Ayedah was delighted at the idea of telling Zalen more about their people. She might not have had a clue about city life, but this was something she could help with! To a point, that is. Even her own people's magic was beyond her. Her excitement at that prospect was tempered by her own idea being called into question. "Yes...he did not seem eager to see any of us again." Zalen's proposal afterwards seemed solid enough to her.
She placed a hand on Alandra's shoulder to steady her in her seat. She was taken aback by the change in behavior in the girl. Her manner had changed quite a bit. Is it the drink? I am glad I quit early then! "Alandra, are you feeling alright? Are you not going back to your temple tonight?" Gods and spirits, if this drink does this to you then we should stay away from it while we are planning such a dangerous thing! Then again, Alandra's mood seemed...brighter?...than what it had been. Did the drink do that too?
Her expression darkened at Gern's objections, specifically his choice of words. She was not so much shocked as she was disappointed. "Halvarra has my trust, Gern. She tried to help me find my friend. And her own people are at risk because of that. We have to know if what we are planning will put them in more danger. I owe her and hers that at least." She stressed the last statement. She had failed too many people already since entering Korvosa. She had to be certain she they were not placing yet more people in harm's way.
She looked to the others for support, even taciturn Krek. He had spent time in the brothel. Surely he must care about someone there! she thought, naively.
Realising he may have stepped over a mark, Gern looked deeply into his ale. It erked him to give in to such a dangerous thing as informing others of their plan, but Ayedah was vouching for them. She was a little too innocent for city life, but the big girl had heart, and was as genuine as a friend could ask for. He wouldn't let that be jeapardised by his poor choice of words.
"Hmmph, weel ifn' ye are te vouch fer her Lass, then I'll nae say another word about it. Ye just needs te be careful is all."
Having said his piece he finishes his first ale and orders another. At least two of his new companions were drinking solidly and it made the dwarfs heart proud.
"Afore we get too much inter our cups, and all this plannin' sets our teeth on edge, I'd like te propose a toast" he declares suddenly, raising his fresh mug of ale. "Te new friends, aye, and old grudges laid te rest!" the last was said with a hearty slap to Alandra's back
Ayedah could not help but stare into her mug as Gern spoke. As quick as she was to defend Halvarra, the seed of doubt had been planted. How do I really know who trust in this city?
As Gern proposed his toast, she thought with renewed resolve, I can trust these people. I am certain of that. Her eyes had brightened somewhat as she raised her mug alongside Gern's. "By the spirits, we are an odd lot together!"
Zalen's eyes clouded in thought slightly at Gern's words as he considered the careful Dwarf's point. But then Ayedah spoke up defending Halvara and echoed his own thoughts. Halvara had helped his big Shoanti friend, at some risk to herself and her 'children' and Zalen knew how protective she was of them. As well, Zalen had known Halvara for years and she had always done right by him. Although he couldn't be sure, he was willing to bet the good-hearted madam would be glad to be out from under Devargo's cruel yoke. 'Whatever we do decide to tell her though' thought the rogue 'we shall have to proceed carefully. For her sake as well as ours...
As Gern makes his toast, a wide grin splits Zalen's face "By Cayden yes! Tis a fine fellowship we have begun here my friends! To future adventure, glory and riches to us all!" A warm glow fills the contented rogue, partly from the ale consumed and partly from the realization that he has never in his life thus far has he had friends like these. Friends that he knew he could trust with his life. 'Though by the Gods I hope I shant have too... he thinks briefly as he takes a big gulp of his drink
Alandra raises her mug for the toast.
"Ya know I'm thinking my plan might not work. Y'all might get caught in the spell too, I dunno, I never tried it. I wonder if the mist might be better?"
"Whore or not, she has done nothing bad to us yet," sounded Krek. "In my past, I've learned whores want money - she wouldn't tell him if there was something in it for her on our end - or in her on hers." The Half-Orc grinned. "Trust comes and goes, but if you make it worth her while for the being being, she's yours."
