A shadow passed overhead raising a few gazes. Iliskra came hurtling down from the rooftop behind the half-orc and his goons, her mace raised overhead. With a hard downward cleave she slammed her weapon into the head of the man to the furthest right with an audible clang that knocked his helmet from his head and sent him toppling to the ground. There were gasps of shock, Iliskra ignoring them and raising her mace overhead a second time and bringing it down with both hands - cracking open the fallen humans’ skull, hot blood spattering across her face.

“Ha!” Ibdur shouted loudly, eyes and nostrils flaring violently as he bared his axes and rushed forward. “The orc is mine!”

Iliskra was suddenly struck in the side of the face, her vision blurring as her whole head erupted with pain. The half-elf landed hard on her right side a few feet away from the man she had just killed. She had been too slow to move out of reach and one of the remaining two thugs had slammed his shield into her, stunning her slightly. Iliskra turned over on her back to see the man approach her drawing his sword, she rolled backward and up into an unsteady stance - avoiding a downward swing in the process. Only to realize she had come up with her back in a corner.

“Leon!” Iliskra blurted out, taking a defensive stance. The other thug, sword drawn, focused on Leon while the half-orc - now free from the Maskaran’s spell - turned to defense as Ibdur came at his larger opponent in a whirlwind of steel and savage yells.

Leon growled as Iliskra called out. He was anxious to leave the pair of strangers, but Iliskra was a known fighter and ally. Which made her worth more to him than both of these strangers combined. "Time's running out," he said, slipping a Cure Serious Wounds potion free from his belt and placing it on the ground. "Trust us or don't. Looks like we're killing them either way as a freebie."

He dashed forward, raising his shield high and reaching out for his divine connection once again. He was expending more power than the would have liked, but the three of them were still learning to fight alongside each other. He dropped low as he passed by the half-orc and dwarf engaging in a whirl of steel, an axe glancing off of his shield. He reached out and touched the dwarf's boot, the shadows from the alleyway curling up the dwarf's form and writhing to ward off attacks and enhance his defense.

Slipping past the fighting duo, Leon unsheathed his longsword and muttered another prayer. Swirling from the shadows beside Iliskra, a copy of his longsword forged from the Iliskra's shadow slid out of the wall, deflecting a sword strike aimed at her neck. The blade whipped around, striking the shield side of the thug hard and bashing him away from Iliskra to buy her time to recover. Leon fell on the other thug with a whirl of his own sword and shield, pressing the attack hard to prevent anyone from striking at the half-elf. A slice across his shoulder was punishment for his aggression.

He continued to will his shadow sword to strike at Iliskra's target, his shield smashing into the thug hard and then scything down with his longsword to cut deeply into the man's foot and shatter his ankle. His shadow blade pressed it's attack, and finally the thug figured out he had to strike down the caster to end it's assault. A slice across Leon's sword arm created another line of red between his hardened leather plates. Leon let his shadow sword sink back into the shadows, deceiving the man into believing the sword had been dispelled.

The thug called out to his companion and together they smashed their swords down onto Leon who caught the blades on his shield and went down to one knee. Before the thugs could take advantage though, the shadow blade spun and arced through both of the man's necks, sending sprays of arterial blood into the air as they both dropped their weapons and clutched at their ruined throats.

Panting hard and bleeding, Leon turned to look at Iliskra with a smile from beneath his mask. "You gave me just the opening I needed. See if you can help Ibdur, can't let him have all the fun."

Iliskra sharply inhaled as the two men crumbled to the ground side-by-side, weakly gasping for their last breaths as blood poured from their throats and mouths. Very impressive. Iliskra thought admiringly as she steeled herself for further melee. She turned her attention to where Ibdur was fighting with the half-orc, or rather the far smaller dwarf was proving an untouchable force as he hacked and chipped away at his larger opponent.

“Tempus’ fury upon you, foul beast-thing!” Ibdur shouted as he swung both axes at once and parried away a sideways arc from the thug leader who snorted furiously and bared his tusks. Ibdur rushed in, swinging at the half-orc’s knees, the latter stepping back and using his weapons’ end to try and counter-parry Ibdur’s strikes. The first two axe swings were blocked, Ibdur however ducked low and rolled forward beneath his foes’ reach. The half-orc impulsively brought his knee up in an attempt to smash Ibdur in the face - and that was his dire mistake. Ibdur made an upward slash with his right-handed weapon, the wicked blade cutting straight up the front of Gunalar’s knee severing flesh and ligaments. Gunalar’s hammer fell from his grasp and the half-orc wailed in pain, falling backward onto the ground.

