Make Them Pay: LXXXII
"You need Smithing tools?" Vestus stared at the letter in his hands, such a small piece of parchment in his enormous palms. 'Estral.. What did you do?' The dread and realization was hitting him all at once now. His son... His boy.. Was missing! And he was powerless to stop it all from occurring.
'Vestus, it's been a while old man. I'm in Waterdeep right now.. Running a Tavern TrollSkull manor. I thought you...' The letter was so delightfully simple, short and to the point. Alekzandr.. Adleth.. Markos. Each of them were listed in the letter, friends Estral called them. They looked more like a defunct rambling family. Vestus should know, he's run several of those.
"I do." Alekzandr responded. The man looked to be around five foot ten or so, with a relatively weak build but the eyes you'd expect from a keen mind. "And what do you plan to do?"
"Join a smithing guild here. And then find a job for myself. Are there any local blacksmiths around here? Places I can visit for work?" Vestus tried to squint his eyes. The light of Waterdeep's summertime was utterly blinding.
"Yeah." Vestus turned around for the elven woman with red hair. She was much shorter, probably five foot something, he couldn't tell. She had emerald green eyes and a pretty but hard face. "Golden hands near the dock ward.. Most don't use them cause.. Reasons. But they're fantastic. Also, Steam and steel. Right next door to our place." The elf walked over to a nearby alleyway which was blocked by a series of boxes probably from the stores nearby. "If you want the smithing guild. You can walk that way." She pointed down the street. "All the way around and take a left on golden serpent street. You cant miss their giant fucking anvil that is DEFINITLY a safety risk. Or." The elf pointed behind her at the blocked off alleyway. "Take a short cut." the woman hopped over the boxes and began leaping from one to the next like she was born to it. "Welcome to Waterdeep!" She yelled back.
"You get used to Adleth." Alekzandr chimed in, elbowing him right in the ribs. "She knows everything about this city.. Invaluable." These characters kept getting a little bit more colorful by the second.
"Lets go the long route." Vestus clarified. He passed by numerous shops and stands. As parties were ramping up all around them. There were food stands which looked half created, or shops opening the doors completely with customers pouring in and out. Vestus was choked by the diversity in races he saw. "Danyrisus is nothing like this.." He muttered, he had spent so much time with humans and elves he seldom found a place with so many different people. Tieflings, and giants, dragon born here and there. "Is that a tabaxi?" Vestus exclaimed. Alekzandr grabbed his hand pulling Vestus to the left as they got to Golden Serpent street. The two peald around it.
"There is a lot this city has to offer my new friends. Don't let your head get lost up in the clouds."
"How would it even get up there?"
"Ah!" Vestus jumped waving his hands down at the ground. How on Toril did Markos sneak up on him? "Where have you been?!" Vestus yelled.
"Uh.. right here.." Markos explained. He hadn't even noticed the half-elf. "I'm the one who led us out the door?" he said again, confused.
"Markos sneaks up on people." Vestus nearly jumped again clutching to his chest when the green eyed young man began walking to Alekzandrs left. "Oh I just ran after you guys, I haven't been here. Names Herod by the way." Herod reached a hand out to Vestus. He looked at Herod closely, green eyes like a tree, his skin was a lightly tanned white and he had messy light brown hair with a handsome complexion. He was unlike the somewhat pale and malnourished looking feminine cultist that flanked Vestus's right. He took the hand and shook it.
"Mine Lobodovshki it is a safety hazard.." Vestus's attention was brought to the building they were approaching. It was tall with a large anvil hanging outside by ropes rather than chains. A big sign labeled smithing guild; the path of steel. Was written over the anvil. The anvil was at an odd angle and certainly shouldn't look like that, the building itself was wide and tall, with metal railings and a copper plated exterior to the building.
"That wasn't so bad." Vestus muttered. "It only took like twenty minutes." He scoffed at the elf's shortcut. How much quicker could she have gotten here? Vestus grabbed the black steel door pulling it open. The door was heavy as all hell.
