The door to the tavern opens and a team of burly Khemyan stevedores enter, their ebony skin still beaded with sweat from a hard day working the docks. Gelik strokes his goatee thoughtfully and whispers in reply, "Why sir, what kind of gentleman do you take me for to go starting bar-fights at my age? What ever would the ladies think?"
As he speaks, you notice him rolling the beer list at your table into a cone shape. He then rests his elbow on the table to supports his chin with his thumb, fingers to the side of his mouth facing the room. Suddenly you hear a great deal of swearing and racial epithets from across the room. A moment later, the hooded man's untouched tankard goes flying at the group of large men while some other voices in the room start shouting and cursing as well.
Instantly, a table is overturned as the beer-soaked Khemyans stand up shouting, one of them rubbing the back of his head from where something struck him. There are a few shrieks as the barmaids go running while the proprietor tries to avert the inevitable. Although the man sitting at the end of the bar waves his hands try to deny any responsibility, the fact that he slips in a few more choice words about having his way with their mothers doesn't help his case.
Whistling lightly, Gelik casts an admiring glance at your waitress as she huddles behind her tray nearby. Hopping down lightly from his seat, he walks over, gives her a kiss on the back of the hand and places several gold coins in her palm. "You've been a dear my good woman, go run along now, these things never end well."
Not far away, the hooded man goes flying across the room crashing thru another two tables. Not too inexplicably, the Khemyans are now responding with some slurs of their own that start to rankle even Alton's feathers but not nearly so much as those of the other patrons in the establishment. Flashing a devilish grin at the rest of you, Gelik ducks as a chair goes flying past his head.
"My friends," he says with some urgency, "I believe my work here is done! Let's be on our way then, hmm?"
Spellcraft Checks
Stealth Checks
Initiative Rolls
, Patrons; Gelik, Stalker
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 01)
Theme: Fight For Your Right
A thought occurs to Mal, and he whispers to the others, "Let's try this. You two make your way out the back." He gestures with a hitch of his head towards the two doors on the east wall. "Look like you don't want a part of this fuss. I'll wait here and see if he follows you or continues watching me. I'll meet you out the side doors in a few minutes. If you hear me yell, come running."
Mal puts on as dangerous a look as he can to try to keep people from immediately engaging him in the bar fight, watching the watcher from in his periphery.
Alton gives a laugh as your stalker gets thrown atop a table disrupting the leisure of four Setenbori men who seem less-than amused with the Khemyans' actions and culturally offensive retorts. One of them gets knocked back into a table of close-lipped Xarakai traders who were deep into their cups long before you arrived.
As is their wont, the desert folk take extreme offense at the interruption, particularly since it was one of their nations age-old rivals who bumping into them. Voices are raise on both sides. The Setenbori man who got knocked over, agitated that they would throw such a fit over a minor thing like that gives them something to complain about hurling one of their tankards over his shoulder where-upon it bounces off the prodigious cleavage of a tall, powerfully-built Æscian woman soaking her and the foppish little man with whom she is dining.
When the woman throws her chair aside, knocking over an elderly man behind her, Alton says, "Leave when all the fun is just starting? You owe me one, friend!"
With that, he shouts to Gelik, who currently held the barmaid's undivided attention with his gaze while he held her shoulder with his other hand, "Time to go, master gnome!"
Tossing back the last of his ale, he bolts for the door — making certain to slug one of the Khemyans upside the head on his way for the sake of his countrymen.
Gelik gives a sad sigh and kisses the girl on the back of her hand, "Alas my dear, it seems the dangers of espionage call me away–"
As he speaks, a short, well-muscled goblin can be seen jumping up and down trying to get a look at what's going on. At the bar, a strongly build man hailing from Sar-Aten regards the scene with a quizzical look on his homely face as one of the Khemyans grapples a Setenbori and they both fall over a railing into the water below in their struggles.
Mal ducks a plate that goes flying to crash thru the window that Alton was just jogging past. Behind him, he can hear the barmaid say in an urgent voice, "Oh no, it's much too dangerous. Come, I know a place to hide!"
