"The drow know that T'bitha is here. We were not exactly secretive with our comings and goings recently, and they could have asked anyone on the estate to corroborate the story. If they revealed their hand so early, they must have been 100% sure that she was here, or would return here. What reason do they have to leave your place of residence empty handed, T'bitha?" He speaks slowly, but there is urgency behind his words "If I were them I would have left someone, or someones, in hiding. Then, once their guard was down, they could either call in backup, or deal with T'bitha themselves. Is there somewhere else safe that we can go? Somewhere fortified? I wouldn't doubt that we would be followed, but we will have better chances there."
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“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
”Empty handed? I do not know why. I guarantee that they are interested in one thing and that is finding me. I thought that after three months they’d forget. So naive I am. I know that the longer I stay in this city, the shorter my time becomes where I am no longer safe… nor any of you all.”
T’bitha turns to Ozemon, “I am terribly sorry, Ozemon. You allowed me to take refuge and I brought you…this…danger.”
"T'bitha," the tall warrior mage gently puts her hand on the priestess' shoulder to comfort her "you have nothing to be sorry about. You didn't choose to be chased. For the evil deeds, their perpetrators are to blame, NOT their supposed targets".
"Tristan, Ozemon himself said the reason why the drow left 'empty handed': after a while of he telling them he didn't know where T'bitha were, they finally believed him and left" Khessa recalls. "They are far from their home, here; the information they have got might be not perfectly accurate (else, Ozemon would have not convinced them). Leave some of them here? Maybe. Or maybe not. It would have been a great risk, should they have been discovered here, alone, after all they had done. I think it is more likely that they really went away, waiting for a better chance. Maybe they will be trying to spy the house now. Or maybe they are searching the city. Anyway," she dismisses the problem with a wave of the hand "this should not matter too much, because yes, I'd also advise to leave the house, for now. But a fortified place I don't know how easy it would be to find, in the city. And I wouldn't want it to discourage them... It could just lead them to wait for us to leave the safety of the fortification, right? Instead of pushing them to attack it? I think a den in the suburbs might be more useful, as I proposed earlier. They have no reason to suspect: it's a logical move for T'bitha to try to disappear there, in a completely different place from where she was last detected. And, after finding out (with Dimitri's help or not) where we holed up, they'll think it's an advantage to be able to attack us in the slums, rather than in better-frequented neighborhoods. If Ozemon manages to get the cooperation of the authorities in the meantime, so that they keep a patrol of guards lurking nearby for a few days, we can induce the drow to attack us there, then have them encircled and eliminated. Or I'm wrong? What do you think, people? Do you have improvements to propose? Or maybe even better ideas?"
Tristan shakes his head, breathing out angrily. "It makes no sense Khessa. Why would they announce their presence without being sure they would succeed. Unless they are completely incompetent, they would have had someone monitoring the estate. They would have seen us leave. T'bitha is it possible that they may have discovered that your informant gave them away and acted rashly? Either way we should leave as soon as we are able. Ozemon and Cedric will be safe so long as T'bitha is not here. I don't like the odds of us fighting, Khessa, as we don't know how badly we will be outnumbered. Even so, if it comes down to a fight it would be beneficial to choose the battlefield before they can. I would advise that we get out of the city, for the resident's sake. This might get messy and they don't have to worry about collateral damage."
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“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"I agree that it would be beneficial to choose the battlefield before they can," looks puzzled Khessa "but how leaving the town would allow us to do so better than choosing a den in town? And if you fear us to be outnumbered, why leave the town and discard the possible help of the guards? Would not be better to have their support? Anyway, I'm glad that we have two different point of views; with more options to choose, it is more likely that our final choice will be the best one. Dimitri? T'bitha? What course of action would you prefer?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As the others talk, Hadi focuses on the metal and wood contraption on the floor, looking to figure out what it is or does ((investigation 26)), and if there is enough time while the others are healing and talking, to ritually cast detect magic to see if that gives any additional hints.
”If that did occur, Tristan, then I fear my friend is also in grave danger… and her children. I hope not, but that is a logical possibility.”
T’bitha turns to Khessa, “Your heart is in the right place, Khessa; however, now is not the right time to fight. There are too many in the city for us to take, let alone guards to assist. Shadowhunters are highly skilled and wouldn’t stand a chance. I know you all want to help; however, I am a danger to you all. I think the best option is to get away from this city and seek refuge away from here.”
T’bitha turns to Dimitri, ”I wonder if you know of any discreet exits from this city, other than the main avenues.”
