PATHFINDER: MADNESS RISING
Chapter 3 - Rooftop Chase
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After eating a quick meal, the six travelers had stayed a little longer in the tavern's main room to relax, warm up a bit, and discuss what they were going to do the next day.
"First of all, I'd say it's time to get a feel for what this town is like, and maybe look for some employment. I'm sure that in a place like this, there will be several opportunities for a group of adventurers like us to get hired. And it will be a way for us to start looking around and gather info." Gunter affirmed, after taking a big swig from his mug of beer. He grimaced a little. Not very good beer. Humans had many qualities, but the ability to brew a good (by dwarven standards) beer was rare to come by.
Pandora's mismatched eyes twinkled as she fiddled nervously with the buttons on her shirt. "I don't know, Gunter..." she answered. "I'm afraid my age could be a problem."
"How old are you, Pandora, just so I know?" Maria asked.
"Junt new fifteen." the blonde replied, taking a sip of water.
"Meh, no big deal. As long as you do a good job, they won't say anything about your age." Nisa replied. "Okay, so... first thing we do next morning, we look for a place where we can find employment?"
"Well, well, looks like these fine young people are willing to do some work." the rough voice of the tavern owner intervened as he passed by the table. "Hehehee... glad to knoe that, there are far too many idle young men around here. And since you seem like a bunch of smart people, lemme give you a suggestion... check out Piazza del Popolo!"
Gunter turned to the owner in surprise. "Oh, it's you... Piazza del Popolo, you say? Think we might find people interested in giving us work?"
"You betcha, my dwarven pal!" the elderly innkeeper replied with a crooked smile. "Tomorrow morning, after you get ready, drop by there. First come, first served, so if you find any interesting ads, grab them now! You guys can read, I hope!"
Iaco wrinkled his nose. "Can hold own, Iaco says!" he promptly replied. The blue cobold sighed and rubbed his forehead. At least, the old man had not commented on his race. Whether it was out of open-mindedness, or simply because he didn't care where the money came from, Iaco didn't know.
Dario, for his part, rolled his eyes and smiled bitterly. He hadn't had much time to learn to read and write, having been too busy trying to survive. "Thank you for the tip, anyway. We'll check out Piazza del Popolo then."
"I wonder if we can really start looking for some clues there..." commented the dwarf to himself, checking the weapon he held strapped to his back, still wrapped in a heavy blanket. The tavern owner snickered and adjusted his pipe, before walking briskly toward some other table...
Maria took a quick look around the main room. Most of the patrons were still seated at their tables, eating, drinking, or playing, and the room was pervaded by a noisy cacophony of exclamations, laughter, cursing, and banging on tables. Not exactly ideal company... but at least she was an unfamiliar face there, and it would be hard to come across someone who recognized her.
"Say, guys..." Pandora ventured, rummaging through her sack - a heavy, somewhat crudely sewn cloth bag in which the heterochromic girl kept several personal belongings, particularly some tightly sealed pouches that must have contained some strange ingredient, and a steel pot. Pandora searched the bottom of the bag and pulled out a deck of cards, which she then placed on the table with a beaming smile! "Since we are here and have only just met, fancy celebrating with a little game of Scopa? You guys know how to play Scopa, right?"
"You actually brought your cards along, Pandora?" an amused Nisa asked. "Eh, I should have expected that. But it does sound like a good idea. Are you guys in?"
"Why not, there's still time to spend anyway." Gunter replied with a shrug as Pandora began shuffling the cards. Dario gave a half smile and nodded his head.
"Scopa? What game is it?" Iaco asked, unfamiliar as he was with human pastimes.
"That's right, you've never seen this game, have you, Iaco?" asked Maria. The blue-scaled kobold shrugged and shook his head.
"Kobolds no have card games. Almost all time work." He replied. "But, sounds interesting! How do you play?"
"It's quite simple, actually... see, these cards are a bit peculiar." Pandora began explaining, showing her new friend some cards on which were drawn some rather peculiar figures: curved swords, clubs, chalices or golden coins, all drawn in a very refined and artistic way. "Okay, now I'll explain how to play..."
"Interesting. Go ahead and tell!" Iaco replied, getting more interested in the game...
