Iolaire, seeing her companions handling the melee, moves across the room to the bound librarians and begins severing their bonds with careful slices from Radiance.
The party practically dog piles the former crusader and beats him into unconsciousness.
The other tiefling is cut a couple times, sees his boss go down, and immediately flees through the rubble.
Balthasar says, "Arianna, Aria, keep watch for that Tiefling or any others who might come at us. Serena, bring in Anevia, Aravashnial, and Lord Gwerm. Thrall, go with her to keep an eye out."
Looking at the crusader, Balthasar's lip curls and he says, "Vance, help me remove his arms and armor, along with anything else he might be carrying. We'll interrogate him when he wakes up."
Balthasar sets about doing so.
|
Seeing the tiefling abandoning the fight, Arianna quickly set about regathering her dagger before moving to the entrance like Balthasar suggested. She did her best to avoid looking in the direction of the captives thinking it best to not let them really ever get a good look at her.
While the rest of the group interrogated the individual she would try to find a place near the entrance of the building they'd come in to keep an eye out on the street without being too obvious herself.
Vance tackles the tiefling!
Serena was just about to let loose the magic missiles when Vance tackled him... and she kept the spell ready in case the foe started to escape. No harm in having a backup plan for taking someone down, right? She did, however, briefly explain the fight to the blind elf and continue to keep a watchful eye on the area.
Iolaire continues freeing the librarians. "Are you injured? What happened here? Who was that man?" She asks, trying to extract some sort of sense from the situation.
The librarians are all very shaken by their ordeal. They stammer and talk over each other as they did their best to explain.
They don't know much about what happened to the city. They only know that they have heard terrible things out side and have been afraid to go outside for DAYS. The first person they opened up to was the crusader Caleb who immediately turned on them and was intending to sacrifice them to a demon!
The crusader is easily bound and disarmed. It takes a while for him to came back to you. In the mean time, Vance drags a teifling over.
Balthasar frowns, studying the man, as he attempts to determine if he's heard of him or knows him.
No, you have not.
"Inquisitors are gonna love this... if there are any left." Serena muttered. "All right, everyone, calm down. You say you've been safe inside here for days. Do you think it would continue to be safe if need be?"
They nod. It's a ruin. If we keep it locked up nobody's going to bother.
Your elven companion seems distraught at the state you describe and leans more heavily upon you than before.
"Ummm... and... how many people could fit in here, would you say?" For the fisrt time in a while, something seems a bit positive, after all. With a bit of luck, they could use this place to keep safe whoever they can rescue - even themselves, if they needed to hide for a while.
The priests shrug. A couple dozen? But we haven't food for many beyond ourselves.
The crusader moans and starts to stir. He reaches up to check his head, or tries to. He only grunts instead.
"We could try to find some supplies... would you agree to shelter some survivors here with you?" He turns to the rest. "What do you think?"
"I'm not sure what supplies are available, but it would be good to try and fort up a bit... do any of you have magical talent?" she asked. If one of them knew even a little conjuring, that might do a lot to help stabilize their supply situation.
"I'll go and look around for anything useful." Iolaire offers, well aware that the next thing that's likely to happen with the crusader is an interrogation, and not entirely comfortable with the prospect. "Serena, do you want to come too?"
"Maybe we get nobleman home now? Bitey takes a second to count heads... "Wait... where ZoZo dearest human smells like fur? She leave no say bye... Is Bitey not good boy? ZoZo say always Bitey stay close... but, Bitey forget close... why Bitey so stupid forget rules rocks full head? Now Bitey no have Bitey bestest friend... who is bad boy? Is Bitey lowest bad no good useless?"
Bitey collapses in a depressed heap near the pile of books.
The crusader continues to struggle fitfully.
Balthasar leaves one of the others to deal with Bitey while he turns to the crusader. "So, you're awake. I hear your name is Caleb, and you intended to sacrifice these librarians to a demon. How long have you been a traitor to the Crusades, filth?"
What crusades? he spots blood in your general direction. They're done. As are you! I just saw the writing on the wall!
"The Crusades are never done! Not so long as one crusader draws breath! Not so long as people fight to oppose the demons! It does not matter what victories the demons claim, we will never lay down and surrender! We will fight back! That you turned traitor shows you to be a pathetic, weak coward of a man who gives up at the first sign of adversity." Balthasar ignores Caleb's bloody spittle, fixing him with a glare and the strength of his convictions. "How can a man as sad as you even look at himself in the mirror?"
|
|
Arianna sighed a little bit and dropped down from her hiding spot near the entrance and began to walk towards the small goblin. As she went she pulled out one of her trail rations and removed the jerky from it. She hoped that the librarians and the others were too distracted with the tiefling and the crusader to notice her or to look too closely. It'd be a bad moment to be recognized, especially with an actual traitor nearby.
Reaching Bitey, she knelt beside the goblin and moved to put her free hand on his back gently while offering the jerky with her other hand. "No Bitey. You've been very good. I'm sure Zoranda had her reasons and we'll just have to trust our friend to have sound judgement." She said trying to give the goblin a comforting back rub and a small snack to keep him full.
"And until we find her again I'll be your bestest friend.' She offered gently.
|
"Calm down Balthasar," Vance says, tossing the teifling down next to the false crusader. "We've caught these two in the act of their betrayal. I, for one, would feel more than comfortable executing them both,here and now. Not before we put it to the group, of course. Before they decide whether or not to unburden themselves, I say we let them know their fate. Does anyone object?"
