As you discuss what to do, the men in the alley stand up and move away from the wall. A door opens from the bar and a man exits. The men take up positions around him and begin escorting him in your direction.
They reach the mouth of the alley and you can see the man appears to be Terren Vorn, one of the men you followed into the bar.
Looking down the street at the oncoming soldiers, he says something to his guards and they quickly head the other direction.
Lucius nods and follows them.
Alexei falls in step behind Lucius and attempts to follow Terren.
"I agree that we should follow them," Korvus whispers to his companions. "Maximus? Please be a good fellow and follow that man again as you did before," the half-orc whispers to his familiar, pointing toward Terren Vorn.
The small blackbird bobs its head in agreement and silently launches itself into the air to follow its quarry.
Korvus hefts his ornate walking stick and follows his companions, glancing behind himself toward the advancing soldiers.
The men move quickly through the streets as the chaos from earlier continues to dissipate. Occasionally, the bodyguards roughly push people out of the way, though they seem to restrain themselves when such force is not needed. Their patron continues unabated, never slowing his pace, and not paying the stragglers that surround them any mind.
They head south, carefully avoiding another group of soldiers by detouring through a narrow alley. After some time, they arrive at a small building east of the University. The sign reads, "Grimmalt & Sons". Terren Vorn pulls a key from his pocket, unlocks the front door, and the group enters, closing the door behind them. A muted light begins shining from inside, though your vision is largely obscured. After a moment, the light fades and the building once again becomes dark.
-----
The building is a small brick building with a large chimney in the back. There is a small glass pane in the door, and windows on either side. You can tell that there are curtains inside the building that prevent looking through the windows. There is another door in the rear near the chimney/fireplace, but it is solid wood with reinforced hinges.
There are very few people in this part of town, and it seems to be home to more commercial establishments than those meant for entertainment. Almost none of the buildings are currently lit, and only the oily flickers of torches along the street provide illumination.
"What's the plan now? I can go all cloak and dagger and sneak around."
"I can try. Just stay behind me, far behind me." Lucius tries to sneak around to the door near the chimney.
He examines the door for traps.
And then picks the lock.
"It is my understanding that Grimmalt & Sons is a relatively new business in Lepidstadt, opening in the past year and specializing in the sale of rare animal fur, skins, and pelts," Korvus whispers to his companions. "They do not deal in live creatures. From the size of the chimney, it appears they also cure some of the hides as well, providing leather goods made from unusual - and expensive - monsters."
Harold hunches down as he peers at the building the men entered and studies its layout. He nods to what the others are saying, adding his own two-pieces, "Just remember what unless we find evidence what deese blokes are up ter no good abaaaht town, we'll be breaking, en'ering, an' possibly doin' a bi' ov assault an' battery as we go in. Try not ter leave any stray bits ov yaaahr personal effects abaaaht afterward fer da ci'y watch ter be findin' unless we find deese blokes are nefarious bastards, awer unless you'd like a small cell fer a few weeks as a vacashun destinashun." The big man slips quietly behind Lucius but staying to the shadows while he keeps an eye out for him while he tinkers with the lock.
Lucius peers at the door, but pulls back quickly with a sharp intake of breath.
"Gentlemen, I may have a means to allow us to gain entry into the building," Korvus whispers to his companions. "I can magically create a pit beneath the doorway measuring ten feet by ten feet by ten feet deep. On this side of the doorway two of our number could be lowered down and step to the side of the pit within the building. I would then dismiss my spell and cause the floor of the pit to rise up to the level of the floor within the building, whereupon those who entered could open the door for the rest of us," the half-orc wizard suggests.
"Well, if we open the door, it'll set off the alarm. I wasn't able to take care of it so I need to try again, but if I don't do it right, it'll mess up the entire plan. Wish me luck." Lucius will try it again.
Harold tilts his head back as his slightly-pointed half-orc ears pick up something, "Oi, boys, we best be abaaaht i' fast. Hear a squad ov da watch drawin' close, less van a minute away. Either we get in awer 'ide cause if they find us, it'll be a trip back ter da inn as fast as they can say 'halt'."
