[LPF] Evil Unto Evil

[Systole]

Harry once again leads you across town. Interestingly, you pass a few homes where people are prying boards off the doors, and the bartenders and innkeepers are throwing their windows open. There's a palpable sense of relief. Several blocks later, you arrive at a richly appointed, heavily fortified mansion. You're led down corridors paneled in rich mahogany, and lined with oil paintings of various landscapes and battles. After several corridors, you arrive at a large office, nicely appointed in dark wood. A cedar desk stands in front of a bay window made of thick, leaded glass, and seated at the desk is a man who can only be Mr. Cato. To either side of the window stand a couple of quiet, professional-looking bodyguards.

Cato is an older man, and his movements are spare and deliberate. He looks up from a sheaf of somewhat crumpled papers as you enter, and his gaze is intelligent and penetrating, and yet at the same time, cold and lacking any sort of warmth. He nods to the papers on his desk. "You made good time across town. The report on your meeting with Mr. King arrived only moments before you did. The Syndicate will, of course, match the Crew's payment. I assume platinum coinage will be acceptable, but I will also be quite happy to draft a letter of credit that any Venzan bank will honor, if you would prefer to travel light."

He stands and walks to the window. "I confess, I was surprised to learn that Mr. King did not kill Don Faizal. Given Mr. King's inherently savage nature, it never occurred to me that anyone but he could have done the deed." He frowns at his reflection. "That is not relevant to the matter at hand, I suppose. Speaking of which, what is the matter at hand, exactly? You've come here for an audience when you could as easily have collected your reward and sailed, so there is either something you wish to tell me, or something you wish to know."

. . . . Alfonse Cato . . . .

 

[Scott DeWar]

Heinrich still remains silent, but he is smart enough to know that good manners would not be lost here. The finery is not lost at all on the wizard and it shows in his eyes just how impressed he was. He bows a very respectful bow when the three heroes meet Mr Cato, but says nothing unless he is asked directly.

 

[perrinmiller]

Tyrien, Half-elven Archeress

Tyrien had noticed the townsfolk appeared to be returning to their normal routines and way of life. She had to wonder if the criminals running the town were not so bad. They clearly kept some semblance of order and stability.

She nodded a greeting to Cato, “Well, we had thought that perhaps you all might be persuaded to bury the hatchet as they say. And not the literal version where you bury it in your foe's chest, either. My companion Eanos has a better way with words.”

The archeress elbowed the red-headed man to speak up.

[sblock=Mini Stats]Tyrien e'Adrianne
Initiative: +9 Perception: +19 (low-light vision)
AC: 24 (18 flat-footed, 18 Touch)
HP: 80 Current: 80
CMB: +11 CMD: 30(23ff) Fort: +9 Reflex: +15 Will: +7
+2 Will vs. Enchantments
Special: Immune to Magical Sleep
Current Conditions in Effect: PBS, Precise Shot, Enhanced Arrows (+1 Dmg/+1d6 Elect), Ioun Stone illumination (in darkness), Deadly Aim (-3Att/+6dmg), Many Shot, Snap Shot, Jingasa Luck (1xday, Immediate neg Critical/Sneak Attack), Combat Reflexes(8 AoO)
Current Weapon in Hand: Longbow
Chakrams: 8/8 Remaining

Bardic Performance: 5/5 Rounds Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: (Message, Resistance, Mending, Prestidigitation, Know Direction)
1st Level 4/4 (Cure Light Wounds, Timely Inspiration, Chord of Shards)[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

Eanos Setirav, human inquisitor

Eanos raises an eyebrow and gives a brief, bemused frown to Tyrien after her rather literal jab, but the expression is fleeting, as he shakes it off to turn his attention fully to Cato.

"Like the lady says," Eanos begins, "She...I guess all of us... thought or hoped--blind or otherwise--that the truth might curb some of the bloodshed. Been a lot of that, of late, but when the two of you stopped assuming guilt and started working ... wouldn't say together, but maybe not so much at odds, well..." here he jabs his thumb toward the window, indicating Gandling at large. "You thought and looked outside the box, and now your folk aren't nearly as afraid anymore, yes?"'

He shrugs, nodding toward the papers Cato referenced earlier.

"Sure that says King's not so inclined to accord, but seems to me there's a lot of putting on a show there, yes?" the truth seeker continues. "Hard to figure Don Faizal would keep anyone on his right or left side who was nothing but a sword waiting to slit a throat. Faizal saw something more there, at least, or so it seems to me.

"And, like I said, he knows how to put on the right kind of show to keep the troops happy, yes? Couldn't help notice that as long as they're having that big, loud party, nobody's dying, 'cause all the hands are full of mugs and not blades. Maybe that's not an accident?

"Sweet and Rahor made it clear there's plenty of other bad blood built up in the meantime, but maybe, just maybe, King's got himself a bit of an idea. Maybe there's a road--thin and narrow and not so smooth, but there--where no one has to lose face, but no one else has to go dying."

Eanos shrugs again.

"We're on our way out, and don't suppose we ever had all that much influence 'round here, but figured: never hurts to consider all the options. Just good business, yes?"

 

[Systole]

Cato chuckles dryly and returns to his seat. "The Don and I had many conversations about Mr. King. What you say is correct: he did see something in Mr. King, but to this day, I'm afraid that I still cannot, and so a reconciliation is rather out of the question. But there is a way to do this bloodlessly, if you would like. Relatively bloodlessly, in any event."

