As Jolistina makes her threats, Garvid shakes his head. "Don't think any spirits want anything to do with this crazy.", he sneers at the sigh of the bound Jolistina behind bars. "As much as I'd like him to save us the trouble of running him down like a dog, I don't think he'd be coming for us. We're not defenseless townfolk, after all." He glances down at the woman, shaking his head. "Keep waiting for him. Should keep you entertained for the next century or so."
Jolistina cackles. ”Oh, that bauble isn’t for for me, little pigeon! Rolth would never dream of hurting his darling Jolly! It’s for you, my sweet, and it’s meant to unlock your imagination, for soon you will discover true breadth of my love’s genius!”
Li puts the key away, "I be keepin' it safe then. Mebbe we c'n be discussin' his da when he comes fer it." The rogue turns to leave as she is no longer in the mood to hear about the many ways in which she'd die.
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”Mank? He died th’ bad blood. I’m his coz, Grimsby.” The rank fisherman smiles, showing gray gums and teeth. ”Ain’t heard of noone wantin’ ter go inter Oldtown! Them Maidens spot anyone tryin’ ter leave, they fill ‘em wif arrows. Seen more’n a few shot dead, I have. But, I ‘spose they ain’t no harm in carryin’ you over after dark. Fer th’right price.” You and Grimbsy negotiate a price of ten gold sails, quite the rate hike over Mank’s two silver but, well, times are tough.
Several landmarks give Korvosa a distinctive skyline, yet three of them exist on a truly colossal scale and have survived for millennia. Castle Korvosa stands atop a massive pyramid that rises to a flattened top. The Pillar Wall stretches across most of the southern end of Citadel Hill, a 100-foot-tall remainder of what once must have been a magnificent barrier. Just beyond the western terminus of the Pillar Wall stands the Gatefoot, which obviously originally belonged to a part of the wall and that likely served as part of a gateway of some kind. Two other landmarks stand as testaments to more modern architectural stylings. Standing at the northern point of the Merciless Cliffs, the Hall of Summoning, technically the largest structure in Korvosa, sits as the center of operations for the Academae. Directly north of it, the Great Tower reaches 270 feet in the air and serves several military roles for the city. Notably, the Great Tower houses dozens of hippogriffs that until very recently served as mounts for the city's elite Sable Company.
Although the top of Castle Korvosa's Seawatch Tower soars above every other building in Varisia (thanks to the immense pyramid that serves as the castle's foundation), the Great Tower rivals some of the Thassilonian monuments as one of the tallest free-standing structures in the region. The tower stands 270 feet high, with a 100-foot diameter footprint and a roof line diameter of 40 feet. It has 19 floors divided into a number of different uses, with an extensive Vault system beneath it. As you stand at the western edge of the Narrows of St. Alika, the tower seems larger than life, but is a sad reminder of the fate of Marcus Endrin earlier that day.
The prearranged time to meet Grimsby’s boat comes and goes, and after about thirty minutes, when you are beginning to suspect you’ve been had, a large rowboat comes splashing through the fog, a cloaked Grimsby at the oars. ”Couldn’t bring me fishin’ boat. Too recognizable. This’ll do, unless ya mean to stow a few hippogriffs.”
The Gray Maidens have quarantined Old Korvosa, preventing anyone inside from leaving. Troops of Gray Maidens patrol the boardwalk along the northern side of North Point overlooking Old Korvosa, while additional Gray Maidens stand watch atop the wall along North Point’s northern shore. Their operation has not yet extended to the Great Tower. Yet. A consequences of the Queen’s dismantling of the Sable Company is that that their properties will now fall into the hands of the Gray Maidens.
Her Majesty’s forces have also burned and wrecked all of the wooden bridges that cross the Narrows, leaving only the stone Jeggare Bridge as a physical link between Endrin Isle and the mainland. On that bridge, they maintain a barricade augmented on the southern side by wooden catwalks, creating a stone blockade across the bridge’s southernmost end. The bridge deck is kept clear of obstacles, so anyone spotted on the bridge can be easily fired upon if the intruder ignores warnings to turn back to Old Korvosa.
However, while these measures are quite efficient at keeping the bulk of Old Korvosa’s citizens locked in, the Gray Maidens take no such actions against anyone they spot entering Old Korvosa. It’s as though they consider the departure of any undesirable fleeing the city as simply one fewer agitator or troublemaker they have to deal with.
You arrive in Bridgefront, and Grimsby quickly and wordlessly rows off back toward the southern shore of the Narrows. Before you lie the district’s honeycomb of shanties and lean-to’s, piled on on top of another for several stories into the air. Beyond, plumes of dark smoke swirl into the sky, and the echoes of shouts, screams, and the occasional explosion bounce off the stone walls of the channel. Vencarlo’s Academy and his neighboring home lie deep in the heart of Old Korvosa, a harrowing journey even on the brightest of days.