With that she uses her tray as a shield and runs with him into a nearby bedroom. The twinkle in Gelik's eye tells the big soldier that the gnome has a better plan...
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 03)
"I'll hide out-of-sight in case you need some backup! I'd only slow you and Alton down. Go man, go! I'll manage, somehow..."
With a chuckle he dodges into the room just north of your table where-upon it sounds like he has soon engaged in some grappling maneuvers of his own. Shaking his head, Mal shifts to Gelik's recently-vacated chair to afford himself a better view of the room.
Before him, your stalker attempts to crawl away across the table but the Khemyan who threw him grabs him ready to crack his skull with a bottle. However, he in turn gets slugged in the face by the Setenbori standing by him who then in turn gets hit by a chair swung by the Khemyan's comrade. Grunt in pain the man yanks the chair and throws it aside knocking over Mal's table, although he lifts his mug out of the way just in time to save his ale.
Hearing the commotion behind him, an oddly well-groomed Æscian man sitting with an over-dressed nobleman and a shabby-looking old scholar turns around. He regard the desert people ganging up on the lone Setenbori. Waving his hands, and wielding the common tongue of Estoria like a sledge he tries to calm them down, but only succeeds in making the situation worse. The two closest men draw katars from their sleeves and fall upon him snarling in anger! He goes down hard still pontificating.
The two men with whom he was dining shout in surprise, jumping to their feet. The nobleman looks about to intervene when further south he spies a well-dressed and petite blonde engaged in a shouting match with the towering Æscian woman, her apparent grandfather sitting on the floor nursing his hip. As the fop jumps over his struggling companion, the scholar he was with grumbles something and then a dazzling cone of colors blasts the three men knocking them all out.
Further east, the Khemyan Alton decked on his way out the door struggles back to his feet, staggering badly. He takes a running start and proceeds to tackle the elf and dwarf (who had been gazing longingly at one another) off their stools before getting stopped by the Sar-Aten man's fist, much to the relief of the flustered barkeep.
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 05)
…knocking over Mal's table, although he lifts his mug out of the way just in time to save his ale.
Seeing their follower beaten and staggered, Mal springs into action. The hunter rushes across the intervening space, grabbing for the man.
Mal, reaching for the man, slips on what is either spilled alcohol or possibly pooling blood.... hard to say. Either way, his hands struggle to find their target.
After tackling one last shoe store and the ladies a shop selling exotic silk garments from Xerech. There, Sasha eagerly purchased a slinky, black and red belly-dancer outfit to match her hair and even managed to talk Aerys into picking up a blue one, although she refused to wear it out.
Finally done and arms laden with bags, the five fashion warriors began to make their way back towards the men.
Priyya is thankful that she considers shopping a chore and didn't buy anything, keeping her weapon arm free. She slides up next to Alis under the pretext of noting her purchases and informs her of their new entourage and heats up a spell or two if they make an aggressive move.
Alis nods in understanding, showing off a new beaded handbag she purchased before powdering her nose. "Well, two of them just branched off down opposing side streets it looks like."
"Ellie dear?" when Lureene replies 'yes momma', Alis whispers into her ear, "We're being followed. No, don't look back. Just be a good girl start casting mage armor, alright sweetie?"
Lureene nods at her ‘mother’ and ‘accidentally’ slips on an uneven cobble in the street. As she catches her balance, she mutters under her breath her magical armor invocation.
Once done with her spell, she waves at the girls saying, ”I’m ok, just stumbled there for a sec. I guess I am getting a little top heavy there.”
Sasha giggles and shakes her booty causing the coins on her new sash and bustier to jingle loudly. "Hey, if you want to give some of that away, I'm your girl!"
Pausing only slightly Sasha coos, "Saaay, if you need a hand or two with thooose..."