He taps his fingers on the desk. "The truth is, King's security measures are laughable. I could have disposed of him at any time. Or rather, at any time after the dust from the Don's disappearance had settled and the Syndicate had gotten a foothold. But by then, I'd discovered that competition -- or at least the appearance of competition -- was good for business. It encourages your employees to take risks, to work harder, to stay on their toes ... and it is also useful for culling underachievers from the ranks. Because of the Crew, the Syndicate has expanded our influence to the Western Continent in years, rather than in decades."

Cato cocks his head in an oddly owlish fashion. "What I didn't expect was the arrival of a hostile third party, which rather clearly showed that the risks of keeping the Crew around far outweigh the benefits. We were unable to guard ourselves from the Crew and hunt the killer at the same time. That being the case, I've already set certain contingency plans in motion. In a few weeks, Gandling and several of the ports farther to the west will apply to become protectorates of Venza. This proposal will be accepted; the necessary votes have already been arranged in the House of Lords. Additionally, I will be granted a noble title and the Syndicate will be given a fully legal corporate charter."

The boss lets that sink in for a moment before continuing. "Before any of that happens, I had planned on eliminating King and some of his more incorrigible elements, so as to ease the transition. And, I confess, also to finally avenge the Don's death. But I suppose those deaths aren't wholly necessary. With the arrival of Venzan law, Mr. King and his Crew will be squeezed into irrelevance. They do not have the mindset to adapt." Cato seems quite sure of himself on this point, but there was a sly, if brutal, intelligence to King. Cato might well be mistaken.

Cato leans back and steeples his fingers. "So, Miss d'Adrianne, Mr. Schreibersen, and Mr. Setirav ... I suppose I owe you a debt that goes beyond payment, since it seems unlikely I would have lived long enough to become a noble if not for your timely investigations. If you would like me to stay my hand, I will."

. . . . Alfonse Cato . . . .

 

[Scott DeWar]

Heinrich nervously clears his throat then with a voice that shakes a bit of nervousness he says, "Herr Cato. As my fellow compatriots have voiced, I too do so wish for the stayed hand of execution to Mr. King, if for no other reason then what you have judiciously pointed out: That being his own mind set will render himself irrelevant and will not be able to abide by the laws of the land and he himself will cause his own downfall. At the very least, it wiwll isolate you from any involvement to his self inflicted demise. Ja?"

 

[perrinmiller]

Tyrien, Half-elven Archeress

Tyrien’s brow wrinkled in thought. It was an interesting dilemma. Nobles were known to engage in covert violence to advance political agendas. Eliminating King would be no different, but that did not actually make it right if there were an alternative.

Cato sounded like he wanted to be more legitimate and was thinking of the big picture.

“From what I saw, Mr. King was not the sort to go quietly or even let himself become irrelevant. If he cannot stop the inevitable, he might just try making as much trouble as possible before he goes. If that means the greater good will be served with his death and thus innocent lives will not be lost, then mayhap it should be done.”

“But if Venza law will be able to deal with him, he only need be distracted until they can remove him.”

[sblock=Mini Stats]Tyrien e'Adrianne
Initiative: +9 Perception: +19 (low-light vision)
AC: 24 (18 flat-footed, 18 Touch)
HP: 80 Current: 80
CMB: +11 CMD: 30(23ff) Fort: +9 Reflex: +15 Will: +7
+2 Will vs. Enchantments
Special: Immune to Magical Sleep
Current Conditions in Effect: PBS, Precise Shot, Enhanced Arrows (+1 Dmg/+1d6 Elect), Ioun Stone illumination (in darkness), Deadly Aim (-3Att/+6dmg), Many Shot, Snap Shot, Jingasa Luck (1xday, Immediate neg Critical/Sneak Attack), Combat Reflexes(8 AoO)
Current Weapon in Hand: Longbow
Chakrams: 8/8 Remaining

Bardic Performance: 5/5 Rounds Remaining
Spells Remaining: Cantrips: (Message, Resistance, Mending, Prestidigitation, Know Direction)
1st Level 4/4 (Cure Light Wounds, Timely Inspiration, Chord of Shards)[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

Eanos Setirav, human inquisitor

The inquisitor's brows furrow for a moment, his lips thinning. Then the corner of his mouth quirks up just a touch.

"... and you don't like debts," Eanos says, his gaze resting a few moments on Cato before he continues. Then he shrugs.

"Truth: never been one to like holding debts. Makes folks nervous, waiting about. So, sure: if I can stop more bloodshed 'round here, let's ask for that. If you and the City of Glass think you can bring peace through titling, I'm happy to watch it happen.

"From back in Venza," he adds, his smirk showing only a moment.

"You lot know how the gears turn on this island better than I'm likely ever going to. If I can get home before anyone else gets chewed up in 'em, I'm not sure I can ask for more."

Eanos glances to his compatriots, raising an eyebrow. It seems they've influenced the sizable tides of Gandling about as much as he thinks they can. Barring their objections, then, he helps them gather their pay and head for transport back to Venza.

 

[Scott DeWar]

"I am goot with watching from venza, too. gods be with you."

 

[Systole]

GM: Working out the final post and the awards, and will have them up in a day or so. I got sick over the weekend and am kind of out of it, so it's slow going.