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Lord Talfryn disembarks with some measure of trepidation, not quite trusting how the row boat dips and sloshes in the choppy waves by the old dock. Still, once on firm land, he tugs at his great coat, leans on his walking stick, and turns to his companions.
"Before we proceed, I believe it prudent to employ certain new methods of defense that I have, in my small amount of quiet time, developed to the greater benefit of our small band. If you would all be willing to humor me for a few minutes?"
And so saying he draws forth from his voluminous sleeve a slender and quite beautifully wrought wand of woven silver that looks to have been fashioned in the shape of a falling length of water. This he brandishes as a conductor might before an orchestra, and turns to consider his friends.
"First, my dear Master Krein. I have noticed your, ah, propensity for throwing yourself headlong into violent altercations. This spell, I hope, may help preserve you when next you cast yourself into the breach."
What follows is a stream of magical syllables to which he waves his wand, and a spell settles about Garvid, causing his skin to tighten slightly as if recovering from a little too much sun. It otherwise remains unchanged to the naked eye.
"The spell is rather prosaically called Stoneskin.. It should ward off grievous cuts and blows for a little over two hours.
"Now, Mistress Li. Perhaps a little something to make your talents with your crossbow all the more, ah, lethal?" He gives her a toothy smile, and then casts another spell. "Your quarrels should now find it easier to locate weak parts in our foes, rendering your attacks all the more lethal for it."
"And finally, a spell from which we shall all benefit as we make our way through Old Korvosa. If you will attend?"
He casts a third spell, and all of them feel the pads of their fingers and soles of their feet tingle.
"Again, the name is rather crude but accurate: Spiderclimb will allow us to traverse walls and even cross ceilings without difficulty. I imagine this will allow us to find a more creative and less obvious route to finding out quarries tonight."
"Please note that I can also cast a communal form of invisibility on ourselves, though its duration is much shorter, perhaps fifteen minutes in all."
That done, he sets to casting a few spells on himself, muttering and gesticulating as he does so.
Li watches in wonder as Lord Talfryn weaves his magic. She looks down at her crossbow and then at the man and then back at her weapon. "That be amazin'."
When her hands and feet begin to tingle she actually giggles. "I really wanna be tryin' scalin' tha walls. C'n we? If'n we be goin' up an' straight like a bird be flyin', we should be gettin' there quicker. "
Kynes surreptitiously slips two capsules into his cheek. Impressive, Talfryn.
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As they reach the shore in North Point, Yaziyah is lugging several bulging bags and sacks, obviously struggling with their heft and bulk. Breathing heavily, she sets them down and plops her bony behind on them, settling in to wait for their passage provider. They could have walked across the Jeggare bridge, sure, but why draw attention to themselves? It was best if their foray into Old Korvosa was done stealthily, for now.
"Food, and other essential provisions." she explains, whether or not anyone asks. "After this many months, I figure they are sorely needed."
Once on the other side, she breathes in deeply, her eyes glittering in the darkness. "Ahhhh, home again." As Lord Talfryn executes his preparations, she gives him a respectful nod, impressed despite herself. "The spirits can bless us with several magicks as well, but I will wait invoking those until we are closer to our target." Looking at Li, the shaman chuckles. "It has been a while since I've ran the Shingles, but sure, why not. Let me just stow these away where my people can retrieve them."
Garvid: 72/72
Kynes: 52/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 49/49
The Shingles came into being only a few decades ago, when urban renewal projects on Endrin Isle pushed Old Korvosa’s poorest people into Bridgefront. As people flooded into the area, they quickly ran out of room. Taking a cue from Kaer Maga, they built upward, with lean-tos and shacks creating impromptu third stories on many of the ward’s buildings. These temporary third stories gave way to more permanent additions, which in turn received tents and shacks atop them. Over time, this progression of haphazard permanency gave rise to a ramshackle wall of residences reaching as high as five floors in some places.
These cramped and irregular roof lines gave homes to some of the city’s poorest and most desperate people. The children of these impoverished people grew up on the roofs of Bridgefront and thought little of traversing the ward by moving above it. Over time, they learned that other sections of the city with equally dense roof lines could also provide hidden and convenient paths. At first, these young daredevils only used the roofs as highways and called running along the rooftops “shingle dashing.” As the practice became more common and different underworld elements saw potential in its use, permanent and semipermanent waypoints, structures, and safehouses appeared on roofs throughout the most crowded parts of the city. Eventually, these rooftop communities became known collectively as the Shingles.
No accurate map of the Shingles exists, as almost by definition the neighborhood is in a constant state of f lux. Generalizations, of course, can provide a basic overview of the Shingles’ features within a ward, but exact directions to a particular residence or shop defy description. The Shingles do not exist as a continuous layer that blankets the roofs of the city. Rather, large swaths of Korvosa remain free of the phenomenon, with areas under the Shingles being large islands surrounded by clear roofs. Humans don’t live alone on the roofs of their fair city. Instead, an assortment of nasty surprises await unwary fools traversing the Shingles. Everything from imps and stirges to shingle spiders and chokers hunt above the city, ready at any moment to snatch inattentive prey. Parents in the parts of the city under Shingles frequently threaten unruly children with visits “from the chokers that live on the roof.” Much truth exists in this threat, however, as chokers sometimes snatch up their prey from top-floor balconies or by reaching down into chimneys.
