"alcohol reacts well with flame, if strong enough."
N'Kai adresses the guard, Aethor and the rest of the group "I think we and all the avaliable guardsmen should head to the battlements and see how the situation looks from there. I am thinking of employing some of your recently gained talents with fire as crowd control, Leik..."
After that, the elf heads upstairs to get a better look of the people gathered outside.
Edwin sighs.
It is not a sigh that says 'Powers deliver me from stupidity' so much as,...
'Powers deliver me from over-eager townsfolk and adventurers alike'.
Or,... perhaps,...
'WHY is it when the the only tool you have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail? Or in this case, a flammable substance?'
"Again. Please reserve the more, flamboyant, responses to the crowd's indignation until absolutely necessary." Edwin pleads, somehow pronouncing the last word with FIVE syllables.
"Although I begin to suspect that my earlier optimism may have been,... misplaced. I remain reticent to unleash our full abilities of destruction upon what is still, essentially, a crowd of folk who are overreacting to fear, and who would on any other day be ashamed at even contemplating such actions."
Edwin tugs his ear almost angrily, as if he can connive an answer to materialize by force of will.
"I maintain my original plea. IF we are forced to defend ourselves, we must limit our responses to those that will not injure, or worse, anyone involved. I fear that will only dig us and poor Dobitoc into a hole we may not be able to climb out of. Self-defense or not."
"Although,.... Perhaps,... No. But maybe,... Yesssss,...? IF I can,..." Edwin mutters to himself, tugging his earlobe frenetically.
"I have an idea. I will try to talk the crowd into leaving once more. They may already be too far into their cups to be, reasonable. IF so, I shall be more,... entertaining. If you follow my cues, we may yet disperse the crowd without violence or panic that might lead to injury. I hope."
Edwin adds the last with a furrowed brow. He may not even realize that he stated it aloud.
Right on. Need positions and rolls and stuff on the map.
Rholf will stay within 20 feet of Edwin .
Is there a back way out?
Is there a back way out?
You don't know. The "black" part of the building is kinda off limits to you guys.
An upstairs window?
You don't know.
It's a squat building with arrow slit windows in front. It seems purposely built for impossibility of access.
"can this place handle a siege of townfolk? We could just wait them out."
N´Kai will position himself near the exit of the jailhouse, ready to climb to the outer wall if there is some kind of walkway to overlook the square.
I put N'kai in AC 13.
I guess I didn't explain the map worth a s!+#.
AC 13 is in a big entry room inside of the jail.
AC 15 would be in a courtyard by the front door......
sorry for confusion.
It doesn't have a walkway on it. It's 12 foot tall, covered in broken glass mortared to the top, and it's got barbed wire.
"Fear not, dear detective. I do not intend to hurt any of the townfolk. But I saw once one of those "pyrokinecists" in my native Kyonin manipulate flames to great effect to temporarily blind a guard patrol chasing him. We got him in the end, but that´s a different story altogether." A smile crosses the elf´s face.
"The point is, we have an effective crowd control tool in our hands" he turns to Leik again "and one that lets you play with fire without actually burning anyone, I hope"
Edwin's placed in the courtyard.
Rholf takes up a post near Edwin.
Right on.
Not sure where Leik'd be. Wherever Edwin scooted him off to in order to keep him outta trouble.
"Hm. Good point my elvish friend. I should never turn down assistance offered by capable hands. I,... apologize, if I sound somewhat harsh. I do not question any of your abilities, or capabilities. It has been a while since I had to convince a crowd quite this large to see things my way. Let us hope I have not lost my touch." He says wryly.
"Now. The trick is to find what they need, not what they want. That can be as simple as the truth, but rarely is. (So few people actually want to hear the truth.) In this case, we may have to convince them that what they really want is to be at home. In bed. Safe and sound. Difficult to do what with the temptation of free drinks within easy reach. Hmmm."
Edwin's eyes narrow thoughtfully. His eyes sparkle as he obviously gets an idea. He coughs, straightening his ascot.
