Varielky will at this point return to the table, perhaps to hear the end of Snow's words. "Escort? Why would she need an escort to go anywhere? She can go during the day, right?" Although she missed the part where they mentioned the exact place under question, she was quite certain it wasn't the poppy citadel. She hoped so, at least. "Don't get me wrong, I don't mind it if that's necessary, but if anything goes wrong and you're seen with us, you might find your name next to ours over there on the wall." Varielky gestures towards the 'wanted' poster she read before.

"Safiyah mentioned that she was unable to go because of a revolt happening in the city. It would also be useful for us to go as well, because we are more likely to know what we are looking for and to be able to bring it back here safely", Snow says by way of explanation.

Auger notes Safiyah's brief pointed response and sighs, letting sadness and some contrition show on his face, finally speaking after Snow and Varielky have had their say.

"Thank you," Auger says to Safiyah, "but the axe in question left your grandmother's possession long ago, you need not look for it. We are trying to improve our understanding of how it came into her possession to begin with. And. You are correct. It is rude to ask anything of you so soon after her passing. We are time-pressed for our own reasons. And we are hunted. And are only learning about this revolt as you speak of it. It makes me hasty and thoughtless. I apologize."

The matter of escorting Safiyah versus going on their own leaves Auger feeling unsure of the right step. He sips at his ale while the other speak on it.

When Snow’s hand gently takes Safiyah’s, the woman seems at first to pull away, and her eyes snap to the bard’s in a flash of anger. But she seems to find something in his expression or tone which calms her just as quickly, and, thrusting out her chin, as if to indicate that Snow’s hand remains where it is — indeed, that his attempt at consolation is taking place at all—in answer to her will and not the other way around, her eyes fall again, and her shoulders relax, as she sits there at the common table among strangers. Auger notes that Illi’s glance lingers flatly upon Snow and Safiyah for a long moment, but presently she continues her task. 

Following the exchange between Snow, Varielky and Auger, Safiyah nods solemnly. “Things here have been changing fast. If you’ve been away no one could blame you for not knowing. 

“The Temple of Idiwala -- her temple -- is now at the center of the revolt. One day, held by garrison, the next by townsfolk led by druids from the vale. You can hear the battle continuing in the streets even tonight. Or you will, once the rain stops.

“If you are looking for her diaries... there are many. A priest of Idiwala is required to write. You know that I assume,” to Snow. “Although for my grams it was like she was just copying down something already written, words were that easy for her. You’ll have to go downstairs to her quarters. If they haven’t been damaged in the fighting.” Turning to Varielky, she answers, "I’m not stupid enough to get involved in the fighting. No offense. But no one is escorting me anywhere."

At the mention of druids involved in the fighting Auger pictures a number of them a short while ago, swinging through the trees, and cannot help but smile as he looks at Snow and Varielky in turn. Well at least they could join a faction and gain some support on their mission. "Who knew they would move so quickly? Perhaps we should have guessed," he says.

Auger stands and looks towards his companions, motioning as if to head out.

"We may know some people leading this revolt," he says in explanation to Safiyah. "We thank you for sharing this information. It will definitely aid us. Given we are wanted it would probably be good if we left in some less obvious fashion, perhaps there is a back door we could make use of? If we all are in agreement that we should go now, of course."

Auger looks to the others again, hoping to move quickly and not be caught in the city after his Roc leaves.

That's good enough for Varielky; quite frankly, she liked the woman's straightforwardness. "It seems the Red Cypress waits for none. We should definitely go help them." Although, going out in the rain just after changing clothes didn't sound very appealing. Perhaps she should have expected this, but she thought the conversation would be longer for some reason. Not that this will stop her, just an inconvenience. 

Snow nods along with Safiyah as she speaks, attentive to her every word.

"It is true, we are aware of the group of druids. We were not aware that the fighting was concentrated around the temple though, you are wise to decline our offer", he says to Safiyah, his hand remaining in place.

"Thank you for your direction in locating the diaries. You know our circumstance, and although I would dearly like to ask if there is anything you want us to retrieve for you, I cannot in good faith promise that we can make it back here. And as my friends have suggested, it is likely in your interest that we do not".

He turns to Auger and Varielky. "You are of course both right, we need to make sure we are not seen leaving here, and move swiftly to help our allies", he says, before turning back to Safiyah.