He summoned the inn maiden over for some warm bread, one of his favorite foods - and any small amounts of meat they might have to go with it.
He watches the group as they toast with their drinks - he'd not a mug in front of him. Then Krek turns to Alandra. "Mist? We can take many of them on with our own hands. If we have to worry about mist, there's a problem already."
The inn is only too happy to supply Krek's whims, with Ale flowing freely, and small roasted bits of chicken available for an affordable price. The pieces were probably destined for a stew or other use out of sight, but singed and with some of honey, they actually taste quite good.
The tavern staff knows well enough to leave groups of rowdy fellows alone, even if they discuss something stupid, illegal or potentially dangerous - or even all three combined at the same time. After all, getting your nose into these matters only encourages to be pulled into that trouble
Having made his toast, and with spirits a little higher than before, Gern returns to the planning. He continues ignoring the room around him, making an assumption that people are like Dwarves, and will respect the privacy of those around them.
"So, lemme try'n get this clear in me head afore we continue on." he mutters, clearing a small space on the wooden table and using bits of cutlery, mugs and coasters as set pieces as he plans the raid.
"Firstly we send some o' the children that Zalen has taken under 'is wing, in te see yer lady friend" he raises his eyebrow at Zalen and Ayedah as he asks this. "While that's occurin', we go an' let Kroft know what we is plannin' te do. Might be that Krek and I are best fer that since Alandra's gonna be off buyin' some gear for the job". Again the sentence is phrased as much as a question as it is a statement.
"Once all o' tha leg work is done, tis time fer the excitin' bit. Assumin' we're all good with the two women we're tellin' about it that is" he muutters again, a slight beligerence still in his tone.
"Anyhoo, I'll use me anonymity te get nice n' close to the main boat. When ye lot think it's time, ye drop whatever magical aid ye can to distract or take out any o' the guards. I'll try and get as many o' them interested in me as I can so's they bunch up fer yer. Ifn' we need te."
"Once the spells are goin' off, ye two" looking at Krek and Ayedah "come dashin' with yer great big lumps o' metal and help me tear a path to the main scunners cabin."
"With luck, the two o' ye" looking at Zalen and Alandrah "will 'ave thinned some o' them guards fer us so we'll get there a mite sooner and with less o' our own blood spiled." His hands had been moving the entire time, shifting pieces he'd been identifying along the way to show how the battle might pan out.
"Unless we get some more info from yer lady firend at the brothel, then once we reach the scunners den, we trust te our strength and skill te carry it through. Specially with some magical assistance we' should be ok. Zalen mentioned spiders and poisons, so I'm thinkin' some protection agin poisons will be good, as ye said Lad. Ye magic users can sort that fer us, 'cos I 'aint got nae idea how te go aboot that." he glances at all three of the group who have access to some form of magic now.
"Ifn' we need te chip in fer more than just the wand, let me know how much and I'll be moren' willin' te oblige to tha limit o' me cash reserves."
"Now, do I have about the right o' it?" the last question is posed to the group as a whole.
"Yes," said Krek after taking a moment to think. He would be asking Gorum for more healing potency that day than usual.
"Mist?" Ayedah asked in confusion after Alandra and Krek's exchange before realization hit. "Oh! It was you! I thought it was strange how it suddenly appeared when I was knocked out!" she exlaimed as she remembered the events of the previous night. She looked at the younger Shoanti with even more respect now. "That could be useful too. Your other magic would probably draw less attention though..." It was hard for her to think tactically with magic as a factor.
She nodded as Gern summarized the plan, though she gave Zalen a concerned look when the notion of sending one of the children as a messenger came up. "I can give some money for the wand as well."
She suddenly looked surprised, as if she had just remembered something important. "Oh!" She leaned in close to the others, "And there's a big trap door inside the cabin. We want to avoid that when we make it inside."
