Welcome to Gaia! ::

"No, he isn't alone. There is somebody else, smallfolk, upstairs. They were the one passing messages ... towards the garrison ... " you could practically hear the gears turning in her head, "where you guy encountered Arian guards ... which means there is an Arian loyalist upstairs with a mercenary downstairs ... who doesn't want to kill us."

Revenge would indeed help get Valac into the wagon, not saying anything as they did so.

After departing...

"Yeah, I saw them send out the pigeons myself. The way I look at it..." he would start to say, watching the note get passed around, "... is that the longer we are in Gladesdale, the tighter the noose around our necks will become. If we want to force out way out one of the exits, the sooner we try it the more likely we are to succeed. It's something worth considering."

After a bit of discussion, he'd throw in a bit more. "One ace we still have up our sleeves, is that the townsfolk here don't know Aria was the ones who razed this city in the first place. While I'm sure not everyone was a resident before the attack, some must be. We could try to bring this information up to the public's attention." A pause. "Not directly, but probably covertly, through the spreading of rumors. If the residents here are suddenly unwilling to cooperate with any Arians within this city's borders, that'll help us too, either by forcing their hands early, or by forcing them to divert resources for damage control. Or, if we're lucky, by them abandoning their post here."

He would turn to glance at Valac. "Morning. For a barbarian, you sure take a lot of naps."

"Valac the Unwavering! You're awake! You missed Miss Kuori talking about it, but there's a guy who works for Aria but doesn't want to kill us in that house. Oh and someone little who's sending bird messages for Aria. Nothing too bad! Probably! Maybe we could learn even something from them!" Twyla was just beginning to plan out what to do when she heard Revenge's thoughts.

"Razed the city? What?? When did that happen? But it seems fine now... How do you know it was Aria?" She paused and thought. "A rumor like that, even with really good proof, would take a long time to spread through the town--at least a few days. And then how much longer would it take for Aria to be hurt by it? What about helping our statue-guards? And what about us? If we try to force our way out..."

She shook her head. "Didn't you see those Aria guys? They're huge and have scary armor and they're probably the ones at the exits. Who knows if we can force our way past that? Come on, I want to meet with the guy at the inn and see what he knows! He can probably help us!"

"Fourth option we could just kill them..." Valac would state as if it was the obvious option and then realising incredulous eyes were probably on him, "What?!"

"..."

Revenge would look at Valac and study him for a few minutes.

"Possible, but not likely. I think if we simply attack them, then the town guard will help them. We'd have to also fight innocents who don't know what they're doing, beyond their job upholding law and order. I'd hate to think we went through so much effort to get this wand to help some guards, only to kill others instead. Plus," Revenge would pause, shrugging. "I'm not really the killing type."

Abby then spoke. "That's... a good point. If nothing else, than because we don't know how strong their forces in their region currently are. A handful of warriors couldn't, but we don't know for certain who else is here or nearby."

"And, I have no doubt the note is genuine. If they wanted to lure us into a trap, they can just wait until we leave with them willingly, or just jump us all at once. I don't see what they have to gain by using this as a form of subterfuge. My only concern is a draining hourglass, not the sincerity of that note's author."

Looking to the Kuori and Petra, Revenge would speak up. "What are your thoughts?"

Petra would meekly respond. "I...I'm not really sure to do here. My instincts are telling to run. But if someone wants to help us...well...I just don't know. It seems too good to be true. No one has helped us before, but then we met you guys, so perhaps he is someone like you and wants to make things right."

Abby would then chime in. "I think its settled then. Lets head to the Red lion. By the time we get there it will be close to meeting time anyways. We can figure out our plan along the way."

With a snap of her reins Abby would send the wagon moving foward. After several minutes of traveling the Abby guides the wagon back to the main road and it is as busy as usual with merchants trying to hawk their wares to the visiting tourists. The red lion is a large vine covered buildings that is pained at red as its name would suggests. Valac remembers the fine meal he had gotten here almost a week ago. Too bad by this hour the buffet must be coming to its end. Abby ties off her horse and jump into the back of the wagon with everyone else. "So, what is our plan?"

Revenge would watch Valac charge off as soon as the wagon stopped (or was it just before?), rushing to the Red Lion Inn.

"Never get between a barbarian and his... breakfast, I guess, since he just woke up," Revenge would say, shrugging. "He must be thirsty," he'd add.

Gesturing towards Valac's back and looking to Abby, he'd respond with, "That seems to be our plan. I'm not expecting this to be a trap - at least not by our note's author's intent. To be honest, it's as good a plan as any." Climbing down from the wagon, he'd offer a hand up to help Abby down.

As Valac enters Red Lion, he is once again greeted by Thanon, the stout, well-dressed dwarf innkeeper he had met last time he was at the Inn. "Aye, welcome back. Take a seat wherever you like and we'll bring you your order. I'm afraid you missed the buffet, but the stew is still quite good."

As Valac looks about the ground floor of the inn, it looks about the same as he remembered it. There are about 15 people or so sitting at tables being waited on by young women obviously picked for their looks. Several of them look to be half elves; one of them winks at Valac, obviously remembering him from last time. The guests at the tables look to be the same kind of tourists seen wandering the streets outside. Most everyone is rather fancily dressed with the exception of a few locals. A few of the patrons do turn to look at Valac as he enters, but otherwise but otherwise everyone goes about their business as usual. The place seems to be normal with no obvious Arians in the crowd.

As Kuori enters the inn, nothing initially stands out. Several people look at her and Valac, but she knows they are a bit of an oddity to be seen here in this town. However, one set of eyes does seem to linger on them a bit longer then the others, those of a young man sitting in the back at a large table. More than anyone else, he seems to be waiting for someone. After looking over Valac and Kuori though, he lets out a sigh and returns to his meal.



Abby takes her husband's hand with a smile and allows herself to be daintily helped off the wagon. "Thank you, my dear; I suppose you are right. After this, I'll focus on creating a new illusion for myself. Though it will pain me to take a form that I do not recognize as my own, I know you will still love me. Since we don't hear the sound of fighting, I'm guessing its safe to go inside. "

Peta hesitates at the back of the wagon, her face cast downward. "I guess you guys won't be cool with me hanging out in the wagon by myself. I just don't feel comfortable in a crowd in an enclosed space. But I guess I don't have a choice, with the way things are now. U-unless you want me to stay out here and keep watch?" There was a light bit of hopefulness in her voice that her offer would be considered.