Shattered Star

"Of course you aren't," Anastasia says, kneeling down in front of the woman. "Because you're loyal, and because you know what happens to snitches. Except there's a problem, isn't there. There is no honor among thieves and crooks. Even if your girls did get you back, and they're not going to come for you, it wouldn't be a daring rescue. It would be to make sure you never become a snitch." She looks the woman dead in the eye. "I'll be honest, it doesn't make much difference to me. If you talk, then you've helped us, and we'll probably help you in return. If you don't, then I'll respect your loyalty, even if I can't overlook you attacking us. One chance. Your call how you want to play this."

”They would never...” she sputters out, but her eyes seem less than certain. She lays there for a moment in an awkward position, her eyes darting between all the armed people around her. ”First I want up. Then I want a promise that I can flee the city on my own terms. I want it ironclad. Sworn to whatever god you hold dear. Then I’ll talk.”

"Fair enough," Anastasia nods. "Counteroffer. If we do, you make the same oath not to kill anyone except in self-defense."

”On my way out of the city,” she replies. ”After that no promises. But it’s not like I plan to just murder people all the time. I may be a criminal but i’m Not some crazy killer.”

"See, I unfortunately can't take anything less than what I asked for," Anastasia shakes her head, pulling a holy symbol out from under her jacket. "Paladin oaths, you see. My powers didn't have any effect on you yesterday, so I know you're not an evil person, but you are a ruthless one, and if I let you go and you end up killing someone, that's on me. So you've got two choices, you either help us out, forswear killing unless you absolutely have to, and walk away, or you turn me down. Like I said, I'm good either way."

Terisha stares at Anastasia for a long moment. Her eyes betray a mix of anger and fear. When she finally speaks it is quiet and terse. ”Fine, I swear it before your god and any other damn god that cares. Now swear your oath and make with the questions.”

Anastasia nods. "On my word as a paladin of Sarenrae, I will allow you to go free and leave Magnimar unimpeded." Her oath sworn, Anastasia puts her holy symbol back under her shirt. "So, a few things I'm going to need from you. First, a map. We'll remove your restraints so you can sketch one out. Doesn't have to be a cartographic masterpiece, just a rough sketch of the layout and what is where. Guard patrols if you can remember them too. Second, your compatriots' capabilities. Any notable weaponry, skills or magic they might have. Third, and most important: Do any of them have a chunk of metal in their possession that looks like the one Cecilia had, especially that they might have found in the Crow itself?"

Terisha's bonds are undone and she cooperates while drawing out a basic map of the areas the Tower Girls have occupied in the crow. "Can't guarantee where guard patrols will be at any given time, they go all over. Ayala is still figuring out where she wants things, so stuff moves quite a bit. The best constant is that there will be guards above the entrance, watching to see if anyone approaches. There is one helpful thing I can say about those guard placements though. Oathday has Risha on the entryway's midnight guard shift. Risha is notorious for falling asleep when its her turn. If you want to get in unnoticed, that's your best bet. The first floor bafflingly only connects to the fourth from the entrance, though can go lower if you come down from the second, and the guard patrols do take advantage of that. You'll find more guards above than below. Usually the only guards on the first floor will be in the room next to the stairway up. As for the chunk of metal, no. We haven't found such a thing."

With the interrogation done, Meliora gets Cade's attention. "Okay, so just to make sure I'm understanding everything that's going on here," she says, idly twirling her hair with a finger as she thinks. "There's an artifact that looks like a piece of metal we're looking for in a place called the Crow, which is currently home to a gang of were rats called the Tower Girls? And the last artifact you and the others obtained was similar but it got stolen by the person who betrayed you?"

"...Yes, that's correct," Cade affirms with a nod.  "The shards are pieces of a legendary and powerful artifact, thought to be a myth by historical accounts.  Now that we know it exists, however, we have been tasked to find the pieces before anyone else does to ensure its power does not fall into the wrong hands."  Cade pauses as he glances to the floor.  "Already a difficult task given the situation," Cade admits,  "but one made all the more perilous now that Flynt has made known his intentions to take the relic for himself..."

