(OOC]So what is the party doing now?[/ooc].
"Shall we get Headsman and then head out?" Yanis asks
'Sounds best. We may need the kid's muscle to get the woman through the streets safely.'
Yanis leads everyone to Headsman's northern court
With Yanis to guide the group, it doesn’t take long before Machaera finds herself rapping briskly at the door to the Court. This far across town, the streets are still fairly quiet, with the news and gossip still on the way, but Headsman is obviously taking no chances: the door opens only a crack. Machaera can’t quite place the boy on the other side. He’s tall, sure, but he’s leaner than any well-fed human would be, and once again the young mage feels a burst of worry for these kids who come and go, having to fend for themselves…
Her own independent streak keeps her from fussing too obtrusively: in their place, she knows she would appreciate it. So, while she can see the fun of the way the Court’s organized, she plays it straight, and intones seriously, “‘Pa gwr yw y porthawr?’”
“What man is the gatekeeper?” she translates, not assuming he’ll know the Elven classics. “Anyway, it’s Witch and the Doctor and friends for Headsman. Is he around? Tell him we’ve got another damsel in distress to rescue! Errantry beckons!”
Machaera easily warms to her theme, remembering how much she enjoyed stories of knights and wizards and adventure when she was a girl. Given half opportunity, she’ll do her best to get the whole Court into the spirit of adventure, from young Boots to the recently rescued Princess.
Yanis watches with amusement as Machaera calls for their Strongest arm. "Good day as well from myself and the others we travel with, everyone here is well? Do you need a doctor?" Yanis asks almost automatically
Spelbar hangs towards the back of the group as they enter the Court. He shoots the children stern looks. 'Let's just gather up the biggun and be on our way.'
"I agree, we must move quickly." Yanis waits outside for Headsman
It doesn't take long for the message to reach Headsman and for the lad to show up.
"Okay, the good news is everyone here is safe. The bad news is we don't know where Miss Sabor lives. Anything on your end?"
"No we don't really know either, we were told Midland at 42 Moon Street. The only thing is that many people probably know about it, we can try there and see if we can dig up any clues." Yanis tells Headsman
“If all else fails, it should at least give us an idea of how she thinks, where she might go or have gone,” Machaera says as the group sets off again. Her angular frame is set in a posture that recalls nothing so much as a falcon ready to stoop, whether for attack or defence.
Mentally, she retraces the location of all of the options on her person and among her prepared spells, hoping that once she’s found the artist won’t panic. Machaera’s safest bets are decidedly close range.
“You two know a bit about her,” she suggests. “Do you think she’s likely to run?”
“If we can just talk to her, we might be able to avoid provoking another riot.”
"We might as well open with Diplomacy, it will be her best be to survive and not be lynched." Yanis says almost casually.
“Absolutely,” Machaera says, belatedly realizing that her stance is a bit threatening. She tries to relax a bit, but the situation is difficult. Even if she hadn’t her own past experience of Korvosan law and order to draw on, the Guard’s display of enthusiasm this morning would have been enough to worry her. With that many swords being waved about, Machaera can’t imagine not keeping her own and her armour ready, but that will hardly reassure someone doubtless running scared, whatever the truth of the suspicions leveled against her might be. "We can only hope that she'll realize that she can trust us."
The mage does wonder, though, just how far she’ll be able to throw a tanglefoot bag, if it comes to that. So much for taking a breath and relaxing.
Magic, of course, would be the best solution, but Machaera’s under no illusions as to how much she would need to satisfy her qualms. Her thoughts race around the most suitable divinations to combine, most of which, frustratingly, are beyond her power. As the group makes its way back to Midland, she keeps an eye out for the end of Moon Street.
Yanis keep an active eye out for anyone else following them or making their way purposefully in the same direction. Yanis' Psy crystal floating just above his shoulder.
Spelbar limps along grumpily alongside his companions for a short while before excusing himself to a secluded alley to relieve himself.
A few minutes later, a dark form grabs the mercenary's friend's attention from a nearby rooftop, alerting them to the fact that they have an extra set of eyes above. The Black Merlin stays slightly ahead, wary of any trouble his street-bound compatriots might be coming across.
