Akukho, seeing the toll, peels off from the group and walks quietly down to the water's edge. He slips into the water with barely a splash and sets off across the river as though it was the most normal thing in the world.
Stricia sighs as Akukho disappears and prepares to pay the toll.
You get to the other side, and rejoin Akukho with no issues.. the guards pay you no more attention than any of the other citizen crossing. In time, you make it back to Longroads Coffee House.
"And we have indeed returned madame Longroad, as always, it is indeed a pleasure."
Indio punctuates his claim by offering a deep bow, complete with the obligatory hat sweeping.
As you enter, you are hit with a wave of a pleasant mix of aromas... baked bread, sweetness, and rich scent of roasted and brewed coffee beans. There are a few small groups of patrons - not terribly busy.
The halfling woman smiles and winks...
"Good to see you, Master Black. Hello everyone. Let me know if you care for coffee, tea, sweetbreads..." she offers with a casual gesture... "Mincemeat scones have just come out of the oven."
Akukho sniffs appreciatively and then frowns.
"You get your water from Mother Yolubilis." He says, its not a question. "Let me help you with that in future - it'll be quite a bit cleaner that way. My mother does her best but people will insist on dumping things..."
"We should certainly avail us of the delicacies that madame Longroad so thoughtfully provide.
It will fortify us for the task at hand as we discuss our next move."
Tea, please! Stricia asks for the hot beverage with a bow.
Indio NEARLY does a double take at Strica's order but manages to restrain himself.
Instead he raises an eyebrow and looks at Laria, wondering if she dislikes tea as a general rule, or only Bastargrae's tea?
"And a tea for me as well." Idril said, making silver pennies appear by slight-of-hand to cover the cost.
Hello, Laria. Lovely morn. Bastargrae greeted, still awkward around the halfling woman.
He sheepishly held up a finger and coin.Tea for me, please. And I'd love a mincemeat puff. They smell exceptional.
Bastargrae gave a strained smile, resisting mightily to prepare his own tea. He wanted to mend the friction between them but resisting his urges to laud his superior knowledge about tea and its merits over coffee were an exercise in restraint.
Laria shrugs and smiles... "Very well... tea it is."
She plates a mincemeat pastry.. slides it to Bastargrae, and nods to her worker - who prepares the tea.
"It is black tea.. so it's not useless.. not as much pep as my house brew of finely roasted coffee, but...." She shrugs, and smiles politely. "I hope you enjoy it."
Ah, the old debate between drinkers of green and black tea. Very well, that is a debate that I can safely avoid.
Bowing to Laria, Indio favours her with a smile.
"Would it be at all possible to request a cup of Khave? If not, I would be quite pleased with a cup of the house roast."
Once she gets her tea, she will follow the others downstairs.
You make your way to the back of the coffee house, into the small storage room containing the hatch to the dry cellar. You then pass through the concealed door into the hideout.
Forvian Crowe and his crew are currently sacked out in the bunk room - the lanterns within are low. The tengu Fushi sisters are in the warehouse playing cards as they often are when not set to a task. Rexus is nowhere to be found.
Idril will poke about looking for a map of the city blocks where the armigers are imprisoned, as well as one for where the execrations will be held. If she can't find any, she'll get a sheet of butchers paper laid out on a table and start sketching in the buildings in question according to what they have seen.
Standing back to get a good overview, she uses Prestidigitation on her inkpen to fill in the map.
Akukho looks around with interest and then heads to the water and slides gracefully into it, before kicking his way out to the large statue of Calistria.
Taking a seat, Indio places his hat on the table before taking a slow mesured sup from his Khave.
As soon as his throat is clear he begins to speak.
"So, forgive me for reiterating what we already know, but precision is as often, key.
We have elected as a primary plan to attempt guile in freeing the prisoners, and as a secondary plan, stealth.
What we require for the primary plan is the names of the specific individuals held in the holding house, and then forged papers securing their transfer.
Secondly, we require uniforms and weapons to match.
For the secondary plan we would require a layout of the area, as well as nay information about the guards that we can collect."
Perhaps our allies can help find the names of the guards that work in the prison. Perhaps we can find one sympathetic to our cause that can provide us with the information that we require. Stricia says.
