Corindus attempts to adapt and improvise. With his knowledge of the ways about town coming up short, he hopes to spot a quick way to catch up.
Unfortunately, he gets caught up in some unchecked brambles growing alongside a building. Although it does not injure him, he is slowed down as he tries to extricate himself
Places:
Lady: Street 8
Wu Chen: Street 8
Corindus: Street 5
Darrion: Street 8
Kinshara: Street 7
The Lady advances through the street.
Corindus
Per(10) To See the easy path through the crowd.
Local(10) to know a easier route.
Darrion
Local (10) to know a good route
Per (15) to spot a faster route
Kinshara
Local (10) to know a good route
Dip (15) to move through the crowd
Wu Chen
Local (10) to know a good route
Per (15) to spot a faster route
Wu Chen manages to remember her way around, enough that she can zip through an alleyway and attempt to actually catch the Lady next time!
She tries using her thoughts to communicate with the lady:
It seem at time, I feel desire to make bond work for both of us... but I do not believe I can be protector of innocent with your soul inside me. I fear you have plan to make me killer, same as cleric of Shelyn...
Why?
Wu Chen doesn't even hate the lady. A naive part of her hopes the woman can be stopped without bloodshed—that no one has to die in the battle likely to follow this chase—
—but only the innocent matter. I risk everything for rest of children tonight. Lady escape mean she find more children, keep one, sell all of rest. And if chosen child die or resist, cycle continue...
Woeful that he has fallen so far behind, Corin briefly entertains the idea of barrelling forth like a crazed bull to simply close the distance and aid his allies. Thankfully, he thinks better of the ill-conceived idea.
Instead, he tries to spot another clear route through the crowd to make up the difference.
It will be tricky to slip through the gauntlet of bodies without catching someone's elbow, but Corin finds a path.
Darion knows the perfect route to take to catch up. He proceeds to take it hurrying as quickly as he dares
These streets never change. If I go this way, I can catch up to her!
Places:
Lady: Street 9
Wu Chen: Street 9
Corindus: Street 7
Darrion: Street 9
Kinshara: Street 8
Fireworks shoot up into the air and riles the people up in cheer
The Cheering adds a penalty of -2 to
Darrion, Kinshara and Wu Chen's next rolls.
The lady advances through the street unhinded by the crowd cheering the fireworks.
Corindus
Local (10) to know a local route
Dip (15) to get through the crowd
Darrion
Local (15) to know a local route
Per (10) to see a path
Kinshara
Local (10) to know a local route
Per (15)to see a easier path
Wu Chen
Local (15) to know a local route
Per (10) to see a path
The Lady continues in trying to get away, but Telepathically replies to Wu Chen
"If you knew that you should not of volunteered, as I your right in that I would of done so subtly and slowly.
And you may want to start being more careful of your shadow...ha ha ha.."
Shadow?!
Wu Chen is distracted by the lady's words. The lights and loud noises add to the girl's confusion.
I see no shadow. Only light!
The girl presses on with the chase...!
Despite the distraction of the fireworks, Kinshara presses ahead, going around the most crowded parts of the streets.
Corindus recalls a span between two buildings that is wide and clear enough to pass easily, and he uses this detour to bypass the awed crowd, staring and pointing at the fiery spectacle.
Darion methodically makes his way through the streets undistracted by the fireworks and the throng Of people.
He wishes he new the incantation that would teleport him right to the demon woman. ”Of course that is wishful thinking, even if I new such a spell. What would I do if I was teleported there.”
He muses about what spells or actions would be best when he finally is able to confront the demon
Places:
Lady: Street A
Wu Chen: Street 9
Corindus: Street 8
Darrion: Street A
Kinshara: Street 9
The Lady advances and the crowd is cheering hard
The continued Cheering adds a penalty of -2 to
Darrion, Kinshara, Corindus, and Wu Chen's next rolls.
Corindus
Local (10) to know a local short cut
Per (15) to see the local short cut
Darrion
Local (15) to know a better route
Per (10) to see a better route
Kinshara
Local (15) to know a local route
Per (10) to see a path
Wu Chen
Local (15) to know a local route
Per (10) to see a path
The Lady is just about to pass the gate of Falcon's Hollow, but Telepathically replies to Wu Chen
"You don't see the shadow since it is hidden from you, and The Stronger the Light, the Stronger the Shadow is."
Wu Chen manages to get a glimpse.
"Why hide? The strong hide nothing! The weak flee from children when they are not using them like pawn in game of life!"
Kinshara stumbles as she rounds a corner, unable to see where the demon they are pursuing may have gone.
Despite the raucous distraction, Corindus remains doggedly focused. He spots a critical shortcut that, he hopes, will catch him up with the rest of his allies in time to make a difference.
Darion continues to navigate through the town to approach the demon
Places:
Lady: Gate
Wu Chen: Street A
Corindus: Street 9
Darrion: Gate
Kinshara: Street 9
The Lady has Reached the Gate
The Cheering continuing on adds a penalty of -2 to
Darrion, Kinshara, and Wu Chen's next rolls.
Corindus
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Darrion
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Kinshara
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Wu Chen
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
The Lady is just about to pass the gate of Falcon's Hollow, but Telepathically replies to Wu Chen
"Oh, but that is where you are wrong, some of the strongest players I know in the underworld are so very well hidden that they could be right next to you and you'd not even know it."