It is into this hive-like menagerie that Yazi leads the group, utilizing Talfryn’s magic to crawl vertically up the walls, through partitions between structures and gaps wholly unaccessible under normal circumstances . In places, the Shingles are entirely deserted, while in others you discover entire camps of street urchins, thugs, and even a nest of bats. Yazi’s intuitive sense of direction in this district proves most fortuitous, for in each case she navigates an unexpected course awry of danger. At one point there is a close call, as a group of eight unsavory-looking gnomes hears you scuttling over their roof but, again, the danger is avoided.
After nearly two hours, you crawl down from the dizzying network of high-rise hovels and down into the street, emerging just a few blocks from The Ironworks. Another of the largest buildings in the city, the hulking Ironworks takes in pig iron from Janderhoff and recycled slag bought for almost nothing and, in turn, spits out wrought iron works in a wide range of quality. More a factory and less a smithy, the Ironworks focuses on simple and functional wrought-iron goods, emphasizing quantity over qualify. This allows the city’s few blacksmiths to remain in business, as they can focus on high-quality goods or custom jobs. As expected, its operations are suspended, its fortifications breached, and numerous fights have sprung up throughout the yard. Here, what must be a dozen Gray Maidens are blockaded behind an enormous wagon, fighting against a group of thugs who somehow possess alchemist’s fire. In addition to explosives, they hurl insults and threats, screaming at the Maidens to leave “th’Emperor’s city”. This provides sufficient distraction for you to skirt the shadows...
The famed sword school stands in the heart of the city’s ancient center, nestled in the southern section of Fort Korvosa. You expect to see its familiar grand archway and balcony, which shade a pair of wide and ornate oak doors, the knockers carved in the shape of an imp and pseudodragon locked in mortal combat. And, under normal circumstances, you know that the sound of steel on steel and the soft whisper of leather soles issues forth at all hours of daylight and sometimes deep into the night.
However, the once-proud stucture is no more. It has been burned to the ground in a recent fire. Vencarlo’s home still stands, however, a humble building just east of his academy--or at least, where his academy once stood. The doors and windows are in tact but closed, the interior dark.
With a heavy sack on his shoulder, the guardsman sits on the waterfront. His patience seems to be wearing thinner with every passing minute, as he constantly stares for Grimsby's boat. As another minute passes without the boatman showing up, the screeching of the man's teeth is finally audible. "I swear to Abadar, I'll pry eve...", his vow is interrupted as the smaller boat finally shows up.
During the boat trip, Garvid seems uneasy, as he peers over the edge of the water just as often as above, at the bridge filled with the red-crested helms of the Gray Maidens. As they finally make landfall, he nods, and a couple of gold sails remain on the spot next to where he sat. "Give 'em to Mank's family. Small or not, he was an ally in difficult times."
The guardsman's feet touch the familiar uneven cobblestones of Old Korvosa, and instantly his eyes are drawn at the smokespires. The explosion in particular seems to draw his attention, as he quietly mutters in disbelief, "It's never been that bad. Nowhere near close..."
After a frantic run through the Shingles, Garvid pauses, leaning on his halberd and breathing heavily. "That maze... The worst place to patrol in Varisia. Not that we erver bothered to do it more than once in a blue moon...", he shakes his head. "The Maidens seemed to have gotten the warm welcome they deserve, though.", he chuckles.
As soon as he recovers his breath, he nods at the door. "I'm going to knock." With steady gate, Garvid proceeds through the ruined courtyard.
"The Emperor? What fresh madness is this? Enough that Korvosa has a demonic queen, it does not need additional tyrants!" Yaziyah grumbles as they skirt the edges of the altercation involving the Gray Maidens.
======================
As they reach their destination, the shaman shakes her head at the devastation. Even if things take a turn for the better in the near future, it will take a lot for this place to recover, if it ever will.
"Just a moment." she addresses Garvid, pulling out several of the magic sticks.
Tap, tap.
Talfryn exults in his newfound ability, scaling the walls and walking nonchalantly across rooftops and down the far side with something akin to joy. This was the kind of freedom he'd imagined he'd enjoy when he first began to study the mystical arts; this was the kind of impossible feat that he'd always dreamed of performing.
When Garvid approaches the door, Talfryn follows not too far behind; unsure as to what to expect but ready to lend a hand if needed.
Running the Shingles causes a mixture of emotions for Li. She has a lot of fun and takes a few exhilarating chances thanks for Talfryn's magic but it also makes her sad because she thinks of Trinia and misses her. "That be's a lot more fun this time than when we be chasin' Trinia."
