Emileva sighs as she looks at the playhouse entrance.
"For some stupid reason I thought we would just walk right into the place. But I don't think that will be happening. Any ideas for getting in there without a fight before the show?"
"Do we have any money? We could get tickets, right? Oh, wait, I think I have some money!" he says, maybe a little louder than he means to in his excitement. "I can pay for us if we want to go in..."
After admitting to herself that the Lambs won't starve if they're forced to eat meagre rations for another day, Kayleigh kneels inside the shrine to her goddess and prays for her daily spells, including some more useful for battle than tending her flock. Once she feels convinced that the older Lambs can watch over Garlan briefly, she heads out into the streets.
When the group reaches the square and she hears the young crier announcing the night's performance, what little color there is to Kayleigh's already pale face drains away. Her face reflects abject horror and disbelief. Then the color begins to return to her skin as she grows flush and a fiery anger rises in her eyes. A moment later, the anger's gone, replaced by confusion and uncertainty.
"The right thing to do here would be to report this to the town guard...but one of them was present and even promoted the attack on the temple. They might do nothing; they might act too late to save Crayden...."
Kayleigh turns to Tassira. "Do you know a spell that can take out one or more of those guards quickly?"
Turning then to Neziana, the cleric asks, "Or could you maybe circle the place and find us another way in?"
Still swivelling, the peeved priestess addresses Nebbin. "We will not be paying for the privilege of rescuing an old man that these...criminals...broke into a neighborhood temple and abducted."
Lastly, she turns to Emileva. "I think I understand your actions at Lamm's better now, and I apologize for...well, I don't really apologize for anything, but I think I understand where you were coming from. This sort of evil is beyond redemption. It needs to be eradicated from our city."
Kayleigh turns to Tassira. "Do you know a spell that can take out one or more of those guards quickly?"
Tassira nods with a glare on her face. "Indeed, I do."
"If it was enough to stop an alligator, it ought to be enough to stop a bunch of guards."
Watching the door guards doubtfully, Emi says "I don't know. Even with a decisive spell or two if there's trouble, I'd rather walk right in the front door for a couple of coppers than have to force my way in, and then back out again."
"I don't really doubt it, but we're not certain he's in there. If we're wrong it could be a lot of ugliness for very little. If he is in there, our chances are better if we grab him and only have to worry about a fight getting out. It would be harder to search about if we needed to if everyone inside is already hostile too."
Glancing toward Kayleigh she adds "If you really can't stand to see them with our admission in their pockets, just take something worth more than a few pinch while we're in there. Or smash something if you prefer." She shrugs and smiles slightly. "To even the accounts."
A few moments later she looks at Kayleigh again. "You know, the gnome is the only person I've ever killed."
Nebbin nods at Emileva's words, looking back at the others to see what they want to do.
Kayleigh's not very good at hiding what she's feeling, and when Emileva says that the gnome's the only person she's ever killed, her jaw drops open. At first her eyes seem distrustful--that she thinks Em must be lying--but then they soften as she considers that maybe the woman speaks the truth.
"Oh, I want to smash something--or someone--alright, but I'm so angry I doubt I'm thinking clearly. I probably should change my clothes if we're to go in--anyone who knows me would recognize my white tabard and breeches--and I don't want repercussions to fall on me, or on the Temple of Aroden again, for that matter."
The priestess bites down on her lower lip in frustration before speaking further.
"I understand your concerns, but might not things be even worse if we wait until the show's about to start? We'd have to deal with a crowd--maybe even a full house--who are expecting to see Crayden killed onstage for their amu...*CHOKE/COUGH!*...amusement. Maybe they'd disperse if they saw Nebbin coming at them with a board...or maybe we'd have a hundred or more additional foes to deal with."
Kayleigh looks at the others, obviously worried and undecided.
"If we decide to do some shopping first, I could use a change of clothes and maybe a healer's kit."
Your group weighs the pros and cons of an assault on the theater under the eaves of a boarded up tenement on the far side of the cluttered square. As you stand there debating, you see many people stop to give the boy their ear. While some recoil at the prospect of a renewal of this grisly show, most reactions you see are very much the opposite. With falling spirits you begin to realize that tonight's show promises to be very popular among the rabble.