One of the dark-feathered tengu stands from the table, and steps up. After a nod in greeting to Stricia...
"I am Korva. This is Jay... Maggie... Treep. We are the Fushi sisters. You need word from the street? Just ask."
A male human with a dark wavy bowl-cut, prominent misaligned nose, a broad-shouldered and lean figure drowsily strolls from the bunk room to the little pier by the Stormwater Shrine. He sits.. soaking his feet in the water.
He eyes Akukho for a moment with a grin... "Y'alright? One of Ravens are ya? G'mornin' to ya. Name's Forvian."
Akukho somehow shrugs, despite being mostly underwater. "I am here to help, but no. I am a river, not a raven. You're actually dipping your feet in me right now. I don't mind, just don't piss if you can avoid it." He rises smoothly from the water and glides across the surface, standing vertically without his feet moving before reaching out to shake Forvian's hand.
"Akukho."
Forvian's slight smirk fades as he realizes Akukho means what he says, but grins with the closing request.
"Not a problem. Good to meet ya. I'mma go and see what's goin down." He cocks his head to indicate the direction of the others who've begun discussion of a plan.
"If you want a rebellion big enough to overthrow Thrune then you'll need more supporters." Akukho offers, as he follows Forvian into the meeting dripping wet. "I'm happy to help with that."
Recruit!
So:
1. Gather Info
2. Recruit
3. Special Action to get Holding House uniforms.
The Fushi sisters bicker among themselves over the unclaimed ante of their interrupted card game before Korva turns to you with a nod... "We'll get the names... no worries." and winks.
Forvian Crowe says "I'll rouse me band. We'll get ta work.. give ya a hand gettin your disguises put together. Got a bit here ta work with already, aye?" he jerks his thumb toward the crates within the warehouse.
"These were in your statue." The River God offers, holding out some sodden scroll tubes, a golden necklace and a whip. "Some sort of secret stash I imagine."
Mayhap forgotten and ruined by the elements. Curious symbol tho....
"Why certainly. A spare pair of eyes surely cannot hurt.
And I am somewhat familiar with symbols and letters."
"Hmm, no...I am afraid this particular symbol is not one that immediately springs to mind."
"That is your angry god of vengeance is it not?" Akukho asks.
"Calistra of the vengeful sting? Quite possible, it is not a deity I am particularly familiar with.
That would explain the whip as well..."
Stricia takes on the job of ensuring their base is secured seriously, making sure there all entrances are secured and there are hidden lookout positions. With their recruits low, she takes on the job of being the lookout most of the time.
Bastargrae, as he was wont to, took to the streets pushing his tea cart to sell his wares. Earning coin to put towards the cause and gather information.
His ears and eyes keen, his tongue honeyed.
The Fushi sisters return. "This was no easy task... but we have the names....
Benjen Preveau, Hortense Lierre, Ilsani Aberveen, and Kasston Auruda"
Your other team returns with a few sacks of clothes which may work as passable uniforms.
With her theatrical background, Idril will look through the clothing with an eye towards making them look good as uniforms.
"Very good, we now possess the names we need, and something to build our custom uniforms from.
It is worth pointing out that SOME discrepancies could be explained away by us acting the part of a specialized unit, but let us keep such things to a bare minimum."
"Now we require a copy of an official document we may forge, and we should consider taking a few lessons from madame Ssethan, so we may assume our roles with confidence."
With the store of clothing in the warehouse as well as what Forvian's crew procured, Idril is able to put together several outfits which look pretty convincing.
"The question now is, how can we most easily secure a copy of official papers to copy, without drawing attention to ourselves?"
"I imagine that during the changes and upheaval our fair city is currently experiencing, the court houses and city halls might see a fair bit of traffic...
Perchance it might be possible to procure something directly from the source?
Failing that, finding someone that can be bribed.
The corruption of the legal system might possibly work FOR us for once."
"With a bribe you are less likely to have trouble?" Akukho says, obviously as a question. "Or simply pretend?"
Stricia, being a lawful sort, grimaces at this talk but says nothing. It's not like she had any contacts or anything like that to offer anyway.