After the noble elf has finished his investigations, Khessa asks him: "And you Hadi? What would you prefer? Face the drow in the city or outside? Or do you have other ideas? Come on people, T'bitha's life is at stake... and not only hers, probably. Tell what you think, or Tristan and I, here, might well end up tossing a coin..."
"T'bitha is much more than an employee of mine. She's a wonderful person, and one of the few wonderful elves I know." As you talk about the drow Khessa, and the potential threat they provide, Ozemon speaks up again "I can say, I don't know much about what the drow are capable of. That was something Malekith knew, but I do know, their presence was enough for him to move his family out of the city immediately without a second thought. That tells me they are extremely powerful, and very dangerous." He continues to listen to you speak, Khessa"If you're not choosing to flee, and instead hoping to potentially capture these drow, we will most definitely need the assistance of the guard. I doubt I'll get lucky shooting another."
Hadi you study the object on the ground. It has a strange, acrid smell. Getting a better look at it, you notice it has a small barrel. It resembles a ship's cannon, only much, much smaller. Casting detect magic it gives off no magical aura, but the rest of the room does. There are many magical auras around the room. (OOC: I can't recall if you had cast detect magic and gotten an aura directly from the stake that everyone has been referring to as the Spear of Ambriel, or if you had gotten an aura wrapping around T'bitha because it was in her backpack at the time.) So, just in case, you get a magical aura from the stake. A few of the books on the bookshelves give off faint magical auras, and awkwardly enough, after Tristan finishes saying if he were them, he would have left someone to watch, you notice a faint divination aura in the corner of the room, near the ceiling, though there is nothing there.
As you apologize to Ozemon, T'bitha, he speaks up after Khessa "I have to agree with Khessa. You have nothing to apologize for. I knew what I was getting into, bringing in a scared drow to live with me. What I didn't know, was how wonderful of a companion you would one day become." He contemplates speaking after you continue to speak a bit more, Khessa"Perhaps I didn't convince them. Perhaps they finally hit my breaking point and they knocked me unconscious. I don't actually recall them leaving, now that I think about it. One moment they were beating me, the next I was waking up to all of you."
"I really don't have a fortified place, or anything resembling what you're speaking of Khessa. The best, safest place I could think of is within the guards' barracks. Though I do think there's at least one person here who wouldn't be up for that" He thinks to himself a moment "I do own a small structure in the middle of the city though. It was once a tavern, I purchased the land when the owner died. I've not done anything with it and haven't visited it in almost a year now."
Cedric leaves the study and a few moments go by as you're all talking before Cedric returns to the study with five city guard. "The guard is here, sir." As the guards step into the room, they begin sheathing their swords and looking around. They seem to take no interest in you at this time, Dimitri. One of the guard, a dwarven man, step closer to Ozemon and begins speaking with him. Ozemon describes to the best of his ability, two of the drow he remembers to the guard. "Well, we'll get this back to the barracks, and do what we can to find these suspects. I'll speak to the skywarden about having a few guard sent your way, for you." The dwarf and Ozemon shake hands, and the guards make their way out of the house, led by Cedric.
"I have friends out of town, who I'm sure would be more than happy to house all of you temporarily, if you did choose to leave the city behind."
(OOC: Dimitri, you most definitely do know several secret exits from the city. They're just that though, exits. They're nearly impossible to re-enter from, as they include steep drops. Khessa, you added a lot of information in this round, and it's amazing. I tried to respond to the parts I felt were pointed towards me/Ozemon and leave the parts targeting other player, but because of that, I might have missed something meant for me (If I did please let me know, and I'll respond to it!) For everyone -> If I ever don't respond to something you type in your post, please let me know. I very well may have just missed it when going over everything. (I'm very prone to doing this) I don't ignore anyone on purpose I promise!)
"Tristan makes a good point."Hadi says, "If they are organized enough to know where we all are staying, it's likely that they knew we were out for the morning. They didn't attack Ozemon to get information, but maybe as a warning. Is there a way we can leave the house to get somewhere else to stake this place out and see who comes back? Laza didn't see anything, but that doesn't mean they aren't watching us right now."
... (OOC: ... Khessa, you added a lot of information in this round, and it's amazing. I tried to respond to the parts I felt were pointed towards me/Ozemon and leave the parts targeting other player, but because of that, I might have missed something meant for me (If I did please let me know, and I'll respond to it!) ...)