Suddenly from the opposite direction one voice rises up above the din, commanding your attention.
"The Eye of Groetus has turned from the Boneyard to look upon Korvosa! Our writhing doom approaches! The b%+&~-queen will deliver us all to the eater of worlds!" the voice rants.
Through a chance parting in the crowd you get a glimpse of the speaker. His clothing is a collection of dirty rags, his hair long and matted with filth. His eyes roam wild from face to face as he makes his pronouncements of doom. His hand shakes, one bony finger pointed at the sky. And in the same instant that you glimpse him, his mad eye fixes upon you.
"YOU! he screams. He ambles your way, intent on slender Tassira who stands at the edge of your group.
"I have seen you in my dreams!" Spittle flies from his torn lips as he launches on his diatribe. "As the city approaches the hour of its death, so too will you! Your sickness will usher in the city's own writhing doom!"
He lurches towards Tassira with filthy, grasping hands.
HP 25/25
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging), DR 1/-
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +0 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 18
Rage: 1/11; Harrow points: 3/3; Auspicious Mark (1d6) 0/1
Effects: Rage
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Nebbbin roars as the man approaches.
Raising his board, he swings hard, slamming the man in the head with a loud crack that reverberates through the square.
As the group watches the crowd and its reaction to the crier, Emileva remarks "Well, it looks like the show will be well attended. However we get in, we'll need to do it before the show."
What about...", she pauses as she hears the crazed prophet yelling. "A deception? We could buy some food and tell the door guards we're...", she notices the ragged man now singling them out for his diatribe. "Delivering it to the cast and crew?"
Kayleigh sees the creepy, filthy man lunge for Tassira and moves quickly to intervene. Nebbin moves faster. And rather decisively. As the resounding crack of board on skull resonates throughout the square, Kayleigh sees the chance for keeping a low profile slipping away faster than a fox from a chicken coop.
Kayleigh drops to the preacher's side and swiftly delivers first aid to (hopefully) keep the man from dying.
"Um...he'll be fine...yeah. Just a little bump on the noggin! He'll be back up and about in no time!" Kayleigh smiles nervously at her poor lie.
"Er--" Tassira was about to say something in response to the man's claims, but Nebbin's club to the back of his head derails her train of thought.
"--NETHYS ABOVE!"
The bum drops like a sack of rocks, rotting teeth shooting out the front of his face to scatter across the cobbles. Kayleigh drops to the ground next to the dying man, rolling him over to see what can be done to save his life. As she works, there's this nagging doubt running through her head that there's more working to kill this man than the savage wallop he just received. He's fairly on fire with fever.
You hastily jerk your hands back, wiping his filth on your pant-legs.
Tassira backs away from the unconscious beggar. "Alright, what in Heaven's name was that about?!"
The crowd must truly be inured to street violence for the felling of the old coot to provoke such little reaction. Some people look away or move uncomfortably from the scene. Others hoot and laugh at the old man's demise.
A little boy walks over to your group, dragging his mother along to see the spectacle of the brained crazy guy. "That guy just whacked him Mom! Crack! I think splinters came out his ears!"
The boy dissolves into giggles as the mother grabs him by the collar and drags him away, all the while staring holes into the big man.
Neziana is shocked to see the crazy doom prophet reach for Tassira. Who is this guy? What is he doing here? How did he know about us? What he's saying does match up well against Zellara's harrowing. This filthy man is reaching for my precious Tassira! I won't let him!. But before she can react to that last thought and reach for her rapier, the is a sickening crack as Nebbin fells the man.
"As the followers of Groetus are more likely to preach doom than anyone else, what he said might not be too surprising. However it does match with Zellara's harrowing, which kinds makes me worried.
I certainly hope he's not correct about the last part. I will certainly do my best to see that his last prediction doesn't come true. I'll help protect you Tassira."
Neziana takes a step closer to Tassira and grabs her hand for a quick comforting squeeze.
Neziana doesn't like it when Kayleigh wipes her hand after examining the man. " Let me help you clean of his filth. No reason for you to go around sullied because of him when we can easily solve the problem with magic."
A quick incantation later and Kayleigh is as clean as if she took the most through bath, though with none of the soreness that can follow a good scrub. Her armour and clothes are likewise as clean as if they were just rinsed or cleaned.
