Aster escorts the rest of the Ravens away from the checkstop, though not quite out of Villegre.
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Round 4
Ederion keeps running across the rooftops with the Hellknights desperately chasing behind. Ederion notices that he's gaining ground, looks like the metal bucketheads can't keep up forever!
Ederion notices that the rooftops suddenly drop 10ft to single story buildings. He'll need to drop down safely, or take his time climbing.
Yes
Tasha glances at the others, before shrugging. "Should we follow them? I for one always love seeing the Hellknights in various states of embarrassment." She stretches her shield arm, adding in a whisper. "That, and just in case we need to give him a hand.
"I can't." Aster responds with more than a little regret. The reason being apparent every time she moves. "But that shouldn't stop any of you."
Bazzle looks about not convinced there are not more eyes on them. "If we double back we invite suspicion and more random checks before we get where we are going." He shrugs. [b]"Don't want to loose him I guess.
"Does anyone have a way that we can contact him later, make sure he's all right?"
Without even breaking his run, the nimble elf jumps down from one building to the next, doing a sommersault and saluting those chasing him even as he goes - "Keep at it, you are doing great!"
Should they not have plans in case of splitting up?, Tasha's eyebrow flickers up. She scratches her ear nervously, before adding, "Uhm... maybe he'll come back to our hiding spot?", she asks, before she attempts to snap her fingers, the gauntlets proving the task difficult. "We should probably consider getting some safehouses around the city? That's what spies do, right? And... was it dropkills? No, dead-drops! Like in the Omund Cuffs novellas!", she adds in a whisper.
"I'd suggest we head back for a coffee?", she shrugs a moment later, "I mean, our shopping is done, and he knows where to find us. We should keep an eye for any tails. Ones following us.", she adds unnecessarily.
"I have no idea Rexi, but I do think Coffee sounds like our best bet." the middle aged woman frets. Honestly she's known the elven gentleman for less than a week, so she has no idea where he might go. Leaning over she whispers to Tasha, "I'm rather new at this stuff, if you haven't noticed, so what is a dead-drop? Is it something like defenestration?"
"Well the whole problem is that we are barely scraping by enough money to keep things going, much less getting more safehouses! We might as well see if he meets us at the shop after losing anyone tailing him," Rexandi whispers back.
Ederion nimbly drops down to the first story buildings and starts getting ready to drop to the ground level. The two Hellknights are far enough back that they opt to take a more gradual route, namely jumping onto a balcony before making a smaller jump. Both Hellknights neither advance nor fall behind, but Venator is visibly fatigued. It's only a matter of time before he falls behind, or collapses to the floor exhausted. Ederion hears a voice coming from the ground not too far from him. A woman's voice, chanting some sort of spell.
You may choose one of the following:
1. Make a DC15 acrobatics check to drop to the ground. You will definitely be in range of whatever spell is being cast. You can make a DC15 spellcraft check to identify the spell before you make a decision.
2. Make a DC15 climb check to haul yourself up to a taller building.
3. Make a DC20 acrobatics check to make a longjump over the other side, which reveals a small dock, and dive into the Yolubilis river.
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The rest of the group start heading back to the coffeehouse, waiting nervously for their partner to return to them.
Aster orders pastries, covering her nervousness with eating. "Ederion is a nimble as a cat and just as stubborn. He'll be along... any minute." she assures the others, then gets back to nibbling on a scone.
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Ederion suddenly feels like hugging Aster for some reason... He makes a mental note to do just that later on during the day, if he manages to shake off his pursuers.
The female voice is casting an arcane spell called Haste. Judging from the distance that the Hellknights are, it's very likely that Ederion is the target of the spell.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. He's a champ. Just needs to stay out of sight for a couple days so the guards don't recognize him," says Rexandi helpfully to Aster while sipping at her very hot coffee.
With a huge smile, the elf simply trusts his instincts and knowledge on the spell effect, jumping down to the street with a sommersault, and a wink at his pursuers.
He then takes off like a comet, as fast as his legs can take him - "Wohooooo!"
Ederion has a pretty good idea of the spot where his benefactor should be, but he can't see her. It's likely that she's invisible. Definitely a woman's voice, and she's using Draconic based arcane rituals, but that isn't saying much. Most arcane magic users use Draconic as the base language for their magic, even those who aren't actually fluent in Draconic.
Now running faster than a horse, Ederion speeds into the streets at a pace that makes heads turn. He vaguely hears a Hellknight curse aloud in the distance.