"I shall attempt to appeal to their sense of propriety. In case that does not work, please pass the word along, watch and listen for my cues. I'll try to be clear, but I AM making this up as I go. So no promises." He says cheerfully.
Right on../
Larissa will be near the front line, healing at the ready, just in case.
Gotcha!
I'm probably gonna go lie down in a little while. I'm not quite better from my cold and I watching the kids 2 weeks and I worked 4 hours after watching the kids all day and I just wish I could die.
Rest up
feel better soon. :)
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Just need the fire liker's pasition.
I dont see map links. I'll be near a window or door to see the crowd.
I'll put Leik in AF 17. If that's cool.
8 more drunkly's come out of a building down south of the pyre in the square.
The guys around the beer wagon don't do much but keep on getting free beer from the massive keg.
The ball is in your court.
I'm always disoriented.
I find that hard to believe. :)
Edwin opens the door to the street, and may or may not have swallowed nervously before stepping out.
He calmly surveys the crowd(s), in that particularly penetrating gaze that he has, and then slowly, calmly, confidently, strides to the wagon. He either does not hear, or ignores the chatter and nervous buzz of conversation around him.
Edwin makes his way, wordlessly, to the wagon, and looks up at the man perched on it's tail, serving drinks to the crowd. Edwin wordlessly produces a plain wooden travel mug from beneath his coat, and holds it up. His calm demeanor and stance make it quite clear.
He expects a drink too.
When his cup is filled, he tosses the man a silver coin (unlike the others in the crowd) and takes a slow sip. He nods once.
"Not bad. Not bad at all. When this is done, remind me to tell you of a brewer I once met who did wonderful things with cinnamon." He tells the man.
He drinks the rest as he walks back towards the jail, and stops by the pile of wood prepared for the pyre to finish it off. He looks up at the pile of wood, and back to the crowd along the wagon.
"So. Is this what we're come too, now?" He asks calmly.
"To share a drink among friends, to share of mutual concerns or woes, or joyously celebrate, or even to share mutual grief of loves lost, is all well and good. but this,... This." He shakes his head.
"Good people. This is not a sharing of joys, or woes. THIS is a collection of people who know better, trying desperately to work up the courage to do something they know darn good and well is wrong."
"Go. Home. There is nothing for you here."
Edwin's eyes fearlessly meet the eyes of those nearest him. But what he is really looking for is the first one brave enough to stand up to him,...
Leik watches out of a crack in the door, barely suppressing his desire to watch the glorious fire burst forth!!
The instant Edwin starts talking, he is met with an unspeakable horror.
read after hitting the link above so as not to ruin it....
I gotta crash.
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N´Kai moves towards the gate, so as to be able to watch Edwin play his part with the crowd.
When the vuvuzelas start blaring, he snorts in disgust and talks to the rest of the group: "Well, that was unexpected... So much for diplomacy, get ready to act anytime."
Got it.
"BREEEEEEEEARRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEAAARRRRRRRRRR" is the only response.
Then they start chanting, "LIGHTEM UP! LIGHTEM UP! MEDIUM RARE! WELL DONE! BURNED!"
Edwin shakes his head sadly. When he raises it, he is smiling. Coldly.
He calls out, not shouting, not angry, just being very, very loud, to be heard, even if just barely, over the noise of the horns.
"So, You want a fire? Very well. I agree. We should have a fire. It's getting a bit chilly." He calls over the crowd.
Edwin backs up from the pyre, towards the jail, looking over his shoulder as he does so. He waggles his eyebrows at the door to the jail. He then holds up a single finger, and a small, tiny flame pops into existence on top of it. He lowers it until it is pointing towards the pyre.
Then he slowly swings his arm until it is pointing towards the wagon.
"Are you SURE you want a fire? Because I can oblige." He says.
"Or, we can all just go home, and warm up in better ways." He adds reasonably.
"LIGHT IT UP! LIGHT IT UP! BURNIM! BURNIM!" They start chanting over the sound of the vuvuzelas.....
Larissa steps out of the jail, but says nothing and takes no action.
Edwin, Nkai and Larissa have acted.
Aethorduil moves up next to Larissa and does his best to look intimidating and badass.