(OOC: Yes, I know I sometimes get carried away a little and get prone to a bit of wall-of-texting; plus you have to pay attention to we all five players - don't worry, you are doing quite well. Only thing Khessa asked from Ozemon but he, apparently, did not, was to point out to the authorities how big a threat the drow have become. In Khessa's opinion, what they did it is as serious as an act of war. A troop of a foreign nation that comes to the city and pretends to attack, kidnap or kill citizens with impunity, according to Khessa is to be considered as serious as a squad of an invading army making a raid on another sovereign state. It is, matter of fact, an act of WAR. Something that must not by no means be neglected.
Of course, maybe Ozemon does not think the same - he might well see things otherwise, or he may be planning to speak about that later with someone else even if he did not say anything about this to the guards)
Khessa tries to summarize: "So: Tristan and I would like to get rid of the shadowhunter problem now. I'd rather do this in town, maybe in the ex-tavern, setting a trap with the help of the guards that Ozemon can have help us. Tristan would prefer to do this out of town; and even in this case Ozemon could provide us with a location - albeit, sadly, unfortified. T'bitha thinks it's better to flee, because shadowhunters are 'highly skilled' and 'too many in the city for us to take' "
"About that, T'bitha..." the blonde arcane warrior seems a bit unconvinced "... you are the one who should best know what shadowhunters can do, so I try to believe you, but I can't help but note that when they gang attacked, by surprise, Ozemon (who is a historian, not a warrior or a wizard) alone in his studio, he still managed to shot down one of them! Ozemon may have been lucky, but... are they really so fearsome, these shadowhuners? Isn't it that fear is making you overestimate them? You have seen us fight, against the construct in the forest, against Mr Death Wish in the crypt, against the carrion crawlers on our way back... How would compare shadowhunters to us? Can one of them stand up to all of us? Can one of them stand up to one of us? Or does it take several of them to stand up to one of us? Just for me to better understand... "
"Anyway, up until now, we three people that talked made three different proposals. Hadi? Dimitri?" she turns to the other two "You still did not vote for anything... Which one looks better to you? (Or do you have further ideas?)"
"How are you sure the guards will help T'bitha?" Dimitri says absent-mindedly, tugging at the wrist of his glove. He opens and closes his palm, making sure a good fit. He looks up and fixes Khessa a look, his cynicism showing through. "As far as I can see, the drow are only here for her. They don't have the manpower to raid or attack a city. For the guards, it would be easy to hand over a drow in exchange for unbothered peace, and let it be over with. Do you know how many times I've seen guards look the other way, just because it's some worthless scum and it's easier to let the rich, the powerful have it? Just because it's less work for them?" There's some real pain behind his words, but then he presses his lips together, not letting himself get worked up.
"There are some exits out of town." He picks up again after a second, "but it's easier to get out than get in. I agree that we have to get out of here. It's no safer here than anywhere. At least if we get out, we can get ahead of them."
"If not to help T'bitha, the guards would do their best to help Ozemon, he would see to that" Khessa replies to Dimitri. "But ok, another vote for the flee option, it seems. So, Hadi?" she waits for the nobile elf's volte also "Unless you volte for one of the fight options, flee we shall. I keep thinking it is the wrong move; but I don't presume to understand things better than you all. On the contrary, in fact;" she sighs "I am still hardly more than a cabbage farmer's daughter to happened to escape a grim fate. I found myself forced to start this 'career', but I'm most likely the less fit for this life among all of us. If the majority deems better to flee, I'll listen to your wisdom".
”Thank you, Ozemon. That is sweet of you to say. Again, I appreciate what you have done for me.”
T’bitha jerks her head alarmingly at Dimitri’s comment about the guard turning her in for some coin and to keep the peace. She listens as he continues though and thinks to herself
Is Dimitri projecting a personal experience onto my situation? How horrible if he was betrayed like that. I wonder if that is why he is so guarded all the time? Poor Dimitri. I must try to be more understanding and simply listen if he wishes to talk.
”I appreciate your knowledge of this city, Dimitri. And Khessa…you are very brave to want to stand and fight and I admire that. I also very much appreciate your concern for me.” T’bitha looks at Ozemon and the rest of the group. ”I wonder if that tavern in the middle of town you speak of, Ozemon, has just remained abandoned this entire time? Does anyone else know that you own it? Could that make for a good safe house?”
"It most definitely has not remained abandoned. I visit it once a year, per city requirements, and every year I have to evict some stray tenants who chose to turn it into a living quarter. Like I said, it's been about a year since my last visit, you'll most definitely run into someone if you visit. Only a few select city officials know I purchased it, but I couldn't tell you who knows I own it. Most certainly people have seen me enter the unoccupied building over the years."