"That's why I never leave the house without it." Vestus was greeted by a wooden and steel workshop with various forms and people standing around. In a nearby chair he spotted the familiar sight of Adleth who was talking up a storm to the guild members, some of which looked to be crying with laughter. "Oh look!" Adleth exclaimed. "It's the slowpokes. I told ya, twenty minutes." A tiefling behind the counter laughed and pounded the desk.
"Yes you did." The tiefling turned to Vestus. "You look like a big burly giant with muscles. You must be Vestus." The elf had introduced them? These.. Were the people Estral had considered friends?
"I am." Vestus replied. "I'm looking to join the guild." He was handed some pretty basic paperwork, setting up his ability to get crafts and material. "Thank you for that. I don't know how long I'll be staying but for now it's until the foreseeable future." he clarified setting some gold down for a membership. 'Foreseeable future.. He said that line over and over in his head, he had come so far just to see Estral yet, by the time he had arrived.. Estral.. Asher, was gone.'
"Now. If you're looking for work, Steam and Steel is the closest to your place." Vestus turned around and saw Adleth wink at him. She really did just fast forward everything huh. The tiefling continued. "The street of smiths has a lot to offer so I recommend you visit there. Krabellor silversmiths are always nice. And of course the bent nail could use one from time to time." He clarified holding out a list of potential shops.
"Hmm. Thank you." Vestus took the list and tucked it into his overalls. He needed coin, he wasn't about to ask Exitium House, or Fulminata, Kreation, or any of the others for money. He needed to find Estral with his own funds.. His own coin. Asher. He needed to start calling him Asher if his friends only knew that name.
"Stop fussing!" Adleth shot. He took a look at the elf who was currently holding Markos's arms trying to get him to stop playing with various things around the guild.
"Cthul-"
"Cthulhu can eat my dick." Adleth replied, she dragged him out of the shop.
"They seem nice." Vestus chided to Herod. The young man shrugged.
"He's crazy and she's a bitch. Only one besides Asher to keep him in check in any capacity." The three of them walked back to TrollSkull. That one, named Markos.. He was who Asher had written to him about. 'Why though?'
"What is all this?" He pointed to the decorations and stands being set up.
"Founder's day. It's some kinda.. Holiday." Herod explained "Like.. uh, I don't know.. Its a time for them to celebrate when Waterdeep was founded."
"Lots of stands." Vestus muttered. In one spot near their home he spotted several large booths with sponsorships. Many of them held the name Cassalnter. Wasn't that the one they mentioned earlier?
"So. Tell us about yourself." Alekzandr offered. "You raised Asher, no? What else, new comrade." Vestus nearly laughed, they wanted what? A backstory? Some fun facts?
"I was thrown from a mountain as a child. Worship Hephaestus, and own the most infamous orphanage in Toril." He gave them a blank stare. The giant awaited some kind of reaction from Alekzandr.
"What kind of mountain?" Adleth burst out laughing to Alekzandrs odd question.
"Of all the things you focus on- Bah!" She cackled.
"I was a toddler." He explained. It didn't make it any less funny. "God's if I remember." The man crossed his eyes and nodded.
"Hm. I come from the spine of the world. Northern mountains. Ever heard of Rushiv, or the Rushiki?" Vestus shook his head, what the hell was a Rushiv? Wait, was that the silly war Asher ran off to fight for money? Hold on this was perfect for-
"I know a little Rushiki." Vestus exclaimed.
"Really?!" Alekzandr exclaimed happily.
"Yeah! She lives in Liden." Vestus stretched his hands out. No one laughed.
"So you.. Own orphanages?" Markos suggested helpfully. Though he seemed to know the answer to that question. He nodded.
