Vaddis continues to climb the steps to the roof.

Trinia studies Tarrov  then laughs. "Wow. You're good. I thought I was somethin'. But you're over and above." She wipes her eyes. "But you're also right. I just don't wanna die for something I didn't do. Ya know?"

As Vaddis joins you all at the tent flap, she stands. "Okay. I'm in. But one question. How do we get outta here? There's mobs all over the place."

"I'd suggest going a few more buildings over via the roof tops, and wearing a cloak concealing yourself as best you can, then take the most direct route, avoiding the crowds when possible. We'll surround you to keep anyone from getting close enough to recognize you. Maybe carry a shield or something to disguise yourself even better? Thoughts?"

Selvin grinned widely at Trinia. "Ain't he, though? Been travelin' with him a bit an' he's a joy t'watch work sometimes." He let out a chuckle but then turned serious.

"Gents, do we have a minute for me t'summon up my friend? Or do we still need t'stay low-key?"

---

---

"Why thank you, milady."  Tarrov sketched a short bow in response to the girl's commentary.  "I do what I can."  He looked over at his companions.  "And this can't be much of a surprise," the young man grinned back at Selvin, "but I vote we stay low-key.  And I think I have just the thing to help us do it."  He reached into his pack and pulled out the recently-acquired Hat of Disguise.  "I think this will do nicely, don't you?"

The bard turned back to the frightened young woman.  "Okay, Trinia, we are going to get you out of here by just walking right out through the crowd.  How, you ask?"  He smiled and placed the cap on her head.  "By using this.  This hat has magic in it, and will allow us to alter your appearance until you look like someone very different from Trinia the Fugitive Painter.  Here, let me help you with it."

Tarrov worked with Trinia to disguise herself as a relatively non-descript, tough-looking older woman who might have been a mercenary third cousin to Field Marshal Kroft.  "There we go!"  Tarrov said, stepping back and admiring his handiwork.  "What do you gentlemen think?  I think we can just walk back out of here with no one the wiser."

---

---

Vaddis nodded his approval at the new look. "I'll still feel better if you walk in the middle too. No sense in taking any chances."

Toke nodded absentmindedly with Vaddis, his thoughts on Tarrov's previous words. He was never too sure of Tarrov's motives, as his silver tongue was hard to decipher. Toke hoped that Tarrov would stick to the plan and wasn't serious about the whole "finding out who really killed the king" thing. As much as he was a fan of extracurriculars, Toke felt that that job was best left to the lawmen of the area.

Croft frowns when you present Trinia. But then you take off the hat and she nods. "Well done. Novel solution. Alright Miss Trinia. Give me no trouble and you'll be well kept. " She waves at some guards to come and escort the prisoner. Trinia gives you all one backwards pleading glance, but puts up no resistance as she escorted from the room.

Croft watches her and then shakes her head. "Did sh say anything about what happened?"

Trinia said little of consequence on the walk over. She was hored to paint a portrait of the King, winning the bid after she submitted some sketches to the Court Secretary. The King was ill during the sittings. She had to come back several times and he seemed to be getting better as the weeks wore on. He at least got more grabby. But Trinia fended him off tactfully and he seemed fine with that. She hasn't been back to the palace in weeks.

Croft gestures for you to follow her. "Your timing is excellent. I already have another job for you."

She shows you back into the room you last meet her in. There are two elderly men standing there. Though neither of them look like the need help croswing the street.

Toke, Vaddis, and Tarrov know one of the men on sight, though none of you have met him in person. Selvin, you recognize the name. Vecarlo Orisini. The well known duelist. He runs a well known fencing school in Old Korvosa.

The other man you've never heard of, but he has the look of one of the Cinderlanders, the barbarian tribs who live in the wastes to the north. Relations between the City and the Cinderlanders have always been tense. The Chelaxians did drive them off this land to found Korvosa after all.

The old Cinderlander wears a charming shirt decorated with countless small bones. Mostly animal from the look of it. Mostly. A bearskin is draped like a cloak over his thin shoulders and a blood red raven is perched on top of his head. The Cinderlander's eyes are milky white from cataracts.

"You may know Vencarlo already. And this is Thousand Bones. A...priest for the Skon-Quah tribe." She gestures for you to be seated. "We've had a bit of an incident. Thousand Bones is here with a delegation from his people to try to work out our differences. During the riot however, a mob attacked one of his retinue. His grandson to be exact."

She nods at Thousand Bones. He speaks in a suprisingly deep baritone. "My people work very hard to understand your people. But it seems we only find more and more hatred and violence the harder we look. Cowards killed my Grandson on your streets. I do not blame you. But I am afraid my son and his kin are not so tolerant. They wish to return to the north and join the Sklar-Quah in rallying the tribes to war with you. This would not go well for either of us.

Our ways are not your ways. Amends can be made, but it must be done by your tribe."

Croft nods. "His grandson's body was stolen from the scene. We were able to track down the corpse thief. He sold the body to a necromancer named Rolith."

