Leira steps to the front reloading her crossbow and shoting it at whatever running thug in view.
Leira's crossbow shot goes high as she tries to avoid Adir running into the line of fire to aid Tuzak.
Group 1 - Delia, Jace, Leira, Songan, Bowman, North Left (down), South Left
Group 2 - Groin, Morgrim (down), South Right (fleeing)
Group 3 - Tuzak, Adir, North Right (fleeing)
is still up, awaiting Delia and Jace on ROUND 4
Bowman is not engaged, fleeing, wounded
South Left is threatened by Songan, wounded
North Right is not engaged, fleeing (Yellow)
South Right is not engaged, fleeing (Green)
North Left is down (Red)
Morgrim is down
Adir and Tuzak are not engaged, wounded
Groin is not engaged
Delia and Jace are approaching
Leira is reloading her crossbow
Delia curses at seeing the would-be assassins fleeing from their ambush. She spots one of them (yellow) dart down the nearby alleyway. She whistles loudly to her companion. "Jace, to me!" And she takes off running towards the other side of the nearby building she believes the man had around past. Jace comes running up alongside his master, eyes laid back against his head, a deep growl rumbling in his chest.
Delia and Jace chase off after the possible aggressors, or at least the warriors fleeing the scene of the attack on her companions. As she rounds the near corner, Jace moves in front of her, shielding her somewhat from the approaching men.
One, a crossbowman, raises his stock and launches a bolt flying down the narrow alley. It's flight is only heard as the dark shaft and fletching are lost in the rapidly approaching darkness. , , . A sickening thud echoes slightly in the confined area, for a moment Delia fearing the worst.
The worry is wasted, for it seems Jace's shielding move was not needed. The bowman's snap fire too quickly, sending his bolt right through the back of his companion. The plus sends the man tumbling to the ground in the alley. The man curses as he continues on his way, Ditt eple, moving further down the alley and leaving his companion bleeding out, no concern at all save his own safety.
The waitress takes off running away from the battle, calling to her allies Skreed'zs creds be ta shots, runs fer it quicks. Back ta tha laylows. Withdraw Full Action
Leira's most appreciated MAP, Updated
Group 1 - Delia, Jace, Leira, Songan, Bowman, North Left (down), South Left
Group 2 - Groin, Morgrim (down), South Right (fleeing)
Group 3 - Tuzak, Adir, North Right (down)
Bowman is not engaged, fleeing, wounded (No border)
South Left is fleeing, wounded (Waitress)
North Right is down (Yellow)
South Right is fleeing (Green)
North Left is down (Red)
Morgrim is down
Adir and Tuzak are not engaged, wounded
Groin is not engaged
Delia and Jace are approaching alleyway
Leira is reloading her crossbow
Songan is pursuing the Waitress
Groin is unwilling to leave his downed companion, and stands by Morgrim.
The South Right warrior continues his escape, clearing the corner as the Crossbowman accidently fells his own comrade. The fleeing bandit takes only a moment before changing course, continuing on into the dim light away from both friend and foe alike.
Leira's most appreciated MAP, Updated
Group 1 - Delia, Jace, Leira, Songan, Bowman, North Left (down), South Left
Group 2 - Groin, Morgrim (down), South Right (fleeing)
Group 3 - Tuzak, Adir, North Right (down)
is up, ROUND 4
Bowman is not engaged, fleeing, wounded (No border)
South Left is fleeing, wounded (Waitress)
North Right is down (Yellow)
South Right is fleeing (Green)
North Left is down (Red)
Morgrim is down
Adir and Tuzak are not engaged, wounded
Groin is not engaged, guarding Morgrim
Delia and Jace are approaching the alley
Leira is reloading her crossbow
Songan is pursuing the Waitress
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Knowing that information could be very useful, Adir steps towards the downed attacker and attempts to stabilize him if still alive.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------
An enraged Tuzak takes after the fleeing attacker.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Adir moves over to try to stabilize the dying brigand, discovering the man suffered heavy trauma to his head, neck, and shoulder from repeated blows. The task of first aid is taking longer than Adir had anticipated, and the man is slowly slipping away. .
Tuzak races off after his attacker, rounding the corners to find him laying upon the cobblestones and trash. The angry, injured sloth steps upon the man, pinning him to the ground, sniffing for any sign the man still lives.
