Unrefusable offer: XLVIII
"What the hell did I say about knocking!" Adleth yelled at the top of her lungs, she felt her head twitch a little and she gripped the door handle swinging it open. Outside the tavern Adleth found the thin redheaded figure of Renaer Neverember.
"Oh- uh. Hello." Renaer yelped, Adleth reached out and grabbed Renaer by the collar. Fear suddenly filled the man though it wasn't a terrified fear, more of a curious one.
"What does that say?" She pointed at the nearby sign sitting on the left wall to the door. Renaer wiggled a little confused.
"I beg your-"
Adleth growled and pointed at the sign. "It says ring the doorbell, those who knock will be stabbed. Ring the damn bell!" She released Renaer slamming the door on his face. A few moments passed of awkward silence.
"Adleth you ok-" Asher stopped when Adleth turned to give him a dirty look. After a few more moments the bell chimed indicating someone was at their door. 'Much better' She thought. Swinging the door open she gave Renaer a half hearted smile before stepping aside inviting him in.
"I.. hello, that was.. Odd." Renaer stepped into the tavern closing the door behind him. Adleth mostly ignored him, deciding it better to sit down at a nearby table.
"What brings you here Renaer?" Asher asked with his mouth full of some random pastry.
"Well." Renaer regained an essence of composure. "I've heard some.. Startling reports from the guards.. Along with some of my.. Informants. I heard there was an attack here so I thought to come and check in on you guys." Renaer explained, Adleth scoffed, the dude was kinda late she thought. It had been nearly two days since then and he was only checking in on them now? Come to think of it, why was he checking in on them?
"Uh, that attack happened days ago." She replied "like, big ass explosion right outside our doors, knocked down all our windows, it was a whole shit show." Adleth took a sip from a nearby mug.
"What did you hear?" Herod inquired. 'Probably that our house got a little charred.' Adleth thought.
"Only what the guards were saying.. Bodies.. Everywhere.. And.." Renaer stopped looking a bit pained.
"Oh yeah. There were bodies.." Asher responded solemnly. "Like.. three or something Zhentarim bodies. One gnome looking guy at our door steps.. Had a gold dragon sigil on his tunic.. Or at least.. What was left of one." Adleth nodded, the gold dragon had been charred to shit.
"Gold dragon?" Renaer's interest seemed to have peaked at that leaning in he sat down at Adleth's table. She eyed the guy narrowly but allowed it. "A gnome you say.. Describe him." Asher continued describing the gnome to the best of his abilities.
"He was pretty charred." Adleth added helpfully. "So discernible character traits. Eh, not many." She shrugged her shoulders.
"Want some orange juice?" Adleth rolled her eyes while Herod offered the man a cup of orange juice. Renaer went to seemingly ask a question but decided better just reaching his hand out to grab a cup.
"Bodies.. A gnome.. Fleeing from the Zhentarim you say?"
"Yup." She replied. "The guy seemed to be running from them, though he didn't have anything of interest on him if you were wondering." Adleth concluded Renaer frowned, shaking his head.
"I.. damnit." Renaer sounded upset to her. "Dalakhar.." Renaer remarked, staring down at the table.
"Uh.. dalek what now?" Adleth inquired, what was this relevant towards? Renaer seemed to stumble a little looking up.
"Dalakhar. Hes.. he was an informant of my father." Renaer began clenching his fist at the mention of his father, something Adleth was quick to notice. "He.. entered the city a few days ago, never thought he would try to make contact with all of you, even when I'm trying to escape the old man his guys are everywhere.."
"Is this.. Gnome guy.. Important?" Markos queried, Adleth nearly jumped; he was suddenly really close to her.
"Well he was one of my father's spys so I assume he was important.." Renaer answered. Spies.. Adleth thought she still remembered when the Zhentarim had told her they had a spy. Dealing with goods she was always on the lookout for; out of place individuals, ratted on some of them. She didn't feel bad, business was business after all. "I don't know what reason he was following me.. Or trying to contact you all.. But as it stands I guess we don't have to worry about that anymore."
