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Shan's eyes snap open at his calling after the chaos has ended. He then scraps off any residual negative energy from his shoulders & arms, flinging it to the ground to neutralize it. He then motions everybody to come outside and leave Greeves to his demise.
"I agree about splitting up to find out information, 2 or 3 groups. But at least one should have somebody who can 'Talk the Talk'. We should reconvene at the end of the day. Unless we have solid evidence that Yiddlepode will be attending one of the shows, we should survey each show the following days. If the operas are being performed at the same time, we again split up. Each group attend a different opera and investigate the crowds.
If we are unsuccessful by the 3rd day, then we will have to go into the sewers and deal with the Kibizax directly. This will be our last day, and thus our last option. Those are my thoughts on the manner."
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After some thought, Desmond shares, Well, if a dragon were smuggled into the sewers, it would have to be pretty young I would think. And if it is young, it is near impossible to detect it living in or under the city.
Desmond's expression suddenly contorts with worry. If we all split up in pairs to check these operas for, what's-her-name - Littletoad - that doesn't mean we have to actually attend, right? We can just watch for her coming or going, can't we?
He frets to himself, I don't wanna go to no gorram opera.
"If she's a Romantic, she may very well go to Serpent's Song. It's supposed to be about a dragon falling in love with a princess. Or if she has a fetish for dragons."
"Like I said, I think we should meet here or elsewhere early each evening before the shows begin. Share what we've found out, and then discuss our plans for the shows."
"I'm going to ask around and see if I get a sense of which shows might be least attended. I don't have high hopes, though. It's not like I have any contacts in the theater scene. Anyone want to come?"
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Desmond will go with whoever will accompany him to the performance about Chelish History - Fall of Glory.
The one about Chelish history doesn't sound too bad. Does anyone want to come along with me? But my guess is she'd most likely be at the one about the dragon - being a kobold and all.
Desmond goes to the theater. Once there, he searches to see if he spots Yiddlepode. Also, he searches to find any traces that she may have been around the theater - for possible kobold tracks.
On the first day Shan, Anja, and Reiko wander about the Ivy District talking to people.
Sahar went to see Serpent's Song, attending the midnight performance that night.
Serpent's Song is a tragedy about a dragon who falls in love with a princess and the only showings that aren't sold out for the next month are the midnight showings, and they are still very crowded.
Crowds were expected to be thick for Fall from Glory, as Chelish operas are known to often feature actual bloodshed in place of special effects, but the debut was unpopular as the Andoren troupe is said to have replaced much of the bloodshed in this traditionally gory Chelish history with illusions and sleight of hand.
Knowing the above, I'm going to assume that you went to Fall from Glory with Desmond.
Ezrek and Desmond attend Fall from Glory together that night.
It's not the best opera and a lot of the blood and fighting is clearly fake or is being altered by illusions. Becoming bored and looking around you can easily spot a small, blue-cloaked figure sitting alone in one of the balconies. Ezrek is sitting next to you.
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Desmond whispers to Ezrek, Well, I guess we picked the right show. There she is. He then faces the stage, keeping the balcony in his peripheral vision. How do you want to proceed? We can follow her out after this is done and deal with her like I did Greeves. Des softly chuckles to himself at the thought. But, I already had my fun, so I'm willing to try any idea you've got.
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Unless any other information arises, Shan will go with Sahar to Serpent's Song. He is willing to sit through the opera if need be.
Yes, sorry. You can read Sahar's spoiler above.
Yep, sorry. A few people have things to take care of. The rest of you can wait for them to catch up and swap info later.
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Perception: T20 + 8 = 28 after the performance has started.
Sahar relates her experiences at the Serpent's Song. "Sadly this seems a very popular and well attended choice and I suspect our little dragon will not make a showing there. We should probably make sure and still check there just in case, but it seems like a bust."
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Edit: Desmond apparently didn't realize his clothes are still stained with Greeves' blood and thus is not a comforting sight.
Before leaving the Temple, Anja suggested a place right in the Ivy District for everyone to meet up before the evenings and after the shows.