Leira's most appreciated MAP, Updated
Group 1 - Delia, Jace, Leira, Songan, Bowman, North Left (down), South Left
Group 2 - Groin, Morgrim (down), South Right (fleeing)
Group 3 - Tuzak, Adir, North Right (down)
is up, start of ROUND 5
Bowman is not engaged, fleeing, wounded (No border)
South Left is fleeing, wounded (Waitress)
North Right is down (Yellow)
South Right is fleeing (Green)
North Left is down (Red)
Morgrim is down, stable
Adir, wounded, is applying First Aid to North Left (Red)
Tuzak, wounded, is pinning North Right (Yellow)
Groin is not engaged, guarding Morgrim
Delia and Jace are approaching the alley
Leira is reloading her crossbow
Songan is pursuing the Waitress
|
Throwing caution to the wind as their enemies continue making their escape, Songan pursues the waitress with abandon, rearing back with his longsword as he prepares to pounce on his target; a strange sensation overcomes him as he charges, a sense that some otherworldly force is urging him toward success!
Delia lets out a sigh of relief as the fired bolt sinks into the back of the assassin in front of her. As she begins to move forward to check if the man survived she spots Tuzak holding him to the ground and sniffing at him. She and Jace approach cautiously, not wanting to send the sloth-like creature into a rage. "Tuzak, easy. Down, boy." She attempts to get Tuzak to ease off the wounded man so that she may approach and try to stabilize him...
Leira moves 30 feet to the front and shots her crossbow to the waitress trying to help Songan to take her down.
As Songan reaches the waitress, his sword cutting low across her back, Leira's crossbow bolt takes the woman high in the shoulder. The damaging blows toss her forward a few feet, sprawling flat on her face, unmoving.
Tuzak shakes his head, his anger and pain evident, but he concedes and steps off the downed bandit. He refuses to back away, staying close and snuffling at the air, venting his impatience with more air than the otherwise slow and docile creature would normally require.
Jace likewise approaches alongside Delia, understanding the sloth's ire, himself having felt the sting of being called off the catch too early by his mistress before.
Leira approaches Morgrim and the other fallen "Oh my! What happened? Who where those people and what did they want? Can you help Morgrim to get conscious Groin?"
Leira sets another shaft in her weapon and carefully looks around trying to secure the area against any new incoming attack.
Songan finds that the waitress is dead, having suffered massive trauma.
"Is her dead?" Leira keeps watching the streets for any other danger. She tries to secure the area looting the body of the fallen bandit, then runs to the waitress and loots her too.
She maintains an eye on the alleys making sure no one else is attacking the group.
"We probably want to imprison these ones somewhere, it will take some time before they came back to consciousness. What have you discovered? What did Sarah new?" asks Leira once she is sure no one else is hearing.
Adir looks around frantically. "We could use some help here! Maybe I should find Silvermane..."
Searching the bodies of the three downed bandits, you find three potion bottles, three antitoxins, and three smokesticks. They are dressed in leather armor, have light crossbows with 30 bolts in total, short swords and thieves’ tools. In their pouches you find three lime green beryls and 12 gps in total.
Now that Tuzak stood down, Delia quickly drops her backpack and gathers some rope to tie up the bandit after she attempts to stabilize him. She kneels down and attempts to heal his wounds that drain his life away.
Leira gets curious on the potions and what they might be. She uses her skills to check magical objects when all of a sudden she starts to see magical auras around.
She closes her eyes and tries to make order of the world surrounding her.
The girl also tries to give a value to the beryls she just picked up.
"So what were you told? Silvermane? Who is her?" Leira looks at Adir and Groin expectant "Where shall we move next? Perhaps we can look around the city and directly ask where is Katreza. We need to find him."
Leira discovers the potions are marked with orcish runes and a blue coin showing a devil's face. No other items give off a magical aura. The gemstones do not seem to be of much value to Leira, though she does not recall ever having used gems as currency or valuables before, save her parents' betrothal rings.
Delia manages to stabilize her bandit and securely bind him while unconscious. She will of course need assistance in getting him back to the rest of the group.
Groin informs the group of their discovery of Katrezra, his interactions with the dead guard captain, and the contents of the journal.
Leira looks around a bit dizzy on seeing the magical auras "Something is going wrong. I suddenly see estrange auras on those potions. I think they are cure light wounds ones. We can use them on the most injured of you guys."
After Groin explain Katrezra discovery, she exclaims "For Trunau! We need to discover what is underneath that Plague House!"
Looking at the others she proposes "Let's take these thugs to Kurst and inform him we were attacked. Perhaps he can make them explain what is their goal and who commands them. I think we should explore the Plague House next."
"Morgrim could use healing if that's what they are. As could..." Adirs voice trails off. "Tuzak? Tuzak!"
She looks at the fallem dwarf worried "Let's move him inside Sara's home, she can take care of him. Can you help me Adir?" Assuming the man helps her she moves the body in and asks Sara to take care of him.
Once Morgrim is on safe, Leira leads the party to Kurst carrying the ambushers for interrogation there.
