Alsah sighs
Then she puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles loudly
Everybody be quiet! She steps onto something to give herself height
I understand you are unhappy, about the rebels capturing you are your current accommodations. But you need to understand a few things. First, you will be returned to your government's protection as soon as we can safely arrange. Second that this place will be returned to Danoran control once we have stopped the rebel faction and captured or killed its leadership. Thirdly that it is not safe to leave here yet. The town has not been secured as yet. This place is unpleasant but protected.
She gestures to the crowd
Understand that we are still fighting a battle and our ships have been attacked, so we cannot guarantee your safe exit from the battle zone. So please, be patient and wait here. As soon as we can we will move you to better quarters and put you in contact with your government
She indicates her comrades My companions and I will come and talk with you to determine your immediate needs. If any of you are injured we will treat your wounds. We may be asking a few questions, but this is to help us help you.
She stands tall
Let us act like civilised people. You are not prisoners but are here for your protection. Let us get to it and sorted.
Alsah steps down and turns to the others let's help these people. Be subtle, and maybe we can find our missing lamb. Wodeham, if your men are injured we can try to heal them as well.
Alex nods as Alsah she speaks and looks over the Danoarnas as well. She attempts to add, " We have been asked to remove the Duchess' forces by your own government. While some of you may not see a difference, there is. Risur is not responsible for this, it was a rogue faction we are dealing with. I would ask if you have any information that could help us end this faster, please, let us know. Either way, as my colleague has stated, you will all be freed shortly."
Not overly confident in his abilities to talk people around - especially given Alsah's impressive speech - Messer looked around the world, looking for trouble instead. Some people wouldn't be reasonable if their life depended on it.
Adam was surprised when Alsah stepped up and started giving a rousing speech, but after a few words he was glad. He was wrong about thinking of these people as prisoners, the Danorans were not their enemy. Trying to lend his support to her words he said, "She's right, you're here for your protection. I'm sorry here is a stables, we'll try and find a better place for you until it's safe to go."
"If you cooperate, we can get you out of here sooner. We'll process you first," Bryn adds.
"And for what it is worth," Juliet adds, "We are very sorry for the discomfort. I shall personally ask for some renumerance to be made from our government to the people of this island."
Juliet doubted anything would come from her request, but it was the thought that counts, right?
While they talk, Juliet continues to surveil the crowd, making note of the tieflings, and then looking for potential threats.
Pointing to the tieflings she's identified, she calls them out. "You, you, you, you, you, you, and you - please step forward."
Addressing the crowd, you soon realize that you're look at group of non-combatants, the cooks, maids, factory workers, and other support staff that helped keep the fortress functioning. They shout and jeer, but slowly quiet, as Alsah delivers her speech. At Juliet's directive no one moves, but the crowd's focus turns towards the back of the one of the holding pens. A man, who had been seated, rises to his feet and the crowd parts to allow him passage.
The man has a bloody bandage wrapped around his head, covering one eye, and though they are quite filthy, his clothes are clearly those of the Danoran military.
"Pretty words Risuri, but it's easy to make promises from that side of the bars and in my experience, Risuri promises aren't worth much anyways. You're going to have to better than that, if you expect anything resembling cooperation."
The young half-fae woman steps forth to address the soldier, "Lieutenant. I am Constable Stray. As you can see the six of us are not Risuri military. We are of the Royal Homeland Constabulary. As I mentioned, we were asked to be here. Minster Jirre herself, asked us, and Risur Navy, to complete the task to remove this rebel faction that has taken hold here. So, believe us or don't that is your prerogative."
She looks about everyone before turning her gaze to the Lieutenant again and genuinly asks while stating the facts that a military officer would understand, "Knowing that there is an armed conflict outside to retake the centre hold which the Duchess and her forces have retreated to, what would you suggest that would help gain a little bit of your help?"
Alsah looks at the Danoran.
Well I cannot tell you how much that hurts me. Oh wait, having my home burnt out by Danoran soldiers, yes that's worse.
She goes nose to nose with him.
Far as I am concerned your distrust bothers me not at all. But I have said nothing here but the truth. I really don't care if you believe me.
She moves back.
The war is over Alsah gestures
It's idiots like these rebels who want to reignite it. What about you?
That man is clearly military... and his contempt may hold back the others from being useful... we should probably separate him... but how without pushing the layfolks the wrongway?