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The evening had been fun and relaxing, and after a few card games among friends, during which Iaco had proved to be a good player and quick learner, the group had decided it was time to get some rest in preparation for what was shaping up to be a busy day. The inn owner had guided the six companions to two rooms - one for the men and one for the women - leading them up a creaking, wooden staircase.
"Here you go, boys - and girls. Your rooms. You also have a great view of the canal from here." The old man sarcastically commented, showing his few remaining yellow teeth in a sarcastic and somewhat bitter smile. "The best rooms you can find around here."
Indeed, one could not say that the rooms were very comfortable. They were furnished with the bare essentials, a moth-eaten wooden closet in which guests were to keep their shared belongings; three straw mattresses on the floor, with a blanket and pillow each; and a chamber pot in one corner. A window on the opposite side from the front door looked out onto a canal, although it could not be seen very well through the greasy glass.
Still, for many of the people in the adventuring party, it was a better arrangement than what they were used to. "Well, I don't mind at all." Maria affirmed. "At least we get to sleep indoors."
"It's all a matter of getting used to it. Thank you very much - now, if you please, we would like to retire." Said Gunter. The old innkeeper winked and touched his forehead with an index finger, then returned downstairs to tidy up the counter and lounge. A couple of not-so-attractive waitresses were already making the rounds of the tables to pick up what was left.
After standing in the hallway for a moment, taking a look inside the rooms, the newly minted adventurers decided it was time to turn in for the night. "Alright...I guess we'll say goodnight here, girls." Dario said. "See you in the morning, then."
"Good night, guys." Pandora replied. The rest exchanged ritual greetings before entering the rooms and placing their luggage on the floor near the closet.
"Of course, it wasn't the most glorious way to start our adventuring careers...but what can you do?" commented Gunter, placing his weapon, still concealed by the cloth, next to his backpack. Then, he removed the leather armor he wore over his clothes, and laid down his most visible weapon, a large single-bladed axe in tempered steel. "Okay, folks-let's get comfortable, and try to get some sleep."
"Shall we take a few turns on watch?" asked Dario. "You never know what kind of riffraff might be around."
"Yes, Iaco agrees. He does first shift." Iaco quickly replied as he set his bags down next to the closet. "You guys relax. Iaco take care of the rest." He continued with a nod to his traveling companions.
While he was not the trusting type, Dario was tired enough that he was willing to make an exception, and despite the kobold race's unhappy reputation, Iaco seemed trustworthy enough. So, he accepted Iaco's idea and sat down on the straw mattress he had chosen for the night, then began to remove his clothes.
"Everything okay, boy?" Gunter asked. "We'll have some work ahead of us tomorrow, or at least I hope so. And you, kobold - try not to fall asleep, okay?"
Iaco grunted in an expression of vague annoyance. "Koboldos dig mines like dwarves. We no tire easily!" he retorted. "Call you in two hours, okay?"
"Sure." Dario said, with Gunter nodding in assent. "Just be careful, Iaco."
In spite of everything, Iaco cracked a smile. It was not just Maria who was willing to look past his race's unfortunate reputation.
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A couple of hours later, Iaco had woken Dario up for his own shift, and the young man had taken his place, checking that the doors and windows were closed before he started his vigil.
Despite the apparent calm, only broken by the sound of falling rain , Dario sharpened all of his senses to try to catch any possible cause for alarm. Dressed only in a short-sleeved white shirt and a pair of shorts, showing a fit and rather athletic physique, Dario took a quick glance at his unexpected traveling companions, who were now sleeping peacefully... and his mind went back to his comrades in the street gangs in which he had grown up.
It had been a difficult life, full of unknowns, but he could always count on his comrades back then. And those new comrades of his had made a good impression on him...
The young man jumped back in surprise when he saw something moving behind the opaque glass of the window - and heard someone trying to pick the window's lock open. Dario quickly reached for the clothes he had placed at one corner of the room, and grabbed a dagger with a short steel blade, preparing to face the intruder if necessary...
A barely audible sound, only a few moments later, alerted him that the intruder had already succeeded in picking the window lock, and Dario furrowed his brow and crouched against the wall to see who it was. Gunter and Iaco, asleep in their beds at some distance from the window, seemed not to have heard the faint sound, and the intruder began to carefully open the window. Dario bent his knees just a little, so as to be ready to strike him by surprise if needed, and in that split second, he was able to see his features. He was a scruffy-looking young man, dressed in cheap clothes that didn't match one another, and a crudely worked leather jacket to give him a modicum of protection. He wore a pair of mismatched boots and worn dark brown pants, his brown hair was dirty and messy, and his nose was crooked.