"I do wish to be honest with you. It is possible that given your grandmother's proclivity to diarise, we will not be able to find the information we seek whilst at the temple. If you agree to our borrowing some of the diaries, I promise to do everything in my power to return them to you as soon as it is safe to do so", he says giving her hand a squeeze before releasing it and starting to get up.

"If not, we will do what we can without removing them from your grandmother's quarters".

The woman glances sharply at Auger and Varielky at their mention of the Red Cypress, lips forming a question which, it seems, Snow then answers.

To his statements, she replies, “If you find what you seek, Idiwala leads you to it. If you take something, I want it back. It may be the only thing of hers that survives.”

Perhaps you all stand as the conversation ends, and Illi agrees to lead you to a back door, with egress from the tavern kitchen and pantry to a loading area. But before she does, Safiyah, who, it seems, is not merely a barkeep, but the tavern’s owner, turns back to you and asks, flatly, “Did you? Try to kill the emperor?”

Here is a map of Kalahata, updated with various sites you have visited, in case you wish to plan your next move. (Only Auger & Varielky stayed at the Riedh Irhalne hotel.)

Varielky shakes her head. "We did infiltrate the castle where he was staying, but his presence there was mere coincidence. We were saving the baby of a friend, who was taken away from her because he's Jenghen. We did end up causing all sorts of problems there, though." Well, Varielky did, at least.

When outside, Varielky consults the others. "The temple of Idiwala is quite far from here. Nearly across the entire city. Do we go now while the curfew is still in order, or do we wait for the day? They ought to let the citizens out for at least a few hours a day."

When Safiyah requests the items they take back, Snow gives her a salute.

"We will meet again, keep safe", he whispers to Safiyah as Illi leads them through the tavern kitchen and pantry to the loading area.

Once outside the tavern, he thinks about Varielky's question as to when they travel.

"We will have to pass at least one inner gate, which will likely be closed. On the other hand we don't really have anywhere to wait until there is more traffic on the streets".

"I can conceal us once more if we choose to go now. That will be more difficult in the light of day, and we don't exactly blend in with a crowd".

He looks to Auger to see if he has a strong opinion on the matter, knowing that there are benefits and drawbacks of either approach.

"I think it is going to be hard to predict exactly what tonight or tomorrow holds. If we can get to the Temple without drawing attention then I think it would be best to head there now. Py can watch ahead from above as we go and Snow, if your magic can conceal us that would be best. If needed I can make two of us disappear from sight, I think."

Py, we are to the back of the building now. Keep an eye on things from above as best as you can.

The rain has stopped, and above you the clouds ripple away into a filmy darkness which encompasses the city in a quiet, choking hold. A lone candle burns in an upper story window here and there, but the street lamps remain coldly unlit. 

‘I am here, master,’ sends Py in response to Auger, and you all hear an intermittent buzzing as it tightly circles the group once before ascending again. ‘The street is clear, except for two Kalahati-ur.’

As you move to the end of the alley connecting the loading area to the street, you see a pair of townsfolk carrying a parcel, perhaps 50’ away, briskly creeping along the canal in your direction, casting glances over their shoulders and keeping to the shadows.

In the distance, the Poppy Citadel, its many towering windows warmly lit from within, seems to beam a spotlight through the moist air downward and to the west, in the direction, you surmise, of the city wall opposite the Temple of Idiwala. You hear vague sounds — hooves clopping on cobblestones, shouting, and clanking armor, Varielky might guess, coming from the same direction.

"It sounds like there's fighting, or there will be soon." Varielky sounds excited. Of course, Safiyah just told them about it, but knowing - assuming - it is happening or will happen very shortly means it can be taken into account while weighing options. "I think it's a good time to go. We can start helping our ally, and just as importantly, use this chance to get there without needing to sneak. Besides, the faster we get there, the more of our allies should still be alive." And the more of their enemies, too, but that didn't really seem like a downside.

"The inner gates might be a problem, but I'm sure you can take care of that?" Fighting through was possible, but if a battle isn't truly ragimg while they do it, they might find all of Kalahata's guards swarming to stop them.

"Moving quickly seems like the right idea, though we should avoid any of the fighting if at all possible. The Red Cypress forces may mistake us for an enemy. Let's advance as much as we can and take side streets to avoid fighting where we can."