The return to the citadel was easy enough, with reconstruction propping up on all parts of the city. Bloodstains had been removed, the damage from the initial riot painted over and scabbing on all corners. Korvosa had turned from a churning pot of rebellion to a city licking its wounds, slowly returning to the kind of normalcy of the morning after a drunken rage. It had wounded itself, and slowly lurched back home to face the music.
Within the citadel, the group was treated to some degree of suspicion. Field Marshal Kroft had taken care not to make them too officially affiliated after all, but their letter of passage brought them towards her office's door after a few hours of wrangling officers, bureaucrats and red tape. However, for the first time, they were not asked in after one of the soldiers standing guard went inside to announce them. Instead, the soldier returned with a a grin on his face, and a hardly subdued chuckle in his voice. "I'm afraid the Field Marshal is indispose." The young man, hardly Zalen's senior, announced, and played with his blonde beard in order to not just burst out laughing
Zalen nodded as Gern outlined the plan, once again impressed with the Dwarfs sound tactical mind. As his friend finished, Zalen waited for the others to add their opinions then spoke up "A fine plan indeed Gern, a fine plan. There's only a few points I'd like to perhaps change a bit though." Having noticed Ayedah's concern at the mention of the children he first reassures her "Don't worry Ayedah, I'll only be sending the to older lads to go ask Halvara to meet us, they won't raise anything but a knowing smirk by any of Devargo's men who happen to see them." Turning back to Gern and the rest he continues "We should all be able to go see Kroft as Alandra needs this night to prepare some spells as I understand it. And who knows, I may dream some more tonight as well that may make some of my new...abilities more clear. That will leave this evening free to meet Halvara. As for the attack itself, late morning or early afternoon should be best I think as that'll likely be the time the night shift will be dead asleep. And, if possible, I'd like to try to get Into the ship with as little noise and chaos as possible. The last thing we want is to alert any of Devargo's allies in the area to bring them on our rear. That's where I'm most hoping Alanda's and my talents may best come into play. Once inside, we'll of course be relying on you heavy hitters to carry the battle to them" he completes looking to Gern, Ayedah and Krek.
"Until we get more intel from your scouting and whatever assistance Halvara may be able to provide I don't think we can plan much more. So, let's head by my...Zellara's place and I'll send the boys off and then we can go see Kroft."
Zalen makes sure their tab is paid with a healthy tip and leads the way to 'his' place. Once there he asks his friends to wait a moment and asking Ayen to offer them some refreshment Taking the two elder lads aside, he will explain to them what he wants. He asks them to pass a message onto Helvara, asking her to meet the group back at the Inn in the early evening. He'll hand a small bag containing 20gp to them telling them to give it to Halvara as a payment for her time and orders them to keep a tight lip about the 'mission' he's sending them on. He'll then, with a wink and a grin, give the boys 50sp suggesting that maybe they can find a cuddle from some of the girls at Halvara's or otherwise are free to spend the money however they like but to be sure to be back long before dark. As the boys go, to keep the peace Zalen will take Ayen aside and say "Nothing to worry about Ayen, I just need the boys to deliver a message for me. Nothing you couldn't handle yourself of course but I trust you more to keep an eye on the home and the little ones for me." he'll continue to keep the young lady busy with small talk until he's sure the boys are far enough away that none of the kids could follow them. Gathering his friends he'll walk with them to see Kroft.
Refusing to be baited by the yancy, Zalen turns to his comrades and says "No worries then friends, we'll just deliver our message to Kroft, or maybe the Queen, later on then." Turning back to the smart alec guard he adds casually "Oh, what did you say your name was? Well, no matter, please be a good sport and pass on our greetings to Illeosa and Sabina should you see them. It's been a little while since we've spoken now, I do hope they're doing well." and turning from the guard as if he'd already forgotten his existence, Zalen leads his friends away.
Once outside, Zalen says "Why don't we head to Alandra's temple with her to see how much more gold we might need to contribute to get all the rest of the supplies we need? Or if any of you have any other pressing matters I'll just go with her and we can meet back at the inn early even to talk with Halvara?"