Afterwards she returns to the matter they were discussing beforehand. "We have a number of different options. We can sneak in, break in, trick or way in our wait until doors open and come in with the crowd.
Just like you, I don't like waiting. I want to investigate the first option first. If we can find an unguarded door that could save us a lot of trouble. Let me loop around the building discreetly to see what's up.
Meanwhile perhaps you guys can think of reasons we should be admitted right now?"
"As the followers of Groetus are more likely to preach doom than anyone else, what he said might not be too surprising. However it does match with Zellara's harrowing, which kinds makes me worried. I certainly hope he's not correct about the last part. I will certainly do my best to see that his last prediction doesn't come true. I'll help protect you Tassira."
The mageling lets out a breath she was holding and gives Neziana an appreciative look. "Thanks."
She briefly glances down at the tiefling's hand as it squeezes her own. Her fingers feel quite slender. Good for somatic components of spells.
Before Neziana can run off, Kayleigh gives her a beaming smile at the magical cleaning. "Thank you so much--you're my new best friend if you'll keep using that spell on me every so often. But while you're at it...could you use it to clean up this...person?" She points down at the flattened cultist. "I'm going to try to diagnose and treat whatever sickness is afflicting him."
"He's burning up with fever...that may be why he acted so aggressively and impulsively. I mean...c'mon--look at him! He's an old man! If he always acted this way, surely someone more prone to violence than our dear Nebbin would've killed him before now, right?"
The incident with the old man begins and ends so quickly and surprisingly, that Emileva just skips right over it, not even knowing what to say.
"Okay, well, back to the matter at hand. While Neziana takes a look around the place, shall we move to a less visible spot to wait? Or at least somewhere away from him?" She nods her head toward the old man.
"If we do try to talk or bluff our way inside it isn't going to help if the guards see we've been standing around here for a while. And yes Kayleigh, I think a change of clothes for you will help a lot."
Kayleigh looks up at Emileva and nods. "Good idea. The rest of you make yourselves scarce while I treat this fellow. It'll take me a few minutes at least--maybe up to 15 minutes tops. Right now, having my work clothes on might actually be a blessing, though: folks might recognize me from my previous works of goodwill in Bridgefront."
Emi nods. "True. We'll shift over to somewhere that puts us out of the door guards direct line of sight and wait for you and and Neziana."
She takes one more look at the guards to see if they are paying any attention to the group.
Nebbin, Emi and Tassira can easily pull a little further away from the square and become lost in the crowd. Due to the volume of people, this also means that they only catch occasional glimpses of the priestess as she kneels in the street next to the old man and tries her best to stabilize him.
Like most of the larger structures in this oldest of districts, Execrables is surrounded by a rusting iron fence that limits one's ability to enter the yard from any side other than the front. This, of course is intentional. The front gate of the place is where the door price is collected. That said, the fence does nothing to hide the building's details, so circling still pays dividends in reconnaissance.
The building itself is not quite rectangular. Its front side bows out in a hemisphere. There are no doors in this front side of the building at all. Once a guest pays their fee and enters the yard they have a choice of two sets of large double doors, one set on either side of the building. Anyone who's come to see a show will know this as these are the public entrances that bring one directly onto the pit floor.
The rear third of the building sports a second story and stands secluded from the rest of the yard by gates that spectators are not normally permitted to pass through. As you pass around the backside of the building you note that there's a rear set of doors that stand open allowing a small glimpse into the workshop within, behind the stage. There are easily a dozen workers visible in the yard behind the building and beyond the doors. You pick up the sounds of hammering and occasional sawing coming from within the building - preparations being made for tonight's show.
Each of the entrances is guarded like the front gate. Three guards at each door standing at various states of attentiveness. There's no sign of any of the players, and certainly no sign of the missing priest.
"I think it's a waste to spend a lot of resources and effort on this crazy man, but sure, I can at least clean him." Less than the wave of a hand later and the man is as clean as if he has just bathed and his clothes are freshly cleaned. They stain again quickly from the sound Nebbin inflicted though.
