Lucius is trampled by the mob, his arm reaching up for help as he is knocked down. He seems to be pointing to the two men, signaling the party to try to follow them.
Korvus manages to follow Bjorn's example and presses himself against a building next to the Ulfen.
"Look there!" the half-orc wizard grips his companion's shoulder and points to the two men. "There! The two men hidden in the shadows of that building... When the man near the courthouse incited the mob to begin chanting, one of the men in the shadows tapped the other on the shoulder and grinned... Now they've turned and are walking away!"
Alexei manages to dodge against a building and avoid the swarm of terrified civilians, brow furrowed deeply. When Korvus points out the pair of men, the Chelaxian looks in the direction mentioned, but fails to see anything through the people rushing past him.
Harold puts his back to a building as the initial rush of the crowd plows over Lucius. Through the flood of humanity, the half-orc catches sight of two men in the shadows as Korvus shouts out his warning. Harold growls in his throat as he calls out, "I see 'em. Somebody grab Lucius befawer 'e gets 'is skull cracked open on da pavemun'." With that, the big man starts fighting against the tide of frightened peasants, keeping the building walls against his side as he starts toward the two receding individuals who seem to have more than a passing fancy with the crowd of rabble-rousers.
Harold is able to dodge some of the people, but the sheer numbers in front of him impede his progress. But the size of the half-orc works to his advantage, and he begins moving toward the men.
"Ow...." Lucius begins rubbing the spots where he was trampled, obvious by the footprints all over him. "That hurt a lot. We need to catch those guys."
Harold lets out a loud roar into the noise of the panicking herd of cityfolk, trying to give himself some space to move by scaring them back. Not seeming to make much difference, the half-orc continues his slow trek across the street toward the last location of the two men.
Maximus flies down to alight on Korvus' shoulder. "Them two scoundrels're gettin' away!" the blackbird squawks, raising a wing to point to the two suspicious men.
"Ah, Maximus! Just in time! Be a good fellow and follow them. See where they go, but don't let them see you. We'll keep up as best we can," Korvus instructs his familiar.
Maximus takes off after the two men as Korvus reaches into his pack to retrieve a scroll. The half-orc wizard quickly recites the mystical phrases on the parchment, and feels himself imbued with a burst of speed.
With Maximus flying overhead, following the men proves to be a simple affair. With everyone between you and the man, however, it proves nearly impossible to catch up to them. They walk casually down a side street, turn south, and head toward a row of businesses, apparently still open for diners and drinkers. They move toward one of the doors and head inside.
Once on the scene, you note the sign over the door indicates "The Leaky Bucket" obviously a place where a cool drink might be purchased. Several people move in and out where you briefly watch, and it appears to be a fairly popular establishment.
"Most of these people are are just common-folk like me. No guards or nobility around at all." Lucius will go inside and look around.
Korvus nods in agreement with Lucius' assessment of the establishment's clientele. The half-orc wizard pauses to consider the situation as Lucius enters the tavern.
"I believe it might be best if I remain outside," Korvus says to his companions. "I'm afraid my appearance would attract unwanted attention to our presence within this establishment."
"Well you do dress really fancy, Korvus."
As Lucius lets his gaze wander over the patrons, he sees a pair of familiar figures heading up a staircase in the rear of the building.
A large man puts his hand out as you enter and says in a bored-sounding voice, "Keep a drink in your hand and your weapons in their sheaths."
From their mannerisms and the reactions of nearby people, it appears as if they are sending everyone home for the night - the small mob has apparently triggered a harsh response - curfew!
Several of the guards go into doorways, then come out and watch as patrons begin exiting and moving along the streets.
You guess the soldiers will reach your position in a few minutes.
Lucius will ignore the large man and follow the pair up the staircase.
Harold stands outside with Korvus though glancing inside with barely disguised irritation, "Ain't right what a couple fine gents like aaahrselves can't go in an' enjoy a pint. Maybe crack a few 'eads, preferrably those two what was at da riot, bounce a few wenches on aaahr knee, an' 'ave a nice evening. A sad state ov affairs I tell you, Korvus." The big man walks by any side-alleys while they wait for Bjorn, Lucius, and Alexei, trying to keep an eye on any back exits or windows that could be used as such.
"Uh, my uncle's up there and he needs his medication. If I don't get it to him, he'll have a heart attack. I mean you don't want a death on your hands, right?" Lucius looks around for the rest of his party.
Standing with their backs to the wall, the men appear to be simply loitering by the wall, talking to each other and just wasting time. But their stances and alert eyes reveal something different. Harold knows those signs - not members of the guild, and not hired thugs. These are dangerous men, and they appear to be waiting beside the Tavern's rear door.
Bjorn clears his throat and steps forward.
The bouncer listens calmly, barely reacting to the Ulfen's intensity. "I tell you what, I'll make this easy. I get paid to keep everyone who isn't a member down here. You might get by me, and you might not. But if you do, there are four more guards upstairs, plus the ring door - which you can't open if you aren't a member."
