Before entering the room, Granophyre whispers to Varielky, “I see your remorse. Do not worry: although the dart’s effects look deadly, she was merely paralyzed and I stabilized the other one. Both guards will awaken in a few hours.”

Auger, with only his quarterstaff visible and treating it like a walking stick, steps close and makes eye contact with the rectangular woman. For her ears alone but not trying to hide his male voice he says, "You need not worry about the guards but I think it will be best for you all here if you never saw us. Benita La Cass is our friend. Where is she?"

If needed, Persuasion: 11

Unsurprised, the slab of a woman backs up a step and in a flash pulls a knife from under her belt. With firm resilience in her voice like a weed that just won’t be pulled, she hisses, “Who th’flock Bunita La Cass?!? Look like we got some ferner here in vacation? Some ‘La Cass’? No! Don’t ya Flockin tell me what’s best. Man they catch in harem fed to hyenas. Get back t yer farm quick or you be sorry!”

Ednyss steps up and intones deeply with his god's grace, "We are looking for a woman who recently arrived here." Ednyss gives a brief description of Benita before adding, "I know you are probably used to getting threats around here, but I assure you, our threats are not empty."

Intimidation: 20

"Thank you." Varielky answers Granophyre's assurance. "It means a lot to me." She dismisses Ednyss' worries from earlier. If he didn't kill these Orcs in this situation, just for her, that must mean he won't cause any problems.

IF the women don't recognise Benita after Ednyss describes her, Varielky will say: "It seems Benita is in the chief's tent after all." She then turns to the women. "Fine, we'll go. If you want your freedom, come with us. If you wish to stay in this state forever, stay. You'll probably never get another chance like this for freedom again."

The women are indeed accustomed to threats, but the head woman’ lip begins to tremble just a bit, and a few of the others start to cry.

“A’right, a’right! Ain no Bunita La Cass here! Bu they bringin one like you say, dark hair pony tail. Her name Neeta, she say, dunno whashe tol you. Chief like er she go ri’over der no complain.”

To Varielky’s statement, there is a moment of stunned silence. The women then are speaking to each other in whispered Shian, which Varielky and Ednyss can barely make out.

Several of them stand, and you see two of those are with child. 

“How you four gonna free us from here, you four against how many orcs?,” asks one of the expecting ones, a mature, hardy woman, in Jenghen.

“I don’t care,” says another woman, a strapping 19-year old, “I’m not staying here. Wait,” she says, to no one in particular, and runs into the next area.

In a few minutes, more women come out, heavy with child and rubbing sleep from their eyes, or with infants in their arms, nursing. You hear a baby crying from behind the partition from which they emerged. A minute later and the strapping teenager returns, holding the crying baby, which she is quieting with kisses.

All of the babies are half-orcs, Jenghen, with rough, strong features and splotches of pink dappling their red-violet skin.

The women, it must be said, look tired, as mothers of infants do, but none the worse for wear, so to speak. Absent are black eyes, bruises, and the kind of shivering fear one might expect. Indeed, you may note that the mothers and pregnant women, by and large, are wearing cleaner, nicer garments than the others. And many of the women have made no move from their seats around the tables, where their bowls of hot dumplings in broth sit before them. 

Auger looks at the growing mass of mothers and babies with no small amount of concern. Their plan was to collect Benita and leave while creating minimum extra attention. This was no longer a mission where sneaking was going to be easy. This was no longer a mission where Granophyre would be able to levitate everyone over a wall.

Py, they say Benita is not here. Can you continue looking around and confirm that?

Not loudly but for all to hear Auger says, "If Benita is in the Chief's tent then that place is our next stop and we will want to be quiet. Babies in need of nursing and their mothers are not going to be helpful." Auger looks at Varielky disapprovingly, "You will need to sort this out and get them to stay here. For now. I'll be back in a moment."

Auger steps back towards the tent entrance and, trying to stay back so they cannot be seen by passersby, informs the Azhvuv that they believe Benita is in the Chief's tent and then asks for ideas on how they can help get in there.

