Fleur closes on the unwounded orc and tries to slash at him with her blade.
Xochtli is going to pull out her bow and arrow and fire another shot at the same orc she did before.
Maintaining her song, Israfel rushes forwards Lump, helping him to his feet and guiding him away from the conflict.
Fleur ducks and weaves through the crowd, swinging her blade at the orc. It clearly didn't see her attack coming, her slash cuts through its throat, sending a gush of blood spraying over her and the fleeing crowd as the orc falls.
Kers, moving through the crowd, leaps onto the stage and stabs at the already wounded orc. His blade pierces the orc's armor, driving through the breastplate and deep into the orc's lung, causing an indention in the breastplate as Kers' fury drives it deep. The orc looks confused for one moment only as he falls backward, sliding off the dagger.
Xochtli, seeing the orcs are all dead, transfers her attack to the Legate. Her arrow catches him in the arm and he screams at the pain, his eyes ablaze with fury.
Israfel, still singing her song of encouragement, reaches Mr. Lump and begins to pull him to safety. His eyes are still dazed, but he seems to recognize a friend and goes with her willingly.
The orcs lie dead, but the Legate yet lives! He curses and utters a prayer in a tongue that seems to burn the ears of those hearing it. He reaches out toward Kers and attempts to lay a hand upon him.
Defensive casting
Touch Attack:
Damage:
As black light that seems to burn with cold light covers his hand, the Legate barely touches Kers, yet it is enough. Kers fills a sudden soul-numbing chill permeate his body, as if the worst winter cold has seeped into his very bones. Visions of Izrador speed past his eyes and in this moment, you have no doubt that He truly is a god.
Round 2:
Initiative:
16 Fleur
11 Kers
6 Xochtli
6 Israfel
5 Legate
Fleur, seeing Kers take so much damage,e she fears for his life. Sh leaps toward and around the legate, slashing at him with her blade, leaving a place for Xochtli to move in and get flank on the villainous legate.
In her desperation to aid Kers and maneuver for Xochtli, her own aim is off, and her attack misses badly.
Kers is stunned by the coldness that hits him. Not his body but his soul. His reaction is that of a cornered animal. Bracing himself he snarls and presses his attack, ignoring his pain.
Xochtli will drop her bow and pull her agile dagger out as she moves in to flank the priest with Fleur. She will attempt to slice into the man with the dagger.
Fleur and Kers spring to attack the Legate, but Fleur's concern leaves her shaken and Kers' unnatural injury hampers his swing. The Legate snarls in a dark tongue as Xochtli's blade slips beneath his guard, sinking in deeply to his back as she moves around the Legate.
The crowd has pulled back, but some remain to watch the fray, unsure of whom to help and whom to hinder.
Maintaining her song, Israfel surges forward, staff arcing with power as she swings at the legate.
Israfel surges, but her footing is less than solid and she falters, her staff wooshing through the air just short of the Legate. The Legate, meanwhile, holds aloft his hand and makes a clawing motion. From the mirror, a dark light shines, erupting over all of you and causing your very souls to feel cold.
for
Round 3:
Initiative:
16 Fleur
11 Kers
6 Xochtli
6 Israfel
5 Legate
Fleur swings her blade at the Legate, slicing at his mid-section.
Kers gasps and drops his blade. His arms wrap around himself and he closes his eyes and collapses to the ground.
Gasping at the touch of izarador, Israfel steps back and focuses her attention on Ker's prone form, touching him with a glowing hand.
Xochtli will wince in pain, slicing her dagger again across the Legate.
Fleur's blade cuts deeply into the Legate, slicing through robes and into flesh below. He snarls and spits blood, his kind eyes afire with hate. Kers falls to the ground, unconscious and paler than he ought to be. Xochtli's dagger slices at the man, but he stumbles just backward enough that she catches cloth instead of flesh, as Israfel's sudden low song causes her hand to glow with a warm light. She touches Kers and his face regains color and his eyes open.
