The Grayhaven City Gates

Grayhaven is the largest city you've ever seen, just judging by the amount of traffic passing in and out of the massive gates. There's even activity in the sky, as a flight of three hippogriffs soar past overhead. The huge barred doors are swung wide open to merchants and travelers of all types, who pass through the massive walls after careful review by the watchful city guard.

Dugal guides the caravan into a wide dirt lot off to the side of the gates, where a dozen other wagons are already being unloaded. Immediately the tumult of activity begins, voices coming from all directions. The merchants of the caravan hop down and are pressed upon by prospective porters eager to be hired to take their wares in through the gates while city officials press through the crowds to evaluate the goods and assess the appropriate tariffs. Some of the goods are destined to be sold in the Market Square, others are earmarked for delivery to parties in the city who ordered them, while still others are directed to ships bound for other ports.

As each wagon is unloaded, Gavath leads the team off to one side, into an area that Dugal has paid to be set aside for his caravan. Then the half-orc unhitches the horses and leads them off to a nearby paddock where he pays to have them guarded while rest and graze for the days that it will take for Dugal to find merchants bound for Mara. Each driver sweeps out their wagon, then gets in line at the gates, waiting for entry into the big city. Flint's job is easy enough, as Findal was a tidy passenger and there's little mess to clean. So Flint offers to help clean Belany's wagon further before he joins the line at the gates.

As the merchants finish their negotiations, they return briefly to say their goodbyes and to pay Dugal the rest of his fees.

Belany's lips twitch in an almost-smile as she thanks the party for rescuing her wares. She also thanks Flint for his help with her wagon, and then offers money to Findal again for the cleaning his magic provided. "No, no, no - I wouldn't dream of it!"

Swelvie blows a kiss in Turighe's direction. "Maybe I'll see you again sometime..." Turighe blushes and bows low: "It would be my pleasure." Princess frowns at the redheaded merchant's back as she sashays into the line at the gates. A wealthy noble delegation approaches with much pomp, carrying a palanquin escorted by heavily-armed guards. They stop, and the person within the palanquin address kar'Javon. The dwarf bows low and climbs into the palanquin without a word. Tesko alone has not hired any porters, and before too long, an armed cadre of heavily-armored warriors bearing crossbows arrive, escorting a team of black-clad porters. Tesko gestures, the porters heft his sealed crates, and they depart, surrounded by the warriors looking in all directions, clearly wary of attack by the Five Guys or their agents.

Findal pays the dwarven caravan master his fee and looks up at the city walls. "Exciting, isn't it?" he crows in his piping voice. Dugal turns to the party and hands 25 golden suns to each of you: Adran, Bramlin, Elowin, Gunter, Morik, and Princess. But as Princess leaves to talk with Turighe and Gunter bids his farewells, Dugal addresses the gnome: "You've been a good traveling companion, and I hope that you're happy with the services I've provided." Showing an awareness of your agreement to escort Findal, he's clearly speaking so that the four of you can also hear: "So I feel it's fair to give you a warning. As I was settling accounts with the officials, I heard some of the guards say that they're looking for gnome wizards, to take them in for questioning. I don't know why, but they've got the magecatchers out." He smiles then, the rare expression creasing his face in unaccustomed ways. "I know you can't have done anything wrong, but you might want to avoid any misunderstandings..."

Findal nods and grips Dugal's arm in gratitude too deep for words. Dugal nods. Then he looks each of you in the eye in turn and adds: "I can try to give you a few minutes more by keeping the officials busy for a bit longer. Good luck!" The dwarf hurries off and starts to loudly complain to the customs agents and his guards about how high the tariffs have become.

Findal turns to you, his protectors. "This sounds like it will be more work than I thought. If they're looking for me, that may mean that someone has learned about the artifact and Tykus' research. It'll be best to avoid attention until we can enter the city, meet Tykus, and figure out what's happened."

