Not knowing how far away the cell was, Sera backs off and waits for the voices to enter into a different room / direction before pushing forwards again.
Stricia keeps her eyes down as they walk on.
Sholti grows worried when she does not receive a reply from Vendalfeck. With events are in motion she doesn't retry the message but instead moves on to the second one. She whispers "We'll get to go home now."
"All this damned paperwork is supposed to make our jobs easier."
"Really?! Because all it does is stress me out." Zeldana said, her voice a bit louder then normal. "I'm fairly sure the Captain has it in for me, I can't hold onto paperwork to save my life, and filling the crap out take hours of my day away! How does that make it better?"
"You don't have it quite right." Shoti remarks. "It's supposed to make our bosses' lives easier. We don't count."
Vendafeck whispers to Sera, "That's our friends' voices! Should we greet them? Though I think they're not alone..."
Korva taps you in the shoulder Sera also whispering, "We should hold position here..."
Vendafeck snaps his fingers, "forgot" and whispers...
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
The dwarven Captain rounds the corner and roars out in anger, "Kyle! Marthan! You two had better not be takin' a damned nap again!"
Stricia takes the moment to 'push' Zeldana aside and take off towards the gate, stumbling as she goes.
Zeldana stumbled back a bit, as the 'push' did take her by surprise. "Grab her! Grab her! Zeldana said before she landed on her ass.
Ow... go job Stricia but... ow...
Kadwyn spins on her heels and shouts when Stricia pushes free. "Damned recruits! Damned prisoners! Damned Dottari!" She breaks into a full sprint towards the monk.
Stricia stays juusst ahead of Kadwyn. If no one actually manages to catch up to her she will stumble and 'fall' right at the front door.
When Stricia bolts for the gate Sholti almost panics. This wasn't part of the plan. But quickly she realizes it may be a very good thing, maybe a way to avoid the brawl that was beginning to seem inevitable.
She freezes, hanging back from the others who chase after Stricia. Quickly she whispers to Vendalfeck.
"You have a little more time. Tell Korva and Sera to hurry with the lock and get everyone out the back door. I'll call for you if things go bad here."
Now if we can keep Stricia from being beaten within an inch of her life, and the others can get out before we arrive, we may just be able to walk away with our prisoner. Lax security so can't leave her here. Maybe nobody else has to die that way.
Sera waits for the sounds of pursuit and the footsteps to retreat in an opposite direction before peeking around the corner, slipping down the corridor and searching for the cell.
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
The thugs draw saps and begin to advance upon Stricia to beat her.
The dwarf gets through the door and appears enraged, "Ya gotta keep her alive!?"
Kossrani
Zeldana
Sholti
Stricia
Kadwyn
As you hear the shouting and running in the opposite direction you take the opportunity to find the door which is only ten feet away, a quick check around the corner by Korva reveals no further doors. As you check the handle you realize it is not locked!
Sera opens the door regardless, seeing as its the only door within sight.
Stricia struggles to her feet and when she is sure everyone is following her stumbles 10 feet out the gates.
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
As Stricia stumbles out the front gate, the two men approach her with the saps.
The two guards get in each other's way they are so eager to beat Stricia.
As you open the door, you see sprawled out in various stages of filthiness and fatigue, what you assume to be the mercenaries you have come here to liberate. No one else is being kept here though, you can tell because despite the grime, the uniforms the men all wear are the same.
What grabs your attention before the squalor and the odd juxtaposition of the dirty men and pristine piles of paperwork on the desks in the room is the guard who snaps to his feet.
"Who are you?" he asks aggressively as he draws his longsword.
Kadwyn bowls past guards to reach Stricia. "Out of my way!" She shouts as she slams into one of them.
Stricia goes total defense cowering before the men with saps.
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
Kadwyn manages to bowl one of the thugs over completely knocking him into the street.
The dwarf loses his patience and steps forward drawing his mace and swinging it down at Stricia, with what is certainly not his most powerful strike. "Go down and stay down girlie or I'll really hurt ya'!"
Stricia's defenses are strong enough to absorb the weak blow.
"New arrival" Sera says dismissively, walking forward and pretending the guy wasn't waving a longsword. She decided the absence of a reaction might discourage him actually using it while he tried to sort everything out.
"There's another prisoner waiting out in the hall, and I don't know about you, but I think its going to require the door being open unless you plan on asking them to fit through the bars."
Sera raises an eyebrow, before pointing out the hall, looking at him like this was a waste of time.
He holds his blade at the ready, close enough to strike you if he so chooses, clearly he has yet to see your companions as their presence would definitely trigger a more violent reaction.
"Where are Arty and Cal? They were just outside the door ten minutes ago and who the hell brought you in, I didn't know the dwarf would even hire women for this dirty job!"
"We brought in two prisoners, one tried to make a break for it in the presence of Arty and Cal, who are currently enforcing...discipline so that it doesn't happen again, again, if you don't believe me, go right ahead. Seeing as they had it well in hand, we assumed it was best that we get this one into a cell quickly so that it doesn't get any bright ideas."
Sera observes the cell, looking at the prisoners inside. "Truthfully, I'm surprised you didn't hear any of the commotion, a fact I might have to pass onto Arty and Cal - its concerning that a prisoner attempted to make a break for it and you heard nothing. As for me being a women, it makes my job easier - who would suspect me?"
Sera turns and makes eye contact with the guard."Look, if you are going to waste my time, then go run along and check with Arty and I'll wait here. Or, you can help out. Pick an option but stop waving that damn sword, you are embarrassing us both."