Ibdur dropped his left-handed axe and leapt over Gunalar’s legs and onto his midsection, balancing himself atop the writhing half-orc. Gunalar’s hands came up, palms open in either surrender or failing defense. It mattered not. Ibdur with a single swing flayed eight of the fingers from Gunalar’s hands, the brute squealing like an oversized boar now as his bloodied stumps streamed crimson down his forearms. Ibdur grasped his one axe in both hands and raised it high and then brought the blade straight down Gunalar’s face with a loud crunch of bone and a spray of blood that painted the Tempuran’s crazed visage. The half-orc went silent, arms dropping against the dirt.

“Ha!” Ibdur let out his war cry a second time and pulled his axe free and then buried it a second time into the mangled face beneath him, Iliskra visibly wincing as more blood as well as flesh and gray matter spattered onto Ibdur and clung to his weapon and armor. Satisfied with his merciless butchering of the half-orc thug Ibdur finally hopped back onto the ground, collecting his second axe and using one shirt sleeve to try and wipe the gory remains from his face - succeeding only in smearing them into his beard and eyebrows. Iliskra felt her stomach churn and shook her head, turning away from the dwarf who now beamed in victorious pride as he twirled his axes at his sides.

“By Tempus it always fills with me a lively fire to fell an orc-blood!” Ibdur grinned viciously as he looked between Leon and Iliskra. Drops of blood ran along the dwarfs’ lips and pearly whites.

Leon stood slowly, turning to watch Ibdur finish off the half-orc in a spray of crimson and broken skull fragments. It was a bit much for his taste, but he had to hand it to the dwarf, the target was definitely dead. And likely wouldn't be coming back as anything either unless he had friends in very high places.

At least he may have some benefit in his death, Leon thought to himself, flicking the blood off of his weapon and running it along the coat of one of the fallen thugs for good measure. Sheathing the weapon, he kept his shield in his off hand as he walked back over to Ibdur and Iliskra.

"I trust you are well, Arahar," Leon asked, before turning his eyes on Iliskra, "it was a good counter ambush. You gave me the opening I needed." For once, he spoke the truth, outnumbered and outmaneuvered Leon and Ibdur might have been able to fight their way clear, but it was only because of Iliskra that the strangers lived through the experience. With that, he nodded calmly and walked past them and crouching down ten feet away from the strangers.

The woman was still very hostile, staring daggers at them as though she hadn't just seen these three kill four well armed enemy thugs in half a minute. The man seemed to recognize that Leon and his companions had little to gain by killing them, and was eagerly finishing off a very expensive cure potion that Leon had left for him.

"Now then, where were we?," Leon said

“You were just telling us about the man, the elf, and the dwarf - all professional killers it would seem - that came to find the man’s uncle in this forsaken city.” Elthel, the young woman, said venomously as her companion cast aside the now empty potion bottle.

“I wonder, she continued, “do you all have the same mysterious uncle? Is he human, elf, or dwarf?”

“Elthel, please,” the half-elf man said, wiping at the corners of his mouth, “these… three saved us. Be it intentional or not. And… they just killed that oaf Gunalar. Well done master dwarf… either way…”

Iliskra narrowed her eyes as she looked the half-elf man over. He was still quite sickly pale and seemed to be under great strain even now despite the healing potion given to him. “I… believe that… dart was poisoned…” he said aloud, as if he had read Iliskra’s very thoughts. The young red-haired woman lowered her blades and crouched next to her companion, Iliskra catching a glimpse of the concern welling up across her features.

“Those bastards,” Elthel hissed, “they were intent on killing you one way or another.”

“Who?” Iliskra asked, Elthel looked back around - her face immediately regaining all its’ distrustfulness. The half-elf grunted as he adjusted his sitting position, unlike Elthel he seemed more willing to talk, “Gunalar, who you just killed. I… was a fool. He lured me to his lair under promises of… a partnership. And then… he and his men sprang upon us; myself, Elthel, and Aseilia and Vrein. The latter two… did not make it. And one of Gunalar’s cutthroats threw a… dart straight into my shoulder… just after I had escaped the others’ trying to… flay me like a freshly caught trout. I should have known that boar-headed clod would throw… his lot in with Shagarm over me…”

“We need to get you back to-…” Elthel caught herself, realizing she had nearly revealed either a name or a place in her concern.

“Who are you lot? Truthfully, if I dare press.” the wounded man managed to string the query out smoothly, eyes moving between Leon, Iliskra, and Ibdur.

“We are not actually looking for his uncle,” Iliskra blurted out very suddenly, nodding toward Leon, “we are… let us say refugees that just arrived here.”

“Refugees?” the half-elf all but barked, raising his head and brows in disbelief, “and you came here - willingly?” Elthel’s eyes were but slits by now as she squeezed the hilt of her dagger tight, ready to pounce.

