Chapter 41: Underbelly

Any two-bit criminal or edgy crimelord could proclaim that Blackstone Hollow was their city. But this would be a grave mistake. Blackstone Hollow had only one master. And that was the Duchess. To the common citizen of her holdfast, Vina was a benevolent ruler. She had a different way of showing her caring side. She protected those in need. Punished those who deserved it. And slayed the ones who sought to usurp her holding of power. First on her worklist was tending to an underground of smugglers.

Aptly named, Blackstone Hollow was a holding built in a rocky valley at the base of a minor mountain in The Craggs. Like true dwarves, her people built their city into the mountain and the valley. Human storefronts lined the streets of the valley, and vast foundries, smithies, and trading depots were carved into the stone. The city and her holdings were like many dwarven settlements. Stoic. Solid. And unmoving.

The cool night air carried with it the brisk north wind of winter. Goose pimples formed across the back of Vina's neck while she walked the streets like one of her commoners. Her gate widened, head held low, arms swinging at her side. She picked up a torn straw hat from a passed-out drunkard sleeping in the gutter and worn it low to cover up her icy eyes. Her disguise was uncanny. Thanks to her body build and her current attire, she looked like any run of the mill young farming lads coming to the city for vice..

Every time she passed a storefront, no one payed her any mind. This, like many of her disguises, is what gave her the upper hand in being a ruler of the people. She walked with them, drank with them, and on the rare occasion laughed with them. And they had no clue of who her true identity was. And she could learn from them all the while.

Close to Copper Street, she patrolled the streets looking for and shady signs of her target when by chance they called for her

"Psst…" came a hiss from an alley

Vina ployed a curious expression as she advanced into the alley.

"Hey boy." Came the voice "You lookin' for something?"

"Ya."

"What do you need, a pick-me-up? Or an escape?

Vina shifted her stance. She hunched over and started to look a bit more nervous to the creep in the alley. "I could take whatever you got."

On the edge of the street light, a pair of hands emerged displaying a mysterious yellow vial. "I got just the thing for you."

Vina licked her lips like she was eyeing a tasty morsel in the strangers hand. Her acting skills were impressive enough to any bard. She offered a hand out for it, but just as she expected the hands drew the vial back and the full figure emerged. It was a human. One in a long black or blue watchcloak that concealed much of his shape.

The human smiled at the addict he saw before him. An easy target. But by the way the boy was dressed, he didnt spot a coin purse on him.

"You got a way to pay for this, boy?"

"Not a penny." the boy timidly said.

"Than fuck off with ya. I dont accept charity. Either steal the money or don't come back."

"But mister. I have something you will want. Something very precious."

"Jewels?"

"Even better. Your life."

The boy tore his hat off and spun it towards the man's face and slashed the man across his belly with her dirk. Viscera painting the ground

The human staggered in place clenching his stomach. Hot red blood leaked out of him and he wailed in terror. He looked at the culprit who just stared at him. Ice cubes glaring right through him. He fell over himself trying to hold his guts within him. Unintelligible babbling was all he could muster. Vina sheathed her blade and approached the man. She planted her foot on his wound. Red staining the leather of her soles.

"Before you die. Tell me where your supplier is."

Like all dying men. There was no final eulogy or last religious prayers. Just the shaking tears and the disgusting smell of the victim pissing himself.

"Hey. Don't die just yet. Your boss. Where can I find him?"

His breathing became shallower with each gasp. His red drenched hands around his stomach went limp and a river flowed out.

"Damn." Vina cursed kicking the dead man. She patted his pockets and retrieved a pouch swollen with silver. By her guess the man had made quite the sales that night. An unknown amount of poison had entered her city. And it angered her greatly.

The rogue opened his cloak and found a hidden pocket within. One that clattered with the sound of glass vials. The dwarf woman uncorked one of the bottles and approached the closest streetlamp. A yellow hued dust. Chalky in appearance and had a similar aroma to that of formaldehyde.

It wasnt a poison in the basic understanding of the word. But it was a harmful substance. One that rots the mind with each dosage. While the user reaches a euphoria of vibrant colors, sounds, and visions. It ruins the body making them slow, yearning for their next fix in the break from reality. And a narcotic like this had no business in her city. Vina dropped the vial and crushed it under her foot. Since her contact was no use in providing intel on the supplier. Perhaps a friend of hers could help.

Violins hummed like swarms of bees within the tavern. Like a shadow. No. like a knife in a crowd, Vina sneaked her way through the bar full of humans and dwarves singing and drinking after a long and hard days work. She pilfered a tankard of ale and downed the drink in nearly one gulp. If she was going to be in the tavern, she had to look the part of a patron here to spend their hard earned silver. The Duchess slammed the mug down and walked off to spot her next target. A contact. Another killer.