Lucius casts guidance, then deftly disables the trap on the door.
After a moment, he manages to also get the lock opened.
Candles sit on various tables and shelves throughout the store, though none are lit at the moment.
A small counter sits near the far wall beside a common wooden door that apparently leads into a rear room.
Upon entering, Alexei crinkles his nose at the smell. He looks around, focusing on the sounds and sights instead of the acrid scent, and soon his ears pick up a sound of people moving beyond the door to the back room. "I hear someone," the oracle whisper-states, pointing towards the door and looking to the others. "Shall we?"
"I dont hear anything. Yea, let's go."
Bjorn pushes the door open to reveal a small room obviously used as an office. The large reinforced door leading out the back of the store is across the room. Surprisingly, nobody else is in here.
After a few minutes, Harold spots a rug behind the desk that is slightly askew. Pulling it back reveals a trap door. Lucius searches it but does not find any traps.
Bjorn pulls the trap door open and finds a set of narrow wooden stairs that lead down to a hallway about twenty feet below the building. The hallway apparently leads east, well beyond the walls of the store.
Bjorn leads the way down the tunnel with Harold, Alexei, Lucuis, and Korvus following behind him.
The tunnel is roughly cut out of the stone and earth below the city of Lepidstadt. Bare patches of dirt are supported by large wooden supports, similar to what you might have seen or heard about in mining tunnels. Water is a constant companion, dripping from the low ceiling and running down the walls. Your boots are wet after only a few minutes from all of the pools and puddles you come across.
From time to time, you could swear you hear footsteps, but nothing ever comes into view. The constantly dirpping water also causes strange echoes in the tunnel, causing no end of strange noises from both in front and behind you.
Fifteen minutes pass following the winding tunnel until you see a dim light around a corner up ahead of you. As you step closer, you hear the distinct sound of stone slowly scraping on metal.
Lucius nods in agreement with Bjorn. "What do you think it is?"
Alexei can't hear or see anything out of the ordinary, but his hand rests on the butt of his mace, just in case.
"Gentlemen, the hue of the light ahead reminds me of an everburning torch. However, exiting this dark tunnel and entering a brightly lit area will cause us vision problems for a few moments as our eyes adjust to the light - unless we take action now by lighting a tindertwig or casting a spell to create a light source," Korvus advises his companions in a hushed whisper. "Unfortunately, I have no such magic prepared. I do have a few sunrods..."
Harold grunts at Korvus' words and then looks at Lucius, "Could be any number ov fngs. Anuvver secret door, a trap, some kind ov mechanism, mules grindin' up some corn meal, who knows." The half-orc grips his brass knuckles tightly in his hands as he squints his eyes for the transition into the light.
The group moves ahead into the light and finds a large room containing benches and tables. At the head of the largest table, you see Terren Vorn lounging on a massive wooden chair. A bodyguard stands on both sides of the man, each holding a loaded heavy crossbow. Another bodyguard leans against a wall on the far side of the room, while the fourth sits at one of the tables. The scraping sound you heard is revealed to be a sharpening stone he is using on a greatsword.
Terren looks you all over and sneers, "So, you've followed me all the way from the Club, and now you've broken into my business. What do you want?"
Harold's eyes quickly shift over Terren and his four bodyguards, sizing them up as he ranks them in his head from least to most dangerous. The half-orc's eyes narrow as he straightens up and dusts his jacket off with one brass-knuckled-holding hand, "It seems yew caused quite a ruckus up above wiv da citizens ov Lepidstadt. We see a geezer firin' up a crowd from da shadows an' we say ter aaahrselves, 'There is a fellow wiv plans an' ambishuns. He's goin' places.' Now deese places might include a long stay in da infirmary but we'll let yew decide yaaahr travel arrangemun's after we've 'ad a bi' o' da back an' forth. For now though, me an' me comrades would love ter know what's yaaahr business abaaaht Lepidstadt what requires stirrin' up mobs an' secret underground chambers. Smells a bi' like da fresh catch ov da day ter me."