"I'll cast one more spell before I'm off. With this you'll be able to hear my whisper at a distance. " Another quick cantrip follows as she points out Kayleigh and Tassira to receive the message.
After scouting, she returns back to the others without ending up using the message spell though.
"There are three entrances, sadly all are as heavily guarded as this one. I don't think we'll be able to just sneak in. We could possibly knock them out with magic, but some passerbys could notice and alert the rest leading to us having to fight a whole bunch of people.
An idea struck me after hearing the sound of construction. We could pose as workers or as carrying a load of materials to help with the performance. Did you guys come up with anything else while I was away? "
Nebbin looks a bit shocked as he realizes what he's done, looking around in a bit of a panic as if expecting the city guard to swoop in and pluck him off the city streets.
"I didn't mean to kill him! I thought he was going to hurt Tassira!" he exclaims.
When Neziana comes back, he shakes his head.
"I'm good at carrying stuff, but I don't know if I can pretend to be someone I'm not. I think people will be able to tell. Are you sure we can't just pay to go in. No one would be expecting someone to rescue the priest in the middle of the show, right? I mean, I certainly wouldn't! NotthatI'dgotoashowwheretheybeatupapriest!"
" You won't have to do much talking. I could handle that. Just look like a strong worker able to handle carry heavy things and you'll do your part. Until the fighting starts then you can go ahead and brain a few more people like you did with that priest." Neziana replies with a smile.
"It's alright, Nebbin! No one blames you for protecting Tassira. That said, I'm afraid they might be planning on doing more to Crayden than just beat him up--the priest in that play gets murdered."
To the others she says, "Will there be any less guards to deal with if we wait until the play starts? I don't think so, but we might also have to fight a lot of the audience as well. I like Neziana's idea of trying to sneak in earlier."
"I doubt the guards will be gone during the performance. That's the problem with waiting, there will be more people. It just makes it more likely to get messy and dangerous for everyone involved. I'm for anything that can get us inside without a fight. Once we have Crayden and try to take him out there will be one, and I'd much rather that be the start of it rather than the mid-point."
"The back way would be better. Less public, so if we do have to force our way in a crowd won't gather to watch or get involved."
"One thing we should take care to do is always give anyone who stands in our way options. We might find letting them know they can simply stand aside will work, especially with the set builders and other crew. Even the guards may not be inclined to fight hard if they have the choice. Dying over a day's pay isn't an appealing idea let me tell you, and in this case it's just putting on a play or not to them."
Nebbin nods, trying to process everything Emileva's saying. All these ... tactics ... are a bit over the head of the big man, who's had no training in war, but rather just tends to be happy carrying stuff where he's told.
"If we have to knock out ... or, you know ... any guards, won't they know we're there if we try to sneak in. Which means we won't really be sneaking in? I like the idea of letting people go if they don't want to fight. That's definitely what I would do!"
Tassira nods. "Who knows--maybe some of the guards won't see the appeal in watching an innocent man be murdered on stage in public. I might be able to get us inside without resorting to bloodshed."
Kayleigh nods thankfully as more of her new friends agree to help rescue Crayden...and sooner rather than later.
"I guess all that's left--unless anyone wants to buy more weapons or gear before we go in--is for me to disguise my allegiance to Milani. I can buy some basic clothes or...." Recalling some of her basic knowledge of how prestidigitation can be employed, she asks Neziana, "Can you change the color of my breeches? A tan or basic brown would be fine. I'll remove my tabard and look like just another warrior."
As Neziana gives her full description of the playhouse, Emileva's expression turns grim.
"This is going to be harder than we thought. We have to assume Crayden is being kept in the rear two-story portion, away from the public areas. We have to go in through the front entrance, so no shortcuts. Each door has guards posted, so more guards than we anticipated. We have to pass at least two doors to get inside."
"I think our best option is still to try to go in undercover, as workers or delivery people. The worst situation is one where a disturbance at one of the doors brings the guards from the other doors. Tassira, if you have that spell you used on the alligator again, I think it should be kept on reserve for that kind of situation, mob control, where we're facing overwhelming numbers."
"I would like to use something more clever, like a disturbance at one door that takes the guards away from the door we actually plan to use, but it would be too dangerous for whoever had to create the disturbance."