The Legate's eyes go wide at the sight of the healing. "Impossible. Impossible! There is NO GOD SAVE IZRADOR!" With a fanatic's zeal, he spits words of power and attempts to lunge at Israfel.
Cast Defensively
Attack:
His wounds wrack him with pain and he stumbles as he attacks Israfel, unable to hit her with his hand suddenly covered in black fire.
Round 4:
Initiative:
16 Fleur
11 Kers
6 Xochtli
6 Israfel
5 Legate
Kers is a beast. He rises up and does not even look for his weapon, but dives at the priest, attempting to choke him with his hands, knee, him, head butt him and bite him. Anything to make him lie still.
Fleur keeps the legate between herself and Xochtli, and again silently slices at the legate with her deadly blade.
Fleur dives at the Legate, his blade flashing as Kers barrels past her to grab the man. Unfortunately for Kers, he grabs a dying man as Fleur's blade catches him in the lung. Kers is left holding a gasping man, who looks at him with wonder and fear in his eyes. "No..other..gods? I just..tried to do good." He gasps as he dies.
From the rear of the temple, Allain steps out from hiding, his bow held nocked. "We must get Lump and go. The people are already recovering." He is correct as the people of the village seem to be arming themselves and heading back this way in a mob.
Kers visage returns to normal. The beast flees him and he is at once a worn and tired young man, covered in gore and filth with eyes full of determination.
Fleur gives her blade a sharp shake to clean it of blood and lung tissue before wiping it fully clean and resheathing it. "Allain is right, we have to get out of here quickly."
She moves toward Lump to free him from anything that binds him. and helps him to his feet. "Come on, Lump, let's get you out of here, before the populace demands their pound of flesh....from all of us." She leads Lump toward the nearest exit.
"Yes, let's leave quickly." Xochtli says softly, sheathing her dagger and going to retrieve her bow from where she dropped it.
Kers suddenly remembers that he left most of his gear in the shop. I need that ax. WE need that ax. he says.
Fleur nods to Kers. "We'll have to find our way back to the shop by a less populated route, I think. Let's find a way out of here first, and then figure out how to get your axe back. I have my doubts that the outfitter will still be willing to sell us the items we need though."
Israfels form blurs as she walks towards the door, armor manifesting. We can grab the items we've already arranged to purchase and leave the funds on the counter. I doubt the shopkeeper will stop us.
Kers, you still don't look well. I can help a little more, but that will be my limit until we can rest
Israfel's voice shifts into song briefly as her glowing hand reaches out to touch Kers.
Allain nods at the suggestions of a back way. "This way. There's an alley behind the general store. It's how I got here." Allain takes off, leading you on a winding path through the back yards of the houses. There are a few people inside, but they quickly duck inside and close their doors and curtains as you pass. You find yourself at a small door in the rear of the general store. The noises of the mob can be heard tromping toward the temple. From inside the shop there is no discernible noise.
Fleur slips into the shop and looks for any sign that it might still be occupied.
She is not nearly as silent nor as aware as usual, the events of the past hour being enough to jangle anyone's nerves.
Fleur slips the simple lock on the back door and enters into the shop. You enter into a small broom closet-sized room with steps going upstairs, presumably to a home over the shop. Through a nearby doorway you can see the store. The shopkeeper woman has her back to you, peering through the door at the mob beyond. On the counter you can still see the assembled goods you asked her for. Everything seems to be there, including a stack of basic staple foods: cheese, bread, wineskins and dried meat.
The shopkeeper has definitely not seen nor heard you.
Fleur opens the door to the shop slowly and as quietly as she can and whispers to the shopkeeper. "Shhh... don't mean to startle you, but it seems you are waiting for us. We cannot thank you enough." As she speaks she enters the shop slowly and cautiously, looking around to make sure that all is as it seems to be.
Before this point: Kers looks to Israfel, and says No thanks... Oh! Thank you. At her touch wounds heal and immediately he regains some of his color.
Kers also wants to make sure Lump is okay. When he determines that he is, he simply says gruffly, Now we are even.