“We came from Chandlerscross together, where we first crossed paths,” Iliskra said evenly, “let us just say we are not welcome there or in Scarsdeep as we are the type of folk to be on the… offside of the law.”

“And so you came here? Here? To this fallen city overwhelmed by marauders, Red Wizards, and mercenaries?”

Ibdur looked sideways at Leon, as if waiting for a command to attack.

Leon glanced between his companions, idly wondering if they should just leave this pair of strangers to die. The woman clearly had no intention of cooperating, even with the life of her companion on the line and the slaughtered bodies of her enemies at her feet. It was tiresome and far too much effort for what seemed a small prize.

"It does say something about us a whole when the Tempuran Arahar is the most lawfully inclined of us," Leon said with a laugh, "but she is telling the truth. We met in Chandlerscross, and our skillset tends to work best with those who are not above operating against the law of the land to get the job done."

"You clearly don't seem to give a damn that we saved your lives. Fair enough. You didn't ask us to, and as I pointed out to the former Gundalar or whatever the hell his name was, lumping us in with you on his target list guaranteed his death. You also don't seem to care that my very expensive potion is the main reason your friend there is still breathing," Leon pointed out, then turned his eyes towards the man, "sorry friend, that it isn't doing more for you. I can't purge poison from your body, but I can stop it from hurting you for a handful of hours."

"So I'll throw that on the offering table to, after all I would hate to see my potion go to waste," Leon said, talking to them both, "help us find somewhere to rest up a bit and maybe some people that are willing to trade coin for a good set of skills. And it would be helpful if they were anti-... the fuck did the ugly guy say his boss's name was? Shaggy arms? Since we probably just axed our way out of his group. Literally."

"It's either help us and return the favor we've paid you, or go in peace and try to keep your friend alive on your own. But the next time I see you, I'll consider you fair targets just like we did Gundabar or whatever and his buddies, fair enough? Unless it's to pay me back for my potion, of course."

Screwing up the names was purposeful, the easy lie slipping between his lips reinforcing the idea that maybe their group had never heard of Shagarm. The offer of delaying the poison a few precious hours might also be enough to sway the woman if she really valued the life of the man next to her, which was a safe assumption since any other rogue would have left him in the dirt to die cleanly from the poison of Gunalar's blade. And then finally a threat to cap off the idea that refusing them will end up costing her in the future even more than losing her friend now.

The half-elf struggled up to a stand, what color remained in his face draining away as he wobbled on both knees. Concern filled the face of Elthel who warily put away her blade and grabbed ahold of her companion by his right shoulder and forearm.

“I say… we take them back with us.”

Elthel recoiled slightly, casting a sideways glare at the three newcomers.
“We do not need them, and you know this.” She seemed to be hinting at something.

“We would both be dead had they not come upon us. Gunalar and his men would have killed you… and then finished… me. By now both our heads would most likely be tied up in separate bags… grasped in the fists of Shagarm.”

Iliskra could see that even though the young woman tried to maintain a look of denial that in her eyes she knew it was true. The half-elf continued, “We just… need to get… back… and our friend can help me. If we… run into more trouble… perhaps these three will help us. I… will gladly pay you in coin for an escort.”
Iliskra saw a grin and a twinkle in the mysterious half-bloods’ eye as he turned his head, and yet her gut told her to trust him - somewhat. She could not help but wonder if just maybe these two were part of the Ashaba Talons. If they were, then she, Leon, and Ibdur had just gotten their foot over the threshold if fortune was so kind. The wounded elf-blood was hard to mark in his current state, but he and his lady companions’ armor and equipment looked to be of a fine quality removed from that of common ruffians. The young woman seemed impetuous without a doubt, but she did not come off as a tenderfoot to Iliskra. Not at all. Even if these two are not Talons they should be able to give us a solid lead. Willingly or by force. If they try to double cross us we can still make use of them.

“Perhaps instead of gold,” Iliskra piped up again, “you pay us with valuable information. An escort in exchange for a lead.”

The half-elf raised an eyebrow in thought before briskly answering, “Very well… then. What would you like to know?”

“Not here, and not in your current state.” Iliskra said pointedly, “Let us get you wherever you may need to go and then we can talk about your payment of tongue.”

“Agreed.”

“Are you sure about this?” Elthel demanded, still clinging onto the poisoned man.

“Yes. I think… they are a safe bet. And besides… you may… need help carrying me.”

Leon chuckled, moving back to his companions and shaking his head. He wondered what could be so important that the woman would risk her compatriots life just to try and stop the three of them from learning about it. Was this bunch of thieves as Gundalar had called them, so fragile that they feared three newcomers to the city?

"One of you two gets to do the negotiations next time," he said, nodding at Iliskra and Ibdur.

