She tries to defuse the situation

Teysa took a deep breath. She reminded herself that she was here for a reason, that getting into a fight would serve no purpose. She reminded herself that ignorance and fear were universal, that the only way to fight them was to set a good example. She reminded herself that this woman might have suffered terribly at the hands of the driders, might have lost friends or family to them. She reminded herself of all that, and managed to calm down enough not to scream. Instead she addressed the woman in a friendly, even tone.

"I know you have heard awful stories," she said. "You may even have lived them. I am truly sorry for that. But not every story is true. El'keth is not a monster. She has never hurt anyone in her life. She wants to live by Lolth's decree, in harmony with you, as the Goddess intended. How can she ever do that if she can't visit your city? You are free to visit the warren to get to know her people."

"Oh, they'd love that, I'm sure," said the drow woman. "I'd walk in, but I wouldn't walk out again, would I? You must think we're stupid!"

"Not at all," Teysa smiled and gestured at herself. "I live there. I come and go as I please. Do I look like a prisoner?" She indicated her mace. "I can defend myself, if I have to. But I have nothing to fear from El'keth. None of you do."

Her words seemed to be having an effect. There were a few angry mutters in the crowd, but more people seemed to be listening to Teysa. The drow noticed it, too. She spat on the ground. "You may have the rest of them fooled, monster, but not me," she said, venom dripping off every syllable. "I'm watching you." With that, she disappeared back into the crowd. Teysa released the breath she had been holding, and her hand dropped from her mace. Aliara patted her on the back. "Not bad, Tey," she said. "I thought you were going to have to crack skulls for a minute, there."

El'keth was trembling. "I didn't-" she began. Teysa shushed her. "It's ok, El'keth. Let's go. I think shopping's done for the day."

The hubbub of the market was starting to reassert itself, and they barely drew a second glance as they made their way through the crowd. The stalls thinned out as they approached the edge of the market. Aliara led the way. "Let's go to the Basilica first," she said. "Before it gets too late. We can always find a room afterwards. I don't want to be walking back too late."

The streets nearest to the market were wide and clean, full of shops and inns, but as they approached the Basilica they grew narrower. Twisty little alleys ran between creaking tenements that leaned drunkenly against each other. Most of the shops around here were boarded up. They were in a kind of no-mans-land, between the prosperous merchants near the walls and the wealthy families whose manor houses clustered around the Basilica. Here, hard eyes followed them from the alleyways and stoops, and beggars sat at every corner with their alms-bowls out. A hunched street cleaner with milky, cataracted eyes stopped sweeping and stared blindly at them until they passed. It seemed that every other property here was abandoned. Their shattered windows gaped open like idiot mouths full of jagged, broken teeth. A child of indeterminate sex, clad only in filthy rags, squatted in a doorway drawing lines in the dust with its finger.

As they passed a wide-mouthed alley, steel jangled against steel. A half-dozen figures stepped forward out of the gloom. One, a wiry drow whose face was a roadmap of scar tissue, was cleaning his fingernails with a dagger.

"Afternoon, gentles," he said. He sounded relaxed, amused. Teysa had heard that tone before. He was toying with them. Her hand went to her mace.

"Good afternoon," she replied.

"What brings you fine folks to our fair city?"

"We're visiting the Basilica. We have a meeting with a priestess there, Mish'li."

Teysa had hoped that by dropping a name she could back these thugs off. That didn't seem to be happening. Instead, the leader grinned, exposing a mouthful of gold teeth. "Happens I know that name. I can pass along your message, sweetie. From your lips to her ears. Just say the word."

"I don't want to put you to any trouble." Teysa kept her voice even. She knew that if she showed any fear, these cravens would attack at once. "It'll be nice to see her again. I appreciate your offer, though."

"Well, at least let us walk you ladies to the temple," Gold-tooth said. "These streets can be dangerous. Especially to outsiders." He looked El'keth up and down and licked his lips. "Especially to spider-spawn outsiders, in fact. What are you doing in our city? You look like a painter forgot what he was working on halfway through." The men behind him sniggered. Their leader waved his free hand, and two of the thugs began to spread out to encircle Teysa's group. She fingered the haft of her mace. It was coming, she knew, the critical moment when talk would spill over into action. She could feel tension building. The moment was as fragile as a soap bubble. All it would take...

"Filthy beast!" spat one of the thugs. He whipped his hand out of his cloak. He was holding a long, thin rapier with a basket hilt, and he immediately dropped into a duelist's stance. The rest of the drow pulled out weapons as well: knives and swords mostly, though one had a thick-bladed billhook. Gold-tooth let his cloak flutter to the ground. Beneath it, he wore a brigandine vest, and he drew an oil-dark longsword from a sheathe at his hip. His eyes narrowed but he kept smiling. "Shame," he said, "to kill such a beauty."

Teysa found herself surrounded on three sides. She backed up against a shattered stone facade. Beside her, Aliara had her daggers in her hands. El'keth's hands were balled into fists, although she looked terrified. "It's just like the naga," Teysa murmured under her breath. "Stay calm, El'keth. You can do this." Out loud, she said, "You don't have to do this, you know! We don't have any money, and I'm telling the truth about the priestess."

"They don't want money, Tey," Aliara said out of the corner of her mouth. "Look at how they're looking at El'keth. This is personal." She had spoken quietly, but Gold-tooth heard her and nodded. "She's right, my dear. We just want the abomination. Step aside and you can go on your merry way."