There was something about the man, a flash of a reminder from a past life, perhaps, but Juliet could not quite will the memory into existence. Instead, she slowly pushes her way through the crowd, looking each tiefling up and down, hoping to find their missing Dannoran. If they wouldn't come to her, she'd go to them.
As she looks over the tieflings, she addresses the military man. "Seems to me that we have the same goals here - to root out Risuri traitors that would plunge our nations into another war. Unless you're actively aiding the traitors? Wouldn't that make you treasonous to your nation as well?"
"Ah, so we are allies in this endeavor are we? That's good. I'm sure these good people would be willing to provide you with all the help you might wish. Indeed, we should be fight together on this. Any man or woman willing should be given weapons and allowed to join the fight against these traitors, as you call them."
"Of course, the logistics of such are probably beyond a group of civilians such as yourselves. But how about a show of international collaboration with a little gesture of good faith. Provide me with my military load out, a pistol, a musket, and a sword, and we can all work towards finding the answers you seek. Together."
Messer looked to the others. He had none of those things and was fairly sure the others would prefer not to hand out their equipment, but there should be plenty of weapons among the troops and being held from the captured enemies.
Alsah sighs, and looks at him wryly
Really? And how would it look to your government if you get killed doing that? No, stay here. Here you are secure and when we have finished, we will hand this place back to you.
She looks away into the city
It shouldn't be more than a day. How about this. We will see about any of your actual soldiers getting some weapons to help guard this spot. A little bit of cooperative security.
Alex looks to Alsah and can tell that she seems to have a hostility towards this man. From her earlier comment there may be merit in the dislike, yet, was this man involved? The last war was a messy affair, on both sides. And as much as it is hard to admit, Risiur people did invade their home here as well. But she asked how they could help prove themselves, and the good Lieutenant had an answer.
With a curt nod she turns and approached the soldiers watching over this compound and relayed her request to acquire the weapons that the Lieutenant asked for. She did ask it as a question, but added we need to get the following brought here, presently, "If it is not too much trouble, the weapons are required immediately."
Preach studied the demeanor of the man and tried to decide whether or not they'd instantly regret arming the Lieutenant. The Danorans weren't supposed to be the enemy here, and a potential ally could make their investigation much easier.
Perhaps it was experience from her past lives, perhaps she was just naturally gifted at divining the motives of others - but Juliet had a gift for spotting deception as it happened. She stared at the military man wondering they should give him the weaponry he sought, willing to consider doing so if he was genuine.
"We can return your weapons when you are ready to leave. However, given the circumstances, it may be best if we kept them... secured and checked in. Warfare and prudence. I assume you understand. However, you can leave when you like and we will provide them to you," Bryn adds.
The soldier nods at Alex's request and it doesn't take too long to track down the requested armaments.
Preach considered for a moment taking into account the lieutenant's words and those of the other constables. In the end the Danorans were not under arrest so if they really wanted out they didn't have the authority to stop them...
Speaking to the lieutenant he pointed out, "We would prefer if you stayed here for your safety, however you are not under arrest. That said until order is restored it's dangerous out there and it would be highly embarrassing to Risuri if something happened to any of you. Still if you insist on leaving our care we wont't leave you unable to defend yourself."
"Freedom is not always kind," Messer agreed, "But if you're willing to choose to fight we can't stop you. All we can do is ask you work with us, so we can do this with as few problems as possible."
Alsah sighs
This will end in tears
And then forgets about it. More important things to do.
What was the name of the fellow we are supposed to find and help?
Juliet shrugs, arriving at the same conclusion as most the others. "Be careful then. I believe you will."
Turning to Alsah, the Mystic looks befuddled. "Indeed, what was his name? It was an unusual one..."
After returning with the armaments the woman presents them to the Lieutenant, "Here you are, as I said I would." She looks to the man and gives him a nod.
She sees that Aslah is more than a bit annoyed, but it is the man's own choice and it helps the group garner trust and support.
She comments, "Nathan Jirrie, the young man we are looking for."
When handed the equipment, the Lieutenant takes his time inspecting them. After what feels like a exaggeratedly thorough once over, he buckles them on and gives Alex a nod of thanks. "You're alright Risuri. Glad to see some of you realize we're on the same side, this time."
