The Velvet Rose's familiar calm and comfort was suddenly and irrevocably destroyed as the door opened to hush the room. In the entryway stood a tall, pale Hobgoblin, wearing the blackened armor of a Guard Captain. The survivor of many scraps against those fellow Hobs that tried to challenge his authority, as well as the pitiful fools that though to take a swing at him, Captain Okten bore a severe scar atop his bald crown, leading all the way down to a cloudy eye that had long since lost its ability to see. Despite that, Okten was a shrewd Hob, stepping into the Rose with a glaring red gaze around the room to take everything in at once, from patron to performer and more. Flanking him were six fellow soldiers, these humans decked in the familiar crimson and gold of The Guard, the ever-watching Eye of The Magi emblazoned upon their breastplates.
” Citizens. I beseech your attention,” Okten growled, his voice suffering from an old throat wound. He already had all eyes upon him, but there was a certain satisfaction he derived from asking what he knew was already given.
” His Eminence, Ordinator Absalom, has recently become aware of a seditious element within this establishment,” he explained, walking up towards the bar itself and staring down Rashimi. For her part, the Half-Orc tried to avert her eyes and dip her head, only for Okten to suddenly lash out his hand and grasp her face, forcing her to lock her gaze with his own.
” It appears that your little whorehouse had someone bold enough to criticize the Magi in the open.”
” I-I threw him out last nigh--” Rashimi tried to explain, clearly in pain as Okten's claws dug into her cheeks and cut her off.
” And the Ordinator is most pleased with your loyalty,” the Hobgoblin said with dripping venom, finally letting the woman go and giving her a light slap where he had drawn a touch of dark blood. Rashimi kept her head up and tried to not show pain before the Captain, which Okten seemed to respect enough to turn his back and address the room.
” But under the … care, of Ordinator Absalom, this terrorist has revealed that he was planning to meet someone here tonight to attempt something even worse than slander. As you all know, it is every Citizens' responsibility to turn over those with treasonous intent, so if anyone with information could just speak up ..?”
Okten waited the appropriate amount of silence before clasping his hands together and motioning to his men. The humans drew the longswords at their sides and motioned for the patrons to stand and get themselves against the wall. It seemed as if one drinker, a Dwarf, had it in his head to do something about this, for when they came for him he stood but refused to move. Before the inevitable scuffle could break out, however, the blonde Dwarf stared at the four blades surrounding him and sighed, downing the rest of his tankard and shuffling off with the rest to line up against the stage.
” Surely this isn't necessary?” Rashimi tried to reason with the Captain, earning herself a swift glower.
” My dear half-blood,” Okten began, still keeping up the learned language of someone who spent some time in The Towers despite his fearsome appearance,
” The execution of the law, and the execution of traitors, is always necessary. And if it comes out that your building is harboring rebels?”
He left the threat unsaid while turning his attention to directing the orderly detaining of The Rose and her patrons. Once he was out of earshot, Rashimi quickly whispered to those at the bar, those whom destiny had marked for just such a day.
” Quick, while he's distracted: trapdoor behind here, go, go,” she whispered, catching the eyes of Lorelei and Rána especially before moving off to argue more with Okten and keep him from nabbing everyone within The Rose all at once.