The intruder looked around, searching for something that could be stolen... and right then, Dario was upon him, almost pinning him to the wall! The young man expected the intruder to attack him... but instead the latter retreated with a fearful yelp, turning his back on Dario and slipping back out of the window!
Dario was not about to let him get away so easily. He slipped out the window and landed on the roof, then set off in pursuit of the intruder, who had already reached the edge of the roof and took a long leap to the other side. Unhesitating, Dario took a running start as the stranger looked back with obvious concern. The younger man was catching up to him...
The man thought fast and headed for another building, which seemed a bit farther away, and took another deft jump, which allowed him to cross the gap and land on the other side without getting hurt, but an unimpressed Dario kept chasing him.
The intruder cursed as he saw Dario leaping after him. Desperate to lose his pursuer, the man slid off the roof and onto a small terrace below, knocking over a plant in the process, and tried to reach one of the main streets. "I must... I must hurry! If I can just reach the banks of the Bo..."
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"Pandora? Pandora, wake up, meow!"
Sotero's nasal voice woke the young witch from a pleasant dream, and Pandora reluctantly opened her eyes. She ran a hand over her face, and sat down on her bed, then turned toward her feline familiar.
"Hmmm... what's going on, Sotero? I was having such a nice dream..." she murmured, her voice low so as not to wake her two companions. Maria seemed quiet, while Nisa was sitting cross-legged with her back against the wall not far from her, and was in a trance-like state - the elven equivalent of sleep.
"Yes, guess you were dreaming about some handsome guy, meow." The black cat sarcastically replied. "But something is going on in the other room. Better take a look, meow."
This snapped Pandora back to reality. The blond girl put on some clothes, slipped on her shoes and quietly slipped out of the room, trying not to wake her traveling companions. "This way, Sotero." Pandora whispered, descending the shabby stairs to the ground floor...
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The man landed with a roll, then got to his feet and sprinted to a dark, narrow alley not too far from there.
"Shit...if he goes into that alley, I'll lose him for sure." Dario cursed, trying to hurry after the mysterious man. His chances seemed low, but Dario was not going to give up without at least trying...
Suddenly, with a furious hiss, a familiar black cat rushed the man and clawed at his shirt, causing the thief to cry out in surprise and try to shake off the feline.
Pandora was quick to intervene, casting a quick spell - and a blinding flash struck the intruder's eyes, dazzling him and leaving him staggered! Sotero broke away and landed nimbly on the pavement, while Dario, taking full advantage of that opportunity, climbed down the roof and covered the distance that separated him from the man.
The mysterious individual tried to slip away, but dazled as he was, he couldn't hope to get away. Dario and Pandora approached him, blocking his escape routes as they closed in.
"What happened, Dario? Who is this guy?" Pandora asked, never taking her eyes off the man.
The blond youngster cast a quick glance at the black cat next to Pandora, and for a moment wondered absent-mindedly where he had come from. "I don't know, Pandora, but I'd really like to ask him." He nswered. "I caught him trying to get into our room through the window!"
"D-don't hurt me! I surrender!" the man exclaimed, raising his hands in surrender. "I-I-I'm just a common thief hoping to scrape together some extra change! I was... I was looking for my chance to get noticed by someone really important!"
Intrigued by the words of the man, who certainly could not have been many years older than himself, Dario decided it was worth asking a few more questions. "Someone important? Who are you talking about?" he asked.
The man they had cornered swallowed nervously. "I ... my name is Bertoldo Vasari, and ... I'm one of the many petty thieves who roam the streets of Grisborgo. Yes ... I've been trying to get noticed by some big shots... have you ever heard of the Villanova family?"
That name was not at all unfamiliar to the two youngsters. Sotero said nothing, trying to make himself look like an ordinary black cat, but he was listening intently to Bertoldo as well.
"The Villanova?" asked Dario, remembering that name all too well. It was whispered fearfully among shopkeepers and vendors in much of Tilea, known, feared and hated by all of them. "You mean... that mafia clan that has been expanding its sphere of influence in Tilea territory for several years now?"
"Have they already come to Grisborgo?" Pandora asked with a hint of fear. "How is that possible? I thought their activities were limited to the east..."
