@Jan

Mean Streets of Spandeliyon:

Ula eyes the creature in the air “An earth pixie? Something makes me think it’s connected to Jan.”

The streets are fairly deserted and Marrin and Ula make good time. The earth pixie does seem to be heading in the same direction and so far doesn’t appear hostile.

Around the next turn they catch sight of the palisade walls of the  mayor’s compound down the street.

Lord High Mayor’s Council Hall and Home:

The mayor smiles when Ethel asks if the book was the Chronicle of Years to come.

“See, I knew you knew something. This doesn’t have to be difficult,” Klein says. He pauses for a moment. “Do you have it?”

Avaria and Jan are both quiet as can be sneaking through the door, but perhaps too quiet.

But Avaria bumps into something, or rather somebody when trying to get through the door. Jan also bumps into somebody when she tries to go through the door.

This draws the mayor’s attention.

“You, go check that out. See if there’s someone in the entry hall,” Mayor Klein says to one of the guards.

The guard heads straight for the doorway, just narrowly missing Avaria and Jan.

They both manage to try and go through the doorway at the same time.

The guards then continue guiding Ethel down the stairs with the mayor following.

Despite the near catastrophe, Jan is able to keep focus on the stairs and while she doesn't hear any squeaking she does hear what sounds like wood hitting stone.

From the torchlight coming up from below, Ethel can make out stone stairs covered with wooden planks that lead to what looks like a stone lined corridor.

Marrin says,

"Doesn't seem like Gritty speaks much common. I think you're right Ula, it's probably something of Jan's."

Marrin will slow down and head to the walls more calming, in case anyone is looking, and will knock loudly on the door and call out,

"Hello? We like a word with the Lord Mayor. Hello? It's a pressing matter, Mard sent us. Hello?"

She'll keep this up for a little while or until someone answers the door/whatever.

Ethel gives a slow, sardonic laugh.  "No, Mayor, I don't have it."  She shakes her head.  "I've seen it, not a tenday ago, but couldn't separate it from its master."

"But I think I'm starting to finally see how this all fits together."  As she slowly descends the steps, she speaks as if talking to herself, but loud and clear, almost as if she might be speaking for someone else's benefit.  "So Professor Owen, having stumbled onto hint or rumor of certain dangers rising from the ancient past of Mulhorand, sets out in search of the book of the prophecies of Maglas, along with the stone key of Osiris.  He thinks, allegedly, that he can forestall some coming doom if only he can get his hands on them.  He recruits the Mayor of Spandeliyon into his confidence, and together they set an assassin - excuse me, as... what was it to be?  A kidnapper?  - after us, under the belief we are agents wrapped up in this?"

"Meanwhile," she continues, "Hargrove the Younger, by hook or by crook, finds himself in possession of a priceless tome, the Chronicle of Years to Come.  He becomes obsessed with gaining personal power and leveraging against the nations of the Sea of Fallen Stars, and furthermore, he gets himself in league with a dwarven thief... the very same thief who had arranged to steal a certain key stone from the hold of her clan."

She laughs again, this time seeming to honestly find it funny.  "It's just a big pile up in the dark, isn't it, with everyone pulling after the same threads."

"Except..." she finishes, "You chased the wrong lead.  You're wasting your time with us, while the book and key slip further and further away."

Then she squares up with Mayor Klein.  "You know, I'm inclined to believe you - that you just want what's best for Spandeliyon.  And despite all this," she gestures at the looming menace of the guards, "you haven't really done anything unforgiveable, yet.  Even with the attack last night, the only one irrevocably injured was your catspaw."

"Whatever you have planned here, there is still an opportunity for you to come out on the right side of this.  We could work together to get to the heart of this matter, rather than be at crossed purposes."

((Would Jan have been able to tell who she ran into? She's been assuming Marrin, but not sure if Jan is aware that Marrin can cast it on others, as her form is self only.))

Lord High Mayor’s Compound - Outside:

The flying dusty sand pixie-imp goes over the walls without hesitating when Ula and Marrin call out.

At first there's no reaction, then eventually a voice calls out from the other side.