At the rear of the shop Kers stands ready to perform violence if needs be, but truth told he hopes there is another way. He has felt much better at other times in his life!
The shopkeep spins around, her shocked and frightened face indicating that she was fearing your return, not waiting for it! She makes a choked sound, but is clearly in great fear of you. "Just take it, please. Don't hurt me!"
Mr Lump is battered and sore, but regaining his senses and he nods at Kers. He struggles to stand on his own and finally is able. "You must leave here, quickly. The orcs jumped me while I was unloading the barge. They knocked Yarrish out. I must see to him. Good luck with your journey." He turns and is out the door, heading down the alleys toward the river before anyone can stop him.
The supplies lay on the counter, waiting.
Fleur looks to the shopkeeper, takes out a handful of coins to cover the cost of her rations and probably a bit more and lays the coins gently on the counter.
"Thank you, ma'am. Please don't fear us, we mean you no harm."
Walking into the store beind Fleur, Israfel places the money for her supplies on the counter.
We'll not harm you. Thank you for your assistance. Hopefull circumstances are better when next we meet.
Turning to face her companions, Israfel continues One more stop at the stable, if they have anyting that can carry packs we can leave payment in the stall.
"But you killed the legate and the soldiers. You slaughtered them." She's clearly not put at ease by your assurances and looks likely to bolt the moment she's able.
"We were helping a friend who did nothing wrong. We'll leave the money owed and be on our way now." She shrugs, gesturing to the back. "Let's go guys."
Kers murmers, The moment we leave, she will scream and then it is all over.
Fleurs mind goes immediately to a worst case scenario and shakes her head. She takes her things having already left the money on the counter and heads for the back door. If Kers is going to kill the woman, I'll not participate or witness...
She turns and goes back to the woman and looks her in the eye. "When we leave, will you scream? Will you at least give us a head start before setting off an alarum?"
"Honestly if she does then she does, I'd just as soon not hurt anyone in this town whose innocent. We'll just run." Xochtli says just loud enough for the woman to here.
The woman looks terrified as she stammers "I won't scream I promise please don't hurt me", the statement coming out in a breathless plea.
Hurrying out the door Israfel says, We need to hurry, it won't take long for the guards to find us. If you want to scream after we leave, feel free. You should know, however, that the legates have been killing everybody we come into contact with, regaardless of guilt or innocence. They have already razed at least one town simply because we passed through it. If you value your life, run away from the legates, not towards them.
Heading across the street towards the stables, Israfel begins searching for a suitable packanimal.
Israfel slips across the street, watching the mob's hind end as it heads toward the temple. She realizes that they only have a few minutes before the mob realizes they've left and scatters to find them.
Entering the stables, you find a sleeping stable boy of 7-8 atop a pile of hay. His snores are deafening and it's no wonder he didn't hear the call to temple. In the stalls nearby are three horses and one very irritated looking mule. Seeing you he begins to bray loudly. You freeze, glancing at the stable boy, but he just mutters something about "Shuddup Rosie" and is snoring again.
There are worn riding saddles near the horses and a pack saddle for the mule. The horses look somewhat worn, but in good health. The mule looks hateful.
In the shop, the woman gasps at hearing Israfel's words and seems to be seriously reconsidering her faith. At any rate, you hear no screams as you gather the gear and head out, leaving payment on the counter.
Israfel quickly saddles the horses and mule, tossing what is left of her coin purse on the ground near the stable boy on her way out the door.
"There are four of us and only three horses," Fleur states as she stashes her new rations in her pack and mounts up on one of the horses. "I'm light, maybe Xochtli and I should share a horse."
I can walk for now
"Whatever we decide, let's just get out of here."
I am faster than any of you on foot I would guess. Kers offers, and so saying leads the way out unmounted.
Fleur rides alongside Kers, keeping pace with him as they head out of town.
As you mount up and head out of town, Allain reappears riding a white horse and leading another beside him. At you raised eyebrows he smiles and says only "I liberated these from the temple. I think they will not require them any more."
Israfel nobs in agreement before silently heading down the road on her horse.