Senjin checks the scarf is still firmly in place across his lower face, the mirror to this man's cowl. Blackjack? A myth. No mysterious figure ever appeared to magically help me or my friends. A simple story the desperate tell each other in the hope that their fate might change when they can see no means to do it themselves. That being said, why is this man pretending to be the Blackjack? He steps forth from is hiding place, Setting the point of his axe on the wooden floor and keeping a hold of the leather wrapped handle.
"Blackjack huh? Funny, I didn't hear you call yourself that. Just agreeing to a lot of what Endrin thinks a childhood story should look like. A man who steals a pot of soup in order to eat is not a criminal in my book. But a man who breaks into a soup kitchen to taste the free soup, I am not sure what that is. Did your friend need to check this book at such an unusual time? Could he not just read the book when the library is open?
Rica blinks, confused as to why everyone else seems to about this man but her. Her creature looks up at her and then to the unknown man, baring its teeth. She shushes it, making a gesture for it to step back as she takes a step forward. A glowing rune is evident on her forehead, the same that has been on the creature's head since it was called.
"Journal or no, it doesn't seem like this man plans to kill anyone," she says, crossing her arms. "We have more pressing matters to attend to." Now that her summon was out, she was less eager to stop for distractions.
Blackjack smirks at Senjin's comments, amused by his disbelief. He makes a few exaggerated steps along the wall. "You're absolutely right. I suppose I'll be going now. Oh, wait, that's right. I am Blackjack! Hold this, you're going to need it." He tosses Senjin the handaxe he just swiped from his belt. "The fact of the matter is, it is something that could not wait. The fate of the city, and probably all of Varisia, depends on what he finds there."
Blackjack turns to Alejandro to answer his question. "Normally, that would be the sort of thing I got into the vigilante business to handle, but my hands are fairly full here. You look like a fine lot of strapping young people, and you had little trouble with the last group of miscreants, the way you tell it. It would be a great favor to me if you lot handled it." He grins again at them. "You all really ought to be going soon. I'm on lookout for a very specific purpose, and I don't want to miss it."
Luca stays queit at the back of the group watching Alejandro blindly give his trust to Blackjack, and tell him the groups plans. No harm there, our plans aren't secret, its our reason for being together that is. More importantly why is Blackjack, if this is Blackjack, robbing the library?
'Aye, Rica's right. 'E don't look like the type to murderin' the staff. We only came to check on that. The books ain't as important. I doubt Mr. Blackjack wants to be known for commitin' and atrocity. Does 'e?'
Luca nods his head as he speaks, but keeps his eyes downcast.
'I very much doubt it meself. So let's scramble after them hateful fellas going to Old Korvosa?' With barely a glance at Blackjack throughout the whole affair, he moves towards the window, trying to figure out a way out without loudly tumbling through.
|
Nodding softly, Alejandro turns slowly towards the window. "I am sure you know where my Families Estates are, in the City. If you find anything of use, leave a message for me there. Fare thee well Blackjack of the Common Man!" Nodding, Alejandro moves towards the window, helping the Gull leave, before slipping out himself.
Alistair, while silent during the exchange, slips out with the rest of the group. Did I really just see Blackjack with my own eyes? Blackjack has been somewhat of an inspiration for Alistair, though Alistair's own talents are quite different from Blackjack's.
Senjin tucks his hatchet in a little deeper into his belt. The man is quick, I will give him that. Senjin's eyes roll at Alejandro's boot spittle. Show up with a mask, say I knew his father, and I could make off with all he owns. Would have been good to know not too long ago.
He swings his axe up to a ready postiion and turns back for the window. "This isn't our fight, if he aint burnin' the place down let's leave 'im be.
Elrith silently moves to the window, giving Blackjack a cold, imperious stare. The arrow doesn't leave her bowstring until they're well clear of the library.
Intimidate on Blackjack with her dark glare:
The group glances back at Blackjack as they exit the windows, but the mysterious vigilante seems to have slipped back into the shadows. The situation was surreal enough to them, seeing as they were just talking to a living legend, or perhaps a crazy person pretending to be the old folk hero. Still, what would he want in the Jeggare Library, whoever he is? The strange question lingers as they walk through the quiet university district towards Old Korvosa. The chaos of the city faintly roars from all directions, but the University and Jeggare Museum seem largely unaffected. Perhaps an ivory tower would be a good place to hide in a future outbreak of civil unrest.
