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The three men that Alaris approaches all look more or less the same. Skinny, gaunt-looking humans with shaven heads. One of them might have had some elven heritage, or another a trace of orc, but on the whole they don't have much in the way of distinguishing features between them.

The one nearest to the wall stares at the tiny confection in the paladin's hand with beady, hooded eyes, and produces a crooked-looking hand-rolled cylinder seemingly out of nowhere. A few sprigs of dried plant matter peek out of the end.

"That what I think it is?" He asks. "I've seen him hand them out. They as good as they look?"

"Better," Alaris sighs, making the exchange and tucking the smoke behind their ear. "Share that - it's stronger than you think. You guys doing okay? Need anything?"

"No, you haven't." Shiva says as she smiles back at Nikolai "...And I trust you."

Walking back out into the catacombs, Shiva shoots Alaris a toothy, devilish smile as she gives the paladin a devious wink.

As Alaris speaks to the young gentlemen outside of Temnitsa, Shiva raised her arms over her head and groans as she stretches. Turning, she speaks more quietly to Ling "You wouldn't believe the time I had. I've never gotten it so good in my life."

The men eye Alaris's striking colouring as the paladin's hair glistens in the light of Temnitsa's flashing sign.

"You work for the Godi, right?" One says, warily. It's more of a statement than a question. He glances at the other two, as though searching for confirmation, but they just shrug. It's a motion somewhere between hopeless and noncommittal, but it gives the man the push he needs.

"We ain't go no coin for ye, but... when was the last time you 'ad someone down Bednik-way?"

Ling enjoys the cooler air of the catacombs and fishes out a silver pin to put up her hair. Twisting the length of it, she listens to Shiva. "Leave nothing out! We'll grab a bottle of wine and head up to our room. And then I can tell you how I good stood up for the first time in my life! Hot half-elf just disappeared on me, can you believe it?," she grins in Astrid's direction, "I don't think that one will mind missing out on the girly slumber party. Seems like she's a really proper one, doesn't she?" As she finishes fixing her hair, she listens to Alaris' interaction with the men. They look skinny, to the point of being unhealthy, with sunken eyes. Addicts, I bet. Guess we'll have to make sure Alaris doesn't take their holy mission to the wrong people. She turns around, making eye contact with the others and nodding at Alaris, then shakes her head. "I don't think Alaris will hear that there's no saving some people, mh?" Ling says this good-naturedly, not really minding Alaris' charity. In the back of her mind, she hears something like a chuckle, which she attributes to herself at first, but then it turns into bitter laughter. A voice, clearly not hear own, snarls: And who are you to judge an addict, little downworlder whore? Without the pounding music, the silver droplets and the distraction of the dancers, Ling can tell that these are not her thoughts. Who is in my head? Who are you and what do you want?! She looks around in alarm, but cannot spot anyone who appears to be using magic, and the three men are still focused on Alaris only. What is going on...

Quote from stormchaser6 >>

The men eye Alaris's striking colouring as the paladin's hair glistens in the light of Temnitsa's flashing sign.

"You work for the Godi, right?" One says, warily. It's more of a statement than a question. He glances at the other two, as though searching for confirmation, but they just shrug. It's a motion somewhere between hopeless and noncommittal, but it gives the man the push he needs.

"We ain't go no coin for ye, but... when was the last time you 'ad someone down Bednik-way?"

"Da, druz'ya - I serve Lady Vida, and I have no desire for your coin," Alaris responds, sighing inwardly and pondering what priest needed his head cracked for demanding tithes from these folk. "I grew up in Tanemburg's version of Bednik, but I haven't gone down Bednik-way in a while... what's going on?"

Another of the men shrugs.

"Folks goin' missin'. Folks go missin all t'time."

"Not like this!" The other cuts him off. "Folks go missin' 'ere an' there, but this different. Lots o' folks, an' always south side."

He looks Alaris in the eye for the first time. So far eye contact from any of the three has been fleeting.

"Look, if ye really wanna 'elp, then go out there an' ask for Grigory. 'E'll tell ye who y'need t'talk to."

As Caio steps into the alcove still wreathed in shadow, but the pair currently accompanying it don't seem to notice him at all. He stares a bit awkwardly for a moment then proceeds to dress himself, a view made quite surreal by the fact that his illusory disguise is still intact as well causing the real clothes to clip through the magic projection. The illusion drops as he finishes buckling the last step, and he goes to once again rejoin his companions. "Where are you going?" one of the revelers calls out as he turns to leave. The questions is clearly meant as an invitation. "Oh- uhm... nowhere I guess." 