Alexei looks around the room, the telltale signs of a room that was originally meant to house the dead being all too clear to him. "Your business is in quite a grim place," the oracle states, a calm but displeased look on his face. Sizing the men up as Harold states their business with him, the Chelaxian nods. "I can assure you, you would much rather discuss this with us, rather than the other option."
"Hey, his guard over there is standing next to a hidden door. He might use it to book it." Lucius whispers to Alexei.
Terren sneers, "What do you care - you're not even from around here! I want that Beast dead, and lots of other people do too! He's committed all kinds of atrocities, killed women and children, burned down a hospital, even terrorized a village! He killed a bunch of people and then defiled a bunch of graves. He's a monster, and he doesn't deserve to live!"
"But tonight? I didn't have a hand in that. I might have heard some people talking about it, and I might have agreed with some of their sentiments, but stirring up a mob? Well, why don't you just PROVE IT!"
"How do you know about the defiled graves? That's not one of the things Alpy is charged with. You should start telling the truth, you're not a very good liar. We care because the 'Beast' didn't do any of that. And I think you know that."
"Forgive me, Master Vorn, but I feel I must ask: How did you know about the desecrated graves in Morast? Not even the good people of the village knew about those until we discovered them earlier today," Korvus fixes Vorn with a piercing gaze through the pince-nez perched upon his snout. "In fact, you seem to be quite knowledgable about a good many things where The Beast's alleged crimes are concerned. I daresay you also know a good deal more about the mob than you care to let on."
Hearing your responses, Terren realizes his mistake. Leaping up from his chair, he points at you and screams, "Kill them!"
As he screams, the bodyguard leaning against the wall twists his hand and a secret door opens. It looks like he is preparing to flee through the door.
Round One:
Korvus reaches into his pack to retrieve his wand of magical missiles as he utters the words of a spell, causing a pit to open in the floor beneath Vorn and his bodyguards.
Harold cracks his neck to one side as his face twists up into a savage grin at Vorn, "Looks like yew choose da all expenses paid trip ter da infirmary. An excellen' choice." The big half-orc sets his stance wide as he stomps once into the floor of the room with an audible thump before throwing himself after Bjorn toward the fight. He rushes up to the man with the nice sharp sword, "Thee got a nice sword there, friend. Let me introduce yew ter Pain an' 'er sister, Suffering. A pair ov sweet old girls who know 'ow ter treat a geezer right." Harold throws a hard punch backed by brass knuckles into the guard's solar plexus.
"Yea, I'm opposed to being killed for the record." Lucius pulls his scroll of and uses it.
Alexei draws his weapon and raises his shield, his lips pressing into a thin line of concentration. "Stand down and we shall not be forced to kill you! You must pay for your misdeeds, one way or another!" he shouts at the men.
Round One
22 Bodyguards
21 Alexei
20 Bjorn
17 Lucius
14 Korvus
12 Terren
09 Harold
The bodyguard by the wall flips a switch. A panel in the wall slides open and he sprints into the darkness.
The two guards with crossbows take aim and fire at Harold and Bjorn. One bolt sails over the half-orc's head, but the other punches into Bjorn's shoulder. Their crossbows clatter to the ground and they pull greatswords from their backs.
The remaining bodyguard glances at the two who just fired crossbows, then at your group. He stops sharpening his sword, then grasps the hilt, puts the point on the ground, and holds it there, signifying he wants no part of the fight.
Alexei pulls his mace and orders the men to stand down.
Bjorn charges the men and hits one of the guards with a roundhouse to the face, causing him to stagger back, but remain standing.
Lucius pulls a scroll and casts bless upon the party.
Korvus casts a spell and a pit appears beneath Terren and a bodyguard, both of whom plummet to the bottom.
Terren screams as he falls into the pit.
-----