Adrien doesn't seem in any hurry to reassure Ozz.
Grellik returns inside. "Trissae has this handled. Ozz will provide some much needed deterrent to any foolish thoughts Grimgar's contacts may have. We can leave at once."
Adrien stands. "Let's go."
"Good." Grimgar says, putting on his boots and standing up.
He grabs his pack and slings it over his shoulder with a bit of effort, clearly not quite being at his best. Partially exhausted, maybe?
"We might need him. Fill me in on the plan with these 'Wits friends of yours as we travel. What we might be able to use."[/b]
Assuming you tell him while you travel, he leads the way but periodically silences you with a gesture as he checks corners. Additionally, he pauses to ask questions like "Grellik, you think you could get onto one of these roofs quietly?"
He heads you north, generally keeping to the alleys. Periodically he'd leave the alleys, gesturing everyone that it's safe to hurry down a street at a quick clip, cover some distance with little fear of being seen by guards, dazers, and bystanders. Like Ozz in the swamps of the Evermoores, Grimgar navigated this city like a ranger.
You all learn several convenient back roads to use, much safer than traditional routes, traveling north and south in Yartar.
"Ozz. Going to need you to act as bait on this one. No promise a fight will break out, but if it does, it's best you be front and center. Cavell, you're with him. You two will be what any trap closes around. Grellik and I will lurk about. Check the area for their allies, or any hirelings. Make sure that if a trap is happening, we're there to keep it from closing on you. To take advantage. I can tell you who I know, and what to expect from them."
He waits for objections.
"This is my kind of plan. Ready Ozz?" He clasps Ozz's shoulder with an excited grin.
As Grell turns and leaves Triss utters, "Don't worry Bear, I got this." before she turns and heads off.
Just as she leaves the immediate vicinity she charges up and channels an Invisibility spell. Not releasing the spell right away, she holds it ready just in case she needs it right away.
She then heads out back into the city, hugging the shadows and low areas, ready at a moments notice to cast her spell and disengage if anything comes her way.
"I'm sorry brothers, but Ilmater's compassion demands goodness in kind.... Goddess protect me. I must make haste!" She thinks to herself, as she directs her travel back towards Dolson Marr's hideout.
Grellik does not object. "I can be fairly quiet; unfortunately for the mission ahead, my heavy armor lies far out of reach, in Dart's safe house. IN this gear, I can be deceptively stealthy"
He worries about Trissae, but in the end he must trust her to do what she must, as they do what they must. "The Counterwits are skilled in information gathering and deception, though alas, they seems to be short on martial prowess. We can expect no bolstering of our forces, though they can provide us with information and assist us in procuring what we need, though I imagine that the limited time frame will hamper things. I also asked Trissae to see if they can provide a distraction to lure some of the bullywugs away. If they cannot fight, they can at least serve as a diversion, I hope."
Grellik will begin moving as soon as the others do, talking as they go, so as to not delay
As you are traveling with Grimgar, you hear 25 words in your head. Dolson Marr.
'Learned that elementalization...' undoubtedly a word he just invented to meet his word quota. '... occurs minutes after vivid imagery is described by victims. Shields helping at my rooms, use drop off at green barrel, left alley'
You know you can respond with up to 25 of your own.
Keeping the spell in mind as you walk through the city, just in case something dangerous were to happen, you head toward a building you saw not long ago, when you finally defeated Lord Frostheight's mage servant.
You focus on speed and stealth more than you do philanthropic intervention, or even a curious ear. Caution first. More than once you hear noises in the distance, or peaked around a corner and saw something, but you were always confident that even without using your magic that you weren't seen.
The next part might be harder, however. Arriving at the road which Dolson uses as a center of his away-from-Frostheight operations, researching the plague.
As you approach the end of an alley, you look down the street toward the building, a long series of homes all squashed together, city close. You see the door and windows of the two story building, and the things around it.
The cart full of hay that was in the area is still there, but not partially on fire. The corner of it is blazing, burning the wet hay even against the storm. Impossibly hot for non-magic fire. Something magic burned it, and the fire still burns, slowly, up the hay cart like a wick.
There is also a group of guards near the entrance the Dolson's home, and you see the mage himself standing in the middle of them.
