'I've Got The Poison'

The party leaves The Queen's Head and its still stunned remaining clientele and make their way back to the Dragons' hideout. Jihan is keeping a good look out to ensure that they are not being followed, finding it difficult to move gracefully in the dwarf's body. The journey takes 20 minutes, but goes without incident and the party is soon outside the door of the warehouse. They don't have to knock on the door as it opens as soon as they approach it. Obviously Boris and his gang have been eagerly awaiting their return.

The two of Boris' men inside the building help them to maneuver Winnacer up the two ladders that need to be traversed before getting to the hideout, but it is still far from easy to get the bulk of Winnacer in his heavy mail up the ladders. But eventually they manage it.

Boris had been studying a large map of the city upon their entry, along with four other men and a woman that they have not seen before. As soon as Boris sees that Winnacer is out of action, he starts to panic a little:

'Zlodey in 'eaven, what the bleedin' 'ell's 'appened to the lad? 'E ain't…'

'Not quite' explains Jihan, 'But he is still in danger. Pavlichek poisoned him.'

'The bastard!' cries Boris. 'I hope that he paid for it with his life?'

Jihan nods.

'Well it certainly ain't no time for celebratin'' continues Boris. 'Not till the lad's back on his feet again. Now let me see, poison.'

Boris is rubbing his stubbly chin, trying to think of how he can help the young lord. Then he stops and his eyes flicker.

'Yulius the Apothecary' he says. 'He'll know what to do, I 'ope.'

He tells one of his many runners to summon the apothecary and then goes to kneel besides Winnacer's sweating body. He uses his hand to wipe sweat off Winnacer's brow:

'Ang on in there, lad. Yer gonna be all right. I promise yer. Boris ain't gonna let yer die.'

Boris is getting quite emotional by now, and you can see a teardrop forming in the corner of his eye. Then he notices that his lieutenants are observing him and turns away from them:

'Dammit, got somethin' stuck in me eye.'

Heimlin enters the room at that point, closely followed by Corrow and Sonya, who walk in hand in hand.

It is obvious that Boris has told them all about the disguises that they are all wearing, as they don't seem surprised at the motley collection of individuals standing before them.

Sonya cannot hide her shock at seeing Darry, however:

'Faewen'il? Is that really you?' she cries.

Seeing that Yaz is nursing Winnacer, Jihan takes the possessions that were scavenged from the Guildmaster and places them on the table.

Heimlin takes his eyes off the contorted face of Winnacer for a moment and takes a look at the rings, holding them up to the light:

'Platinum and Moss Agate' the gnome says looking at the first ring. 'That's got to be worth about 750. The other's silver and moonstone, about 600's worth, I reckon. Together with what Corrow rescued from the Nyemetz, we're definitely solvent again, but at what cost?' he says sadly, looking back again at Winnacer.

Jihan is investigating the sword and scabbard. The short sword appears to be quite normal, although the pommel is formed from a well-cut black crystal, representing a diamond, no doubt:

'Anyone here can make use of a short sword?' he asks the others.

The scabbard interests him, as it is not a normal magickal object. He investigates it closely and sees a small valve towards the end of it. He moves it around and listens to it carefully. He hears a quiet sloshing sound:

'The sneaky bastard' the elf cries. 'It's a scabbard of poison. I heard Uncle Luhhan talking about these things, but hoped that I would never see one in my life. Whenever a sword is put in the scabbard it will be coated in poison whenever it is drawn, until it needs to be re-filled. By the sound of it, there's quite a lot of the poison still left in here.'

Further investigation is disturbed by the sound of someone coming up the stairs. A middle-aged face, balding and wearing rimless glasses, appears.

'Ah, Yulius, I'm glad you could make it so close to curfew' says Boris, rushing over the help the apothecary into the room.

'We need your help. The lad's been poisoned by the boss of the Black Diamonds.'

Yulius comes over and looks at the dormant form of Winnacer, a chinking sound coming from the sack over his back as he moves. He winces a little as he sees the contorted state of Winnacer's face.

'It looks like it must have been a potent dose by the look on his face' says the apothecary in a concerned tone.

'How long since he was poisoned?'

'Forty, forty five minutes ago' says Yaz.

'He must have a lot of fight in him if he's still alive,' replies Yulius. 'Most poisons prove fatal in less time than that.'

'If I could see the poison for myself, then it would make things easier for me,' he adds.

'There's some in this scabbard' Jihan replies. He places the shortsword in the scabbard and then pulls it out. The sword is once more coated in the greenish liquid.

'Careful' says the apothecary. He then reaches into his sack and pulls out a thin piece of glass, which he carefully touches the poison with, smearing a drop onto the glass. He holds the glass up to the light and squints at it. He then starts shaking his head. They all prepare themselves for bad news.