There is a big line of people waiting to get in, but the guards seem to be letting people through with only cursory questions. As you watch, Gunter is let through the checkpoint and enters the city. Princess, who never accepted Findal's offer of employment either, is busy flirting with Turighe (and has made noises that she might sign up to guard the caravan on the return journey).

How do you want to get Findal into Grayhaven?

As you wish!

The guard puffs up a little at Elowin's smile, and her calling him "mister" like he's somebody important. "Oh! Well, I, uh...we don't have a guild for all merchants, but there are many guilds with halls near the Merchant Square. What sort of work do you do...?" The other guards laugh at him. "Hey, Lugo, why don't you leave that poor girl and her little sister alone? She doesn't want to talk to you! Ha-ha-ha!" Lugo flushes and mutters "Welcome to Grayhaven!" before hurriedly turning away. "WHAT? She asked me a question!" "Yeah yeah, and you always need to answer the questions of pretty girls...!"

The party makes their way past the guards with no further inspection as they continue to rib Lugo while processing the next group entering the city. Everyone is relieved, although both Adran and Findal are also a little offended: "Sister! Little sister?! What did they mean by that?" Then they see each other and laugh with relief and embarrassment. "You thought they meant you??"

There is a lot of foot traffic in the small plaza here. Cheap taverns and stalls set up to sell all kinds of stuff to new arrivals fill your vision, and hand-carts and horse-drawn wagons trundle past in multiple directions, carrying goods, people, or waste. The smell of the sea is vaguely discernible under the heady aroma of many foods, spices, perfumes, smoke, many bodies, petrichor, and grime. Hawkers shriek advertisements for various wares and services. A main avenue leads further into the city, while side streets open off of the plaza in half a dozen directions. Dogs trot past, darting between people's legs, sniffing for offal or other edible scraps. Morik and Elowin notice that there are various icons in evidence, both around people's necks and in little shrines festooned with flowers and ribbons. Though most people carry
small knives or daggers for everyday use, Bramlin notes that there are only a few other warriors in the crowd: mostly bodyguards, the guards with their spears, but also a couple of bravos with rapiers at their hips. Pigeons and gulls vie for the skies above the rooftops, while far above the flight of hippogriffs drifts in lazy circles.

Elysia and Eozindra arrive in the plaza from Tanner Street just as the party stops to take their bearings. What brings them to the plaza?

Looking around, there is no sign of Gunter. But the party of five - Findal, Adran, Bramlin, Elowin, and Morik - and the pair - Eozindra and Elysia - all spot each other at the same time. Those that know each other recognize them immediately, both from distinctive appearance and distinguishing music signature.

Pleasantly surprised to see familiar, friendly faces from Mara here in Grayhaven, the half-elves meet the rest of the party in the plaza.

But then there is a shriek of pain and a shout of alarm as a pair of horses pulling a carriage go wild. The driver is thrown from the buckboard and the carriage careens out of control down the road, straight at you.

Each PC must make a DEX saving throw, DC10, as the crazed horses plow through the crowd and people race to fling themselves out of the way.

The driver of the carriage is barely hanging on to the side as the horses tear forward, panicked and out of control. Many people are screaming and throwing themselves out of the way, but you think you also hear a cry from inside the carriage as it bears down on you. Adran manages to leap to one side, but most of the others leap in the other direction...not far enough to get out of the way of the horses, who clip them as they gallop past. Those who failed the DC10 DEX save take 3 bludgeoning damage and will roll their attempt to get on the carriage (if they choose to) with DISADV.

As the carriage thunders past, you can see that if it isn't halted, it will trample others and crash soon thereafter, either into a stall or a building.
Any character who wishes to can attempt a DC10 STR Athletics check to grab the carriage as it passes and climb aboard.

As Adran and any other PCs leap, grab onto the carriage, and climb up, the carriage jounces and the driver falls away.

Anyone on the carriage who wishes to take control of the team should attempt a WIS Animal Handling check with DISADV to take the reins and steer the team to a stop before it runs over anyone else or crashes.