The guards appear to be keeping guard over Dolson. They are wearing the red cloaks of the Shields, hoods generally pulled down but occasionally the wind gusts and knocks someone's hood back. Despite several of them bearing spears, several more of them are using surprising gentleness as they speak with a teenage girl. It's an elf, not yet an adult but clearly not a child. At least, not by elf standard. She'd be just a bit younger than Trissae, several years. And she is ice cold looking, her skin frosty and blue.
They're holding her shoulders, very passively. Not actively forcing her to stand in any way, as if they're just being ready in case she does anything. A couple nearby are holding torches, their flames being pulled in the storm.
"Here, let me show you." he says, gesturing to someone you can't quite see from your point of view, someone behind the burning cart on the street.
The person walks forward and you recognize the armor-clad half-elf who serves Frostheight along with the pet mage. His muscle, Farlyse. He impatiently waves her over, clearly in need of more time in his life. They enter the circle of guards.
Dolson gestures to the ice-dazer, the elf. "There's some tie between them and the storm. Someone went elemental and started burning things. We were... forced to kill him. When he... When he died the storm around him seemed to lessen." he says all of this like something distasteful he needs to explain, but doesn't want to remember it.
"A fire elemental? How did you take it down? None of you are burned." Farlyse asks, skeptically.
Dolson pauses for a moment. "It just... Happened! Like when I make storm effects for my shows? Or have one of my actors vanish for their part as a ghost?"
"But a hell of a lot more permanent." one of the Shields says, impressed.
"It was a miracle he did, ma'am. Destroyed the thing before it could get to us. It was burning my spear and then it was just... Gone! I head a wave of energy hit near me, and felt a pulling on my spear, and then. It was just gone! He unmade it, ma'am!"
Dolson looks like he feel very guilty about this, his posture falling with legitimate horror. "This girl..." he says, pointing to the dazer and checking a pocket watch. "We have at least 3 minutes before this girl has gone too far for us to save for a little bit longer. Listen to her speak..."
You can see the girl's mouth moving, but you're too far away to hear her not-projecting voice.
Ozz grunts to Adrien. "Back to back if we have to. You go after who ever is leading them, I keep the rest busy. we race to see if you defeat whoever is running their hunt, or I finish their hounds, first." He gives a confident smile.
Grimgar nods with confidence as his plan is accepted, at least for now. He listens intently to the talk of the counter wits.
"Know em only by reputation. They didn't buy much I sold, though a fence once told me that they would buy some of our loot. That's why I started recommending you strip heraldry from horses and wagons, my fences think they'll buy it. It'll probably take some work to get the bullywugs out of their new castle of theirs in any serious way. I think Splotz said they tend to defend their nobles really carefully, and that their nobles don't go outside and put themselves in danger. I hope these guys can work BIG, if you want them to draw off significant numbers. I heard they once arranged the over-night demolition of a nobleman's house before they could return from their visit with family across town. Some kind of rich-person rivalry. They came back to a lot with grass and trees, like a park had been there the whole time. If these aren't just stories, and they can actually pull stuff off like that, then hopefully they can do something just as big to get the frog's notice."
At first it seems like Grimgar is heading toward the buildings the Zhents are using, where you started your little war. But it turned out to just be a quick route. He detoured slightly and then headed further north again, toward the Cointoss's direction. Or maybe Dart's house. He continues planning while you travel to the meet location closer to the old quarantine.
"We're meeting at a courtyard behind a couple of upper-end businesses. Paper pushers, and solicitors, that kind of thing. There are a couple of two story buildings framing a bricked and tree planted courtyard. It's got a little pond in the middle they keep fish in sometimes." He takes a minute, realizing that the fish would most certainly be all dead now.
"Cute place. They pay for lots of extra Red Coats to hang around, it's kind of a common place on their regular beat. Makes the businesses feel safe, y'know? Real great place when you want to meet with a Shield that's really in someone's pocket. No one is surprised to see them hanging out there, chatting with random people."
"That's our contact. She's got rank with the Shields, and can spy for information for her real masters. I'm not actually sure who their Shield plant is, but that's our contact. I paid a lot to convince them that speed was worth their agent's potential discovery. No time to have them middle man it for me. I need questions answered! They said 'she', so it makes me think it's going to be one of two Shield women. One is this half-orc bruiser. Has this axe on a pole as a weapon, and she's good with it. I'd recommend range and poison. You two fight defensively, and I'll find a chance to take her out."
