Zartan trails behind looking about.

Although the three members of the Silent Verse wore no obvious insignia or uniform, they had a similarity in their simple style that you feel like – assuming that their outfits were typical – you might try to recognize others in the future. That said, while there are a handful of far-flung guards in the crowd, they look more like ordinary constables and less like the elite Silent Verse you saw earlier.

It's a bit of a chaotic crowd, if also a microcosm of Zinda. An old man in white rags begs for coins. A stocky woman in green pantaloons and yellow tunic irritably elbows her way past you, while a group children taunt each other, and dogs bark. A mystic diviner in red robes is a little forceful in her patter as she tries to attract your business. The stark class divide is clear here; the city’s wealthy citizens live in large homes and revere academia, while members of less affluent families hold multiple jobs to survive. The rich feast on goat, fish, and mutton; wear gold and silk; and drink from spotless glass flutes while boasting of their academic achievements and frivolously displaying magic, while the poor eat grains and roots served on palm leaves spread upon the ground. Preachers proselytize their various religious sects; although Zinda welcomes the practices of all citizens, the city’s one common faith involves the daturas, also known as spirit shepherds. Daturas speak for and protect the spirits of the jungle, spending their life escorting caravans, performing exorcisms, and guarding sacred reaches of the forest. Or at least, according to the preachers recounting their glory here in the market.

Suddenly, shrieks of fear rise from an herb vendor’s stall nearby. The crowd shifts as panicked people flee the scene.

You see the herbalist who works the stall coughing as he attacks a man on the ground. (Tuuli, Walt, and Aranor also notice a dissipating pink cloud around the two figures.) The horrified crowd stampedes.

Everyone must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 2 bludgeoning damage from the crush.

Zartan Dex Save 10

He will use his Reaction and do Lucky Footwork 

this is added to my roll: 2

Walt's Dex Save: 16.

(OOC: Did I mention Walt has taken up a regular stretching routine? He's feeling much more limber.)

Tuuli's Dex Save vs DC 14: 23

She dips and dodges and hops, neatly avoiding the panicking crowd. When she is clear, she moves towards the two fighting people, one hand pushing out towards them, a whisper on her lips. A swirl of air gathers at her request, and a small Gust of wind blows past them, just strong enough to hopefully dissipate the pink cloud.

Aranor DC 14 Dexterity saving throw: 16

Zartan is nearly run down by the fleeing crowd, taking an elbow to the nose and a trampled paw, but he manages to stay on his feet.

Tuuli manages to blow the pink cloud away from the scene.

The blank-faced herbalist is brutally beating the man on the ground with a bar of metal of some kind - perhaps something he tore off the side of his own cart. The well-dressed man on the ground is having his face beaten into a nearly-unrecognizable pulp. He seems already unconscious, but the merchant is not slowing his bloody beating.

Make an initiative roll to intervene in the fight.

Merchant: 13 

Zartan looks shaken by the stampede but ok. “Normally I’d just hop out of the way but someone stepped in my foot and then I got bashed in the face” he shakes that off and then sees the fight. 

init: 18

Walt’s Initiative: 10

Tuuli’s initiative is just 9.

Aranor's initiative is 16.

Aranor watches in horror as the blank-faced merchant continues his relentless assault. Recovering quickly, he rushes over to the man and attempts to pull him off, grabbing his arm to stop the savage beating.

"That's enough!" the moon elf says. It's all he can think to say, but something sinister is obviously going on here. Unless the man had a complete psychotic break, he appears to be under the influence of something.

Contested Strength check: 16

Initiative:
  Zartan 18
  Aranor 16
  Merchant 13
  Walt 10
  Tuuli 9

Aranor rushes up and tries to wrench the glassy-eyed merchant off the bloodied noble. Contesting STR (Athletics) check: 18 (This guy is strong!)

The man pushes off Aranor and continues beating the unconscious man. Zartan may act next.

Zartan will use his telekinetic ability and bonus action push the assailant off the person. He will then go to stand in between. STR 15 Save or be moved 5ft

The herbalist tries to keep his footing. Contesting DC15 Strength (Athletics) check: 22

The frenzied man shrugs off Zartan's telekinetic push with ease, but begins to cough and gasp as his condition takes a slight turn for the worse. But then he spins and turns on Zartan with his makeshift weapon, albeit with awkward, puppet-like movement:

Bar Attack #1 vs. Zartan: 8. Hit: 13 bludgeoning damage.
Bar Attack #2 vs. Zartan: 7. Hit: 7 bludgeoning damage.

Walt and Tuuli may act next!

Tuuli races towards the man, drawing her rapier as she goes, she slides past him, and tries to clonk him on the head like she did all the possessed villagers back when. Then she jukes and slides past the man.

Move: to the herbalist 
Action: non-lethal rapier pommel attack with Sneak Damage for herbalist threatened by Zartan

16 to hit for 13 non-lethal damage

Bonus Action: Cunning Action Disengage
Move: the rest of a full move, away from the herbalist

Zartan will use his reaction and cast Silvery Barbs: The herbalist must reroll the d20 and take the lower of the two.