After asking around with Shan and Reiko, and hearing little encouraging, she went to Serpent's Song, playing a hunch on kobolds and dragons. One look at the crowd, however, and she knew it was unlikely. She didn't attend the show, but kept a dutiful eye for Yiddlepode in the crowds entering and leaving.
She heads to the agreed-upon meeting place to wait for the others, hoping the people attending Fall from Glory had luck.
Reiko can slip about the Ivy District unseen by most people, but it is the middle of the night and the only people walking about are a few city guards and people walking home from the opera. Reiko notices nothing suspicious.
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During intermission she turns to Ezrek. "My father is in charge. . . why do you come to me? How did you find me? My wishes for the Sewer Dragons and the Society are irrelevant at present. I fear that you will have to deal with our grand chieftain, my father.
After hearing briefly from Ezrek, Yiddlepode will hush him as the actors take the stage again. She watches intently for the duration of the second act and when the opera finishes up she turns to Ezrek once more.
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Turning to Desmond, Yiddlepode puckers her lips a bit. You know you have some dried blood down your front there? A change of clothes might do you good next time you attend the opera.
"So he wants tribute? For the missing agents? I say we just be rid of him and his son, for good measure. Oh, wait, the son's supposed to be the trapmaker. Well, just the chief, then."
"Maybe we can teach the son that 'tribute' can come in the form of fair payment for his goods and for services provided by the gang if we call on them. Maybe we make the chief that offer, if the missing Pathfinders are handed over unharmed. Not optimistic, though."
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Sahar shakes her head, "A cunning little dragon indeed. Playing both sides against each other hoping to come out ahead. A dangerous gambit. As Trade Prince al'Hakam is fond of saying 'Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity.' She stands to gain in nearly any outcome. If we arrive and confront her father, he dies or we die. If he dies, she takes over the tribe. If we die she gains her father's, and tribe's admiration for brining Pathfinders to their deaths."
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Anja, I don't see why we should spare Yiddlepode's brother. So he's some fancy trapmaker - I don't see why that would justify any mercy on our part, and I don't care what noble houses he has worked for. Is it just professional courtesy on your part?
Putting Yiddlepode into power seems to be our best chance, Sahar. I don't know if it would be worth trying to track her down again, but even if we did, we may not be able to convince her of anything further. So yeah, maybe she is playing both sides, a tactic your precious Trade Prince is likely quite familiar with, but that doesn't change the fact that we will need to put down at least the chief and likely the brother as well.
Desmond then address the group at large, As I said before, I am all for taking this fight straight to the sewers. However, I guess we still have time before we need to take that route. What do you guys think?
Anja sighs. "I took it that the VC would welcome a deal that would provide the Society with access to their trapmaster's work. If the brother is the trapmaster, maybe we should see if he can accept our terms before we kill him."
"If he's not the trapmaster, or if he won't accept his sister taking over the gang, then it would probably be easiest to kill him, too. First, though, it does sound like we need to enter the sewers."
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"I agree that all roads will lead into the sewers on the journey. I pose only one alternate route. Should we try to find the brother and speak with him? The Pathfinders have access to items he will want directly for his trap-making. Of course, the wisdom of giving him supplies he can use against us maybe be limited. Besides, I do not know if we have enough sands to search for him top-side. This is a mystery with out time to meditate on it. I hope we find peace in the end. Do we know where in the sewers we need to go?"
You descend into the tunnels, following Xarcious' directions. The age of these tunnels shows in its crumbling walls, and the walkways along the deep central sewage channel are treacherously narrow, making footing uncertain .
Near the intersection Xarcious indicated (Map (heading down)), territorial markings fill the walls, smattered with warnings written in the common tongue: "Keep out." Scorch marks on the ground and walls smell faintly of ozone. Xarcious' directions indicate that the entrance to the Sewer Dragons' lair is through a grate in the east passage off a large, four-way intersection.
Anja will lead the way, checking for traps. She won't tempt fate by trying to jump over the sewage channel. She'll take the long way to the crossing at the north end.
You can't see beyond the effects of your light sources but something from down the tunnel (to the east) begins firing at Anja. A crossbow bolt goes wizzing past her head.
A crossbow bolt hits Desmond.