As Trissae leaves the room, Ozz shares a glance with everyone else. Eventually he looks at Grellik. "Well, go after her. Don't let her be alone in this damn city."
Cavell glances around the farm plots. "And maybe try to find some flowers?" He flashes a grin at Grellik.
Grellik narrows his eyes in annoyance, but smiles sardonically. "Yes, I suppose I had better, though I'll leave the flowers for you romantics. I hope you all have better luck than I fear I shall. Oh, and Mr. Tease, I apologize for overstepping myself. It is only natural that you would not ask your men to risk themselves in this affair. Allies we may be, but death and plague are hard things to impose on those who were strangers until this"
He affixes his alabaster mask, checks his seams for fur, and gives them a clipped, friendly salute as he stalks off after her. As he walks he removes his greatsword in its scabbard.
With Trissae and Grellik leaving the safehouse, Adrien and Ozz are left with the three Counterwits.
Cavell chuckles. "Better have a good apology. If you ever want advice with women I'm here for you big guy."
Cavell watches Grellik go, smirking rather smugly.
"Fair enough you don't want to risk your own. Think you could disguise Ozz and I well enough that we could do the risky-bits? Coin you mentioned tunnels under the quarantine. We need a route to the gallows and back."
Tease nods. "Yeah, sure. I can do that. I can have Ugly or Coin lead you to the passage as well. It goes through Beldabar's. Whoever you don't take with you will work with me to poke around the city for more information. I heard you were curious about Brothels? Well, The Wink and the Kiss deals in that trade in secret, as the Waterbaron doesn't approve of open prostitution. The Cointoss allows some girls to make use of their facilities from time to time as well."
He goes and gets some materials from the storage to start working on disguises for you and Ozz. "How do you wanna look?"
"Oh wishful thinking. I was feeling particularly glad to be alive." He sighs heavily and stands. "Sadly time is short, and the stakes too high."
Stretching a bit and making sure his sabres-belt is secure, he turns to Tease.
"Handsomer?"
Grellik looks at Adrian after donning his mask. "My good Cavell, I do not see that I committed a trespass. But I might note, that the two of you," He points his finger between the two of them, "are included in her...exasperation."
"Alright! You're all set." Tease says after several minutes of working over you and Ozz. Ozz appears to still be rather thuggish, but more like a respectable body guard than as a highwayman. You, however, have been cleaned up and appear almost like a wealthy merchant of some kind. Your outfit has been made to conceal light armor beneath it, but might seem strange to be overly armed. Neither of you look like yourselves, as Tease has aged you both by about 20 years.
"Good luck out there. Do you want Coin or Ugly as backup? Ugly knows more of the upper-class citizenry and a few magic tricks to get by. He's cultivated a few respected aliases that can be used. Coin is a natural knife scrapper, is a great scout and pick pocket, and knows how to work a crowd. Also, having a little kid with you couldn't hurt to deflect suspicion."
Cavell smiles and shakes his head sadly, as if Grellik missed something.
"Good luck."
Cavell sighs and hands a sabre to Ozz, replacing it on his belt with a sheathed dagger.
"Might be suspicious with both my sabres. If you're near I'll grab it off you. If not, I can fight with a dagger in my off-hand."
"Coin's my preference then, lead on."
Grellik would find Trissae in the cellar room just before topside. She would be pacing back and forth making ridiculous faces, stretching, and talking gibberish. He'd recognize this activity as something she does before performances to shake the jitters.
"I'm still mad at you..." She says as he approaches, in a much less agitated tone, without glancing at him. As he presents the sword she takes it and fastens it to the series of belts she has adorning her.
"Grell hun, it's not about using the sword it's about the image. You'll never be more than arms length away from it if all goes according to plan anyway." She exhales a deep breath she was keeping in then continues.
"So my idea is that I am a medium level Drow countess, a sort of princess, who has been tasked by the matron to find Triss. I'm flaunty and seductive and I use my 'goods' to get what I want.. but there's an air of danger about me, big sword, followed by a big dude and my moniker is the Scarlet Widow. My actual name is Moira Shadowmere and sometimes you use my first name to my distaste." She as a smile creeps across her face.