She then slips behind Ellie, grabbing two heaping handfuls. While you initially take it for more of her typical inappropriate behavior, she leans her face close to your ear and whispers just loud enough for Alis and Priyya to overhear, "Don't look now, girls, but I think we've got some unwanted company following us. Might want to pick up the pace, just don't look like you're picking up the pace... Wow, at this rate, I'm gonna need bigger hands! HAHA!"
With a goofy laugh, she gives Ellie one more squeeze before skipping forward to hang on Aerys' arm for a bit, presumably repeating her warning. You notice the dark-haired woman subtly slide a pair of brass knuckles onto each hand.
Perception Checks
Sense Motive Checks:
Sarah walks with Lisa. "Maybe these are run-of-the-mill kidnappers or thugs. Or maybe they have a specific target - which may not be us. Either way, let's find the gents and get back to the ship. As my Great Uncle Anatole used to say, 'It's poor form to leave bodies on the sidewalk of a town you just visited.' "
"Sound advice and a good plan. I'm sure Ellie is tired of carrying around such heavy bags by now anyway..."
Sarah snorts, "Well she is carrying them around for two, now."
Seeing his chance Mal rushes forward to snag the hooded stalker yet the copious amount of beer on the floor does not factor into his calculations. Just a few feet shy of his target, the big man's feet go out from under him and instead of pouncing upon the man, he instead slides across the floor towards the water pit in the floor.
His quick thinking saves him and only just barely. At the last second, he grabs the rung of a chair which is too large to fit the the gap. The railing above him groans ominously from the sudden strain and he quickly grabs hold of the edge of the floor before it can give way. Unfortunately, when he arrested his fall, the soldier essentially drop-kicked the Setenbori man intent upon climbing out onto his back, creating a huge splash. Below, the flailing Khemyan, obviously having no clue how to swim, thrashes about madly threatening to drag the other man down with him.
Up above, the fighting continues. With a tremendous crash, the railing gives way as another black man is bull-rushed into the pit. He's followed soon after by the gypsy who struck him, a bellowing stevedore standing over him shouting a challenge. Just as the man turns around the continue beating the hell out of the hooded man who insulted his group, he gets struck about the head by a chair and falls to the ground, courtesy of said stalker, who then rolls back to his feet glancing about as if looking for something.
To Mal's left, the Xarakai and Setenbori destroy a table as they tackle one another wrestling with daggers in hand. Looking over that shoulder, he spies the tiny blonde belt the large blonde woman with a spell of some sort that sends her flying back into a pillar so hard that plaster falls from the ceiling. Undaunted, the Æscian is about to charge when a trophy of some falls from up above cold-conking her. She falls to her knees seeing stars before passing out much to the dismay of her shrimpy date.
The nobleman, suddenly finding himself with all alone with the petite beauty is about to make with some romantic gestures when he spies the goblin, the tail of an orange tabby hanging out of its mouth and a pair of red panties ties about its head like a bandanna! With a great cry, he tears lose a flaming greatsword from out of nowhere and runs at the short, green-skinned man only to get caught upside the head by a shillelagh as the old man rises to his feet. The blow knocks the dandy silly. He goes flying thru the window, and bounces off the side wall of the tavern before plummeting into the harbor below. His sword however waves back and forth right beside the surprised goblin where it stuck in the floor.
Whether surprised, or sickened, a mighty gag takes hold of the goblin and he hocks the cat, still alive, screaming over the head of the short blonde mage and her grandfather and onto the head of a cringing barmaid. The frenzied cat immediately begins trying to claw its way down her back seeking shelter and she runs about shrieking.
The old scholar, having missed what truly happens shouts bloody murder at the goblin accusing him of assault upon a member of the aristocracy. The two men at the table south of him, realizing that they are being called to avenge their lord quickly get to their feet, blades flying into their hands.
However, before either can react, the dark-skinned man from Sar-Aten leaps from his stool hurling it clear across the room to take out the pompous looking fellow with the ridiculous beard who clearly had to have seen what really happened.
