Annabelle sits not far from Zevarin, a half-finished port of ale in front of her. She has get eyes partially closed, looking as though the alcohol has caught up with her.
Calcedon had gone along with the group toward the situation at hand when a few kids had stopped him for a moment, pestering him for chalk. He'd made it a habit to hand out chalk to kids who wanted to practice their artistic skills, and made sure to firmly warn them not to draw on things that would hurt someone's business. These young enterprising children were actually earning a few coppers by drawing specials of the day for a few restaurants in the area. After commending them for their efforts, he looked up and noted that the group was already out of sight. Being that he didn't know exactly where they had gone, he had to start asking around for where it was.
It didn't take too long, but he slipped into the back of the group without any fanfare, hoping they wouldn't even notice he was gone.
Allysen takes up a position behind Nic, ready to support the others.
As clumsy as some of you seem as you try to hide, the thugs seem even less observant and swagger up to the door before kickin it off its hinges and walking in. They almost miss Zev, but they turn to him, look forward to the beat down they plan to give the Half-orc.
Thug 1: 15
Thug 2: 15
Thug 3: 15
Thug 4: 15
NIc, go ahead and roll for your attacks of opportunity (You get all five, there's only 4 guards).
Moving to engage, Elise quickly finds her barrings and strikes at the Thug that Rhasuel struck with a snowball.
With a wicked grin, Elise taunts "It's just snow now, c'mon!"
Thug 1: DYING -5 HP
Thug 2: 15
Thug 3: 15
Thug 4: 15
As soon as they blunder into their little trap, Annabelle snaps up from her table, heedless of the upturned chair behind her. Taking up her stringed bow, she snatches and arrow and lets fly at the thug closest from the doorway. To the remaining thugs, she barks out "In the name of the city, and if you value your petty skins, drop your weapons NOW."
Attack 19, if human
Damage: 8 damage, if human
As the thugs burst through, they are met with hard words and harder steel. Mercy brings the flat edge of her scimitar to bear to the nearest thug;
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before spinning - bringing a backhand of the blade against the same target:
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After trying and failing to run each of the men through as they file through the door, Nic yells in frustration and flies at the closest one in a desperate lunge.
Emboldened by her success, Nic pulls her weapon back and strikes again with a flash of steel.
As the men barge in against their 'unprepared' enemy, Zev stands up quickly. He's ready to bring them down.
Grabbing his greataxe, he takes a single step forward into the fray and swings at the nearest enemy. Despite his desires, he swings only to incapacitate the man. They have questions that need to be answered. Unfortunately, his desires color his ability, and his swing is too restrained to do any good.
Thug 1: DYING -5 HP
Thug 2: 7
Thug 3: Unconscious 15
Thug 4: 15
Allysen puts herself between the door and the last thug, before trying to punch his lights out with her rapier.
Only to bite back a yelp as she bashes her fingers against his helmet.
With all of the craziness and nonlethal bashing going on at the front, Cal's mind spun with the possibilities of an appropriate song or some poem he could quote, but currently he was drawing a blank. It was probably best that he just whipped something out, anything, so he pulled out his violin with a flourish and played something a bit eerie, fitting his situation. They'd quietly ambushed these crooked guards, but the whole thing still made him feel uneasy, so the odd chords and dualistic playing really encapsulated his feeling.
Thug 1: DYING -5 HP
Thug 2: 7
Thug 3: Unconscious 15
Thug 4: 11
The two thugs still standing snarl and lung at both Nicoletta and Allysen, apparently aware of who gave them this job. The thug going for Nicoletta swings and misses with his sword, while the one after Allysen tries to grab her, and is left with a stinging gash up his arm for his trouble.
Moving in behind the two men still standing, cutting off any exit route, Elise stands her ground and commands "Best to drop your blade gentlemen, the jig is up... you're outnumbered and outmatched."
The thug attacking Nicoletta goes down with a gurgle as an arrow sprouts from his throat.
Seeing that he is now the only one still standing, the final thug surrenders, with much cursing and glowering directed at Nic and Ally.
Somewhat regretfully, Annabelle looks down at the downed thug. "You had a fair warning, sir." She knocks another arrow, just in case of further mischief.
Calcedon, remembering that they weren't necessarily to kill these former guards, hummed his healing tune to save the life of the one who, out of the two of them bleeding out, looked the worse.
At the surrendered guard, he stood up and got right in his face. "Ooh, you're mad? You couldn't possibly have gotten the idea that abandoning the guard wouldn't bring danger to the people of the city and that people have died because you've neglected your duty? You were tricked, yes. But worse is the trick you played on those depending on you to keep the thugs, thieves and hellknights at bay!"
Calming himself, remembering the failures of the past, he pinched his temples with one hand and sighed. "Us citizens have had to step into the gap you left and do your work, we have the right to be angry. But we're not going to kill you, but we are going to stop you. Since we've been fighting against each other, and guards have been abandoning their posts, the criminals are emboldened and the hellknights and gangs are seeing opportunity. When will you realize you're more of a part of the problem than any sort of solution?"
The man is still sullen, but ceases his stream of invective against Nicoletta and Allysen. The man that Calcedon helps with his innate magic is still unconscious, but he's not in danger of dying for now. The same cannot be said of the one that has an arrow in his neck.