"The other is a half-elf. Niece to Commander Moonbrooke. Sword mage in training. Hit her hard, and never consider her unarmed. I don't know if she can do your sword summoning trick yet, Grellik, but her aunt is certainly teaching her. She can do some limited combat magic."
"There's the possibility of a few others, but none of them has the rank. Haven't looked into them too much. Spearwomen, the lot. Nia, Torea , Galdwith and Broalind... Just seem like your regular, troops. No surprises from them."
"As for our contact's actual masters. There are many which we need to look out for. 7 of them would be all I'd worry about, the rest are just the help, apprentices or acolytes or whatever. They've got magic, they've got sneaks, they've got muscle. The worst is their leader, if he's there we should expect something to go down, or that he really thinks that I'm going to start something. He might think that... I might DO it if I smell a trap, if it helps us get out of there alive. Their leader is huge, hits like a truck, and never seems to go down permanently. He's got a devilish mind, too. You're going to want to watch your tongue around him, but I doubt he'll show himself until he has to. If we see him, and a fight starts, it's probably best to strike and escape. But only if we're sure. Don't attack unless you have to, but if you see something... Something that's more than them just keeping an eye right back at us... Make sure everyone knows to get away, and we meet at Beldabar's. Everyone know how to get there?"
"... No. It's... Underground, right?" he looks between Grellik and Adrien, not quite sure who told the story about being there.
Trissae places her hand on her sword handle ready to draw, time is of the essence if Dolson is right, and then moves into the open.
"Then we should move quickly to save her...", Trissae shouts down to the gathered crowd, using her booming performance voice to cut through the storm.
She walks cautiously toward the crowd, hand visibly on the sword as she approaches, and eyes the group.
"I have pertinent information on how to fight the Dazer affliction. Stay your weapons so we may parlay." She says, lifting her hand away from the handle and holding both hands up as a peace gesture.
"We managed to purge the malignancy from Feng... the process was... intense." She halts some 20 or so feet from the group and awaits a response.
Cavell wasn't paying attention to Grimgar. He was busy running through an imaginary glorious fight back to back with Ozz in his head. When Ozz asks him about something underground, he thinks a moment, vaguely recalling what they were just talking about.
"Underground...oh, Beldabar's? It's by the river, just south of the market." He describes the building.
"If a fight breaks out, you get him there Cavell. Escape together while Grellik and I cover you."
Grimgar waits to see if Grellik has any questions on this last chunk of information before proceeding.
You emerge and shout. Heads turn to see who is coming to the circle, but the men with the torches and the men gently holding the girl maintain their position, girl ready to be grabbed, torches ready to touch her if necessary.
You can see the moment when the group recognizes the stranger approaching. You are speaking of parlay when you see a slight widening of the eyes from Dolson Marr. And a narrowing of the eyes from Farlyse.
The black-armored woman begins to move toward Trissae, her gauntleted hand heading to this hilt of her greatsword slung on her back.
"Surrender, dog!" She demands, starting initiative.
Grellik smiles a bit at the exploits of the Counterwits, and nods"I pray they can as well. As for your contacts, I will be on my guard. Hopefully, the gods have had enough of our suffering, and we will not have to waste precious energy in dispatching them, though I would count on nothing of the sort." He turns to Ozz as Adrien answers. "Yes, to the west of the citadel. If you get there without us, tell Beldabar that you are my associate. I do not know how much aid it will give, but, as you may recall, he aided me, and we parted amicably, when I first came to town." He turns back to Grimgar. "Well, then the plan is set, I see no reason for further delay. Feng, we shall return, and bring the gift of our comrades. It will take more than the laws of men, or the calamity of gods to stop the Sharks!"
Underneath it all, Grellik is still disturbed by what has gone on with Grimgar, but he is pushing it down. For now, all that matters is rescuing their comrades. And payback. And the gods help any Bullywug that stands in Grellik's way.