Cursing, the scholar begins to chant a spell and a lightning bolt flies from his finger tips nearly striking the shrieking barmaid who was running that way with a cat on her back, passing over the collapsed Æscian woman, and in front of her suitor towards the dark-skinned man. However, the wizard underestimates the man's reflexes and is greeted by a toothy white smile when the well-muscled man dodges and then charges towards him!
Not so fortunate is the barkeep. Although the bolt of energy dissipates just a few feet from him, he gives a piteous cry and falls to the ground clutching his chest. The barmaid near him screams in fright, kneeling to see what's the matter. Not wanting to stick around to see what else goes wrong, the serving girl by the front doors loses her nerve and bolts out the front doors.
, everyone
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 07)
It takes a few minutes for the five women to make their way south along the crowded road as it slopes down towards the harbor. Walking up ahead of you with Aerys on one side and Ellie on the other, Sasha calls out, "Oh hey! I guess they knew we were coming Al' just ran outside to– peek in the window of that tavern?"
She and Aerys exchange puzzled glances as you continue to hurry.
Not even a minute has passed however when you hear the peal of thunder. All around you, people on the street look up at the skies wondering if its about to storm, but other than the the black mists that blow up from the geysers further south, the skies are otherwise clear.
Aerys swears under her breath. "That's not a storm, that came from the bar when the boys are, c'mon!"
With that, the athletic half-elf breaks into a run followed easily by the limber red-head.
Priyya casts Bull's Strength on herself before taking off after the young women. As an 'older lady' she isn't as fast as the others.
Mal, despite the jostling of the other men in the water pit, heaves himself upwards, trying to clear the lip in one pull.
Lureene tries to calm the beating of her heart, as she easily keeps pace with the other ladies, and her hand grips the handle of her rapier. She wonders whether to draw it yet, but since the others have not drawn weapons yet, she held off as well.
She glances behind her, ostensibly to make sure Sarah is ok, but actually scans behind her for additional signs of an ambush.
Shaking a hanger-on off his legs, Mal vaults up onto his feet and approaches the shorter, wiry-framed man, stepping over the men wrestling on the ground. Even as moans and the sound of wild struggling come from the room Gelik entered, a calm seems to surround the big soldier and his prey. Swallowing hard, the smaller man attempts to get away, but the same slick floor that fouled Mal earlier not botches his attempt!
His patience spent, Mal remembers Ishirou's training and all the lumps he took over the last week. Reaching deep, he growls, "You're not going anywhere," a responds with a blow of such tremendous force that the man is not merely lifted of his feet. No. Rather he sails backward in a high arc, his fall broken only by a table that collapses below him some 10 feet away. From the window on the east wall, Mal can hear Alton laugh and whistle at the uppercut his friend just delivered.
Yet Mal isn't the only one taking things up a notch. While there are still men struggling on the floor just behind him and other thrashing about in the water pit in the tavern's center, the old scholar drops into a defensive casting posture and warns that at this range he cannot help but kill the dark-skinned monk if he presses his attack.
South of him, the other guard fixes his eyes on the goblin who wrenches the impossibly large sword from the floor and charges denting the knight's breastplate with a mighty blow. Just as it looks like the scholar is about to get his spell off, the petite blonde spellcaster walks forward and touches the knight lightly upon this right shoulder. In a delicate yet commanding voice, she says, "You are too slow, old man. Byakurai!"
Instantly, the air is split by another boom as a lancing blast of pure, bluish-white force streaks from her fingertip driving straight thru the knight's right shoulder, out his back and impacting the old man so hard that his robes and staff are blown away by the withering blast of telekinetic power. The knight, still alive but in shock, drops to his knees staring at his froze right hand, unable to move.
Growling in anger, but still alive, the old man points his finger at the girl. "Insolent child!" However, before his spell can go off, he hears the crack of knuckles beside him and in the next moment is pummeled silly by a vicious flurry of blows from the bald-headed monk. When the punches finally quit coming, the old wizard simply gives a wavering groan and collapses to the ground unconscious.
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 08)
The back-to-back thunderclaps have left the bar strangely quiet. The men on the floor have stopped wrestling, looking about in surprise at the calamity around them. The only sound really coming from the room Gelik and the barmaid went into and the men struggling to climb back out of the pit. Even the waitress still having problems with the cat on her back is silent.
