LeVash rubs his chin thoughtfully, listening to the reactions.
"Take back the night from those things? Difficult, I expect. Still, I like the idea. We'll need more information about their origin...I wonder if anyone has researched the issue..."
He shakes his head a moment, then scans across the room, "provisionally at least, I'm in. It's not even something the Hellknights can really take exception to, even though it will make them look ineffectual if they aren't the ones who solve the issue."
"As to the more grandiose plans...well let's see if we can manage to not die 'taking back the night', before we start discussing taking back the day."
LeVash stands, "That said, we'll need a way and place to communicate. Janizen, is this tavern a safe place to leave messages?"
"If you ask me." Says Janiven."I think the House of Thrune did it to further oppress the people.
As to your questions.
We don't want, or need, an open rebellion. If we do that the house of thrune will come down, hard, adn we'll be left with blood filled streets and death." She shakes her head. Wea want to inspire people, through good deeds and fame to change the city, to remind it that it used to be the greatest capital of the world, that the glories of the past around us need not remain there forever. As long as we don't break the law more than we have to, and as long as we make it look less like a rebellion and more like a petty squabble the longer it will take for the House of Thrune to care. By he time they notice westcrown has slipped of their grasp they'll have no choice but to follow the will of the people.
We have a dozen of us so far, and it looks like all of you are interested. Please if you have any other questions don't be afraid to ask."
"While this sounds nice, Ah don't think we'll last long if we just go out and start trying to fight the creatures that haunt the night. Do you have some specific plan because Ah'm not all that interested in just throwing mah life away."
Edgar leans back slightly. "I am still not sure exactly what we are to do. 'Take back the Night' sounds fine and dandy but what would be our first goal? Establish a safe base of operations? Scout patrols? Rescue people?" Edgar pauses and looks at each person sternly.
"I personally think our best course of action would be two things. Secure a safe base where we can all stay, preferrably hidden from the hellknights and secondly secure some supplies for us. Once we have that we can proceed."
Rhys licks his upper lip slightly. "Finding a hideout shouldn't be too difficult if you know how to navigate the city without being found. An abandoned warehouse by the docks could work nicely. As for goals..."
"I'm not convinced that undermining the current reign with a revolution will be enough to stop the House Thrune. Remove the pillars instead. Let them come crashing."
"Violently."
His eyes are filled with a kind of vengeance that is rarely seen, and his expression is that of a dead man for only a split second...when he sets into a grin. "Of course, we're all in this together now, so if you have a better idea, I'm all for it! As long as it accomplishes our goal."
"Safe is relative, but I expect we can find an abandoned building, or perhaps several, where we can meet on occasion, and cache some supplies."
"Outside of that, is there a consensus that we could as a group kill one of the beasts? If so, we do so and study it to determine exactly what it is we are up against. If not, we concentrate on rescue in the twilight for now, getting people to safety before full night falls."
Calla gives a wry smile at Edgar's words.
"Ah'm sure that would be just lovely, me living somewhere with a group of strange men. Ah think Ah might decline that invitation until Ah get to know you a little more."
After Rhy's words, Calla's eyes linger speculatively on him, as she taps her lips with a long, painted fingernail.
"Afraid of ruining your reputation by staying with such upstanding company Miss Calla? Though I have agree on the idea of a "safe house" , I too prefer some privacy when it comes to night time activities, whether they take palce in the bed or out of it" As he says the last part, Rokan throws a quick wink Calla's way.
"Violence isn't an option Rhys. Not more than necessary. If we look like a rebellion or a riot the House of Thrune will come down on us wiht all its might. Innocent people will die. I won't be party to that." Janiven said shaking her head at Rhys before turning to glare at Calla. "And no one has to throw there lives away fighitng those monstrous creatures the tyrants release at night to keep us in fear. We're going to do things that are noticed. Things that people will see, it will inspire them and through their inspiration they will take heart and stand up for themselves. They will create the change without ever needing to spill any blood. And the House of Thrune will have to accede to our demands, they don'thave a city without its people. We already have over a dozen of us. You're not the first, only the latest and we have a safehouse I'll take you to as soon as..."