Knowing that the gate is getting close Darion takes a short cut to try get there in time before the demon exits the town and visibility diminishes.
Wu Chen becomes flustered by the lady's words, fireworks, the fact that she was better off chasing her on rooftops...
Then why run away if you are so strong? Why prey on child if you are strong? Only strong because you choose weak opponent. True Strong choose to protect the weak!
Not that Wu Chen feels so "true strong" now.
I get so close—she slip out of finger and flee now!
In her frustration, the child cannot see the benefit of NOT fighting a demon. She doesn't even believe she can defeat the Lady. She simply has a duty to protect.
...if she can figure out where the lady ran off to.
Kinshara gets a glimpse of the path ahead and hurries to catch up to the Lady.
Corindus growls with frustration at the heedless crowd around him. He worries that he is already too late, and this scrambling is for naught.
He tries to channel this energy into his legs, carrying him quickly down a clear path that he spots.
Places:
Lady: Gate
Wu Chen: Street A
Corindus: Street A
Darrion: Gate
Kinshara: Street A
The lady easily passes through the gate.
The crowds seems calmer now that the fireworks seem to of finished.
Corindus
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Darrion
Dip (15) to politely pass the guards
Intim (20) to rudely pass the guards
Kinshara
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Wu Chen
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
The Lady is just about to pass the gate of Falcon's Hollow, but Telepathically replies to Wu Chen
"There is more then one type of strength, and it is the ones that have it decide how to use it."
Kinshara spies a path through the crowd and dashes through it toward the gate of Falcon's Hollow.
The child is lost and confused. I know exactly what to do with my strength. Cowardly assassins who seek to separate mother from child will fall by my hand!
The girl intends to use nonlethal attacks when she fights, but does not communicate this to the Lady. The girl feels that, if she truly becomes the protector she wants to be, she may not be able to spare every opponent. And the adults who are now passing her... they may kill the Lady.
And the Child wonders if her fist will contribute to that... or if she'll ever even find her way out of this crowd of people.
Prescience roll
Darion gives up trying to get by the guards when he sees it won’t work. He moves away a few feet and has an idea Maybe I can distract them?
Making the incantation for dancing lights Darion directs the balls of light to catch the attention of the guards. Moving them this way and that.
At a crucial moment, just when it seems possible to catch up, Corindus stands at the edge of town frantically looking for a way past the crowd, but he finds nothing and wastes precious time.
Places:
Lady: Outside 1/2
Wu Chen: Street A
Corindus: Street A
Darrion: Gate
Kinshara: Gate
The lady Continues past the gate slower looking once back and smiling in confidence she'll be getting away.
Corindus
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Darrion
Dip (15) to politely pass the guards
Intim (20) to rudely pass the guards
Kinshara
Dip (15) to politely pass the guards
Intim (20) to rudely pass the guards
Wu Chen
Local (15) to know a short cut
Per (10) to see a good path
Kinshara fails to suppress her growing frustration at seeing her quarry get away and fails to persuade the guards to let her by.
Darion moves out of sight from the guards but near the gates. He then casts dancing lights to emulate a sort of Will-o-the-wisp group of three lights. The lights are oriented to catch the attention of the guards but to keep their attention away from the gates.
Wu Chen takes a short cut, hoping to make up lost ground...
They fall for it and pay attention to the lights.
Darion seeing his chance attempts to sneak by the guards
Realizing, or at least suspecting, that his other comrades have left him behind seems to sharpen Corindus' senses. Without delay he identifies a promising path and picks up his pace, hoping to eliminate the last frustrating distance between him and the others.
Places:
Lady: Outside 2/2
Wu Chen: Gate
Corindus: Gate
Darrion: Outside 1/2
Kinshara: Gate
The Lady continues on her way with a smile on her face.
Darion's trick opens a new option for the group.
Kinshara, Corindus, Wu Chen
Dip (15) to politely pass the guards
Intim (20) to rudely pass the guards
Stealth (15) to sneak pass the guards
Darrion
Acro (10) to run after her
Local (10) to know a shortcut
Darion sees his chance and runs for it
He also decides to try and cut her off in the persuit
Faint whiffs of manure continue to haunt Corindus, ruining any hope of polite persuasion. He also would rather not antagonize the guards when he is still proving himself as a deputy. Thus, he attempts to simply slip through the gates, hoping the guards will take no notice and leave the deputy unmolested.
Unfortunately, the guards recognize Corindus and hail him, asking his business.
Through her frustration, Kinshara is unable to persuade the guards to allow her to pass.
The reckless child manages to slip by the guards!
Lady: Outside 2/2
Wu Chen: Outside 1/2
Corindus: Outside 1/2
Darrion: Outside 2/2
Kinshara: Outside 1/2
The Guards don't notice anything as they are that incompetent at the moment.
Everyone rushes for the last leg to catch up to the lady, as the lady is smiling as she is getting away.
Then suddenly you all see Hu clothesline her and smack her with the butt of his katana's handle.
Hu Wang:
"Finally Caught up with yeah, Now it'll be time for an Wang style exorcism."
The Ladysits back up
"S***, So close to escaping and getting out of here before they find me."
Just as the Lady finishes her words chains of light erupt from the ground, something most of the group have seen before binding her in place.
The Ladyhas a look of fear and terror on her
"Oh Find me in the Alps, They found me...
Help me out here...."