At long last the short blonde says, "Come on, let's get going."
From in front of the bar, the dwarf and the elf poke their heads up, holding one another for comfort as they survey the scene. The goblin, admiring the new sword he has just obtained hisses at the cat on the waitress' back which quickly leaps off and runs for cover. With a chuckle, he and the monk, and the girl's grand father exit to the west, followed quickly by the dwarf and the elf who stumble over one another trying to catch up.
As the adventuring group exits, the remaining patrons (who are able) begin picking themselves up, filing out and in some cases dragging their incapacitated friends along with them. All the while, loud noises, screams and moans, continue to issue from the northeast bedroom.
Exhausted, the cat-scratched waitress retires to the area behind the bar whereupon a scream fills the air, "Oh gods, Daddy! IS THERE A CLERIC IN THE HOUSE?!"
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 09)
Outside the ladies continue to run. Lureene glances over her shoulder to see that Alis is right behind her with Priyya bringing up the rear. Another loud boom splitting the air, clearly coming from the tavern. Alton makes a fist clearly enjoying the show he's seeing thru the window. As you approach, Aerys gives a shout and waves, getting his attention. However running past you a frightened barmaid cries out, "You do NOT want to go in there! There's a wizards' fight going on or something. The whole place has gone crazy!"
As the continue their approach, they can see what appears to be an adventuring party leaving from the west end of the tavern and a group of four battered-looking Xerakai traders hobbling out the front doors.
As the women reach the side pier where Alton is standing, they see an unlikley sight. From the south end of the pier that runs along the eastern side of the tavern, a soaked nobleman in a red, brocaded coat pull himself up out of the water and begins staggering towards you holding a large red mark on his forehead! Oddly enough, it sounds like the fighting inside has subsided although you can hear the sounds of a woman screaming and what sounds like... Gelik? shouting loudly in jubilation!
Although it is muffled by the walls of the tavern, you also hear another woman scream, "IS THERE A CLERIC IN THE HOUSE?!"
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 10)
Hearing the cries for help, Priyya looks to Alis and says "Watch your back." before heading in to find out whoever is in distress announcing "I'm healer, who seeks my help?"
Priyya's inquiry causes no fewer than a dozen heads to turn towards her. Immediately before her is a group of four ebony-skinned Khemyas who look either half-drowned, beat-to-hell, or both. Two of them who are unconscious are being carried out by the other two who don't look like they are much better off. They hesitate upon seeing the more lightly complected, middle-aged healer to see what she will do.
Further inside and straight ahead, 'Andre' is standing over a man who is garbed identically to the men following your group just a moment ago. The sounds of Gelik and some woman moaning come from a closed room to your right.
Past Mal, is a group of four Setenbori men. They bear a few bruises and lumps. A couple of them look like they have been swimming but they all appear to be in far better shape than the Khemyans.
Lying on the floor near the far wall are four men. One, an Æscian looks like he was set-upon with daggers though he has no weapon in hand. He appears to be talking in his sleep. Near him is an old man, half-naked who looks like he tried to stop a runaway carriage with his face.
South of him is a man who appear to have been knocked out by a barstool. Nearby, a man in dented full plate is sitting very still, clutching his right shoulder, a sword lying on the ground in front of him. Just to the left of them, pausing by the western exit, a scrawny little, well-dressed and uninjured is trying to help a strongly-built Æscian warrior woman out the door. She appears to have sustained a concussion but has not relinquished the grip on her unbloodied sword.
"Over here!" Behind the bar immediately south of where Priyya is standing, a frantic woman is waving her over. "Old Henry, I think his heart went out on him!"
Near her but out of sight behind the bar, Priyya can hear another woman crying yelling for her daddy to wake up. Not wasting any time, Priyya hustles over sliding across the bar to where the two women are. Waving them out of the way, she first casts a healing spell to repair any heart damage or other injury then quickly works to restart his heart and get him breathing again.