"If you changed your mind and feel like set up a trap for those worms, T'bitha" comments Khessa "this place Ozemon is speaking of seems perfect, to me. We can go at once, evict the stray tenants of this year, and get some rest. Tomorrow, in full shape, we will have the guards hide and we will set up our trap! Those drow will not be able to suspect anything and we will have them exactly where we want!"
"Plus, while the guards are hidden and we wait for our enemies to come into the trap, we could even fortify the inside a little, like this, look you all... You too, Ozemon, please. You are the owner of the building, so I wish your approval of what I have in mind..." with that, the blonde arcane warrior borrows a blank sheet of paper, ink and quill and, bent over the sheet to the point that the others will have to bend over as well to see what she is drawing, she starts to do ssome quill-working.
Those who bend over to look at the sheet (and she insist that ALL do that) will see that she is in fact writing something. And 'something' is:
Accept what I just said and try to look convinced. I think the shadowhunters might be spying on us even now, in person or by magic, like Tristan supposed. It would make perfect sense. If they are, after what they have heard, they will most likely attack our choosen base tonight, believing us to be alone and unprepared. But you, Ozemon, will have set up the guards instead; today, unlike I said for the drow to hear, without waiting tomorrow. And we will be ready, taking watch turns instead of sleeping (Hadi also know the Alarm spell, if I well remember, this will also help us not getting surprised). The drow should take the bait. And it will be the end of them.
If I'm too paranoid and they are NOT spying us now... well, we'll simply have an uneventful night and we'd have to give away our presence in the next day and set up the trap all the same.
OK? Anyway, even should you disagree with the plan and prefer to flee, to fight outside or whatever, don't say this now. Point this out later, at the base. At least, we will be more sure that nobody else can hear what we say... so, whatever the final plan will be, it will be more likely to succeed.
"You see?!" asks the tall warrior-mage "I think it could be arranged... And it could bring us some advantage. Ozemon? Guys? Do you agree?" after everyone has seen, she, still bent over the sheet to keep it hidden, folds it up and puts it in her pocket.
"A trap seems the best option to me. Though we need to be careful of course. Also.. must we be the ones to evict some poor squatters?"Hadi says looking to the note. "It is still likely though that they know more than we assume. I do not think their attack here this morning was a mistake, even with us being gone. Unless these shadow hunters are much less competent than we are led to believe."
"Whatever they may or may not know, Hadi," laughs Khessa, patting the noble elf on the shoulder "they can not know of the plan we conceived just now! Just let's go and free our den, guys. They will not find us until we want them to! All will go well".
'I'm pretty sure everyone understands what I'm saying for the eventual drow spies... and what I really mean' thinks the blonde arcane warrior, guessing by the faces of her companions. The tall warrior-mage is eager to free the den both to start the plan and because in there they all should be more free to speak clearly anyway.
Ozemon gets up and looks over the note you're writing on, Khessa "I will do my best to speak with the skywarden about getting guard to help you, but the guard don't always react quickly, especially to a situation like this. It may take a while for them to get things in order." Ozemon returns to the chair he was just previously strapped to and sits back down. "The guard aren't exactly organized. It takes time for them to do anything. I may be influential in the city, but not enough to expedite their processes." As you finish speaking, Hadi, Ozemon speaks up in response "It most definitely was not a mistake they attacked while you were gone. They broke in not but an hour after you all had left earlier this morning, and I may not be an expert in torture, but their question to torture ratio was severely lacking."
(OOC: Hadi, you didn't respond to my post on your investigation and your detect magic spell in post #639. I'm not sure if that was by design or on accident, so I figured I'd bring it up just in case)
You're all lead to the foyer by Cedric, where he hands T'bitha a key. "This will get you in any locked doors in the tavern" he over each of you "please, be safe. Master Ozemon and I will do what we can to help you." He finishes up with "I'll begin with the guard at once." As each of you step out into the open courtyard of the estate. The surrounding area appears quieter than normal, the only movement is from an older couple walking down the street with their dog. They continue walking, but watch you as you leave Ozemon's estate and head the opposite direction of them. It takes about 20 minutes or so, but you come to a small building on the corner of the street near the slums. Seeing the boarded up windows, and the barely remaining word 'tavern' painted on the wall, you're positive you've found the correct building. The door appears to be closed, and with the assistance of the noise and people around you, on this rather busy road, you don't hear anything from within. The majority of the noise seems to be coming from a tavern just down the street.
