Bethany swoops down and plucks the male up into the air. A dozen hands try to hold him back
Issac fights his way into the crowd, heading for the female, a middle-aged stout woman in homespun and a baker's apron. In Issac's eyes she's everything in the whole world. Justin follows in Issac's wake, using him as a living cowcatcher. He reaches her side, easily knocking down the several townspeople around her. Her eyes are very wide, and her face is white as a sheet.
"Thor's sake gerrof me!" She screeches
Drazek shouts at Bethany, the vileness of his proclamation making some passerbys wince. It seems to have no effect on the harpy bard. Swire uses the fracas to relieve a plump merchant attempting to bull his way into the crowd of a fat leather beltpurse
Swire:
Karrin shrugs, "Could be worse I suppose," she glances at the crowd, "do you think we should charge in or do we stay back here and wait for things to unfold? Personally I don't see any intimidate danger so I think we wait to see what happens. Whatever is causing this will probably show it self soon enough."
Karrin shrugs, "Could be worse I suppose," she glances at the crowd, "do you think we should charge in or do we stay back here and wait for things to unfold? Personally I don't see any intimidate danger so I think we wait to see what happens. Whatever is causing this will probably show it self soon enough."
"Well we could try dumping water on them or something." Merle responds with a shrug "Would help if we actually knew what was causing it."
Nari slips through the crowd, cowering away from those who were showing aggressive action, slowly wending her way towards the center.
1d20+3
Her psicrystal skittered back and forth across her shoulders angrily, pulling at her hair and trying ineffectually to get her to snap out of it.
Nari:
Nari tries to get into the crowd, but the jostling of the contentious mob tosses the slight elf about.
The personality inside the crystal was finally able to force the other Nari to switch places with her. She sighed with relief as she turned away from the crowd, grabbing at her psicrystal to keep it from skittering into that mess. She kept a tight grip on it as it squirmed. She walked over to Karrin and Merle.
"There's some sort of mind-effecting enchantment centered on to people in the middle of that mess. They're going to be torn to bits if it doesn't end soon."
Justin grabs her other arm.
"Excellent idea Isaac! You hold the blackguards at bay, whilst I take the lady to safety!" Justin declares, even more melodramatically.
A burly teenaged apprentice in rough jerkin and hose with a stylized beermug brooch holding his cape on grabs the woman with a death grip
"SHE'S MINE!" He roars, lifting one hand off and taking a jab at Issac:
Stats on apprentice
Will Save:
A rock grazes Bethany's temple, drawing a line of blood. The shock of the wound causes her to shake her head groggily and look down at the crowd below her questioningly. She lets go of the man and flaps noisily straight up, wingin over in an arc and landing on the street next to Drazek. She turns to him and angrily asks "what in the name of the Winged Lord was that all about? All I remeber is wnating the man in there more than anything I've ever wanted before. It must be some kind of magical effect."
Spellcraft Check to determine the effect:
Spellcraft Check to determine the effect: 1d20 + 5
Bethany:
Bethany thinks for a moment now that her head is clear.
"You know if I didn't know better, I'd almost swear that the two people at the centre of that mess are under the effects of a sympathy spell, although I didn't thnk it could effect so many differing races. Which itself is a little disturbing because that means there is a powerful Wizard around here somewhere causing this problem".
"hmmm... coming from a family of Wizards does have it's benefits sometimes I suppose," she mumbles to herself so that only Drazek could pick it up.
"Niddhog's teeth, berk! Get the hint, she's with ME!"
Isaac punches the apprentice in the teeth.
Initiative: 1d20+7
Unarmed attack: 1d20+6;1d3+2
Small bits of ivory go flying about as Issac connects with the young berk's bonebox. The lumbering apprentice staggers and falls, spitting broken teeth onto the blood-slicked cobbles.
Justin tries to punch him as well, but his swing is a bit off. He is left holding on the the lovely woman with Issac. The crowd has receeded a bit after the apprentice went for a toss, but now they start to surge in
The folks on the outside see a large force of guards approaching with truncheons unsheathed. One guard already at the fringe of the crowd yells at the approaching watchmen:
"Ware yer eyes! There's dazzlement afoot! Concentrate on subduing the crowd an' don't look into the center!"
The squad begins to club the mob, sending many of the merchants and townsfolk to the cobbles with large lumps on their brainboxes. The guards approach the group, but see that they are unaffected and leave them be with a spoken warning
"Best clear out cutters! This is going to get ugly!"
Drazek:
Ekuur, who had almost seemed to be somewhere else the entire time, first watches the fracas with amusement, and then growing concern. As Bethany shakes off the effects of the enchantment and alights near Drazek, he hears her explanation. Thinking a moment as Drazek attempts to trace the origins of the effect, he remarks, "I can try to dispel the magic on one creature. Perhaps either of the two persons at the center of this - might that end the effect on several of those in the fight? Or maybe Justin, as his own arcane knowledge might help to find a solution."
Ekurr reaches into his pack to retrieve his scroll of dispel magic.