Grelliks concentration falters like it has before when he has received a Sending. he works out something in his head quickly, apparently counting by the movements of his fingers. He then briefely concentrates before turning to the Sharks. "He just sent me a message. apparently the onset of the elemental infusion happens some minutes after the victims describe vivid imagery. I'm guessing this is he same sort of thing that Feng was describing to us. I informed him that we were breaching he citadel, mentioning that as our goals are intertwined, any assistance would be helpful. Not sure what form that could or would take, but it cant hurt. I'll need to drop off an account of Feng's miraculous recovery when I can."
"Not sure I'm comfortable with him knowing about that. I don't trust him not to tell Frostheight, but you're the boss, boss." Cavell seems content to let it go, happy enough with the promise of a fight coming up.
Grellik nods, expecting that Cavell and Grimgar might not like his openness with Dolson. "If he wanted us caught, he could have arranged it before--or now. he warned me that we could not meet openly, as there were Shields about. And if he tells him, he has to tell him how he got this information, which might put him at risk. Though your objection is noted, and I understand your reluctance."
Grimgar grunts to Grellik's assessment. "But Cavell has a point, there." he allows with some difficulty. "Only trust people in his position so far. If I understand it right, he's a kind of hostage. He may think himself honorable, but honor breaks. Maybe not here, but soon he might break his word, and help them take you again."
Grimgar thinks for a moment. "But Frostheight's pet mage could be valuable. Making him give you information was a good idea, we owe Feng's life to that decision, if he's right about how turning into an elemental comes on the heels of talk. We may have acted with only minutes to spare."
"Dolson Marr has talent, but very little guidance. Still, despite his lack of experience with combat magic, he should always be considered a threat. If he wanted to stop us... If he decided to break his word, I have no doubt he'd give us a lot of trouble."
Grimgar leads you all down an alley. He pauses briefly, noticing a patch of ice forming on the ground. The bricks of the alley way are frosted thoroughly near a burning barrel. The barrel appears to have been struck by lightning, the storm waters within having spilled and filled a sizable portion of the already flooded alley, but it appears as if magic ice spilled from that barrel instead of simple waters.
Contoured, water spreads forth, frozen in place as a visible wave. The water filled about 25 feet long of the alley. It appears as if the waters released froze solid mid-wave upon release of the destroyed barrel. You can see the edge of the area, where the circumference of the wave is frozen like a snap-shot of time, glistening blue and clear, unmelting from the storm water.
Ozz approaches the circumference of frozen water when Grimgar hesitates. He kneels and touches the wave, examining it.
"By the gods..." Ozz says, touching the slick ice. He gives it a hard knock and marvels that the force of his firm strike failed to even crack the area.
"It's thick. See an easier path? Or do we skate? Think it's safe?"
He tosses a fragment of the broken wood across the slick surface. It slides about 10 feet across the ice before freezing in place from quick contact with the ice spill.
"..."
You spy a potential route up the building side using window ledges and gutters. It looks moderately difficult (DC 15 strength(athletics) check to go this route. However a couple of well placed opened shutters creates another path for those with and acrobat's knack. (Make a DC10 acrobatics check for advantage on the strength, but if you fail the strength check you fall and take 1d6 falling damage).
This ice is no longer responding properly to temperature, at least not created by mundane means. Magical heat still might melt it as normal. You're confident that a regular torch, however, wouldn't melt the ice in the slightest, dulling even a single elaborate contour of the frozen wave of barrel water.
--------------------
There's also the possibility that some of the doors or windows of either building framing you could be accessible.
You recognize that one of the building's forming the alley is branded "The Wink and the Kiss"
You've heard that The Wink and the Kiss is a Festhall. This gaudy festhall is fun and informal. Easy camaraderie is encouraged here. Rowdiness is discouraged by Beldorm and Asklar , the bald, 7-foot-tall human brothers who own the place. It's a labyrinth of rooms, secret passages, hanging curtains, and galleries. On occasion, the concealment offered by the maze has been used by killers. The Hand of Yartar (a local thieves guild) declared the festhall safe ground. No feuds are pursued here, and no weapons are drawn. Guests must leave all weapons, clothing, and gear in safe storage, and they are asked to don costumes instead. This fad threatens to spread across the North. Already someone has worn a stolen costume while slaying in the alleys of Yartar.