"Well, the gnomes' dead. What I care about is finding this nimblewright and tearing him apart." Adleth concluded. She felt aggravated the guard had told them to not involve themselves, hell this was personal! He had burned their house.
"You could ask your dad, the mr money bags?" Adleth suggested. Renaer seemed to tense up with that. She got the message. "Ah, not on good terms with daddy huh?" She took a drink. "Get cut out of the will or?" Adleth didn't like noble types, always born into so much while they spent money on crap that didn't matter and got to do anything so long as they paid off the guards. But nooo when she paid off the guards it was a crime or something.
"No.. me and him are.. Not on speaking terms right now.. He's currently in Neverwinter." Renaer responded slowly, aggravation in his voice.
"Ah.. that's quite the journey. I've been to Neverwinter, a very interesting city." Alekzandr remarked, Adleth had never left the sword coast. Actually.. She had never even left Waterdeep. The city was lucrative and home to her. She wouldn't go as far to say it was 'her city' but she was a part of it.
"Me too." Markos admitted, Adleth reached over and tried pulsing his leg watching the cultist jump, heh that was pretty funny. But in all seriousness they needed more ways to keep him from talking too much. "L-Lots of religions are really hard to penetrate into them." Markos looked away sheepishly.
"Markos.. You've been everywhere.. I'm not surprised.." Riu sounded completely done at this point. Good, more frustrated nobles, soon maybe they might start throwing money to solve the problem.
"I wouldn't be shocked if you had been to the.. The.. land of.. Mystical, fairies and unicorns that also fly.. And other random shit." Alekzandr jested. She looked at Markos with curiosity.
"Oh you mean Dejril?" Oh for the love of. Adleth rolled her eyes, either this kid was fucking with them or he really had just straight up been everywhere.
"Point proven."
"If.. if you don't mind me getting in here," Renaer seemingly tried to reshift the conversation back on the task at hand. "I did hear some.. Rumours that you all have had some visits." Well now he just sounded serious.
"Ha!" Adleth broke out laughing, they had a freaking death visit, some dagger visit, some other fucker visit. They had a lot of visitors in the past few days.
"We get.. Several of those." Markos asserted. She could probably count the number of times they all believed they were about to die from some stranger.
"Not.. the kind of special visits I was talking about but.. No I heard you've been visited by a rather shady.. Individual. The Zhentarim." Renaer clarified, his words were chosen carefully.
"Yeah we were. We got tasked to off this gnome, we were told to wait a few days.. Funny enough we had plans to go this afternoon." Herod explained.
"Just kill the dude, apparently he's a spy." Asher added. "We were offered money, so we figured it was as good as anything." Adleth frowned as she could hear a small whimpering sound behind her. It wasn't Markos, his whimpers were far more quick. Instead, it was Riu who seemed to be trembling.
"We.. aggravated the Zhentarim. So they offered us a chance to be in their good graces.. We kill short men." Alekzandr conceded.
"To be fair." Asher interjected rapidly. "We did piss them both off with the skin coasters.. Which.. We don't talk about it since it was the right thing to do." Adleth grew a smile recalling their dumbass skin coasters idea. Good thing they dumped the bag.
"You.. did, didn't you.. And well, I thought it was funny," Renaer defended. "But.. I don't necessarily think they did." Adleth rolled her eyes, she wanted to get to the damn point already.
"Look Man, what do you want? To just hear our day by day?" She leaned in trying to end the conversation already. "Thanks for financing our tavern.. And all that but.. This feels out of place." Renaer held up his hands in surrender.
"I.. represent a.. Different organization." Renaer started. "We.. want to upset the current balance that is the Zhentarim and Xanathar guilds."
"You mean the guilds that could cause the damned end of Waterdeep?" Adleth asked bewildered. Seriously what they had done was small fries compared to actually TRYING to piss them off.
"Here's the thing.. My.. friends see and hear things. If you would like to help the city more-"
"Borringgg" Herod announced. "Tell me how to help my gods and you can keep talking." Adleth waved her hand for Renaer to ignore him.
"Like.. like you helped the city with the gunslinger.. Though.. They never did find his weapon."