"Hold on, hold on. What's all this about? It's late. There's no visitors now."

The dusty flying creature appears at the top of the wall, waving for Ula and Marrin to follow.

Lord High Mayor’s Council Hall and Home:

Ethel's words actually bring the mayor up short.

"Godrick Hargrove has the book?" the mayor asks, forgetting about the guard he sent to check on the noise he'd hear. "Interesting. A massive screw up may have turned out to be a blessing after all."

The mayor gestures for the group to continue down the stairs as he speaks.

"You were never supposed to end up in the hands of the Hargroves." Klein says. "The Rose Marie was to take you north to meet up with Owens. So much to uncover tonight. You might enjoy hearing what our other guests below have to say about this."

The guards look to be ready to physical prod Ethel to go down the stairs.

"Let's see what they have to say before we talk about working together."

(Are Jan and Avaria dealing with what they've encountered at the door? Continuing on? You can hear the other guard walking in the main entry hall and a door opening and then closing after a pause.)

Marrin looks at the dirt monster as she calls back,

"Our friend was brought here by some guards to see the Lord Mayor a short while ago. We spoke with Mard and he said we should ask the Lord Mayor directly."

She gives the little dirt mosquito a nod and finishes with,

"And don't try saying she isn't here, we know she is."

Jan gently gropes for the arm of the unseen person she encountered, hoping it is who she think it is, and that they recall that she'd previously been invisible and aren't too startled by her presence. She turns the hand palm upward and spells out into it:

A-V-A-?

Avaria startles a bit as she seems to bump into someone and she lets go a quick breath of relief as she figures it is Jan that is there.  She has to stop herself from exclaiming as Jan grabs her hand though.  As her name is spelled out her clasps her other hand over Jan's and shakes it.  She hopes her friend knows that is a yes...

But she quickly lets go and starts following Ethel, she was not going to leave her friend alone with these thugs.  Other guests? Who was the mayor referring to?

Jan tries to hold onto Ava's hand to ask more questions, but her larger friend pulls away to follow Ethel, and Jan moves to follow.

((Also, because neither Jan nor I would like to be unduly surprised, but how long approximately has she been invisible?))

((Haven't done a good job of keeping track but going to say 15 minutes for Ava and 20 minutes for Jan))

Marrin doesn't hear anything for awhile but then gets a response.

"Come back in the morning when the mayor's receiving petitioners." the voice says.

Dirty-Rocks-In-Mouth floats for a few moments above the palisade wall waving for Marrin and Ula to follow, seemingly getting impatient. Then it disappears over the wall into the compound.

-----------------------------------------------

Just as Avaria pulls away, Jan gets a slight tug on her brain. K's nearby. 

Ethel continues on in silence.  She considers she may have already given away too much... 

((That's fine by me, I just didn't want the answer to be 55 minutes or something!))

Jan reaches out and connects with K, learning of Ula and Marrin getting stalled at the gate. 

"We aren't petitioning, we're here to retrieve our friend. If you're not going to let us in or, better yet, bring her out we'll need to get Mard to let us in. Be back soon."

Marrin doesn't give the guard much time to respond before turning on her heel and starting to jog back to the guardhouse.

Mean Streets of Spandeliyon:

Jan and Ula hear no more from the guard’s at the gate when they leave. Nor do they see any sign of the earthy fairy that was waving to them earlier.

Their footsteps echo along the quiet road as they run back to the guard barracks.

Lord High Mayor’s Council Hall and Home:

Ethel’s escort turn when they get to the bottom of the stairs, and walk her past what look like eight cell doors. The doors appear to be made of iron, with well oiled, sturdy locks. Each one has a five-inch-square, iron-shuttered window built in at about eye height.

The guards don’t stop at any of these doors but continue around the corner  and to another iron door. The first guard opens in and heads inside.

The room contains two sturdy oak chairs fitted with iron manacles and buckles. In one corner, a mop stands in a bucket, leaning against the wall.

The two chairs are occupied. A goblin and half-orc raise their weary heads and stare at Ethel. She finds herself looking into the faces of Slick and Tammer, her old friends from the Rose Marie.