'As I thought, it's a bad one. I've seen it before. It seems that it is a favorite formula amongst the higher ranks of the Black Diamonds. It is not a formula that I know of. I could create an antidote for it, but it would take a week, perhaps two, to reverse concoct the formula.'

He looks again at Winnacer, with pity written across his face.

'And he hasn't got a week.'

Yulius reaches into his sack and produces a vial of blue liquid. He gently unplugs the stopper, raises Winnacer's head and pours the liquid into his mouth.

Winnacer immediately comes out of his coma and pukes a stream of vomit over Yaz, who is kneeling next to him.

'That's good' says the apothecary, solemnly.

Yaz, who is starting to wipe the vomit from his face, is about to offer a different opinion, but thinks better of it.

'It is, however, only a temporary respite from the effects of the poison. It is only slowing the effects. Without it, he wouldn't have lasted the night. Now he has a couple of days, perhaps a little longer, but not much more.'

'Water, water' mumbles Winnacer, very weak but still able to speak a little. Sonya runs off to the kitchen in order to get him a drink and pours the liquid down his throat.

Boris is still very upset.

'But surely there's got to be somethin' that we can do?' he pleads with the apothecary

'There is' replies Yulius. 'There is only one man that can save him now, and that's whoever it was that created the poison, as no apothecary would ever create a poison without creating an antidote at the same time. Accidents will happen. Your only chance of saving your friend is to track down the creator of the poison and get him to give you the antidote.'

Yaz is the first to respond to Yulius the Apothecary's suggestion:

"Sure, we could do that, but... Are there no priests, followers of deities capable of neutralizing such a poison? I know Prirodna could do it... if I was strong enough to channel such power... What about Flint? Maybe Flint could do it."

'Oh, yes, I was forgetting about "magick"' says Yulius a little sniffily. 'I don't believe a great deal in the power of faith-healing, but there must be something in it, as there are many who do. However, the power to neutralize poison is a difficult one for them, I have heard. While it does not require a great amount of training for an apothecary to create poisons and antidotes, only the most devout and learned priests are able to perform such a task. Although there are many churches in Hradetz, the vast majority of them would not have a significantly experienced cleric able to perform such healing. The only place where you would be sure to find a priest capable of such healing is the Temple of Kitry, on the hill and…well…they're a little strange.'

This piece of information doesn't come as any surprise to them. Everyone in this city seems decidedly strange compared to the simple folk in the country. Seeing them all wondering in which ways the priests of Kitry are strange, Boris explains:

'The followers of Kitry ain't interested in money' he explains. 'It's got no value to 'em at all. No, it's knowledge that turns 'em on. It's the only thing that interests 'em. That's why I didn't think of them as a solution before yer suggested it. Us an' the Diamonds don't 'ave nothin' to do with 'em. They've got nothin' that we want an' we've got nothin' that they want. If yers could tempt 'em with some facts or information what they don't know, then I reckons they'd be 'appy to do whatever yer asked of 'em. Mind you, I don't know what that'd be. They bleedin' know everythin' already.'

Jihan interjects at this point:

'I don't think that Flint would be much use to us for solving this problem. I don't think he has been taught any of the healing arts at all, as his god, Ohen, is more concerned with destruction rather than healing. If you remember, he didn't perform any healing upon anyone after the Witchfinder Building, even though it could have been very useful. That's not to mention the obvious problem which is that we don't know where he is now and it would probably take a lot longer to find him than Winnacer's got.'

Then the party starts to smell something funny, something burning. Yaz looks like he's having a thought:

"Uh, Robert... I mean Barra... D'you think Daniela might know who we could go to? How do you feel about... a little undercover work? So to speak?"

Yaz winks a tiny eyelid at the curvaceously confused rogue seductively.

'Well, um' says Robert, trying to think, a very rare thing for him to do. 'Well she's definitely one of the top brass of the Diamonds and we both saw some liquid dripping from her stiletto. So I guess that she too uses the poison, or else she'd just finished using it to stir her coffee.'

Yaz continues tending to Winnacer as best he can, with herbs and prayers. Jihan kneels down next to him and starts chanting with him in harmony. Yaz shows an uncharacteristic, unselfconscious concern for the old boy, uncharacteristic especially considering their past and present feuds. To any who didn't know better, they would look like the forms of a child and father, the child tending carefully but ineffectually to his dad's fatal wounds.

Winnacer's eyes open at the sound of the chanting. He is conscious again. Jihan tells Winnacer of the possible routes open to them:

'So, Winnacer, do you have any better ideas?'

Winnacer looks up with eyes glazed over and a crust of blue vomit staining the corners of his mouth:

"I feel as awful as I look. And I still look like Reinberger." Winnacer coughs and quiets up while he dry heaves.

