Jordanna maneuvers around Dent to try to set up a flank for her sister, then slashes at the old man with her claw.
Alyssa moves forward again, one hand clutching at the wound in her side, the other hand attacking the man with her sword.
"My Lady, what a pleasure. I am delighted to see you, as ever, but even more so since we were about to send for you. That... gentleman." He gestures to the hobgoblin. "Wants to enter town, but lacks a pass, in accordance with the Archbaron's decree. Unfortunately the captain wants him off the ship, the townsfolk, as you can see don't want him here, and he seems cross enough to do something drastic. As the law, might you intervene? I'd be very grateful." He adds with a wink.
Betha engages her level seven smile for Ingoe before turning her eyes on the newcomer. "He wants to enter town, does he? I'll have to explain to him that there are procedures to follow, steps to take. We can't just have any Tom, Dick, or Hobgoblin waltzing in anytime they feel like it."
As Betha saunters past the crowd, she turns to them and speaks up in a voice that carries. "On your way, all of you. You have jobs to do - see to them." She then turns back to the newcomer, paying the crowd no more attention.
She walks up the gangplank and approaches the hobgoblin.
"Good morning. My name's Betha. I enforce the laws here in Longacre. That same law requires a legal pass to enter town. Who would you be and what is your purpose here?"
Dent steps back again and drops his crossbow, pulling out a short sword. With his back to the wall of his house the man seems intent on going out fighting.
---------------------------
"Name's Zigard. Mountain Clan." The hobgoblin grunts in passable common. "Don't care about this pig sty, got my own business. But can't leave the ship without a pass and the captain won't leave with me on the ship. Got no options."
He shrugs. "Let me out, I won't bother you again. No point unless I get paid."
Betha smiles at Zigard.
"Maybe if you told me a little more about your 'business', I might be able to arrange other options," she says in a silky voice.
Jordanna sprouts fangs once more as she assaults the elderly man!
Alyssa steps forward once more. Again, her hate is made manifest in her blade as she stabs the old fool who tried to resist them.
"Mercenary." The hobgoblin grunts. "Making me way down from the north. Seen plenty done, done a fair bit myself, when the gold was good. Not much of that no-more." He eyes Betha professionally. "You got job need doing? You pay fair I'll get it done."
--------------------
Dent sinks to his knees, not dead, but not far from it either. The shortsword falls from his hands.
"You win. No more." He breathes, trying to hold back the tears as he looks over at his wife's shredded body. "Bo..."
"It would certainly be nice to have a strong arm available that didn't have a lot of moral or familial ties to this town," Betha says with a thoughtful smile. "And our compensation plan is better then most."
She turns and steps down the gangplank.
"If you're interested, then come with me. I'll introduce you to my sisters."
Zigard nods tersely, turns to pick and full and professionally packed bag and follows Betha down the ramp. He's quite short, but build like a rock and now that Betha gets a better look, is practically covered in weapons. A formidable figure all in all.
As the two pass through the crowd the whispers are obvious. "See, now the Archbaron is hiring monsters to do his dirty work!" "It's not safe for lawabiding citizens with these creatures around." "We'll be murdered in our beds if things don't change soon!"
Betha pauses as she passes through the crowd. Her ever-present smile fades to a grim looking face. "Sedition is a horrible crime and the punishment for it is even worse," she says without taking her eyes from the street in front of her. "You would be wise to be about your own business."
She then returns to Ingoe and her smile makes a reappearance.
"I would be very appreciative if any information on the most recent jailbreak would make its way to my ears," she says to him quietly.
Jordanna licks the blood from her lips. "Awful lot of widows and widowers in town these days. Pity." She grabs the old man by the throat. "Now talk. Tell us what you know about the jailbreak."
"Tsk." Alyssa tuts in disapproval as she puts away her sword, after wiping it clean on the man's clothing. "All these dead people, it's so inconsiderate - now somebody has to clear the bodies away."
Ingoe smiles. "If I should hear of such things I would be delighted to tell you my Lady, over a bottle of wine perhaps?"
-----------------
"It was Jask Coaltimber, him what used to be deputy to Sheriff Stalish." All the fight seems to have gone out of Dent. "He said if we could empty out the old town armory then he had friends who could use the weapons, we could take back our town. We were keeping them in the gate-tower."
He weeps, "I don't know nothin bout a jailbreak. My poor Bo!"
He doesn't seem to be in a fit state to lie.
Jordanna releases the man, dropping him unceremoniously to the ground. "Treason and sedition. What is the punishment for these crimes, sister?"
Alyssa shrugs. "Up to the Archbaron, I'd say. Nothing pleasant, though." She smiles at the unfortunate man.
"More to the point, I think it's time we took a look at the gate-tower, and get some sort of wanted poster set up for young master Coaltimber."
The coven reunites at the jail, with Alyssa and Jordanna tossing Dent into the cells and Betha escorting her new 'friend'.
When Betha returns with the hobgoblin in tow, Jordanna looks him up and down appreciatively. "Who's your new friend, sister?" she purrs.
"This is Zigard," Betha says, gesturing towards the newcomer. "He was trapped in a bureaucracy tangle at the docks and I arranged an out. He's skilled with blades and follows the paying coin."
She smiles.
"I figure at the very least, he can watch over our prisoners while we're out and about to make sure none wander off."
The woman eyes Dent.
"Speaking of prisoners ... ?"
"Gate guard. He and his wife were working with the former sheriff's deputy to steal weapons from the town's armory. His wife paid the ultimate price for her treachery."