Doing a final pat down of the corpses, Leon checked his weapon and shield harness before setting off with the rest of the group. It would be slow going, since their guides were a very ill half-elf using another as a crutch and Leon moved to be the closest to them in case the woman decided she needed help after all. He trusted Iliskra and Ibdur to keep an eye on their surroundings, and in turn he kept an eye on the pair of half-elves as they walked. He offered no conversation, knowing that the strangers would need to keep their concentration on just moving along and his own companions would be focusing on the world around them for potential threats and markings.

Instead, he reached out towards the divine connection he felt with Mask, feeling the reassuring touch of the shadows on his body. Mask's reassurance was far from a guarantee of safety, but at least it promised that the Shadowlord's goals were being forwarded. Now he just had to hope that such goals included himself and his companions. It would be a shame after all to end up discarded like so many other assets.

It was not a very far trek, in fact Elthel indicated it was just two streets northward from the south wall. However, the poisoned state of her comrade made the walk long and tedious as Elthel and a very annoyed Ibdur had to all but drag him. The small group also had to diverge into an alleyway after Iliskra spotted a heavily armed bunch of four clomping down the middle of the street amid the cracked stones and decayed bodies. They were all human men, encased in full suits of steel plate armor and wielding a variety of weapons including a wicked-looking morningstar.

“Shagarm’s men.” Elthel spat as they disappeared down the street.

Once the coast was clear, so to speak, Elthel directed the group toward a rickety-looking two story wooden building. A sign hung from two chains over the door that said “Yanoriim’s Grocery” in bold, black lettering.

“This is a grocery shop.” Ibdur said the obvious as Elthel reached forward and turned the door handle.

“Yanoriim is one of our most trusted fences and sources of information outside of the city.” Elthel said as she pushed open the door with a labored creaking of hinges. She stepped inside followed by Ibdur and the hobbling half-blood.

Iliskra looked to Leon with a raised brow, “Be ready.” And with that she went in leaving her masked compatriot to bring up the rear. The afternoon was drawing to an end and evening would soon arrive. As the sun set the streets would grow more active in the worst of ways and Iliskra imagined this Shagarm’s grip was even tighter under the cover of night. She wondered how well their fellows across the river were doing. As complicated as this had already become Iliskra still preferred it over the idea of fighting Thayans and their armies of demons and undead.

The inside of the store was dimly lit by lanterns that hung the four walls and a large wooden chandelier lined with burning candles that presided overhead. The interior of the shop looked better than the outside. The floors were creaky but stable, the wallpaper was peeling here and there but not severely, and the shelves and racks of goods were orderly. Standing behind the counter on the far side across from the front door was a dwarf - portly even for his kind - with balding gray hair and a a thick but well-kept mustache.

“Can I help-…” the dwarfs’ words were cut short as he saw Elthel and the wounded half-elf before then blurting out, “Waukeen’s golden tits! Zilaster! What happened!? And where are?…” The dwarf looked among the group, obviously searching for others before his concerned eyes stopped on Iliskra and Leon - his worry immediately turning to suspicion.

“Things… did not… go as… planned…”

Zilaster. Iliskra thought, she had never heard the name of course but it was nice to have one to paste to the mysterious man before them.

“Be ready.”

"Always," Leon grumbled, looking up at the shop. Either their guides were crazy or the shop functioned as some kind of front or hidden safehouse. He tried to scan the storefront for hidden symbols or signs of a thieves' guild, but his knowledge of the secret language of thieves' was limited at best. Even if he had a mastery of the strange mix of slang and coded phrases, it was still possible that the Talons or whomever their guides were a part of didn't follow the common code anyways.

Come to think of it, it was rather odd that any shop, let alone one that specialized in food would be relatively undisturbed here. He shrugged, deciding that answers would come soon enough. As long as Iliskra watched the front, he would take care of their backs. Leon stepped inside but continued to keep an eye out towards the front to make sure the heavily armed and armored group they spotted didn't suddenly decide to backtrack.

Despite the dwarf shopkeep's concerned words and likely suspicion of Leon, Ibdur, and Iliskra, the priest continued to keep his focus towards the outside. Anything he said would likely be discarded by the shopkeep, and he was in no mood to play ten lies and a truth with the dwarf when Elthel and Zilaster could provide an easier introduction.

Elthel spoke up, “We went to meet with Gunalar as you know. And the bastard set upon us the moment he had us inside! All of his bluster about a ‘peaceful meeting’ was just a ruse. Aseilia and Vrein… they did not make it out. Zilaster and I barely escaped. Zilaster has been poisoned!”

“Zilaster, I told you that fork-tongued oaf was not to be trusted!” the dwarf barked, his brow crinkling fiercely.

“Spare me… your… correctness,” Zilaster growled, “just… get me to Roscela.”

“She is downstairs.”