Ekuur nods at Tiandra, and begins reciting the magical words on the scroll. As they are read, the scroll actually begins a slow burn, and as he finishes, the scroll becomes nothing more than ash, which Ekuur throws in the air towards the woman.
caster level check 1d20+6
The ash swirls towards the woman, enveloping her in a brief cloud of ebon motes. When it disapates, the crowd seems to recoil from her.
Issac and Justin:
Isaac takes his hands off the woman, a look of bewilderment on his face.
"Err, I reckon we've been better! C'mon old son, let's give this place the laugh 'fore it gets uglier..."
Isaac starts to worm his way out of the crowd, hopefully ahead of the truncheon-wielding guards.
Dex: 1d20+3
It is fairly easy to eel out of the crowd. The guards look askance at the pair, but they both raise their hands nonthreateningly and the guards focus on the still active mob. They are soon with their comrades.
Isaac takes his hands off the woman, a look of bewilderment on his face.
"Err, I reckon we've been better! C'mon old son, let's give this place the laugh 'fore it gets uglier..."
Isaac starts to worm his way out of the crowd, hopefully ahead of the truncheon-wielding guards.
Justin nods mutely, still looking blankly at the woman. He releases her, smooths her apron, and waves farewell. He then turns and hastily follows Isaac through the crowd.
"ALright. WHAT in the name of Azmodeous' favorite timepiece was THAT about?" He hisses to his companions as he rejoins the group.
"My head feels like I just cast SHocking Grasp on it. Several times. Up my nose!"
As the group collects itself an older harried-looking fellow in a nicely-appointed watchmen-style tunic (sans chainmail) flanked by several of his armored buddies approaches and begins gesturing at the crowd. The frenzied mob suddenly stops dead, as if they collectively hold their breath at the same moment, then a babble of confused argument ensues. However, now instead of trying to grab the male baker in the center, they are all arguing and gesticulating at each other. The tuniced guardsman nods and yells to the other guards.
"That should do it! Round those bakers up, I want to interrogate them!"
The guards start yelling at the crowd to disperse and begin picking up the fallen members and giving what first aid they they are able. The two bakers are corraled and frogmarched off.
Bethany looks at the pair as they're led off and wonders what is going on. "Why those two? There's nothing particularly special about them. Might it be wise to try and talk with them to see if anyone bears them ill will? I know where I come from, grudges are common and magical revenge is a fair way of dealing with a problem."
"These sods bought some o' that stolen beauty, likely got more'n they bargained for. The lawmen are walkin' off with our leads. Reckon we ought to make our case..."
Isaac smoothes himself out and approaches the guardsmen.
"Yer pardon, constables," he begins, his tone more formal than usual,"I know we got as mixed up in that fracas as anyone, but I reckon we can help you put the pieces together on this. See, we're the Silver Rose company outta Sigil. Some sods have had their beauty stolen by some Khaasta; I reckon yer bakers here went and bought sone themselves."
Diplomacy:
"Yeah, That's my guess too Isaac. Apparently the essence merely restores what was lost if drank by a victim, but it seems to work overtime on anyone 'normal'. Heh. I guess one should be careful what they wish for!" Justin chimes in as he falls in step with the ranger as he heads towards the guards.
Justin lets Isaac do the introductions, keeping his hands in his pocket and smiling to keep himself looking as non-threatening as possible.
"Sounds unlikely, I'll admit. But It's true constable. I've studied the effects of the victims personally. It seems that when someone drinks the stolen beauty the effects are, unexpectedly powerful. Fortunately the effects are also temporary. If you run into another beauty-induced crowd in riot, a simple dispel from your guards-mage should solve the problem." Justin adds helpfully.
...Isaac smoothes himself out and approaches the guardsmen.
"Yer pardon, constables," he begins, his tone more formal than usual,"I know we got as mixed up in that fracas as anyone, but I reckon we can help you put the pieces together on this. See, we're the Silver Rose company outta Sigil. Some sods have had their beauty stolen by some Khaasta; I reckon yer bakers here went and bought sone themselves."
Justin lets Isaac do the introductions, keeping his hands in his pocket and smiling to keep himself looking as non-threatening as possible.
"Sounds unlikely, I'll admit. But It's true constable. I've studied the effects of the victims personally. It seems that when someone drinks the stolen beauty the effects are, unexpectedly powerful. Fortunately the effects are also temporary. If you run into another beauty-induced crowd in riot, a simple dispel from your guards-mage should solve the problem." Justin adds helpfully.
The guards turn and scowl at the two as they approach , but the older guardsman holds up a hand, halting the six or so guards accomanying him and the two prisoners.
"Hmm, an intersting tale you spin. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Adinimus Lugo, Lieutennant-Mage of the Ironridge Watch."
He turns to the two bakers
"Did you buy a potion from some Khaasta?"
The man looks abashed
"Aye Lieutennant Lugo, we did. They came through two days past, an' we traded some loaves of bread for two doses of what they said was a beauty potion. Me an' tha missus was planning on goin' to market and figured if we was pretty we might sell a bit more."
Lieutenant Lugo sighs
"Never fool with strange magics. Now you are going to the Gatehouse and you will be fined for this mess. Take them away."
Lieutennant Lugo looks at the party as the bakers wander off.
"I assume you are on the trail of these Khaasta?"