"Well... actually, that's the case for now... but... it seems that now they want to expand... they want to take control of other territories and force outlaw organizations and lesser thieves' guilds to join them..." Bertoldo explained. "And... and in such a situation, what can a good-for-nothing like me do but at least try to show himself good enough to join their organization? If-if you're on your own, you're doomed! Those guys... they won't tolerate anyone... striking out on their own, if you know what I mean!"
Dario and Pandora nodded. It was no secret that the Villanova clan did not tolerate criminal activities that were not under their control, whether direct or indirect.
"Yes, we know their ways. So... are you hoping to get noticed by them?" Pandora asked.
Bertoldo seemed to stiffen a bit, and his tone became a bit more aggressive. "Do any of you... have any idea what it's like to live on the streets? Not having a job, being forced to struggle day after day to survive? Unfortunately... when you're forced to live hand-to-mouth, you can't afford to be picky!"
Taken off guard, Dario tried to smooth things over. "I'm sorry, my friend here didn't want to offend. She was just drawing conclusions, right, Pandora?"
"Yes, you're right, Dario - my apologies." The blonde replied. "I know there are many people struggling with poverty and other problems."
Bertoldo seemed to calm down, and sat on the ground. "I'm sorry, guys... I... would have liked to do something else with my life." He affirmed apologetically. "I know I'm just a petty thief... I really don't know what else I could do..."
The blond man sighed in understanding. "I can understand how you're feeling. You see, I grew up on the streets. I never knew my parents, and I was raised in an orphanage where none of us kids ever got much attention. We were... more or less left to our own devices. We got by as best we could... and that often meant stealing food or a few coins in the markets or from some passerby."
"Dario..." Pandora murmured in sympathy. Even though she had been adopted, she had grown up in a nice place and with caring foster parents, making a modest but decent living even after those witch powers of hers had manifested.
"What I mean is, I understand how it feels." Dario went on. "Everyone does what they can to get by. Honestly, I still don't know if I've really found an alternative. Becoming an adventurer... a mercenary, more or less... is not exactly the safest job ever."
"Many adventurers are little more than thugs disguised as heroes." Pandora commented. "I don't know if we can help you much. We're not exactly in too good a shape ourselves, after all. But... I don't think joining a criminal organization will help you in the end."
"I know they wouldn't take me out of kindness. All they would do is exploit me for my thieving skills, and then they would drop me like a used rag. But... like I said, beggars can't be choosers." Bertoldo replied. "You... are lucky to have found an alternative. I can only try to survive somehow. For now, I would just like have a better chance to survive. And then... well, if it doesn't work out, I will think of something else... I will manage, somehow. And if I don't manage, well... what can I say, none of us lives forever anyway."
The two boys listened intently. For many people in Tilea, survival was a daily struggle, and they themselves had witnessed this as soon as they arrived in Grisborgo. Dario himself had experienced firsthand what it was like to live in need, and he had to admit that it was only luck that he had been able to take a path other than crime.
"No need for you to worry so much about me, kids." Bertoldo went on, looking almost resigned. "After all, we've seen each other now, and we'll probably never see each other again. I wish you good luck-and for what it's worth, I'm sorry. Goodbye."
"Wait..." Dario began, but the thief had already disappeared, ducking into the nearby alley. There was nothing left for the youngsters and Pandora's familiar to do but stand watching the narrow street, with a hint of helplessness.
After a few moments of silence, Sotero sighed. "Well... what can I say, meow, unfortunately we can't do much about that guy's problems."
"I've tried." Dario said wistfully. "I thought I could understand him, but... well, not all problems have quick and easy fixes."
"What angers me the most is... that there are always people who exploit people's problems." That was Pandora's comment. "Like those Villanova guys that Bertoldo would like to work for. For many people, crime must seem the only way to survive, and these jackals take advantage of that."
Sotero nodded. "Of course, this is not a good thing, meow. Unfortunately, this is just one of the many injustices in the world around us, meow."
"No use complaining about it." a resigned Dario said. "Better get back to the tavern - I guess we'll have some explaining to do in the morning."
Silently, Pandora nodded and stretched, hoping that if nothing else, the rest of the night would pass without any more surprises. And hoping that the next day would be a little better at least.
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TO BE CONTINUED...