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July 24 - Last evening we heard a noise, like an explosion, and saw
flashes of light in the distance - in the direction of V's townhome,
actually. I gathered up first aid materials and Decimus, Alfredus, Robyn,
and I went to see if we could offer assistance. On the way, we saw
several people fleeing the scene - Gaius, Marius, and a halfling.
Deciding that Gaius would come to us if he needed us, Robyn followed
Marius, Alfredus followed the halfling, and Decimus and I proceeded to the
site.
There we found a distressing scene of carnage and property damage. The
vigiles were questioning a group of young men in togas - including V's
factotum from the library. I offered my services to the vigiles, and they
authorized me to save anyone I could, but it was too late for all of them.
A lot of the damage was fire. Decimus thought he recognized the effects
of lightning bolt, fireball, burning hands, and probably acid arrow. It
is appalling to think that anyone would unleash fireballs and lightning
bolts on the city street like that! The young men told the vigiles that
they had been assaulted and defended themselves, and all the dead had a
certain thuggish, or at least plebeian, air. When they left we made our
sad report to the vigiles and then followed them, catching up in short
order.
I did my best "silly young lady" imitation (which I fear is not very
good,
though I made my eyes dry from opening them), offered to help with any
wounds they sustained, heard their story, and got their names. The RLM
from the library is Tiberius Navis Nepus, and he and Sergius Calius
Palacius are certainly either equestrians or patricians, and probably both
wizards. They were accompanied by a priest, Naius Tapus Afer, who they
said had healed them. Even allowing for that, they seemed surprisingly
healthy and well-groomed for the victims of an assault so savage it
required lightning bolts and fireballs to defend against it. There were
two military-looking gentlemen, Sextus Flanerus Flacus and Rufus Herminius
Lepidus, and a barbarian, Thorolf Sigurdson. We gave our names only as
Theophilia and Pertinax, which is thin enough disguise. As far as I could
tell, none of them recognized us. I don't think much of their manners,
either. When I said we had come to our turn-off none of them made any
offer to see us to our door, or made warning noises based on their recent
traumatic experience. Which was just as well, but still.
Meeting Alfredus and Robyn at the pre-arranged corner, we compared notes.
Alfredus had followed the halfling to a tavern near the arena, much
frequented by citizens of diminutive stature (giving Decimus opportunity
to twit him about his height, which he took in good part), where he
reported to another halfling of considerable gravitas. Alfredus could not
sit close enough to hear the entire conversation, but it appeared to be a
report of an ambush in which the halfling's side had cut the other to
ribbons. The authoritative halfling is named Big Titus, giving Alfredus a
rare opportunity to make height jokes at someone else's expense.
Robyn, taking a considerable chance, had invaded the grounds of the
townhouse to which he followed Marius, and eavesdropped on the entire
conversation. He learned that Milo had sent a group of his employees to
teach V a lesson, but that the owner of the townhome had learned his plans
through divination spells and the biter had been bitten. Robyn did not
learn this person's name, but he is clearly well-paid by V, his
surveillance of Milo seems to be thorough, and he keeps as a pet a small
creature which looks like nothing so much as a baby beholder, though it
has only four eye-stalks.
Although our original dealings with Milo had been predicated on the
presumption that it would be a useful distraction from us if V had to deal
with him, we could not help feeling obliged to let him know precisely what
had happened. Presumably Gaius has reported the results of the actual
conflict, but it seemed probable that the involvement of Medium-sized
Titus (a rival crime lord?) and the observation of his person were as yet
unknown to him. Therefore, we wrote up a summary of what we had learned,
intending to pass to Milo via Gaius.
July 25 - This morning Robyn and I went to Guilia's school to give the
summary to Gaius to pass on. He did not show up to school, which worried
us. Those friends of his we found to speak to also did not know ( or
would not admit ) where he was. We hired one of these friends to take the
message himself and report back to us at Brax's, where we waited for him.
Brax has laid on an excellent vintage just for me, which I admit flattered
me considerably. Of course he did it to impress Uncle; but it's a
tolerably gallant gesture, all the same. The young man returned with
Milo's gratitude - it troubles me that we have earned Milo's gratitude! -
and we bought him a meal. Every child I see in that part of town is too
thin.
We returned, determined to borrow Uncle's crystal and scry for Gaius. As
we came to the front door, however, we heard childish screams from the
courtyard, and ran there in time to see a misty form - a small air
elemental - in the act of carrying off Greta's boy Ludo! He was about
even with the upper gallery, ten or 12 feet in the air, and I was trying
to think of a single-word command for "Come back and deposit the boy
gently on the ground," when Alfredus leaped out of the workroom window,
ran along the gallery, jump, grabbed the boy from the elemental's grasp in
mid-air, and landed on his feet! I have never seen anything like it in my
life before, and don't expect I ever shall again. Decimus quickly
dispatched the elemental with magic missiles, then flew above the roof to
see if he could spot who had sent it. Tamara came pelting downstairs with
javelins and crossbows, and she and I ran around to the back of the
building while Alfredus and Robyn vaulted the rear wall of the property to
pursue the people Decimus spotted fleeing the scene.
There were five. We captured four, Robyn having struck one of them a
little harder than he expected. Four were mere hired muscle, and the
single wizard was unconscious, so we divested him of his material
components, bound him, and questioned him in the privacy of Uncle's cells.