(OOC: It's starting to get late into the evening, as it is, so you will have a lot to do in a very short amount of time, if you plan on setting this up in preparation for the night)
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"The drow know that T'bitha is here. We were not exactly secretive with our comings and goings recently, and they could have asked anyone on the estate to corroborate the story. If they revealed their hand so early, they must have been 100% sure that she was here, or would return here. What reason do they have to leave your place of residence empty handed, T'bitha?" He speaks slowly, but there is urgency behind his words "If I were them I would have left someone, or someones, in hiding. Then, once their guard was down, they could either call in backup, or deal with T'bitha themselves. Is there somewhere else safe that we can go? Somewhere fortified? I wouldn't doubt that we would be followed, but we will have better chances there."
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
”Empty handed? I do not know why. I guarantee that they are interested in one thing and that is finding me. I thought that after three months they’d forget. So naive I am. I know that the longer I stay in this city, the shorter my time becomes where I am no longer safe… nor any of you all.”
T’bitha turns to Ozemon, “I am terribly sorry, Ozemon. You allowed me to take refuge and I brought you…this…danger.”
"T'bitha," the tall warrior mage gently puts her hand on the priestess' shoulder to comfort her "you have nothing to be sorry about. You didn't choose to be chased. For the evil deeds, their perpetrators are to blame, NOT their supposed targets".
"Tristan, Ozemon himself said the reason why the drow left 'empty handed': after a while of he telling them he didn't know where T'bitha were, they finally believed him and left" Khessa recalls. "They are far from their home, here; the information they have got might be not perfectly accurate (else, Ozemon would have not convinced them). Leave some of them here? Maybe. Or maybe not. It would have been a great risk, should they have been discovered here, alone, after all they had done. I think it is more likely that they really went away, waiting for a better chance. Maybe they will be trying to spy the house now. Or maybe they are searching the city. Anyway," she dismisses the problem with a wave of the hand "this should not matter too much, because yes, I'd also advise to leave the house, for now. But a fortified place I don't know how easy it would be to find, in the city. And I wouldn't want it to discourage them... It could just lead them to wait for us to leave the safety of the fortification, right? Instead of pushing them to attack it? I think a den in the suburbs might be more useful, as I proposed earlier. They have no reason to suspect: it's a logical move for T'bitha to try to disappear there, in a completely different place from where she was last detected. And, after finding out (with Dimitri's help or not) where we holed up, they'll think it's an advantage to be able to attack us in the slums, rather than in better-frequented neighborhoods. If Ozemon manages to get the cooperation of the authorities in the meantime, so that they keep a patrol of guards lurking nearby for a few days, we can induce the drow to attack us there, then have them encircled and eliminated. Or I'm wrong? What do you think, people? Do you have improvements to propose? Or maybe even better ideas?"
Tristan shakes his head, breathing out angrily. "It makes no sense Khessa. Why would they announce their presence without being sure they would succeed. Unless they are completely incompetent, they would have had someone monitoring the estate. They would have seen us leave. T'bitha is it possible that they may have discovered that your informant gave them away and acted rashly? Either way we should leave as soon as we are able. Ozemon and Cedric will be safe so long as T'bitha is not here. I don't like the odds of us fighting, Khessa, as we don't know how badly we will be outnumbered. Even so, if it comes down to a fight it would be beneficial to choose the battlefield before they can. I would advise that we get out of the city, for the resident's sake. This might get messy and they don't have to worry about collateral damage."
“I will take responsibility for what I have done. [...] If must fall, I will rise each time a better man.” ― Brandon Sanderson, Oathbringer.
"I agree that it would be beneficial to choose the battlefield before they can," looks puzzled Khessa "but how leaving the town would allow us to do so better than choosing a den in town? And if you fear us to be outnumbered, why leave the town and discard the possible help of the guards? Would not be better to have their support? Anyway, I'm glad that we have two different point of views; with more options to choose, it is more likely that our final choice will be the best one. Dimitri? T'bitha? What course of action would you prefer?"
As the others talk, Hadi focuses on the metal and wood contraption on the floor, looking to figure out what it is or does ((investigation 26)), and if there is enough time while the others are healing and talking, to ritually cast detect magic to see if that gives any additional hints.
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
”If that did occur, Tristan, then I fear my friend is also in grave danger… and her children. I hope not, but that is a logical possibility.”
T’bitha turns to Khessa, “Your heart is in the right place, Khessa; however, now is not the right time to fight. There are too many in the city for us to take, let alone guards to assist. Shadowhunters are highly skilled and wouldn’t stand a chance. I know you all want to help; however, I am a danger to you all. I think the best option is to get away from this city and seek refuge away from here.”