"Hard to talk. Throats burns. But I have idea."

Winn can't hold back and starts heaving again, puking up little streams of black bile that dribble down his chin. The smell is almost overpowering.

"We still have the powder left. Guildmaster's death not known yet by Diamonds. Use powder to transform into Guildmaster and company. Drag me to headquarters with entourage. Tell story about ambush by Dragons."

Winnacer starts to fade again; his voice starts to drift off.

"The first rule of warfare...know the enemy...The second rule of warfare...always pick your fights, never let..." He shakes his head vigorously (for a poisoned chap) "Where was I? Antidote most likely available in Diamonds' HQ. Guildmaster could demand it, if forceful enough. Even sneak in some Dragons and destroy HQ on way out, after getting antidote."

Winnacer signals to Yaz to bring him some water:

"Everything is bright. Yaz, you have a greenish aura to you. Or is that just smoke?" Winn tries to laugh, but ends up coughing and phasing back out again.

"The third rule of warfare, " Winnacer continues to mumble, "is to always use surprise to your best ....."

Boris shakes his head a little as Winnacer drifts off back into unconsciousness.

'Well, I'm sure that Pavlichek would 'ave 'ad some antidote back at 'is gaffe, but the plan sounds like a well risky one to me. To start with, yer can't tell them that yer was beaten up by Blue Dragons, or else they'll think that we've violated the truce. Secondly, I reckon that it would be risky for yers to go into their gaffe, as they'd wanna provide extra security if they knew that someone was after 'im.'

He then looks at Xavier and Bennett, seeing that they are both covered in numerous cuts and bruises, some fairly serious:

'It also looks like yer in a bad shape. I don't reckon that yer could put up much of a fight if somethin' went wrong. An' what if word 'as already reached 'em that the fight 'appened? They could 'ave already brought 'is body back there, in which case yer'd 'ave some serious talkin' to do. Finally, unless the Diamonds know that Pavlichek is dead, we can't start rollin' back their operations. If Pavlichek was to show up an' then disappear again, then they'd jus' try an' 'unt for 'im. Wouldn't 'ave the same impact as knowing that 'e's dead for sure.'

The discussions move onwards, on to the subject of providing some interesting information to the Temple of Kitry in return for saving Winnacer from his plight. Bennett speaks:

"Hell, let's give them Granny gnome for a few hours. I'm sure she knows more than anybody wants to know, judging by her ramblings, though I don't know whether they want knowledge for knowledge sake or for practically application. If it's for practical purposes, then we're pretty much screwed, since I know dick about anything important, though I imagine I could teach them a few things about the fine arts of crafting a tool of destruction."

Bennett does not look very hopeful that that will be useful information.

'I'd completely forgotten about Granny' replies Jihan. 'I remember learning about the Temple of Kitry. Kitry is a very peaceful god and her followers think that every problem can be solved with knowledge. I wouldn't rule out the fact Granny could provide them with something of interest. After all, she must have learned plenty during her lifetime. The main problem I see in using her to provide information is whether she will be in a lucid enough state to reveal some of her many secrets.'

Winnacer gurgles and fights to get his head up:

"We could offer...gurgle...to do them a service.....gurgle....like explore the tower of Boscooourrrrgggh!!"

Winnacer turns his head and stains the floor green-black with bilious vomit.

'The tower of Boscourrghhhh?' Boris asks with a puzzled expression on his face. 'What the 'ell's that?'

Jihan explains to him about the Tower of Boscobelous.

'Oh, yeah' Boris replies. 'I've 'eard about that place, an' I'm damn sure that them at the Temple of Kitry will 'ave done. After all, the Tower ain't that far from 'ere. That's another good possibility. I reckons that could really turn 'em on, your promisin' 'em to check it out an' tell 'em all about it. They're quite a trustin' bunch about comin' up with payment in advance for stuff like that. They reckon that Kitry will curse anyone who breaks a promise to 'em.'

'An' then there's still the idea of gettin' the information about the apothecary from Daniela. What d'ya reckon to that, Robert? Yer knows 'er better than any of us lot does'

Robert/Barra scratches his/her head with the tip of a dagger that he was toying with, and looks dumbly at the party:

"That Daniela, she'd know where to get the blinkin' stuff allright, but I dont think she'd give me the time o' day after I stuck me blade in her yesterday."

When Yaz smacks him and reminds him that Daniela wouldn't recognize him in his present form, his eyes grow wide.

"Blimey! You're on top o' things ye are! Why did I no' think o' that?"

'Because you're a cretin' Yaz whispers under his breath.