The situation seems to be getting out of hand to Sholti, and she's beginning to doubt they will be able to save Stricia from serious harm. In any case, if a fight is coming this is a good time for it. One of the guards is on the ground, and Sholti can approach from behind.
She whispers Vendalfeck, it's a fight out here right now. Keep working quickly and get the prisoners out. as she walks carefully up behind the dwarf.
She doesn't want to spill any more blood than can be helped, so she strikes the dwarf with the flat of her blade without warning.
"Yes we need to keep her alive." Zeldana said as she stood up from where Stricia had knocked her down. She stopped when she noticed Sholti had seemed to vanish.
Goddess... please let this go well...
She moved over to where the dwarf was to grab Stricia. "Get up!" She orders as she grabbed her arm and pulled her from the ground.
The man's sword hand wavers.
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
The dwarf spins on Sholti as he is struck on the head, "Bad aim girlie! I'll not stand fer that Dottari or no Dottari". He waves his weapon menacingly.
Unsure of whether they are still trying to bluff or if they've commenced an attack, raises her bound hands and says Sorry! she keeps up her total defense though and is glad to be back on her feet.
The prisoners, those that are awake look on bleary eyed and seemingly broken. The guard sheathes his sword and frowns at Sera but heads into the hallway where Korva and Vendalfeck absolutely pound him.
Korva - Attack Roll Kukri - Damage .
Vendalfeck - Attack Roll Bite - Damage .
He drops back into the room, bleeding profusely fro his neck gurgling his last.
The men sit up at that, one asks Sera, "Who are you?"
Vendalfeck retorts, "No time talk later, Sholti says we need to hurry!"
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
Behind you all the door in the area near the gate opens and a Chelishian man with nor armor or shirt but a sword buckled at his waist exclaims, "What the hell is going on out here we're trying to sleep!"
Meanwhile, the prone guard attempts to pull Kadwyn down, "Knock me down will ya'!"
The other draws his blade and attacks Sholti withthe flat of his blade, "Wake up Duffy, the Dottari are attackin' us!"
The man at the door exclaims, "Ah shit! Double crossers!"
CMB -
Flank Short Sword Attack Sholti - Non-Lethal - Damage
Kadwyn easily evades his attempt to trip her.
Sholti's attacker misses her as it is obvious he is holding back believing the group to be Dottari.
I guess we aren't trying to play nice anymore.
"Get your filthy hands off me!" Kadwyn shouts as she draws her longsword and brings it down on the guard.
|
|
"I'm the lady that can get you out...assuming thats what you want of course?" Sera replies to the man as she steps closer to the lock to open it (if theres no key to be found). Turning to Vendalfeck immediately after, she gives the ally a quick glance "Do you think you can send a message, ask them if they need our help to collapse on them or if they want us to escape with the prisoners?"
A quick search of the, now dead, guards reveals keys to the manacles holding the men back from acting freely.
"Lady, I am buying what you are selling. I am Forvian Crowe and these are my men for whom I speak and we are grateful for your aid!"
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
Kadwyn's swordstrike nearly brings the guard down.
The dwarf's eyes light up, "That's it, yer all going down n' I'll figger' out what happened later! Attack men attack!"
Chelish Thug 1A - HP = 1/10 vs. Kadwyn
Chelish Thug 2B - HP = 10/10
Chelish Thug 1B - HP = 10/10
Chelish Thug 2B - HP = 10/10
Chelish Thug 3B - HP = 10/10
Chelish Thug 4B - HP = 10/10
p. 26
Kossrani - 24/30 (first 6 subdual)
Kossrani Attacks Sholti - Masterwork Heavy Mace - Damage
No longer hesitating, the dwarf swings with full power and narrowly misses Sholti with his mace.
The stunned guard at the inner door steps back into the room that appears to be the barracks, a fire lit under his ass, no doubt he and whoever were off duty are about to join the fray...
For a moment Sholti thinks their deception has been so successful she might be able to pull back from her strike on the dwarf (and considering his brush off of it thankfully so) to still avoid a fight. But that possibility is gone in the next instant.
She sidesteps the dwarf's swipe, moving into a pose as she does so. From there she begins the rapid, fluid movements of the battle dance she had learned and practiced in Absalom.
She brings the flat of her sword against the dwarf once again, and as she completes the move contacts Vendalfeck.
"There are quite a few of them here. We need help when you're finished with your business."
"We'll see if you can even move after this!" Zeldana said before she spoke a few arcane words. She moved up to the dwarf and touched him.
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
Stricia breaks the fake bond that held her fast and begins to strike at the guards around her!
Unarmed Strike - Damage
Sholti's attack has little effect on the tough well muscled dwarf.
Zel though brushes his arm
causing him to stumble a bit.
She strikes once more!
Unarmed Strike - Damage
Knocking the thug unconscious.
The guard that Kadwyn attacked places his hands up, "Mercy! Mercy!"
Kadwyn - GO!
The Dwarf
Sholti & Zeldana
New Guards (4)
As the guard throws up his hands, Kadwyn steps away and lunges toward the dwarf. She shouts while thrusting her longsword. "Why would we ever trust a dwarf!?"
Move action - - -| Move to Dwarf (or draw shield if I only need to take a 5' step)
Swift action - - -| Activate Arcane Strike
Standard action | Attack
Night Assault on the Salt Works – Dottari Team – Stricia, Zel, Sholti, & Kadwyn
Kadwyn misses the Dwarf who grins, "So many choices, last in, first out!" He roars.
This time the mace connects with Kadwyn's shoulder causing it to flare up in pain.