I healed him only enough to speak to us, and he proved nicely cooperative
without most of the usual nonsense. He did not know V's name when I said
it, but described the man who hired him as having a scraggly goatee and
gave us directions to the place where he would come to collect Ludo. This
man was able to make an illusory image of the boy good enough to identify
him, which is troubling - it means that, despite our precautions, someone
in V's employ has gotten close enough to get a good likeness of the
correct child. Well, we shall meet them tonight, and put things in order
as much as we can.
According to the crystal ball, Gaius is safe, but frightened and
uncomfortable, apparently hiding out in someone's attic.
July 26 - Surprises never cease. As far as we can determine, V had
nothing to do with the attempt on Ludo yesterday, which is not to say the
villain was unknown to us!
We arranged ourselves artistically in the warehouse meeting place (why do
villains like warehouses so much, and why do so many stand empty?), with
the "sunshine boys" impersonating the thugs on the fringes of the lantern
light. I sat closest to the lantern, looking, thanks to Decimus's alter
self scroll, very much like Ludo. Robyn and Primus covered the door,
Tamara and Aflredus hid behind crates on either side of it, and Decimus,
invisible, waited behind Alfredus.
Ten thugs entered, protecting two wizards - one with a goatee, and one
the
very same demon-worshipper we flushed out last week! Fortunately no one
attempted to knock me over with a feather. They demanded the boy; Thor
demanded the money; they made difficulties; Decimus threw a lightning
bolt.
It was beautifully placed, never touched wood and created chaos among the
opposing party. Alfredus and Tamara did not get surprise attacks, since
the thugs closest to them had already been eyeing their crates
suspiciously, but the pair at the rear who Robyn shot in the back seemed
tolerably astonished. The demonic gentleman turned invisible, but
fortunately Orus had granted me the power to render him visible again.
The bearded gentleman shot Decimus with an acid arrow, which would have
made it difficult to cast spells, but since he had used all of his spells
one way or another by that time, it made no matter. His use of the
crossbow was not hindered at all. The sunshine boys did excellent
service, and I have recommended to Uncle that he reward them suitably, for
I am convinced, if Harald had not skewered him precisely when he did, the
demonic gentleman would have teleported away again.
Unfortunately, we killed four of the thugs and one got away, but the main
thing is, the two wizards are in custody. As soon as the area was
secured, Decimus ran out crying for the vigiles, which I'm not sure I
would have advised had I been consulted, since these men obviously know
Ludo's identity; however, they are likely to be no more anxious to make it
public than we are, and since the demonic gentleman is implicated in
another kidnaping scheme there is a good chance that the vigiles, if not
told otherwise, will assume that this was merely more of the same. We
have turned our original prisoners over to them, as well, and trust we
shall see no more of them.
Shortly after our return, before I got ready for bed, Decimus came to my
door, looking very grave, and asked to speak to me. He would not make a
formal confession, but his conscience has been pricking him for several
days. It seems that Milo offered him 250 solidii to find a certain
Appius, and Decimus agreed. He does not know what happened to Appius, or
why Milo wanted him, but the possibilities have haunted him. He has
already spent the money on materials for potions and scrolls, but the more
time passed, he more he regretted, not only finding Appius, but agreeing
to be on call to do future small paid favors for Milo. The harm that this
could do Uncle's reputation is appalling, and why it took him so long to
think of this I don't know. I agreed that his determination to return the
money and terminate the arrangement was the proper one to make, but I do
not have any money to lend him - even emptying my savings wouldn't quite
cover it. He borrowed the money from Robyn, and set off - very much
against my advice, alone - for Milo's home. I watched him in the crystal
ball the entire time, and Milo, though apparently not liking the
termination of the agreement, at least did not have him hit over the head
and slung into the harbor forthwith. He also refused to accept the return
of the money. I hope this does not come back to haunt us.
Uncle talks of sending us all out of town until things settle down, and
this revelation of Decimus's makes me rather agree with him. Certainly
Greta and Ludo, and probably Tamara, are too vulnerable here for the
moment. The rest of us are in no more danger than we are paid to be. I
admit it felt a little like a vote of no-confidence. If Uncle doesn't
think I can handle a little danger, why did he hire me? And no one has so
much as scratched me since we returned from the wilderness, so he needn't
look at me with so very much concern. However, something Milo said to
Decimus makes it seem probable that a gang war is in the offing, which can
probably be easily stretched to include V's household. That being the
case, I think it high time Uncle went to look after his interests in some
remote part of the empire, himself.
As for Greta, as of yesterday I doubt she would be willing to go
anywhere,
however safe, without Alfredus. She has talked of little else but his
heroic rescue of Ludo since it happened. Not that I blame her. I'm a
little thrilled myself, so I can imagine how she feels!
Things to do: Find Gaius. Persuade him to come to us. Convince Uncle
to
bring him with us when we leave. I don't know what he was doing with the
ambushed group, but it appears from his subsequent behavior that working
for Milo no longer holds the appeal for him it once did. Decimus reports
that Milo says Gaius described the ambush, refused to accept Milo's offer
of protection, and ran off, probably out of a sense of general paranoia.
This is his chance to free himself of the temptation to crime, and I would
never forgive myself if I failed to offer it to him.
Arrange for someone else to continue visiting Calid. Not Giulia.
Someone
more subtle, but equally virtuous.
Scour natural history and arcane works for a creature that looks like a
beholder but is small and has three eyestalks. Possibly a construct?
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