"They were very nice people!" Ayedah innocently added to Zalen's taunt to the guard before following the others outside.
"I have nothing more important to do right now. Nothing I can do at least." She shook her head, trying to focus exclusively on what lay before them at the moment. "Should we rent a room for Halvarra to meet us in? She would not want to speak with all of us out in the open before what is coming."
Zalen smiles briefly at Ayedah's taunt, more to himself than anything else ' Seems the girl is fitting in to city life just fine' he muses.
Nodding he responds to ayedah's question with "Yes exactly Ayedah, I had been thinking the same myself. I thought we arrive early, rent a room and either give Halvara's description to the inn-keeper with a message for her to meet us in room we've rented. Or else one of us could stay in the main room to greet her." Adding a compliment he says "Seems your getting a head for the intricacies of city life my wild flower" followed by his smile and wink.
Gern sat quietly throughout the exchange with the guard. He wasn't sure whether to be exultant or disapointed that Kroft couldn't see them. The old addage "if you don't ask, you can't be told no" was certainly useful at times, but he was feeling a bit like the group were now hanging themselves out on a limb with this mission. If Kroft had given her blessing, it might've made things a little easier when the law showed up. Maybe she'd even had swung things to get local patrols away for the short time they were planning to raid.
"Bah, we'll be a'right withoot her support. Nae worries!" he thinks to himself, even as he plays with his Clan hold symbol in a nervous way.
Puzzled at the unavailability of Kroft, Krek turned away from the guard. He found it very odd she'd have them doing such under-the-table work and not be there to meet with them, see it through.
Mildly upset, he turned to Zalen after they were out of the guard's earshot. "Do you think she means us to abandon the plan?"
Alandra also found it worrisome that Kroft was "indisposed". As the guard spoke with the smug look Alandra looked at him insolently wishing Ayedah or someone would smack it off his face.
"I hope nothing bad has happened to her." she tells Ayedah outside the Citadel.
Later, when the group arrives at the Temple in Gray, Alandra takes them to the part where potions, wands and other magic items can be purchased.
As they walk, Zalen responds to Krek saying "Well, as she doesn't really know of our plans to take down Devargo I can't see as how she could really disapprove of them. What I'm most going by here is her earlier intimation that she "wouldn't mourn his passing". As well, since Kroft told us that Devargo never allows Guards into his compound I'm hoping we can take him down without worrying about any interaction from them, the Guards I mean. And, well, as my father used to say 'it's often easier to ask for forgiveness than permission' Trying to ease the minds of his comrades Zalen continues "The Field Marshall is a busy woman, likely she just had important matters to attend to which couldn't be interrupted" '..at least I Hope that's all it is...'
After a moment Zalen adds "You know, thinking about Korft I've just recalled a few others things she told us. She said that Devargo has five ships in his 'empire' which is definitely more than we want to deal with, even if we manage to get it down to four with Halvara on our side. She also expected the 'King of Spiders' to be awake in the early afternoon so maybe we should time our attack for mid morning the latest..."
Ayedah wasn't sure what exactly Zalen was complimenting her for, but she was grateful he thought she was catching on to the ways of the city. Being called "wild flower" left her smiling shyly at the ground as they walked along. She couldn't quite believe anyone would seriously compliment her like that. Looking at the women they passed on the street, not to mention Alandra, left her feeling self-concious about her appearance. She felt so big and awkward compared to them.
She patted Alandra's shoulder, trying to ease her and Krek's worries along with Zalen. "Yeah! She seemed very busy earlier. It must be a lot of work to lead the entire Guard."
Thinking of the troubles the guard had brought a new worry to her mind. "I just hope no Hellknights pass by when we do what we are planning." There was a bit of half-heartedness in that. In some ways, she was still aching for an excuse to fight them, as foolish a proposition that it was.