"I own several. Asher was the reason I started opening them.." He bit his lip pondering on how to get his son back. His.. purpose in life. Having a family wasn't easy when you.. Well it looked like you'd been thrown off a mountain, but those orphans, hungry desperate kids in need of love, he knew that sensation, Asher had motivated him to do this.. Now he needed to save him.
He watched Alekzandr open the door to the manor allowing them all inside.
"Yeah, Founders day is certainly a hoot." Adleth sauntered into the building. "But it can be really irritating, lots of nobles out to make a bunch of money during it so just avoid some of those sponsored stands." Inside the house Vestus could spot Riu, and Andraste. Who were looking, holding a conversation with a lovely fellow inside.
"Vincent?" Markos was the first to react. The man sitting in the room was dressed in a long trench coat, he had silky black hair that reached to his ass with a large hat that covered some of his face, a face that looked offaly scarred. The four of them entered the tavern looking to the new figure sitting inside. "Oh Hi Vicent, welcome back. I totally told them everything." the half-elf cheered jovially. The figure at the bar looked far from amused. Though he seemed to be leaning away from Riu and towards Andraste. "You just might need to repeat it for.. The.. cat." Vestus got the sudden desire to backhand this child, who seemed to act like an idiot more and more.
"He told us.. After the fact. But you already know that." Andraste whined while pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Well I was gonna tell you in the morning but then I forgot.. And then prayed to my god and had a run in with some other beings.. So it's a whole mess!" Markos defended.
"That.. might explain some of the strangeness I've seen from the guards lately." The man's voice was deep and had a rolling accent that sounded familiar, southern of Elisel a southern and country city with heavy foods. Andraste pulled a bottle from the counter pouring a glass of wine, but Vincent instantly pushed it away "No no I'm fine."
"I must ask." Vestus interrupted. He was confused, what on Mount Olympus were they all talking about? It seemed to be completely off the rails and not succinct in any way. "What am I being left out of here?" Vincent stood up, his hat tilted back revealing cold black eyes and very tanned skin.
"I see you have a new face here. Nice to meet ya." Vestus waved the pleasantries. "I was hired by this group, ya see, to investigate.. Some what you say interesting dealings around the city." Vincent held out a hand offering a card. Vestus took it, seeing a large orange cat eye on the card along with an address. "It seems one of their comrades got mixed up in.. a little debacle. It appears to me the Gralhunds and the Cassalanters are working together.. On something nefarious." Vincent leaned away when Riu got closer once again. "I'd advise caution if you are investigating this matter. But to see the Cassalanters are in on it.. Pardon my shock, the evidence was near non-existent."
"Screw waiting for night. I changed my mind, we gotta sneak into the crypt now." Herod unsheathed a blade to his side. Vestus was instantly captivated. It looked like a shimmering weapon of silver dusky metal with green runes and lines that spread across it like a vine yard. Its guard wasn't simple, instead it resembled a pair of deer antlers. Dipped in a darker metal with a handle that was embodied by a fox head for a pommel. The blade shimmered a light green and teal color wisped around it in pairs of three.
"Herod." Adleth interrupted. "There is no way I can get us inside, in the middle of the day." He inferred that Adleth was the one able to sneak them places. Sounded about right.
"Are you ok.. Non-believer?" Markos's attention was fixed on Vincent who was currently trying to avoid Riu.
"I-I'm.. Oh." Vincent paused, giving a long pensive stare at Riu. "I assure you.. I mean ya no harm." The leather trench coat wearing man said it so suddenly it caught Vestus off guard, the pipe hanging at his belt threatened to fall while he was bounding in place.
"Flames.. Hell fire." Riu whispered. It was faint, but Vestus swore he saw a faint silvery glow to Riu's eyes. "Blue flames.."
"I mean none any harm." Vincent repeated.
"Uh.. Non-believer, she's just staring at you." Was Markos that foolish? Vestus wondered. Even he as arcane illiterate could tell a spell was being casted there.