He screws his/her face into a look of befuddlement (not hard for him to do, but looking funny on the face of Barra):

"I can go anywhere I want!" then mumbles to himself, " unless I meets that merchant."

'I don't think that you need to worry about meeting that merchant again' interjects Jihan. 'An, even if you did, I don't think he'd recognize you, not with him leaving his eyeballs laying on the table of The Queen's Head!'

After a few moments of the wheels creaking in his/her head, he is stumped:

"I dunno what I kin do for the lad, but I'd be willin' to try anything Mr. Lieberman would like me to," He finishes with a beaming smile toward the Yaz child.

Bennett adds his thoughts on the Daniela option:

"If we do that, best do it now, before the hit on Pavlichek becomes common knowledge among the Diamonds. Much as I hate to say it, I don't know how viable it would be for Xavier and myself to accompany that activity since the Diamonds saw us at their HQ just this morning. If we rush it, then maybe we can pull it off, but I don't want to spoil the action by them recognizing us."

Boris is thinking about this possible route:

'I can guarantee yer that Daniela will be at The Cock at the moment. Their busiest period is just about to start now, an' she likes to keep an eye on everythin' what goes on there. Chances are that she won't 'ave 'eard of Pavlichek's death yet and there's no reason why 'er or any o' 'er crew should 'ave seen the Witchfinder an' bodyguard at the Diamonds building. Mind yer, as yer says, yer'll 'ave to move quickly as the longer yer waits the more chance there is of somethin' goin' wrong.'

All goes quiet for a short moment, as everyone tries to work out which is the best option. During the pause, Bennett kneels down to Winnacer's shuddering form and whispers in his ear:

"If you die this day, take comfort in the certain knowledge that your spirit will be taken by the ladies and you will fight again in the halls of Gladsheim. If you meet the One-eyed One, speak well of me, though I do not deserve it. You are a worthy ally and the world would be a much poorer place for your absence. If you do not die, then this is between only the two of us, as my faith is my own."

Winnacer is getting a little delirious again:

"Faith...Spravedelna shall mete...eternal just.....not the barrel...no more barrel....."

'The lad's not well as yer can tell' says Boris upon seeing Winnacer's ramblings. 'Yer needs to decide which o' these plans yer gonna go for and when yer going to start. It'll be curfew in half an' hour, which adds dangers from encounterin' Nyemetz on top of dangers from the Diamonds.'

Once all of the information regarding the various options is out in the open, the party starts to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each of them. It takes but a few minutes for the party to decide unanimously on approaching the Temple of Kitry for aid. The party decides to take Granny with them, hoping that she is in a fit state of mind and able to reveal some of her immense knowledge to the head of the temple. Should Granny's senility be such that it is impossible to get her to reveal any useful information, then the fall back plan is to offer to check out Boscobelous' Tower and inform the temple as to its secrets.

'Sounds like a good 'un to me' says Boris. 'Yer'd better get on with it pretty fast, as curfew starts in half an hour. Yer'll 'ave to make yer way back after curfew, but there ain't much that we can do about that.'

He then looks towards Bennett who asked him about the current situation regarding the Dragon/Diamond conflict:

'Yer should also be wary of Diamonds out there as well as Nyemetz. Me boys ain't gone into action tonight. We're waitin' for the mornin' before we starts to roll up their operations for a number of reasons. Firstly, we can only move in once the 'ole city knows of Pavlichek's death. We don't quite know when that'll be, but we reckon that it will take till mornin' for this to be common knowledge. Secondly, we 'as to obey the curfew like everyone else. While we can bribe our way round it on occasions, it's an expensive business, so we don't do it unless we 'as to. Thirdly, if the Nyemetz saw that we were on the case already, then they'd put two an' two together and realize that we were all ready an' waitin' to step into their shoes. So, yer on yer own when yer leaves here, with regards to the Nyemetz an' the Diamonds.'

Heimlin leads Granny out to go with the rest of you to the Temple. The gnome is shaking his head as he does so. As you hear that the current topic of the conversation that Granny is having with herself is 'all of the clothes that I have knitted for my extended family over the past half millenium' you realize exactly why he is doing so.

'She's not 'avin' a very good day today' he says sadly. 'She's been on this subject since midday an' she's only got through the first 'undred years. Some'ow I don't reckon that this is what the Temple Head is going to consider as being useful knowledge.'

'Looks like our only hope is that they accept our promise to tell all about Boscobelous Tower in payment' Jihan says. 'Perhaps it's for the best. If things get rough out there, then I'd be a lot happier without having to look after the matriarch.'

All is set for the trip to the Temple. Although not everyone is in the best of health and the party makes a strange sight, it is decided that all will go on the journey, as they might need everyone's skills if there is any trouble with the Nyemetz or Diamonds.