Before Janiven can speak there's a violent rapping on the door that sends Janiven into an immediate defensive posture. Cautiously she pushes past Meraxilar to look outside the window. Then she unlocks the door and opens it. From outside spills an out of breath teenager panting and frightened. "They’ve got Arael!"
Janivens already pale complexion turns a ghostly white before she grabs the boy's shoulders and asks. "Who got him Morosino? Where is he?"
The boy takes a few deep breaths before speaking again wiping the sweat from his face. "The dottari nabbed Arael, and the Hellknights of the Rack are trying to get custody of him! There’s a bunch of Hellknights on their way here now! I only just made it in here; they’ve already surrounded us!”
As the boy finishes the sentence there is the unmistabkable racket of a large group of armored men closing in on the tavern.
Calmly she turns back to all of you and says. "I'm sorry to have involved you in this. Hurry, we need to flee."
With that she shuts the door, locks it and half drags the boy back into the back of the tavern.
...
Rhys glances at the door as the news is being told, rising from the chair. Drawing his rapier, he hurries after Janiven. "Well, I see somebody's already wanted by the Hellknights."
He follows Janiven, staying ten feet away from her and everybody else, with weapon in hand. This is ... suspicious.
Edgar rushes to the window to quickly determine how far away the group of Hellknights are.
Edgar rushes to the window to quickly determine how far away the group of Hellknights are.
"We need to move, NOW! There are 6 Hellknights minimum out there plus trainees! Whats the quickest way out?!"
"And what makes you think, of everyone here, I'd pick you to share mah bed?" Calla asks Rokan in a mocking tone.
Moments later, any levity is banished by the knock on the door. After Edgar's pronouncement, Calla calmly stands up. She briefly weaves her fingers in an arcane pattern, strange words of power on her lips. When she finishes, she murmurs "Clean this room" and some unseen force begins collecting dishes from the table.
"Perhaps that will distract them at least briefly. Do you have a way out of here?" she says as she gets a chair to prop in front of the door, hopefully making it at least that much harder for anyone to enter the building.
"My charm and good looks not enough Calla?"
At the mention of hellknights, Rokan draws both short swords, then looks about the room for another exit.
"I don't suppose our hostess knows of a way onto the rooftop or a sewer entrance we could make use of?"
In your case yes. Local.
As questions and concerns of escape become voiced Janiven calls from the back as she pulls open a heavy looking backdoor and pushes Morisono down the stairs beckoning Rhys over. "Come on!"
"It would seem not, Rokan."
Before she can say anymore, Calla will follow Janiven, looking back over her shoulder toward the door. She walks quickly, but won't break into a run, her confidence seeming unshaken.
Rhys doesn't feel uneasy about Janiven, rushing down the stairs the instant she begins her syllable. He keeps his rapier on the ready.
Edgar wastes no time and runs after Rhys and Janiven!
Taking notes of Calla's clean up of the area, LeVash grins widely, and finishes removing all evidence that anyone was here, and then follows down the stairs last, closing the door as he goes.
Rokan follows the others, waiting till all but LeVas have disappeared below, before making his way down.
"let's try not to draw too much attention to ourselves till we've put some distance between them and us."
As LeVash entrs the basement Morisono starts throwing various pieces of furniture, barrels and miscellaneous items underneath the trapdoor to slow the hellknights advance. Above you can hear the hellknights pounding relentlessly on the door and the breaking of glass.
Going to the back of the dim basement Janiven pushes aside a cover to reveal a small tunnel just big enough to crawl through that smells of fermented human excrement. Running over to Morisono she grabs him and pushes him through the tunnel before resuming the work he started.
"Go! Now!" She calls as she starts packing the furniture against the door guaranteeing a difficult time getting through it.
Sighing at the smell of excrement, Rhys glances at the makeshift barricade being made. Sheathing his rapier, he doesn't hesitate to go into the tunnel, crawling as quickly as he can. I've had worse. Don't forget.