The group arrived at Grey's temple, through the main hall towards an aging man who never quite made it past the bottom rug of the clergy. He was called Brother Moth, though if he actually was of Varisian blood was no longer visible in any fashion - his hair had been bleached too far, his skin turned too thin to tell. He had been given the task to survey the magical storeroom of the temple, and given the right to sell surplus to friends of the faith. He was an old, fragile fellow, yet his eyes had remained remarkably sharp, and he greeted Alandra with a toothless smile.
"If that isn't our next high priestess. Alandra, girl... I'd say very nice to meet you if I wasn't so sure you came here for something other than my company." He greeted the group.
"If that isn't our next high priestess. Alandra, girl... I'd say very nice to meet you if I wasn't so sure you came here for something other than my company."
"You know I always like your company Brother Moth." Alandra says, "But we do need something. We want to buy one of those healing wands you make. How much do they cost?"
Trying to keep a respectful tone and waiting until Alandra's question was answered, Zalen adds in "Honoured sage, as well we seek your learned advice on how best to protect or cure ourselves from the poisons of spiders."
Ayedah whistled, impressed by the old priest's seeming prediction of Alandra's future rank. Amazing...she is greater among the city's holy people than I thought. She could have been a shaman back home...
She liked the old man's smile. Only the greatest elders back home lived long enough to lose so many teeth.
Gern looked at the old man behind the counter, and again marvelled at the short lives of humans. This man had probably lived about the same number of years as Gern, yet he had the look of a venerable ancient.
Another facet of human life he wouldn't understand was the lack of station that many of their elderly seemed to hold. In his clan, a man this old would be awarded a place of great honour, probably as advisor to the chieftan.
He bowed low, allowing his beard to touch the ground before speaking in a respetful tone "To be in the presence of such a venreable one as yerself is always an honour. Let not tha nature o' our visit detract from the fact I am awed te be meetin' ye, old one."
The words sounded rough in the common. In dwarven they would've given a far more weighty meaning to how much respect the dwarf held for one who had surived to old age within the limits of their race.
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The old man smiled at Gern's very humble demeanor, showing his gums for a moment. "Sir Dwarf, I'd wager you're my senior by decades, so I take your respect in the spirit it is offered, but offer you the same." Despite having some trouble forming the sounds, his hearing seemed to have suffered little if at all. He turned around slowly and carefully, though, and even the drawer was mere two paces away, he took his time carefully taking each step, opening the drawer, and pulling forth a thin wand cut from bone and engraved a small scene from Pharasma's holy texts. "I can't gift it to you, Alandra, but I think young Maple won't object too much if i take a little less money from you."
As Zalen asked him about Spiders, he paused for a moment. "Well, it much depends on the spider. Most from around here are not very potent. A good tonic will help strapping lads like yourselves over a dozen bites. The nastier ones, they might need a bit of her grace to cure."
Zalen will gratefully thank the elder for his advice and purchase them all.
"Or his grace," interjected Krek, giving one of his many iron symbols a pat, wanting to hear little more of the man's prattle. Indeed, he would be asking Gorum for the health magics needed to get them through the day alive.
Not rising to a place of stature in all the days he had meant Krek didn't feel much for his words. It was convenient he worked for the lady of graves - he would meet her soon.
Ayedah listened intently on the matter of the spiders. One couldn't take for granted that they were the same in the city as they were back home.
After Krek spoke she tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "Hm...it is good for us to have two gods to call on for help than just one, I suppose." She was still thinking of the lowlanders' gods like the spirits her people venerated, ignorant of much of the tension between the gods and their faithful.
The old man looked at Krek from the corner of his eyes, and he... smiled. He didn't even turn towards the priest of the Lord in Iron, just merely glanced on him. "We'll all meet her in due time. Just be sure to not be giving her my regards before me."
The old man offered several of his potions for the groups perusal. The mundane countervenom was plentiful, yet the magical potions were a harder hit on the parties purse.