The quiet is broken as soon as they pass north of Academic Avenue and turn onto Dead Shoanti Way. It leads into North Point, and to the only stone bridge into Old Korvosa. There are a number of wooden bridges that cross the Narrows of St. Alika, but the stone bridge is generally the safest and easiest place to cross, especially considering Luca's condition. Rather than students protesting the insensitivity of the street name, the road to Jeggare Circle is filled with people. A quick glance shows that most of them are Shoanti. Unlike other places in the city, they are not attacking at random or destroying and looting, but they do seem quite angry. They take up a chant for someone in Jeggare Circle: "THOU-SAND-BONES! THOU-SAND-BONES!"
As they edge their way to see who they are chanting for, he begins to speak. "Brothers of the seven quahs! Sisters of the seven quahs! Listen to me! Hear my words!" They see that the speaker is a Shoanti, an older man with long, dark hair. His eyes are milky white, but he looks at the crowd as if he still sees them. True to his name, he wears the bones of countless animals. Some are small, but he wears a skull fashioned from a cougar, a bear's pelt on his back, and carries a large leg bone from some huge animal. He radiates power and intensity, both with his words and his demeanor. "The city that conquered our temples is destroying itself! They call us savages, yet they turn upon each other as soon as their chieftain perishes. I challenge them: do we Shoanti turn upon each other like this, clansman against clansman? We are the civilized ones, I say!" The crowd roars in approval at this. "We will hold back the beasts inside ourselves that demand vengeance for their thefts! We stand on a street that celebrates our deaths, but yet we hold back! We will allow them a chance to prove that they are 'civilized'. We will demand that they listen to the pleas of our people living in this city! We will demand that they grant a seat on their council to a Shoanti, one who understands us! We will demand to not be treated as animals, not after seeing what they are capable of! If they continue, we will let loose our beasts! We will take back what is rightfully ours!" The crowd cheers loudly at these brave words, pounding their chests and breaking into Shoanti war songs.
Senjin feels a surge of pride at the old man's words. "This is good. More of this is what we need in the city." Thinking back on the Shoanti he fought earlier, definitely less of that.
"It is great they want peace, but if either the Hellknights or that mob comes upon this group, there will be blood. I feel I should warn them, give Thousand Bones a chance to steel the crowd against any reckless behavior."
'Hellknights are brutal true, but they are unflicnhing law. As long as the crowd behaves, and doesn't cause trouble they will be well. YOur right though, it can't help to ensure that all of these people can retreat indoors when the Hellknight's curfew gets this far. Let's be quick! We're busy folk tonight.'
Luca hunches his shoulder then pauses. 'On second thought. I may be beggar, and below most Shoanti on the social ladder, but I'm still another pale-skinned Chelaxian. Maybe you should take the lead Senjin old buddy.' Luca grins sheepishly, before returning to his hunch and leaning heavily on his cane. 'Might be best if only myself and yourself go, the others can keep moving, and you know this end of the city well enough to catch us up. Either way, let's get a move on yes?'
Thousand Bones raises his bone-staff into the air as the crowd chants his name, pumping it triumphantly. "We shall march to the castle to demand what is owed us! Their hired warriors, who hide like cowards behind steel fashioned to appear as devils, will not stop us! If the Queen hides from us like a child frightened by loud noises, we will enter the castle and reclaim it! We guarded the pyramid for generations, keeping it holy, but now they desecrate it with their castle. What do they think we are, children who hide behind their mothers? WE! ARE! SHOANTI! We do not fear those who stole our birthright! We must teach them that they must respect us or bear the consequences!" The crowd cheers even louder, worked into a fervor by his words. They seem ready to march upon Castle Korvosa to make their demands, and ready to back them up with violence if denied.
'By the gods. If tha' don' ge' 'em all killed, nothing will. Let's go lad.' Without waiting for discussion Luca moves forward quickly, trying to get through the crowd towards thousand bones his head bowed, and hoping that Senjin is on his heels.
Here's hoping the one sane voice in the city doesn't get themselves killed. no-one can play the subtle game, politics is only about instant gratification for those who are planting the seeds of their downfall.
Quickly on Luca's heels. "So much for good intentions. Perhaps we can set them to defend their homes rather than bleed themselves dry under the Castle's walls."
Snaking through the crowd, Senjin continues to call out, hoping to be heard over the crowd. Hoping they might get close enough.
"We should stay close. We may need to extract them."
She checks the arrow on her bowstring, her eyes eagerly looking for a good nesting position.