You would expect them to have an accessible back door for patrons who need a discrete entrance. Maybe this door has someone on guard, to provide access through the building?
You cast a quick illusion spell, but catch the energy before it's released, holding in reserve in the back of your mind.
Farlyse charges toward Trissae, her feet just leaving the wet stones of the streets, her black-gauntlet reaching back to the leather-wrapped hilt of her black-bladed greatsword.
Trissae vanishes before her.
"Let's just go around it, shall we?" He gestures to an alternate route.
Grimgar searches one way, Cavell the other.
Adrien points to a path of ledges up the side of a building. (See perception spoiler above).
Trissae's eyes narrow as Farlyse begins to lunge forward. After falling invisible she turns back into the Alley she entered from, looking to use the buildings and shadows to further conceal her presence.
Triss then waits in her relative safety to observe what unfolds.
Grellik narrows his eyes, but bites his tongue when Grimgar says that honor fails; now is not the time. Aesir Dremain's honor never failed, even unto death. Would that all could be like him.
Grellik briefly contemplates using his magic to burn the ice, but thinks better of it, and says to Adrien, "Agreed. Even if I can melt the ice, whatever caused it may still be around. We can climb up there, but is that not the Wink and the Kiss? He indicates which building he is taling about. "Perhaps it would be better to travel through there? I understand it caters to a rather eccentric crowd. we should be able to blend in." He looks to Cavell and Grimgar, not really knowing which is better.
Unless ADrien stops or it is decided to take the building route, Grellik will shake his head slightly and shrug and climb up after Adrien
"Building I think..." Grimgar voices, watching Adrien's acrobatic ascent up the building. "We aren't far away from our location. We get up there, scout things out, and I'll explain more of the plan. We should be able to see the meeting sight from up there. Still, if you need to lose someone, The Kiss might be a good place to lose them, if you can get in. They'll demand you disarm, but just push through and lose yourself in the crowd, find another way out, and meet at Beldabar's."
Grimgar follows Adrien up the building, using the same route, swinging off of a loose shutter to a better handhold.
Seeing everyone scaling the building, Ozz follow's Grellik's path, not believing he could pull off that acrobatic stunt Adrien and Grimgar both employed. He stays low, hanging out with the others on the building top.
Grellik nods to Grimgar and ascends. HE will attempt to keep his massive frame as low as he can, scanning the surroundings for danger before they move on.
Grimgar points over toward a low series of building at an adjacent block, very near the old quarantine walls. The walls themselves now appear to be unguarded, the Shield once there now dealing with other threats within the city. Large opened spaces now dot the wall, allowing free transportation from that area into the rest of the city.
The buildings in question are either a squat two story or tall single story, and take up about a quarter of the block all by itself. A couple of tall windows lie shattered, others shuttered properly and protected. There are three of them, wide ends facing outward, narrowing inward toward each other, with a sizable courtyard in the center.
You can see tree lined paths heading between each building toward its courtyard. The tops of the buildings themselves have a shallow peak, curving architecture allowing for potential hiding places along the building tops.
"Alright. Once we're ready... Ozz, you'll take Cavell and head down there. Be cautious, but try to keep from seeming like you're skulking for any reason more than the obvious threats the city has right now. Find this Shield woman, and speak with her. I'd avoid letting her guide the meeting, in case they have something planned. While you're talking to her, ask questions about the Citadel. You too, Cavell, don't leave all the work to Ozz. Make sure the important s!*! gets asked. We need to know the best way to get in there, what the bullywugs have, where are friends are... Anything useful about the Shields, such as Irontooth's position."
"Meanwhile Grellik, are plan is simpler. Lurk around, keep your eyes open for danger, and cover their backs. If you see a threat, and not just them keeping an eye right back on us, strike first. Strike loudly, let us all know we're getting set up! If anyone gets separated, meet back at Beldabar's."
"Now you two, run off. We'll give you a couple minutes to get in position. We don't all want to be seen going up there together. It'll ruin our advantage if a fight breaks out."
After the two head off toward the compound, Grimgar gently, but firmly, takes your shoulder. "When it's safe. Look at this." he hands you a scroll case, removing it from his bag before pushing it against your chest.