Jordanna turns to Zigard and lightly touches his muscular arm. "A pleasure to meet you."
"So ... do we know where the weapons went? That could be important."
"They were keeping them in the gate tower."
Alyssa nods. "And that's our next destination, now we've got this troublemaker locked away." She eyes the hobgoblin. "Why not bring your new friend with us?"
Meat-shields are always useful.
Dent doesn't resist as he is shoved into a (repaired) cell and the door shut behind. Zigard shrugs, the twin sword hilts behind his shoulder rising and falling.
"Will come. If paid." He says, demonstrating quite clearly his mercenary attitude. "Employers in east offer two gold, each day. For skilled soldiers. I am very skilled soldier!"
He looks Alyssa and Jordanna up and down, clearly appraising them and their capabilities.
Alyssa tilts her head to one side, appraising the hobgoblin. "What about 1 gold, and we won't ask questions about property damage, theft, or civilian casualties? You'll find we're much less picky than your employers in east, dearie." She smiles. "Much more scope for you to use your natural talents."
The bags he has left behind contain 150 gold pieces each, the agreed fee for the coven's 'good works'.
Zigard shakes his head. "Two gold. Each week. Easy money in the east." The suggestion that he might steal seems to offend the hobgoblin somewhat. "I am soldier. Do not steal."
"Oh, just pay the man, sister," Jordanna says, her good eye gleaming. "I think he's worth it, don't you?"
She casts mage armor before the group heads to investigate the tower.
Alyssa arches an eyebrow. "Doesn't steal, eh? More for the rest of us, then." She cackles, dustily. "Here's two gold for today. You're hired."
Returning to the town gate the coven and accompanying muscle gaze up at the tower, perhaps two or three storeys tall. One door leads into a lower level filled with dusty boxes, broken crates and a vertical ladder, ascending to a trapdoor in the ceiling and the next level.
Zigard thrusts out a knarled handto halt the witches and points to the floor. In the dust are two sets of prints, one footprints, the other... trotters?
Jordanna sniffs the air, eyes and ears alert for hidden danger.
She eyes the ladder but lets the others explore the upper level first. A fall from that height would not be good in her condition!
Betha's eyes are bright as the group sees the footprints. Her teeth gleam white as she smiles. It's not a happy smile.
She climbs the ladder and listens for a moment at the trap door before opening it.
Alyssa looks around cautiously, before gesturing politely to the hobgoblin: "Well, after you, soldier dear. Mustn't keep our enemies waiting, you know. Wouldn't be polite."
Jordanna notices a crack in the stonework, just large enough for a tiny creature to squeeze through. Alyssa meanwhile, realises that the top of the ladder looks remarkably rickety, almost as though it has been sabotaged!
Before she can say anything however a box comes flying out of the trapdoor.
Betha takes a glancing blow , but manages to cling to her position, half way up the ladder!
Jordanna snarls with anger as the box bashes her sister. She grabs a vial from her belt pouch which contains an eagle's feather suspended in a viscous solution. She uncorks the vial, and a horribly mutated eagle emerges! The changeling gestures to the trapdoor, and the eagle screeches and flies up to attack whatever is up there!
Betha continues climbing until she's just below the damaged portion of the ladder. Then, drawing upon her internal reservoir of energy, she leaps past the remainder towards the opening.
The fall stings, but not as much as the damage to Betha's pride - especially since Zagar watches with a twitching mouth. He's too professional to smile but the fall clearly amuses him.
"On your feet, sister. This is no time to be laying down on the job," Jordanna says with a trace of cruel amusement.
Alyssa tuts disapprovingly as Betha shows weakness in front of the servant. "You always were a bit too fond of showing off, dearie, and I say that as someone who has your best interests at heart." She slides a greedy glance towards the heart in question, which beats so strongly behind that curvy, soft, youthful flesh.
Other than that, there's not much to be done until the enemy shows itself. She takes cover in case any more bricks come crashing down.
Zagar likewise takes cover by the door.
Above there comes a brief sqwark and the charred body of the eagle comes crashing back through the trapdoor - giving the coven a glimpse of burned and ruined flesh before the summoning magic disperses in a puff of black smoke.
Betha glares at Alyssa as she rises from the ground and shakes off the effects of the fall. She turns her annoyance at whoever is hiding at the top of the ladder.
She hisses soothing sibilants and gestures towards the second floor.
Jordanna looks at the dead eagle dispassionately. "Hmm." She casts shield on herself and waits for Betha to try again.
Alyssa looks around, thinking. "This place is full of junk. If we set fire to it, the smoke will go up and force whoever's up there to come down, or to choke to death." She looks satisfied. "Honestly, dearies, it's as true now as it was when I was a girl: 'if in doubt, set something on fire'."
Apart from an angry sounding grunt there seems to be no response to Betha's spell.
Zagar stays where he is near the door.
Jordanna casts another spell, touching Betha's arm and making the changeling disappear from sight. "Try again, sister."
The annoyance at her failed spell vanishes as Betha does. With a throaty laugh, her invisible form mounts the ladder again, determined to reach the second floor.
She attempts for a second time to leap over the last five feet of suspect ladder.
Betha leaps the last few rungs of the ladder and lands on the tower's second floor. She lands like a cat and glances around.
She sees an ursine figure with long curving tusks and a pronounced snout. A wereboar! The were doesn't seem to have heard her, but as Betha watches its head comes up and it draws a great sniff of air in, almost as though it is tracking something....