Thousand Bones hears Senjin's cries and holds up a hand. Instantly, the crowd is quieted. The old man looks at Senjin. His eyes are whited over, yet he seems to peer deep into Senjin's very soul. "Clanless Brother, you have something to say? You have turned your back on your ancestors! You serve those who scattered us from our homes, drove us into the Cinderlands! What have you to say to your brothers and sisters? Do you wish to tell of us of the kindness of your masters, of their goodness and generosity as you eat their table scraps like a pet? We are SHOANTI!"
'Do ye think ye'll take it all back? Do ye plan to spread blood and fire and scatter the homes built here? Look around ye. The masters are few, the poor many. The people are not yer enemies. Not anymore, not unless ye make them that again. The Shoanti are mighty and proud, but the Hellknights are beyond mortal men. They'll show no mercy, they'll bear no resistance. But ye can show that ye are truly civilised. Make more than claims. If this here district is quite whent he devilsworn come, they will pass and everyone'll know why. Because the Shoanti are not brutes, they are a true people. Make more than claims. Show yer wisdom. Show the truth of yer or words!'
Luca's words seem to sway a lot of the Shoanti, who mutter amongst themselves about what he has said. They still seem to be following Thousand Bones, but far more cautiously than before. The aged Shoanti leader turns his whitened eyes to Luca. "You speak with great wisdom, son of the Boat Clan. However, you have forgotten something important. In the time that your ancestors came to the shores of my ancestors, it was you who brought war on our holy lands. It was you who settled atop the pyramid, where the gods had claimed as their own. We offered peace at first, but our offer was not enough. They demanded more and more. Your people do not respect friendship. They expect surrender and submission, nothing less. We do not fear the devil-men, and will not prostrate ourselves before them. That invites them to ignore us further, to simply take as the master takes from the slave. And we are not slaves!"
Alistair, having followed behind Luca and Senjin pipes up from the back. His hood is up, taking on the guise of Amycus once again.
"You are not slaves! But you are also not brutes or savages. Save this anger and pride for a better time. Right now it will only bring you sorrow. The Hellknights will not hesitate. The deaths will be many and brutal! Prove to them you are civilized now and their will be no bloodshed. You are not surrendering! You are not backing down! You are proving to the world that you are more civilized than the rest!"
"Yes! It's true I have no clan. My parent were Shoanti. They came here and lost their way. So I have been raised by the Korvosa, and she is a harsh mother. You want to know how harsh? Continue on your way...throw yourself against the walls of the castle...and be pinned there when the armored devils come! Your blood will turn the sacred pyramid red. And no one will be left to to serve it."
"You are Shoanti! But this is Korvosa! The times have changed! We are not on the plains, we make our homes in this city. You want change! Yes we all want change! And change is coming! But not this way. Don't let generations of frustrations lead to wasteful sacrifice. You say you are more civilized. Prove it! Act like the proud race you are and not show the city you are a wild mob. Be here to build a new Korvosa. This queen will not last. When the new Korvosa rises, who will speak for the Shoanti. Who will speak for the pyramid!"
Go to your homes! Protect your families! It is easy to throw your life away. But hard to face the new dawn. You want a voice! Use it! You are Shoanti but the old ways are gone here. I am Korvosa Clan! Will you join me in seeing that the Shoanti make this a better place for Shoanti or will you go join the ancestors and tell the story of the day the Shoanti failed their oath to serve the pyramid!"
Senjin and Alistair really seem to be having a strong effect on the Shoanti crowd. Thousand Bones seems to catch the changing mood of the crowd and accedes that he cannot move them further. "There will be a reckoning one day, and the Shoanti will not wait forever for what is ours. Come, my people. We will do as our Clanless brother and his foreign master says, but they must know that we will be waiting. If these promises fail, as all others from foreign lips have, we will return to claim what is rightfully ours." Thousand Bones and the crowd begin slipping away, quietly starting back to their homes.
As the mob breaks up, and the Shoanti turn their backs to head home, Senjin visibly sags. "I have saved my people and lost my people. We were not close, but deep down it felt like I could always call them family, but I fear that is the case no more."
He turns to Alister and Luca, "Thank you for helping. Accomplishing this, I feel there is some hope for a new Korvosa."
'Little and less time for congratulashions. We got to race to Old Korvosa quickly yet. We're falling behind with ever moment.' Luca nods around at his companions and starts marching on again, every footstep agony at this late point in the day.