"Fell in the Ocean." Markos barked.
'He sounds convincing enough.' Adleth thought a little surprised.
"Shame really.." Renaer seemed unfazed taking the fib hook line and sinker. "If you want to help the city.. And.. still get paid." Adleth's ears perked up. Renaer turned his cloak around, opening the inside for the whole party to see. Inside She could see a small blue pin in the shape of a harp. The Harpers. She huffed a little, The Harpers, that law subverting group of nobles trying to preserve the 'old ways' as they put it. A little archaic.
"The Harpers." Alekzander remarked. "I'm not much of a joiner, but if I were seeking one organization.. That would be the one."
"At this moment.. Friends are a necessity." Renaer replied. "So.. seeing how you were.. Trafficked to kill this.. Spy guy.. I was hoping you could all.. Interfere at this moment."
"What do you want us to do?" Adleth quizzed she assumed money would be behind it, after all the Harpers were.. One of the wealthier organizations as far as she could remember.
"We would be able to perhaps.. Pay you for completing the task you've already been given.. If you could somehow.. Implicate the Zhentarim in this attack? Make it clear they ordered the hit so the Xanathar guild learns what's up? I'll pay you all a little extra." Renaer was grinning a sly smug smile, for once he didn't look like a massive dork to Adleth instead a tad handsome.
"Oh-" Adleth gave Markos's leg a quick squeeze, shooting him a smirk silencing the cultist before he could ruin the potential extra gold.
"How much are you willing to pay?" Asher inquired. She agreed with his question: they weren't going the extra mile unless they could get a good amount more coin. Markos whimpered to her right forcing Adleth to dig her nails in sneering a quick shoosh at him. 'Seriously dumbass don't ruin this, you unstable hack.' She screamed internally.
"If you could implicate them.. Say.. carve up the tattoo a bit show em this guy has been.. Cut out. We'll give you three hundred extra gold." Adleth felt her mouth practically water at Renaer's words. Hell fucking yeah they were gonna throw the Zhentarim under the fucking bus.
"Done." She replied in stride.
"Is it bad to say I'm looking forward to killing someone for once?" Riu's whore voice announced in the back. Not really she thought but it was odd you didn't enjoy killing the other fucks.
"Alright then.." Renear stood up awkwardly, pursing his lip. "Well, I'll leave you guys now.. Hope to meet you.. Back at the yawning portal. Or maybe here when the job is finished." Renear bobbed his head and made for the door. Adleth still dug her nails into Markos's thigh until the man finally left. She released her grip and gazed over at the half-elf. He seemed fine with it.
"Let's go! What are we gonna wait around or-" Markos jumped to his feet and Adleth sighed he wanted to get right to killing the gnome, seriously? "Everyone! Andele! Let's go kill us a Zhentarim!"
"Just.. one thing before we go." Alekzandr started.
"Markos you got to wait for others, we're not even ready yet. And remember we said afternoon?" Asher's voice was coarse and demanding. "Alekzandr what is it?" he sounded almost concerned like he cared.
"I think I've found a way-" Adleth began to tune out the conversation. It really didn't matter right then for her.
"I wish to go to the black smith.. Would anyone-" Adleth stood to Alekzandr's words, boredom, regret and a wish to grab some supplies plagued her face.
'Maybe I should go talk to her..' Adleth contemplated it for the briefest of moments. Gripping the nearest person to her (Markos) she dragged the cultist over to the distant bar taking the girl looking half-elf with her. She considered heading out to just rob some guy.. In fact, that's exactly what she would do.
"I'm heading out anyway so.. I'll go." Adleth clarified, she wanted to know why her brain chose to do this. Elirora was gone, that relationship was over and yet.. She couldn't help shake that feeling of dread.. Regret. Damned tose stupid memories and what they showed her, Adleth hated magic. She made her way to the door trying to enjoy the summer morning warmth, a rarity in a port side town.
