“Yes,” Shuushar says. “I originally hail from an area called Darklake in a Kuo-Toa village, a ten day from this very outpost. I may not be competent in helping escape, but I would like to consider myself well traveled in the Underdark. It has been a long time since I have seen my people, and returning there would give me... happiness.” 

Nicholas, as you approach the twins, Turvy notices first, backing up behind his sister. Topsy turns to greet you saying, “Well hello there. My name is Topsy and this is my brother Turvy. As I’m sure you can tell, he is a bit shy and still quite frightened of people after our imprisonment.” She turns around, as Turvy leans in to whisper something to her. Topsy turns back with a smile. “Turvy would like to say it’s nice to meet you. What is your name?” She adds. 

"Nice to meet you Topsy and Turvy. My name is Nicholas," he smiles at the two and even gives Turvy a little wave, "I don't blame Turvy for being afraid, I too feel the same. Caught, brought to a strange place, and worse of all not knowing if my friends are even alive." Nicholas sighs wistfully before shaking his head, "But I guess everyone here has a story. Some seem to be planning an escape, are you two planning to join in?"

Sarith begins to clutch his head as a low moan escapes his lips. “Set... up. No... it couldn’t. They wouldn’t. Would... they? No! They wouldn’t,” he yells with a growl, as his head slowly raises to meet you with his angry red eyes. With uncanny speed Syvis, a fist comes hurtling towards your face.

Attack: 12 Damage: 1

You feel a sharp impact in your jaw as the strike makes contact (-1 hp). What would you like to do Syvis?

“Yes,” Topsy says. “Turvy and I are desperate for an opportunity to escape to return to our home— the city of Blingdenstone.” 

As she finishes her sentence, the punch is thrown and Nicholas, you hear a gasp as the crowd is surprised at first, but then some like Jimjar edge closer, egging the combatants on. “I’ve got 5 gold on the drow,” he says.  

Syvis calmly takes the hit, knowing full well what would happen and braces herself for the inevitable end of this fact-finding mission. Her eyes narrow as she incorporates what she just witnessed into her assessment of the drow. Without turning her head, she glances around the cell to gauge everyone's reactions. She pivots around her opponent, away from the wall, and assumes a defensive stance, knowing that she is no match for his rage-fueled physicality in a toe-to-toe slugfest. She continues speaking to him in a low voice all the while, "So you haven't lost your will to fight. Let your fists do the thinking for as long as you want, Sarith, you already know the truth of the matter. You have deduced the most likely answer. All that is left is to allow yourself to admit it."

Syvis takes the dodge action.

Cailean clicks his teeth together at the sound of impact behind him, casting a reassuring look at the myconid as he moves to position himself between the fighting and the little one. He holds one hand out toward them in case they want it for safety, turning his head to try to get a visual on what is happening.

Voyage's tail whips about as if it has a mind of its own as she watches the fracas, concerned. "Oh, Nayantara...why did you put me in this situation? I hope you're having a lovely little chuckle right now, you *****." She murmurs to herself. "Excuse me, old one," she says to the Kuo-Tua quickly flashing him a quick smile before moving closer to the drow and the strange elf woman. There was something about Shuushar that she quite liked and she wanted to speak more with him later.

She glances around anxiously to see if any of the Drow are paying attention to the fight, and what measures they exactly are taking in response.

Perception: 17

He growls with rage, throwing a second punch at Syvis.

Attack: 6 Damage: 1

You nimbly avoid the strike, before looking towards the guards who seem to have noticed the cheering, and are now quickly walking to the slave pen, crossbows drawn. 

Thodek keeps an eye on the drow but stays close to the door, watching for the approaching drow and loosening the silk rope tied around his waist, ready to use it as a garotte if the opportunity comes up.

Syvis nods knowingly, fully understanding the vicious cycle of allowing emotions to impede judgement. She had allowed it to happen to herself once. Once...

Hands still clasped in front of her, she weaves, leading Sarith further toward the front of the cell, voice still low and measured. "See? Even now your brethren come to put us down. I do not fault you for your actions as I understand your plight, as much as I am able, yet they pass false judgement based on other false judgements. Why do you accept this? Why will you not work with others who share your fate?"

