Waking up after a peaceful sleep and eyes widening as he listens to Masao´s explanation, Arwen suddenly jumps up and curses This is blasphemy! If this slave mongrel is the young boy who we captured yesterday then there is no point to for whole execution! What in the nine hell is going on here as he fiercely curse the situation
For the love of goddess, we do mistakes but this is not a famous criminal. He is only a young boy lead to wrong way. You will have to pay for your, were they good or bad.. but to take a life of a child... I can not watch this from side as well do my Goddess accept it! Love them who they are... everyone needs the chance as he start to circle around and ponder the situation
Samant wakes to the crier and heads to the square knowing the guard captain attends all executions persoanlly... Seems the meeting point has been moved
Grabs his club, puts on his armor and goes.
Masao runs with Hob quickly to the guard post to collect Arwen, who he hopes will be there. He wakes Arwen, who rightly reacts to the impending execution with the need for haste to correct a great wrong about to be made.
"Let's get to the square in a hurry then, friends, before this travesty can take place. The boy doesn't deserve such treatment. He was forced into their service." Hopefully with Arwen and Hob keeping pace, Masao runs for the town square, still hefting the load of 2 bows and the arrows and bolts, as well as his own equipment. He's stronger than he looks as the extra load doesn't seem to slow him down at all.
Once arriving at the town square, he pushes his way through the crowd, making way for himself, Arwen and Hob to get to the place of execution to put a quick stop to it. He calls out, "STOP THIS! THE BOY IS NO SLAVER!"
Quietly, to Arwen, he says, "Arwen-sama, you are probably the best speaker among us and you have your god on your side... perhaps you should be the one to stop this... event, to explain to them that what they are doing is wrong."
Masao almost pushes Arwen to the fore, hoping that the older man's words will carry more weight than his own.
Feeling that the haste is needed here and running after Masao to square, soon to be pushed in front of everyone and to confront the boy and the higher ups of the town, Arwen clears his throat
People, you who have gathered here to witness the execution of this young boy, I plea you to release him for this act is not rightful! He is just a young boy who was forced to road of evil. He is still not so far or committed serious felonity to deserve this.
Looking around and then to the eyes of Baron He can repay for his action but do not kill him! He is a child, not yet aware of the world! Forced to do something out of his freewill. This is not how we should act! This is not an even warning! This is pure inhumanity! Love! Spread love! Do not judge people for they are but what they can become!
Diplomacy
Masao looks from the ranking officials to the townsfolk to try to gauge the effect of Arwen's rousing speech, hoping it is enough to move hearts and minds to leniency for the boy.
He whispers to Hob, "If that doesn't change their minds, nothing will. Arwen does have a way about him." He nods in agreement with Arwen's words.
If the crowd looks so moved he will call out, hoping to get more to join him,"Yes! Free the boy!" He hopes that one person's outcry with get others to join in.
Masao attempts to further foment the crowd to follow Arwen's lead. He raises one arm in the air and calls out for the boy's freedom. He nudges folks next to him trying to get them to call out as well, hoping that it helps to ignite the crowd, spreading.
C'mon, Hob, Samant... join in... we have to get the townfolk on our side, he adds softly to the other two party members, trying to get them to help as well.
I wasn't there, but I'm not sure how joining slavers to enslave your parents is considered a non-punishable act. He's guilty of being a slaver.
Also, he tried to run away after his fellows fell, not run to free his parents. What was his agenda there?
He's a child, and clearly wasn't acting out of intent. I say if he should be punished, which isn't clear yet, death is too harsh a sentence," Masao answers quietly to Samant. "To be honest with you, Samant, I don't think the boy is to blame here. At least, his story should be heard. Perhaps calling for his freedom is premature, but I think death isn't warranted. He's just a kid."
Hob is trying, unsuccessfully, to remain inconspicuous.
Several members of the crowd voice their agreement, including the smith and his wife. Free the boy!
Fair trial!
Few members of the crowd seem terribly thrilled about the prospect of executing the teen, and their dislike of the execution begins to swell The captain, however, intentionally ignorant of your pleas, tightens the noose around the boy's neck. He speaks, with a voice obviously magically amplified, saying
He steps away from the noose, and turns towards the lever that will drop the floor from beneath the boy.
Not knowing or caring about the exchange between captor and captive, Masao, fueled by his own feelings and the cheers of the crowd, tries to push his way to the platform and slash the rope before the captain can pull the lever...
Masao barrels through the crowd, nearly tripping, but recovering beautifully, and steps up on the platform, swinging for the rope. He contacts, severing the rope.
Hearing the words, Samant rushes the stage. No execution without fair trail! Samant will run under the gallows to catch the boy.
Hob reluctantly pushes through the crowd
The crowd has closed ranks as Samant and Masao pushed through. Hob, reluctant to use his blacksmith's muscles to thrust aside the fishwives in front of him, tries to go round instead.
