"We need more facts. Since subterfuge didn't work, we may have to go the direct route.""
"Control, perhaps," Absinthe suggests. "They were establishing themselves as the ones holding the food. They may be seeking influence."
"Hmm...good point," Rosa thinks. "Establish as a source of food, then withhold it to get. . . something?"
"They want power and control. They want to rule these streets."
Suddenly, Absinthe frowns. "One does not suppose... there could be more in those packages than meat? Some alchemical substance to induce obedience? Or perhaps messages to organize armed revolt?"
"Doubtful. I don't think they need mind control to stir up the people. They motivate themselves just fine."
"No, the mind control doesn't feel right. Think of what they were trying to do, Absinthe, and then think about how they would have gone about it if they just needed us to eat some of their rations..."
"What were they trying to do? Did you get any meat?" We could test it.".
"They were trying to get a free tumble out of sister Rosa, and to determine who and what gets to eat," Absinthe reports. "Apparently, 'half-demons' and crying children are out."
Segang listens and then adds Did you see the man we seak? My thought is that perhaps these ruffians work for him and are simply imperfect tools to administer his good will to the people.
"Well, it sounds like they are prejudiced," Melianthe says with a sympathetic glance to Absinthe, "And manipulative besides. Hardly the rescuers of Korvosa. I suppose the Marshall wasn't so off-base after all...any good leader of these men would have kept them in better check."
Melianthe folds her arms. "I say we go in there and apprehend them."
"Honestly, one found the eviction of crying children more hurtful," Absinthe tells Melianthe, shrugging. "To be a tiefling is to know one has vile predecessors. Unfair as it is in some cases, there is some cause for bias."
Turning to Segang, she shakes her head. "One did not."
"You can't help your parentage...or upbringing," says Melianthe.
"No, but you can't help other people's bigotry either."
"Most certainly, you can affect other people's bigotry," Absinthe says. Her smile is sweet, but there are crimson sparks in the depths of her eye as she pats her rapier.
"Well, all that does is makes them quiet about it. Their mind is still set."
"Let us show the people an alternative, and exterminate the leaders who won't change their mind."
[B["A reminder that we should capture this man alive."[/b]
How far up the food chain do you intend to take that...
"Yes, we should at least try to take their leader back for questioning. So perhaps, hold off on the exterminating if possible."
"Good point, Demitri," Melianthe says with a smile. "Segang, you picked up on my lack of specificity."
"There's nothing that says we have to accomplish this today." Rosa points out. "Perhaps observe the activities for the rest of the day, and night, and see what there is to be seen before we make any further move?"
I say we go in as soon as they close shop for the day. If we are going to try to do nonlethal I should go purchase a sap before we move in.
"Let us await the opportunities that dusk brings, then," Absinthe says. "The stealthy may then enter the building and do some reconnaissance, maybe provide some useful information to plan for the next day."
Perhaps a stealthy person could block the double doors into the stock pen from the outside before we go in so that no one could get out that way. I am going to pick up a sap. Anyone else need one?
"No, I don't think I need anything beyond hexes," says Melianthe with a wink. "I relish any opportunity to be nocturnal...couldn't we reconnaissance and then immediately return?" She says this with a hopeful expression.
How does dusk strike you?
"Evening recon sounds good. I can check upstairs if Absinthe covers the ground floor.
I am assuming the penthouse has windows.
"Just make it quick. We don't want them to be gone before we have a chance to confront them."
"If you can be stealthy, sister Mel, you may accompany this unworthy one," Absinthe says.
I am assuming the penthouse has windows.
"You are not unworthy, says Melianthe," her face softening. "Absinthe, it's just that I was...used...for a long time. I don't just wear this outfit to ward off disease." She fidgets with her mask.
"And I'm not the best at stealth, but I'll follow."
"I'm sorry, Mel. Just be careful, all of you."
After the trio leave, Demitri turns to Segang and Rosa.
"We really should pick up a deck of cards to pass the time while people are scouting. I'm going to become stir crazy with all this waiting around.
I think we can advance. I want to be close to the building if someting goes down.
"Tread where this unworthy one treads, and nowhere else," Absinthe mutters to Melianthe as they approach the target building.
Before entering, she briefly holds the dusk elf back and whispers: "One's mentioning of a lack of worth is... cultural, rather than a notion of personal lack. It is difficult to shirk the language patterns one grows up with. Tien is a language with strong notions of humility and propriety."
Melianthe nods, her mind suddenly on the task of staying quiet, concerned that she won't be able to follow as well as she would like.
; using pitons or rope attached to an arrow if it doesn't violate stealth.
Approaching from a side alley, you wait until all passers-by are clear and then make your way up the side of the building. The roof tiles are slate, slick with moss, which makes the footing treacherous but actually helps quiet your footfalls.
You approach the penthouse, which has two windows on each of its four walls. They are all shuttered and locked from within. It is dark enough inside that you can't make out anything through the cracks.
Absinthe makes the silent approach to the doors with practiced ease. Melianthe tries to follow suit, but cannot match the tiefling's natural grace. While trying to tip-toe, she turns a foot in a muddy patch, catches her balance, but knocks over a pitchfork near the wall. It clatters along the wall before landing in the mud with a spatter.