"F**K it isn't getting good, shall we stand here or someone knows of other escape routes"?
Looking at Theron, Eklektos says, "We are in favor of moving out. Quickly, if possible. I imagine being caught is not high on any of our lists of ways to spend the day." With that, he and Theron move to cover tracks and to be ready for the Hellknights to catch up.
Derek strokes his chin and nods. "I agree with master Apofysi, we should move quickly, we are not likely to be so lucky again...unless, can we hide in the room and mask the entrance quickly? Perhaps we can give them the slip? On the other hand, it must be good, or we will be trapped in there."
Del leaves the gold, necklace, and chest in the room. We've no reason to rob whoever's living here. "Someone's been squatting here, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. Let's move on, before the Hellknights catch up."
"Just what i thought"
Semenya continues scouting ahead, looking for the next sign indicating where to go. She relays its location to Del via the Message spell so that it can be altered with Prestidigitation.
(Whispering)
"Do you think they gave up,or that they know something we don't?"
Derek nods and then shrugs with a smile. "Hard to say, but I certainly hope so, I've had more than enough sewers for this week." He whispers with a grin.
See if someone can cast faerie fire down the corridor from where this is, and see if someone can cast sound. I'll scatter some caltrops along the path to make it look more plausible that we're still running that way and trying to discourage pursuit.
We erase the marker here, and replace it with one pointing down towards the distraction spells.
The longer they run around down here, the longer our secret remains preserved.
"Semenya wants to know if anyone can cast 'faerie fire' or 'sound'? They're more ideas to throw off pursuers."
Derek shakes his head sadly. "It is a good plan, but I'm afraid I cannot assist you with it."
Stepping forward, Eklektos pulls the Wayfinder from his pouch. "Perhaps Theron and I may be of assistance, then." Murmuring a word to the odd compass, it begins emitting light at about the same level as a torch.
"This light will last close to an hour. Perhaps Theron and I can lead them a merry chase while you make your escape. But we must decide quickly."
"I don't think that'll work. You need to get out, too. I think she thought this faerie fire spell could be cast at the far end of another tunnel, to appear that our torches were that direction, when we really went another."
Del whispers to Semenya: "Nobody here has that 'faerie fire' spell. We don't hear the Hellknights behind us anymore. We may have already lost them. Besides, if the safehouse is secure, it should be hidden enough that they won't find it unless they actually see us entering. The prestidigitation may be all we need."
"Let me go up and check the exit. Jan, is there anything I need to look out for? The safehouse have a password I need to know or anything?"
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Janiven moves to the front of the group and looks at Del. “Don’t worry we have this exit covered.” When she finishes her sentence, Janiven climbs the ladder and knocks on the grate. After a minute a nervous looking man with a lantern unlocks and opens the grate. “Come quickly.” He says, motioning to you all with his hand.
When you exit the sewer you realize you are in an alley behind an abandoned shrine to Aroden. The man opens a door, which appears to be boarded up and turns around. “Welcome to the safehouse. Make yourselves at home.”
As you enter the shrine you see a few people working and discussing things unknown to you. Janiven grabs the group’s attention. ”Thank you for staying with me. You can wash up, eat and rest here. Introductions to the other members can wait till you are ready.”
Arodio drops everything he has on the shoulder on the floor, loudly.
"Thank you, i hope you have some little place i can store this stuff...at least until i can make it back to my little home."
Theron paces the room, getting used to the new territory and looking for anything he can use to get the smell of the sewers off. Eklektos stands to one side of the entrance studying everything and everybody. He pulls a mint leaf out of his pouch and chews on it thoughtfully.
Semenya waits for Derek to Prestidigitate the sign to point west in the sewers, looks down both corridors for as far as she can see, and then climbs up.
Noticing that Del, as ever, is a gentleman, and takes off his hat on reaching the shrine, she picks it up and hands it to Keegan. "Do me a favor and clean this with that spell of yours." She's going to try to do this when Del's back is turned, and there's a distraction going on, so it's a pleasant surprise.