The two Hellknights are able to gradually lower themselves down to street level without any acrobatics, but the fatigued Venator simply can't match that ridiculous speed. He falls out of the race immediately. Nolus makes a desperate push with nothing left but pure willpower, and manages to keep up with Ederion, but surely he's aware he can't possibly contend with this.
nope
Ederion does not push any more than he has to, simply relying on the magic to try and outdistance his pursuer.
Bazzle paces around nervously. "Yeah he should be fine." He signs not very convincingly.
Ederion runs like the wind, leaving the Hellknights in his dust. The two iron bucketheads disappear into obscurity, with no chance of possibly catching up.
The spell doesn't last long, and soon enough Ederion slows down to normal time. He's aware that he's been less than subtle during the entire chase, but now he finds himself in the North-East part of Villegre. Where does he go?
With a chuckle, Ederion slows down from his mad dash as soon as he feels the effects of the spell wearing off.
He keeps up an hustled up pace during a few minutes, then pauses at the closest alehouse he knows which caters to his taste, and grabs a refreshing beverage, taking also the opportunity to ponder his next move.
Taking a roundabout way as much as he can to meet up back with the others at the coffee shop, though he still wants to pause and buy flowers for Aster.
Ederion easily locates a safe detour around Villegre that passes by a small street market near the Greens. It still takes him a good half hour to return, however.
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Ederion returns to the Wasp Nest a fair time later, bearing an extravagant display of flowers. (It is now nearing noon.)
As he approaches their hideout, he takes a few glances around to make sure he is not being followed, then moves ahead.
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"How is everyone doing?" - the elf strides in with a huge grin, and pauses looking around at everyone - "Now that was fun!"
He then heads on to Aster, presenting her with the flowers - "I know how you are, and I know you were worrying over me, weren´t you?" - he winks - "Wanted to make up for it, so here - these lovely orchids are for you" - he smiles - "Am I forgiven?"
Bazzle looks at the others. "If we are going to survive this we are going to have to get better at this part of the job."
Aster visibly relaxes when Ederion comes in the door, even with a mouth stuffed with some breaded goodness. She manages to swallow, and narrow her eyes at the elf, "We were all worried, sir. Not just me, but... thank you. And I am very glad you are alive." she accepts the flowers with a bright smile "Becka will adore these! There are so few flowers growing in the city. I can just see her swirling around holding these in glee." She seems properly mollified and positively grateful.
"I agree, Bazzle. We are ill suited to convince our opponents that we are not worthy of notice. Might be our armor, weapons, and varied ethnicities. Or my fumbled lies are just not striking a decent cord. What goes through a hell knights mind is beyond me it seems." she sighs, after babbling for a bit. "Do you have any suggestions?" looking inquisitively at the gnome.
Bazzle sighs. "Yeah we have been taking things for granted. He rubs back of his neck. "For us? Small teams when we travel. A better handle on the sewer tunnels, I mean we have used them. Perhaps we need to use them more. Maybe we need a cart that has some smuggling options. Hollow spaces to store what we don't want taken."
He thinks a moment, "Overall. Set up a warning system among those who are friendly. A symbol or innocuous symbol that warns that a block has a checkpoint. Spread the word that people should swarm checkpoints, not in protest but if you see them go through them, if you know you won't get picked up for anything. A few guards trying are going to have an issue if the crowds get too big. Get unemployed folk to start having wagon trouble near checkpoints. Anything to peacefully and non-confrontationally slow them. The guards will have too much to handle, work will slow, merchants will complain. Make the checkpoints more trouble than their worth."
Aster nods as she listens intently, sitting and smelling her lovely flowers. "Very good ideas." she exclaims, then gives some thoughts on how she could help on any of them. "When we have time, I can help with sewers. It has been a long time, but at one point I knew them very well." she gives a slight self conscious smile when adding, "I was born and raised in them, as it was... Anyway I should be able to help plan pathways. We could use the symbols you are suggesting to mark them for others to use as well."
Aster visibly relaxes when Ederion comes in the door, even with a mouth stuffed with some breaded goodness. She manages to swallow, and narrow her eyes at the elf, "We were all worried, sir. Not just me, but... thank you. And I am very glad you are alive." she accepts the flowers with a bright smile "Becka will adore these! There are so few flowers growing in the city. I can just see her swirling around holding these in glee." She seems properly mollified and positively grateful.
"Well, I hope she enjoys them!" - Ederion seems quite pleased.
Aster nods as she listens intently, sitting and smelling her lovely flowers. "Very good ideas." she exclaims, then gives some thoughts on how she could help on any of them. "When we have time, I can help with sewers. It has been a long time, but at one point I knew them very well." she gives a slight self conscious smile when adding, "I was born and raised in them, as it was... Anyway I should be able to help plan pathways. We could use the symbols you are suggesting to mark them for others to use as well."