"I have spoken to the spirits. They have told me Gaekhen's body is under your boneyard. In a place called the Dead Warrens. The insult done was not in his being killed. But the body being taken so Gaekhen could not be returned to the Sun and the Sky. I could lead my warriors down to these Warrens and reclaim the body. But that would be taken as an act of agression by your government."

"It would be best if we handled this ourselves," Croft says. "It is only just."

Thousand Bones nods and says nothing else.

Croft leans over her desk and picks up a box. She sets it before Selvin. "For the last job. I will pay the same rate as before. With a bonus if you can be quick. The sooner we can return Gaekhen to his people, the sooner they can honor their dead."

"I believe Trinia to be innocent of the charges against her Marshall Croft. Is there any way I can render assistance in ascertaining who the true guilty party is, and also, if I can be of any aid to further assure her safeguard in the hard times she is about to face?" he says sincerely as way of reassuring her as they escort her out.

Vaddis nods at the conversation with Thousand Bones, never actually committing anything until he hears all.

Selvin smirked a bit at Croft's surprised and then pleased reaction to the disguised and then revealed Trinia. A job well done, he thought. But at Croft's question, he asked in return, "Did you want us to look into that? You had just asked us to retrieve her originally." He shrugged. "But she said she didn't do it." He spared it no more thought for the moment.

At the mention of another job, his eyebrows rose. This was getting to be a permanent position almost with no breaks.

His eyes narrowed a bit as he studied the two men they were shown, and he recognized the one's name. His eyes widened as he heard more and more. Barbarians! Riots! Necromancers! What were they being asked to get into? He was the opposite of excited about this latest job.

He thought for a moment and spoke slowly. "And...assuming we agree...if we find the body has been...desecrated or....animated...you want us to put it down and bring it back to you?" He couldn't think of a more diplomatic way to put that right then.

Croft shakes her head at Vaddis and Selvin's offers . "Thanks, but no. Let the courts do the work. It's what they're supposed to do." She mutters that last line under her breath.

---

Thousand Bones does not flinch at all at Selvin's words. "I hope it does not come to that, but deliver the body. If it...walks...put it down. But tell none of my people about it except myself. I will handle any necessary purifications."

Croft seems to sense the reluctance. "If you can get this one done quickly, there will be a bonus."

Vecarlo smiles. "I'm sure we can place our faith in these men. They have the look of fighters. And fighters never give up."

"My question is is the court going to be fair, or will they railroad an innocent to get a conviction and close the case?"

"I will reluctantly offer my services. It is nothing I relish, but this man needs our help for closure and a threat of necromancy needs to be quelled."

Croft shrugs her shoulders at Vaddis'  question. "We can hope. But I believe justice will be done. If it isn't...well. That would be a sorry world to live in."

---

Thousand Bones bows his head at the Paladin's acceptance. "Know that you have my thanks. And the thanks of my people."

He looks over at Croft. She walks forward and opens the door. "I need to show the ambassador out. Wait a moment. I'll return."

Vecarlo waits until the door is closed and walks over, picking up the wine bottle and holding it aloft. "Who's for a glass? Knowing Croft, she'll have a bottle or two of the good stuff hidden away. If we drink this dry, she'll have to uncork it."

He pours for any and all who want some and then seats himself at your table. "You guys have had it rough lately I take it."

Toke took a seat and helped himself to one of the drinks that Croft left out. He wasn't exactly a fan of working so hard without rest, but hey, pay is pay. He just hoped that after today he would be given at least a little R&R. Toke didn't care for the details of the next job; it sounded like he was going to have to get his hands quite dirty again. He cradled his drink and kept his head down and shrugged an answer. The past few days without his panacea had left him a bit more taciturn than usual.

---

---

Tarrov was troubled by Trinia’s situation.  He had to trust that Kroft would act according to her principles and see justice done, but he was afraid Trinia might see the business end of an assassin’s knife while in custody.  He figured he should say so.

“Marshal Kroft,” the bard said with his hand over his chest, fingers splayed, as he essayed a small bow, “it is our pleasure to help you, and by extension Korvosa.  Yet I am concerned about Trinia’s welfare.  I do not see how that frightened young woman would be able to pull off a royal assassination.  I find it very difficult to believe that she is part of some larger conspiracy, and even more difficult to believe that she had the initiative or will to dispatch the king on her own.”  He forged on, face grim.  “In my opinion, she is being set up as a patsy, and I imagine whoever was truly behind the king’s death would be happy to see Trinia killed.  I hope that you are planning to squirrel her away in a private cell whose location is known only to you and a few trusted lieutenants.”

His piece said, Tarrov followed the Marshal back inside, only to find his jaw dropping open in surprise.  Vencarlo Orsini.  The man was a legend.  His swordsmanship was reputedly unparalleled, and from the one exhibition duel Tarrov had been privileged to watch the man fight the reputation was well deserved. But what is he doing here?  He seemed as unconnected to the troubles currently plaguing Korvosa as it was possible for anyone to be.