"Something is moving over there" Yanis points to what he sees
At Yanis’ gesture, Machaera’s hand drops instinctively to the dagger on her hip, just in case. She quietly bites back a curse as she realizes that she hasn’t reloaded the combined pistol since the last time she needed it, and discreetly does so now, keeping her movements casual as she continues to move forward, eyes open for whatever the doctor’s spotted.
.
Erupting out of the ground about 40 feet away or so are a pair of the strangest creatures the group has ever seen. Three legs support a bulbous body, surrounded by three long tentacles, two ending in large barbs, while the the third carries a eye stalk covered in eye. The main body appears to be mostly mouth. Passersby scream and run as the creatures reach for them, maws opening wide to take advantage of the new morsels scrambling away from them..
Yanis brandishes his spear, moving back to keep the crowd away.
"I will support you as I can." Yanis says
"The hell are those things?!" Headsman questions the group, putting himself between the beasts and his more fragile allies, but keeping his distance.
Hardly interested in getting into melee range of such tentacles and teeth, he instead draws his longbow (, and aims for the closest of the two. While not the fanciest weapon, an observant eye might notice it to be strung shockingly tight; it has been made with a rather physically powerful archer in mind.
The Black Merlin slows as he spots a strange disturbance in the road ahead from the roofs. He stops dead seeing the strange creatures burst forth and draws his pepperbox, sighting down the lead creature.
We don’t have time for this! The thought races through Machaera’s mind as adrenaline sets in, though part of what she means is really the amount of spells she fears such monsters will require before they can be taken down, especially while a fugitive artist is still to be found. Following the others’ lead, she approaches aggressively but cautiously, leveling her pistol, but getting only close enough to lob a small conjured ball of acid at the creature in the lead instead, even as she tries to think of what it could be. It doesn’t look obviously magical, but then it hardly looks mundane either.
Sadly, it appears these creatures don't appear to jog Machaera's memory.
The pistol ball, arrow and acid all impact on the first creature, which turns towards the group.
Io, like the rest of her companions, recoils at the sight of the monstrosity, but rushes in all the same, and punches the closer of the massive monsters with all her might, unsure as to how effective it could possibly be.
Io's blow impacts on the creature, but its scaly skin seems to take no damage.
Machaera is impressed – worried, but impressed – that the creature takes Io’s blow head on, knowing how fiercely the young woman can strike, but the mage keeps her voice calm as she tries to encourage everyone. Have to choose the words carefully, but there’s room for optimism yet.
“For what it’s worth,” she calls out, looking for an opening to support Io while keeping an eye on the monster’s partner, “I don’t think they’re going to start hurling magic at us!”
The Albatross, deciding that ranged combat is the better part of valor, draws his shortbow and launches an arrow at the nearer of the tentacled creatures.
The Albatross fires his arrow, but the waving tentacles block the arrow to the side.
The first monster, having been hit by the group's combined firepower, attacks Io, while the second charges 40 feet towards Headsman and tries to bite him.
2nd tenacle beast manages to penetrate Headsman's chain shirt, ripping links out and getting at the softer flesh beneath.
Headsman's constitution, strengthened by his trials, reists the nasty disease this creatures are carrying from their years in the sewers.
Round 2
The Albatross vanishes from sight, then appears 30 feet behind the 1st tentacle beast, shooting an arrow at it.
"Great. They're big AND fast."
Headsman has no choice but to drop his bow on the ground and draw his axe, aiming a massive swing at the creature's broad anatomy.
Io lays into the monster, piling a pair of particularly powerful punches perfectly parallel to the creature, missing it neatly.
As the monsters close, heading for Headsman and Io, Machaera tries to position herself to be able to help wherever she best can, darting forward with pistol at the ready. As she finds her shot, the gun kicks in her hand with a sharp report.
Io and Headsman fail to connect with their targets, while Machaera's shot hits the tentacles beast engaged with Headsman.
Yanis attempts to sicken the creature attacking Io, using his mind and knowledge of anatomy to squeeze the stomach.
Yanis will stay just out of range
The Black Merlin maneuvers along the roofs edge to draw closer to the tentacled beast and fires again with his pepperbox.
The first tentacle monster keeps its last meal down, resisting Yanis' compulsion to throw up.
The first monster attacks Headsman, trying to rip apart his armor so it can get to the gooey human filling on the inside.
The monster's teeth and spikes tentacles bounce off Headsmans's armor as they fail to make a purchase on him.
The next tentacle beast attempts to consume Io.