Chapter Zero: New Gold for Old Bones

Karnoz peeked through the slats of the wagon, watching the scene unfold with sharp eyes and good grief, was that a chest right next to him?

Seeing his newfound allies striking down the rival guildsmen, the watch seem dumbfounded for the moment.

"We have no quarrel with the Watch!" he shouted, but not revealing himself. "You are outnumbered and surrounded! Leave the docks, and no harm will befall you tonight lest you force our hand!"

Karnoz truly hoped that they would not have to fight the watch members, not that he cared a whit for their lives, but as ever, Karnoz was a long term thinker, even for a shithole like Kurvoss. I frightened guard was far more useful than a martyred one, and should this patrol wander elsewhere, they could still cause much trouble for other rival guilds members rioting in the town. On top of all that, he didn't want to waste the time killing them when he had so little to spare.

[color=cyan] As time permits, let the scene unfold. Hopefully, the guard beats it and I can have a chat with the Corbies when it's safe. No Binger or Taxman will survive the encounter, regardless. If possible, check and open the chest next to me.[/cyan]

Over the din and clamor, and underscored by volleys of Corbie crossbow bolts hissing through the night's riverborne breeze, a woman's pitched voice snapped in reply.  "The Watch's blades are sharp, and our resolve is as steeled as our shields!  We'll not leave until this riot is quelled, dog!  Yield, flee or fall to us!"

But from his place behind the battered wagon, Karnoz peeked beneath and noticed that the guards seemed to spare the Nevergreen Bingers from their ire; one Watchman circled about an embattled Taxman, not only pinching that Taxman between himself and his lieutenant but protecting a gravely wounded Binger with his own body as well.  And the brutish half-orc fighting at the Watch's side was surely no Watchman himself; was he a sellsword, or was he an enforcer for the Brass Rubles?  These signs and hints suggested loudly enough that this particular band of Town Watchmen were almost certainly from Kurvoss' North Quarter, and thus were squarely in the coffers of Burgomaster Riyalus of Pochva, that craven and desperate snake who would surely stoop to any means to reclaim what political power his rivals had swindled and bullied from him in recent years.

Had Burgomaster Riyalus, nestled in his lofty tower, somehow heard of Yorgo's treachery against Arno Hennbauer and the message delivered from a noble house over a great many leagues?  Was he himself aiding Yorgo's escape through the Nevergreen Bingers?

Such speculations would need to wait, given the hew and cry against Binger, Taxman, Brass Ruble and Yorgo alike.  Karnoz furtively slinked over to the tumbled merchant chest, picks and tension bar in hand, and Arno crept along behind him.




Thrusting and twisting his tools inside the brass-plated lock's cylinder with all due haste, Karnoz and his intuition knew exactly how each tumbler in that lock should be coaxed and prodded.  The banded lid promptly rose away in the rogue's black-gloved hand, laying bare to the stars a thin layer of Desyatka coins which served as the bed for eight amberglass bottles of Fioriallian white wine — Campi di Zaffiro by name — and a thick scrollcase carved from ashwood and sealed with a tin cap on either end...not a bad find, as things seemed, but understandably fated to disappear to the many prying hands of Kurvoss as soon as the wharf's roustabouts and hired vigilantes had been cut down or driven to flight by the turmoil which Arno had seeded.




Karnoz >

Karnoz cursed as the battle he did not want suddenly broke out. Even the lucrative discovery did little to quell his foul mood.

"We do not have time for this..." he hissed to Hennbauer, even as he slipped the scroll case into one of his pockets and relocked the chest.

"We will skirt around to the left and trust the Corbies to kill everyone behind us." he said, even as he crouched low towards the pile of stacked barrels behind him, dragging the chest with him. Staying hidden, Karnoz quickly stashed the chest in with the other junk and then made to bolt around the house to his left and down the street, hopefully leaving the battle behind him.

Corrections: I was slinking back and stashing the chest in the stuff that is behind and to the left of Karnoz...they look like tan barrels or some such but I can't really tell. Then full sprint up and around the building just next to dead Fred, so as to avoid sight and encounter as much as possible.

That help?

Karnoz will run down the right hand side and stealth behind the barrels, sneaking to the end of the row and scope out the scene. If there are Corbies around, hopefully they can give me a scout report as well.