With Alazandaru's quick work, Captain Barhold has been slain.
BD CdG
As he notices Barnhold fall, an evil grin forms. No one can stand against us! Morthos continues his attack on the guard.
Well, except for these highly formidable warriors. I did not realize they employed such highly trained guards. Nevertheless, in due time I shall be victorious. Morthos thinks to himself as a matter of fact.
Hogan turns to Bostarg, but eyes the body of Captain Barhold, "Ah, a-all right. But, why did he have to kill him?"
The one guard who tried to talk Hogan down looks at the body of Captain Barhold and calls out, and with that charges towards Alazandaru.
The other turns and calls back to him, "No, wait...DAMNIT!" Then proceeds to strike at Morthos, his attack feebly missing.
GvM ;
Morthos hopes to take advantage of the distraction and find some way to hit this guy.
But apparently his expertise at dodging is just way too fantastic for Morthos to compensate for.
Alazandaru stepped up to the man seeking to avenge the captain and met him in melee.
Morthos should have dealt with these lackeys by now! Tatya frowns as the soldier steps in to seek his revenge on Alazandaru. She focuses her ire on him, seeking to slow his sword before he can finish what the late captain started.
Hogan begins to follow Bostarg as he draws him away. "All right, I'll come."
Meanwhile the last soldier attempts a desperate attack on Morthos, but fails to connect as a sense of dread creeps into him.
G W
G ;
The soldier whoa charged towards Alazandaru falls as he's impaled by both of his blades.
The remaining guard suffers another sense of dread, this time making his motions more sluggish and open to strikes.
G W
I shall lull this one into a false sense of victory, and then I shall strike! The superior training he's received will not help him for long. Especially against me.
As the guard just stands there and watches Morthos nearly lose his grip upon his sword, Morthos recovers(just barely) and can't help but study the guard more intently. Quite the dexterous one I see. And apparently is versed in some form of 'grease' type magic. Either that or his quickness is greater than I anticipated with his ability to nearly knock my sword free with a swipe of a deft hand. He concludes of the warrior who's left and right hand are currently occupied with a shield and sword, respectively.
The amazing parrying ability and agility of the guard meant little with all of his attention focused upon the warrior; Alazandaru rushed him and plunged his dagger into his back, using surprise and momentum.
Wiping his blade on the fallen man's clothes, he muttered to Morthos-
Just like we practiced eh, Morthos.
Tatya quickly goes through the Captain's belongings, trying to stay out of the widening pool of blood spilling from his slashed throat, using detect magic to aid her in her search for valuables that can be pressed into the Cardinal's service. In addition to magic and money, she looks for more mundane items such as papers or keys that might help in their mission to infiltrate the fortress.
The last guard falls to Alazandaru's dagger in his back, a hateful gaze sent over his shoulder as he falls to the ground dead.
Hogan listens to Bostarg as he spokes, his eyes suddenly begging to glaze over as he becomes enthralled by his words.
+1 greatsword, dagger, sap, masterwork full plate, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, tanglefoot bags (2), key to his room
H W
Morthos looks to Alazandaru and nods confidently. "A perfect machine of victory we are. Now that that's settled...," Morthos turns his attention to Bostarg and Hogan, sheathing his sword so as to appear less threatening. Noticing the gnome's signal, he casually moves to an area that blocks a possible escape route for the man.
Without ceremony, Alazandaru stepped behind Hogan and bashed him in the back of the skull with the hilt of his dagger, striking him perfectly on the back of his head.
Well... that could have gone much better. I was a fool to underestimate the captains of the fortification. But, all things considered, our ambush was a success. Excellent poison, Tatya.
The situation well in hand, Alazandaru sat down and assessed his wounds, an inquiring head directed at Bostarg, who no doubt had a plan already forming...
Tatya takes the sword, potion, key, and tanglefoot bags, then hurries over to the others. "His armor is well-made though not magically enhanced. Likely worth a pretty penny, but I doubt we have time to remove him from it. And selling it in town is out of the question, no?"
Presenting her father's unholy symbol, she touches Alazandaru and begins the incantation to call on the forces of Hell to heal his wounds.
I can carry his body clear, armour and all, if needs be. It would be a shame to leave such a beautiful piece on him.
"What now?" she demands nervously. "We cannot be found on the road like this ... and how will we prevent them from tracking us?"
Morthos nods. "Let us make haste then." With that, Morthos allows the others to move on a ways before following; doing what he can to cover up any tracks.
The bodies of the late Captain Barhold and the not-quite-late Hogan in tow, our villains make their way back to the house of the Widow Dressler. Making their way, they manage to cross a small stream discovered on the return trip, traveling along it's distance a way to help throw off pursuit. Only a couple farmhouses pose risk, and the fields themselves help to provide them cover on the way back. They arrive believing they have managed to avoid notice, at least for now.
Alazandaru reassumed the appearance of "Skorm" and nodded his assent, after securing additional healing from Tatya.
Safely within the walls of the Widow Drexler's home, Tatya reclaims her own likeness from the iron circlet with a sigh of relief. "Relieve him of anything of value before he comes to," she advises. "I presume we have done with the pretense that he is anything but our prisoner?" she inquires of Bostarg.