As Zalen boldly states he'll buy all the potions, Gern winces. He only really had enough cash for a few moderate potions.
"Mayhap we should be gettin' some o' tha anti venom instead Zalen" he whispers, the sound easily carryning through the room. "I dinnae have much cash te me name, exceptin' that which is left after last night." The dwarf seems almost ashamed of the fact, but he certainly didn't want to be going into debt anytime soon.
Zalen coughs to hide his embarrassment when he learns the price of the magic potions "Oh, ah, 750gp. EACH, you say? Ah, ha ha, well the spiders I'm talking about Are rather, um, you know, Small...this, ah, this anti-venom here looks like it might do the trick. How exactly does it work?"
"Huh." Ayedah dug through her coin purse and said, "I can pay a third of that. Not much more though, and that is before the wand." She held the purse out to Zalen, hoping to alleviate some of his worries over the party's funds.
The old man looked at Krek from the corner of his eyes, and he... smiled. He didn't even turn towards the priest of the Lord in Iron, just merely glanced on him. "We'll all meet her in due time. Just be sure to not be giving her my regards before me."
The old man offered several of his potions for the groups perusal. The mundane countervenom was plentiful, yet the magical potions were a harder hit on the parties purse.
Bothered by the rebuttal but feeling no point in arguing with the relic,
Krek turned around, ignoring him. His eyes wandered the Alandra's place of worship, noting the care and respect people must have had for the goddess for a building such as this to be built. Krek and his sect, however, were treated more like a schism - forced to at for their lord beneath the streets, shunned even in the Pantheon. It upset him greatly there was such a disconnect between the different faiths ... he harbored no particular grudge towards Pharasma or the other gods(though the old man was beginning to get to him)."Let's get what we need and go. Time wastes."
When Alandra hears the price quoted for the potions, she whistles. "Dang, Moth we can't afford that."
The old man smiled ruefully. "I understand, Alandra. These things happen, but just between us, I think the simple alchemical antitoxin should be just fine for a strong girl like yourself, or your friend." He put away the more expensive concoctions, leaving the mundane antitoxin.
"This will infuse your fluids and heat them up, so toxins are burned before they can harm you. Unlike the magic, they are good for a whole while. After an hour or so, they fade, but any bites in that time should be much less to worry about"
Collecting 50gp each from Gern & Ayedah Zalern lays out the 250gp for five Anti-venoms paying for Alandra and Krek in case they don't have enough. He then hands out a dosage to everyone and, unless anyone needs anything else, he thanks Moth and leads the way out.
Once outside he says " I need to head home for a minute to see if the boys were able to deliver the message successfully to Halvara. Everyone is welcome to come, I'm sure the kids will be happy to see all of their rescuers again. Or, we can meet back up at the Inn" (at whatever time he'd arranged for Halvara to come, I think around sunset?)
That said, he starts making his way back home chatting amiably with whomever is coming with him.
Throwing a glowering look at the big half orc for the way he treated the old man, Gern nods his head in agreement with Zalen. "Aye, I 'll come with ye lad. I'd be keen te see what yer been doin' with tha lady's house since we found her 'ead in that box. And ye been takin' care o' them kids too!? Weel, ye are one full o' surprises Candorian, nae doubtin it".
He smiles and pats the rogue firmly on the back in a gesture of comradeship.
Turning back to the old man behind the counter, he again bows low, "Thank ye fer yer time Venerable one. May the gods shine brightly on yer days and warm yer blood fer many more seasons." With that, he turns to follow the group out.
Krek trailed behind Zalen, happy to be on the way to someplace else.
"Thank you, Elder." Ayedah respectfully bowed her head to the old priest before leaving with the others.
She followed Zalen and Gern to Zellara's as well. She wanted to be certain the child sent to Halvarra's came back safely. "Zalen, do the children have anyone to turn to if we do not come back?" she quietly asked, but not fearfully. Her kin who had children had to make their arrangements known before going out on a hunt. One could never be certain how things would go, but you had to make certain your children would be cared for.