"Ya know that sounds like something someone who intended to do us harm would say." Adleth chimed in. She pulled at her belt spinning a set of short swords out from her sides, they were doubled edged yet one side longer than the other. The guard was curved like a rolling ocean. The back guard had long gilded etchings with a gorgeous craftsmanship. Finally on the Green Mana-fin leather grip were two large golden rings drilled into the handle allowing the woman to spin the elven short-swords in her fingers. Vestus was impressed with the craftsmanship of weapons he'd seen already.
"Yeah." Markos furthered.
"I just know when someone is casting a spell on me." Vincent clarified. "I do care about this city quite a bit. It even surprises me from time to time.. It's not.. Like my kind."
"And what is your kind?" Herod quizzed. He held his blade at the ready now, the whole room was a little bit tense like they were all prepared to jump this man.
"His aura.. Is Infernal. He's a demon or something." Riu continued. She stepped forth in the party. Vestus watched Markos pull a book from his.. Where the fuck did he store that? And furiously flip through the pages. Vestus felt like an uninitiated, rogue passenger on the Odyssey.
"Rakshasa.." Markos whispered. Vincent's eyes got wide. No. Really wide, they shifted and changed form the hard black to a pair of orange cat eyes. The form flickered a bit and Vestus saw a cat man standing in the middle of the room.
"So, you know.." Vincent began talking again, now however his face flickering between this enormous fluffy cat like body and the human slender yet muscular form he had before. "That was awfully quick of you cultist.."
"Why would a demon of lies want to be a.. Private investigator.." Markos closed the book and tossed it into- ok still just behind his cloak, Vestus doubted he had a backpack back there.
"I won't resist your attempts. I guarantee you I have no love for the nine hells and only aim to aid your group." Vincent continued completely dodging Markos's question. Vestus was about done with this, he just wanted to go and find Asher, or the sons of bitches who took him. Then he'd find Estral with a few buckets full of scrap metal to make his son a brand new set of armor.
"Oh yeah the Nine-hells suck."
"Bullshit!" Herod screamed. "For fucks sake I've had it up to here. What on fucking Toril havent you done! This is so fucking- ughh" Herod shoved his head in his hands just shaking it in anger. "I'm not asking you to be less broken.. Just please man, can you make logical sense?"
"You have now?" Vincent inquired. "Be weary of this one." The man regarded their cultist coldly. Vincent had just revealed himself to be a devilish creature.. And was telling them all, people Vestus hadn't even known for very long, to be weary of Markos? That sunk in. "In any case, I understand if yall wish to.. Visit that crypt of the Cassalanters.. It seems we are facing what you say; a demonic force afterall."
"It seems that way." Riu muttered. The room grew silent and tense, each person not knowing exactly what to do.
"I suspect.. The Gralhunds hired the nimblewright for some unknown reason.. They were working with the Zhentarim.. And they gave that nimblewright a task to go to the Cassalanter's crypt. Meaning the common thread-"
"Is the Cassalnater Villa.. Between the Gralhunds.. And the nimblewright." Adleth whispered.
"Mhm." Vincent agreed. "It took me until yesterday to come to this conclusion."
"Well this is a sorry state." Vestus admitted. "What do you think we should do now?"
"We have obviously been given a place. We.. raid it?" Markos responded. Vestus's eyes narrowed. Hed spent so much time teaching others to become leaders, to aid orphans in survival.. Had he really learned anything for himself?
"I said this before." Herod interrupted. "We leave. We go to this crypt.. And we find out what the hell is going on.. We find Asher.. Or.."
"Or we make everyone who aided in his disappearance pay." Alekzandr shot in.
"We drive them mad." Markos whispered.
"Rip out their guts." Adleth continued.
"And we get my son back." Vestus growled. Suddenly realizing just why his son must have loved these idiots; they were violent.
"Well." Herod snickered. "It seems we in fact have a plan.. So, to the city of the dead for a.. Second time.. Let's make those people pay."