and discontent, and it is all too easy to turn a blind eye to that which you cannot see in the first place. Though we saved those children from a life of slavery, their lives have already been marred by suffering and trauma that may take years to heal. That is not the way to make productive citizens, and it does not speak well of your governance-- and if you object to my words, Truth seeker, then you are no Truthseeker at all, for that is the truth indeed-- " Ebri paused for breath, having sufficiently represented the Immarian loathing of slavery and general distrust of governmental authority for now, and stood and bowed, seeming to acquiesce, "though that would be more appropriate, what would be more expedient, I suppose, would be to go as soon as we can. And I do not mind, entirely, for the Tower does present a curious prospect of adventure. I would as soon be gone from the city, in any case."Mel sat up aghast, nearly dumping Pierre off her lap, as Ebri Zol's pleasant, soft voice offered a severe lesson to Lord Ecurius. A breeding ground for discontent? she wondered, recalling with a shiver what became of malcontents in Carthagia. As a child she had quickly learned to cover her eyes whenever she approached the town square. Why had she dared imagine Naseria would be different? And if Lord Ecurius wasn't the lofty noble soul she had imagined, what would he do with Ebri Zol and her impudence? Stroking Pierre, she shrank back down into the armchair to stare at the fire. Of course Tarravus had a stinking underground; why wouldn't it? Evil would always fester. She could burn as many chapels as she liked, but Gilamesh would endure. "Me too," she concurred as Ebri Zol closed her speech. "Don't take us too hard, Lord. You should have seen what we saw. We will not soon forget it, no matter how bright your city aboveground and how dear your hospitality. If our mission can in any way aid you or the city's authorities in better controlling its--its evil elements, then I am all the more eager to begin." Sebastion held his tongue, firmly, after realising he might have spoken rashly where wisdom held silence to be in ascendance. Ebri's words rang true, mostly, though he wondered why it seemed only he could see what they couldn't: the evil didn't dwell in the darkness below the city. The evil dwelt in the city, and ventured down to those it kept enslaved and encircled whenever it needed supplies or victims. Ecurius, for all his titles and fancy words could just as well be the very evil they were speaking of - certainly the presence of such a coven as the Gilamesh*tes suggested complacency from above, if not actual complicity. With that in mind, Sebastion ventured a nod of agreement. "Perhaps a quick departure would serve us well." he offered, quietly. From your home, at least... the city gate could perhaps wait a day or two. I'm sure Mr Trin would know an unseen way or two out of the town... * * *Wyshira had been quiet... thoughtful... the whole way back to Ecurius' house. The steady rain was a comfort to her in a way that she doubted any of the others could understand. She trudged along beside Cord, watching out for his steps and ready to help him if he stumbled, but she didn't speak. To anyone. Back in the guest's quarters, she allowed herself to drop wearily into a well-cushioned chair as far away from the fire as possible, heedless of her sopping wet tunic and trousers. She closed her eyes and listened detachedly to Ecurius' entrance and the subsequent conversations. She was thinking about the words of Ak'mun'tep, the jackal-headed seer. She had been relieved to hear that her mother and sister were well, of course. That was one little niggling concern that she could put out of her mind for now. But she certainly wished that he had answered her question about Burl in a more straightforward manner. "If you care for wisdom... listen to words from the air." There was much to think about there. Oh. And of course Melisande had asked about the Great Prophet next. Shushurek again! Why does that name keep popping up? And shadows, and the Elder Gods....... Even Kale seemed to take an inordinate interest in these things. What did the Men of Shadow have to do with the crew anyway? A suspicion had been growing in her, ever since the bookseller's today...... Melisande, the scatter-brained blue girl: was she really what she seemed? Think about it! A Carthagian, a Sorceress, a wielder of that treacherous (to Wyshira's mind) Fire Serpent Rod..... Did she lead the other two, Ebri and Sebastian, in plotting to snatch Burl for themselves? Gracious Lady, but it's been a long day! Wyshira thought with a self-deprecating smile. She massaged her temples with her fingers and tried to sink deeper into the upholstered chair. Opening one eye briefly, she glanced over at Melisande as she brooded in her own overstuffed chair near the fire. How could anyone suspect that one of keeping secrets or of plotting? Wyshira shook her head and vowed to stop thinking for a while. She'd be asleep in a minute if she didn't get up and do something anyway. Now that they were all safe again, she could think about using the last of her spells to heal the most greivously injured of the party. When she opened her eyes, she found that Burl was standing beside her. The necromancer asked if there was anything he could help her with. Wyshira smiled up at him, appreciating his presence and his concern. Does he really study death-magic? He's not what I ever expected a necromancer to be! She rose to her feet and took his arm, her cold, damp fingers penetrating his robe to the fire-warmed skin beneath. "You can help me take care of Kale and Ebri, Burl. Thank you for your offer. I need a bowl for water, and some clean strips of cloth. "And then, I wonder if I could talk to you about something." The storm priestess lowered her voice and leaned closer to the mage. "Alone."The necromancer nodded, quickly moving to fetch what the priestess had asked for, and then quickly returning. He paused by Wyshira's side as she tended Kale's wounds. “When we are finished maybe you could help me finish my healing salves. We probably will need them on our trip to the tower. We should have time for that discussion you wanted.” * * *As he sat and listened to Ebri's rant, the warming firelight that slowly dried the sodden band out played odd shadows across the sorcerer's face; but it was clear that his fine features were expressing barely contained anger at the priestess's words. Yet he let her finish her speech before he spoke. Let me first tell you that you have no understanding of what the title Truth Seeker means, what our purpose and aims are, so do not sully it with your crass comparisons and ignorant declamations. Trust me, I am very tempted to temper your arrogance by showing you that you were not able to act without regards to the law by handing you over for questioning by the watch myself." "Whereever you have many people together, you wil have criminals, and you will have crime. I object to your words because you are wrong,Immarian; our government does not exist to crush those under it by over-control as you would apparently have us do to stop anyone from ever committing a crime, but merely to combat such crime and evil as best we can, and to maintain the integrity of our nation. An undercity exists under the capital simply because that is how it physically is; the watch do as good a job as they can to deal with the criminal element and I am disgusted by your disparagement of their efforts when you can do no better a job than to wander down there and kill a few people. And what? Do you think you've saved the city from some great evil? What of all the other petty criminals? And what of the truly great threats? You have done something good in expunging some cultists and slavers but do not even consider yourself to be capable of accusing a government of not doing their task correctly because you stuck a blade into a criminal and think you can set the world to rights, you arrogant, ignorant woman. You have no idea of the problems faced in the real tasks in the world." He snorted in disgust, only slightly mollified by Melisande's more tempered words. "I am merely...amazed that some mercenaries feel they have the right to declare the government and law enforcement as useless just because they have gone and shed some blood.You have no idea of the enormity of the task of administering to an entire city, do you? Especially not when the criminal element is far from being co-operative with the watch... do you expect them to just tell us where all the cultists and slavers and murderers and robbers live? It is a big city, there are a lot of people living here, and we cannot, unlike you, simply go around killing people because if the defenders of the law ignore its strictures then it is little more than a mockery anyway." "Anyway, yes, perhaps a quick departure," he sighed, and got up, and left the room. "He didn't like that,"Wolf growled at Ebri. "Not one bit. I don't think he actually objects to what we did - he's probably quite glad, and more than a little worried about it all - but railing on at him like it was his personal fault was a bit unfair, don't you think? I don't think he likes what goes on in the dark corners of the capital any more than we do. He's right too - what we did today isn't the solution when you're trying to rule a city by any other means than terror."</blockquote>

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