Mord, Sunna, Holly, and Ragnar were ready to go too.  They merely had to set their plan of distraction into action, and give the pair of guards the slip.

When the party was gathered at the back door, Mord concentrated on his inner strength.  Peeking around the corner opposite direction of where they sought to go, Mord gathered the memory of the fire at the Triplefang camp, the yelling and concern at the fire, and pushed that memory towards the far direction, using his magic to inflate the memory into a bubble of sound  that seemed to rise into worried voices calling out, gradually increasing in proximity and urgency/volume.

When he was confidently assured that it had anchored per his intention, Mord concentrated on a the force of light and fire, creating the flickering reds and oranges of firelight, reflected from smoke.  In a confined underground location, fire was just as much danger as at sea, but the smoke even more dangerous - part of the reason why Mord liked open air and broad expanses, but that was another tale for another day.

He then trotted over to rejoin the others, keeping his concentration on the latter magic, and mentally moving it slightly back and forth to seem to be a fire undulating, and even slightly nearing... but still blocks away, and needing some effort to investigate.

---

OOC:
Subject to plans of the rest of the party:
Cast Ghost Sound cantrip of dwarven voices upset/yelling
Then cast/concentrate on Silent Image of fire/smoke in the distance, in direction of the voices
Then we scamper away the other direction, assuming the guards go there

There being no real back door to the inn, our heroes find a large window in the common room far from prying eyes as they can manage and climb out it one by one, Mord last.  Once outside Mord makes his way to the corner closest to where the guards are.  He conjures up his magic to the best of his abilities.  It's hard to get the sounds and images in the same vague area, one spell seeming not to want to go far enough away.  Further more Mord has to use heavily dwarven accented Clantounge for the voices.  Luckily, this is not unusual in Humantown.

The big warrior is frustrated by the numerous flaws he notices in the illusions.  Magic is hard!  Maybe Rakanishu or Adiel can give him some tips.  Either way, the ruse will have to do.  Mord reminds himself that any magic is near a miracle.  Surely it'll do the trick, flaws and all.  Mord waves Sunna, Holly, and Ragnar to get moving and soon the party is off to The Flats to meet Dunmeal.  Mord tries to maintain the illusions as best as he can while walking away from the inn all inconspicuous-like.  Even walking and concentrating on spells is tough.  Why can't magic be more like chopping with an axe?

Sirrot leads Adiel and Ros through the back alleys and pathways of Humantown and The Flats to near the rendezvous point.  Here two tall stone buildings pinch the ally together to nearly a full choke point, but there's enough space to see out onto the crossing street.  Sirrot leads you up a stairway to a balcony with a short stone lip wall.  Adiel and Sirrot sit hidden with their backs to the short wall while Ros peers over.  She's got a pretty good view of the meeting spot.

"Do you see this Dunmeal fellow yet?" asks Adiel.

"No.  My sister and the others aren't there yet either.  Stay down.  I'll tell you when I see something of note."

Some time passes.  Sirrot is so tired of waiting.  It feels like all he's done lately is hide and wait.  At least you're finally out of that little house, even if it's just for more hiding and waiting.

"I see a donkey taking a poo,"  Ros reports quietly.  "Oh wait, it has horns.  Maybe it's a goat.  A donkey-goat is taking a poo in the street."

A little while later she has real news.

"There's Sis."

Adiel turns slightly to peek up and look but Ros uses one hand each to hold Adiel's and Sirrot's heads down.

"No peeking, you dangerous fugitives," she teases.  "Let the innocent girl do the looking.  No Dunmeal yet."

"But I..." Adiel starts, but quickly relents.

When Holly, Mord, Sunna, and Ragnar reach the entrance of the alley near Dunmeal's cellar the animal trainer is already there in his odd hat and vest, holding a square sided leather satchel.

"Shucks Howdy!  If it ain't the Heroes of the West come to rescue a damsel and save the day.  You picked yourselves one finely clandestined spot you did.  But a might creepifying.  A dwarf is bound to meet the wrong end of a knife in these parts," says Oscaromius.

You look around for Dunmeal or any suspiciously cloaked types, but it looks like he's not about.  Were you supposed to meet him in the cellar proper?

Sirrot whispers to Ros "my ears are picking up panic not too far from here. Something has folks in an uproar, and it isn't me for a change."

“They would have to get passed Mord first, which wouldn’t be easy. Thanks for joining us this morning. Shall we pay a visit to our partner?” Holly says, glad that one part of the plan was here. Now all they needed was a lot of luck and the arrival of the others.

Mord nodded towards Holly, and grunted in agreement to Oscaromius' comment.  "The first time, I nearly brained our friend, thinking him up to exactly that.  Hold here a second, in case there is trouble, then come on in."

Mord's frame moved to enter the cellar, keeping an eye, ear, and other senses open for trouble.  "Rak, is there any way to use magics to see ahead into rooms, or see in darkness?  I think I could use what you've shown me to make some lights, but that calls attention in ways that the group doesn't necessarily desire, and everyone knows Mord the Mighty is a most considerate fellow when he can be, and the others deserve such graciousness."

All is quiet in the alleyway near the cellar entrance until Mord opens up his strange wooden friend.  It starts yammering a steady stream of nonsense at him and flailing is stubby limbs in a disturbing, but not violent manner.  Not exactly considerate or gracious.

"Mord's leaving," Ros reports quietly.

"Which way did he go?  This way?"  Sirrot asks, pointing in the direction he heard, and is still hearing a ruckus.