"Hey, boy...Morisono, was it? Where does this tunnel lead?"
LeVash begins throwing furniture against the trapdoor, "Janiven, you are next. You know the identity of the others, your capture is not an option."
I knew I should have left as soon as one of them was late.
Calla pulls up short at the stench.
"Is there no other egress? Ah have no desire to crawl through other people's excrement."
"Not my favorite idea either, milady...but the door seems to be thoroughly blocked by furniture."
"I'm going to be counting on you to be generous with that cleaning spell once we are out of there...then I'll just pretend it never happened."
Levash begins singing softly to himself, the tune (barely) recognizable from one of the popular operas of the season...but the words obviously made up on the spot.
.........."He was a Hero, a Mighty Hero! A Beacon! An Inspiration!"
.........."But how...did he begin?"
.........."Birthed from the anus of a Tavern under Siege...a beginning...a noble beginning...that marked his path for all his days"
"Feh."
.........."He was a Hero, a Mighty Hero! A Beacon! An Inspiration!"
.........."But how...did he begin?"
.........."Birthed from the anus of a Tavern under Siege...a beginning...a noble beginning...that marked his path for all his days"
"Would you prefer the stench of one of those bastards screaming and spitting in your face! Go damn it!"
As Levash and Janiven finish their work Janiven physically shoves a protesting Levash down into the hole before absentmindedly tossing a tanglefoot bag into the pile cementing much of it together and further complicating the ordeal of getting through it.
Rhys is the first to exit before Morisono and he sees no immediate danger though he can hear the clanking of metal and the bellows of the order of the rack above through the grates as they tear through the tavern in search of anyone inside.
As each of you exit to the other side you find yourselves in deed within Westrcrowns complex sewer network separated by a thick wooden door. It is not as completely dark as you fear as grates and manholes filter the twilight through them making the world dark and difficult for the humans but just fine for Rhys and the lowlight vision bearing members of the group.
Each of you are standing on a simple stone ledge about three feet across with a murky channel of raw sewage and bits of garbage between you and the wall.
Morisono is standing there shaking with terror being here in the dark with scary looking strangers. Janiven eventually crawls through and shuts the heavy wooden door and sets a bar across it. Satisfied pulls a heavy rock from the wall and reaches into the hollow revealed behind it to pull out a leather bag.
"Good." She says. "Still here."
Reaching into the bag she passes each of you three potions of Cure Light Wounds
"There's going to be no time to rest. The shadow beasts stalk here as well as the streets at night and the hellknights will be on our heels. We have to move fast. If you have any kind of preparation you need to make do it now and do it fast, that tanglefoot bag won't hold them long."
With that she waits agitatedly for you to prepare yourselves for a descent into darkness.
"Sadly, I can't cast that spell again today. We're just stuck stinking of refuse," Calla says as she enters the tunnel ahead of LaVash.
Gagging, Calla emerges into the ledge and she surveys the scene ahead of her. "My, what an incredible smell you've discovered," she says dryly.
As Janiven hands out the potions, Calla manages to accept with some grace. "My thanks. Hopefully we won't need these."
She pulls her sword, looking around at any weapons the others are carrying. "I hope you all know how to use those, since we may well need them. Lead on Janiven, hopefully you know some place where we will be safe. ... And hopefully able to get a bath."
LeVash slides the potions into his bandolier, nodding.
"Oh well, at least it does my heart good to know the Hellknights will have to got through the same as we, and it will hurt their pride more."
"Janiven, where are we going? If you fall, I'd as soon not wander about lost."
Know i know why i love the rooftops some much, people dont crap on their roofs
At Calla's question of his ability with his blades, Rokan flashes her a wicked smile
"Blades flashing in darkness my dear, welcome to my world."
Calla gives the blond man a wry glance. "Ah guess that's why Ah wouldn't need to worry about my reputation if I stayed with you, then?" she asks mockingly, though her voice is warm enough that it's clear she means it as a joke, not a serious barb.