He turns his attention to his countrymen, "Alright everyone, these folks seems to be on the up and up. If anyone knows anything that might help, let's hear it."
Having diffused the situation with a bit of calculated diplomacy, you go about canvasing the crowd. Most of the prisoners don't have much of use to add, but you do pull out a few useful bit of intelligence:
1. Nathan Jierre is not among the prisoners. You do learn that he is an astronomer and was in the central keep's observatory when the Duchess' forces attacked. He was captured with the rest of the Danoran's but was not led out of the keep with others.
2. You learn that the assault was initiated when the rebels activated the fort's teleportation circle. No one out of this group knows much about how the magic works, but the consensus is that the key needed to activate the portal was secret and that someone on the inside must have betrayed them.
3. Lieutenant Marseine confides that he has a key that can be used to open the roof door on the top of the central keep. When asked how me managed to keep it secret, he just scoffs and makes a disparaging comment regarding the thoroughness of Risuri searches.
4. Lastly, turns out one of the prisoners is involved in maintenance of the fort's waterworks and knows the sewer system like the back of his hand. If you want, he could provide a map that would lead directly to the basement of the central keep, which would avoid the hedge maze labyrinth, which surrounds and protects the keep.
Preach realised he'd been holding his breath and had been wound up like a coiled spring, when the atmosphere changed he was greatly relieved. He smiled at Alexandra as if to say thanks.
To the constables he said, "Wow that's a fair bit to take in. So Nathan is an astronomer, I wonder if his observatory is up on the roof? Maybe Lieutenant Marseine's key will come in handy for finding him. Also a teleportation circle? Wow that's quite something..."
Regarding the map, Preach earnestly told the prisoner (not that he liked that word) "A map would be greatly appreciated, with luck a little luck a great deal of unpleasantness will be avoided if we can get into the basement."
"So someone in the fortress - and someone who was relatively aware and able to understand the teleportation circle's wards and defences - helped the Duchess seize the place. Or she has a mage of a calibre that she can get past such defences." That was a terrible thought. A fortress' magic circle was about as tough to crack as their gates were, for obvious reasons. It probably wasn't impossible, but it would be a nightmare. And such a mage was not someone Messer wanted to fight. Not without a cannon.
On the plus side, if it could be called that, was that it would give Danor a target to blame, for the politicians to keep the peace.
"The observatory sounds like a good place to start searching for the man," Messer agreed.
And the Sewer looks like a way to slip in. And I am thinking we should do this sooner, not later
Bryn eyes the wardens to see if they're going to be a problem if the group investigate:
"Is the maintenance worker willing to accompany us? That might be more reliable," Bryn asks.
"Hmmm," Juliet says, thinking out loud. "If the maintenance worker is willing, I think it is a good idea. Regardless, I agree we should get into the sewer as soon as possible."
While the idea of descending into a sewer filled Juliet with a little bit of trepidation, it was certainly something she was pretty sure she'd never done before!
The woman nods to the others, "I am game. Whatever gets us closer to stopping this mess."
She looks to the Lieutenant and asks, "Will you be joining us? Or will you provide us with the key you mentioned?"
The maintenance fellow is willing to lead you through the sewers to the keep's entrance, but that's as far as they will go. "I wouldn't be much use in a fight, and once you get into the keep, I'm sure fighting will soon follow."
Lieutenant Marseine is keen for a fight, "As long you as you can support my blind side.", but murmurs of worry and cries of dismay quickly rise from the rest of the Danoran. After some quiet conversation with his fellows, he returns to decline. "My people would feel better if there was some Danoran military around for protection, and I guess I'm nominated. Good luck Risuri's. The sooner you've dealt with the Duchess, the sooner you'll all be off our island."
Taking up your guide, you and your escort prepare to head back out into the night air. Infantryman Wodeham steps to and asks, "So what do you think? Is this lot safe to let out?"
Before you have a chance to answer, a flash of red-orange light illuminates the street from above, and as it streaks by you hear footsteps sprint across the roof of the brig. You hear shouts of dismay outside, a gunshot, and then more shouting. A soldier runs in from the street and yells, “The fire monster’s coming!"
Outside you see an entity leap from the roof and into the street, sprinting for the inner wall. The figure resembles a cloud of smoke with a faint humanoid outline inside illuminated by an orange glow.
