Responding to Tarvus, Serelina orders guards to guard the entrances to the inn and stop anyone exiting, with force if necessary. She then takes enters with two guards at her soldiers, Ian and Tavrus. Upon spotting Tomlin and those with him, she points at Tomlin saying loudly to Ian and the guards, "That is Evan. Arrest him and those with him!"
As Serelina enters with the others and gives her command the noise in the room dies down, it takes a few seconds for everyone in the room to realize there is something going on, but in moments there is dead silence, all eyes on the witch.
There is a tenseness to Elsa's whisper. "Sloppy Evan. Very sloppy."
Elsa reaches for a bag at her waist, while Rosuc and the other mans arms move to retrieve items as well. While the patrons of the bar seem to press themselves into the corners and against the walls, trying unsuccessfully to leave a clear and unobstructed path between those at the door and the table in the southeast corner.
Serelina is apparently taken in by her own ruse and shocked that she wasn't obeyed without question.
Eh, wha....OH @##$% Tomlin scrambled out of his chair, moving to Elsa and Rosuc's side of the table and away from Serelina. Uh...ehh...wha', no, eh, ya have the wrong guy! It wasn't me! Rosuc, Elsa, help! Looking terrified, the halfling otherwise freezes in place for the time being.
Both Rosuc and the other man stand from their chairs. There is a flash of steel and a dagger comes hurtling towards Serelina from the man with scraggly hair, while Rosuc flips the table on its side, causing those closest to press backward. He then crouches behind it for cover.
The womans reactions are slower as she draws components from her belt pouch in preparation of casting a spell.
Tavrus (who i imagine is still outside) will try to move around behind the building to bar any back door that might be there.
With the guards blocking the exits, Tavrus drops his disguise and reenters the building. He loads his crossbow and casts Murderous Command (dc 14 will) at Rosuc.
Ian will charge them, going for the spellcaster with a power attack.
Ian starts pushing his way toward the woman, and seeing a drawn weapon many people scamper out of the way. She isn't quite quick enough to get out of the way of the blow and let's out a squeak as it lands.
She begins to cast a spell, but Ian distracts her and she fumbles some of the words.
She was attempting to cast an invisibility.
Serelina concentrates upon Rosuc attempting to warp probabilities against him.
AHHH...the guards are on to us, help me Rosuc! Tomlin attempts to throw a punch at Ian's mid-section before retreating behind the overturned table. If possible, he tries to position himself so that Rosuc would have to go through Tomlin's square to escape.
Ian bellows after he strikes, "Stop that casting now and surrender!"
The punch makes a rather comical clink as it hits Ian's solid platemail.
Rosuc pulls a dagger from his sleeve and turns against Tomlin.
The crowd just watches in stunned silence as the fight progresses. A bouncer near the door looking uneasy, but having no desire to involve himself in this particular ruckus.
When Rosuc swings at Tomlin, his eyes widen enough to show the whites, his teeth showing in a snarl.
"Bastard!"
Ian sheathes his Bardiche and rushes Rosuc for a bear hug .
Tavrus moves forward and tries to paralyze Elsa with a Ghoul Touch.
vs Touch AC
rounds paralyzed
Ian gets Rosuc in a half-nelson as a foul stench permeates the room and several of the nearest patrons vomit onto the floor.
Rosuc struggles weakly against Ian's strong grip, but surrenders after a few seconds.
"Let's get them both tied up." Tavrus says, more to the guards than to anyone else.
HEY! Tomlin shouted at Rosuc in the chaos of the battle as the man swung at Tomlin with his dagger. The halfling deftly ducked the blade, and glared at the man. So that's how it is! You turn on me ya bastard! Gah! What's that smell?? Tomlin cringed as the noxious stench wafted from Elsa's, then scrambled back to the wall. He then picks up a fallen tankard and throws it at Tavrus. Leave me alone! I dunno these people!
Ian keeps Rosuc under control until he's tied up, then just keeps a hold of him, surveying as the guards arrest the others involved.
He looks at the woman, Elsa, wincing.
"If you can hear me, sorry about the cut. Wouldn't normally hit a lady, but spellcasters scare the shit outta me," he says to her paralyzed form, risking a nervous glance at Serelina after he realizes she was in earshot.
After a moment he says quietly to Rosuc, "Make a break for it and I'll put an arrow in your back. You ain't that important."
