They looked like monsters, but when children, any children, were being mistreated? The ones that mistreated the children learned what real monsters really looked like. -- Anon Guest
The wrought-iron gate declared it to be the Everkind Sanctuary for Unwanted Children, and one running waif had incidentally sent Wraithvine their way. The child that the Elven Wizard had found went away with basic survival tools and a pouch full of New Start Money[1]. Now the alleged sanctuary was going to get what it deserved.
It's amazing what can be uncovered with a Disguise spell and a voice of authority. In this case: abundant peculation, extreme neglect, malnutrition and a lot of non-human intelligent creatures languishing in their own filth.
Bugbears and Kobolds and Gnolls, oh my. Little baby Under-Elves traversing the bald playground with rags over their sensitive eyes. Little Tieflings with only mud and stains in lieu of clothing. Bugbears sharing their raw catches with any other creature who could eat it... and those catches were the large insects and vermin that abounded in the food stores.
Someone was going to die a horrible, horrible death.
It was a fight for Wraithvine to keep a straight face all the way to the chief administrator of this "establishment". No shock that they were allied with the Zhentarim. Why not? Those who survived were perfectly beaten down for sale into servitude. And while they were growing up, the ruler of the realm sent them all the gold they could swim in.
Or, in this case, wear.
There are not many reasons to wear Electrum Plate, but judging by the gemstones, theirs was to flex.
"Interesting outfit," said Wraithvine, barely maintaining character. "You wear that full plate everywhere?"
"It pays to play it safe around the monsters," breezed Administrator Deorwine Hardene. "The claws that bite, the jaws that snatch, and so forth. All the staff wear at least mail, you may note. For their safety."
"Hm," Wraithvine made some notes in hir very real notebook. Not that the poor scraps ze'd seen had any chance of hitting anybody. "Nice to know." Ze dropped hir disguise. "It makes this next step so much easier." Then ze began to sing.
Ordinarily, Heat Metal is a Bardic or Druidic spell, but when one is a Wizard with literally all the time in the world, there's plenty of chances to multiclass. And abundant preparation spells that could boost the area of effect for a vast distance.
The entire staff of Everkind died screaming. They were, after all, complicit.
Wraithvine went through a lot of hir spells, that day. Fabricate to make clothing for all the unfortunates present. Not just clothes, but also food. Messages to anyone ze knew who could actually care for these destitute little souls.
It was rare indeed for Wraithvine to show no mercy and leave no survivors, but the story would be told of it anyway. Told by the ones ze rescued that day.
When the kind and gentle turn to abject violence, it is necessary.
[1] Enough to establish a person in a new place with whatever they need the most. An immortal adventurer tends to disregard wealth after a while.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Apatcha]
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