"You are Beast, at least in the common tongue, but you are anything but. You are a royal retainer to a Drow house, a great honor especially for a non-drow, and a man of few words. Around common folk you should do little more than grunt or growl to indicate things to which I seem to understand as if you're speaking complex ideas." She chuckles. "You also have a father-like disapproval of my dress and demeanor but a healthy respect for our social standings between each other. That being said you are a soldier and know when to assert yourself in situations, mostly ones that may be violent, and don't be afraid to really drive home the intimidating side of yourself." She adjusts his collar a bit along with other small proddings
"Also, we should keep your magical skills a secret for as long as possible. Ace in the hole kind of stuff, plus it will add to the impact of our position if they realize that a Drow countess has a magical underling at her disposal and may cow-down all but the most defiant opposition out there."
She turns and throws her bag over the opposite shoulder of the sword and fastens the lyre to her waist. "So what do you think?"
As far as the plan, I will try to follow it as best I am able, though I am not a performer by nature. It is wise that you gave me the part of a man of brevity." He gives a lopsided smile. "But I suspect you know the wisdom of your choice when you made it. Now, If I understand correctly, you wish me to refer to you as Countess Shadowmere, though I should slip in a few Moiras, so that you can bark at me, yes?
I understand the roles, I beleive, but I am less clear on our objective. You wish to ask about yourself, but I dont understand why, unless you believe that this will lead to information on Mornak, G--he catches himself--and the others?"
You know about their female-topped caste society. You know they enslave and worship Lolth. You know they generally hate Drizzt a whole bunch. They are arrogant, prideful and deadly. Most general skimming of any page on drow would be applicable information. Most proper nouns would be unknown to you except for the name of their big community (Menzobarenzan).
Hmm! I don't even know about that one. Let's say no, not with that roll. Actually, give me a second roll for advantage since you've had a pretty good source with you for the last several years.
its fate ;P
"Grell I swe...." she says in a nearly troubled tone, then she catches his lopsided smile and her demeanor relaxes and she chuckles to herself.
"Well I prefer Scarlet or Widow over any indication of my real name." she says in a deeper haughtier tone than her normal speaking voice, clearly the one she intends to use in character.
"But, you do love getting under my skin once in a while it seems." She smiles at him and then laughs at herself.
In her normal voice: "Oh yeah, I guess I should have filled you in on that part. Us looking for me is just part of the cover, it'll give us a jumping off point to ask about the execution and what people have heard. Likely it'll draw the attention of the Shields which while dangerous will also be invaluable if we can mine them for information. Also we'll likely be watched like hawks from the authorities and superstitious locals alike which might help Ozz and Adrien move a little more freely on their end."
She then does one last stretch before heading to the door leading out of the basement giving him a look over her shoulder. "Here we go!" She says enthusiastically before pushing her way out and starting to head toward the CoinToss.
Grelliks face shows realization as she explains her plan. "Well done, Triss. This promises to be quite valuable. And decoy, that I am well equipped to handle." He grins as he reaffixes the white mask.
He carefully stands at his tallest, becomming "Beast." He responds, to her in a deeper than normal voice, "As you wish, Widow." He walks with an imposing gait; his eyes and head dart occasionally to emphasize his watchful persona.
Grellik was confused that she was taking his statements to well--he figured they wopuld have to agree to disagree, but it appears that she has taken his whole statment prior to the grin to be messing with her, which isn't what he inteded, but he'll accept that for now.(wow, that was one sentence)
Emerging from the safehouse's secret entrance, you see the two scarecrows near the hidden chain. They look identical to the murderous ones downstairs, but don't move in the slightest, looking entirely inanimate. Maybe it was your (assumed) use of the word "Darber", or maybe the direction from which you came, or maybe these ones aren't enchanted... Whatever the cause, they do not twitch a straw.
You leave the cellar basement of Dart's place, using a secret mechanism near the inside and outside of the doors to deactivate/activate an alarm told to you by Coin, and out into the city. The morning sun is bright, but the area you are in is shaded by some trees and the curve in the wall. Because of the tree cover, you are able to get a bit of distance away from Dart's place before you face many people.
Once you do run into people, the looks in your direction is immediate. Glances in your direction, harried and worried looking people becoming full-on alarmed at the sight of you and leave your path long before you would have reached them. A bubble of muted terror forms around you as you travel the short distance to the Cointoss. The people of the city are clearly distraught with the previous ordeals, and the sight of you seems to agitate them further.