As they pass by the Ironworks, Li is very tempted to provide the thugs with additional ammunition against the Maidens. But she knows that staying in the shadows is more important right now. Plus this self-imposed Emperor may not take kindly to them.
When they approach the sword academy, Li gasps softly. "That be a cryin' shame. Vencarlo don't be deservin' this. Do ya really be thinkin' he be here?"
Li takes advantage of Yazi stopping Garvid to speak up, "Mebbe I should be takin' a look, quiet-like. Before ya be goin' an knockin' an announcin' we be here."
Garvid: 72/72
Kynes: 52/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 49/49
Li carefully peeps through the windows. The front room is empty, save for an elegant and colorful Vudrani throw rug. She spies a well-stocked workshop for decorating and reparing bladed weapons, with several partially repaired daggers and rapiers on the table. She finds a study containing a single leather chair and a desk. Two tall cabinets filled with books stand on one side. There are some papers stacked neatly on the desk. Taking advantage of her magical climbing abilities, she scales the wall. One window looks in on a staircase leading up to the second floor. She finds a training room, an open space with exposed, overhead rafters, no doubt for sword fighting. Practice dummies stand in the western corners, to either side of a brick fireplace. A fire burns inside, and smoke rises lazily from the chimney. Nothing seems amiss.
Garvid’s knock goes unanswered.
Garvid's fist taps on the door once more, with insistant, resonating thuds. "Well, either he's not in, or he's not wanting to be disturbed." He runs a hand through his stubble, before shrugging. "Although, we have seen some disturbances in the area, and as proper Korvosan Guards,", a smile appears on his face, "It's only fair to assume he's in danger." Turning to Li, he nods. "Alright, Li. Feels like the door's jammed. Feel you can give it a nudge?"
Kynes remains silent through the harrowing climbs and leaps across the Shingles. The Shingles were a true maze. He appreciated Yaziyah's guidance. He'd accompanied old Mar Kavrad on patrols through the Shingles for several months, but it had been a while, and the passages shifted constantly. It was a part of the city where the Lamplighter's efforts to improve safety were the most impactful, but not all residents appreciated the lamplight. Kynes admitted a boyish fascination with the Shingles, as in it's spirit the Shingles were much like the open roads upon which he spent his Varisian youth: Mystery and freedom.
Kynes frowns. Perhaps he is merely out. He scans the door for anything amiss, though he doubted he'd a better eye for these things than did Li. He spends a moment listening.
Once Li is back on solid ground again she shares with the others what she saw. "It don't be lookin' like anyone be inside. We should be lookin' though. Mebbe we c'n figure out where Vencarlo be."
The rogue grins at Garvid's request and takes a closer look at the door. "I be seein' what I c'n be doin' ta get us inside."
"You say there was fire in the fireplace, though, Li?" Yaziyah takes a few steps back and tilts her head to get a view of the chimney and the smoke coming out of it. "Then he either noticed us approaching and is hiding, or he has indeed stepped out as our Lamplighter suggests, and expects to be back shortly."
Raising her voice slightly, she adds. "Well, it seems that our friend is not home, which is a shame as we had some important matters to discuss, but I suppose we better be leaving."
She winks at the others as she stomps a short distance away from the door.
I had truly hoped we could meet him. We took such trouble to smuggle ourselves over here, it would be a shame to turn back now. But alas. Kynes lets his voice reverberate friendliness and sincerity.
Again, there is no response to Yazi’s and Kynes’s feigned departure. Li and Kynes find no traps on the door, and when the handle is tested, they find it unlocked.
In the entrance, you find an elegant and colorful Vudrani throw rug covering much of the floor.
Here is what Li observed to be a workshop for decorating and repairing bladed weapons. Several partially repaired daggers and rapiers lie on the table, but none are particularly valuable.
A bathroom containing a freestanding bathtub and toilet.
This is a study with a chair, desk, and bookcase filled with books on sword fighting and philosophy. The papers on the desk are mostly accounting documents and ledgers for Vencarlo’s academy. It appears that up until the death of King Eodred II, Vencarlo’s academy was doing rather well, but then business turned bad as students failed to show and Vencarlo took an increasing number of breaks from teaching.
This is a pantry storing food and water, although the perishable food has gone bad. There is no kitchen to speak of.
In the living room, two large sofas face a brick fireplace. A fire burns brightly inside the hearth, despite the fact that the building seems to be abandoned.
Upstairs you find the training room, an expansive, fourteen-foot tall room with exposed rafters and practice dummies. There is another fire burning in the hearth.
Vencarlo’s bedroom appears well lived in, but the bed is made and hasn’t been slept in. A desk and chair sit nearby, and a small clothes closet is to the north.
All of this suggests a man who lives a simple life despite his success, yet the home hasn’t seen traffic in several days apart from a few smears in the dust or fresh scratches in the woodwork.
Then Garvid, upon inspecting the bedroom, notices a hidden panel in the east wall of the closet. Opening it reveals a tiny compartment containing a metal iron lockbox.