Tense seconds tick by, the distant sound of whatever Gelik is doing the only noise in the whole taven as everyone holds their breath.
Finally, with a great cough and a groan, the barkeep's eyes and he holds a hand to his chest in disbelief to confirm that his heart is really beating. The middle-aged man smooths his beard and struggles back to his feet with the help of his jubilant daughter and his savior.
"Lady," he says, "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but you're an angel!"
Looking out at the shambles that is his establishment he laughs and says, "Well all things considered, I'm glad to see this sh1thole. Can I fix you a drink or let you a room or anything Ma'am?"
When Priyya takes off into the bar, Alton happily greets Aerys with a hug and a kiss, "You missed a great fight, 'Rys! There was this man I noticed had been following us since the hookah parlor, watching us like a hawk. Andre suggested a bar brawl might be a good way to either slip away or grab him in the confusion. Then Gelik threw his voice and thew the man's drink on some–"
He tones his voice down as the four Khemyan's hobble out the door. The first mate tenses for a moment as if expecting another fight but they simply shoulder their way past avoiding eye contact. He notes with satisfaction that the man he slugged is out cold.
Once they have passed he says, "On them. When they lost their tempers from the insults that Gelik was making the snooper say, they started throwing him around and the whole place went up! Then a mage lost his temper and cast a lightning bolt, Andre almost fell into a pit but got out and slugged the snooper so hard he nearly hit the ceiling, and this little woman — no bigger than you Mrs. Bambiano, she blew two men away with a single spell! I thought the building would come down!"
With great annoyance, the nobleman shoves open the doors and bellows, "Where is the old codger that hit me and where is my swo– Sweet mother of the gods! Kestrel, Wolfstein, Karyon, Greyson, what the hell happened to my men?!"
As they pickup some chairs and set them around a table to continue drinking, one of the Setenbori men says, "The old man, it seems, a fight he picked with some adventurers. That goblin you charged? Their friend. He wields your blade now."
Flummoxed, the man pitches a fit, storming over to his downed companions and doing his best to rouse them in a fashion loud enough to drown out the sound of Gelik's deprivations.
The barkeep shakes his head at the scene. He gives his daughter a hug while motioning for the other waitress to go tend to the few remaining patrons.
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 14)
As the shouting continues inside and the Khemyas slink away, Alton regales you on how the nobleman ended up in the harbor. Alis however interrupts, "Funny that you should mention you were followed and trying to regroup with us."
She nods to the street where a few men wearing black hoods have begun loitering. "We seem to have picked up a few followers of our own..."
Sasha notes Lisa's nod and glances over her shoulder. "Hmm, ya know, maybe we should all get inside or something. These guys seem like they're kind of persistent."
Lureene nods at Sasha's suggestion and says quietly, "Yes, Sash, I don't like the looks of those guys...I wonder if this place has a way out that does not require taking a swim."
Sasha walks alongside Ellie as she enters the bar unsheathing her blade and taking the opposite side of the door. "What, you mean like the doors?"
As the sounds from the northeast bedroom continue, Sasha laughs, "Whoa! Is that Gelik? YOU GO GNOMIE!!!"
Outside, Alis sighs and shakes her head. "Alright you lovebirds, let's get inside..."
When you enter, she too draws her weapon and points to the front door. "Mr. Devers, Miss Mavato, if you could please watch the front entrace."
Looking over to the very concerned barkeep now wringing his hands, she says, "Oh don't worry, if we break anything we'll pick up the tab."
"Milord Red-coat!" she calls to the nobleman, "As a fellow personage of quality, I feel obligated to inform your lordship that several unfriendly looking gentleman have followed us here. It might prove... advantageous to retire to your estate or ship as swiftly as possible."
The four Setenbori men, hearing her warning, simply shrug and go about ordering some drinks from the rather nervous looking serving girl. Rolling her eyes at the stubbornness of some people, she walks over to Mal and looks down at his unconscious friend noting the teeth all over the floor. "Well I see that you've put Ishirou's training to good work. Another four like him were trailing us on our way here. Were you able to get anything out of him before you knocked all the teeth out of his head?"