T’bitha turns to Dimitri, ”I wonder if you know of any discreet exits from this city, other than the main avenues.”
After the noble elf has finished his investigations, Khessa asks him: "And you Hadi? What would you prefer? Face the drow in the city or outside? Or do you have other ideas? Come on people, T'bitha's life is at stake... and not only hers, probably. Tell what you think, or Tristan and I, here, might well end up tossing a coin..."
"T'bitha is much more than an employee of mine. She's a wonderful person, and one of the few wonderful elves I know." As you talk about the drow Khessa, and the potential threat they provide, Ozemon speaks up again "I can say, I don't know much about what the drow are capable of. That was something Malekith knew, but I do know, their presence was enough for him to move his family out of the city immediately without a second thought. That tells me they are extremely powerful, and very dangerous." He continues to listen to you speak, Khessa "If you're not choosing to flee, and instead hoping to potentially capture these drow, we will most definitely need the assistance of the guard. I doubt I'll get lucky shooting another."
Hadi you study the object on the ground. It has a strange, acrid smell. Getting a better look at it, you notice it has a small barrel. It resembles a ship's cannon, only much, much smaller. Casting detect magic it gives off no magical aura, but the rest of the room does. There are many magical auras around the room. (OOC: I can't recall if you had cast detect magic and gotten an aura directly from the stake that everyone has been referring to as the Spear of Ambriel, or if you had gotten an aura wrapping around T'bitha because it was in her backpack at the time.) So, just in case, you get a magical aura from the stake. A few of the books on the bookshelves give off faint magical auras, and awkwardly enough, after Tristan finishes saying if he were them, he would have left someone to watch, you notice a faint divination aura in the corner of the room, near the ceiling, though there is nothing there.
As you apologize to Ozemon, T'bitha, he speaks up after Khessa "I have to agree with Khessa. You have nothing to apologize for. I knew what I was getting into, bringing in a scared drow to live with me. What I didn't know, was how wonderful of a companion you would one day become." He contemplates speaking after you continue to speak a bit more, Khessa "Perhaps I didn't convince them. Perhaps they finally hit my breaking point and they knocked me unconscious. I don't actually recall them leaving, now that I think about it. One moment they were beating me, the next I was waking up to all of you."
"I really don't have a fortified place, or anything resembling what you're speaking of Khessa. The best, safest place I could think of is within the guards' barracks. Though I do think there's at least one person here who wouldn't be up for that" He thinks to himself a moment "I do own a small structure in the middle of the city though. It was once a tavern, I purchased the land when the owner died. I've not done anything with it and haven't visited it in almost a year now."
Cedric leaves the study and a few moments go by as you're all talking before Cedric returns to the study with five city guard. "The guard is here, sir." As the guards step into the room, they begin sheathing their swords and looking around. They seem to take no interest in you at this time, Dimitri. One of the guard, a dwarven man, step closer to Ozemon and begins speaking with him. Ozemon describes to the best of his ability, two of the drow he remembers to the guard. "Well, we'll get this back to the barracks, and do what we can to find these suspects. I'll speak to the skywarden about having a few guard sent your way, for you." The dwarf and Ozemon shake hands, and the guards make their way out of the house, led by Cedric.
"I have friends out of town, who I'm sure would be more than happy to house all of you temporarily, if you did choose to leave the city behind."
(OOC: Dimitri, you most definitely do know several secret exits from the city. They're just that though, exits. They're nearly impossible to re-enter from, as they include steep drops. Khessa, you added a lot of information in this round, and it's amazing. I tried to respond to the parts I felt were pointed towards me/Ozemon and leave the parts targeting other player, but because of that, I might have missed something meant for me (If I did please let me know, and I'll respond to it!) For everyone -> If I ever don't respond to something you type in your post, please let me know. I very well may have just missed it when going over everything. (I'm very prone to doing this) I don't ignore anyone on purpose I promise!)
"Tristan makes a good point." Hadi says, "If they are organized enough to know where we all are staying, it's likely that they knew we were out for the morning. They didn't attack Ozemon to get information, but maybe as a warning. Is there a way we can leave the house to get somewhere else to stake this place out and see who comes back? Laza didn't see anything, but that doesn't mean they aren't watching us right now."
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
(OOC: Yes, I know I sometimes get carried away a little and get prone to a bit of wall-of-texting; plus you have to pay attention to we all five players - don't worry, you are doing quite well. Only thing Khessa asked from Ozemon but he, apparently, did not, was to point out to the authorities how big a threat the drow have become. In Khessa's opinion, what they did it is as serious as an act of war. A troop of a foreign nation that comes to the city and pretends to attack, kidnap or kill citizens with impunity, according to Khessa is to be considered as serious as a squad of an invading army making a raid on another sovereign state. It is, matter of fact, an act of WAR. Something that must not by no means be neglected.