Yet, before you have a chance to test the mechanism, Garvid and Yazi note the scent of smoke in the air, but with a strange tang. Yazi immediately notes that the walls, floor, and even the furniture are faintly stained with a chymic residue....
Kynes hears a soft footfall in the training room. Turning, he sees something truly bizarre. A person in some sort of red, insectile costume, and wielding jagged blades, stands just feet behind Li, the dark eyes of his helmet staring with an unsettling lifelessness. Gracefully, almost casually, it tosses a flaming vial into the fireplace.
Flames erupt from the hearth, catching fire to the surrounding room with frightening speed.
___________________________
Garvid: 72/72
Kynes: 52/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 49/49
The moment the fireplace bursts aflame, Garvid shoves past Kynes and Li, readying himself to rush past the figure with a roar. Alright, lordship, let's see how good your magic is..., a thought crosses his head for a moment, as he opens himself to be struck in the hopes of cutting off their only lead's path. As he catches to the red-armoured assailant's side, he spins around, swinging his weapon downwards in a vicious arc.
The halberd's hook catches onto a red shinguard, and as Garvid turns, the figure is flipped a full foot into the air, before crashing down on its chest. "Drop the weapons and stay down!", a roar comes from the guard already readying another blow.
As part of the room bursts into flame, Yaziyah rushes out of the room, just in time to see Garvid drop the strange figure to the floor.
"If you are Vencarlo, we apologize. But if not..." her voice trails menacingly as she glares at the red-clad creature, the fingers on one hand making subtle gestures at her side.
Kynes studies the figure intently for a moment, and almost laughed at the cheap theatrics. A bug suit Kynes smiles coldly
You would not be the first insect I took apart with blades. Nor the last.
The moment the fireplace bursts aflame, Garvid shoves past Kynes and Li, readying himself to rush past the figure with a roar. Alright, lordship, let's see how good your magic is..., a thought crosses his head for a moment, as he opens himself to be struck in the hopes of cutting off their only lead's path.
hit
Garvid feels a cold, sharp pain followed by the warmth of blood as the figure’s blade cuts smoothly beneath the Guardsman’s armor. As Garvid catches to the red-armoured assailant's side, he spins around, swinging his weapon downwards in a vicious arc. The halberd's hook nearly catches onto a red shinguard, but the masked man leaps up, tucking his legs up under his torso to avoid being tripped. "Drop the weapons and stay down!", a roar comes from the guard already readying another blow.
Yaziyah rushes out of the room, just in time to see Garvid harrying the strange figure. "If you are Vencarlo, we apologize. But if not..." her voice trails menacingly as she glares at the red-clad creature, the fingers on one hand making subtle gestures at her side.
The figure hesitates, lingering under the heat of Yazi’s gaze. Kynes takes the opening to study the figure intently for a moment, and almost laughs at the cheap theatrics. A bug suit Kynes smiles coldly. ”You would not be the first insect I took apart with blades. Nor the last.” His bladed scarf lashes out, but the figure ducks as the scarf razes the wall behind it.
Behind Garvid, a cloud of crimson mist emerges from the staircase. The first figure is suddenly enshrouded in an identical veil of red mist. It steps lightly to the northwest to flank Garvid, then shivs him with its blade.
hit
The fire continues to spread quickly, though the red-clad figures seem indifferent to the danger.
___________________________
Garvid: 36/72
Kynes: 52/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 49/49
I suspect they are not afraid of this fire. We should escape while we can. Leah looks over to the window. Can we get out this way?
What are these things?
Li can feel the heat from the spreading fire but she's not about to let Vencarlo's disappearance go unavenged.
Hands blurring, Li shoots the bolt in her crossbow which is quickly followed by a second. "Ya be payin' fer hurtin' Vencarlo. He be nice. I ain't be nice."
Ironically, it seems to Talfryn that it takes him forever to dig out the shaving of licorice root from the pouch tucked annoying far around his waist.
Fire. An nascent conflagration. Garvid bellowing in the next room while Leah mutters practical advice. Everything's happening at once, and all Talfryn can do is strain to dig his fingers into his damn pouch to find - the - where is -
There.
He plucks out the black thread, and immediately whispers the spell, hurrying as best he can, making the appropriate gestures as he does so.
The spell is cast, the licorice root shaving disappears, and upon all his allies descends a sense of lightness, the world and its flames seeming to slow as their every sense and thought speeds up to a near impossible rate.
Even as she shoots her second bolt, Li can feel magic penetrating her muscles and she feels the familiar jolt of speed that is obviously courtesy of Lord Talfryn. She smiles.
She lets the magic take over and simply reacts, firing another bolt.
The good news is, these are merely humans. However, Red Mantis Assassins are known to employ exotic and deadly fighting techniques. They have sneak attack, and wield sawtooth Sabres as though they were light weapons. A Red Mantis assassin casts illusion and transmutation arcane spells drawn from the sorcerer and wizard spell lists. Their “red shroud” grants them heightened defense and fast healing. Most terrifying, if they catch a target alone they can hypnotize that target into paralysis and perform a coup de grace.