Auger thinks about the task before them and wonders how much time has passed. Baylen and Driss will be gone at midnight, or shortly thereafter. Perhaps that would be for the best with everything going on. Still Auger finds himself fingering his whistle from time to time as they move.

"Very well", Snow says and draws the bow across his violin. As has happened before, sounds and shadows seem to be absorbed by the instrument.

"We should at least have a chance of getting by undetected, even if we are rushing now. Stay close though", he says and starts moving towards the temple of Idiwala.

He will move as quickly as he can, whilst sticking to natural areas of shadow and keeping away from any noises.

The two townsfolk pass you, carrying, you now see, a bundle of hot pies or bread, in the direction of the public fountain facing the arena. Though they cast their eyes in your direction, their gaze drifts past Snow’s magical concealment. But too, the gang of street urchins down the avenue toward the arena also evade their wary eyes.

As you turn to follow the couple at a distance — for there is no crossing of the canal except at the fountain or, by taking a detour, at the public square at Kalahata’s southern gate — you silently watch as, 20 yards ahead of you, the homeless youths you noticed before, who seem to slide from the shadows like shifting desert sands, surround the hapless Kalahati-ur, who back away but are penned in between the urchins in front and the canal wall behind them. 

Auger lets his disgust show on his face as he watches the confrontation begin to unfold. Kalahata. Desert city. A city in revolt. But still the city of thieves. We will lose the night if we stop for every... Auger begins to think about himself in a similar situation as the Kalahati-ur, before he found his powers and connection to the Dowager. He sighs and looks to the others before moving towards the group, thinking to break things up in some fashion.

Auger steps out from the shadow of Snow's spell and calls out.

"You there! Leave that pair alone!"

Snow watches the scene with the homeless youths and the Kalahati-ur unfold for a moment, remembering his first visit to Kalahata, when he was set upon by urchins. He had taken pity on them and given them some coin in exchange for some information. They had looked so scrawny, hungry and young!

By the time he realises Auger is stepping out of the shadows it is too late to stop him. Maybe that was for the best, depending on what happens next.

For now, he stays hidden and waits, his concentration still on the [spell]Pass Without Trace;concealment magic[spell].

He looks to Varielky, unsure what she will do in this circumstance.

(OOC: I rolled Intimidation for Auger on his character sheet. DC15 to frighten the youths away. Roll = 21)

Auger steps out of the shadows and, his eyes shining like points of Fey twilight, seems to tower over the urchins, who, wrestling with the townsfolk for their parcel, peel away before the warlock gets too close to them, but not before one of them is whacked on the ear by one of the Kalahati-ur, while another has managed to filch a steaming bun from the parcel, and holding it in her little fist, she scurries into a crack between two houses following the rest.

The townsfolk, a middle-aged man and woman, bow to Auger in thanks, then continue grimly on their way. 

You continue onward around the public fountain, back west into Benepota district, and pass the Riedh Irhalne hotel, where thick ivy still covers a wall facing the street, where weeks ago four Red Cypress druids grew the vines in an instant to scale the hotel's facade seeking Granophyre Strewn. From this vantage point, the city's inner walls loom high above, and you see that the huge gate to Salakta district is open, though a dozen imperial garrison fighters stand barring the way. The sounds of combat are ring closer through the night, and through the very tall arched gate, you can see a beam of light from the Poppy Citadel slowly panning around the area of the Temple of Idiwala, seeming weirdly to bend down over the edge of the inner city wall like a gargantuan fingertip searching, searching by feel alone. 

Thanks to Snow’s concealment magic, the few other Kalahati-ur you pass observe not a trace of your presence.

Snow sees Varielky ready to intervene, something she would have done immediately had Auger not stepped out before her. Her hand rests on the hilt of her sword, ready to draw. She doesn't expect to actually fight these urchins, but had Auger not been intimidating enough, she figured an armoured woman with a drawn sword would be. Eventually, such intervention isn't necessary, and Varielky eases as the urchins scurry away. And, although she has her doubts regarding the behaviour of the Kalahati-ur, walking like that at this time, she keeps to herself.

--

"Time to decide," Varielky whispers. "Either we turn back or we find a way through. My best idea is to fight through unless you think we can pass right between them unnoticed." She trusted Snow's magic, but surely it had its limitations, too. "Or maybe you have a better idea?"