The Cointoss is a three story building that looks as though it has been renovated and added upon many times throughout the years. It is nice enough, but has a crooked, improvised look to it. Two large double doors, solidly built of wood and brass, mark the entrance to the building. The quarantine walls come right up to the Cointoss, including the building into the barricade. A guard can be seen on the roof, armed with a large crossbow. Two tired Shields stand in front of the door, one a gracefully built half-orc woman (middle aged and leading on a long-shafted axe, not quite a polearm) and the other a thin high-elven man (not in armor and armed with a longsword at his back. An arcane rune marks a pouch at his belt).
The elf notices the Drow mercenary and looming henchman approaching the tavern, and his features change into a wide-eyed/open mouthed look of surprised revulsion. He must have made some sound along with his expression, as the other Shield lazily looks over a moment later in response. Her eyes open wide, her mouth moves in small movements, and she eventually recovers her wits and shoulders her axe. The elf fidgets nervously while they wait for your approach. As you near, the half-orc woman takes a step forward, keeping the elf man behind her.
"Halt!" the orc woman challenges when you are 15 feet away.
Emerging from the safehouse's secret entrance, you see the two scarecrows near the hidden chain. They look identical to the murderous ones downstairs, but don't move in the slightest, looking entirely inanimate. Maybe it was your (assumed) use of the word "Darber", or maybe the direction from which you came, or maybe these ones aren't enchanted... Whatever the cause, they do not twitch a straw.
You leave the cellar basement of Dart's place, and Coin uses a secret mechanism near the inside and outside of the doors to deactivate/activate an alarm, and out into the city. The morning sun is bright, but the area you are in is shaded by some trees and the curve in the wall. Because of the tree cover, you are able to get a bit of distance away from Dart's place before you face many people.
The people on the street seem a bit distressed. Some are a bit bedraggled from the previous ordeals, and others whisper to each other in small groups. You see other people who look very much like yourselves, wealthier sorts with accompanying guards. You see few children on the streets, and Coin seems to be doing his part by grabbing onto one of your hands and staying close, as if you were his protective father.
Heading toward the Cointoss, you pass near a group of chatting, scared people. The words "Drow" and "huge" are easily heard. You notice a shield trotting by on horseback, answering questions and looking exhausted. Before you make much progress through the streets, one of the wealthier sorts approaches you with a congenial (at least, considering the circumances) nod and smile.
"Hey there." he says when he nears you. "Some lot of crap all of this is, eh?"
After eyeing the scarecrows warily, Cavell watches Coin work the alarm, then nods and ducks out, blinking at the sunlight. He works on his "merchant strut" as he goes.
When approached Cavell sighs. "They can't keep us in here forever. You hear when the execution is?" He looks hopeful.
Ozz keeps an eye on the surrounding area while Adrien is distracted by the man, especially for any approaching Shields.
He raises his chin, glaring down at the orc "You dare, surface dweller?"
Oh, and Beast will keep walking unless told not to by Countess Shadowmere, or if she stops herself.
The man shrugs, looking around nervously. "Not sure, soonish I think. heard some people were already trying to get the best spots. Word is that they want to get it done sooner than later. Hey, uhhh... Do you have plans getting your goods in and out? I don't know how they expect us to function if we can't do business."
"If I did, I'd bloody well smuggle myself out," he spits and moves on.
Raising her hand to cover her eyes as they walk into daylight. "Hells, Amaunator's eye watches this place intensely!" she quips as they head out.
As the two of them head into town and start to get spotted she openly gestures to groups of people, making pouty faces or blowing kisses almost mockingly to their terror.
As they start their approach toward the Coin and she spots the two Shields she gets a big toothy grin. Hearing the command and seeing Beast's reaction she quickly acts.
"Beast, beast, beast... these ones are gonna help us! see? they have those cute uniforms on." She puts a hand on his chest gently to halt him before turning toward the guards.
With an almost sinister smile she addresses the Shields. "Well aren't you a beautiful specimen.." she begins eyeing the female Half-Orc in Adrien-esqe fashion. She then throws up both her hands to show non-aggression then begins to walk toward the lady shield slowly.
"So is there a specific reason you are needing me to be halted, or did you just want to get a good look at me, because if that's the case you could just ask..." Her tone shifts from the haughtier tone to an overly sweet one "We were just on our way to get some drinks and ask some nice people some questions if that isn't against the rules?" The hint of sarcasm is thick with her last statement. The whole while the smile never leaves her face.