Py messages to Auger, ‘I’m checking the rooms. In the first one, there are some flattened haybales for sleeping upon. Two women are huddled here. Oh, they’re crying and holding each other. I can’t really see their faces. Wait. No, that doesn’t look like Benita. Neither does the other. Okay, going to the next one. <Umff> I had to part the curtains, and someone saw it. She’s sitting up on soft skins and a few clothing items are hanging up. She has a long dark pony-tail. No...not Benita either. I’m leaving. I think I scared her.’ And so on. It takes five minutes to do a quick sweep of all the private spaces, and of the large, shared boudoir. Py can’t see every face, for some women wear veils. The tiny creature does not find Benita.

As Auger draws near the corner to the entry passage, he hears voices coming from outside the tent. It sounds like the two Azhvuv in female orc guard disguise, Sakinatadla and Tagwerramt, are trying to discourage a visitor from entering.

Does Auger continue around the corner?

Auger does not turn the corner and instead focuses on listening to what is going on. If any are looking at Auger from the inside then they see Auger gesturing them to be quiet.

Auger, peeking subtly around the corner and listening, gains the impression that there is a group of orc men at the door who wish to come in. He retreats back to the common area. 

The slab-shaped woman, in answer to his apparent concern, says, ”After eat, visit time. See babies & wives. No, only one way in or out of harem. Always guarded. Every night I tell them wait, babies still nurse,” and walking like a slab, with stiff hips, she shuffles past Auger to the entry to begin what sounds like cussing in orcish at the orc men there.

“That buys us some time. We can cut through these walls of dried skins,” says Granophyre, his basso quiet and intense. “Let us find a back wall and make our own door.”

Auger agrees with Granophyre and immediately asks Py if he can see of a good wall for their needs in the areas he has been going through. Meanwhile he starts heading that way, looking to aid Py in his search.

If any of the harem look to Auger, asking for anything pertaining to an escape, he directs them to speak with Varielky.

Auger enters the living quarters, and disturbs several undressed or half-dressed women in their rooms, most of which seem to be sleeping quarters for five or six. Some are better appointed than others, though the gradation is the difference between sleeping on straw vs sleeping on straw with a sheepskin over it. He does not find Benita. With Py’s help, he determines that there is a restroom (a chamber pot room), on the western side of the harem tent, whose far wall contains an opening: a window covered by a curtain. Py finds that just under the window, outside the tent, is a latrine pit, perhaps with a sewer at the bottom. The smell is bad, and the area is clear of orcs. The next tent to the west, perhaps 30’ away, is the chief’s tent, similarly in construction to the harem. In other words, one could follow Granophyre’s advice and cut one’s way into the chief’s tent, presumably. There are some boulders between the tents, and it wouldn’t be hard to slink from one to the next and avoid being seen from the plaza, says Py.

The slab-shaped woman returns a minute later, and whispers, “I got em countin to hunnert. Tha shoul take the half-wits a while. Five minit mebbe.” The women are looking down at their plates, or with stoic eyes and set jaws, looking at Varielky. The head woman continues, “They no come witchu. They life before on Steppes or in Kalahata not good. Here no bad, if ha baby or reglar visiter.” 

The young woman carrying her infant who spoke up before seems to be the only exception. Hearing Auger’s bidding before he moved into the boudoir area, she approaches Varielky and takes her hand in her own, kissing the shield-maiden’s knuckle. “Please, m'lady. I can’t stay here longer. They take the babies when they get older. I couldn’t stand it. Please! I won’t slow you down, and Sura,” she says, indicating her baby, “Sura is a good boy. He will be quiet.”

This is more hope than reality, for the baby is fussing at that moment. As Varielky ponders this, Auger returns from exploring the tent and shares his findings with the others. (Here is a complete map of the harem showing the window). 

Auger also takes in the situation between the young mother and Varielky.

Auger

While Auger is cutting a hole into the next tent, Ednyss quickly sits down cross-legged next to the warlock and reaches into his pack. From it, he pulls a set of marked sticks that he had collected earlier in his travels and starts to lay them out on the ground in the symbol of a shield. Although Ednyss doesn't get a chance to set the ritual up properly, he can infuse a little extra divine magic into the symbol, he might still be able to get the results he desires. Once the symbol is in place, Ednyss reaches out to Takal Demesh and mentally asks, "Will taking this woman and her child with us, severely hamper our abilities to escape with Benita?"

