<div style="padding: 3px; background-color: #FFFFFF; border: 1px solid #d8d8d8; font-size: 1em;"><div style="text-transform: uppercase; border-bottom: 1px solid #CCCCCC; margin-bottom: 3px; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: bold; display: block;"><span onclick="if (this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display != '') {  this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = ''; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;hide&lt;/a&gt;'; } else { this.parentNode.parentNode.getElementsByTagName('div')[1].getElementsByTagName('div')[0].style.display = 'none'; this.innerHTML = '&lt;b&gt;Spoiler: &lt;/b&gt;&lt;a href=\'#\' onClick=\'return false;\'&gt;show&lt;/a&gt;'; }"><b>Spoiler: </b><a href="#" onclick="return false;">show</a></span></div><div class="quotecontent"><div style="display: none;">To where did October suddenly go?  <img alt="8O" src="./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif" title="Shocked"/> <br/>I apologize, all, for updating so slow.  <img alt="^^;" src="./images/smilies/sweatdrop.gif" title="Sweat drop"/> <br/>When in my last post I said "a week or so,"  <img alt="&gt;.&gt;" src="./images/smilies/shifty.gif" title="Shifty eyes"/> <br/>A Praexon <span style="font-style: italic">'week'</span> is a month, as you know.  <img alt=":wink:" src="./images/smilies/wink.gif" title="Wink"/><br/><br/>Now on with the show!  <img alt=":D" src="./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif" title="Very Happy"/></div></div></div><br/><br/><br/><br/>Sashi descends the stairs to the Inn's main hall on the ground floor.<br/><br/>There, her eyes are drawn first to the table next to the stairs where a huge dome of grey-green scales rises and falls with each slow breath of its owner, a slumbering gatorfolk. From the look of him Sashi can guess that he spent the night reveling and ingesting absurd amounts of food and drink, until he passed out where he was standing. Too heavy to be moved, he was just left there to sleep it off.<br/><br/>Other than the gator and a table of mercenaries (the same ones from last night, including that one grizzled human with the eye-patch), the rest of the tables are all but empty. The room is noticeably quieter than it had been when the PCs left it last night.<br/><br/><br/>Sashi walks to the exit, then backtracks to the bar. There, a cat-eared boy (the same one who had bored Sashi with his pathetic one-sided conversation) is seated across from a porcelain-skinned, scarlet-winged androgyne wearing a garment made of chains and leather straps--one of the Managers of the Inn.<br/><br/>As Sashi approaches, her ears allow her to eavesdrop on their conversation-in-progress:<br/><blockquote><div><cite>overheard conversation wrote:</cite>"...really?" says the male, "Powerful...and like, suave too? Like that white fox with all the tails?"<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"Mm-hm."</span> replies the Erinyes, a smile playing upon hir lips. <span style="font-weight: bold">"<span style="font-style: italic">More</span> suave than him, even. Girls will <span style="font-style: italic">melt</span> at your voice. Like butter.</span><br/><br/>He grins, and his tail swishes back and forth as he ponders this.</div></blockquote><br/><br/><br/>While the neko is busy fantasizing, the Manager turns hir unnerving gaze upon the other customer who has approached: Sashi.<br/><blockquote><div><cite>Sashi wrote:</cite>"Heyo..I'm part of the party staying in that suite up there" she said "can you relay a message to anybody who comes down..that I (Sashi) will be out for a walk, and I won't be far or long?"</div></blockquote><br/>Shi listens to her request, and nods.<span style="font-weight: bold">"Yes."</span><br/><br/><br/><br/>Sashi steps outside into the crisp morning breeze. As before, the air carries from afar a constant din of voices and activity, leaving no room for doubt that this foggy mountain fort is a crowded and busy place. Sashi hears what sounds like cheering from the north, though it might be fearful screaming. Or perhaps it is a mix of both.<br/><br/>Sashi remembers (from the trip to rescue Geno) that the pathway leading north from the inn will take her to a marketplace.<br/><br/><br/><br/>~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~<br/><br/><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Alyssa wrote:</cite>"The Sogluyem 's slaves are prisoners," Alyssa rebukes. "Not property, and certainly not livestock. They have been held against their will, and against the laws of the Pact, by the travesty of justice Armellian law has become. I intend to resolve this situation as quickly as mortally possible, but until that time, I will not hear Orevian citizens referred to as though they were commodities!"</div></blockquote><br/><br/>Soma pauses, chooses her words carefully. "..."<br/>"Yes. Of course. I was merely...After a week mingling with slavers, you pick up some of their ways of speaking..."<br/>"Of course they are prisoners."<br/><br/><br/><br/>Yuki and Soma listen to Alyssa's plan, then to the telepath's doubts. Soma is about to suggest that they gather more information when the elf beats her to the punch:<br/><blockquote><div><cite>Minndrillia wrote:</cite>“You know, it would likely be easier for us to come up with a plan if we had a better idea of the town. The arena, in particular, interests me, since I’ve avoided it until now. Perhaps we should set out now.</div></blockquote><br/>"Good thinking." says Soma brightly. She rises to her feet and moves to retrieve her bag of gear. "I'm ready whenever you are."<br/><br/><br/>Yuki is somewhat skeptical. The strategist in her would be perfectly content to spend the rest of the day here in the suite, sipping suva and piecing together intricate layers of plans and back-up plans.<br/>However, there is also truth in Minndrillia's words: first-hand reconnaissance of the battlefield is invaluable.<br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Minndrillia wrote:</cite>If we need to speak privately, I could make a mindlink for us.”</div></blockquote><br/>"A mind-link cannot be overheard, correct?" asks Yuki. "Perfect. We can plan right under their noses..."<br/>"...but this will be strictly for communication, understand?" the armored tiefling glares at Mindy, deathly-serious. "I<span style="font-style: italic">had better not</span>feel you poking around in my head."<br/><br/><br/><br/>~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~<br/><br/><br/><br/><blockquote><div><cite>Alyssa wrote:</cite>Alyssa wastes no time retrieving her bag from her room while the rest of the party makes their own preparations. On her way back to the foyer, it occurs to her that Jess and Takal have yet to show themselves this morning. She stops at the room of each to inquire as to their status, or to rouse them if necessary.</div></blockquote><br/>"Unngghghhhhhh." is Jess's response to the rousing. She half-opens one eye, looks at Alyssa, then rolls over to face away from the door. And promptly falls back asleep.