Grellik: The rune is less specifically meaningful, like if you took a specific letter from a sentence, or a number from a formula, and branded it onto an item. It was chosen for its interesting shape and aesthetic design, and has no practical function. You've seen this done as a fashionable trend amongst some mages, or just magically interested people. Some reagent shops sell component pouches with such symbols on them, and you expect that this is a perfect example of this.
The half-orc tightens her grip on her axe and narrows her eyes on Grellik as he brushes her off and advances, before he stops along with his 'mistress'. She watches Triss carefully, eyes squinted, but takes no hostile action. Upon getting treated like a potential slave, she shifts uncomfortably.
When she speaks again, it isn't as rough as it was before. It is somehow more vulnerable. "The Cointoss isn't open to the public. It's acting towards the plague relief right now." she says, avoiding your gaze.
Elven: "That's right!" the high-elf snarls. "Why don't you and your creature take your cave-dwelling, slave-owning asses back underground where you belong!" (Offensive elven slang used at every opportunity)
He snarls at the elf. "Watch how you speak to a Countess! And you!"He points to the apparent mage. "Start a weave and it will be your last," He draws his handaxe and holding down and back at his left side, attempting to convey that he is not preparing to strike...yet.
Scarlet addresses the elf without looking at him."Shhhhhup.up.up.up.up... Trei'waess*, women-folk are talking." Then focuses on the woman. She continues to talk as she walks cautiously and casually toward the female Orc, her tone a mixture of condescending and aggressive. "Hey there pretty thing, you don't need to be shy..." She'll attempt to gently touch the woman's arm "Then maybe you can help me instead, since we don't want to have to bother those sick infested people in there, do you have a moment to look at something for me?"
she slowly withdraws her pack from her shoulder and opens it, pulling out the poster of Trissae, and holds it up to the woman. "Have you seen this girl?" Her tone here is blunt, lacking the playful sinister nature of her previous speech and she looks at the woman with some intensity.
Trei'waess is an Undercommon term used derogatorily by the drow to describe surface elves. The literal translation is pale skin but the implied use is to mean sick skinned or ill skinned. I put this here just in case the elf had previous experience with drow as he'd likely would have heard this, and also as generic interesting information for you ^_^
"Across from the 'Toss, there is an area kind of like a park, lots of trees. That's where you wanna go." Coin directs quietly at you move through the streets.
"They're still doing the execution? Alright, well lets check it out, I'd hate to miss it." you hear some people say things similar to this as the word spreads slowly through the shaken-section of town.
You see someone on the side of the street with a basket full of charms; bracelets and stones mostly. A young man, he calls out loudly with a voice still getting used to adulthood. "Charms! Plague charms! Keep your loves ones safe! Only one silver! Plague charms!"
You see a middle aged human, a Shield, with shaggy black hair and a scar on one cheek walking slowly down the street toward you with two other Shields in tow. Sean Burke. One of the other two is a dwarf man you think looks familiar, but can't place him for certain. The third (a half-elven woman, very young) you are certain you've not yet seen. Burke looks tired, and angry, and is coming in your general direction and is on the other side of the charm seller from you.
With Grellik, the Beast's growling threat, the high elf freezes and is clearly keeping himself from making any arcane looking gestures. The man on the roof of the 'Toss has lowered his heavy crossbow at Grellik with a bolt in place, ready to fire .
With Trissae's advance, the half-orc pulls her arm away, keeping the drow from touching her. She tenses when 'Scarlet' reaches for her pack, but sensing her lack of hostility, allows her to complete the action. Her brow furrows when she is shown the wanted poster, and she frowns at it for a moment, her eyes dancing between the drow and the poster of herself.
The Half-orc half turns her face toward the high-elf, not enough to lose sight of the two of you but enough to project to her comrade. "They're looking for that Drow Bogshark."
The high-elf clearly understood the term that Scarlet used against him. His hands are still, but his features are twitching with barely controlled rage. His eyes are wide, locked to Trissae for many moments after the half-orc spoke to him. He finally looks over, as if recognizing he was addressed. Another moment passes, his mouth twitching in wrathful indecision.
"Well you're out of luck, you drow b%@**!" he spits. "She escaped last night with her friends, and if you don't get the f#@* out of my face, I'll put YOU in manacles and SAY that you are her! How the f@$# does that sound, huh?"