As the rope slices through clean, Masao realizes that he didn't quite think this through before acting. Perhaps my master was right to send me away. I am rash and don't think before I act. Not knowing that Samant is underneath the platform ready to catch the boy, Masao thinks that if the lever is pulled, the child will still fall and probably break a leg.
He turns to glare at the captain. But there isn't time for more than that off-side glance. I just hope the crowd doesn't turn on me... is all he can think of at this moment, as he realizes he is in a precarious predicament. If the crowd turns and the execution is supported, I could end up here with the boy. Not a pleasant thought. He tenses for his next action...
Perception
Dexterity
Unable to pass through but able to see action of others, the voices now suddenly appear more clear in Arwen mind Call us and command ou master. Thy word, and the world will be blinded
The voices, which were while ago murmuring and unclear were now crystal clear to understand and spoke in a fine feminine voice. Moving as close as possible the stage, Arwen begin to speak in deep voice and uspering his words to air Love is blind, my goddess! Guide me through the mists
... and the air begun to move . The air was gathering all around Arwen and spread further from him, faster than he could imagine. The area where the air was moving, was visible and soon steaming, causing vibrations in air and forming a pure white mist covering everything in its radius
Under the cover of Arwen's mist, Masao and Samant press forward through the crowd. Masao leaps on to the platform, slicing the noose, and Samant runs under, just as the captain pulls the lever. The boy falls through the platform into Samant's arms. The captain, turning to see his work, is shocked to see Masao standing in front of him and the boy gone! His voice still amplified he shouts
"This CHILD was forced to do what he did. He deserves freedom...what were Samant's words again?... oh yes... "or at least a fair trial." Masao glares at the captain threateningly, practically growling out the words...
Masao tries not to show his surprise at the sudden mist that has come up and stands his ground before the captain, his weapon now at the ready in case the man goes on the offensive.
"You'll have to go through me to harm him otherwise."
You are not the law!, says the captain, now in a normal voice, although still yelling. My lord has declared slavery to be punishable by death and I intend to uphold hid word! If you dare stand in my way, you take up your cause with the Baron!
"Then we'll take up our cause with the Baron," Masao replies, standing his ground. "As long as the boy gets a fair trial." He stands unwavering before the captain, unaware that Samant has the boy safely in his own custody.
"You are awfully swift to rush to judgement. Why are you so intent on killing children?" Masao looks disgusted with the captain. Go, if you must... arrange an audience with your baron."
Samant smuggles the child/slaver back out through the mist. By no means thinks this absolves you, but questions must be answered and documented.
Hob stumbles out of the mist and looks for Arwen, Samant and Masao.
An exhausted Kin flutters over the mist looking for Hob, Arwen, Samant and Masao. Finding one he lands, and sings to draw the others.
Arwen moves slowly out of mist, using it to cover his movement and reach to Samanth to check out the boy. Noting that he is okey, he looks up to hole I hope he comes out of there soon. The mist is there just to prevent people seeing or at least most of them to not know what is going on here. Would be bad if they decided to lynch Masao instead of this young fellow as he give a gaze at him
We better move out and get somewhere where we can discuss our next movement unaware what was going on top of the platform
Masao! Get down here and let us move out Arwen yells and moves towards the alleys
Hearing Arwen call for him, Masao is torn between standing his ground with the captain and heeding the call. Finally he makes a decision. "This isn't over... there will be a fair trial," he says to the captain before leaping down off the platform and into the mist.
He heads into the mist in the direction Arwen's voice had come from, toward the sounds of the crowd and Kin's song as well, sheathing his sword as he runs, so as not to scare any of the townsfolk, or worse accidentally harm one in the heavy mist as he runs towards them.
"Arwen, I'm coming... where are you?" he calls out, hoping for a new call to lead him in the right direction, towards the alleys the party is heading to. Even without Arwen, there is always Kin's song to follow til he is out of the mist and can see where they went.
Hob, hearing Arwen's yell, heads for the old man.
Following the sound of Arwen's voice and Kin's song, Masao makes his way through the fog and down an alley, out of the square. The others are already ahead of him and he puts on a burst of speed to try to catch up.
When the party is clean away and far from the sounds of the crowd's delight and the captain's bellows of dismay, Masao will slow, gasping deeply for breath.
"That was close. I'm sure that captain will have the guards after us soon. What do we do next? Getting him out of town will be difficult since the guards control the gates - and it won't resolve anything. We could hide him, but again that won't resolve anything. Maybe we should just take him to the baron ourselves and explain the situation."