The city burns, literally and figuratively, as the group of rebels rushes from one crisis to the next. With the Shoanti settled down and Thousand Bones's insurrectionist rhetoric cooled, they make their way up Mainshore Boulevard to the main stone bridge over the Narrows into Old Korvosa. As the name suggests, it is the oldest part of the city, where Field Marshal Korvosa landed in 4406 and established the settlement that later expanded onto the mainland. It is a small island off the main coast, with the steep Garrison Hill looming over the rest of the island. Most Korvosans avoid Old Korvosa, as it is the most impoverished and crime-ridden of all the city's wards. The Shingles that cover most of the top of Old Korvosa are more akin to beehives, and are widely known to be far more dangerous than the Shingles in the rest of the city. Most of the nobility fled Old Korvosa generations ago to escape the cramped and poor conditions, with the sole exception of the Arkona family, which retained their obsidian-walled palace on the north shore.
Old Korvosa is in a state of chaos. Entire blocks burn as hundreds upon hundreds riot in the streets. The streets are packed with rioters, who rush in all directions with little unifying theme beyond destruction. Still, they seem content to stay on the island, likely because of the grisly warning. A body, apparently a Varisian boy no older than sixteen, hangs from the side of the bridge where everyone can see him. His feet dangle loosely several feet from the stone. A piece of paper is pinned to his shirt; scrawled writing on it reads, 'Stay on your side!'
'The hellknights are well behind us, so I suggest we proceed fully armed and ready for trouble. This will not go easy on any of us. I wonder if there's anyway for us to track the nobles? I don't want to stay over there for too long.' Luca stares across the strait at the the fires and smoke, where screams and roars echo off narrow walls and shadows seeth with danger.
He shudders at the thought of enterring it. Its not like I can run from danger. Never before this day had he cursed his bad leg quite so much.
"Likely, just follow the trail of senseless killing and violence." She sneers at the hanging body. "That is disgusting. Killing is one thing. Sometimes, it has to be done, and when it does have to be done, it should be clean, professional, detached. Not this blood-frenzied, emotion-filled slaughter. It serves no purpose, other than to satisfy blood-lust. Revolting. The Hellknights may be brutal and despicable in their own way, but they do have one thing right."
Senjin looks across at the mayhem and misery. "How do we tell the mobs apart? The place has gone crazy. I can't think a lynch mob as moving into THAT. It looks like they are already doing the job by themselves."
They stop at the bridge, looking at the swaying feet of the corpse. The city appears to have gone mad, more and more each passing moment. The Hellknights will likely secure Old Korvosa last, but it will be a hideous bloodbath when they do. The mob will rush itself against the tide of devil-borne steel, likely dying in droves until they realize the futility of their actions. If half of Old Korvosa still stands at the end of the unrest, it will be more than seems possible at this moment. Amid the chaos and burning and fights and killing, a handful of children cry and wail helplessly. They are street urchins, numbering no more than four, but mere children. They are young, likely between 5 and 10 years. They are in no immediate danger, but no one at all seems to be looking out for them.
Perception:
Elrith points to the rickety wooden bridges. "There. In those warehouses." She starts to head in that direction, but stops to look at the urchins. She starts to head for the warehouses again, then stops again. Forcibly, she turns herself towards the children.
"Listen to me. You need to hide yourselves before the Hellknights arrive. Hide under this bridge until it's safe."
Diplomacy:
Senjin runs up to the children behind Elrith, We need to get them off the street, can't rely that they will do it.". He pulls down his mask and looks at the oldest. I must have looked like this that day my parents drifted off. "You, what's your name?..Will, all right Will, you are in charge. You got that? Take your brother's hand, I have these two. Let's get under the bridge, the fire wont come there. You stay here till I come for you you got that? Remember, you are in charge..I'm counting on you. Here, take this axe. You are to guard your family..got that?"
Senjin hands him a hatchet. And looks to the others to help the situation.
The oldest boy, who can't be any older than 10, nods gravely at Senjin. His eyes are large as saucers and filled with tears, but he knows that he must be brave for the other children. They look up to him, and it's his responsibility to lead them to safety. "Yes, m'lord! Thank you!" He looks down at the hatchet, bravery blossoming on his young face. He takes the youngest child and follows Senjin to the riverbank. "If the king's dead, why aren't they just planning a funeral? What's going on?"
How to explain human nature or mob mentality to a 10 year old?
"Some think the Queen shouldn't rule for the dead King, so they want to fight about it. Things will quiet down and we can get you home then. all right? Now stay here and we will be back for you. Stay here unless you see me or your family, right?"
