[DM:  Can Ethlehyn make any educated guesses about what sort of magic the Mayor is using and thus what his capabilities could be?  OOC this player is stumped but maybe the 20 INT wizard would know better than I would...?]

Ethleyn is certain that this isn't studied magic, at least nothing she's come across before. There's always the possibility that the mayor could be a gifted wizard and has studied and crafted his own spells, but that doesn't ring right for her. If she was going to go out on a limb she'd say this is granted power - something from a powerful patron perhaps.

Avaria shakes her head a bit like a dog as she tries to clear it.  Three choices.  If it was her, she'd be headed towards the stables.  She starts running in that direction, calling back to her friends, "I smell him!  Either back in the house, by the guards or the stable.  I'm picking the stable!"

Marrin blinks and looks confusedly at her friends not really following what is happening,

"What? No! Not back into the place. Let's go, Ava come back!"

With a frustrated growl she says,

"Ula? If you're here can you go with her?"

((How far is the entrance to the mansion and the stables from Marrin?))

(Back to the council house/mansion would be about 30' west. 30' east is the main gate. The grouping of guards is about 20' north. The stables are about 60' south.)

Marrin feels an invisible pat on her arm then the telltale sound of clinking chainmail as Ula runs off after Avaria.

Marrin, not really knowing what else to do calls out,

"Lord Mayor? You screwed up, and screwing up hurts."

((Cutting words minus 4 on the upcoming saving roll.))

She takes her flute out and blows a discordant melody directed at the mayor.

((If he is within 60' of Marrin he needs to make a DC 15 wisdom save or take 8 damage and run away from her, on save half damage and no running.))

(Clever - Believe Unsettling Words requires that you can see the target so no modifier to save - 18  )

((Ah, true. Well I will save that bardic slot then!))

((Any chance she can listen for a reaction?))

(ooh same for Avaria?  Lol she's going to be mad that Marrin sent her running!  Unless she can find her.  She's out for blood now.)

At first Marrin isn't sure if anything happens as she watches Ava head towards the stables but then she catches movement from the corner of her eye and spots the tall, lean leader of the mayor's guards turn and run off northwesterly and out of sight around the side of the mayor's council house/mansion.

Marrin turns and mutters,

"Oh, hiding in plain sight?"

She'll then shout so Ava can hear,

"The Mayor is disguised as the leader of his own guards."

And points to where he fled.

"So now's the time for us to depart!"

"We WERE going, that bottom dweller just tried to squish my mind! He's not getting off that easy."

Jan is going to head in the direction to get visual around the side of the mansion where Marrin points.

Ethel sighs.  She is painfully aware of just how exhausted her magical reserves are.  Still, it seems her allies are committed to pursuing the Mayor.  She turns and follows Jan, looking to see if she can put eyes on this 'guard leader'.

(This is funny how we're split)

If Avaria is in a position to try and cut off the mayor going the other way around the house to possibly meet him, she'll dash in that direction, otherwise she'll follow.  

Avaria's not aware of what's on the other side of the building. It looks like it should be slightly shorter distance to go from where she is to around the other side of the building, but she can only manage to get to the corner of the building with a dash.

Jan and Ethel will have to double back towards the house at an angle to get towards the back will bring them closer to the groups of guards. Are they going that way?

((I think Jan would want to circle wide of them, heading towards them would likely set them off (though that ship may have sailed), she'll also send K in the direction that Marrin pointed, with instructions to stay on the Mayor, but stay invisible and unnoticed.))

K heads off in the direction Jan has indicated but there does seem to be a sense of confusion as well. No one looks like what K remembers the mayor looking like.

Jan takes a wide berth, moving part way south before curling back towards the house and then around the side. She sees no sign of the running figure but they could have continued around the next side of the building

Avaria hears chainmail clinking as she runs back towards the house, and a dwarven curse as Ula realizes she has to turn around and run back now.

(Will get an action/movement from Ethel before updating the guards).

Avaria, and presumably Ula, finds herself at the southeast corner of the mayor's council house, Jan and Ethel are at the northeast corner of the same building. None of them can see any sign of the guard captain - possibly the mayor.

Marin stands in the middle of the parade ground about half way between the council house, and the front gates, as well as equidistant between the stables to the south and guard barracks to the north.

Tempers finally boil over and anyone looking can see swords slashing and hacking away at each other between the two groups - Mard's 'special' guards, and the mayor's private guards. Blood can be seen, shouting heard, and groans.

From the barracks, three more guards emerge and start to head towards the melee on the parade ground, but veer towards where Jan and Ethel are. They're trotting but not pushing themselves too hard, so only come within 30' of the pair for the moment.

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

Party's up.

Barely even noticing the commotion at the gate, her focus so acute on finding the mayor, Avaria sees Jan and Ethel at the NE corner appearing as they haven't seen the mayor yet, so she runs  towards the SW corner, sniffing as she goes, trying to capture the scent of the elusive man.

Perception w/adv:  24 (crit!)