Kynes steps forward into the roaring furnace and whips his bladed scarves at the his studied target in neat, close quartered swipes. He regrets his failure to prepare himself for this fight. [b]Strike then little wasps. Our hides are thick, and we care not.[/ooc]
These are Red Mantis Assassins! Deadly and sneaky. They use sorcery to trick the mind and change substances. Tough as hell to hit too. insight fires in his mind and Leah transmits the information in rapid stacatto utterances over the raging fire.
The fire reflects off Garvid's eyes as he turns towards the second assassin taking his bloodied blade away from his skin. "You just made the last mistake of your life, pal!", he growls. With a furious roar, he stabs the halberd downwards, the tip impaling the second assassin's foot to the ground. The guardsman's right gauntlet collides with the bug-eyed helmet with a furious blow, sending enamel shards and blood flowing through the air. With Lord Talfryn's magic running through his veins, Garvid's heavy boot lands into the man's midsection with a crash, sending the figure flying down the stairs back through the red mist.
Turning back towards the second assassin with a snarl, he flicks the blood off his halberd. "Come on, assassin. We got places to be."
Yaziyah's expression hardens as she recognizes what these are at the same time as Leah does. She would spit if her mouth hadn't gone dry from the smoke and the heat of the fire. Not knowing if the assassin that Garvid has just trashed so soundly is alive or not, she want to have a little chat with at least one of these killers for hire. Another subtle quirking of her fingers and the Red mantis still standing feels their lids growing heavy and their consciousness begin to slip away.
The alien, bulbous eyes of the mantis regard Yazi impassively before quickly returning to Garvid.
Li can feel the heat from the spreading fire but she's not about to let Vencarlo's disappearance go unavenged. Hands blurring, Li shoots the bolt in her crossbow which is quickly followed by a second. "Ya be payin' fer hurtin' Vencarlo. He be nice. I ain't be nice." Her bolts strike the mantis between the plates of its armor , causing it to jerk backward.
Ironically, it seems to Talfryn that it takes him forever to dig out the shaving of licorice root from the pouch tucked annoying far around his waist. Fire. An nascent conflagration. Garvid bellowing in the next room while Leah mutters practical advice. Everything's happening at once, and all Talfryn can do is strain to dig his fingers into his damn pouch to find - the - where is - There. He plucks out the black thread, and immediately whispers the spell, hurrying as best he can, making the appropriate gestures as he does so. The spell is cast, the licorice root shaving disappears, and upon all his allies descends a sense of lightness, the world and its flames seeming to slow as their every sense and thought speeds up to a near impossible rate.
Kynes steps forward into the roaring furnace and whips his bladed scarves at the his studied target in neat, close quartered swipes. He regrets his failure to prepare himself for this fight. ”Strike then little wasps. Our hides are thick, and we care not.” The figure, despite studded with bolts, deftly shifts out of the way .
The fire reflects off Garvid's eyes as he turns towards the second assassin taking his bloodied blade away from his skin. "You just made the last mistake of your life, pal!", he growls. With a furious roar, he stabs the halberd downwards, the tip impaling the second assassin's foot to the ground. The guardsman's right gauntlet collides with the bug-eyed helmet with a furious blow, sending enamel shards and blood flowing through the air. With Lord Talfryn's magic running through his veins, Garvid's heavy boot lands into the man's midsection with a crash, sending the figure flying down the stairs back through the red mist. Turning back towards the second assassin with a snarl, he flicks the blood off his halberd. "Come on, assassin. We got places to be." .
Yaziyah's expression hardens as she recognizes what these are at the same time as Leah does. She would spit if her mouth hadn't gone dry from the smoke and the heat of the fire. Not knowing if the assassin that Garvid has just trashed so soundly is alive or not, she want to have a little chat with at least one of these killers for hire. Another subtle quirking of her fingers and the Red mantis still standing feels their lids growing heavy and their consciousness begin to slip away. The alien, bulbous eyes of the mantis regard Yazi impassively before quickly returning to Garvid.
The mantis spins around, uttering a word, and disappears in a puff of red mist.
The fire moves to the curtains and scorches the walls, and a thick, acrid smoke begins to fill the upper chamber.
___________________________
Garvid: 44/72
Kynes: 52/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 49/49
Talfryn let's out a soft curse, pulls up his sleeves as if about to get to work, and peeks into the next room.
"No you don't!
He immediately casts a spell, and an explosion of glitter fills the rooms.
Talfryn's conjured cloud of iridescent particles sparkles luminously in the firelight, but fails to reveal the presence of a latent assassin...