The silver-haired young man sketched another bow towards the tribesman as he finished his tale of woe.  “I am very sorry for your loss, Thousand Bones.  And the art of necromancy is a desecration at any time.  The fact that one of those depraved practitioners of the dark arts has purloined your grandson’s remains?  It offends me, both as a right-thinking man and as a Korvosan.”  He nodded to Marshal Kroft.  “I would be happy to assist with the recovery of the young man’s remains.  War is rarely good for anyone.”

Tarrov looked around.  If no one else was going to ask the question, he might as well.  “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Master Orsini.”  He said, trying not to sound too much like a gushing fan.  “I was privileged to witness one of your exhibition duels and, well . . . your swordwork.  Astounding.”  The young man smiled.  “But how is it that you are involved in these matters?”

---

---

Vaddis accepts some wine from Orsini and sits at the table too. "What is your,...interest,..in this matter Master Orsini? Thank you for the wine by the way."

Selvin hesitated at the offer of wine but accepted finally. He took a small sip to start with. Wine wasn't something he was overly familiar with. He had liked to drink but to stretch his money, any alcohol he bought was usually ale. Besides, he wasn't looking to get drunk right now since they had another mission that needed to be done as soon as possible. He listened quietly as others began talking to the swordsman.

"That's a kind thing to say," Vencarlo nods a thanks at Tarrov, "There's better than me in Korvosa and the world. But I do what I can. To your health." He takes a swig than wipes his chin before answering the follow up questions. "Well. I'm sure you all know how it is. When yu live by the sword or spell or song, someone always seems to need your help. In this case it was Thousand Bones. I've had the chance to spend some time with him and his people since they arrived. He came to me after his grandson was killed, looking for advice. I thought of Croft and told him to meet us here at this time. I knew I could count on Croft. She always tries to do what's right."

He looks around the table and blinks. "What about yourselves? Has she been treating you right?"

"She has treated us fairly."

---

---

"And to yours!"  The young man returned the toast of a legend.

"I have no complaints either."  Tarrov dipped his head in accord with Vaddis' statement.  "But I'm concerned about what might happen given the recent . . . instability.  And I'm very concerned about the welfare of that poor accused girl we just brought in.  I think Kroft intends to keep her safe, but I'm unsure if she will be able to back up those intentions.  It seems to me that powers are at work here.  Powers that don't much care what happens to people who get in their way."

The bard waved his hand through the air, smiling as if to dismiss his own concerns.  "But who knows, those may just be the wild imagining of one raised on the dramatic."  He put his glass down and sat back in his chair.  "So, about this mission we've been given.  Is there anything you can add to what Kroft told us that you think might help?"

---

---

He watched first Vencarlo and then Tarrov, with a quick glance at Vaddis as well. He listened to the words flow from the first two like a river. He was glad Tarrov had found someone like himself, someone who liked to talk. Selvin grinned a bit and shrugged. "Fine so far, I suppose."

Vencarlo shakes his head. "Other than the Boneyards are a dangerous place, no. I would warn you to take care, but I don't think that's necessary. You seem a capable lot..." He looks you all over again and then picks up the wine bottle. "More? You mentioned an accused girl. Is it this Trinia people are so worked up about? I agree. It is troubling. There seems to be...I hate to put it like this...but forces at work as of late. And not for the good of the situation. I hear Mr. Kindness is no longer among us. Cheers on that account." He raises his glass to you all. "As for Kroft, she will do what she can to protect the girl. Don't doubt that. But...aye. What will happen at the trial...well. We shall see."

He finishes his glass and stands. "I also believe you did me a good turn. You helped one of my former students. A watch officer named Grau. You came upon him drunk and delivered him to his comrades during the midst of the riots. You have my thanks. Grau has been lost for quite some time. I understand yur kindness has had an effect on him. A good one. So don't despair. Even in the midst of this situation, there is hope. Ah, listen to me. I sound like some character in a bad play." He nods his head to you. "When this is done, come find me at my school. I keep better wine than Kroft does. And I keep plenty of purple potion bottles on hand." He grins at you all. "Be careful out there. Korvosa needs all the heros she can muster at this time..."

Great, Toke grumbled to himself, another talkative one. Toke hoped that Tarrov wasn't about to talk them into some kinda pro bono adventure, but Toke let the men speak. His eyes narrowed at the man's words. He didn't like all this hero talk, he didn't want to isolate what few contacts he had left by sounding like a goody-two-shoes. Still, at least the money supply didn't seem to be dwindling any time soon. Toke felt the weight of his pay in his pockets. If it wasn't for the ever present danger and the exhaustive hours, he would have kicked himself for not being a "hero" sooner.

Vaddis nods at what Orsini said but sits quietly in contemplation.

Vencarlo nods his goodbyes nd leaves through the door.

(Anybody want to do anything before we head to the Boneyard? If so post it. Otherwise, we'll move to the new thread tomorrow. Thanks.)