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Once we get them to Kurst, we should tell him what happened and then leave. I don't think we should head to the Plague House just yet; we have small enough healing resources as it is. We might be able to get some healing at Sanctuary without using our own spells to do it. Going into a place like that without being at our best would be akin to suicide."
A patrol arrives shortly after the scuffle has ended. The soldiers round up the bodies and assist you with moving Morgrim to his uncle's home and then leading the surviving prisoner to the Longhouse. Patrol Captain Kurst is called and arrives shortly after you do, eager to hear your side of the story, and to set the watch to looking for either of the men that escaped you. Kurst calls for aid from the militia healers, and the priest of Abadar offers healing for any requesting it.
Once the ministrations are complete, Kurst asks everyone to leave the room, that he may meet with yourselves and your prisoner in private.
The only other person in attendance to this meeting is a dwarf warrior you remember vaguely from Cham Larringfass' inn. He was not one of the troopers keeping order, but appeared to be amongst those attending to the Halfling and her tenants.
I am glad to see you are safe. A priest is going to Morgrim's now, to see to his comfort. I am told his shoulder was shattered. It may be some time before he is able to rejoin you. Turning to the dwarf in the room, This is Dundin Larringfass, a retainer of my father. He was watching over Rodrik while at the inn. I have asked him here to identify the bodies of those you encountered, but it seems none were half-orcs, nor previously tenants of the inn. My father has insisted he be included in my little investigation, even though he still believes Rodrik committed suicide to hide some personal shame.
Looking back at your group, weariness and fatigue settling into his face and shoulders, he continues. So, it seems you have had a development in your investigation, please, elaborate for me...
Leira nods grimly at the new comer "I am happy you are here Dundin. Spare me if I do not receive you more cheerfully but the recent events had been dull." she offers her hand to shake the dwarf she barely knows.
Turning to Kurst she explains some details about what has been discovered, also to give the information to Dundin "Well, we already knew Rodrik was going to marry Brinya. It seems the couple was going to a great stress because Rodrik had lost Brinya's hopeknife which had been interchanged as a token of love. He ordered a new copy of the knife to Urnsul, but he is disappeared now and the hopeknife copy appeared at the room with Rodrik corpse."
She makes a pause and looks the reactions on Dundin "We have just recently gotten thanks to Katreza, a local oracle friend of Rodrik, that he apparently lost the knife in the Plague House. He was investigating that area because he had find a Flood Troll there. That's why we think we should explore the Plague House next, but we know that investigation has disturbed some foreigner of blonde hair living in the Ramblehouse."
She looks at his friends "Well, that blonde man and these ambush attack, we think it might be related, they want to stop our investigation. Perhaps you can interrogate the ambushers so we get extra information." Leira looks at the clerics "In fact perhaps the clerics can heal to consciousness one of them so we can interrogate them now."
"We are also looking for Urnsul, Sargeant Frum, and a group of Half-orc labourers. We hope we can get some relevant information talking with them, so please, if you have any information that might lead us to them... we will appreciate." the girl rests finally hoping her exposition has not been too dense.
The dwarf nods, and is obviously reluctant and nervous to be in the spotlight. And listens attentively after shaking hands with the attractive human sorcerer.
He responds rather sheepishly: "I was supposed to protect Rodrik, and now he is dead." Dundin mumbles the words again to himself a bit before looking up.
"I have been busy around the inn, but I do not know what foreigner you are talking about. But I will help you as best I can. As for dealing with half orcs, that can be delicate around here. I can speak with Cham, as she knows more about the guest than I do."
Dundin returns with a battered chain shirt and shield. Over his back he has slung his axe.
Adir, happy that he and Tuzak have been refreshed, ruffles the hair on the megatherium's head as he listens to Leira recount their discoveries. "Be more careful, big guy."
"Howdy, Dundin. Not sure there was a lot to be done about Rodrik. It seems like a rather coordinated effort to infiltrate Trunau, and an effective one."
As to the rest, it wasn't all half-orcs that attacked us. At least your father isn't trying to stop the investigation completely anymore," he says with a small amount of relief. Adir also fills in any details that he can to add to Leira's report.
Leira takes one of the prisoners and tries to locate if she knows him from the town.
"So, who ordered this ambush to us, and why do he or she wants to stop our investigation?" the girl stares softly at the man.
If he does not answer appropriately the woman looks at Adir and says "Do you prefer my giant friend helps you remember the facts? Or... perhaps you want to see my tricks?" with a word Leira's dancing light tattoo starts to shed light.
Dundin relates his knowledge succinctly after a quick talk with Cham, the proprietor:
"The orcs were loud and lazy and went out at night a lot. Cham says the blonde man covered his tracks well."
Dundin is a little smelly, so he feels it inappropriate to comment on the odor of the orcs.
