"I be thinkin' that you all favour Trinia, why?"
"Because she is innocent you idiot "Heather hisses.."Can't you tell a scapegoat when you see one?..do you think the peoples hero would rescue a traitor?"
"Heather's right!" Istas affirms to Kenan over the noise of the crowd, "We're the ones who captured her. We interrogated her. And we divined her innocence with aid of the Lady of Graves...someone from whom nothing is hidden."
"Even the Field Marshall proved reluctant to hand her over to the Grey Maidens when we brought Trinia to Citadel Volshyenek," she explains as Kenan draws closer to hear her fully, "For the queen and her advisors to have sentenced her to death, it means they never bothered to learn the truth...or they didn't care for it, if they did. So, Trinia's being offered up as a scapegoat to placate those who never believed the king died of natural causes."
She looks the healer squarely in the eye. "It's an execution of convenience that threatens Trinia's life...not a homage to justice. And if we'd known this would be the outcome of her arrest, we'd never have handed her over to the Field Marshall or the Grey Maidens. If Blackjack can get Trinia out of here, he does us the honor of restoring our own good conscience. He's acting openly, where we cannot."
Istas:
Heather's web snares the Marines. Not only does it stop them, it blocks others from using the stairs to mount the platform, giving Blackjack extra time for whatever he's going to do.
On the platform Blackjack pushes two vials into Trinia's hands. Someone throws a dagger at either Trinia or Blackjack, but a deft swipe of the hero's rapier send it spinning harmlessly high. Trinia swallows the first, then the second potion. At the far end of the platform the headsman wrenches the axe free and turns back toward Blackjack, raising the axe as he begins to charge toward the hero's unprotected back.
On the balcony Sabina begins shouting for the Grey Maidens to arrest Blackjack. In pairs and trios, they surge from the edge of the pyramid toward the platform, swords drawn.
Emerion and Jeorik find themselves pushing through the crowd beside two Grey Maidens. The maiden's push through the crowd using mailed fist and pommel to batter their way through. Their presence forces you to the left where Emerion bumps into the back of an elderly noble. No sooner does the man cry out in surprise than his bodyguard is pulling him away from you
Kenan:
"I see. Well the guards are three deep back down this stone steps so how's he going to do this escape I wonder? Not a friend of dem Maidens, but not one to make enemies freely. Especially them witches." The healer positively spits out the last word.
Kenan shrugs, "in for a copper, in for a platinum! Hristorfist!" Moving forwards forty feet, the half-elf slides his elven curve blade free and down one flank semi-concealed.
He points at the group of Gray Maidens moving up towards Blackjack and the pretty Trinia, and a burst of cymbals and trumpets sounds off among them.
"I better be right about these "heroes". An' one called me an idiot. Me!" Kenan mutters to himself.
Neil, you've got maybe 70 Grey Maidens who were ringing the open area atop the Mastaba. They are all converging on the platform. Could you please give me more specific instruction or shall I pick a few at random to menace?
Emerion will recoil from the elderly man.
"I beg your pardon, sir!" he cries, and 'accidentally' crashes into one of the maidens, getting tangled up in her.
Trip Attempt:
Bluff (to cover it):
"Are you alright ma'am," says Jeorik, moving between the Grey Maiden and her quarry as he tries to help her.
The Grey Maidens assailed by Kenan's violent fanfare reel and hold their heads, as do a few bystanders.
The Grey Maidens haven't summited the platform yet, but Istas' ethereal dagger dissuades the headsman from his charge at Blackjack's back.
Emerion and Jeorik's Maidens snarl, "Fine! We're OK." The one on the ground drags herself up Jeorik's arm. "Out of the way!" They begin to push forward again.
Blackjack pulls Trinia to the back of the platform. A sweep of his rapier cuts another string of pennants free. Trinia grabs the rope too and they swing off the platform together toward the castle. At the nadir of the rope's sweep they release the line. Trinia does a rolling somersault. And they run through the gate into the castle. As they pass the winch for the portcullis, Blackjack trips the rachet and the heavy barrier crashes to earth, blocking the way in.
Heather has to smile..using the Castle itself as part off the getaway is pure Blackjack and, as most of the guards were out here on the Mastaba he should have no problem in making his and Trinias escape..she thinks back to the stories off her childhood and almost giggles..before collecting herself and moving away from the incipient riot.
She looks round trying to spot her companions in the crowd it's time they left.
Emerion sees the escape and can't resist chuckling. Turning he claps Jeorik on the shoulder.
"Come my friend, there's a place I have to be, I think, and I'm sure the same can be said for all of us," he pulls his scarf down and starts working back through the crowd to Heather, Kenan and Istas.
With Blackjack and Trinia successfully away, Istas knows it's time to stand down her dagger's defense. And yet, she can't help but narrow her eyes at the axeman executioner. Even as she does so, the dagger presses closer to him...insubstantial and impervious to countering.