ROUND ONESomething panics the horses, and they begin their frantic charge, careening the fancy carriage they are drawing through the crowds just inside the eastern gates of Grayhaven. The driver, caught by surprise, is flung backwards when the team leaps forward, and barely manages to catch himself on the side. Someone inside the carriage yells with alarm. Findal, Eozindra, Elysia, Morik, and Bramlin each get battered by hooves as they leap clear, but Adran and Elowin clear out of the way with no damage. In the split-second after the horses pass, several party members heroically leap to grab onto the carriage. Adran manages to catch the carriage and hauls himself aboard; Bramlin tries to grab the carriage as well. His outstretched hand hooks onto some elaborate scrollwork and he is yanked off of his feet, too. Adran and Bramlin get themselves secure, then turn to help the driver, but the jounce as the carriage strikes another pedestrian dislodges the man, leaving the artificer and fighter alone on the buckboard, trying to take control of the team before it crashes. The crystal-clear voice of the albino half-elf Eozindra rings out with encouragement for Adran - "You can stop this!" - granting the artificer bardic inspiration.

BEGINNING OF ROUND TWO

Adran draws upon his own magic (casting Guidance) and Eozindra's music to aid him as he grabs the reins and attempts to gain control of the team, but an astonishingly bad roll means that the reins are yanked back out of his hands. The frantic horses are bucking and leaping so much that the tongue of the harness threatens to snap. The edge of the carriage clips a seafood vendor's stall, smashing the wooden frame and sending various shellfish spilling out onto the street as several buckets are upended. Bramlin is going to make a grab for the reins, too. What are the rest of you doing?

ROUND TWO COMPLETED

Bramlin reaches for the reins as Adran drops them, but the horses do not mind his command!Eozindra sprints after the carriage and sings to inspire Bramlin, too. Morik jumps in the air as a dwarf and lands as a horse, galloping after the crazed team. As an unladen equine, he is able to catch up to the horses hitched to the vehicle, but his first attempt to model calmness to them is unsuccessful.

ROUND THREE BEGINS
The person inside the carriage yells again: "WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" The whinnying, out of control horses knock one of the bravos to the ground, and he lays where he fell, out cold. Adran gets his hands on the reins to assist Bramlin, the two of them pulling together to try to get the horses to stop or at least steer away from the wall.What do you each do?

OK, I've updated the round two description to include Eozindra's sprint and Morik's transformation and first attempt to calm the horses.

Adran is on the runaway carriage, using his action on round 3 to help Bramlin.
Bramlin is on the runaway carriage, and hasn't declared an action for round 3 yet.
Elowin is in the plaza with Findal and Elysia. She hasn't declared an action for round 2 or 3 yet.
Elysia is in the plaza with Findal and Elowin. She hasn't declared an action for round 2 or 3 yet.
Eozindra has just caught up to the runaway carriage, sprinting. She hasn't declared an action for round 3 yet.
Morik is galloping next to the team of horses in horse form himself. He hasn't declared an action for round 3 yet.

Declare your actions for rounds 2 and 3 if you haven't already. At the end of round 3, the carriage will crash as the horses run full tilt into the wall if not prevented.

Having little skill in slowing the carriage, Eozindra reaches for the flute she had been playing so happily earlier. She continues running after the carriage and breathes a sharp, high, yet clear tone on the instrument. "Look out! she calls to anyone who may not have realized the charging chaos. She repeats the tone and alternates another note, creating a pulsing alarm in aims of alerting as many individuals as possible. "Out of the way!" The alarm song continues between shouts.