A couple of defenders on the wall start firing arrows, and you hear an audible curse of pain from the smoky entity. He ducks behind a bit of debris down the street, 80 ft. away from the wall, 120 ft. from the brig. He pulls out an orb that glows with white light, which pierces even his smoke shroud.
The whole street begins to shake, and the brig with it. Iron nails and iron prison bars shudder in their mountings, and a few rip violently free. In the street outside, cobblestones shatter upward and iron spikes burst out of the ground and float inches off the ground. Some of the Danorans in the brig cry out in shock as the space they’re occupying becomes a tangle of jungle. Up on the wall, the duchess’s defenders scream as the wall beneath them turns to mist and they plummet to their deaths on a lightly-wooded field.
In an area roughly two-hundred feet across, the landscape that was the fortress is comingled with a day-lit jungle landscape. Only in places with enough iron does the original landscape remain, while in a few pockets, typically along the edges, other landscapes flicker in and out—a fiery rockslide, a swamp with yellow frogs, a beige bank of clouds. You notice the edges are shrinking inward slowly, and you can guess the wildly powerful magic will only last a minute or two.
On the other side of the comingled terrain, you can make out the keep where you suspect the duchess is, and a huge tangle of brush around it. The smoky entity discards his orb and runs forward though the temporary gap in the inner wall. He casually lashes out a whip of flame to kill a defender who tries to get in his path, and then sprints onward toward the keep.
The light in the orb is slowly fading; the effect will end in a minute or two.
Messer stared at the feat of reality-warping in mild horror, but duty called. "This may be a poor plan, but I think that maybe following that man may be a faster way to our goal. Not a subtle way, although it doesn't look like he plans to leave many of the rebels alive..."
Alsah stares in wonder.
She shakes herself focus
This is an opportunity. Let's go for it!
"By the gods..." the woman states as if she might be ill as the land around her transforms. "If that is this fey... they usually have little concern for mortal kind." She comments back to Messer.
"I'm game..." she says starting forward.
Alsha starts moving as well
"Gods," Juliet murmurs, standing and taking in the scene around them, frozen still as the others spring into action. "Did it just... whip some fire about it? And is that..."
Shaking her head, the mystic forces herself into a run, following the others. It was, after all, not every day one got the opportunity to run through a portal.
"Time to go team! That's our path forward and by the looks of things, we don't want to be here for an overlay!" Bryn yells as he motions for the group to get going as he starts running towards the burning man.
"Onward, with bad ideas and bravery," Messer said mildly sardonically as he moved with the rest of the squad. His arm was a testament that risks did not always pay dividends, but this one wasn't as big a risk. There was nothing to say the rebels or Danor hadn't laid many a trap in the sewer after all.
The party bravely, or foolishly, charges towards the breach with their muttering and cursing soldier escorts trailing behind. "Damned fools will get us all killed." Needless to say, the sewer worker does not follow in your wake.
The transition is seamless, one moment your boots are clattering on the stone cobbles of city streets, the next they squelch in the soft soil of an alien jungle, lit by an unseen sun. Things chitter and howl, sight unseen, but you remain focused and keep moving forward. The edges of the planar distortion creep inwards, and not wanting to get trapped in this alien land, you hustle to cross back over to your own world. The magic persists for only moments longer before the wall snaps back into existence, and the darkness of night drops back over you.
The path of your quarry is marked with flames. A few dozen feet from your position is the hedge maze that surrounds the inner keep. Parts of the tops of the 8 foot high hedge rows are ablaze, marking a straight streak to its heart, and the keep. You make out a lone humanoid figure beating a the flames at the edge of the hedge. It puts outs the immediate flames and steps though the gap left by the damage.
To the gap!
This was rapidly feeling like a truly poor plan, but it was the one they were doing. Messer gritted his teeth and followed into the gap.
This seemed to be madness but Preach followed the other constables through the gap, hoping furiously they hadn't done something very foolish.
Upon spotting the lone humanoid figure, he unholsters his guns and starts walking towards him/her/it.
Cheer up. We are inside the walls and there is no way they were expecting this. Alsah encourages the others
"You're not wrong, Alsah, but the whole...tearing open dimensions and fire thing is still going to make me a little nervous." Messer continued to go through the fiery hedge as best he could. "It's a great opportunity, but I'm worried about when someone this strong decides to turn around."