"Get that scrawny one, too" Tavrus says, holding one hand on his head and pointing at the disguised Tomlin. "Give him a reason to throw shit"
Tomlin feigns going wide-eyed as Rosuc's is tied up and the "combat" is effectively over. AHH...uh, I surrender! I surrender! That one made me do it! The last comment was added with a cringe and a pointed finger at Rosuc. He meekly lets the two guard members tie him up before being lead out of the tavern by the rest of the party as part of the arrested criminals.
Serelina calls the guard into the room (once the vomiting stops) and has them help secure and arrest all three prisoners, making certain that they are all manacled and the spell-caster is blindfolded and gagged as well. When they are delivered them to the Tower they will be placed in separate cells. Once we are there and it is clear that Tomlin has been treated the same as his supposed co-conspirators, the ruse will be complete and he can be set free.
In the morning a brief message is received by each. "We have some limited information on Banmor, and we've scoured the guard reports for items of interest. Nothing that looks to be immediately urgent as yet, report to the tower when convenient."
After his morning run up and down the tower steps, Ian approaches Tomlin, looking freshly shaved but a little ragged--and more than a little sweaty.
"Morning Little Brother. I was thinking..."
It's odd to see Ian out of his armor. With the steel spiked shoulder plates and billowing Tower cloak he looks truly daunting--but in plainclothes he looks like nothing more than a strong, weary, aging ex-guardsman.
"Do those two...uh Rosuc and the woman, do they still buy your disguise? We could toss you in a cell with them so you three can buddy up and maybe spill something interrogation wouldn't," he says, then hesitates, "That is, if you think that's a good idea. You're better at those sorts of plans."
Serelina smiles coldy and nods greetings to all, her confidence seemingly entirely restored by sleep and communion with her familiar. "Well thought Ian. I had hoped we could find a way to continue the ruse that Tomlin may be an ally to them in some fashion. Honestly thought, it may be they are merely functionaries in the Pesh trade as opposed to truly part of the conspiracies we are investigation. We shall see."
Tomlin had made it back to the Tower by first light, even before his harsh training he had never been a deep or long sleeper. Following a brief moment of prayer to Abadar, the halfling proceeded to lay out his equipment in an unused area for a full inspection. He was just finishing this examination when Ian approached.
Tomlin stared at the man as Ian greeted him. Tiny Town was a rough place to grow up, and pesh had been sadly frequent in the area. The halfling had never touched the stuff, but he knew the signs when he saw them. Instead of returning the greeting, Tomlin's gaze bored holes through the larger man's eyes as Ian trailed off. Remember that we exist to uphold the laws of Coran and the Mageocracy. They are the only things that stand between us and the miserable lives of savage beasts. Sometimes these laws seem trivial, or unrelated to the good order and discipline necessary for civilization to thrive. Sometimes they call on our discipline and willpower so as to not give into unseemly cravings. But they are not trivial, they are not unimportant. Our team needs to violate these laws on certain occasions for the betterment of society, but we only do so for that purpose. We do not violate these laws for our own aggrandizement or lack of discipline. Each of us needs to know fully that we can trust and rely on each other, that none of us would do anything to betray that trust. I certainly hope you share my opinions on this.
The halfling held his stare at the much larger man as Serelina and Tavrus strode up to join them. With a grim frown Tomlin looked down at his equipment as he packed the last of it away. After the woman spoke, he thought for a moment before responding. Aye, they likely still buy the ruse. But remember the ruse includes being a gutless, bumbling idiot. They blame "Evan", the name they gave me, for getting them arrested. They may be as likely to try to gut me and talk. However, the risk might be worth it if they will not open up in interrogation. Tomlin took a deep breath and continued. I have a meeting with Master Isul in the Library this morning, in that guise. This meeting may also involve a second interaction with Dether, who knows me as “Gavin”. I would recommend that the three of you interrogate Rosuc and Elsa. Serelina’s methods are quite….effective. However, if this proves insufficient, “Evan” can be tossed into one or both of their cells to see what they would say. Agreed?
Ian listens, brows furrowed. Confused at first, but starts to get Tomlin's meaning as he goes on. His tanned skin turns a slight shade redder.
He speaks low, with controlled anger, "Don't know what you're implying, but I exist to get paid. And I don't mind bringin' some justice and doin' some good along the way--better than playing soldier in some godsforsaken land, choppin' the heads off women and children, or protecting some scrawny noble shit that's never had to touch dirt with foot, cuttin' the hands off street urchins who picked the wrong pocket. Least here I can f#~+in' sleep at night."
Calming down a bit, it's clear he was more embarrassed at being caught, and maybe ashamed, than actually angry at Tomlin.