Of course, maybe Ozemon does not think the same - he might well see things otherwise, or he may be planning to speak about that later with someone else even if he did not say anything about this to the guards)
Khessa tries to summarize: "So: Tristan and I would like to get rid of the shadowhunter problem now. I'd rather do this in town, maybe in the ex-tavern, setting a trap with the help of the guards that Ozemon can have help us. Tristan would prefer to do this out of town; and even in this case Ozemon could provide us with a location - albeit, sadly, unfortified. T'bitha thinks it's better to flee, because shadowhunters are 'highly skilled' and 'too many in the city for us to take' "
"About that, T'bitha..." the blonde arcane warrior seems a bit unconvinced "... you are the one who should best know what shadowhunters can do, so I try to believe you, but I can't help but note that when they gang attacked, by surprise, Ozemon (who is a historian, not a warrior or a wizard) alone in his studio, he still managed to shot down one of them! Ozemon may have been lucky, but... are they really so fearsome, these shadowhuners? Isn't it that fear is making you overestimate them? You have seen us fight, against the construct in the forest, against Mr Death Wish in the crypt, against the carrion crawlers on our way back... How would compare shadowhunters to us? Can one of them stand up to all of us? Can one of them stand up to one of us? Or does it take several of them to stand up to one of us? Just for me to better understand... "
"Anyway, up until now, we three people that talked made three different proposals. Hadi? Dimitri?" she turns to the other two "You still did not vote for anything... Which one looks better to you? (Or do you have further ideas?)"
"How are you sure the guards will help T'bitha?" Dimitri says absent-mindedly, tugging at the wrist of his glove. He opens and closes his palm, making sure a good fit. He looks up and fixes Khessa a look, his cynicism showing through. "As far as I can see, the drow are only here for her. They don't have the manpower to raid or attack a city. For the guards, it would be easy to hand over a drow in exchange for unbothered peace, and let it be over with. Do you know how many times I've seen guards look the other way, just because it's some worthless scum and it's easier to let the rich, the powerful have it? Just because it's less work for them?" There's some real pain behind his words, but then he presses his lips together, not letting himself get worked up.
"There are some exits out of town." He picks up again after a second, "but it's easier to get out than get in. I agree that we have to get out of here. It's no safer here than anywhere. At least if we get out, we can get ahead of them."
"If not to help T'bitha, the guards would do their best to help Ozemon, he would see to that" Khessa replies to Dimitri. "But ok, another vote for the flee option, it seems. So, Hadi?" she waits for the nobile elf's volte also "Unless you volte for one of the fight options, flee we shall. I keep thinking it is the wrong move; but I don't presume to understand things better than you all. On the contrary, in fact;" she sighs "I am still hardly more than a cabbage farmer's daughter to happened to escape a grim fate. I found myself forced to start this 'career', but I'm most likely the less fit for this life among all of us. If the majority deems better to flee, I'll listen to your wisdom".
”Thank you, Ozemon. That is sweet of you to say. Again, I appreciate what you have done for me.”
T’bitha jerks her head alarmingly at Dimitri’s comment about the guard turning her in for some coin and to keep the peace. She listens as he continues though and thinks to herself
Is Dimitri projecting a personal experience onto my situation? How horrible if he was betrayed like that. I wonder if that is why he is so guarded all the time? Poor Dimitri. I must try to be more understanding and simply listen if he wishes to talk.
”I appreciate your knowledge of this city, Dimitri. And Khessa…you are very brave to want to stand and fight and I admire that. I also very much appreciate your concern for me.” T’bitha looks at Ozemon and the rest of the group. ”I wonder if that tavern in the middle of town you speak of, Ozemon, has just remained abandoned this entire time? Does anyone else know that you own it? Could that make for a good safe house?”
"It most definitely has not remained abandoned. I visit it once a year, per city requirements, and every year I have to evict some stray tenants who chose to turn it into a living quarter. Like I said, it's been about a year since my last visit, you'll most definitely run into someone if you visit. Only a few select city officials know I purchased it, but I couldn't tell you who knows I own it. Most certainly people have seen me enter the unoccupied building over the years."