"We should not be heading out alone so-" Adleth swung the door of the tavern open offering a hand to Alekzander. Markos and Asher soon stood up as well, all of them planning on heading to steam and steel? Yeah that was a hard pass. She didn't do well in crowds she planned on splitting off. They filed through the door yet Adleth made a quick right turn, TrollSkull alley was a harbinger for trade, as they neared founder's day She couldn't help but find so many familiar stands already being set up. "Founder's day setup has begun.."
"Fried rats?" Asher sounded confused and mildly concerned. She didn't blame him, fried rats were an odd choice for the vendor but gods did they taste pretty good.
"It's a station every year, Krelko.. He loves screwing with people like that.." Adleth snickered a little, looking over at the station she could see Krelko the large old Tortle man slowly frying rats on sticks. "I told him years ago it was stupid as hell.. He didn't care, told me 'if its so stupid then why's everyone buying em?' funny guy." Adleth gave a smile to the others.
"And that.. Thing..?" Markos gave her a funny look. In the far distance she could just barely make out a fruit stand.. With.. more.. Adult themes.
"We don't talk about that." She responded before shoving the group closer to Steam and steel's shop. The entire beginning setup was so.. Nostalgic for her, Adleth felt flooded by memories. Times she and her brother had gone through it, but more importantly when she used to shop for that.. Brat. Adleth let out a humerus sigh, it wasn't.. All bad. She gave herself a small smile shopping for iliris even trying to take him around the festival.. They were good times especially when Eilrora would go with her.. Those times were.. Best.
"My god did in fact give me a mini Cthulhu!" Adleth frowned, her head snapping over to him. What.. the hell did that mean? Who.. who was he answering?
"Uh.. should I be worried?" Adleth asked softly they were nearly at Steam and steel.
"Markos is crazy, we already know that comrade.." Alekzandr responded, she sensed unease in his voice however. Alekzandr stepped into Steam and Steel Asher and Markos followed the old drunk, while Adleth waited outside.
"Score.." Adleth could spot a exiting customer to the shop holding a large six foot spear wrapped partly in cloth. She placed a hand against the glass door fiending a moment of weakness she fell down against the middle aged man.
"Oh! Pradon you-" The well built human sputtered a little while Adleth faked an apologetic look. She quickly ran her hands down his sides.
"I am so sorry." A coin purse entered her hand. "Honestly I was just leaning here and then.. Tripped, if I could just apologize." Then she took a small dagger not as good of a score but it was something. "Sorry again sir, I hope you have a good day-" What felt like some cards. The man scoffed and nodded leaving the location while Adleth pocketed his belongings.
"Get your fried rats!" Adleth cringed while Krelko started shouting for others to get some fried rats. The festival isn't even this week you old fool she scoffed. The general commotion of the plaza was good, Adleth enjoyed a tad bit of chaos here and there and the wind up to Founders day was always a hoot.
"Krel. you outta save some of those for the actual festival. You know that right?" Adleth approached Krelko's cart with her arms folded, a smug look plastered on her face. The old tortle man moved slowly giving a glassy eyed look to her. He was tall, yet hunched over with dark green skin and foggy blue eyes. The Tortle gave her a confused studious look before breaking out into a smile.
"If I did that ya thief, then I'd miss all the quick sales." Krelko explained, Adleth shook her head, it wasn't like anyone would buy the crap before founders day, no one was desperate enough.
"Thief? Oh come on Krel, I thought we were friends." Adleth placed a dragon on Krelko's cart yet waved her hand when he tried to offer her a fried rat.
"We are friends. But you're still a thief."
"Well, you're a crook so I wouldn't be talking too loudly, old man." The two stood in silence for a moment.
"Ha!" Krelko let out a large hefty laugh the kind old men made when they were bested. "How's the kid?" Adleth stopped laughing and grit her teeth. "That bad huh? Heard you were running with a group.. Adventuring party? Never pegged you-"
"Just.. makes a whole lot more money." Adleth felt the walls close physically around her, it did make more money.. That.. was all. "I heard you got in trouble with the Zhentarim.." Krelko seemingly stopped pursuing. Now he started running his fingers through his wispy long white beard.