"Guessing it'd be wrong of me to run this one through," Nic mutters, turning the lecherous man over with her boot as he bleeds out. "Someone should get to him before I change my mind." Not having much else to do - she's never been a healer, and Cal seems to have the talking under control - she takes a seat, props her boots on the table, and starts polishing her rapier.
Mercy approaches the man under Nic's boot;
"It would be wrong sister. Too easy to end his life, when the hard thing is to spare it yes?"
The tall warrior stoops down the the dying thug, placing a hand upon his wound;
"Mother Dawnflower... Heal the wounds of this one, and allow him to see the light."
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THe man stops bleeding out and slowly wakes up from his dirt nap.
After the men are out of danger, at least to the best of his knowledge, Calcedon begins to question them, looking decidedly exhausted. His companions should know the difference, he didn't look that bad just ten minutes ago. "Look, if you all came back to the guard, the Fieldmarshall is eager to be lenient in this case. She mostly wants to know why such upstanding guards have turned their back on the city and abandoned their posts. With the death of the king, many things have come loose that were formerly tied down, and many others have lost their moorings. At least tell us why you left. It had to be something important, and you didn't even leave as much as a letter of resignation."
A moment after Calcedon casts his spell, The thug that surrendered looks at the bard with glazed over eyes.
Cal saw the confusion and hostility in the guard's mind, realizing that his line of attack here wasn't doing the trick. Realizing that the rest of the group was watching him fail, he pulled out a strategy taught to him by the Varisian vagabonds. Often used to "borrow" money, it made someone seem like your friend, even if they were not. He quickly whistled the vaulted tune and gave the guard a knowing wink. When his eyes glazed over, he knew he'd done it right.
"Okay 'friend,'" he began, leaning up against the wall next to the guard. His accent changed subtly as well, as if he was no longer a high-born noble, but just a street scrub trying to sound high and mighty. Though he spoke conspiratorially, it was plenty loud enough for anyone who was paying attention to hear. "Just between you and me, I'm thinking about ditching the guard too. I hear Vorik is the guy to talk to. Where can I find him? And do you have a bunch of people on your side? I don't want to join if you guys are too weak. I'm just sick of everyone tromping on the guard and looking down on them. Why'd you quit?"
"Aye, he is. He's back at the shop, along with the rest of the lads. We're pretty strong, there's eight of us including Verik. We didn't quit cause of any noble ideas, mind. We like the idea of getting to choose who eats and who goes hungry. Then there's the business on the side," the thug tells Calcedon in a gruff, but decidedly friendly tone.
As Calcedon continues to work the guard over, Nic's teeth clench and her jaw sets in a hard line. We like the idea of getting to choose who eats and who goes hungry? she thinks, trying to stop her hands from shaking.
"Ah, fair enough." Calcedon lied. He'd thought they had at least a partially noble reason, but it turns out that they were just thugs. He felt a bit bad about rescuing them from death at the moment. The good part is that without noble intent, he'd just as likely turn against his current allies if it seemed good to him. "But eight? That's not near enough. Even if you guys are really good, they can't stand against the guard. We're not the last group they'll send. They've been able to overcome the bigger threats and Vorik is on their to do list. I'll tell you what. You help us fight Vorik, get us in and help us capture him, I'll put in a good word for you and not mention your side job. That way you'll be on the strong side again and can get back to the way it was before."
He didn't tell him that others would likely report his dealings and side job, and he'd likely spend a good chunk of time in jail for what he's done, but he'd get around to mentioning it later. Or he wouldn't. "If you're up for it, I'll untie you and we'll head right over."
"Don't need to stand against the guard, we can disappear and live right under their noses," the thug replies, "ya seem like a straight 'nuff man. Ya probably can guess that the good ol' Marshal ain't gonna be exactly keen even if ya does put in a word for us."
Annabelle, keeping quiet due to believing she could ruin the enchantment, bristled inwardly at the mention of the Marshal.
Mercy too stands stoic, keen to hear what the man has to say, but skeptical of his ability to be redeemed as the hard truth tumbles from his enchanted tongue.
Zev watches the proceedings, albeit sulking all the while. He's upset that it was over so quick, and the most damage he wrought was most likely to the surrounding walls and floor. He understands what Strings is playing at, but he still has a penchant for the old knee-break style of getting information out of low-lifes.
To herself, Elise muttered "Noble ideas? I don't think he'd know a noble thought if one hit him square in the jaw."
Glancing over at Cal somewhat warily, Elise shook her head. While she understood the need to deal with them at the moment, Elise found the proceedings distasteful. Sheathing her sword, she fell in beside him but remained silen, for the time being.
"I've lived on the run, it's not that great. It's much better to face the music and play your hand. I'm not going to be able to get you out of those bonds without at least an attempt to help us. There are some in my group that have the power to stop me. That's why I was hoping you'd have been stronger." He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Last chance?"
Regardless of the charmed man's answer, he spoke up to the group at large. "Sorry that took so long, let's go and finish this. I'm ready when you are."
"Maybe for you, but I'd rather live free than locked up in a gaol somewhere," the man says to Calcedon. He isn't bitter, but even with his skill in negotiations, the man proves to have a view that is irreconcilable with Cal's own.