She looks at Tassira quickly, an idea coming to mind. "Would a magical disturbance be possible? Something big enough to draw the guards, but without placing a person there to take the heat?"
Tassira gives Emileva a quizzical look. "Like, a ray of frost breaking a crate near one door so we can sneak in the other? Or some sort of ghost sound like a cry for help? That sort of thing?"
"Maybe the kids could cause a distraction by begging or something? But I guess not if it's dangerous," Nebbin suggests and then dismisses the idea in a few moments.
Kayleigh wrings her hands, filled with indecision. Her nature makes her want to save the prophet of Groetus, but her limitations as a healer tell her that may not be possible. Her priority is rescuing Crayden, but still she's nearly paralyzed by her desire to save everyone.
She emerges from her mental gridlock when Tassira voices her suggestion about a magical cry for help to distract a set of guards. "That sounds promising!" she says hopefully.
" I don't know much about magic, so I can't really say what might work. I would think an illusion of some type I guess. Most important would be it lasting long enough to draw guards away from the other doors. I don't know what could do it. Just wishful thinking maybe"
"What about this idea... We pay to go in just as soon as we can. That would give us a little time to look around and get our bearings inside. Before the show starts we group near a place where we can access backstage, the two-story part of the theater. We use the sound magic to produce yells of "Fire! Fire!" to distract the audience, and hopefully some guards and theater people, then we rush backstage, find the priest, exit out the back if possible, and mingle with the crowd to leave."
"An extra set of clothes for Crayden ould be good. Something he can put on quickly or over his other clothes."
"I like that plan!" Kayleigh gushes at Emileva. "I'll buy some simple clothes for myself and Crayden."
The young priestess flushes at bit and lowers her voice at the terrible implications of her next suggestion. "Umm...should we also invest in some alchemist's fire to use as a distraction...or possibly to burn the whole awful place to the ground?"
Emi is quite surprised by Kayleigh's alchemist fire suggestion. It seems to go against what she knows of the priestess so far. Emi masks her surprise though, instead just treating as an idea from anyone.
"It would be dangerous. If it got out of control quickly a lot of people could die. We might even be among them, or Crayden if we can't find him fast enough. Smoke would accomplish everything we need and be safe. In fact, if we could produce smoke near where we plan to enter, we might be able to clear people away from what we're doing. Alchemical smoke?"
"Yes--yes, smoke would be sufficient, I think. Sorry--I'm just not thinking clearly."
Kayleigh takes a deep breath to calm herself, knowing darned well why she's not thinking straight: She can't recall ever feeling so overcome with the negative emotions of outrage, anger, and the gnawing need for vengeance.
"Sure, that sounds like a good idea to me," Nebbin said, glad to have a plan that doesn't involve violence.
As you stand across the way from the playhouse and its entrance discussing the matter - perhaps debating whether to take your prospective business up the hill into Garrison District or back through the riot and over the bridge into North Point - a man in a tradesman's apron is led up to the inside of the fence by a boy. The boy points out the corpse of the bum lying in the gutter. The man says something to the boy, gives him orders of some kind, and the boy slips off through the crowd. After a moment, the man says something to the crier, then heads back toward to the playhouse.
The weather is the opposite of sympathetic for the plights of your city. A fair inshore breeze is lifting and tearing up the smoke of yesterday's fires allowing a strong afternoon sun to warm the street.
Up Garrison Hill the Korvosan Guard is sure to be in control of the streets and shops may do business with you. Reefclaw Run Market was the scene of violence yesterday so it may well be closed. But the shops within the curtain of the Fort Wall are almost certain to be open.
Similarly, backtracking past the Temple and crossing over Jeggare Bridge will lead you back to the secure streets of North Point, where you came through last night.
Trying your luck in Bridgefront might gain some of you news of your own homes, but its only real market is the black one and fires still seem to be smoldering there.
Nebbin waits for someone else to tell him where to go and what to do.
Kayleigh suggests shopping on Garrison Hill.
Looking at Nebbin and his board, she's struck by sudden inspiration. "Nebbin--you're mighty handy using that board as a weapon. How good would you be with, say...a crutch?"
"Garrison Hill sounds good. Alchemical goods will be hard to come by. Best to look where the chances of shops being open are the greatest."