The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Helene Dakesh]

"This one will scry. Do you have a mirror, or a bowl of water? Silver is best for the bowl option."

[Haliel Lightsong]

"Yes, I can... Find that. Something. Back quickly!" The paladin hurries back out of the room despite Varric's demands to explain that bit about being followed.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene begins digging through the satchel they had kept nearby since they had returned to their rooms, looking for the right spell components for the scrying.

[Varric]

"I hate working with amateurs," the dwarf mutters after the door closes. Doesn't help that I have barely have my normal loadout... really need a proper lab or my own spell pouch. Gods only know where my stuff is.

[Helene Dakesh]

"Amateurs?" asks Helene, opening a pouch to remove some crystals and a small cloth pouch.

[Varric]

''Amateurs, yeah. At intrigue, cloak and dagger, grey market business, any of that. Not trying to insult any of you, but my current allies are a pair of scholars- maybe, one is MIA- and a paladin of all things. Not exactly the most... traditional of companions on this kind of quest.'' He shrugs. ''Increased challenge, increased fun. I may also like to bitch about things. It's a dwarf thing.''

[Helene Dakesh]

...quest? Cloak and dagger? Varric is... an adventurer? 

Helene remains quiet, pulling the fetish she made from her apprentice's hair and blood out of her bag, placing it on a cloth on the floor. This one will do this one's best.

[Haliel Lightsong]

A few minutes later, Lightsong returns with two options for Helene. A simple mirror no bigger than the palm of her hand and a silver buckler with enough dip and lip to hold water. ''Sorry, but this is all I could find without wandering too much. And I was worried about asking the servants to find scrying things.''

[Helene Dakesh]

"Appreciated."

Helene sets up the ritual and casts. The small hand mirror fogs, then clears, showing them a scene: a bit of the underground tunnels used for maintenance and carrying of water, some caverns that shouldn't exist but always end up adjacent to cities such as Draslina. Places with fewer eyes, places without outsiders, places where unsavory or illegal dealings can be carried out. Places slaves can be transported without passing through districts that would free them. 

[Marian Hawke]

Marian curls up under a thin blanket, writing in a small volume -- a diary. She shivers a bit; it's not cold in the cavern, per se, but she's not feeling her best right now. Record the facts. In cipher. Don't worry about finding meaning until later.

Don't think too hard about the facts, just record them.

Alright, that's done. Now, what's next? She takes a deep breath, lets it out. I have a place to go. But not for long. I'll need to move to another place or rush the gang within the next few days. And... Maybe joining is the way to go. She hesitates, glancing over at the other volume she has with her: a holy text. Maybe. But Lightsong would be so disappointed. 

[Varric]

''...should we be worried your apprentice is in, hopefully, smuggler caves? I think I'm a bit worried. Is anyone else worried?''

[Haliel Lightsong]

Lightsong stares at the tiny mirror, biting her lip. ''She looks... alone.'' Why hasn't she come to me for help? Is she... maybe she's worried about me being overburdened with helping Seeker Helene and Mister Tethras?

[Helene Dakesh]

"Worried," echoes Helene. She takes a deep breath. "Find. Retrieve. Depart. Acceptable?"

[Haliel Lightsong]

There's a faint noise behind then, Varric turning in time to see Lightsong tossing the blade she had been carrying around on the bed and strapping on a much older but also higher quality looking one to her waist. ''Yes. I... I will accompany you.''

[Marian Hawke]

"Bad news," says Sparky, and he doesn't look displeased in the least.

Marian glances up, closing the book of Zanon's scriptures. What now? I already-- I already performed one distasteful act today. What more could you want? "Oh?"

"Rent's gone up," he says, stretching.

Marian stares at him, at the bulge in his pants, and for a moment she doesn't understand. Doesn't want to understand. What rent? For this cavern? This hidey hole for his gang? Surely he's not paying rent. Then, meaning forces its way into her clever mind anyway, and she pales. Oh. That wasn't... enough.

"I just paid you," she says dully. "Not two hours ago."

"Tough shit. Rent's gone up."

She shudders. "Again?"

"Nah. That was a nice appetizer, but I think you're gonna have to offer a little more if you don't want to get evicted."

But I'm a virgin! She swallows, toying with the hem of her tunic. "I... I can do better?" she offers, groping for descriptions. "I could--"

"Let's see the goods," he says, looking her up and down. "Then we'll talk about what you can 'do better'"

Swallowing a whimper, she eyes him again. Twice my size. Blocking the door. I can't get past him. She closes her eyes, then, shoulders slumping just a bit, and begins to lift her tunic over her head.