“Oh come on,” Slick says. “We told you everything already. You paid, but then got outbid by double.”

Tammer looks at Ethel for a while.

“What’s she here for?”

The mayor looks at the pair and shakes his head.

“Somebody best name names and tell me how this one and her friends ended up being sold to the Hargroves.”

He looks at Ethel.

‘Unless you know the answer to that?”

(Jan and Avaria – another stealth roll if following the procession downstairs)

Jan will reach for Ava's hand and lift her friend's palm in the direction that Ethel was taken, drawing an arrow forward to indicate she is following, then retaining hold as she moves forward so they don't collide on the stairs.

Stealth: 28

Ava's Stealth:  17

She follows the group down, her hackles on edge as she sees the cells and then the two occupying the one at the end.  

Not knowing the fact Jan and Ethel came up with a safe word, Avaria will grab Ethel if they try and get her in that cell.  (Guess that would be a readied action)

((If Jan is in front, would she feel Ava brushing past her if it comes to it? She would place a restraining hand on her larger friend.))

Ethel moves slowly through the room... superficially gathering her thoughts, but also trying to take in her surroundings.  Are there any other exits?  How injured do the two pirates appear?  What are the guards' postures like?  Are they relaxed/confident?  Or uneasy?

Perception:  7

Insight:  4

When at last she speaks... "I find that hard to believe.  The Hargrove's paying double, that is.  At their island, we were used as serving girls, janitors, and part-time gladiators.  It wouldn't have made sense to break the bank for us.  The Hargroves certainly didn't think we were anything special."  She looks back at the Mayor.  "Did you pay these scum in advance?  It might be as simple as: they got the cash up front, and decided to cash in again once they were out to sea and away from your eyes and ears."

She moves closer to Tanner and looks him over closely.  "Something has bothered me.  We were prisoners there for... a tenday?"  She shakes her head.  "The passage of time is hard to measure in a jail pit.  I don't have experience with it.  My point is... your ship, your captain... you... were still there when we escaped.  Why?  If the Rose Marie was just selling a few kidnappees, what kept you in port there for so long?  What else was your captain planning?  Before he died?"

Spandeliyon Barracks:

Ula and Marrin make their way back to the guard’s barracks. The same guard stands at the doorway.

“Back so soon?” she asks.

But even before the pair can answer, the guard continues.

“He’s not here,” she says. “The captain took off right after you left last time. Seemed to be urgent. Don’t usually see the captain moving that quickly.”

Mayor Klein’s Dungeon:

Jan and Avaria manage to navigate the dungeon stairs without attracting any attention or colliding too badly into each other. Jan is able to get a hand on Avaria as she moves past. And it’s a good thing she does.

Jan and Avaria soon find they have to press themselves against the closed doorways of two of the jail cells to avoid being run down by the fourth returning guard.

“Wasn’t anyone there, sir,” the guard reports to Klein, who waves his hand for the guard to be quiet, already having loss interest in the noise from before.

Ethel takes in her surroundings, and the only observable exit is the way she came with her escort. The two pirates look about how they did when she last saw them at the ceremony in the park, maybe an extra bump on a face or head.

The guards look bored more than uneasy or confident. You suspect that the conversation isn’t making any sense to them.

Slick becomes even smaller under the further questioning.

“I don’t know about selling to the Hargroves or not,” Slick says. “But the captain was happy with the extra bag of coin we had when we set sail.”

Tammer looks up at Ethel and sneers. “Maybe you should ask the captain that.” Then laughs. “Oh yeah, you can’t.”

The mayor waves over one of the guards who raises a chainmail gloved hand.

“Okay, okay,” Tammer says quickly. “All I know is the captain said we’re were staying until we got the rest of our payment. Drop you lot off got us half. If that bald Godrick prick got what he wanted we got the other half. From what I heard, he was going to soften you up first.”

Tammer looks over at the mayor.

“We don’t know nothing else.”

The mayor looks puzzled by these revelations. He looks at Ethel.

“There’s much to sort out here. I think you and your companions should stay as my guests until we get to the bottom of this.”