Priyya looks at the bartender and his daughter. "You folks better find a shady spot. Things may get lively in here."
She moves close to the remaining railing by the hole in the floor and casts Bless on all her allies.
Mal shakes his head as he drags the man off the floor, "No. I was in the middle of trying to figure out if he was following me or Alton or the gnome when I slipped. Then all I had time to do was lay him out."
Lureene glances over to who she guessed was the barkeep, and calls out in a voice surprisingly calm, "Barkeep, is there another way out for those who do not want to be seen?"
Henry looks up and says, "Well, that pit extends about five feet below the water but there's nothing covering it. We mostly use it to pour out drinks and dump uneaten food. The crabs and other critters clean it up and get snagged in some traps I have on the harbor floor. I've also got a trap-door here in the floor behind the bar. Got a pulley up in the ceiling I use to haul up big kegs and such. Keep a dingy tied up down there..."
Mal continues to hold the man up by his collar, "i figured we'd want to ask this guy our questions. Ya know, who they were following… why they were folliowing… how many others he has with him total… and who they work for. i just didn't get the chance." The next question is obviously aimed not only at Alis, but at the room at large, "is there somewhere we can chat with this guy privately? Somewhere that is defensible in case he has any friends incoming and offers an escape route should we need it?"
An incessant bumping catches his attention, and he roars, "And will somebody go freaking shut that gnome's noise-making up!"
Lureene waves to catch 'Andres' attention and points to the area behind the bar, "Sweetie, maybe behind the bar would be a good place to...talk to him."
The barkeep answers, "The two rooms to the west that border the common room don't have any outside walls, and none of the rooms facing the street on the north side have any windows. If you want a way out though, like the pregnant lass says, back here might be best."
Henry squints at the man you are holding and swears softly under his breath. "Son, what the hell did you do to piss off the Sacral Umbra?"
Alis shares a glance with Mal and shrugs her shoulders. "They were following both our groups so who knows. Gods, has that man not gotten his men out of here yet?"
"We don't have time for him to wake up on his own." she binds the stalker's hands and feet with some silk scarves, then taps him with a wand. As the man begins to stir, she says, "right now Gelik's... fornications are making it more difficult for anyone outside to hear what's going on inside. Besides, I really have no desire to knock on that door."
Priyya moves to a position where she can see their captive's associates through the window. She readies her bow before addressing the barkeep, "I'm new here. Who are the Sacral Umbra?"
Mal sets the bound man down next to the bar, then turns to regard the group of men who haven't yet left. He stands for a second or two to get the man's attention.
With a flick of both hands, his finger blades whip out, and Mal growls, "Listen. I don't know who you are, but this place is about to get hairy. We don't want any unnecessary trouble, so I'd suggest you find another place to drink for the time being."
"D– did you say the Sacral Umbra?" the nobleman stutters. "They're a cult of assassins on some 'holy war' for their hell-spawned patron."
At the mention of their name, he quickly pulls some potions out of his water-logged jacket and begins force-feeding one to the old wizard. "Come on Kestrel, you old bastard, get to your feet, I'm not carrying you! Sh1t and here I am without my flamberge."
The nobleman helps the unsteady wizard back to his feet and hands him the remaining potions. "Get these down their throats, we need to get out of here!"
Turning back to you, he says, "Madam, you have my sincerest condolences. I use the term 'assassin' simply because I know of no other that better describes the aftermath of their fervor. These are not men who can be contracted, they follow only the decrees of their patron's worldly pontiff, the Arch Shadow. Anyone who does not go along with their insane doctrine, anyone who openly disagrees with them, be they king, or beggar is under a death warrant in their eyes. The members of any group that contests them? The same."
On hearing the Sacral Umbra described, Priyya scans the prisoner, then his compatriots outside (if they are in range), and finally everyone else in the bar... for evil. Are everyone's shopping trips THIS eventful?