Time to Get Involved
Westgate. The most powerful force controlling the Sea of Fallen Stars after Sembia and Cormyr. It was the city where the spirit of the Dragon Coast crystalized, and the citizens were not ashamed of it. The slums of hollow-eyed poor people intent on their survival sprawled chaotically to the outskirts of the city, while the mansions of the filthy rich rivaled each other in gaudiness nearer the markets and official buildings of the central city. A city of all religions, races, societies - and coins.
They passed the filth and hopelessness the impoverished lived in, and Jelena's eyed darkened. When they passed a temple of Loviatar in plain sight, her mouth pinched into a tight line. The goddess of torture, sadism and pain was the true enemy of Ilmater, the diametric opposite of his beliefs.
- "Loviatar is popular here," Winski said. "The young men and women of the most powerful noble houses find that the decadence makes them open-minded, brave and above conventional thought."
Jelena just shook her head, and Imoen shivered.
- "Huh. Now if they want to party together and shove cat-o-nine-tails' up each others' rectums it is all right by me, but what I don't get is why would anyone want to worship a nasty goddess like that," Peri said.
- "For power she grants? Because they are sadists? Who knows," Sarevok shrugged.
- "Frustrated kids who get everything they could possibly want, are too lazy or stupid to try to fill the emptiness of their lives with study or creation, and too selfish to try to fill it with an altruistic purpose. Hedonism is everything they know, and they must try more and more shocking ways to please themselves," Winski said.
- "I usually don't mind people's beliefs, but Loviatar..." Imoen bit her lip. "Torture is... well. You know."
- "Yes. We know," Sarevok said.
- "This city is the other side of tolerance," Jelena said. "Tired, uncaring indifference."
- "Better this than some oppressive state run by some righteous jerks with a poleaxe stuffed up their ass," Peri said. "At least they leave you alone here. Sort of."
- "That is, if they are afraid of you or if you have nothing to take," Jelena said. "Perhaps there could be a system where the rulers would be responsible to the people. All the people. They would lose their power if they did not rule justly..."
- "Sounds like a big chaos to me, but it would be interesting to watch," Peri said.
- "You seem to rather readily suggest inserting different anatomically challenging items into rectums, Peri," Winski smiled. "Why the anal fixation?"
Peri grinned and shrugged.
- "Rectal and coital humor is truly universal," she mused. "What's that anyway?"
They stood by a massive colosseum, where they could hear noises of fighting and a crowd cheering.
- "Enter the arena of Quivering Thumb!" the ticket seller said, approaching them. "Open non-stop, fights to death!"
- "Wait a moment, if you please," Sarevok said. "What did you say again? What, exactly, is 'Quivering Thumb'?
His voice was cultured, quiet and pleasant, his smile faint and friendly. Peri shivered and shot a look at Winski. Knowledgeable as he was usually, the man seemed to be just as uninformed as the rest of them.
- "Oh, good travelers! You haven't heard of Westgate's latest attraction? A gladiatorial enterprise, sought by many cities but Westgate came up with the best offer. Popular with common folks, nobles and merchants alike! Ticket one gold piece to the lowest rings, hundred to the exquisite seats!"
- "And who are fighting in the pits?" Sarevok asked, still in that mild and kind tone.
- "Oh, slaves and all sort of beasts," the man answered, "and magical ones too."
- "Isn't that kind of... harsh on the slaves and the animals?" Sarevok asked, his voice lower now.
- "Oh no, not at all. They earn their freedom and a thousand gold pieces if they survive a year in the pits," the ticket seller said. "Practically we are doing a communal service here."
Jelena snorted to that, and Sarevok strained himself, Peri touching his arm.
- "Thank you... but no thank you. We have seen blood before, and no doubt will see still," Sarevok said stiffly, and they started to leave. Must not get involved... must mind Peri... can not solve all the problems of strangers...
- "Do not go yet! There is something for everyone in the city! Anything can be done for a price! You fancy Black Lotus then? Women?"
- "No, I do not fancy Black Lotus or women."
Sarevok's voice would have warned most people off, but the peddler seemed too intent in making a deal to mind his tone.
- "Men then? Or perhaps you have more... particular tastes? We have a fresh shipment of very young, untouched children from Maztica, right..."
Suddenly he could not breath very well anymore. He found the large stranger holding him effortlessly with one hand squeezing his throat, the golden eyes burning like fires of the Abyss.
- "A... 'shipment' of children? Sold for pleasure slaves?"
- "Khhlllk..."
- "Sarevok, I think he is trying to talk," said a pink-haired young woman the peddler had figured as a noble woman wearing the latest fashion.
The large man eased his grip just a little.
- "...i... is p...perfectly... legal..."
- "Oh, it is all right then, isn't it," sneered a gaunt, thin-faced man wearing black. "If no-one throws you to jail you can make your living by destroying the lives of innocent young beings."
- "... they are just... dark-skinned children... not like us..."
Big mistake. The squeeze tightened again, the man almost popping his eyeballs. The peddler panicked and uttered a high-pitched squeal. Then, eased again.
- "...i...hhh... I'm just a salesman! This goes higher..." he babbled in horror.
- "You disgust me," the golden-eyed man snarled. "But I will not kill you, if you tell me how, and who, is organizing this disgusting business."
He did, and as he was left alone, he ran like demons were at his heels.
- "Time to get involved," Sarevok said. Tamoko did not have black skin, but she had yellow.