'You're not a death-dealer,' the priestess directs her thoughts at the man, even though he cannot hear them, 'Pharasma appoints the time and place for someone to die. Lucky for you, today isn't your time...and neither was it Trinia's...'
And with that thought, she releases the spell and allows the spiritual dagger to fade away like a watery mist on the wind. Then, Istas draws the hood of her robe more tightly over her head to hide her features. She catches the eye of Heather and nods toward the exits, implying they should leave as soon as possible.
Kenan quickly moves away with the rest, sliding the curve blade back in its scabbard and folding the cloak over.
He keeps about twenty feet distance from the other party members in the crowd, using that to help lessen their possible attention.
Heather nods in reply to Istas and begins to move assuming an air of panic. She hopes her act is convincing enough
"Please please good people let me through..oh how awful that terrible man... I feel quite faint..."
bluff
With Blackjack's disappearance the crowd starts to break up into slowly milling small groups.
You're halfway down to street level when Sabina Merrin shouts orders that no one is to leave the top of the Mastaba. Most of the crowd pays little attention and continues to depart until the Grey Maidens organize themselves and form a picket line. By then you are near the line of Korvosan Guards who seem not to have heard Merrin. They are still keeping people from climbing the Mastaba, but not from leaving.
Istas moves past the Korvosan Guard and continues down the Mastaba until she's well out of sight of Sabina and her Grey Maidens. Then, she pauses to wait for the others.
"Well, that was quite interesting," she greets the first to arrive, "Apparently, our young Trinia has a noble guardian-in-black. How opportune! Almost as if it were pre-destined to happen this way. And I for one will not be persuaded to track her down again. I don't care how much the Field Marshall requests it. They're on their own this time. And I hope they never find her."
Heather continues to move at a steady pace not hurrying..not dawdling either.Realising that being masked isn't exactly the best idea at this point she loosens the scarf but holds a kerchief to her face.
At the bottom she joins Istas and then rewraps her face.
"Well that was..invigorating" she remarks as they wait for the others
Emerion presses on, seeking to slip through the picket line of guards and into the city.
"I have a feeling that Sabrina Merrin may already know something of where she has gone," Emerion murmurs in an undertone to Heather. "I may be completely wrong, but I suspect I know who our ebon-clad friend may be, and if I know, she will at worst guess."
"Heather, me spring chicken, why the facemask? why the hankerchief? I be thinking that a drop of me herbal tonic may help ease your day and stop you from surcummin' to this plague. I takes a drop, just a wee drop and it will help a little."
DM
Emerion sees the escape and can't resist chuckling. Turning he claps Jeorik on the shoulder.
"Come my friend, there's a place I have to be, I think, and I'm sure the same can be said for all of us," he pulls his scarf down and starts working back through the crowd to Heather, Kenan and Istas.
"I think I will stick around a little longer," says Jeorik with a happy smile, "It seems only right as a token member of the city guard."
I follow the others and only after they are safely away, do I move towards the Korvosan guards saying, "The prisoner has escaped, into the castle! Which of you is in charge?"
Heather looks doubtfully at the concoction then at Istas with a questioning look..getting a nod from the priestess she shrugs and tosses back the mixture..
"Gods that tastes revolting" she coughs
"Gods that tastes revolting" she coughs
"Perhaps you'd prefer to try a Shoanti remedy sometime?" Istas offers.
Kenan looks hurt.
"Tis the aniseeds. Sort of a speciality of the house. Took me days to stop them blackening the tongue, but does improve the flavour some. Some like it, and some don't. I hope it works so them eyes be smiling again."
The healer keeps an eye on Heather to see if her grey pallor becomes more natural and healthy.
"I'll take your word for it" the sorceress replies
"Well then Emerion lead on to where ever you think we should be"
She rewraps her mouth to keep others safe..just in case
"I'm not sure all of us should go ... but I am fairly certain that Northwards is the way, in any event," he decides, realising that if the Grey Maidens to roll out in force, a lot of help will be needed.
Heather tries to make some sense off what Emerion is saying but the thoughts cannot gel in her mind
"You say Sabina knows who Blackjack is?..and you do to?..I can't think who you both would ...be....she breaks off suddenly
"Ohhhh" she says as the light finally dawns
"Yes," Emerion nods, "when I saw him fight, well, he whipped me this morning in a way he hasn't for years. I could be wrong, but I wouldn't like to risk it right now."
"I haven't seen him for...oh it must be nearly 3 years. Mamma didn't like his paying attention to me and then off course Sabina and I...well you know what happened there"
"So you want to find and help dis Blackjack or is it to follow Sabina to stop her getting to Trinia? I will help you if these poor hands can be of use."