Eozindra's piping galvanizes the people in the plaza into further movement, and the crowd parts in front of the charging horses. Elysia calls to the passenger in the carriage, whose wild eyes stare out at her in alarm. Where once there was a dwarf, Morik is now a horse, cantering next to the horses, trying to exude a sense of calm and purpose to the panicked animals. On the buckboard, Adran and Bramlin together grab the reins and haul on them, leaning almost horizontally backwards. The bridles of the horses pull their heads back and they rear. As their hooves touch the cobblestones again, the momentum of the massive carriage pushes them a few steps further. But as the elegantly-dressed dwarf in the carriage pops open the door and prepares to leap trustingly into Elysia's arms, the vehicle finally comes to a stop less than a pace from the front door of a shop with the picture of a gleaming ball on a shingle hanging over it (in small letters below the picture it reads "Briny's Best Baubles" for those tourists who can read).

Bram and Adran jump down from the buckboard, and after thanking Argus, Adran joins the shape-shifting Morik to examine the horse as the driver arrives. Between the two of them, they pull something out of the horse's flank and then heal the horse's wound. Adran palms the bolt, figuring that it's something he can examine at his leisure later, with some privacy. Elowin accepts Argus' invitation and ushers Findal into the carriage. Bram accepts the thanks of the fancy dwarf, and hops into the carriage also. The interior is lushly apportioned, with artistically carved scrollwork around the windows, cushions built into the seats, a miniature table attached to the floor, and several other decorations or features whose purpose is unclear. It's clearly a carriage meant to be hired by wealthy people. Findal sinks into one of the seats with a sigh. "This is quite an improvement over the wagon!" he beams, then claps a hand over his mouth, realizing that his piping little voice might give away that there is a gnome here.

Still outside, Morik helps the driver (who completely missed the druid's transformation into a horse and back again) finish harnessing the team - something Morik had much practice at during the caravan's journey, the many times he assisted Gavath - as Eozindra bends down and stands up again looking plainer, or at least somehow less striking. Adran has a momentary thought that the two half-elves, Elysia and Eozindra, suddenly look like two sides of the same coin, one dark-haired and mysterious, the other platinum-haired and ebullient. That impression passes after a moment like the sun passing behind a cloud. The driver is leading the horses around in a wheeling circle, repositioning the carriage so that it can proceed down the streets again. The Duke's guards are almost upon the group. It is not clear whether they heard the gnome or are just coming to see that everyone is unharmed after that dangerous near-crash.

The Ducal guards arrive and address the group, scanning for the person responsible. "You the driver?"
The man nods unhappily and points to Argus. "He hired my carriage..."
"I didn't ask you who hired the wagon, now did I?" the guard snaps. "What got into you that you drove so recklessly?"
The driver stammers: "I...Something spooked them, and they just went wild..." He looks at the team, which by now is totally calm and looking placid again. The guards seems focused entirely on the driver, and have not bothered looking at anyone in the carriage. They address Argus: "Sorry to bother you, kar.(*) Are you and your guests quite all right? Or shall we have to make an example of this incompetent?"
Argus frowns and considers the question. The driver wilts under his glare. "...no..." the dwarven scholar eventually replies, "These things happen, you know. He regained control very quickly. No harm done here." He gestures with a broad sweep of his arm. "But don't let us keep you from tending to anyone who was inconvenienced by his driving. Here's a little something that might help to...ease their distress." Argus smoothly pulls a few orbs from his vest and hands them to the guard, who is both distracted by the money and bemused at the odd denominations. The guards walk away, mollified. Argus claps the driver on the back. "Never fear - you are doing fine." And he smiles at Elysia. "I appreciate that you were here in case that didn't work." He climbs into the carriage and then replies to Eozindra's comment: "I always feel that, if one needs to travel, one might as well do it in style!"

Once everyone is aboard and settled comfortably, he takes a device from his pocket and raps on the ceiling with it. "Let's continue!" Argus calls, and the driver gets the team going again.

Argus seems genuinely confused, though his eyes do stray to the elaborate wooden box he carries. It's a bit smaller than the one that Adran (?) is carrying (which Zik was using as a chair), and does not have the Duke's crest carved in it. Argus' box is about the size of a cigar box or pencil box (8" x 5" x 2"). You don't think he's lying so much as the box may be the only thing he can think of that people might want badly enough to steal. Murder, though? He's baffled.