After that's done, with about as much ceremony as Theron flumping on the floor to lick himself, she turns her back to the rest of the party and peels down to her underwear, putting on a set of...artisan's clothes. Really, the sort of clothes one would wear if one were showing up at a manor to empty the fireplaces and chamberpots, or scrub dishes in the kitchen. She completes her getup by smearing a bit of grime around her throat and cheeks, and rebraids her hair in a different way to change the shape of her head.
And if you're looking for body references: Tessie Santiago, only about 2" taller, 30 lbs heavier, and skin of dark green with cute tusks.
The only reason to watch Queen of Swords is to see Tessie fence, which she's pretty good at. At least until they turned it into more of a Xena clone. You don't want to watch her (or anyone ELSE in that series) try to convey a character or act when they're expected to have their lips moving. Just in case you're tempted to hunt those eps down, you have been warned!
"When's the next chance to wash clothes?" She points to her night hunting outfit. And pointedly doesn't mention anyone ELSE'S reek.
Eklektos bursts out laughing at the comment about washing clothes. He laughs long and hard, probably drawing attention from everybody in the room. Theron shoots him a look that could only be described as incredulous, then stalks off to scrape the sewage off onto something in another room.
Wiping his eyes, Eklektos looks at Semenya and chuckles again. "I suppose we do all possess a rather interesting scent. Still, it should keep the Hellknights away from us. They'll probably mistake us for Troglodytes." At this last, he bursts out laughing again and collapses back against the wall adjacent to the door. Off in the direction Theron wandered, a loud coughing snort is heard.
Derek smiles at Semenya and obliges by saving Del's hat, then handing it back to him with a shrug as he apologises for the lavender scent that will probably persist for a day or two.
After a quick peek at Semenya while she changes clothes, Derek, mindful of making a good impression finds a secluded spot to wash, clean his clothes and make sure he looks his best.
After that he rejoins the others and begins to study the people there, trying to get a sense of their capabilities and potential.
"Quite rightly spoken master Apofysi, though to an actor like myself it would be pretty embarrassing to be mistaken for a Trog without trying to look like one."
Then he bows to the crowd, sweeping his hat of and grins. "Greetings and salutations all, it is my very good honor to meet you all."
Del walks to one of the front windows and tries to peek out to get his bearings.
"I'd welcome a chance to wash up. We can't go out smelling like this. They know we went through the sewers, so we'll be easy to recognize."
Del takes his hat from Derek and glances over to where he'd set it down, incredulous that it's the same hat. "Cheers. I thought this was a goner."
When he glances over at Semenya, Del is met with more green than he expects. He turns away quickly, but his curiosity gets the better of him, and he sneaks a peek to see that the tattoos on her arms do indeed cover most of her body. Yeah, they must be natural. Probably some symptom of her sorcery. Curiosity sated, he turns back to his hosts, and looks around the shrine, waiting for directions to a washroom of some sort.
"Yes, a bath will be good too"
Derek smiles at Del. "My pleasure, but I should not claim sole credit." Derek throws a glance at Semenya
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Janiven turns back toward Del and Arodio, leaving a conversation with one of the other members. ”Sorry, the washrooms are down the hallway all the way in the back.” She points down a hallway across the room.
After returning from the washroom, Janiven motions to all of you to come over. ”These are a few of the citizens that share your passion for this once great city. Janiven places her hand on the shoulder a strikingly beautiful Tian woman. ”This is Amaya. She is a glassblower by trade.”
The woman looks over each of you and bows her head. ”It is nice to meet you all.” She says in a quiet voice.
Janiven then motions to a large man, who walks over with a slight limp. ”This is Ermolos. He is a master blacksmith and a fairly good fighter.” Janiven smiles with a wink to Ermolos.
The large man extends his hand, shaking each of yours sternly. ”It’s me pleasure.”
Janiven smiles ”There are more of us, but they are either at home with their families or at jobs. Feel free to eat, sleep or whatever you need. We will be meeting in the morning concerning an important mission.” Janiven then leaves you and heads to one of the back rooms presumably going to sleep.
"For now just tell me where can i drop some stuff being sure i'll find it where i put it when i'm back"
Semenya will head off to the place indicated, sort out her trousers and wash them before going to bed, hang them up to dry, and go to sleep, comfortable.
