After pulling himself back up, Gash manages to find a clear path and joins the others, only a little worse for wear. With everyone free of the crowd, they are able to double back to the temple of Milil. Behind them the dazed and annoyed citizens try to figure out what happened and slowly begin to disperse, quicker even when the city watch whistles begin to blow.

Quote from rkmobius >>

Dog tries to pull any party members still left behind out of the darkness and behind the phalanx of Bulwark, Martin, horses, and the girls away from the chaos. Can we get out of there?

I opted against this, since it was at least 10 feet back through the crowd and then back out again, meaning two more checks for Dog. Gash only ended up with a little bump.

"yeesh, sorry. now that that's over with... we were having a bit of a family discussion. Nev, would you be more comfortable here, at the temple? or shall we get some rooms at a nice inn? My idea was renting a large-ish house for us all. The king is away, and we thought we could wait here. Seems nice enough."

Neventi is stroking her daughter's hair as the little girl buries her face into her mother's chest. It is hard to tell if she is crying or not. Neventi appears a bit dazed herself. "I'd prefer an inn, but shouldn't we find out where the king is or how long he will be gone first?"

"Nev, my apologies for that rough entrance to Alciondria. Are you okay? Do you need some time? This is the temple of Milil, and there's a few inns around here. And yes, we don't know where the king is. We made quite an impression here, and it might not bode well for us. We should have planned this better than we did. We could just go to the castle and ask, or Tock could just chase down some rumors like usual..."

“Two of us stay with Nev, two go to the castle to see what we can do to make contact, and two look for alternate lodging? Bulwark and I can stay. We’re... less apt with people.” Martin raps his knuckles on Bulwark’s metal body for a good clanging sound.

"I'm okay," Neventi says. "And so is Gentoa. We wasted enough time in Tinosa. Let's just find the king."

Dog volunteers to go to the castle. Along the way he will stop by a well-to-do-looking tavern and spend about 40 minutes listening to gossip and asking people about the king's whereabouts and letting people talk, perhaps with Tock, who knows about this stuff better. Before they go he'll ask Tock if they should disguise themselves before the tavern stop. Then, looking like himself, he'll go to the castle gate and ask for an appointment with the king, and if that's not possible, when he'll be back. Dog is smart but also a fool.

Tock says, "It seems like it'll be a difficult enough to make friends in the first place, so lets go as ourselves to only go through that once."

The Crown Jewels is a bawdier tavern than the location, in the Castle District, and the name imply. Scantily clad women are dancing on a stage while soldiers, city watchmen, and other working class people hoot and whistle. A pair of bards play their instruments as if they will up and die on the spot if they stop or even slow down for a moment. Tock and Dog sit and eavesdrop on conversations for a while but nobody is talking about the king being gone. It is either old news or so unimportant that it doesn't even warrant a mention.

DM shield:

 Dog sidles up to the bar and orders a drink. The barwoman nods and draws an ale from a tap. Thankfully, she starts the conversation. "Not many goliath come all the way to the capital. What brings you?"

"Business with the king," Dog says. "Except I'm told he isn't even in the city right now."

The barwoman laughs. "No, he hasn't been for almost three ten-day. You must have come in by ship or else you would have passed him in Pallaxus."

Tock is careful in joining the conversation, indicating the same as what Dog ordered. "Why did he go to Pallaxus for three ten-day?"

She shrugs. "I assume that's where they went. A lot of them royals and rich folks keep estates out there. That's mainly the point of that city, right?"

"Any idea when he plans to return?"

"Oh, sure. My best girl friend works in the castle. I'll just ask her."

"Really?" Dog says.

The barwoman laughs uproariously. "Not a chance, mate. No idea when they'd be back. Might as well get comfortable because it could be another three ten-day. Could be tomorrow. You'd have better luck predictin' the weather."

She leaves when another patron calls for a drink, taking Tock and Dog's silver piece as she goes with a "Cheers" and a wink.

“We should head back to the temple and tell the others. Maybe we can get to Pallaxus and avoid the wait.”

"We should have planned this out better... instead of jumping all over the place with the helm... I'll cast sending to him and give him a message to let him know that we're here. Tonight we can plan out the right 25 words to say. We rest, and first thing in the morning I will prepare the spell and send it along."

Tock says, "Lets think about this a bit first. Do we know what the accords say exactly about the process of choosing / confirming the decision, who to contact, etc. What's the process like?"

(I'm assuming we're safe somewhere at an inn or something, right?)

"You can message the king himself? I... didn't know that was possible. Gregory, you really are amazing."

(Yes, I think returning back to a more private space would be smart, since we've been so scattershot to this point.)

"I think I can...I just need a familiarity with the subject -- kind of like how we teleport... So, I think if Ijust know what he looks like, I know his name. I know he exists...shouldn't be too hard to find a painting of a king. Let's secure a room for the night. Somewhere nice." Gash starts to look for an upscale in, somewhere that could take good care of Nev and Genny.

(Hey sorry, but due to some rl stuff, I’m not gonna be able to post for a couple of days. Escaped the crowd though, yay!)

Since Gash does not have Sending prepared, the party finds a hotel with stables. They end up at the Silver Scepter in the Castle district, which seems geared towards diplomats and business people traveling to the capital to engage with the royal family. It is comfortable but not lavish. Four rooms costs the party 12 gold, which include 2 meals each and stables and feed for the mounts.

The next day, Neventi, Gentoa, Bulwark, and Althus travel to the palace to see the home of King Haddian, at Neventi's insistence, while Gash and the rest work out how they will send a message to King Haddian...

(Dog would probably assume Gash can handle the message-ing, and would offer to go to the palace, if that's alright?)

Gash will secure the rooms for everyone. He will go up to his and walk in, close the door, and casts disguise self and come out as a  gnome. He'd keep essentially all the same features, just now a gnome. Just in case anyone is still looking for the grand powerful goblin wizard. and he will hang out in the tavern and drink and eat and people watch while the others do whatever it is they do.

Dog, Bulwark, Althus, and the girls spend a pleasant day sight-seeing in the capital while Gash drinks alone in a tavern. Martin and Tock end up playing a couple games of dragon chess before everyone ends up back at the inn, the day wasted.

DM shield:

Dog will ask if the palace is on the itinerary?