“Good,” Elthel said,”but… Zilaster, what about them?” Elthel turned her head and nodded toward the newcomers.

“Wait… here,” Zilaster twisted around, looking at Leon in particular, “if I do not come back up… I will send word. They saved me, Yanoriim.”

The dwarf’s expression softened and he nodded, turning to a door behind the counter and with a jingle of keys unlocked and pushed it open. Elthel hurriedly ushered the weakening half-elf behind the counter and through the door which Yanoriim closed and relocked behind him.

A basement hideout or a secret passage, I wonder. Iliskra thought as the dwarf put away his key ring and turned to face the three before him.
“I should thank you then,” Yanoriim said, “if you did save Zilaster and Elthel. They are close friends and good business partners.”

“Business partners you say, what business?” Iliskra asked.

“Not your business,” Yanoriim smirked, “not unless Zilaster says otherwise.”

“Ah, so Zilaster runs the business.” Iliskra grinned.

Yanoriim’s smirk faded and he pursed his thin lips as if trying to forcibly contain anymore words from coming forth.

“Well, I suppose you might like to hear that Gunalar is dead.” Iliskra stated with a casual crossing of her arms.

“What?” Yanoriim’s eyes widened, “Dead? How? Neither of them said anything about it!”

Aselia. Vrain. Dead companions.

Roscela. A healer? Clearly someone they felt could help Zilaster.

Zilaster. Elthel. Representatives placed highly enough to negotiate on behalf of the others. The dwarf clearly defers to Zilaster.

Yanoriim. Grocer and business partner. Close friend too.

Leon smiled a bit as he continued to monitor the front of the shop. His mind noting the details down. It was far from proving anything was worth the trouble they were going through, but it was a good sign that they had at least made contact with -someone- outside of Shagarm's faction in the area. Their words made it aggravating to separate out the natural noises coming from outside that seeped in, but so far he could detect no clanking of weapons or chanting of spells. A good start, he supposed.

“What?” Yanoriim’s eyes widened, “Dead? How? Neither of them said anything about it!”

"I imagine having poison ravage your body tends to make one skip out on tiny details like the death of an ugly bastard like Gunalar. However, it would be most accurate to say that the rest of his skull is now as forked as his tongue, apparently," Leon said, his eyes still scanning the outside area, "though if you seek to hear the full story, credit goes to our dwarf companion there. It was actually a fantastic fight to be twenty or so feet away from at the time." The last part of his words were in a much lighter tone akin to a jest.

"You should tell him the tale, Ibdur," Leon said, keeping the lighter tone as he openly invited the dwarf priest to brag about his kill to a fellow dwarf.

"The woman, Elthel can confirm his words if you choose not to believe us of course," he muttered, his tone darkening again. He didn't like this situation. Who knows how many armed bodies could be hiding out behind that door they had disappeared into, and while the half elf Zilaster seemed genuinely grateful for their assistance, killing a thug like Gunalar was no guarantee they would not all find crossbow bolts in their backs for their efforts.

After all this was survival of the fittest in it's most urban version.

“Hardly a ‘tale’,” Ibdur grunted, “I once massacred a whole host of gnolls in the Sunset Mountains single-handedly. I was the only survivor of a wight ambush in the Farsea Swamp on a spring night, by the will of Tempus. Flaying a half-breed orc in a dirty alley is hardly a tale!”

“Our Tempuran comrade here, needless to say, killed the buffoon with ease.” Iliskra smirked in amusement at how quickly Ibdur suddenly worked himself up.

“Well, pardon my surprise,” Yanoriim’s composure returned, “Gunalar has plagued this part of the city for some time now. Most of the small-timers were afraid of him and either followed in tow behind him or just stayed as far away as they could.”

“Tell me,” Iliskra queried quite pointedly, “just how do you manage such a well-kept grocery shop of all things in this ‘city’.”

Yanoriim smiled whimsically, “Well, this store belonged to my father. The first of our line to leave his home behind. He spent many years as an adventurer, even going so far as Turmish once. After his adventuring days were over he settled down here and finished out his life running this store till the day he died. Obviously I have a sentimental tie to this place. To this city. But your question implied curiosity on a ‘way’ and not a ‘will’.”

Iliskra nodded.

“Let us just say that I make most of my gold moving and selling things more… invigorating than juicy pears and ripe gourds.”

“Illegal herbs and powders for example?” Iliskra prodded.

“I never said that.” Yanoriim smirked ,”Zilaster and I have been partners in business for years, long before the occupation even. I uphold my end of our affairs and he sees that my store and I stay protected. Besides that, I have a few trinkets around here to help me in a bad spot. For example I have a wand that can summon a bodak that was sold to me by an old acquaintance of Zilaster’s.”

“A bodak?” Ibdur raised a bushy red brow.