With Senjin and Elrith leading the children to a safe(r) place, the others make their way to the warehouses that Elrith pointed out. The reflections of the fires in Old Korvosa gleam off the thin strait of water that separates Old Korvosa from the main part of the city. It is hardly further than 30 feet at some points, with makeshift wooden, and occasionally rope, bridges making the crossing. The bridges are not sturdy, but rather the result of ingenuity of those who wish to cross without the official eye of the Guard upon them at the main stone bridge. Every few days, the Guard sends a patrol boat through the Straits, knocking down the bridges, so there is never any guarantee of a bridge being in the same place twice. It is a risk to use the wooden bridges, as the water of the Straits is fast moving from the Jeggare River in the east to the sea in the west.
The warehouse that her keen elven eyes saw is a non-descript one, likely built over a century ago when Korvosans still had docks on the straits. Like all abandoned buildings, its ownership probably passed to the Crown, and thus its maintenance was promptly forgotten or ignored. Its glass windows are long-broken, and voices carry out from there into the street. "What, you think that you can come over and pollute our city with your filth? It's your fault that this is happening! You and your kind's laziness! You are all worthless and deserve what you get!" There is a cry of pain and a sound of jeering from at least half a dozen mouths.
'This is it,' Luca exclaims between gasps of breath.
He looks around at his companions before nodding to them and turning to Alejandro. 'Lead on then, Master Endrin, your more suited to breaking through doors than I am!'
They approach the warehouse with a sense of urgency, spurred on by the groans of pain coming from inside. Elrith slinks alone the side of the wall like a shadow, while Luca hobbles behind Alejandro, who strides confidently towards the front door. Senjin takes out his large axe, knowing that they are unlikely to like him very much, while Acid silently stalks behind Rica. They are an unlikely group, coming to the aid of the prisoner inside while Korvosa burns around them.
As they approach the warehouse, they notice through the open windows that there are boxes everywhere on the inside, scattered about like discarded trash. A half-dozen or more shadowy figures move around inside, and the voices carry through the windows like leaves in the wind. "Please, please, have mercy! I just wanted to be safe from the mob on the island! I was just afraid!" The voice is feminine, a lilting melody to it even in its pleading. It has a touch of the exotic Varisian. She is probably just another Varisian girl, one of many in Korvosa, that will likely not be missed.
There is a slapping sound, and she cries out in pain. "You want to end up like him?" She whimpers a desperate noise. "You don't deserve to be safe. You deserve to be raped and killed by the savages over on that side. You should thank us for giving you something better." His voice is harsh, cruel, and haughty. Her life obviously means nothing to him.
Luca stiffens in anger at the overheard conversation within, but controls his emotions, knowing that if any should run in, it shouldn't be him, instead he moves up to beside the door and checks to see if its locked.
Luca carefully checks the door, barely making a noise as he turns the knob and almost imperceptibly slides the door open far enough to tell that it is open. There is another slap sound from the inside, followed by some appreciative malicious chuckles. It seems fairly unlikely that anyone is paying attention to the outside, even in this chaotic environment.
Elrith places a hand on Luca's shoulder. She leans close to him. "Just open the door a tiny way and give me a few shots before you wave the rest in. Arrows flying out of nowhere tend to unnerve people and throw them into disarray."
Round: "surprise"; Initiative: unknown
Elrith will try to guage from which side of the doorway the voices are coming and ready an action to fire an arrow at the speaker or one of the "chucklers".
Stealth to stay hidden as Luca opens the door:
Arrow attack roll:
Critical confirm roll:
Damage:
Stealth to snipe:
Elrith grins in cold satisfaction as her arrow slices through the man's neck and out the other end. As the man starts to fall, she's already pulling another arrow out of her quiver.
Senjin waits for Elrith's next arrow. He glances at Alenjandro to ensure that he is ready. Always been on the other side of a guardsman breaking in a door. But then again, we weren't rapists and torturers.
He grips his axe tight and nods to Luca that he will be ready when he pulls open the door.
Alistair cringes at the sounds he hears from inside the warehouse. How could people be so cruel... Stepping up next to Elrith, Alistair nocks his own bow with an arrow and aims at the one of chuckling men. He releases shortly after Elrith and immediately replaces the arrow, ready to shoot again.
Alistair's skill obviously does not match up to Elrith's, as his arrow flies wide of it's target.
Alejandro
Alistair
Elrith
Enemies
Enemy Leader
Luca
Rica
Senjin
As Elrith's arrow penetrates one of the men's throats, he falls to the ground dead. The others look at him shocked as more attacks come flooding in through the door. The girl is lying on the floor, stripped to the waist and bleeding from several cuts. She looks up at the door, seeing her elven savior, with a look of desperate hope on her eyes.