"I.. got into some rough water.. But I'm fine. They just wanted to ask about some of my.. Trade goods." The wrinkly green tortle winked. His shell seemed to heavy for the old fuck causing him to shift a bit every few seconds going from slauching to shoulders back and all around again.
"That's good to know, what.. Was that shipment? Spade mentioned something about it.. Last time I was there.. Books and chalk and more to a noble fam-" Adleth was cut off with Krelko giving a loud wet laugh. She was shot a quick menacing glance, 'drop it.' She wanted to laugh, for gosh's sake she had to move his equipment before what could he have possibly supplied this time?
"Adleth.. The guards are on high alert.. I'd be careful." Krelko paused his fake laughter, instead his voice sounded serious, she tried to give a light chuckle but found no humour in his eyes. Adleth placed a hand on his cart giving him a stern look.
"Look.. some.. Weird stuff is going on around town. You want me to be careful? Take care of yourself as well, Krel.." Adleth opened her mouth to say more but she heard Alekzandr call behind her.
"Comrade! We are finished!" Alekzandr screamed behind her. She sighed and gave Krelko an apologetic glance. How the hell could they finish buying stuff that quickly? She had no fucking clue.
"Take care Adleth, rumours right now.. They aren't good." Krelko dipped another battered rat into a pot while Adleth turned and left; she couldn't shake the feeling her old Tortle friend knew more than he was letting on to.
"Buying fried rats?" Markos asked, Adleth rolled her eyes, Alekzandr seemed to be holding a rolled up leather set of armor, studded brass hemispheres dotted its surface.
"No. Just talking," She clarified. "You grabbed studded leather?" she inquired pointing at the new set. Alekzandr gave her a nod. "Tired of being easy to hit, I take it.."
"Nah he just wanted to make a fashion statement. Keep up Adleth." Asher jested. "Who doesn't like studded leather, I mean other than me, I like scale male, keeps you alive." She twisted her head, she wore nice standard leather. It wasn't the most protective but boy was it easy to move in she'd rather be fast and vulnerable then slow and unhittable. In her experience it was the quicker target that stayed alive. Nine times out of ten. "What the fuck.." Asher exclaimed suddenly in what sounded like a panicked voice. Adleth turned her attention to the source of Asher's confusion.
"Oh my.." They were mere yards away from the manor when their vision was obstructed by a tall woman covered in blood. She had blonde hair and elven features. She was dressed in what could only be described as silkish robes with cotton clothes underneath. Though all of it seemed torn up along with her flesh. The woman turned to them, pain plaguing her bleeding face her figure rotated in the direction of TrollSkull Manor. 'Who the fuck is this?'
"I.." The woman squeaked out a small whisper trying her best to speak to the coming group. Adleth rushed forward, she wasn't sure why. Blast it, why was she trying to help? The elf seemed light on her feet ready to collapse at any moment, that wasn't surprising her body was entrenched with cuts and bruises. "Heard you.. Had a cleric.. Need.." The elf's arms went slack; she tumbled over into Adleth's arms, the girl catching this new figure.
"Get Riu!" Asher barked. Adleth paid them no attention instead she slipped an arm under the elf's legs with another on her back. She struggled to lift the elf up until Markos rushed over to help her.
"We got her." Markos muttered. Adleth didn't know who this was but she seemed to have a purpose, something worth helping someone. The two carried the woman into the manor where Asher had swept off a table.
"Francis.. Haren.." The elf woman whispered names in her unconscious state had she used all her strength hauling herself there?
"What the hell happened?! Who is this?!" Adleth felt the panicked blue eyes of Riu who rushed forward to assess the situation.
"She came out of nowhere!" Adleth responded, it wasn't untrue. The elf had come out of seemingly nowhere just a bloody broken mess right before the group. "She.. said that we had a cleric and then just collapsed!" Adleth could still see the elf's brown eyes staring at her full of panic, full of worry. "Stay with us.." Adleth whispered, she shouldn't have cared but..