“A hideous undead creature with a scream so torturous that it can tear your very soul from your body.” Yanoriim smiled plainly. “I am no warrior or magicer but I have friends and tricks up my sleeve that have kept me alive even in the worst of it here in Scardale Town. And kept my store afloat.”

Leon suppressed a shudder at the mention of the bodak. A creature of the dark, to be sure, but one that is usually the result of a ritual dedicated to Orcus or a victim of a bodak. Undead creatures were already problematic to slay, but one that could simply sever the tie between your mortal body and your soul with so simple an action... the maskarran made a note to immediately cast silence and then sever both of the dwarf's arms if such a wand ever popped up. True, he and his companions could likely slay a bodak quickly enough, but it was not a risk Leon was willing to gamble on.

"And those friends and tricks of yours, sir dwarf. How do they relate to this Shagarm that Elthel mentioned while we were on our way here? We passed a patrol of his men in the street not far away, and apparently Gunalar is a... well, I suppose its now was a former employee of sorts. I imagine there must be some difficulty merely running a shop with these thugs around... let alone one that has a door that leads to friends of people that were just ambushed by their agents?," Leon asked, finally looking away from the front of the shop to cast a curious look at Yanoriim, "understand that I do not ask out of any suspicion. Just that we seem to have made an enemy of someone that your friends consider foul and dangerous. I would be very curious to know what kind of blades I can expect to be brought to my neck."

"Anything you can tell us would be helpful," Leon said, his eyes flitting towards the door that Zilaster had disappeared into as though in silent reminder of a debt owed. He wasn't expecting to get much, but any information the dwarf had was likely to be far more recent that what Breck had been able to share, and knowing how far Shagarm's reach extended could be vital to future operations.

“Bah,” Yanoriim grunted in disgust, “Shagarm has been nothing but a growing threat to us since they first appeared in the city this past summer.”

“What do you know about Shagarm?” Iliskra echoed Leon, arms crossed over her chest.

“Near nothing, and that is what bothers me.” Yanoriim furrowed his brow, “What I do know is what most folk around know. Shagarm arrived with a small band of mercenaries earlier this year, back in the summer as I said. Small but seasoned and vicious. The southern side of this city was in turmoil, every other street had some petty gang or runty bunch of hooligans squabbling over houses to shake down and streets to raise their flag over. Gunalar was just one of about a dozen of his like. And then across the river the holdouts of the city watch and those accursed Red Wizards were fighting it out.”

“When did the Red Wizards first show up?” Iliskra asked.

“Not very long after the end of the plague. A terrible thing that was, so many, many people dead and so much chaos that rose up in its’ wake. If this city comes to an end, that epidemic was the start of it all.”

Iliskra knew of what the dwarf spoke. The “shaking plague” it had been called. Many said it was the worst disease ever known in this part of the continent if not all of Faerûn. Victims of the sickness suffered from a painful pox, a horrid fever, muted speech and of course uncontrollable shaking before meeting a final agonizing end. Over half of Scardale Town had perished and thereafter was when total chaos broke out. And like vultures the Red Wizards descended upon the weakened city.

“But you first asked me about Shagarm,” Yanoriim twisted his head to one side drawing a satisfying crack from his neck, “Shagarm and their bunch quickly rose to the top here on this side of the river. What small-timers that did not leave or fall in behind Shagarm were killed - often in the most horrific of ways. Before long it was not just local thugs joining Shagarm’s ranks. Blades-for-hire, deserters from Sembia and the Dales, even washed out pirates from the Dragon Reach. Like moths to flame, I tell you. By Marpenoth most of this part of the city was under Shagarm’s thumb save for sparse holdouts - Zilaster now being the last of note it seems since Gunalar finally caved.”

“How have the city watch and Red Wizards reacted to this?” Iliskra asked.

“Well,” Yanoriim sighed knowingly, “neither are in favor of course, but they are too wary of turning their backs on each other to lash out at Shagarm. At the same time Shagarm’s rise has lessened the clashes between them as neither wants to risk weakening themselves and being at the mercy of their rival or this new player in ‘the game’.”

’The last of note’… Iliskra tossed a sideways knowing glance at Leon before asking, “Just who is Shagarm? What are they?”

“I have not the faintest guess,” Yanoriim said monotonously, “no one really does other than those close to Shagarm. Rumor has it they are imposing and charismatic and are said to be damned fine with a sword. That is all I know.”

A charismatic mercenary with the ability to rally together a sizable force. Nothing unheard of at all. Iliskra thought.

“Here lately the Red Wizards seemed to be desperate,” Yanoriim added with a single raised brow, “just last week they sent a swarm of undead and shadow beings against Shagarm’s riverside defenses - Shagarm’s men held them back but it was a costly attack I hear.”