Ednyss watches the sticks patiently for a response from his diety.

(OOC: Unfortunately, there isn't enough time for Ednyss to ritual cast the spell, so he will have to expend a level 2 spell slot to cast the spell in one minute (instead of 11))

Varielky thinks about the matter just a little, but she had already made her decision. Now, the women must make theirs. "As much as I hate it, the plan is not to power our way through all the Orcs, but to sneak out of this place. This means that four of us have a better chance of rescuing you than ten of us. This also means that we must be quiet and quick. If you're too slow, or if your baby cries, the Orcs will deliver your punishment. Success is not guaranteed, yet I can guarantee you that I'd do anything I can for even the smallest chance to get my freedom if I were in your position. Oh, and one more thing. Getting out of here isn't the end. You'll still have to find another place to live in. I can escort you to Kalahata, but no farther than that. Also... our way wasn't exactly pleasant thus far. We might encounter some trouble on the way. If despite all that you still want your freedom, and against all chances wish to get it, raise your hand." Varielky looks around, trying to assess how many women want to escape with them and their conditions. How many are pregnant? How many must carry a crying baby? Could she take everyone with her, or should she try to split and make the journey multiple times to reduce the chance of everyone getting spotted. Assuming at least one woman raises her hand, Varielky turns to the others. "I think we should split. One or two of us, or the Azhvuv, should escort the women out of this place, while the others find and rescue Benita."

Auger takes in the situation with the young mother, the baby and Varielky and cannot agree with Varielky's idea about splitting the team. "Varielky, I do not think we should split the team until we know more about what we need to do to free Benita."

Seeing Varielky's determination to free the baby and her mother, Auger, a father himself, takes steps that might help the baby become quiet. In the kitchen area he looks for a suitable implement, perhaps a wooden spoon or some other wooden and not sharp implement and then proceeds to place the spoon in some broth and an herb mixture. While doing that he says to the young mother, "Our path is not easy and will be all the harder as this baby's father might now pursue us as well. Friends of ours have been killed while traveling with us. You are safe and taken care of here. If this child was one of mine I would reconsider." (Persuasion, if needed: 14). Auger then grabs the spoon out of the broth and hands it to the mother. "If you are determined to come then please be determined to keep your baby quiet or this will end poorly for everyone." Addressing the other women, Auger says, "For the sake of what freedom can mean for your friend here and her child. Say nothing. We were never here." (Persuasion, if needed: 20).

If the young woman persists Auger instructs, "We must go. Now. Grab the things you and your baby need."

Py, can you tell the Azhvuv out front that we are moving to the Chief's tent? I think we will want 2 of them to stay here and continue acting as guards. But if the other 2 can come with us that would be best.

Py invisibly proceeds to the front of the tent and communicates with the Azhvuv as best he can.

Auger then moves back to the chamber pot room, looks at what Ednyss is up to, and while attempting to not disturb him, quietly cuts the side of the tent. He tries to find a way to do so such that the opening will close itself if un-disturbed.

Ednyss lays out his divining sticks and calls upon Takal Demesh for an augury of things to come. 

The sticks seem to dissolve into streams of ashen smoke, but resolve again a foot above the ground, at eye level for Ednyss as he sits on the floor. The smoke takes the shape of a dwarven fighter hefting a battle axe, facing an orc holding swords in each hand. Surrounding the two appear a dozen children, evenly spaced. Some of the children stand up, and walk behind the dwarf, until only two are on the same side as the orc, while ten stand behind the dwarf. Then, the dwarf attacks the orc, who blocks the blow with crossed blades, ripostes, and stabs the dwarf through his belly. A moment later, the two separate and face off again. This time, the children near the dwarf stand and move behind the orc, so that only two children remain behind the dwarf. The dwarf attacks again, and this time drives his axe deeply into the orc’s shoulder, destroying him. The figures then disappear into smoke again, which retreats back to Ednyss’ divining sticks.

