| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Teldon's shoulders slump and he scowls as the voice emerges from behind the panel.
Shadlah could sense movement beyond the panel... I should have asked her how thick the panel was, this could have been avoided... of course if we had just acted on the plan instead of sending it to committee it would have been avoided too...
Straightening up and putting on a stern face he announces, "We are grateful slaves of the boundless beauty, her glorious majesty Runelord Sorshen, who even as I speak draws near, soaring above the waters. She comes to make known her will, and the will of her consort, Oriana."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Y-yes! She will be here in but a moment. Make ready to receive her and present arms," Joanna hurriedly adds while waving at Helanda to hide and for the others to take act like an honor guard for Zee.
There is a moments pause from beyond the door, and then the voice - female yet rather gruff - calls back, We await the majesty of our mistress Sorshen... and kneel in supplication towards her glory" ...the door though, remains closed. Silently, Helanda gestures towards a particular panel on the door as if to suggest that pressing there will allow access...
Teldon moves into position to open the door and gestures to Helanda to move out of view. He stops before pressing the button and looks to Shadlah for an update on how many are near the door and how much movement there is.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Zee is about to address Teldon's objections when the voice from within the stronghold calls out. She raises an eyebrow as Teldon begins the ruse.
Well, I guess we're committed, ready or not!
"Sorshen" moves forward, arms akimbo, striking as imperious a pose as she can manage. An odd feeling crosses the back of her mind, almost as if it comes from outside herself... approval.
Zee glances to her friends, nods, then reaches out and presses the panel that Helanda indicates.
With little option left to them other than to run with the pretence that Ziomarra is truly Sorshen - and with Teldon not detecting any form of subterfuge or deception, the doors are swung open and Ziomarra strides in to the room beyond... a long, wooden table of ancient design sits in this room, surrounded by uncomfortable-looking wooden chairs. Crates and chests - none of which seem as ancient as the typical furnishings of this place - are scattered against the walls, and several doors line the north and south walls between these crates. A second huge red panel of painted murals stand to the east in the room...
...and kneeling with their heads bowed, six grey maidens - garbed exactly as they were during the darkest day of Illeosa's reign - have their blades laid on the floor in front of them. One of them, wearing a helm such that her voice is strangely obscured, speaks with hope, "It has been a while... tell us, is it time to march on Korvosa, Mistress?”
"Sorshen" gazes imperiously at the groveling Gray Maidens as she strides into the room. Glancing over her shoulder, sge nods at her friends then turns toward the Maidens. "You may rise." She gestures with an upward flick of her finger.
She turns toward the Gray Maiden who addressed her. "Don't be too eager, child. I have scried upon this 'Korvosa,' and the time is not yet ripe. My spies sow yet more discord. We shall march soon enough." She looks over her shoulder and calls, "Come!" If the Gray Maidens seem quizzical, she says, "More of my retainers."
Joanna had heard stories of the Gray Maidens, but to see their armor in person is chilling. Her right hand holds her left to keep them both form trembling as the appearance of the full plate drive home how likely a fight would end with them sorely hurt. She takes a deep breath and waits for Zee to speak.
When Zee calls, Joanna feels her feet obeying before she'd even known what was doing. As she approaches, she does her best to imitate the demeanor of a servant.
Unfortunately, habits ingrained since childhood are hard to break, even now. She moves too much like the noblewoman she is. Nor does it help that she stands too proud to be a servant cowed in the presence of a mighty Runelord.
Teldon masterfully hides any trace of his overwhelming desire to facepalm over how their gambit began behind a somber and deferential face. Noting Jo’s proud demeanor he behaves deferentially towards her as well, acting as if she were a favored companion of his leige.
The Grey Maidens, as one, stand and start to slide their mirror-polished swords into their scabbards. The helmed woman bows her head in deference to Sorshen, "As you wish Mistress... and the shields that you promised us? They will be here soon?"
Joanna begins to raise a hand to her holy symbol, then stops, realizing that a nervous habit was probably the worst thing to be doing now.