“Do Shagarm’s men prove a problem for you?” Iliskra asked.

“They come here once a week demanding ‘protection’ money. I pay it and occasionally give them free fruit. They leave me be. Better to cooperate since their ‘tax’ is nothing crippling and I need to maintain the ruse as a humble shopkeeper for the sake of my business partners. Not to mention I have no desire to see my fathers’ shop burned to the ground.”

Leon continued to listen, filing away the information in his mind and trying to plug in some of the shadowy corners of this puzzle that was this city and it's factions. It bothered him how Shagarm could be so popular, able to motivate so many of the armed and dangerous masses, and yet no one had a reasonable clue as to the man's, if it even was a man, identity. Aside from this unpleasant fact, Shagarm's group seemed to be a typical black mercenary company taking advantage of the lack of rule of law. If the fates had been a little more in the Talon's favor... maybe Leon and Iliskra would find themselves employed on the other side of the line.

"You ever think we should have just headed out for a different city? Red Wizards, violent mercenaries, and an ineffective city guard," Leon said towards Iliskra, throwing her a friendly grin and a wink to show he was joking, "ah well, no glory for the idle, I guess."

"I take it then Shagarm is the closest thing to someone being in charge on this side of the city?," Leon asked rhetorically, "hopefully he wasn't overly fond of Gundalar."

If the Red Wizards launched an assault on Shagarm, they would have done so with forces they could afford to spare. If they were lucky, Breck's forces would arrive to reinforce the Guard soon, and maybe they could push hard against the Wizards. The less fighting that he had to do against those power grabbing fanatics, the better. The power of Mask would only protect him so far, and the Wizards rarely sent out an expedition unless they were prepared to turn it into a literal graveyard.

Yanoriim’s mouth opened to reply when there was a knocking on the door that Zilaster and Elthel went through, specifically five knocks with a single count between each rap. Yanoriim quickly turned and unlocked the door, pulling it open to reveal Elthel. The young woman looked instantly to the three newcomers, Iliskra noting her expression had softened greatly even if it looked weary - the lingering scowl from earlier finally gone. Elthel’s hood was lowered letting her thick mane of red hair hang loose all around her head and shoulders.

“Zilaster is better now,” Elthel declared, “or at least the poison has been taken care of. Roscela said he would live… but the malaise will be with him for several days she thinks.”

Yanoriim nodded in understanding, Elthel looked between Iliskra and Leon saying, “Zilaster sends his payment.” She reached for her belt and pulled a bulging pouch from it and tossed it to Iliskra. Iliskra nimbly undid the string and pulled the bag open looking inside as Elthel announced the contents as being fifteen pink pearls worth a hundred gold a piece. Iliskra poured the pearls out into her open palm delicately, handing Leon and Ibdur their share of the small gemstones as Elthel smiled wryly. “Zilaster also said that if the three of you wished to further employ yourselves to us there will be more - and not just pearls.”

“So,” Iliskra said, tossing the now empty bag back to Elthel and putting away her pearls, “Zilaster is interested in our services. As… bodyguards?”

Elthel’s smile turned to a dimpled smirk, “Not exactly. With Gunalar dead his gang are now in a vulnerable position. Zilaster said we need to act right now; to go to Gunalar’s compound and finish off what remains of his lackeys. Ideally before word starts spreading of Gunalar’s demise.”

“‘We’?” Iliskra questioned.

“If you three are interested then you shall accompany me and two others of our band that will meet us there. If you are not there are others I can call upon, granted it will take more time.”

“Six of us?” Iliskra raised her brows, “After Gunalar’s gang nearly killed four of your number, including your leader?”

“We were caught off-guard, and… Zilaster was foolish to believe anything that half-orc offered as genuine. This time we will have the advantage of surprise.” Elthel retorted. “It is simple really, you three impressed Zilaster with your skills and he also has a problem that needs to be immediately dealt with. Accompany me in finishing off this rabble and Zilaster will pay you further and may even find more work for you. If, again, you are interested.”

“This ‘compound’ may have quite a bit of loot stashed away.” Yanoriim muttered as he closed and locked the door behind Elthel.

“Well?” Elthel raised a brow as she pulled her hood back over her head.

Iliskra looked over her shoulder knowingly at Leon awaiting his input.

Leon nodded as Elthel gave them an update on Zilaster's status. He considered extending his sympathies at the suffering the man would have to endure, but their was little he could do about it. Mask had granted him power enough to heal and to slow the spread of poison, but eliminating poison from inside of a damaged body... that would be stepping on the toes of gods who's domains oversaw the end of a man's fate. He took his share of the payment, examining one of the pearls not out of greed, but rather with interest in them as potential foci for spells. Pearls had their uses in magic, usually in identification magic. It was hardly compensation considering his consumed potion, but it would suffice for now to open the door to what he hoped was either the remains of the Talons, or someone who could point them in that direction.

