In which our heroes find things amiss

Our five heroes stood in the street in front of the Dancing Bear debating what to do next. Around them a few gnomes began to gather in front of the Dancing Bear. Their deliberations continued as more gnomes filled the streets. The gnomes all were dressed in laborer's outfits. The crowd grew so thick that it was difficult to move. Without warning the crowd shifted into a mob. Makeshift weapons were produced from packs and belt loops. Broken bottles and cobblestones flew through the air directed at the Dancing Bear. A smattering of cries broke out from the mob. "Smash the Bear!" "Drive out the humans." The performers finally noticed that they were surrounded.
"Let's take a quick vote! Shall we resort to violence to get away? Because I'm having trouble moving here." announced Prosepon. Her question was swept away as the rest of the performers tried to escape the pressing mass of gnomes. Onala and Nessa managed to slip between the gnomes and reached the edge of the mob. Berenwick and Prosepon were not able to move.
"Hey, look, a human marrying an elf!" yelled Berenwick. The mob paused for a moment to look all around them. In the confusion Berenwick ran to the outside of the mob. Prosepon paused for a moment then leapt into the air. She lauched herself free of the crowd by stepping on a few choice gnome heads. The bouncers of the Dancing Bear appeared at the door to keep the crowd from damaging the front of the building too much. While most of the mob directed their frenzy at the Dancing Bear the other edges were beginning to attack humans near them.
"You know . . . if we were to help out, we might be able to get the Bear's Innkeeper to talk to us." suggested Prosepon. "Of course, we might also get killed."
"But how do we handle a mob of gnomes?" asked Nessa. As they tried to converse the crowd let loose a hail of bottles and rocks on the group. A rock caught Onala full in the stomach and a bottle impacted Prosepon's head. Prosepon rubbed her head and slipped on her brass knuckles. She made a move towards the crowd but Nessa and Onala tackled her. They weren't able to bring her down but they were able to bring her to her senses.
"No way you're going out there." said Nessa.
"We need to get out of here, we're a little out numbered." insisted Onala
"Okay okay! Well, what do you propose to do then?" Prosepon asked.
"Let's find the back door to the Dancing Bear and see if we can get through and help the bouncers." said Nessa. The rest of the performers agreed. They sprinted off down an alley near the Dancing Bear. The gnomes nipped at their heels for a little bit but the main group stayed in front of the Dancing Bear. That pulled the stragglers back to the front and kept them from pursuing the performers. As they ran Prosepon's head caught someone's laundry. They soon found themselves at the backs of several buildings, all of them unfamiliar. Nessa noticed a door in the appropriate place to access the back of the Dancing Bear. There was no handle on the outside of the door.
"There's a door here, but no handle..." Nessa pointed. "Shall we force this door open?"
"I've got a spell that should open it, but if you want to flex muscles before I cast, that's fine by me." said Berenwick. Berenwick waved his hand, said the magic words "doorwontfuckingopen" and sent arcane energy through the door. There is a soft click and the door opened outward into the alley. Inside they saw it lead into a small hallway. They stepped inside and could hear the noise of a kitchen not far off.
"Shall we go in?" Onala asked.
"First I'd like to ask . . . what exacly are we hoping to accomplish by this?" inquired Prosepon.
"I thought some people might need help." said Nessa.
"Well, I'd still like to help. And if we're helping from the inside, I suppose we might be able to find a way to do so without being mobbed." commented Prosepon. The performers entered through the back door, making their way past the storerooms that lined the hallway and into the kitchen. The performers poked their heads into the kitchen. Inside there wasn't any panic or terror, just structured efficiency of motion.
"Maybe the bouncers up front are doing fine...?" Onala looked around for a serving girl. There was a single serving girl standing by a swinging door that lead to the main room of the Dancing Bear. "Excuse me, miss!"
"What are you doing in here? You're not part of the kitchen staff." asked the girl.
"You do realize there's a mob of gnomes outside?" asked Nessa.
"Yes. No point in panicking." she said.
"No? what if they destroy the place?" Nessa looked vaguely concerned.
"The bouncers should be able to hold them off until someone can slip through and let the count know."
"So you feel it's all under control?" Onala looked around. "We were caught on the fringe of it and wanted to be sure everything was safe in here."
"It will be under control. If that girl gets through. I sent her out the back a few minutes ago." the serving girl had a worried look on her face.
"How many minutes ago?" Prosepon glanced towards the way they had come in.
"2 or 3." The serving girl fidgeted. "Were there mobs the back way? I assume you came in that way since there's no other way into the storerooms."
"We didn't see any." stated Tin.
"Well, looks like everything is fine then..." said Nessa.
"I can only hope. If the guild planned ahead for once they may have stopped her."
"Do these attacks happen often?" inquired Tin.
"Once or twice a month." the girl came to her senses. "But who are you people? Performers of some sort?"
"Yes, we've been performing at the Skyserpent Inn." answered Onala.
"Is Sevn still up to his usual plans?" asked the girl.
"Usual plans?" Nessa raised an eyebrow.
"If you're referring to the attempts to rally inns against the guild, well, he's trying. But not gettign a lot of response." offered Prosepon.
"Yes, those plans." she made a face. "It pisses off the guild and they try all the harder to put him out of business. He should realize by now that the only way they're going to leave him alone is if he pick up some noble patronage."
"I don't know - it doesn't look too much like the guild is 'leaving you alone'." Prosepon looked to the front of the Dancing Bear.
"This is the best they can manage. How long have you been performing at the Sky Serpent." asked the girl.
"Oh . . . two days now."
"The attacks against you will get worse. This attack will be over soon." mentioned the girl. "Lefin keeps us safe. I doubt Sevn will be able to do that for you."
"Lefin?" Tin looked around.
"Owner of the Dancing Bear here." The girl pointed to the front. "He's out front directing the bouncers."
"If there's nothing we can do to help out, we may as well be on our way. But I'd like to know, if you can tell us - what kind of attacks can we expect from the guild?" Prosepon questioned.
"The usual intimidation tactics. They get worse once they realize you won't fall for the "ghost" act."
"Thanks for the warning, we'll have to be on guard for them." Onala nodded.
"Do you mind going? You're distracting the cooks." The performers gathered by the door and slipped out with nary a word. They headed out the back through the door, around the alley, and snuck past the remains of the gnomish mob. The mob had exhausted their supply of makeshift weapons so they were merely yelling profanities and racial slurs at the Dancing Bear's bouncers. It was a short trip back to the Sky Serpent Inn since they weren't stopping to ask questions of every Tom, Dick, and Harry in the streets. Once our intrepid heroes returned to the Sky Serpent Inn, they plodded up to their room on the third floor to prepare for their show that night. Little did they know the adventures that were in store for them tonight...