"I've had it confirmed. It's all there. Judge for yourself." he says, looking uncertain about how Grellik will act. "I'm not some rabid dog, Grell. You go left, I'll go right. Remember, to keep an eye out for their boss, big man in heavy armor. He's trouble."
Grimgar will then pull away and start heading to get into position.
Cavell makes his way off the building, waits for Ozz, then continues on, not attempting stealth, to the meeting point. He says low to Ozz as they walk, "I kind of hope they betray us."
Trissae retreats, watching as Farylse keeps moving to the spot where she was without any hesitation. The woman turns her hips, swings her sword, and twists her sword in her two handed grip. The blade swings flat-side first through the air, slapping a slice of rain water out of the area where the drow just was moments ago.
The former knight looks around for where the drow had gone, but can't find her.
Dolson looks horrified. Suddenly, he regains his senses and nods to the guards. They hold the torches to the young elf woman, but instead of burning her, she simply squirms. The light from the torches increases supernaturally as they touch her body. Her skin tone becomes less frosty, and more natural looking. The guards pull back their torches.
Satisfied that she's safe, for now, Dolson Marr looks around for Trissae.
Farlyse stalks down the road one direction, then the next, with her sword on her shoulder and her eyes on the alleys. Clearly she has no idea where Trissae is.
"Come on out!" she cries into the storm. "If you want to help, turn yourself over!"
Dolson, however, does notice Trissae. It takes a moment, but as he scans for the drow, he pauses after his eyes drift to her crouching behind some cover in the alley, beneath the illusion spell.
His mouth drops open, taken aback. It looks like he cannot believe what he's seeing. He then straightens out his posture, realizing that he is behaving suspiciously if the other guards were to pay attention to him. He lets his eyes casually drift back over to Trissae, confirming that he did see the invisible drow.
He tilts his head to the side, a slight gesture to the left of him, as if pointing something out.
Dolson says a couple of things to the Shields, glances back to where you were, and then walks to the left, circling back through a nearby alley toward where he gestured with his head. A discrete meeting, or a trap?
Farlyse stalks back in the other direction, looking for her prey.
Grellik grunts his ascent as Grimgar gives the plan, and gets ready to cover them
Trissae slowly stands and creeps away from her hiding space, and turns to head down the nearby alley to meet with Dolson.
Creeping past the alert Farlyse, you follow Dolson into a nearby alley while the Shields keep the elf girl firmly, but gently, in place.
You head down the alley. In a small courtyard between a few tall housing buildings, connected by a couple different alleys with several boarded up backdoors. Dolson is waiting there, out of sight of the road where the other Shields are.
"What are you doing here?! Are you... Invisible?" He seems frazzled. "You left before I Sent to your current acting commander, didn't you? I advised about coming here right now." he points to a nearby, green-painted barrel without further explanation.
Ozz grunts in response to Adrien. It's tough to tell if he means to agree, or disagree with the opinion of wanting this to be a trap or ruse.
"Think they will? I'd fight em. Grimgar makes them seem like a threat, but he always talks like that. We usually beat anything he warns us about. Worse case, we run. Just don't do that crap like you did with the owlbear. Keep retreat as a valid option in your mind."
He looks at the human scoundrel, as if judging if Adrien will allow himself to run. "You've got too many girls these days. It'd take forever to tell all of them that you died." He grins, walking toward the building.
"Right down the middle? You want point?" He points at the path heading into the courtyard of the compound, where the buildings will block the view of most of the surrounding area. It could easily be some kind of trap, with enemies planted and hidden.
Grimgar said to the left, but no other instructions. Grellik can see that if he circles around the compound to the left, 1/3rd of the distance around there will be another gap between the buildings, allowing for a ground level entrance into the courtyard from a different angle Ozz and Adrien went down.
You could also scale the building, and get onto the roof, as it is possible that someone of the other force could be hiding up there, out of sight from where you are now.
Finally, it even looks possible to break into the building, and search for a back door or others skulking within, laying it wait. Or as another path to the courtyard, one with more cover. Grimgar obviously has similar options on his side. Adrien and Ozz are heading up the path of the nearest of the 3 ground level entrances into the courtyard. Most of this area is concealed at a distance, and you'll have to take one of the three above described ways to approach it from a different direction as these two.