"I'm up, I'm alert, I'm ready--I got your back. Best shape of my life."
Ian nods to Tavrus as he approaches.
"Need a hand gettin' all the pieces to your lab?" he asks, and departs with Tavrus, not wanting to hear Tomlin's rebuke.
"yeah, really just need to dump the old one, keep the armor. Then I'll raise the new one and put the armor on it."
"Right. I'll carry the armor down first. When you think ole 'Edric' will be back on his boney feet?"
"It won't take more than a few minutes once we get to the lab. The old body, however, is useless. They are only good for one use, if they get slain a second time, the body can not be raised again. I'll put the old one somewhere, and when I get the chance, I'll try to get him buried somewhere, or at least a cairn outside town. He was an outlaw, after all."
Tomlin watched Ian exit without saying more, but it was clear to anyone watching that the ex-guardsman's answer had not satisfied the halfling.
Turning to Serelina he said, Those two appear to be engaged in whatever it takes to re-create Edric. It is of course your choice whether or not you wish to gather a few guards and interrogate Rosuc and Elsa on your own. After I finish with meeting Master Isul, and possibly Dether, I will look for you, Ian and Tavrus here at the Tower.
Taking the time to ensure his halfling sailor guise was intact, Tomlin strode quickly off the Tower grounds and over to the library. There he looked around for both Master Isul and Dether.
Serelina first coordinates with Tomlin about areas of inquiry and specific names and issues to bring up during the interrogations.
Serelina will gather a guard officer to accompany her and four other guards, two in with each prisoner at all times, in order to assist her in interrogating Rosuc first then Elsa immediately after. She instructs the guards to have them manacled and blindfolded, ready for her interrogation in separate but adjacent chambers. She explains that she will be using magic with a relatively short duration and wishes not to waste her efforts.
Upon entering the cell with Rosuc, the first thing she will do is attempt to bring misfortune to him. She will then cackle and use evil eye to reduce his saves, then cackle, then evil eye to reduce skills. She will then cast detect thoughts to assist her while interrogating him, cackling along the way to keep whatever hexes stick in place. Then the questioning will begin.
Rosuc, eyes covered tightly with a cloth and his hands bound behind him tilts his head as he listens to the witch go about her magic. His muscles tightening as he feels each new affect take hold of him.
Serelina lays the layers of magic on Rosuc, yet her last spell seems unable to penetrate into the mans mind, some hidden reserve of will power from the man.
Before the questioning can start he states calmly, a practice voice, "What is it you are after and what do I get in exchange for full cooperation?"
Heading for the doors of the library, you are stopped by a woman in her mid thirties. Comely, but not a beauty. She is dressed in the garb of one of the library attendants. A slight shimmer in her black hair reveals a faint streak of gray - covered by illusion. "Good morning Gavin" she says softly. "Let's see if this man Dether is about shall we?" Her guise might be sufficient to fool common folk, but you have some doubt as to whether Dether won't see the disguise for what it is.
"ah, me. I forgot to ask Tomlin something. " Tavrus says. "if we are to question this one, it must be done before I animate the body, I think."
Tavrus goes to see Tomlin, but will not interrupt his meeting in the library, he will wait patiently outside (with Ian if he deigns to follow).
Serelina's cold smile broadens widely as Rousec speaks, breaking into her cackle.
"Ahh... this may work out well for you afterall. What we want is your cooperation and information. You are a small fish in a rather large sea, but you could be a useful fish. What do you get for full and complete cooperation? You get to live with your limbs intact, and continue life much as you have until now. What you give... information on the Pesh trade, certain individuals, and other activities that are going on in the city that you may become aware of. I only wish your pretty friend was as smart and cooperative as you..."
The last is said in an attempt to gauge the relationship with the girl.
Tomlin stopped abruptly as he approached the doors of the library and was stopped by the disguised woman, Master Isul certainly. Ah...ya, my lady, we can do jus' that. Ah, I do think though that the man is a perceptive chap, tends to notice details and such. I figure him a hard one to trick, ya? Mayhaps I do's the talking since you and I jus' met. The halfling made certain no one was close by to overhear the words he spoke. The warning was useful, and Tomlin was certain that a Master would know how to look out for herself.
Tomlin then says in a louder voice, It 'twas good to make your acquaintance, my lady. I didn't know that about the library and learnin' a lil' history never hurts. See you inside mayhaps! The halfling then strode into the library and looked around for Dether.
Ian heads down to join Serelina, backing her up and waiting to press Rosuc for more details on the Pesh trade.