It's quite awhile before Caio is able to find and rejoin his companions who are already back upstairs by the time he meets them. Ghoul excitedly flies back over to him and perches on the elf's shoulder. "Let's get the hell out of here. My apologies about all that by the way. Every time we go out at least one of us has to make a fool of themselves and I supposed tonight was my turn. What did I miss? It seemed Francesc was interested in our services." As the group fill him in, he expresses his excitement at what sounds like a relatively straightforward mission. Go in, kill the monsters, get the reward. The idea of a 'favor' from Francesc is a little irritating to him, only because Caio would rather forget the compromising position the noble had him in.

Outside, Caio takes note of Alaris' conversation with the odd trio of strangers. "Sounds like we might be able to save them from something at least. They're down on their luck but that doesn't mean they deserve to get swept away in the night like trash." he responds to Ling, a slight scolding tone in his voice.

Quote from stormchaser6 >>

He looks Alaris in the eye for the first time. So far eye contact from any of the three has been fleeting.

"Look, if ye really wanna 'elp, then go out there an' ask for Grigory. 'E'll tell ye who y'need t'talk to."

Alaris gazes at them, shifting their eyes from one to another and sometimes off into the shadows of the catacombs, trying to respect their avoidance of eye contact. But once the tables turn a little, the aasimar returns the haggard fellow's gaze. "Who should I say sent me? If Grigory has any sense, he won't talk to someone like me without a password or some other sign of approval."

Ling wolf-whistles Caio as he returns. "And what could possibly have taken you so long, hm?" When he apologises, she just laughs: "If that's making a fool of yourself, I'd gladly be a fool any day. You had a pretty good night by my standards and provided some entertainment for the lot of us, really, we are indebted to you, Mr Dark and Handsome." She bows with a mocked court flourish. After Caio has been caught up, Ling adds: "He didn't give us a time limit. I guess we could head to Bednik first, if you're so keen?" To Shiva, she mutters, rolling her eyes: "Not like we were born with silver spoons in our mouths, it's about what you make of the cards you're dealt! I would never be an addict."

Sauntering over, Ling buds in on Alaris' conversation: "He may not talk to you, but everybody wants to talk to me. Or Shiva, or Caio, we serve any taste." She winks at Alaris. "Can we be off then? I could do with some beauty sleep."

"Grigory... he know people," the third man interjects. His accent has a northern twang compared to the other two. "He see their heart. If you mean well, he'll know you."

The trio smile politely, but weakly at Ling when she bounces over, and raise a hand in fairwell to Alaris, before slinking off into the darkness of the catacombs.

"We have shared from our riches, we have shared from our lack. I will find your Grigory, for we have been well-met," Alaris murmurs as the trio goes their way. Turning to Ling, Alaris replies with the hint of a grin, "You need contemplative rest, ka-mai - you have beauty in dangerous supply." The aasimar looks to the others, and begins making their way back to the Black Sheep.

When the group finally rolls back into the common room of the Sheep, it's late enough that the place is quiet. A couple of passed-out patrons snore in their chairs, and Andrei appears to be resting by the fire with a hat propped over his face.

As Caio returns, Shiva joins in as Ling pokes fun at him "Seems you were the most popular of any of us down there! She laughs as she gently nudges Ling "Seems like the title of 'most seductive' is in contest tonight."  

As they walk back into the Black Sheep, Shiva speaks to Ling "We've known despair, yes, but we all have our ways of dealing with the pain of our lives. There is no shame in searching for peace in the contents of a vial when you've been given more than your fair-share of suffering. Lord knows it appealed to me the first few years of my freedom, I just had another outlet." Shiva's eyes go vacant for a moment, before focusing again on Ling.

     Astrid promptly walks up to Andrei. "Can I get my stuff back from you, please?" Having retrieved her items from the barman, she approaches the others, exhaustion still showing but much more at ease now that they are back on the surface. "I have a room at The Three Candles. I can meet you all back here sometime tomorrow... I suspect around lunch would be a better time given our late evening," the cleric suggests.

     After the details have been ironed out, she departs for her lodging with a determination in her step. As she makes her way through the town, she manages to hold onto the details of the brief conversation that she overheard and tries to determine who best to send this to. She quietly makes her way to her room and deposits her belonging on floor by the bed. Hoisting herself up on the edge of the bed, she sits and touches the over-sized pocketwatch around her neck and begins to quietly speak into it. 

Sending (two castings needed): Papa - Made it to Piotrgrad safely. The Scribe has brought me a few colorful characters, to say the least. Discovered something concerning. A Grimmi named Marchak was discussing with a Sarameian Malik. The Seraskier to cross upon snow melt in exchange for resources the Gimmi need. Tell Mama 'Hi'. - Astrid   

"I need contemplative - you!" Ling slaps Alaris' shoulder, "this kai-mai is so smart, I know to keep Nikolai around for all the brain work."