Dundin does watch the interrogation, and quietly looks for nonverbal clues of deception and anxiety.
|
|
Songan approached the prisoner himself, drawing in a deep breath, then slowly releasing it. "Your friend with the braids mentioned a name before you all turned tail like sheep realizing you'd been led to slaughter. Skreed, was it? I believe she said 'Skreed's creds be to shots', yes? Well I hope you realize she's now dead, as are most of your companions. A wise man would say now is a good time to cut a deal."
The prisoner relates that he and his fellows are from Freedom Town. They were hired to come to Trunau and assist "as needed" a man searching the town for "something", what that something might be he doesn't know.
Rough Description
For the most part the man seems to be telling you the truth, perhaps slightly varnished, but overall the truth. The only time he seems to hesitate or become elusive is on the nature of Melira, her brother, and the gang they belong to in Freedom Town. He is truthful that Melira has a relationship with the blonde man.
Delia thankfully accepts the healing for her lingering injuries from the first attack. She listens to the interrogation with a glare directed at their prisoner. "What does Freedom Town want with Trunau? And why should we let you live after this?"
Leira asks "So how is Melira and what is the nature of the relationship with the blonde man? Where is she now? And the blonde man? Where has he gone? You said you had to come back after dealing with us. Where?"
The girl turns to the rest of the team "I think most probably those people were looking for something in the Plague House. We need to go there and look for them. Perhaps we can sell these equipment we got and get useful stuff for us. What do you think?"
|
|
"They may be heartless murderers but that doesn't mean we have to be as well. I say turn them over to the guard and let them deal with the thugs as Trunau law calls for. Regardless, their being from Freedom Town doesn't mean that Freedom Town doesn't want anything with Trunau. Just common street thugs and hirelings is what it sounds like to me."
"Either way, we already know our next target is the Plague House. The more we linger here, the longer whatever is going on there gets to keep going on."
The man indicates he and the gang are from Freedom Town, part of a group supposedly called Steele's Blades. Melira is there with her brother, "Steele". The man tells you Freedom Town has no interest in Trunau, and neither do the Blades, save for Melira's interest in the blonde man, who asked her for help.
The man does not know anything more on the blonde man or his activities. The man doesn't stay with the gang, nor his half-orc flunkies at the Ramblehouse. He has a "home" somewhere in town that he retreats to when not searching for his "something".
The man knows nothing about the Plague House, nor anything further about the half-orc searches, only that they are marking likely spots to search in the future, should they not find it wherever they are looking now.
Kurst will not allow you to harm the prisoner further, nor pass judgment upon him. That decision will be made by the Council, when the time comes. I can offer to arrange compensation for ridding the town of this threat, as well as your investigations thus far, and any incidental funds for selling the offenders' gear. The monies could be made available to you in the morning once disbursements opens. This would give you the day to outfit, follow up on loose leads, seek out Frum, whom you mentioned earlier, then be ready to strike at the Plague House tomorrow evening, if still so desired.
Adir steps back from Delia's anger despite being a bit rough-around-the-edges himself."Miss Delia, we're all hurt, angry, and reeling at the day's events. This just isn't our call to make, especially now that he's in custody.
Kurst, that sounds great. We could all use some time to rest and regroup, I think. Nerves... hells, everything is a bit frayed at the moment. You probably know that better than anyone."
Leira nods to the man and the party "You are right Kurst, we would serve to no purpose if we end up fatigued, and we are already almost to the limit. I propose we go eat something and rest, then proceed with the search tomorrow early morning."
If the team accepts the idea Leira proposes "Perhaps we can have supper at the Killin' Grounds. Sargent Frum was seen there and we can also try to get information about the braid."
Kurst calls for a guardsman to take away the prisoner, then bids your group farewell.
The trip to the Killin' Grounds is uneventful, a militia patrol escorting you there before continuing on to their rounds. You find the dive bar as rough and rowdy as the previous evening, with roughly a similar mix of customers. The wait staff seems pressed to keep up with orders, obviously one member short this evening. Scanning the crowd on your way to a table, you do not immediately spot Sergeant Frum amongst the revelers.
You are seated at the same table as you had the night before. The waitress only seems to be half listening as she takes your orders, weary exhaustion creeping around her eyes. If asked about her former associate, she directs your questions to the owner and barkeep, Rabus Clarenston. When asked about the sergeant, she nods towards a far corner and continues on back to the kitchen.
Seated in the far corner, hunched over a table, face inches above his mug, bobs Sergeant Omast Frum. He sways and dips as though deep into his cups, muttering to himself, occasionally burying his head in his arm. He does not seem to notice his surroundings, the waitress stopping infrequently to refill his mug with ale.