Re: Everyone
"You'll be pleased to know we've had success in confirming your rumor, Verik," Tarrov said companionably as he slid into a chair, making himself at home. "I am confident that Devargo is indeed Kindness. I base this on the following items we learned."
"First," the bard ticked the point off on his index finger, "we spoke to persons at Eel's End who informed us, after some, um, remuneration, that Gaedren Lamm was one of Devargo's lieutenants and that Devargo was very interested in any information that might lead to the apprehension of anyone who took down Lamm. Since that was us, and we found convincing evidence that Kindness was Lamm's boss, it's not hard to put two and two together for the conclusion that Devargo is Kindness."
"Second," he ticked off his middle finger, "we learned that Devargo is reputed to have some sort of power over spiders. As you know, Kindness is known to be a worshiper of spiders. The fact that Devargo and Kindness would both be associated with spiders in this way without being related strains credulity, don't you think?"
"Finally," Tarrov touched his ring finger, "we were forced to fight some curiously well-trained spiders during our assault on Lamm's compound. This indicates that Lamm or someone to whom he had access enjoyed some sort of in with or power over spiders, since moving through the spider-infested areas seemed to be the only way in or out of the lower portions of Lamm's hideout. This person was likely Kindness. Since we know Devargo is reputed to have power over spiders, it again seems extremely likely that they are one and the same."
"Now," the bard looked over at Malder, then back at Verik, "we have an informant at Eel's End who is willing to tell us the secret to Devargo's power over spiders, which I think you'll agree would be a useful thing to have. In return, and to establish our bona fides, this informant wishes us to rescue a boy named Choffrey from Chi-Dee's place down on Cold Comfort Lane." Tarrov raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you know that this is the kind of establishment which plagues Korvosa's less fortunate and that the city would do well to be without. So we would be killing two birds with one stone, as it were."
"I would ask for you and your men to help us plan and execute an attack on Chi-Dee's establishment in order to free this boy, and then to work with us to take down Devargo once we are privy to his special power over arachnids." Tarrov nodded, almost as if the deal was too good to pass up. "At that point, I think we'll have established enough of a relationship for you to feel comfortable sharing your information regarding the Queen."
"Do we have a deal?"