"Move!" Riu yelled, the party scattered to the sides. The aasimar held out a pale shaking hand "El thoolflet co ca sana." Riu spoke a quick tongued angelic language one Adleth had never heard before. A circle appeared before Riu's hand, a spinning rune covered star the incantation was working. The wounds on the elf began to close, blood flowed backwards and bruises faded, mending the elf back together bones could be heard cracking back into place. Though not everything seemed to stabilize.
"She's still bleeding.." Adleth whispered. Asher bumped her shoulder with him leaning in; he tore bandages from a backpack and began patching what the magic did not heal.
"Aodhan!" The elf thrashed awake screaming at the top of her lungs Adleth nearly jumped backwards. "Ken.. Kendra.." the elf slowly looked up her gaze meeting Adleth's.
"A-are you alright?" Adleth knew more pressing questions existed but she started from the top. The elf stared down at her own body, patting it a little before nodding hesitantly.
"Yeah.. I am.." the elf seemed panicked as she looked around herself. "I.. I was separated from my party.. In the underdark Matrem told me to come here because.." The elf seemed to begin hyperventilating. Adleth wanted so badly to reach out a hand but felt her own body freeze up.
"It's fine. You're fine. Tell us what happened." Asher's voice was methodical and cool like he had dealt with this kind of behaviour his whole life. "Markos.." Asher whispered that. Adleth watched a silent exchange occur between the soldier and cultist.
"I.. I was with my adventuring group when.. We were attacked by.." The elf paused and cringed, visually confused and holding a lack of memory. "Look.. Thank you so much for healing me I.. I am in your debt." The elf stood up off the table shaking a little she seemed hard pressed to regain her balance before performing a quick all beit cringey bow.
"Wanna kill a gnome?" Adleth nearly punched Markos in the face seriously? That, now?
"Would you like a drink? It helps make the pain go away." Alekzandr offered his flask to the elf who made a sour face, holding out her hand in protest.
"I am fine, I do not partake." she held a somewhat air of sophistication to her now that the elf wasn't rambling. Adleth shrugged woman didn't drink. "My name is Andraste Liadon." the elf announced, Adleth gave her a half hearted smile she tried to offer some kind of friendliness.
"Adleth."
"I'm Herod westwood." She frowned. Was Herod here the whole freaking time? Sitting at a nearby table Herod raised a glass of orange liquid. The whole party shot him an irritated glance. "You guys had that, what was I gonna do? Talk about foxes while you saved a woman's life?"
"I am Alekzandr Ikorov. It is a pleasure." Aelkzandr downed a sip of his vodka. How he was able to constantly day drink. Adleth had no idea. "Suit yourself on the drink more for me."
"Riu Astrial." The party extended a hand one by one introducing themselves.
"Asher Exitium." Andraste frowned at Asher's name
"Exitium.." Andraste spoke softly. "That sounds familiar." Asher visibly tensed up "I feel like I know that name from somewhere.."
"Most people have." Asher conceded. "It's also a noun." Asher took a step back giving the elf now a.. Mistrusting expression.
"So you wanna go kill a gnome?!" Markos exclaimed. "You said you were with people, they're all dead now? If so, we got a gnome to kill and-" Adleth smacked Markos across the head and rolled her eyes.
"Let's be calm Markos." Asher whispered. She appreciated how the man was able to rein in the cultist. "You're healed." Asher clarified. "Shouldn't you.. Run along to your group now or?" Andraste gazed down at the floor nervously. Adleth's heart sank. "Ah." Asher said. He grit his teeth before placing a hand on Andraste's shoulder.
"We're off to kill a gnome. We healed you... if you want to repay us. Come with." Adleth offered. For once Markos's insanity might actually have come in luck. If they brought the woman they had a better chance.. And she was clearing in grief. Nothing helped grief better then murder.
"His name is Skeemo Weirdbottle.. He's a spy for an organization we got hired by. Would you like to come with?" Alekzandr followed up. Andraste made a quick nod before she reached for her back pulling out a large greatsword.
"I will repay you for your kindness. I'll come with." Andraste announced happily. Her dark brown eyes were full of fear and preparation.
"Well great.. We have even more idiots." Herod jokes. Adleth didn't care. She had a good feeling about this new figure, now. It was time to get their fucking money.