The assembled women listen carefully to Varielky (who we’ll say spoke before my post above). The young woman carrying her infant is the only one to stand. She approaches Varielky and (as I posted above) takes her hand in her own, kissing the shield-maiden’s knuckle. “Please, m'lady. I can’t stay here longer. They take the babies when they get older. I couldn’t stand it. Please! I won’t slow you down, and Sura,” she says, indicating her baby, “Sura is a good boy. He will be quiet.”

Auger then speaks to all in the room, and the warlock can see that his message has sunk in. As he gives the infant, Sura, an herb-rubbed wooden spoon, which the baby quietly chews upon, becalmed, the headwoman answers Auger for the rest of them. “Yah ‘kay. We be quiet an I tell Sura’s father that he an Tamazaert,” glancing at the young mother who wishes to escape with you, then to all the women, “They sick. No can see.” Auger and Varielky see the women around them nod in understanding.

The headwoman then glares at Tamazaert, and moans in Shian, “You too stupid,” but something tells you that the slab-shaped woman’s meaning is different from her words. She grips Tamazaert’s arm forcefully, her lip quivering, then turns to Varielky and hisses “HURRY!,” before slowly moving toward the entrance, rocking sideways with each stiff step. One of the other women has meanwhile wrapped some food in a sack and filled a water pouch, both of which she hands to Tamazaert, who nods modestly in thanks, kisses her benefactor quickly on the cheek, shrugs the bag over a shoulder, and, with her baby in a sling over the opposite shoulder, looks to Varielky. “I am ready.”

Py flits away, and in a minute, messages to Auger, ‘I told Sakinatadla (one of the Azhvuv at the entrance), what you wanted. She whispered back, ‘find Izilmeddur.’ There are perhaps ten orcs at the entrance here, and a few more coming this way across the plaza, I think.’

Auger begins to cut through the tent with his dagger, but he does not possess the strength or the right tool to do it gracefully. The dagger tears through the fabric loudly from the window’s base downward to the ground, and Auger falls part-way through the opening he made. He is immediately physically pulled outside by a cold hand. Now outside the tent, Auger finds Izilmeddur holding his wrist firmly, and lowering the blade she had brought up to his throat. “I thought it might be you,” she says, and lets go of him as Py arrives. You hear laughter and flatulent noises coming from the mouths of the orcs at the harem entrance. Apparently, they think the sound of the tent being torn by the dagger was an entirely different kind of noise originating from the chamber pot room.

There is now a hole in the tent, large enough to duck through, and in a few moments, Ednyss, Varielky, Granophyre, Tamazaert with her baby, and the Azhvuv Lunja, cautiously and quietly join Auger and Izilmeddur just north of the opening outside the harem tent. You hear the headwoman bark an ‘okay,’ to the harem guards, and you hear the group of orc men begin to enter.

From where you are, the chief’s tent is some 30’ to the west, and, as Py indicated before, the chief’s tent is similar in construction to the harem, and there are indeed some boulders between the tents, allowing a stealthy approach, perhaps hidden from view to anyone in the plaza.

Granophyre says to Tamazaert, “Do not be afraid,” and shows her a bracelet. She looks at him uncomprehendingly as he places it on her wrist. “Stay with me,” his basso whispers, then clicks a tiny button on the bracelet and, as the girl and everything she is carrying disappears from view, you hear her gasp quietly. Granophyre nods to you all.

Izilmeddur and Lunja look to you for a plan.

Auger stands and dusts himself off. Quietly he whispers, "I'll send Py to scout the area, perhaps the tent has a window such as this one he can squeeze through to go inside and scout around for Benita. Meanwhile we can make our way over." Looking at Izilmeddur and Lunja, Auger says, "I think you two should lead the way towards the next tent and help us know if the way is clear for us to continue."

Py flies off as instructed, again invisible, sending as it goes, Strange, when did they put you in charge? 

Auger wonders at that himself. He could not say how years of carpentry experience had made him the right person to tell undying Azhvuv and his companions how to go about their business, but here he was. Looking in the direction of where Tamazaert was last seen Auger presses a single finger to his own lips, hoping for quiet and then he follows after the Azhvuv, if they go and then signal it is clear.