"I know my way with words, but that invasive attitude they all carry themselves around with just makes me want to skewer them where they stand" - Ederion shrugs - "Though those are indeed great ideas Bazzle. We should jot them down in our agenda right after we help the mermaids? Everyone managed all the purchases we needed?"
When Ederion reached the coffeehouse, he turns abruptly and spies the tattered form of a beggar with short blond hair. It reacts very swiftly and ducks around a corner quite a ways off, but Ederion manages to pierce through the illusory disguise and sees the form of a slender woman, with pale white skin and long fingernails, under an expensive cloak.
"I dunno. We just... don't have enough resources to do what we need to do. We need somehow to find safe places, safe routes, money for our projects... I'm just not sure what to do," says Rexandi with an expression of worry.
"Well I think for now we need to keep at it. Wrap up this situation where we found the mermaid and then figure out if there are somethings we could do."
Ederion relays to the others what he saw as he headed back toward the coffeehouse, describing the woman.
He also details that someone cast a magical spell to help him move faster while he was being chased.
"They may be one and the same, or not... We should double the guards here at the coffeehouse just in case. Is that possible?"
Forvian Crowe, who's the leader of the Salty Labourers, replies "Well just bout everyone who can fight already's here, so no."
"We need ponchos or smocks. Preferably ones that stink. Guards are less likely to poke deeper into crap. Maybe travel in two teams."
Rexus says "We have smocks, but I can't fathom why you would be willing to be seen in them. I wouldn't be caught dead in a smock, even if it were to throw off the guards. Terrible. I've washed them several times and used Prestidigitation as well, but now their colour is fading and it just looks awful."
"If you wouldn't be expected in one that's why you wear it." Bazzle winks.
"So many need help... and we have so much to do." Aster finishes her pastry, then rises her normal slow way. "Rexus, can I see some of those smocks? I might be able to something with them."
"If your smock doesn't have a hood get a mantle (hood) or a hat. Not to look sneaky but to look like destitute subsitance workers."
"Eeeeesh, your idea really is great" - Ederion compliments Bazzle - "But does it have to be smocks....?" - he adds with a sad look at the overalls, turning it around in his hands and not sure what to do with it.
Rexandi nervously twists her stole between her fingers. All this talk of smocks is making her worry about the possibility of looking even more like a vagrant tiefling - the kind to whom really bad things happen on the streets at night...
"Ponchos work." He shrugs, "Anything that will be baggy enough to cover our gear, and make us look non-descript. Bonus points for unpleasantness. Hence bad smells, looks dirty, and so on."
He chuckles, "I remember a play a few years back where one of the cast was seated in the audience and they were playing an undesirable peasant. Before each performance, she would eat a whole raw onion. "
Aster scrunches her nose at the onion. The very thought makes her sensitive sense of smell scream NO.
On the smocks, "It will only be when we're trying to avoid patrols." she assures Rexi and Ed. "It has nothing to do with who we really are."
"I know, I just... it's hard when you're in the city as a lone tiefling woman who looks destitute," she says. "You can get killed, and not even by the guard."
She straightens her chin and says, "I'll do my best."
Aster smiles in understanding and pats her shoulder. "We'll be with you, if that helps at all. And looking just as delightfully drab."
Tasha seemingly winces in distaste as the smocks and aprons are suggested. She opens her mouth after some deliberaation, but Rexandi's argument seems to stop her in her tracks. Yeah. And I was going to say we'll probably have to limit ourselves to the poor quarters., she bites her tongue. "Uh, you're all correct?", she ruffles her hair nervously, before grinning. "Hey, so we want to look dirty, want people to not be willing to not look at us, let alone touch us, right?", she summarises. "Because,", she adds with a frowning face, "any guard or caravaneer would move out of their way to stare down and kick away a vagrant. Speaking from experience here... Not that I've done it! The kicking part!", she quickly adds.
"So, instead of vagrants, we could disguise as the jobs nobody wants to do, but nobody wants to mess with, either." She raises her hand. "Chimney sweeps. Tannery suppliers. Those people who remove the barnacles from the boats, Sarenrae knows we'll smell the part. And people are much less likely to stare at you or boot you in the face." She smiles. "Hell, maybe we can even start one of these as a front."
"My nose wouldn't survive in the tannery district for more than a minute, if that." she smiles even as she complains. "But I see your point. Our two next steps both involve the water, so... the de-barnaclers sounds like a likely choice. How do they dress and smell like?"