In mid step and laughing comment Zalen's halts suddenly as if pole-axed at Ayedah's comment and Krek almost plows right into him, barely stopping in time. It seems the well meaning barbarian had caught the rogue completely off guard. He stammers something like "..I..I don't..I never thought...this is the first time I've ever..." Not bothering to finish his confused reply the now silent and brooding young man begins walking again. It is obvious that the idea of his never returning home and the children having to fend for themselves again had never occurred to him and that he is now greatly troubled by it.
Unless something urgent happens or someone makes a concerted effort to draw him out he will remain quiet and introspective for the remainder of the way home...
Ayedah stammered worriedly at Zalen's sudden shift in mood. "I...I did not mean to upset you." she whispered, placing an arm gently around his shoulders as they walked. "I just...thought you had a plan already..." She felt guilty for putting that extra weight on him. Zalen always seemed to have a plan. She had taken that for granted.
"Maybe Kroft would help with that. We have helped her a lot. Surely she would do something." The idea that someone of the Field Marshal's rank wouldn't have time for the matter of common orphans simply didn't occur to her.
"Besides," she smiled. "We will be coming back. I was just asking...in case... We have too much to do to die tomorrow."
Alandra bids her friends farewell for the night, arranging to meet them at Zellara's in the morning. "I have my duties to attend to here." she tells them.
After they leave she says to Moth. "Thank you so much. Some day maybe you can teach me how to make those potions."
Zalen acknowledges Ayedah's words and gesture of friendship with the barest hint of a smile and a slight nod of his head and says quietly, almost more to himself that anyone else "....it's just...the responsibility...I've never..." and he lapses back into his brooding, thinking and worry...
Halvarra had left a message to inform the group that they'd be welcome in the House of Clouds for a private consultation. The group made way across the city easily enough, despite travelling about the longest distance one could go in Korvosa without leaving the city limits.
Eel's end was just warming up when they arrived in the mid-afternoon. Some gamblers were already trying their luck, the house of clouds was open, though less visited otherwise. A glassy-eyed half elven girl waved tenatively from the Dragonsbreath Corridor, clearly drugged out of her mind.
The house's main bar was sparsely occupied. Many of the girls were either still sleeping from the last nights exertions, fixing their clothes or otherwise maintaining the barge. Halvarra oversaw this work from a chair, but rose as the group entered. "We should talk, in private."
Perception DC 17:
Perception:1d20+6=17
As Zalen enters the House of Clouds, his keen eyes do not miss a thing. His expression grim at what he sees he acknowledges Halvara's suggestion with a simple nod of his head, motioning for her to lead the way, his hand resting casually, seemingly by coincidence, near the hilt of his rapier...
Gern moves through the room, noting the appearence of many of the girls and the obviously drugged state of a number of them. He almost growls in disgust, drugs being something he can't stand. Why someone would want to muddle their headwith that stuff was beyond the dwarf.
"Let's get this thing done and then leave aye?. I cannae abide a place such as this fer too long." he whispers to Zalen. Almost to himself he adds "And ifn me Aunt finds I as 'ere, weel I'd be sayin goodby ter me beard I can tell ye"
Ayedah looked back at the half-elven girl by the Dragonsbreath Corridor with a mix of disgust, at what the drug den did to people, and sadness, for she couldn't help but see Danel's fate laying before the girl. Gods and spirits, I will tear that place down with my bare hands if I have to...
As they entered the House of Clouds she noticed the weapons the girls were keeping within reach. Do they know something is going to happen? Or do they already know about what happened to two of them last night? she wondered. She kept her hands away from the hammer on her back. No need in upsetting them.
But why was that door shut. She gave the others a questioning glance, but followed silently.
Totting into the room at Zalen's right, Krek felt at ease.
Krek notes Zalen's hand moving towards his rapier. Krek felt no need for such alarm - his hands didn't move towards his sword.