Arwen nods to Masao´s statement and scratches his beard Indeed, but I don´t really understand how this judgement was done so fast and swiftly. We came back just 6-8 hours ago and there is already a justice given out. It is not a bad thing, for sure since I have seen much worse than that but seems awfully fast when concerning the facts and looks at the square where they had just been a moments ago
Looking around and sighing I think it is good idea at least to explain ourself to someone higher ups since otherwise... we have no place here to return and we are marked as criminals who helped their criminal friend. Turning his gaze to boy, Arwen grabs him from the shoulders What was this all thing about there? That was awfully quick wasn´t it? Is there something you did not tell us and we are not aware? Arwen now demands from the boy with cold voice
Intimidate
Samant breathes, From what I heard the process seems expedited due to the captain being on the side of the slavers. He mentioned something about being a coward to our captive. Which is what spurned on my current actions. I still do not completely believe the story of this one, but I think it needs to be expanded upon, and documented.
"The captain is one with the slavers? He would have to be, to know the boy was trying to flee combat" Masao hisses, "Corruption? Surely the local lord needs to know of this when we present the boy's case to him."
"I wonder how deep it goes... how many of the guards are part of it as well?"
"... and if the captain knew the boy was a coward, then he must have been in touch with the main body of slavers between then and now..."
Masao is musing, barely speaking aloud ... disconnected thoughts that spring into his head while he waits for the boy to speak up about the captain and his 'time' among the slavers.
Kin swears melodiously.
"I've spent the whole night following the wrong Damn guard!"
"Yeah. I heard it too. Masao: I reckon the Baron's in on it. Some sort of deal. Now if we kill the guard they'll know it was us." Hob says sadly.
The boy says, with fear in his eyes I don't know nothin'! I told you, I was just doing what I had to do to save my family. I don't know what their plans are or who's who in their crowd. He begins to tear up, trying to hold it back I just want to be safe with my family.
"Wait - wouldn't the caravan have come through after your fight and before we got back?"
"Whatever we do, I just got up. I want to redo my runes." apologises Hob.
"You should do your thing too Masao."
"If we don't talk to the Baron, the guard captain will. That means we'll almost certainly be considered fugitives." explains Kin out loud.
"Why don't we just get the boy to say that he had offered to turn in the guys here who were working with the slavers in exchange for his life? Then he can just accuse the guard captain, and maybe a couple of the guards I don't like. Even if the Baron is in league, if we do it publicly he'll have to back us up."
"That's wrong!" says Hob, getting worked up "We can't just accuse guards we don't know are guilty because we don't like them. I won't do it."
Masao looks troubled and shakes his head... "I agree with Hob, we can't make unfounded accusations. But we know the guard captain is in on whatever is going on. Whatever we do should be public, like Kin here said... we have to keep the people backing us."
"I think we should have just stayed in the square and demanded a fair hearing for the lad with the baron while we had the chance. Of course if the baron is in on the whole slavery scheme with the guard captain, we're all in deep trouble, no matter what we do."
He pauses for a long moment and considers then shrugs and says, "We can always just go after the rest of the slavers, but then the boy would still in be in jeopardy. I think we have to stay here and see this through, whatever happens..."
"Go see the Baron now, or find a place to hole up first?" Hob asks
Masao considers the options... and doesn't like the idea of being hunted... "I think we should see the baron now. If we find a place to hide, they will have time to organize and comb the town looking for us. They will also have time to turn the townsfolk against the lad and us. If we hole up, we give them all time to reconsider and we become fugitives as well."
He looks to Arwen, Samant and Hob, hoping they will agree with him, or if not, have a good alternative course of action to follow.
Hob sighs
"Alright. Let's go."
Assuming the others are in agreement as well, we take the boy with us and head for the baron's (keep?/castle?/whatever?), trying to avoid guards along the way. We want to arrive under own supervision so to speak - without being escorted or brought before the baron as if it were against our wills.
Masao isn't a religious type, but offers a quick prayer under his breath. "May Abadar, god of law, guide our path in this endeavor."
Since the guard is relatively small in this town, you arrive at the Baron's keep with little incident. When you come up to the front gate, Kern meets you with a hand extended in peace. He whispers I'm on your side. Come in with me and I'll take you right to the Baron. Just keep calm and play along with his game. He likes to feel important.
Masao is suprised to see Kern there and makes no effort to hide it. He's no less surprised by Kern's words, and distrustful as well, considering what Arwen, and especially Samant, said earlier.
He looks to the others for some guidance here, but remains unsure of Kern, though he can't quite put his finger on why.
Arwen nods to Kern Agreed. Haste is our friend now and better to get this whole situation cleared up bell fore there is more aggression and harm done and looks around at others to find their opinion
Still unsure, Masao reluctantly lets Arwen's wisdom guide him and he agrees to acoompany Kern with the boy in tow. He whispers to Arwen as they walk, "Are you sure about this? Just a few moments ago, he tried to kill the boy."