Gritting his teeth, Garvid glares into the flames, hoping that the fiery curtain would bend to the side, revealing the killer's presence. "Cover the window!", a bark, stifling a smoky cough. "He's not going to run and let us finish what we came here for.", he roars, as he raises his halberd in the air. Pointing at the room, he nods at Lord Talfryn. "Take the chest and whatever correspondence you can find! I'll guard the exit!" If I was a crazy, cold blooded assassin, what would I do... Relaxing his stance, Garvid steps back for a moment, as if to move into the room, before his halberd suddenly cleaves through the air in front of him.
I was considering charging through the flames, but I decided, what if the mantis was trying to be clever, hope that we chase it, then go and help his buddy up.
Attacking the square in front of me, hoping I hit.
miss
Kynes curses infuriated as he scans back and forth at where the Red Mantis Assassin had been cornered. Sorcery!
Suddenly million dots of lights explode before Kynes ah glitterdust! Good choice, Talfryn.Staring into the new born sun, the Investigative Legate waited for the assassin to be traced with the arcane dust. Too long...
A special stealth armor??? Kynes pondered. No!
The obvious solution came to him. The assassin had moved away. Kynes looks around frantically. A blade could be thrust into any of their bellies at any moment. Then an idea then occurred to Kynes. Curses! What if the assassin's plan was not escape, but to use her concealment to heal the downed assassin with sorcery?
Turning Kynes whips his scarves in the air over the downed assassin. He then moves to the stairs.
Li grits her teeth as the wannabe man-bug disappears in a cloud of smoke. "Ya be craven!" Knowing her and Yazi are blocking one of the only windows, she uses her heightened sense of danger to avoid being surprised by the mantis. Her hands load her crossbow without thought while she focuses on the area around her, ready to shoot at the slightest threat.
Yaziyah takes a couple of steps until she feels the wall at her back. The fire was getting dangerously close, and she figures that with the magic currently affecting her she can climb out the window to escape the flames. Already Slinky is frantically moving under her cloak and chirping in alarm. Trusting Lord Talfryn to grab anything of value from the floor they are on, the shaman attempts to discern the whereabouts of the invisible assassin.
"Somehow I don't think he has a very light conscience." she mutters as she asks the spirits to reveal the presence of evil beings in their vicinity. She holds her spear at the ready, in case the assassin tries to bolt past her.
Talfryn let's out a soft curse, pulls up his sleeves as if about to get to work, and peeks into the next room. "No you don't! He immediately casts a spell, and an explosion of glitter fills the rooms. His conjured cloud of iridescent particles sparkles luminously in the firelight, but fails to reveal the presence of a latent assassin...
Gritting his teeth, Garvid glares into the flames, hoping that the fiery curtain would bend to the side, revealing the killer's presence. "Cover the window!", a bark, stifling a smoky cough. "He's not going to run and let us finish what we came here for.", he roars, as he raises his halberd in the air. Pointing at the room, he nods at Lord Talfryn. "Take the chest and whatever correspondence you can find! I'll guard the exit!" If I was a crazy, cold blooded assassin, what would I do… Relaxing his stance, Garvid steps back for a moment, as if to move into the room, before his halberd suddenly cleaves through the air in front of him. His strikes pass harmlessly through empty air.
Kynes curses infuriated as he scans back and forth at where the Red Mantis Assassin had been cornered. Sorcery! Suddenly million dots of lights explode before Kynes ah glitterdust! Good choice, Talfryn. Staring into the new born sun, the Investigative Legate waited for the assassin to be traced with the arcane dust. Too long… A special stealth armor??? Kynes pondered. No! The obvious solution came to him. The assassin had moved away. Kynes looks around frantically. A blade could be thrust into any of their bellies at any moment. Then an idea then occurred to Kynes. Curses! What if the assassin's plan was not escape, but to use her concealment to heal the downed assassin with sorcery? Turning Kynes whips his scarves in the air over the downed assassin. He then moves to the stairs. His swings also prove fruitless…
Li grits her teeth as the wannabe man-bug disappears in a cloud of smoke. "Ya be craven!" Knowing her and Yazi are blocking one of the only windows, she uses her heightened sense of danger to avoid being surprised by the mantis. Her hands load her crossbow without thought while she focuses on the area around her, ready to shoot at the slightest threat.
Yaziyah takes a couple of steps until she feels the wall at her back. The fire was getting dangerously close, and she figures that with the magic currently affecting her she can climb out the window to escape the flames. Already Slinky is frantically moving under her cloak and chirping in alarm. Trusting Lord Talfryn to grab anything of value from the floor they are on, the shaman attempts to discern the whereabouts of the invisible assassin. "Somehow I don't think he has a very light conscience." she mutters as she asks the spirits to reveal the presence of evil beings in their vicinity. She holds her spear at the ready, in case the assassin tries to bolt past her.
From right beside Yazi, directly before the southern window, a blade slips through the smoke and flickering shadows. It is slick with her blood. . The mantis materializes amid the smoke directly to her left.
Li’s bolt crashes through the window, shattering the glass. The mantis dives through the frame among a shower of broken glass and out into the moonlit street, landing on its feet.