Before heading to find a place to sleep, Del will chat with Amaya and Ermolos. Among the things he'd ask in the course of the chat:
"Are you from Westcrown?"
"How long have you been involved with this ... rebellion?"
"What kinds of missions have you partaken in before?"
Arodio too waits his turn to go to the washrooms, in the meanwhile he removes his armor, jacket and shirt and stretches some minutes
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Ermolos looks at Amaya and begins to answer for both of them.
”Both of us have lived here almost our entire lives. We just recently joined the rebellion, but have known Janiven for some time. Neither of us have been on any real missions, we mostly provide goods and services for the ones who are more skilled, like you. I think we are goin to head ta bed now. See you in the morning for the mission briefing. Goodnight.”
At that, Ermolos and Amaya head off to their respective rooms.
"Quite a lovely creature that Amaya, that makes three such ladies I've encountered today, it must be my lucky day." Derek chuckles to himself. "It even makes a day of footslogging through the sewers feel worthwhile."
Derek then heads to someplace he can put his head down for a rest, it has been a long day.
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You all are roused from your slumber by the sound of talking mixed with the bustling of many people. As you emerge from your respective rooms, Janiven turns from the large table situated in the center of the common room.
”I’m glad you are all up. I have gathered the group here to let everyone know the situation and what we are going to have to do. Please take a seat at the table, we need to get started.”
Janiven then turns and heads back to the table, arranging some parchment which appears to be maps.
Semenya looks over the maps - of the city, presumably - to familiarize herself with what's to come. She smiles at Del as he rummages around for breakfast like a bear in the spring.
"Best feed him soon. His wits are sharper when his belly is full."
"I'm eager to learn something more about our enemies, and to crush them.Now let's have breakfast, muscles need feeding"
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Janiven looks back up from her parchments. ”Everyone please gather round, time is of the essence.”
As the final few people settle around the table, Janiven stands at the head and looks at each of you. ”We have received word that Arael has been awarded to the Hellknights. They are planning to transport him from the Westcrown jail to Citadel Rivad later today. “
Janiven then pushes the two maps toward the center of the table. ”We have two choices for the rescue attempt. One is where the road crosses the river Athua. The other is a point in the road where trees grow more abundant and several large rocks are available to hide behind.”
"A rescue atempt is it? How very epic indeed, tis like something out of a play, only with real swords and spells, how exciting, what do the rest of you think?"
Eklektos glances at Derek, then at the maps on the table. "The bridge is my instinct for the ambush point, especially if there's some way to bring it down. A good question would be how good are their instincts. Which do they come to first?"
"Hmm, well spoken master Apofysi, I hesitate to point it out however, but if these patriotic people, these guardian of Westcrown, redeemers of Cheliax if you will hope to foster a positive influence on the city they cannot be seen as vandals, bringing down this bridge, even if it is an insignificant one might harm the cause."
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Janiven looks up at Derek and Eklektos. ”The areas are close enough to not make much of a difference. I agree with Derek that the bridge should be spared.” She replies.
”Now to the actual plan, the Hellknights are extremely arrogant and with that comes the benefit of not facing an army. A total of ten armigers, four on horseback the rest on the carriage, and their Signifier Shanwen will be accompanying the carriage. Shanwen is a cleric and a gifted leader, so we must be careful. So far we have developed a seemingly impregnable plan. We will have two groups; one will set up at the ambush site hidden on the sides of the road, the other will be roughly one hundred paces further down the road. The secondary group will expose itself in the road ahead of the carriage drawing the Hellknights on horseback away and leading them into a field of caltrops laid in the road. Surely the carriage driver will see them take chase and turn around, heading back to Westcrown. That is when the first group strikes, attacking the carriage and freeing Arael.”
”Any questions?” Janiven looks up at the group. ”We will need to discuss a form of costume to hide our identities and it was mentioned this morning that our actions may warrant an iconic name for us. Any suggestions, let’s hear’um.”
"Hmmm, another point strikes me, the Hellknights, albeit bothersome law bothering boors who could not find a sense of humour even if they used both hands, are still the duly appointed guardians of law in Cheliax...we might cause a stir if we kill any of them...but can we succeed using only non lethal methods here?"