"I'm sure it'll work out," Meliora says brightly. "We got so much information about the Crow from Terisha, we'll definitely be able to beat them to the next piece!"

Cade's serious expression lightens a bit at that.  With a soft smile, he says "Indeed.  With any luck, we'll find the shard well before Flynt would attempt the feat himself, and be well on our way to finding the next.  What worries me more than the Tower Girls, frankly," Cade adds while looking back at Anastasia's interrogation of Terisha, "are the possible traps within the Crow.  It has been sealed for centuries--possibly millennia--and I've seen no accounts of what lies inside..."

"I think that's exciting!" Meliora says, bubbling with cheer. "We get to be the first people to set foot in this area for hundreds or thousands of years! Even if it'll be a little dangerous, just think about the songs and stories of heroes doing the same thing we're going to be doing!"

"Not the first, Sumner," Anastasia shakes her head. "The Tower Girls have already set up shop there and we're going to have to deal with them, plus whatever traps they've already identified, plus whatever traps they set up. And that's not accounting for how quickly Flynt and whatever crew he's working with will get in, meaning we're on a timer that we can't even see."

"Better get going then, we need to prepare for this and time's wasting" Ali chimes in

With that, Ali, Naomi and Meliora file out of the room to prepare for their incursion into the Crow, leaving Cade with Anastasia and Terisha as they finish the interrogation.  "...If I may," Cade begins as Anastasia finishes questioning Terisha, "I would be happy to help you with seeing Miss Terisha out of the city.  There's not much left for me to prepare, you see," he adds with a sheepish chuckle.

Anastasia shrugs. "Fine by me, Bennet. Terisha, whenever you're ready we'll personally see you to the city limits."

”Finally,” she says, standing up. ”Lead me the fuck out of here already.”

With that, Cade and Anastasia take the lead and escort Terisha from the Heidmarch premises.  The sun is near-noon as they walk the streets, with Anastasia keeping a keen eye on her charge as the three head for the city limits.  Cade likewise keeps his attention on Terisha, but opts for some light conversation while they walk.  "...So, Miss Anastasia" Cade idly muses as the three turn a corner leading to the Capital District, "how fared you last night?  Did you sleep well?"

Anastasia's eye twitches. "It went as my nights tend to go," she responds tersely. "More stressful, perhaps, given everything that's happening. And yours?"

"Ah, well... well enough, I suppose," Cade replies sheepishly.  "We spent a good while at the baths washing off the... unpleasantness.  ...I am sorry to hear about your night, of course," he continues, "I should have assumed Flynt's..." he pauses to search for the right word. "...actions would have upset you in some way.  My apologies, perhaps I should have began on a more amicable topic..."

”You two are the worst to listen to,” Terisha butts in. ”Just fucking kill me now.”

"Don't tempt me," Anastasia mutters. "Look, it was just a bad night. Don't apologize, just drop the subject and move on."

"Very well then," Cade obliges, switching topics with the deftness of a brick.  "I will admit, I am honored to work alongside a paladin of Saranrae," he compliments.  "I'm not a very pious man, I'm afraid, but I agree with much of what I read about Her.  Oh, speaking of," he continues, adjusting his glasses with a smile, "have you ever visited the Shrine of Seranrae in the Underbridge District?  It's a shame it's been abandoned for so long--I've read it was quite beautiful while the founder was alive."

"I have," Anastasia says, nodding slowly. "It's something of a rite of passage for acolytes and trainees, to visit the shrine and pray there for a day in Father Vosten's memory. Even after we established a presence, we leave it as a reminder that not everyone welcomes Sarenrae's light, but also that we must fight to preserve it at all costs." She spares a glance at Cade, seeming to weigh something before speaking again. "I take it you're a historian, right? You know a lot about old things."