Arsith listens to their opponent, and something about the shields doesn't sound right-but maybe she is too tense and suspicious.
Do you dare cast doubt about Shorshen's own words?
a test... this must be Quenelle, and she seems reasonably clever... good of Arsith to catch that though and to cover for it... this isn't how I would have preferred this gambit to go but we'll have to make the best of it now... its seeming less and less likely that we're going to be able to separate them but I'll give Zee a little longer to try...
The faintest flicker of magic runs up Teldon's new spear as he charges it with a spark of arcane energy.
Remaining aloof, as she somehow knows the other Sorshen would be, Ziomarra scowls angrily at the Grey Maidens, "As I have told you... it is not for you to question nor to make demands of me!!! Yours is to serve me as your companions and sister-in-arms have done so faithfully before you... do I not give you shelter? are you not well fed? tell me, what more could I provide for you!!!" The false Sorshen's voice rises as Ziomarra gets more passionate... the engrained hatred of what the Grey Maidens once stood for maybe starting to show through...
And as Arsith starts to suspect that the Grey Maidens are testing their 'mistress', she reacts with mock indignation...
Backing down, the Grey Maidens let their gauntlets slip from their swords, "Pease forgive us Mistress... it has been an age since you or Oriana were here. How may we serve you?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
alright, Zee, taking that commanding tone seems to have convinced them... you seemed uneasy with your new body not long ago, I wonder if acting like her will become easier and easier as time passes... worries for another day, for now stick to the plan. you're the second most intelligent person in the room right now... remember the names Helanda gave us and lure them away with us...
Although his expression never changes a wave of relief washes over Teldon as Zorshen announces, "I have tasked Oriana with a crucial errand. Quenelle, Katrine, and Elouisa will come with us now to assist her. The rest of you will remain here, and remain ready should any other needs arise."
Joanna does her best to blend into the background and let Zee handle the talking.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
With an imperial air, aided by her long-burning animosity to everything the Gray Maidens had stood for, "Sorshen" regards the assembled warriors with an outward expression of disdain as she walks into the room, standing just inside the door.
"Attend me." She gestures toward Teldon, exhanging a knowing glance, as she waits for her "bodyguard" to join her. Just in case things go south, I want an ally at my side...
After a pause, she looks at the Maidens with a hint of annoyance as she gestures toward the door. "Now."
Suddenly subservient, two of the Grey Maidens follow Sorshen and Teldon out into the Anteroom... behind Shadlah, Helanda grips her sword but, maybe catching a glimpse of a glare from Joanna, does not act. Talking freely, and seemingly no longer questioning 'Sorshen', the Grey Maidens apologise that "Quenelle is elsewhere mistress... she is further within your realm, we thought her with you".
...and clanking back into place, the imposing metal door closes to leave 'Katrine' and 'Elouisa' alone in the room with the group, "How would you have us serve you Mistress?"
Joanna, unaware of even doing it, begins to rub her holy symbol with her thumb as her nerves begin to fray.
A spell to make them sleep would be great about now...
Following close behind 'Zorshen' as they return to the beach, Teldon looks down and behaves even more deferentially as he says, "Your glorious majesty, there was... an incident earlier, where the hag was doing her work. If you will suffer the briefest of delays, perhaps we could all stop there for a moment?"
Falling in behind the Grey Maidens, Helanda draws quizzical stares from the pair - her face, cold and belligerent, betrays nothing of what her intentions may be...
As they approach the tunnel leading back to where he had been held, Teldon calls out some instructions: "Jo, Arsith- take point; Katrine and Elouisa- support them; Helanda- with me, to protect her magnificence; Briana, Shadlah- take rear guard. There shouldn't be any danger back there but that doesn't mean we should let our guard down."
Once everyone is inside the tunnel he studies the closer grey maiden (swift action), and calmly says "Wewete i te kohanga kia kore te reo e whakatupato i tetahi," while stabing her in the back with his spear.
Teldon's strategic manoeuvring of the friends leaves the Grey Maidens surrounded... and woefully unprepared when 'Sorshen's subject' stabs one of them in an unprotected area of her back. Screaming "Treachery", swords are slid from scabbards...