The crisp taste of the cranberry juice lingered on the assassin's lips. The killer overlooked the crowd under her. So many people. Such ignorant fools. All their lives focused on menial labors and short goals. If only they knew of the world outside their own. The world of the criminal underworld. The constant power struggles between factions. The lurking shadows. And

"Your grace." the assassin cooed looking away from the workers below. She caught the glimpse of a plain looking dwarf woman. One wearing tattered and sweat stained clothes. A less regal look, but one that certainly had its perks in the art of infiltration.

"Matelsia."

The killers looked to each other and gave each other an unspoken salute. The assassin took a sip of her cup and licked her lips. She had dealings with the Duchess of Blackstone Hollow before and was gracious for being in her 'right' side.

"And what do I owe this pleasure? Someone in need of being removed?"

Vina could tell that the woman relished the thought of the kill. She served her well before when she needed someone taken care of while keeping a public face.

"There is always someone in need of killing. But I'm taking care of it this time. There's poison in my city. I want to know how it got here."

"What kind of poison we talking about? Sugar Moss?"

"I believe so. Know any suppliers?"

"Not really. But theres been a lot more activity near the docks. Ships bearing the Sol Lancian banner have been seen there lately."

interesting."

The Duchess slid a coin across to her associate who greedily took it. Her gaze marveled at the coin as it tumbled between her fingers. "Oh. And do be careful, your grace. I've heard that Sugar Moss is very flammable when being produced."

The docks of Blackstone Hollow were a very small space. Barely big enough for three ships to float in the harbor. And several warehouses were erected to store valuable trade goods of iron, textiles, and foodstuffs. Red globed lanterns illuminated the end of the piers. It was a quiet night. One that favored the assassin's approach. Just as her associate had said, the red and yellow star banner of a Sol Lancian trading vessel was anchored on the third most dock with much traffic of laborers guided by the silver moon above to haul in their precious cargo.

Vina unsheathed dirk and retrieved a small vial of a purple liquid and poured the contents down the blade's fuller.

Three men with oil lanterns patrolled the grounds. Their lights hanging from outstretched and tired arms. One man stopped next to a stack of casks. He sat atop one and dug into his overcoat for something.

Like a wharf rat, she dashed softfooted towards the barrels. In one bound the little dwarf hopped atop a barrel. And then another. All without making a sound. She drew her blade close and lept down onto the man. Driving her blade into his collarbone. With lightning speed, she grabbed ahold of the lantern before his grip went limp and it could shatter.

Vina watched the men at work with delight. Her mind alit with ways to infiltrate the warehouse. Disguise herself as a worker. Sneak into a crate and be carried in, or just simply approach the front door and kill whoever gets in her way. So many options. But her mind went to one that would appear the most fun for her.

Across the docks, the remaining guards watched the unbelievable sight. A lone box was moving by itself across the grounds to their warehouse. Both men looked to each other. Mouths hanging open speechless by the oddity.

"Are...are you seeing that?" said the one

"Yeah... What in the Nine Hells?"

"What do we do?"

"Obviously we should find out what that is."

"But what if its a trap?"

"There is a box moving across the harbor towards the warehouse we are supposed to protect. Its obviously a trap."

"True."

The two men shrugged and drew their swords. They approached the strange object that stopped in its tracks. Both men looked at the box for a second and waited to see if it moved again. The first man took the end of his sword and tapped it against the crate. It wasn't very surprising to find a response in the form of a knock in return.

The second man timidly reached down and placed his hands on the edges of the box. He looked to his companion who nodded in an unspoken agreement.

As soon as the second lifted the box over his shoulder, the first thrust his blade at the spot underneath. But only stabbed the stone ground. Utterly perplexed the men looked to each other and yelled when the second man's throat was sliced open from a dirk coming from the inside of the box.

"Mimic! Its a mimic!" yelled the first man.

Vina rolled out of the crate and lunged her blade at the man, but only caught a deflecting blow. The human motioned backwards as their duel commenced. The Duchess picked up one of the oil lanterns near and swung it at the man's waist. The glass cracked and the oil splashed and saturated his clothes. Flames engulfed the man in a shower of light and pain. He screamed and wailed before running to the docks to jump into the water. The spectacle put a smile on her face before she collected the second lantern and approached the warehouse.

The door flew open and a cracked lantern set the place ablaze. The flames warmed her skin and sent a sense of joy through her. So much so that she began to laugh. Even more so when the sailors, and chemists slaving over their laboratory stations screamed when the fires took their hard earned work. Gone. Taken by a vengeful rogue.

In less than an hour the warehouse was fully taken by the flame. Once a fire brigade had come to quell the blaze, they will discover the bodies, the remains of the Sugar Moss production, and the Sol Lancian ship still moored at the dock.