The fire moves further into the house and catches the practice dummies. The sound of crackling and popping wood grows louder as the building truly begins to burn. The smoke stings your eyes and makes it difficult to breathe.
___________________________
Garvid: 44/72
Kynes: 52/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 18/49
Leah follows the mantis through the broken window, landing hard on the cobblestone. He studies his opponent's armor and movements, locking down his tactical approach.
Talfryn hustles into the room, coughing and choking from the smoke, and moves himself between Li and Garvid, waving at them to come close. Only once he's able to touch both of them does he cast a spell, causing the three of them to disappear from the room and appear a moment later below in the street.
Seeing the wicked blade sink deeply into Yazi's side, Garvid's face flicks for a moment, as he's about to trample furiously though the window... Only for Lord Talfryn to flick his fingers, and for the assassin to appear in front of him. Wh..., the thought leaves Garvid's head, replaced only with anger. Anger at the assassins, undoubtedly paid for by the queen, with money stolen from the very Korvosa she had plagued and abused.
...As the mantis turns around to look at the trio of people arriving behind it, Garvid's halberd collides with its chin, sending the mantis sprawling on the ground in Kynes' feet, blood dribbling from its shattered jaw. Glancing down, Garvid spits on the dirty ground, shouldering his weapon. "You've got the right to remain silent."
Garvid: 44/72
Kynes: 47/52
Li: 61/61
Talfryn: 57/57
Yazi: 18/49
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Li curses at her miss and for helping the mantis escape as her shot breaks the window. She's already loading another bolt and is about to give chase when she's snagged by Lord Talfryn.
There's a moment of disorientation as Li's body is jerked to another location but the rogue quickly recovers. Whereas Garvid chooses to knock out the mantis, she chooses to bury her bolt into it's body. Her eyes flash angrily, "That's fer hurtin' me family."
Leaving the trussing of the prisoner to Garvid, Li rushes back to Yazi and thrusts a healing potion into her hands. "Help yerself while we be gatherin' tha trash an' treasure."
Li barely gets the potion into Yazi's hands before she sprints for the building that is quickly becoming an inferno. She scrambles up the wall and back in the window. While she moves she yells, "Git ta tha bottom o' tha stairs an' I'll push tha other one down."
It takes all of Li's will power to make herself go back into the building. At the rate the fire is spreading there would soon be nothing left. She holds a cloth over her nose and mouth while wishing she'd had time to douse it in water. Dashing over to the chest, she turns it on end and shimmies the haversack over it. Soon it's inside and she's able to grab it and run. When she gets to the stairs, she uses her momentum to push the unconscious body down the stairs. She briefly watches it tumble downwards before breaking the window closest to the stairs and clambers out, haversack in tow.
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Yaziyah gasps as the blade slides in and out of her body. At first she only feels the impact, like she's been punched. Then the pain blossoms as the blood begins to flow down her side. Her breathing becomes shallow and rapid as she tries to not give in to panic. That is a lot of blood, and her insides feel wrong, she can sense things moving against each other in the wake of the blade, her flesh is on fire, and the pain, the pain, the pain.
In a daze, she stumbles across the room and down the stairs, following Li, forgetting all else beyond putting one foot in front of another. One shoulder drags along the wall as she flinches from the fire now engulfing most of the room. The acrid smoke fills her lungs and she coughs weakly. Down the stairs, there's fire on this floor as well, move away from it, where was the door? She passes the assassin on the way, barely registering that presence, she wouldn't be sorry if they burned to death in this place. Their own fault for setting it on fire. Was it this one who had stabbed her? Hard to recall, mind feels so foggy.
Taking a quick breath as Li rushes into the house, Garvid grunts out, before quickly following the much nimbler woman. Talfryn's magical energy pulsing through his veins, Garvid crashes through the window of Vencarlo's study, then kicking down the door. "Yazi! Where are you!", he barks towards the stairs. Turning to see the shaman, wounded, but alive, he breathes out a deep sigh of relief, his grimace calming down a little. Continuing his sprint towards the stairs, he unceremoniously tosses the body on his shoulders, before running back down and hurling it through the window. "Get the papers from the study! I'll see if there's anything in his bedroom!", a voice is heard from the man, who disappears back into the house.
Sweating like a whore in church, Garvid bursts back into the house, passing by Li by the stairs, nodding at the sack in her hands, undoubtedly containing the chest. Slamming the bedroom's door open, the man grabs the entire dresser by the bottom, and once on the stairs, attempts to shove it through the tiny window.
A few minutes later, he raises his tired gaze at the house, fully consumed by the ravaging inferno. With a cough, he not so much sits as crashes down. Sweat from both exertion and heat glistens on the man's face. Opening his mouth to say something, he feels the burning sensation down his throat, then closes it, staring at the furious flames once more.
After the dressed, Garvid will drop Rage, then if the party's grabbed whatever they can from A4, he'll try and get the chests from A5. But, in terms of priority - desk/dresser from bedroom, desk from study, then chests.