"I'll settle for 'both of the above', myself," Emerion smiles briefly. "Of course I could be way wrong," he adds, "but if I thought of it, Heather my dear, then I cannot imagine that Sabrina wouldn't."
Jeorik: Captain Champagni is in charge of the line of Guards on this side of the Mastaba. He must be nervous because he doesn't hold himself aloof as he usually does when you meet. He nods, "Vander. Good to see you. It could turn ugly if the crowd doesn't behave. Did you see what happened up there?"
After a while he asks, "Have you seen or heard from Miss Whiteraven lately?"
Kenan and Heather: The effect of Kenan's tonic won't be immediate. Heather will get +5 on her fort check tomorrow morning.
So is everyone running off with Emerion? Will Jeorik make his apologies and dash off with them or hang at the Mastaba?
Jeorik (not knowing that there is an immediate danger of Blackjack being caught) stays to see what he can learn as he helps.
"A masked man swooped in and stole away the prisoner. I suggest we go see if the Gray Maidens need any help," says Jeorik to the Captain, figuring that keeping the guard occupied in getting their instructions will allow time for the crowd to leave.
"Ms Whiteraven was here at the execution but she has already left."
Jeorik will stick around the Mastaba until all the excitement is over and to see if there is any indication of where Blackjack went after he went into the castle.
So is everyone running off with Emerion? Will Jeorik make his apologies and dash off with them or hang at the Mastaba?
"Do we know where this Blackjack lives? Perhaps we should just go there and wait for them?"
"Well Emerion and I think we know...and we might as well all go because we'll all be needed if Emerion is right about my sister"
"A masked man swooped in and stole away the prisoner. I suggest we go see if the Gray Maidens need any help," says Jeorik to the Captain, figuring that keeping the guard occupied in getting their instructions will allow time for the crowd to leave.
"Ms Whiteraven was here at the execution but she has already left."
Jeorik will stick around the Mastaba until all the excitement is over and to see if there is any indication of where Blackjack went after he went into the castle.
As Champagni listens to Jeorik's tale, his face grows darker and darker. "The scoundrel! The scofflaw! It's a stain on the Guard's honor. It will encourage disrespect for the law." He takes Blackjack's caper as a personal affront.
None of that distracts him from further inquiries regarding Heather's health, her family's well-being, who her friends are, do you think she would grace me with her presence at dinner?
Champagni orders the Guards nearby to take names and addresses as people leave. Maybe someone will have seen something useful in the apprehension of Blackjack.
After a while the Guard is called into the castle to search for Blackjack and Trinia. A heretofore unknown secret stairway leading down into the Mastaba is discovered. Volunteers are requested to follow it.
For the group going to see "Blackjack": Where exactly are you going and how fast?
Logically, to Orsinni's and while we won't hang about, we do not want to go raising undue attention. Emerion is guessing that Blackjack must have some route planned out of the castle, and may well have a hidaway prepared. But he will be back at the school at some point, and even if Sabina has an inkling of who he may be, it will take her time to send anyone that way - in fact she is more likely to go herself.
Kenan will definitely tag along.
Jeorik, his curiosity piqued, volunteers to lead a handful of guards down into the secret passage.
Heather had already decided she was going which I guess means Istas also joins us
Blackjack crew: Stroll, Stride, Trot, or Run to Orsini's?
Jeorik: Four Guards and two Grey Maidens volunteer to accompany you through the secret door. Torches are quickly procured and you're off. The stairs are narrow at the top. You must shuffle sideways until you pass below floor level, then you can walk normally. The walls are cut stone blocks with rough faces but smooth tops and bottoms. The blocks lie in even layers, dry-laid and closely-fitted. The stairs run straight 15 or 20' then angle to the right at a small landing. This pattern is repeated as you descend. At the fifth landing the corridor straightens out and runs north, probably, while still descending? After 50 feet or so a wall blocks your path, the passage branches left and right. Each branch looks the same to the extent of your torchlight.
I'd say stride..purposeful yet not fast enough to attract attention
Ditto. I imagine finding the secret passageway would have taken some time, so we should have a head start.
As Istas stoically paces Emerion and Heather, she quietly asks aloud, "So...where exactly are we going? And why? I'm not sure I understand how you know where Trinia's rescuer will flee..."
Your pace is faster than most of the crowd. People seem prone to stop and discuss again what just happened with friends or acquaintances they see as they walk along. But no one seems to take special note of you either. Five blocks from the Castle the crowd thins out and you're free to make progress without pushing and excusing yourself. Since a good portion of the citizenry were down by the Castle, the streets are moderately empty.
Emerion leads you across the Strait onto Endrin Isle. He turns up Garrison Hill toward old Fort Korvosa, the initial toehold of Cheliax in this region.
Emerion:
The house first, then the school.
About halfway up the hill Emerion turns on a sidestreet. He stops in front of a largish house of perhaps eight rooms. There are no lights visible through the windows.