He tosses his head to the side causing his neck to Crack! loudly. He then interlaces his fingers and pops several knuckles, then releases his grip and shakes out his hands. He simply stands there, prepared for whatever you're going to do next.
Lucius waits for Bjorn's next move. The lie was the only idea he had.
Harold stands outside with Korvus though glancing inside with barely disguised irritation, "Ain't right what a couple fine gents like aaahrselves can't go in an' enjoy a pint. Maybe crack a few 'eads, preferrably those two what was at da riot, bounce a few wenches on aaahr knee, an' 'ave a nice evening. A sad state ov affairs I tell you, Korvus."
"I couldn't agree more, Master Grimsley. Well, except with the 'cracking of heads' part. But I'm afraid it is the state of affairs in these lands," Korvus comments, eyeing the large group of soldiers coming around the corner up the street. "However, we may have no choice but to follow our companions into the establishment or be accosted by those approaching soldiers," he warns.
At sighting the men down the way, Harold reaches over and taps Korvus on the shoulder and mimes to talk soft, "Or we go wif option three, and find aahhht wot these blokes 're doin' by loiterin' baht outside the bloomin' back door. They ain't got the bloody appearance of official sanctioned 'guild' nor do they look loike the normal ruffs that 're 'ired on for a bit of muscle at places loike this. By their looks and aw the toys they got bulgin' aahhht from under their cloaks, if I 'ad ter call them aahhht it would prolly be killers. Na wot would such 'ard blokes be doin' waitin' 'ere while they twiddle their thumbs?" He lets Korvus take a peek before reaching into his pockets and pulling out his brass knuckles in case it all goes south.
"I would listen to him. I think he's getting angry. You would not like him when he's angry." "Alright, so while these two are duking it out, I make a break for it."
He turns back and calls up, "Hey, I got a couple of guys coming up, they want to try and enter the club."
At this, several patrons turn and look in your direction, interest evident in their faces.
At the top of the stairs, a couple of big half-orcs dressed in a manner eerily similar to Harold look around the corner. One of them grins widely, "Well, come on up." They seem to be related given the similarities in their faces and expressions.
You climb up the stairs, with the two half-orcs standing back to allow you past. A massive gray orc and dour dwarf watch from a small alcove to the right. Both are fashionably dressed, similar to the half-orcs.
Directly ahead of you is a large reinforced steel door. In the center is a small square indention about an inch across and deep. You do not see a handle, knob or lever to open the door, and the builders apparently placed the hinges on the other side.
One of the half-orcs speaks up, "Be careful around that door, might get a shocking surprise if you're not!" He and the other half-orc begin to laugh, and even the dwarf chuckles.
From below, you hear a commotion as several patrons crowd around, trying to peer up the stairs to watch as you stand before the iron door.
"Not really. Suffice to say, they don't have many of those in Ravengro. I would stand back." Lucius starts going through random passwords in an attempt to open the door along with pushing down on the indentation.
However his unfamiliarity with such a door makes it hard to figure out how it opens.
Lucius reaches forward and blue lightning jumps out and knocks him backward.
The guards double over and laugh, with one of the half-orcs wiping away tears. "You should have seen your face!" he says through deep bellows of mirth.
The guard from the bottom of the stairs comes around the corner, "I heard that one all the way down the stairs. Why don't you let me buy you a drink?"
Bjorn glances at the guards and asks his question, but the two are still laughing too hard to answer. The guard of the stairs chimes in, "The two that entered right before you? That would be Mister Augustus Heiger and his cousin, Mister Terren Vorn."
That name, Heiger sounds very familiar...
"Ow, that hurt. Stupid door. I'm getting through this thing, I swear."
Lucius reaches forward to try and disable the door, taking another painful shock to his hands.
The half-orc slap each other on the back, and now both are laughing so hard tears are freely streaming down their faces.
The orc just shakes its head, while the dwarf grumbles, "Alright lad, that's enough playing around, time to head back downstairs."
The guard who came up grimaces in mock sympathy for Lucius, but looks at Bjorn, "I think so. I know it's an old family here in Lepidstadt. Always involved in the guard or army, sometimes in the courts."
"Ow, stupid door and it's stupid trap..." Lucius reluctantly walks away from the door.
Bjorn and Lucius leave the tavern. Looking over toward Korvus, Alexei, and Harold, the two men also notice the town guard heading their direction. Still several minutes away, the guards are shouting about a curfew, and apparently clearing out taverns and businesses, forcing them to close and their patrons toward home.
"Yea, it hurt a lot too." Lucius says rubbing his burns.
Alexei strokes his beard, the information piquing his interest. "I have a feeling that they may try something a tad more extreme, next time. They've managed to rile up the people of Lepidstadt, and now all they need to do is direct that at poor Alpy." The Chelaxian looks grim, worried for their over-sized charge.
Harold motions the others over to where he and Korvus are watching the alleyway beside the building. He motions to keep their voices down, "We got us some right nasty-lookin' blokes down beside dis place. All dressed up an' ready ter kill. They ain't sancshuned feves awer assassins from what I can tell nor 'ired muscle a place like dis would usually like ter be associated wiv if yew catch me drift."