On their way back, Ling quietly chats with Shiva. "I don't see you ever giving up like that, you're way too much of a fighter," Ling says with a smile, but her eyes betray the light tone of her words. "And I doubt those guys have faced half of what lies behind you." She walks in silence for a while with Shiva, until they arrive back at the Black Sheep. "Right, let's get our things and we'll meet back here for a late breakfast?" Grabbing her broom and cloak back from behind the counter, she waits for Shiva to collect her things and then pulls her off up the stairs and into their room. After a quick prestidigitation clean up, she drops her clothes on the floor, snuggles under the heavy covers and looks at Shiva with eager eyes. "Okay, spill the beans! I only danced with Jonathan, and he was a really good dancer, mind you, but then after Francesc, he had just gone. Can you believe it? I've never been stood up before, it sucks! So nothing to tell on my end, I'll shut up now and let you talk. I saw you vanish behind that curtain with the hot pale lady..." They spend the next while chatting and giggling, with Ling making lots of appreciative "mhhm"s, until they fall into a deep slumber.

Shiva shrugs as they arrive at the Black Sheep, becoming lost in reflection. As they gather their things and settle into their room, Shiva plops down beside Ling "I can't imagine anyone standing you up, but it's that guys loss. So, as of now, I only know her as Mistress. We had instant chemistry the moment...." Shiva goes on with the entirety of her experience in great detail, reveling in the retelling as well as Ling's reactions. Eventually quieting down, peaceful slumber washes over her.

It's not long before Astrid receives a reply.

Dearest Astrid,

I'm glad to hear that you've arrived in Piotrgrad safely and I hope this message finds you well. Thank you for this information. I will discuss it with your mother and decide who to speak with next.

You're always in our hearts. Good luck and stay safe.

- Papa

Later that night, a gentle breeze from the open window and a warm hand on her cheek lead Ling to stir in her sleep. As her eyelids flutter open, she first sees the shimmer of Jonathan's silver hair and then his finger pressed to his lips, indicating to her to remain quiet. He throws a sidelong glance at Shiva, who is sleeping nearby and somehow has not yet woken. The half-elf grins and holds out an inviting hand.

Nikolai was unusually quiet on the trip back to the Black Sheep. He seemed moody and insular, constantly checking over his shoulder and keeping one hand close to his old dwarven pistol in it's holster. Once back he spent some time absently shuffling his cards as the others went off to their rooms for the night. Once alone he shuffled his deck once more and delve into the mind-calming mundane action as he began the ritual of seeking out the guidance of his patron... "Is this job with the fleder going to be bad for us?"

Ling gasps in surprise, but silently gets out of bed and dresses, careful not to wake Shiva. Her eyes question Jonathan, but he doesn't give any indication as to where they are headed. When he points to the open window, she hesitates, I promised Nik to be more careful, but then he smiles and she cannot resist the temptation. I'll be back before anyone notices I'm gone! With one last look at her sleeping friend, she follows Jonathan out onto the rooftops. Softly closing the window behind her, she whispers to Nikolai: Nik? If you're still up, don't worry, I'll be back soon.

Nikolai spends the 10 minutes laying the spread of his tarock cards, using a variant spread this time and trying something different he'd recently learned as he places the cards face down in geometric pattern around three others, also face down. Once the spread is complete, he focuses once more upon his question as he begins to flip over the foci cards one by one. The smooth, worn texture of the cards beneath his fingertip is reassuring as he notices The Sun, a good omen. The smiling face upon it brightens his dire mood as it indicates good fortune, success. This is a good sign. The next card is overturned and immediately the shining face of the sun seems much less appealing as the inverted Justice stares toward him. False accusations, bias injustice were all things he was used to as a tiefling in Piotgard. His fingertip tapped the scales of justice, wishing that he could tip them around in his own favor. And perhaps that is why he finds The Fool inverted and waiting for him. Nikolai closes his eyes and sighs heavily as he lets his face fall into the palm of one hand. The others trusted him and believed he would never let them down, but more and more it would seem that Shahar knew more about him than they did. He could not shake this feeling of guilt that always seemed to overwhelm him this night.

'That's because we failed them, you fool. I failed them. I was too focused on my own goals. Do not let yourself be consumed with it like I did. Or suffer this same fate you will.'

Nikolai jerked as the voice spoke to him not from without, but from within. 'You are me? From another world? What happened? Tell me!' He growls at the silence that follows. For one brief moment he considers waking the others, but shakes his head as he gathers his cards. They would not seem to care much at the moment. They were more focused on the carnal pleasures this eve and who could blame them? No, let them rest. This could wait. He retires to his room and lay awake for well close to an hour as the torrent of thoughts rages through his mind until he eventually drifts into an uneasy slumber...