Cavell watches the crowds and soaks it all in, smiling slightly. His smile fades when he sees the Shields approaching, then his chest puffs out slightly and an all-too-familiar smirk encroaches on his face. He continues on, ignoring the Shields. As they begin to pass:
"See there my boy, those charms? Useless. Don't fall for that sort of nonsense. People trying to make a quick silver--Oof! Apologies, sir."
He bumps into Burke as he turns away from the charm merchant, trying to steal his luck-charm pouch like the last shield had.
Reaching the for place where Burke's purse would be, instead Adrien's hand comes back with his unsheathed dagger, seemingly without anyone noticing.
Burke turns toward the disguised Cavell, clearly already angry and this just increases his rude temperament. He looks Adrien square in the face...
... And hesitates for a long moment, his eyes going from angry to surprised. "Ca-.." is all he is able to get out before...
... Ozz goes to punch Burke right in the nose.
His attack landing, Ozz scoops up Coin and starts to run toward the park Coin pointed out.
Burke cuts off as Ozz breaks his nose. He reels back, the dwarf catching him, keeping him from falling over.
Scarlet's intense expression remains unchanged as she slowly looks in the direction of the elf. "You want to shoutingly admit that you lost criminals in the city. Then, to rectify the situation you want to arrest and throw the wrong person in jail, and ultimately hang drow nobility?" She says in a calm neutral tone.
"Does he speak for all Shield's present?" Her eyes dart back to the half orc. She then puts the poster back in her bag.
"Something tells me he doesn't. Something tells me that a woman's grace and wisdom are required here. Why don't you make sure the Welp stays quiet and we work together, help each other, like respectable women." the tone has changed to one of slight anger, accentuated by hostile body language.
She flicks a hand up indicating to Beast to hold his aggression and looks expectantly upon the Half-Orc.
"Be gone, Drow" the half-orc says. "It's public knowledge already, go and find her on your own."
Scarlet shivers angrily for a second before recomposing herself."Fine! fine... We will leave you be. Just two things and we will go." She adjusts herself and her hair.
"Do you know when the execution is set? And where else may we look where we can find nice helpful individuals like yourself?" She sweetens up her voice again, but its hard not to hear sarcasm with her last question. She drops the hostile body language and glances over at Beast and motions to do the same with her hand.
Burke's pants fall down around his ankles, revealing his unfashionable small-clothes. He tries to head towards Adrien, but trips, sprawling onto the ground. Shouting in rage, he fixes up his pants situation, allowing the sharks to get more distance from him. "After them, go!" he yells.
The street goes forward another 40 feet before the block starts that contains a few buildings facing you, and a forested area behind it where Coin says the tunnel is.
The orc woman looks at the sun for a moment and then shrugs. "An hour. Less. If you're lookin' for shields, why don't you go to the tower, you can't miss it."
Ozz growls and gestures, his palm face up, fingers curled. Rising his hand low to high, Fogs swirl up from the streets ahead of them. They start 20 feet in front of the sharks, and cover the fronts of the buildings of the block they are seeking, giving the Sharks a good sized area (20 foot radius) to get lost in.
He then runs into the fog with Coin.
Cavell will keep running (disengage), shouting at Coin to direct them.
The fogs form and Ozz runs into them. The two guards share a look, the girl especially nervously, and chase after them with weapons drawn.
They are too far away to get there without hurrying though, so just manage to catch up with Adrien, forcing him to either engage them or flee.
The Bogsharks disappear into the fog, feet approach the edge of the fog, but falter. Eventually you here Burke yell out in frustration. "What are you doing!? Go in after them, get them!"
Laying low in the fog behind a building near some heavy bushes, you hear the sounds of tentative feet going through the area. After a few minutes, they seem to pass on.
Coin whispers "Heh... Not bad. Just over there is an abandoned shed. It's in there."
Just after the half-orc answers you, you all hear movement coming up behind you.
You see Sean Burke and two other shields (A young looking half-elf woman and a dwarvern man) running up, and then stopping in surprise when he notices the two of you. Burke is holding his pants up, keeping them from falling to the ground. Apparently his belt has been cut, as it flops uselessly at his sides.
"The hell is this? Who the hell are they?!" He says, pointing at the Drow and the... rather large creature.
"Some drow snob, hunting down your friend Trissae." The high-elf replies.
"Whatever. Look, I ran into Cavell and Ozz a moment ago! They got away but they're somewhere in the area. Be sharp!"