When Edgar leaves the tunnel he quickly draws his shield and warhammer. "Come on folks, lets form up. Safety in numbers and all that nonsense. This is not going to be a cakewalk." He quickly stows the 3 potions into a belt pouch, and then draws his Everburning Torch and hands it to whomever looks like they could hold it. "Here, this torch is one of those magical ones. Someone want to hold it for us?"
He then quickly scans the area.
Rhys sheathes his rapier, accepting the potions from Janiven with a half-hearted bow. "Remind me to thank you proper when we're safe."
He pulls out his bow from underneath his cloak, drawing an arrow from the quiver. Notching the arrow, he steps to the front of the darkness, peering in. "I have the better eyes here. I'll stay in the back and cover the flank."
Rhys glances at the four of them. "Calla, Edgar, you ought to make up the front of the group. LeVash, can you handle the torch?"
He peers around the area right afterwards, for any signs of importance before the descent into darkness.
"Everburning you said? Sure."
LeVash jams the torch into an empty bandolier loop before drawing his scimitar and shifting his shield onto his left arm.
Janiven nods. "LeVash stay close to me. Me and Arael marked the way but they won't always be easy to see. Arael and I made these marks a few months ago when we explored the sewers. We marked all the intersections so our people could find their way through the sewers to our hideout."
As she finishes the sound of bursting wood and stomping boots can be heard through the tunnel door.
“They might take a few minutes to search in the tavern adn Calla's trick might confuse them briefly, but some are going to follow us down here after they grab a lantern or make torches. They might even try to infiltrate the sewers ahead of us if they can guess our route. We need to keep moving.”
With that she descends with the group into the sewers above the sounds of the Hellknights bursting through the door above diminishes.
Janiven moves quickly practically dragging the group behind with only the risk of losing the group keeping her from fleeing into the darkness. You come toa junction where Janiven rubs some dirt off the wall revealing three gouges in the stone. In case we get separated I made marks like this atevry intersection leading to the hideout."
Taking but a fleeting glance at the marks Janiven moves on.
The next turn finds Janiven cursing as you come face to face with a wall of garbage. Worse, it appears to have condensed to the point where itg would take hours for a work crew to get through. "We'll have to find a way around!"
Without even waiting for a responses janiven pushes back towards the junction and goes down another tunnel as each of you hear the faint clanking of metal armor. The position is nigh impossible to pinpoint in these echoing tunnels but they are close. Very close...
As he passes each intersection where Janiven rubs away the grime, LeVash will take a moment to re-obscure the mark.
Perception:
Edgar tries his best to keep track of all the twists and turns but eventually just gives up and keeps to the front of the group, shield and hammer at the ready.
So how much can I rely on this lot...?
Rhys darts after the group, careful to stay close to the edge of the light. He makes an effort to pass through the sewers as quietly as possible.
Stupid slow guardman.
Waiting ona post from Rokan.
Might as well.
As you continue onwards you come to an oddly shaped room that connects four tunnels around a cesspit just wide enough to hop across. In the middle of this cesspit is a pile of garbage that you initially ignore. Janiven mutters under her breath as she scours the entrances to the intersections in search of the marks.
"Looks like we're not the first ones here."
LeVash casts Light on a coin an flips it onto the skeletal figure in the garbage pit, outlining the box it is clutching, "I wonder what was so important he held onto it past the end of life."
Calla looks surprised at the figure, and gives LeVash an appraising glance. "Good eyes," she says grudgingly.
Seeing that she'll have a moment while Janiven is busy looking for notes, she makes a few, quick arcane gestures with her right hand, her grip on her sword in her left hand never faltering.
"Perhaps we can find out."
Stupid slow guardman.
"Indeed, good eyes."
Rhys peers down into the pit, gauging the size of the box, and the depth of the cesspit. "Though dead men oft cling to sentimentalities rather than practical values."
He glances at Janiven. The longer we stay here...