Caught by Briana's magicks, the closer of the two Grey Maidens finds herself somehow inhibited by the heavy armour she is wearing... counterproductively slowing her movements, the armour proves to be more liability than protection.
...and, following Teldon's initiative, Arsith turns and races at the flat-footed warrior - whilst Shadlah, calling upon the energies of the rocks around, lashes a blast of stone towards her foe.
Trained for this, the Grey Maidens stand back to back... and, moving ever faster, their blades start to hum in a rhythmic, and devastatingly accurate, drone...
"Focus on the more injured one first, if we split our damage they both get to keep attacking for longer," Teldon shifts to press the attack.
Teldon's spear, drawn back towards him and then, deflecting a sword as it comes down hard - plunges deep into the Grey Maiden's armour. Crimson red blood floods out as Teldon finds a main artery... and sends the heavily armoured woman clattering to the ground.
Joanna was slow to join the fray. It felt wrong. All of this felt wrong. The cold logic of battle said that taking them by surprise was the correct and prudent thing to do, but it felt wrong.
Everything about this place since they'd come here had felt wrong.
She drew her sword and began looking for chinks in the armor even as she heard her heart screaming for her to call the woman to surrender. She drowned it out with a litany of instructions that Brother Titus had told her to follow when fighting a better armored opponent.
With the initial scuffle already underway, Shadlah turns her attention to the door, pulling rubble and earthenware tiles from around her to make a barricade.
The second Grey Maiden is also captured within the entangling powers of Briana's hex...
Cut twice by the Grey Maiden, Arsith presses forwards alongside Joanna...
Surrounded, and with her companion sprawled and unmoving on the floor at her feet, the remaining Grey Maiden is clearly not prepared to surrender... her blade continues to move in graceful yet powerful arcs, as - her heart set upon vengeance for her fallen comrade - she continues to slash at Arsith...
Joanna may not be able to tell in the heat of battle... but Teldon's spear attack instantly slew the first of the Grey Maidens - taking her from 26HP to less than negative CON!!!
I should offer her a chance to surrender, though she seems unlikely to take it... the girls will want to take her alive... I admire their compassion but as loyal as these Grey Maidens are she'll never be an ally to us after we slay some of her friends... better to make a corpse than an enemy... I'll let one of them try to sell her on surrender if they'd like....
Teldon quickly studies the other Grey Maiden and moves (if necessary) to flank her before stabbing at her with his new spear.
Teldon's spear once more finds its mark - a weak area in the armour banding near the small of Grey Maiden's back - and stabs through into flesh...
...and, as the warrior disappears into the swirling cloud summoned by Briana, she adopts a martial stance - her body language makes it entirely clear that she has no intention of surrendering.
Joanna goes in, trying to end the fight quickly, hopefully quickly enough that she might be able to save the other woman's life. As much as she wished to not harm them, she was no fool and attacked with all of her skill and strength.
Arsith strikes back, desperatly
Not wanting to unnecessarily kill another potential captive, Shadlah keeps her focus on the door, listening for signs of movement on the other side.
"We don't want to kill you unless you give us no choice!"
Zee then casts a spell at the remaining Gray Maiden.
Striking into the whirling maelstrom, neither Joanna nor Arsith manage to connect with the barely visible Grey Maiden...
Turning away from the voice of the false Sorshen, she swings at Arsith once more... powerful, the blow cuts through swirling cloud before the sword crashes devastatingly into the floor.
Desperate to end the fight without killing anyone, Joanna drops her blade and tries to tackle the Gray maiden to the ground.
for Pharasma’s sake... one of them is going to get killed... she was already more skilled than Jo, who is now unarmed, and am I the only one who noticed how close Arsith just came to getting opened up... they’re not going to like this but someone needs to be the voice of reason...
”She’s too skilled to subdue that way,” Teldon calls out with a scowl, ”and ready to die rather than surrender. If you want to take her alive we need to knock her out and then stabilize her...” He backs up his statement by pressing the attack.