Rica points at the doorway, directing the wolf-like creature she summoned to attack. "Acid! Tear them to shreds!" She takes a position behind Elrith, peering around the archer's shoulder into the room. A faint gleam of excitement appears in her eyes as she awaits her "pet's" arrival and the subsequent bloodshed.
The beast with green fur growls and snarls as it rounds the corner. One of the men, turning to figure out what happened to the first of their number, shouts a warning to the others: "What from the Hells is that?" With a tense coiling of its powerful muscles, Acid prepares to leap atop the man and tear him to shreds, as per his instruction.
This isn't Alejandro's first time kicking in a door, and by Iomedae's will, it would not be the last. His priority, drilled into him by the Korvosan Guard, is to protect innocent life first and foremost. His voice rings through as he rushes next to the woman, "This woman is under our protection! Surrender your weapons!"
Senjin moves into the room and poises his axe to swing if his chosen target does not follow Alejandro's command.
Luca rushes, as quickly as he can, after his companions into the bowels of the warehouse, dashing through the door and to the side to get a good look around him at the foes that lie within.
Round 1; Initiative 24
Hp 10/10; AC 17, t14, ff13
Elrith waits until the last companion rushes in before dashing in herself, she picks out the man who looks like the leader, and looses an arrow at his throat, trying to duplicate her earlier feat.
Move action: sorry, am in the middle of moving, and I can't see the map (actually, just the characters) on my phone. Please move to appropriate spot.
Attack:
Damage:
Not waiting for a reply to Alejandro's order to surrender, Rica raises the crossbow that she has been carrying, a smirk on her lips as she aims at the leader of the group. In truth, she has only ever fired it at the range supplied by her parents, but this is not something she needs to share with the others. She fires at him, the crossbow bolt delivering a twang sound as it flies out. It rushes past Senjin, barely missing him, before flying past the nobleman in the center of the room. It lands in one of the wooden boxes. She frowns, angry at having missed. She starts reloading it immediately, shouting orders at her summoned pet as she does. "Acid! Bite!"
True to its orders, the green otherworldly dog lashes out with sharp teeth at one of the men. He isn't quick enough to move out of the way, but apparently he wears some fine chain armor under his shirt. The sound of teeth on metal echoes through the warehouse as things explode into pandemonium.
The young man closest to Senjin pulls out a rapier and dives towards him in a 'traditional' fighting stance. He lunges forward in a picture perfect fencing style, but Senjin learned how to fight on the street. On the street, one knows they are going to get cut and bruised, and the fight is more about cutting the other guy faster and more seriously. He turns and takes the rapier's tip on one of his arms, drawing blood but saving him from serious injury.
Still stumbling backwards, the noble thug that Acid bit a moment prior lashes out with his own rapier before getting to solid footing. It hisses through the air as it flies above the beast without affect.
Suddenly, Senjin finds himself surrounded by enemies. This one almost leaps forward, trying to take advantage of Senjin's distraction. He extends his blade too early, not quite penetrating the back of the Shoanti's chain shirt. He pulls out a dagger and settles into a fighting stance with the rapier low and dagger high.
Stepping over the fallen body of Elrith's first victim, one of the ones deeper in the warehouse swipes unsuccessfully at Alejandro. The strong guardsman raises his longsword and easily bats away the flimsy rapier.
The leader of the noblemen, the one making the threats towards the girl, sneers at their entry. "Traitors, eh? Let me show you what we do to traitors.". He pulls out a pair of daggers as he does a spinning leap to end up behind Alejandro. He plunges one of the daggers into Alejandro's back. It hits the metal of his breastplate, which holds off the penetration that would likely have killed him.
Seeing Senjin become surrounded, Luca steps to the side, now flanking with one of Senjin's assailants, he raises his cane and swings at the man before him with all his might.
He catches the man on the back of the head with a loud crack, dazing the man who turns to see the beggar behind him, he stumbles slightly, but stays upright for the moment, much to Luca's chagrin.
Things have quickly become crowded in the room, as the thugs swarm on Alistair's new companions. Having not practiced enough with his longbow to justify shooting into a melee, Alistair decides to try a different tactic. He reaches into his spell component pouch and grabs a pinch of wool. He raises it up, rubbing it between his fingers and mutters a quick prayer to Milani. Everbloom, fill this man's mind with fog. Upon speaking the word "fog," the wool turns into a rose red fog that floats toward the leader, who breathes it in, unaware of its effects.