Ros shakes her head.   "Over this way.  Into the opposite alley.  I can't see him anymore.  Why?"



OOC: I'm hoping Sunna gets back soon and takes control of Ros.

Mord let out a deep roll of laughter at whatever the small creature was saying, then shook head at the small creature before wiping a tear of mirth from one eye.

"Ah, you have a good sense of jest, there, Rak.  I'm going in to check, unless you'd rather do it - I'm sure you're quite capable," the gentleman barbarian added diplomatically, channeling his inner Sunna.  "I had remembered you mentioning about many creatures being able to see in the dark, and thought that might be handy.  If we had to wait in a dark cellar, it seemed a good subject to talk about between us.

"We're looking for the dwarven friend we met here last time."

With Rakanishu tucked under one arm, Mord lifts up the cover to the cellar and descends the stone staircase.  Much as he expected, there's no light.  Rakanishu spews out some harsh sounding nonsense, not at all stealthy or quiet.  Hopefully he's not giving away the element of surprise.

In reply to Fritzholm (msg # 661):

"Why? Because something in that direction is causing a panic among the dwarves. As big as the one I cause by showing my face" the somber dwarf-turned-elf replied.

Mord called back quietly, "Rak says that our friend dwarf hasn't been here for at least a little while.  Give me a moment to check out the place, then we can wait inside here for him."

The barbarian reached deep within, focused on the internal source of power, and from there reached along the sympathetic bond that he had felt since swallowing the seed of power.  This time, however, he mentally imagined himself moving along and through that stream, looking outwards, looking ahead...

Holly tried to relax, but was fidgeting. They couldn’t do the job they had been roped into if the lead dwarf wasn’t near. Holly considered for a moment taking flight and seeing if anything was going on around them. An eagle would likely raise questions, so Holly stayed where she was and waited for Mord to do what he was doing.

Adiel looks from Ros to Sirrot and back.

"I'd better go check it out.  You two keep an eye on the others.  If we lose them it's back to the rented house and who-knows-how-much waiting."

The harper scurries down the stone stairs and off in the direction of the disturbance Sirrot reported.

"Sis' song-friend has given us the pivotal job, no?  Watching my cousins stand around..."  she sighs softly.  "doing absolutely nothing."

Ros turns back to look at Sirrot for a while.

"I guess it beats a mob catching wind of you."

From the cellar to where the Triplefang are waiting for Dumeal is too far for stealthy speech.  A good hearty Mord shout would do the trick, but why cause a scene when the message can be delivered in person shortly.

Mord focuses on seeing in the dark.  It's not going as well as he had hoped.  The large warrior steps forward a bit less boldly than usual in the total darkness and promptly thumps his leg against a rather solid dwarf table.  Such an impact is a pure trifle, but it gets quite a reaction out of the wooden creature.

In reply to Fritzholm (msg # 667):

Sirrot smiles sadly. "True. That would not be good for either of our healthiness."

Mord's grip tightened upon his plant familiar.  An iron grip that never dropped his weapon creaked the wooden creature.  "Yes.  Much mirth.  So much.  Like thinking that you knew what you were suggesting, unless this was jest like Glumr used to do.  Mord is not impressed."

The barbarian carefully returned to the entranceway, poking his head out.  "Nothing in here except tables, I think.  Might as well wait in here."

When Mord climbs out of the cellar to report he sees someone running towards Holly, Sunna, Ragnar, an Oscaronius.  He squints a bit.  Looks human, not dwarf.  Best to go check it out.

Mord and Adiel arrive at roughly the same time.

"Holly!  Sunna!"  he says, a bit winded after what must've been a full sprint.  "Come.  We need healers!  I think I've found Dunmeal."

"Oh.  Here's something.  Looks like Mord is back."

"...and Adiel," Ros adds.  "Something's wrong."

Sinnot is somber. "Something's been wrong since I returned. What else is new?"

“Lead the way cousin. I am full prepared for the day ahead, including healing spells.” Holly said, startled by Mord’s running return.

"Ros...  our formerly dwarven friend, and I were watching over you not far away," Adiel explains, nearly out of breath, as he leads the group urgently between buildings and around the corner.

"Our new friend heard a commotion not far away.  I went.."

Adiel trails off for a moment as what he's talking about comes into sight.

Ahead there are two dwarves standing around and a third kneeling near a body.  The kneeling dwarf looks your way as you approach.  The other two are peering down somberly, avoiding eye contact.  There's a very shallow puddle all around the body.  Is that blood?

"..to check it out, and..."

When you get closer you can see the dwarf's grey cloak is stained dark in several places.  There are a few immediately obvious grievous wounds on the body.  His shoulder and ribs are crushed in on one side, as is his head, which is missing an eye and most of an ear!  His opposite leg is twisted unnaturally under him and off to the side.  There are surely numerous other wounds covered by the battered outer garment.  It smells faintly of forge metal here, but the body does not stink yet.

"Is this Dunmeal?"  Adiel asks.

It is.

Getting over the initial shock of seeing Dunmeal lying there in such a grave situation, you turn your attention to the three bystanders.  They all look rather solemn and alarmed.  None of them have weapons drawn or are taking any sort of threatening position.

One of the standing dwarves says something curt in Dwarvish to the kneeling dwarf.


Then he glances at the humans and Oscaronius and says in Clantongue "Better not to touch him.  Don't get involved."

The other standing dwarf takes this notion to heart.  He slowly turns to leave the area.