Ednyss quickly scoops up his sticks and tosses them back in his pack as he stands up. He gives a nervous look to Auger and Varielky as his eyes wander to where the now invisible Tamazaert was last seen. Auger's presence is undeniable though, and as he takes charge Ednyss is more than happy to let someone else lead the stealth mission as he is already a little uncomfortable being quiet. Waiting patiently with Auger, Varielky, and Granophyre for a signal from the Azhvuv, Ednyss mutters a quick prayer to Takal Demesh to hopefully offset some of the loudness that his armor naturally has. He also creates an aura of divine protection for Granophyre and whispers, "If we do get into a fight, and you are struck, this might help divert the attack." With that, the dwarf readies himself to sneak across if the Azhvuv signal an all clear.

Py flits across to the chief’s tent and messages to Auger, ‘There is a flap over a window here, just like in the harem tent. Oh it’s being opened, by an orc who is emptying a chamber pot, now is my chance. I’m flying past. I am in, he did not notice me! He left through a heavy curtain. I am waiting a moment. I am leaving the chamber pot room, crawling under…’

Py is suddenly silent and Auger knows something terrible must have happened to the fey alyasub. 

Izilmeddur and Lunja listen to Auger’s plan, then glance at each other and almost imperceptibly nod. The pair cross over to the chief’s tent, stealthily, their attention on the plaza. They make it across, like shadows in the night. Izilmeddur waves you forward, but, as you’re about to advance, suddenly holds up a fist. You stop, just as a group of orcs, led by one of the Hands, crosses the plaza to the south, from east to west, the Hand looking in your direction.  He stops for a moment peering into the darkness. Then he frowns, and, picking up his conversation with one of the orcs, continues onward. 

Ednyss feels Takal Demesh’s presence move through him to surround Granophyre with protection. He himself, Ednyss, feels his call for guidance answered, and he steps in time with the passing orcs, so that any sound he might make is covered by the sound of their motion. Granophyre follows suit, holding Tamazaert’s hand -- or at least you assume so, based on the way his hand extends away from him and the fingertips disappear. Sura, her infant, remains silent. Varielky and Auger are likewise able to make it across without incident, after which Sakinatadla and Tagwerramt join the party. The newest arrivals exchange glances with Izilmeddur, who whispers to you, ‘They could keep up their disguises no longer.’ You note that all four Azhvuv now have reverted to their “normal” appearances. Then, you hear something coming from inside the huge chief’s tent, but at a distance: music. A huge drum, and some kind of droning horn. Rough voices in a rhythmic, muscular, dance rhythm.

You are now oriented like this, your backs to the tent to avoid being seen.

Listening through the tent walls, no one hears sounds immediately on the other side. The Azhvuv unsheath long, sharp blades, looking to you three, their tacit question, 'cut through the wall'?

Auger attempts to summon Py to his place in the Sea of Stars. (OOC: From here I am assuming it does not work). Py's place. His home? It feels... empty. Auger reaches through the Sea of Stars. Sensing about without eyes. Reaching in without arms. Nothing. Auger again tries to summon Py. And then again. And then again. Py?

Whispering but no longer with the tone of leadership he had been presenting, Auger says, "I think something happened to Py." Auger again attempts to summon Py. Py!

Distantly hearing the music Auger realizes this was as good a time as any to try to get in. Suddenly sweating, Auger again attempts to summon Py. Distantly he looks to the others, perhaps they have an idea if they want to proceed. Auger again attempts to summon Py. "Something... definitely happened to Py," he says quietly.

Ruin, Auger thinks. Py! Looking at the Azhvuv, Auger forgets why they are staring at him and then he remembers but does not care.

Ruin. Wiping sweat from his brow, Auger attempts to send to the Dowager, Py! Đại phu nhân Tôi đã mất anh ấy!

Ruin. Perhaps Py is lost, he thinks. Auger reaches into the Sea of Stars and sends to other places. Py! Py! Py! Py!

Proceed. Move on. Carry on. Help these people on their journey. That was the Dowager's instruction and so here he is. Ruined. Auger looks at the Azhvuv and nods.