"If you changed your mind and feel like set up a trap for those worms, T'bitha" comments Khessa "this place Ozemon is speaking of seems perfect, to me. We can go at once, evict the stray tenants of this year, and get some rest. Tomorrow, in full shape, we will have the guards hide and we will set up our trap! Those drow will not be able to suspect anything and we will have them exactly where we want!"
"Plus, while the guards are hidden and we wait for our enemies to come into the trap, we could even fortify the inside a little, like this, look you all... You too, Ozemon, please. You are the owner of the building, so I wish your approval of what I have in mind..." with that, the blonde arcane warrior borrows a blank sheet of paper, ink and quill and, bent over the sheet to the point that the others will have to bend over as well to see what she is drawing, she starts to do ssome quill-working.
Those who bend over to look at the sheet (and she insist that ALL do that) will see that she is in fact writing something. And 'something' is:
Accept what I just said and try to look convinced. I think the shadowhunters might be spying on us even now, in person or by magic, like Tristan supposed. It would make perfect sense. If they are, after what they have heard, they will most likely attack our choosen base tonight, believing us to be alone and unprepared. But you, Ozemon, will have set up the guards instead; today, unlike I said for the drow to hear, without waiting tomorrow. And we will be ready, taking watch turns instead of sleeping (Hadi also know the Alarm spell, if I well remember, this will also help us not getting surprised). The drow should take the bait. And it will be the end of them.
If I'm too paranoid and they are NOT spying us now... well, we'll simply have an uneventful night and we'd have to give away our presence in the next day and set up the trap all the same.
OK? Anyway, even should you disagree with the plan and prefer to flee, to fight outside or whatever, don't say this now. Point this out later, at the base. At least, we will be more sure that nobody else can hear what we say... so, whatever the final plan will be, it will be more likely to succeed.
"You see?!" asks the tall warrior-mage "I think it could be arranged... And it could bring us some advantage. Ozemon? Guys? Do you agree?" after everyone has seen, she, still bent over the sheet to keep it hidden, folds it up and puts it in her pocket.
"A trap seems the best option to me. Though we need to be careful of course. Also.. must we be the ones to evict some poor squatters?" Hadi says looking to the note. "It is still likely though that they know more than we assume. I do not think their attack here this morning was a mistake, even with us being gone. Unless these shadow hunters are much less competent than we are led to believe."
PbP 🎲: Tyekanik; Moneo Noree; Korba Muris; & occasional DM:
"Whatever they may or may not know, Hadi," laughs Khessa, patting the noble elf on the shoulder "they can not know of the plan we conceived just now! Just let's go and free our den, guys. They will not find us until we want them to! All will go well".
'I'm pretty sure everyone understands what I'm saying for the eventual drow spies... and what I really mean' thinks the blonde arcane warrior, guessing by the faces of her companions. The tall warrior-mage is eager to free the den both to start the plan and because in there they all should be more free to speak clearly anyway.
Ozemon gets up and looks over the note you're writing on, Khessa "I will do my best to speak with the skywarden about getting guard to help you, but the guard don't always react quickly, especially to a situation like this. It may take a while for them to get things in order." Ozemon returns to the chair he was just previously strapped to and sits back down. "The guard aren't exactly organized. It takes time for them to do anything. I may be influential in the city, but not enough to expedite their processes." As you finish speaking, Hadi, Ozemon speaks up in response "It most definitely was not a mistake they attacked while you were gone. They broke in not but an hour after you all had left earlier this morning, and I may not be an expert in torture, but their question to torture ratio was severely lacking."
(OOC: Hadi, you didn't respond to my post on your investigation and your detect magic spell in post #639. I'm not sure if that was by design or on accident, so I figured I'd bring it up just in case)
You're all lead to the foyer by Cedric, where he hands T'bitha a key. "This will get you in any locked doors in the tavern" he over each of you "please, be safe. Master Ozemon and I will do what we can to help you." He finishes up with "I'll begin with the guard at once." As each of you step out into the open courtyard of the estate. The surrounding area appears quieter than normal, the only movement is from an older couple walking down the street with their dog. They continue walking, but watch you as you leave Ozemon's estate and head the opposite direction of them. It takes about 20 minutes or so, but you come to a small building on the corner of the street near the slums. Seeing the boarded up windows, and the barely remaining word 'tavern' painted on the wall, you're positive you've found the correct building. The door appears to be closed, and with the assistance of the noise and people around you, on this rather busy road, you don't hear anything from within. The majority of the noise seems to be coming from a tavern just down the street.
(OOC: It's starting to get late into the evening, as it is, so you will have a lot to do in a very short amount of time, if you plan on setting this up in preparation for the night)