Syvis continues to dodge.

A glaze begins to cover Sarith’s eyes as his growls become almost inhuman. He continues in his focused assault on Syvis, unresponsive and unaware of anything else.

Attack: 7 Damage: 1

Again, Syvis easily doges the punches, his anger causing him to be sloppy. 

At this point, the drow guards have reached the slave pen (2 of them) and begin to point their crossbows towards both combatants. One says in a thick accent “Stand down, or you will be shot!”

This causes all the onlookers of the fight to scatter, leaving just Syvis and Sarith towards the front-ish of the pen.

What would you like to do?

Voyage looks over at Thodek and her eyes widen in alarm. Approaching the duergar, she whispers harshly. "Are we trying this now? We have no weapons, or any idea where to find weapons. I cannot call upon my powers with this anti-magic field covering the pen. There are far more guards than there are of us, and they have not been weakened by deprivation and torture. We don't even know if any of these people in here with us are to be trusted. Hold your fire for now, mate. You'll get us all killed."

Even as she speaks, she positions herself on the other side of the doorway, standing still except for her tail, which twitches enough to betray her very real anxiety.

"Enough of this," Rian yells. All the prisoners were stuck in the same cell- the guards should be their enemies, not each other! He moves in to restrain Sarinth. 

Athletics: 9

Thodek moves a step away from the entrance and looks past these guards to see how far away the others might be, nodding to Voyage and taking his hands away from his belt for now.

Perception: 25

Syvis stops, takes one step back from the door and holds her position. Hands still clasped, standing in silence, she regards this new scuffle and watches the guards' reaction with a clinical detachment.

EDIT: Scratch that. She steps directly up to the bars of the door to be face-to-face with the nearest guard and smiles a pleasant but thoroughly inauthentic smile.

Voyage smoothly steps close to the guard as well, hands raised in supplication. She had gotten her crew out of worse scraps in the pubs of Neverwinter or Waterdeep so surely she could defuse this situation.

"I humbly apologize. This one has been so affected by the torture that her mind seems to going. I do believe your Mistress has well and truly broken her. It would be a GREAT shame to waste such a fine slave with a bolt before she can be put to good use. I promise you she will not trouble you further this night." She adds, looking pointedly at the rogue as she emphasizes the final part.

Persuasion: 23

Syvis looks at Voyage and back to the guards. She smiles and says, "Oh yes. Going and gone. Thoroughly broken," while nodding enthusiastically. She looks back to the tiefling.

Capitalizing on the distraction, Syvis deftly snakes a small hand through the bars toward where she thinks the nearest guard would keep their keys (but who knows what's actually there...her eyes are on Voyage).

Sleight of hand: 11 (if you'd grant advantage for the distraction: 6)

Sarith struggles in Rian’s grasp, trying to escape with the vigor of a wild animal.

Acrobatics: 3

However, you grip stays true, and slowly but surely, the drow calms down, breathing heavily.

Thodek: You don’t see any other drow nearby the slave pen.

The drow guards intently seem to be listening to Voyage’s long winded speech, but Syvis, as you slowly reach out to feel for a key of some sort, a hand clamps down on your wrist. Hard. He begins to chuckle, saying “Good try, surface scum.” He lets go, thrusting your hand back through the bars before addressing the entire group. “No more funny business! This will be your first and last warning. The next person that steps out of line will be killed.”

”The spiders are getting hungrier,” his partner says with a smirk.

After this, they walk away, obviously content with the exertion of their power. 

What would you like to do?

As Rian has Sarinth grappled, he whispers in his ear. 

"Those guards are almost here. I will pretend to snap your neck, but I promise to do no harm. Drop to the ground and fake your death- they are certain to open the cell to drag your body out. This is our chance to escape!"

Conversation disrupted by the scuffle, Nicholas quickly picks up on what is going on. Moving closer towards the pen doors, he too steels himself for what may happen next. 

As Rian speaks, he feels sorry for the imprisoned drow. The excommunicated paladin knew what it was like to be shunned. He hopes Sarinth won't do anything foolish and follow his words.

Persuasion: 6