"Coin does tend to make the world go round... but for the record, I am far more interested in what a group like yours has to offer a band of misfits like us who are about to go piss in Shagarm's coffee cup on your behalf," Leon said, pocketing the pearls and turning to look at Elthel, "after all, Gunalar's death I could claim as self-defense. Not that any bruiser worth the name would spare my life over it, but it might be enough to dodge a price on my head. What you're asking us to do is a hit job. Deliberate and with the potential to be very loud."

"...but, last I checked this place of yours had a solid roof and some places where a body or three could hide out, and I am a man who needs his beauty sleep," Leon said, his tone shifting slightly to one of jest at the last few words, "so I'll go with you, my companions can answer for themselves of course, but I will. As long as you help us find someplace secure where we can rest once the job is done and it is understood that if I think any of the three of us are about to die pointlessly, I'll leave your ass in the dirt. For what it's worth, I don't expect you to throw away your life to save mine either."

He spoke the words with an air of a man who just wanted to set things straight with a new partner, making it clear that he valued his own life and Iliskra's and Ibdur's more than any revenge attempt of Elthels. He would fight as though they were best friends, up until the point where it became clear they were going to lose, if that ever became the case, then he would take his companions and extract them from harm.

"Deal?"

“You’re quite the mouthy one, aren’t you?” Yanoriim remarked behind a simpering Elthel.

Iliskra sighed shortly under her breath, raising her right hand in motion with her speech in a “diplomatic” showing, “Leon is merely making the obvious point that killing - assassinating - the remnants of Gunalar’s men in his abode is an apparent and direct action against this Shagarm. And while none of the three of us are the sort to turn down coin, even coin stained with blood, we must be sure of our own safety before we agree to help you against someone that you yourselves say is moving to take over this city.”

“The surest way to guarantee you remain unknown to Shagarm is that we make sure we kill everyone in Gunalar’s compound,” Elthel replied as she adjusted her shoulder pads and armor harness, “I doubt that any of Shagarm’s own number have taken to the likes of that falling down house that Gunalar and his buffoons took for themselves. We use the shadows to our advantage and make this quick and quiet. Unless Gunalar’s body is found it will be days before Shagarm knows about this.”

Elthel stepped past the three and made for the door, stopping just short of it and looking over her shoulder, “As for a place to stay, we still have a number of safehouses and hidden dens that Zilaster might offer you. And if he or you three either is not inclined there are taverns and boarding houses that Shagarm’s men leave in peace so long as they pay their ‘taxes’.”

As she said, so long as we leave no witnesses we can move about freely - somewhat anyway. Iliskra thought. Helping Elthel and these others could not only see more coin falling into their laps - as well as whatever the late Gunalar may have hoarded away in his hideout - but also grant them a solid footing in the underworld of the city as the three looked to carry out their assignments by Breck. Most of what Iliskra and her two companions had seen so far in this part of the city had been rabble, even if some had been well-armed rabble, and she, Leon, and Ibdur were more than capable of making an impression with their skills. This was an opportunity through and through.

“Well then,” Iliskra said, “no witnesses and payment upon the finishing of this job. With the promise of perhaps more work to come.”

Elthel nodded as she pulled open the front door with a creak, lingering to wait for the three.

“I’m not much for skulking,” Ibdur grumbled, “but… what else have we?”

“You will be fine, good dwarf. Let us be off.” Iliskra smiled.

“Let’s hurry, it will be dark in a few hours.” Elthel said.

Leon shrugged his shoulders, double-checking his gear harness and ensuring he was ready for trouble as they began to head out into the city. With Elthel leading the group since she knew their destination, he fell back into a rearguard position near Ibdur. The dwarf was far from quiet, but silencing sounds was a minor power he could call upon if it became necessary. The positioning also gave them a solid rear defense in case of an ambush, though if they were ambushed on the way there, they were either very unlucky or had no hope of catching their quarry unawares.

He still wasn't convinced that this was the wisest move for them, but it was one of the only ones they had to make and realistically, the job was to make contact with an anti-Shagarm faction. Sure, it might be preferred if it was the Talons, but as long as they could direct knives into the backs of the mercenaries, any group would do. When they paused for Elthel to check ahead for any trouble, Leon glanced to the north, wondering how the rest of Breck's forces were doing. Based on the information they had been given, and the subtle nudges given to him by Mask, it was going to be a while before any significant changes were reported. All he could do is watch, wait, and be ready.

"Copper for your thoughts, Ibdur?," Leon asked, his eyes turning back towards the rooftops around them, "we're not off to a bad start with this group at least, but I do wish we knew more about our target."