Morthos looks upon the others buisness-like. "I shall take care of it." Morthos keeps his Desnan disguise and proceeds with his objective.
She smiles wanly. "Then it would seem that the Cardinal was wise to add me to your group of escaped convicts." Despite her dispassionate words, she seems to take a measure of pride in her part in the touch-and-go victory. "I was given a choice, you know," she goes on after a moment, "to join you or the White Ravens. Although I could not be sure that, by expressing a preference for the one, I might not be assigned to the other. It would have been a test of obedience. Everything the Cardinal does is a test. I will be glad when we are done with this one," she waves a hand vaguely to take in Aldencross, Balentyne, and the whole countryside. "I am hardly burning with enthusiasm to be caught between the king's soldiers on one side and a horde of ravenous monsters on the other. And I need to replenish my poisons. Much of my contribution to the cause is accomplished at my cauldron, before we reach the battlefield." She smiles with satisfaction. "Still," she admits, "they have proven ... efficacious."
Morthos's questioning of Hogan reveals little of use. Barhold had come with the purpose of demanding an explanation of the events regarding Balentyne's Ravens. His questions were obviously directed to put Hogan's people as the instigator's. Hogan knew Havelyn, while a strict Iomedaen, had a broader view of the Desnan's than the strict Barhold.
Most of the Desnan's in Hogan's flock are of little consequence. Numbering Only two dozen strong, they are shopkeeps or laborers. There is only one possible exception, a soldier named Nelson who had recently begun speaking with Hogan at times when in town, learning more of Desna's faith. He had felt the soldiering life was not for him, and asked many questions about the Great Dreamer, though they often turned to those of travel and wanderlust. How this may be useful is uncertain, it does seem the only bit that may be of use.
"If they are hunting Hogan and his rescuers, they may well begin to search outlying farms and buildings," Tatya warns. "We ought not be here if they come. I would hate to lose my cauldron, but better they think the aged widow is their poison-brewing witch than continue to ferret out culprits. Morthos, my cauldron can be replaced if need be; our master's sword cannot. Bring it with you; we will have to find a hiding place for it in town. No Desnan could wield that sword; if they were to find it here, they would know they are hunting the wrong quarry."
When the man finishes speaking, Morthos simply nods before quickly drawing his sword with both hands and running it through the man's chest.
Pulling his sword free, he wipes the blood on the Desnan's clothing and returns to the others.
Bostarg nods at Morthos' report asking "Very well, have you killed him?" moving to rectify that if he was not yet dead.
"He is dead."
Afterwards he reconvenes with Tatya and Morthos in the widow's main room "Nothing lost even if little gained. This Nelson could be a lever, but I won't be sure if it will have traction before I push upon it. Do you wish to stay or away back to the inn?"
"If they are hunting Hogan and his rescuers, they may well begin to search outlying farms and buildings," Tatya warns. "We ought not be here if they come. I would hate to lose my cauldron, but better they think the aged widow is their poison-brewing witch than continue to ferret out culprits. Morthos, my cauldron can be replaced if need be; our master's sword cannot. Bring it with you; we will have to find a hiding place for it in town. No Desnan could wield that sword; if they were to find it here, they would know they are hunting the wrong quarry."
Morthos nods in agreement. "I am for the inn as well. This place has served its purpose. And it would be my pleasure," he responds to Tatya, grinning maliciously, as he leaves to retrieve the blade. When he does, he removes it from its cover. "Soon. Very soon. Victory will be ours." Tiny flickers of flame seem to dance within his eyes as he places the blade back up. Returning, "Time to move. Set it up as you will and let us be gone."
Seeing as the other choose to leave things as is, "Then let us be off." Remaining in his Desnan disguise, Morthos leads the way back to the inn.
Leaving the house, Tatya resumes her guise as Sister Margoleine. The herbalist is already known in the inn for taking walks in the countryside. She snatches up a few weeds and blossoms to carry with her as an alibi. "We oughtn't to enter town together," she warns. "When we get near, I'll leave the road and come in over the countryside as if I've been for a ramble."
Skorm arrives in Aldencross and sits in the Inn, shortly ahead of the spread of the bodies upon the road. The news of two dead found on the road is quickly made the talk of the town, stories ranging from the plausible to the fantastic. Snow elves have descended from the north. Bandits upon the highway. One man suggests that Barhold may have went AWOL, but that is quickly quashed as Bellam, having just come from the back room, slams down a steel mug upon the counter.
A couple of the townsfolk come up to talk with the man while the rumormongering continues. The subject changes to the missing Hogan, and the topic changes to the Desnans. Skorm notices one of the waitstaff seems to start as three men begin wondering if they might have had something to do with this, and notices her go back towards the kitchen, removing a butterfly necklace from her neck.
As Skorm sits and watches, the waitress eventually goes to speak with Bellam. The words are difficult to hear as more enter the Inn, but the intent is clear as an angry Bellam angrily shoos towards the door. She quickly dashes out, Skorm following behind a moment after.
You follow her a few blocks through the town, the crowds thinning out quickly as she takes leave of the main street. Her walking is erratic, walking slowly, then suddenly quickening her pace. The wind carries a few sobs back to you as you follow, and for a moment she pauses, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe away tears from her eyes as she seems to utter a prayer while holding the necklace.