"I need to stick with Aravashnial." Serena explained to Iolaire, mindful of the fact that she was one of the best-positioned to help the blinded mage move around. She didn't need to run around to hurt things, after all. Then, at Vance's question, "Everyone deserves a chance to atone for what they've done. Should they refuse, though, then let them be rendered unto Pharasma and receive precisely what they deserve." She didn't worship the Lady of Graves, but she appreciated the legendary fairness the goddess of the dead showed when making decisions.
"Bitey lose ZoZo... Bitey is worst dog now.. no good boy any more..." Bitey sniffles and only slowly takes the offered jerk, limply placing it in his mouth and halfheartedly chewing on it. Ari would find it impossible to give physical comfort through the greasy chain shirt and costuming th er goblin wears, though for the first time she would see how tiny and emaciated he is underneath the bulk of his attire. The little goblin couldn't weigh more than twenty or so pounds, and looked as if he hadn't eaten in days.
"Well, one does not need to be a lawman to know what's the punishment for treason. Plus, we are not sure if there are any lawmen left. We shouldn't ignore our responsibility right now." Thrall doesn't seem too happy to say this. "On the other hand, mercy is also to be expected from us. If they repent, and they repent true..."
"This man planned to sacrifice innocents to a demon. I doubt his character is worthy of redemption." Turning to Caleb, he says, "Well, what say you? Some of my compatriots think you should be given the chance to atone. Should we grant you that opportunity?"
Iolaire spends her time outside the building, searching the ruins thoroughly for anything useful.
|
|
"If we decide to find a magistrate to decide their fate, it means dragging them behind us with the others in our care," Vance says to the group. "It shall make moving through the city more difficult. I am willing to accept what the group decides, but I refuse to leave these traitors both alive AND at large."
As the others discuss, Vance within the rubble, attempting to find large, straight pieces of wood he might lay across prisoners back.
Iolaire finds noting of use outside except some really effective nightmare fuel.
Inside, Cain deflates when talk of killing him is discussed in earnest. He stops struggling and sighs. You're right. I'm a coward. Take me away if you want.
At the discussion, Serena raised a hand and pointed to Iolaire. "Uh, actually, I'm pretty sure she counts as an agent of the law." the sorceress opined. "While I agree that turning people in to a local authority is best if there's a good local authority at all, summary decisions by Paladins are pretty reasonable when you don't have the resources to bring prisoners somewhere else. Uuuuuuuunless anyone here has a formal military rank to supersede that?" She, herself, did not.
Iolaire looks distinctly uncomfortable at being singled out as a potential source of legal authority. "I can act as judge if need be. What are his crimes, and will anyone speak in his defence?"
"I hold formal military rank - Standard Bearer, in fact," Balthasar says, standing from his position. Looking at Caleb and the Tiefling, disgust on his face, Balthasar seems to internally wrestle with something, then sighs.
Caleb huffs his disbelief, You expect me to trust one of you to speak in my defense? No. If I am to be tried, let it be before an actual court martial!
Balthasar: There is precedence for the highest ranking officer to hold the power of Judges in military matters when the chain of command is broken, but you are barely more than a footman. Your claim to authoritative officer status is weak at best, especially in cases that may result in death for the accused. If he were stealing bread you could probably argue the case well, but this situation is leagues away from a wayward crust of bread.
"You will be," Balthasar says, staring down Caleb.
Walking away from the captives, he quietly says to Serena and Iolaire, "In truth, none of us is of high enough rank to sit in judgement of him - an officer would be needed for this. Iomedae's teachings don't allow for execution of captives, either, except in the most grave of circumstances. Let's create halters for them - we will have to take them with us and hope that we find someone capable of sitting in judgement. We will be witnesses in the case - no more. The law is clear on that. Of course, we're also allowed to gag them, so we should do that too."
Balthasar will then set about doing so.
As much as Thrall worships Iomedae, this is the kind of situation that he finds extreme. Being too strict with the laws could drive the team to a dire situation, and thus can put the whole operation in peril. The consequences can be devastating. But well...
"Okay, let's restrain them and move on to more important matters."
Serena looked a little puzzled at Iolaire's reluctance to determine and help enforce the law. Paladins were usually pretty gung-ho about that, but... well, everyone was different? She wasn't going to force the matter, though, and she agreed with Thrall. It was time to move on.
Serena looked a little puzzled at Iolaire's reluctance to determine and help enforce the law. Paladins were usually pretty gung-ho about that, but... well, everyone was different? She wasn't going to force the matter, though, and she agreed with Thrall. It was time to move on.
Almost as though she could sense Serena's confusion, Iolaire retreats to stand by the sorceress and whispers. "Shelyn teaches mercy, and forgiveness. Untold beauty may come of a single redeemed soul, but where my blade passes beauty is cut short. I'm not a paladin of the Inheritor - I don't want to condemn a man to death, not unless I must."
BITEY LIFTS FORTH FROM HIS DISTRESS, MOMENTARILY BROUGHT FROM THE BRINK OF DEPRESSION BY THE TALK OF DEITIES. "BAH, BITEY KNOW BEST TRUE GOD MAN FOUND ONLY IN CUPS. " Then, as if realizing a fundamental truth of the cosmos, Bitey shuffles over and sits in front of the criminals. "That what I learn from shiny pants man save Bitey from demon belly. But, he go way too." Bitey sniffs at the tiefling and makes a face. "Bitey did not understand things back then, only simple goblin. Stupid stupid easy lost can't keep friends goblin. No know better so be bad. These know better." Bitey stares at Iolaire, his wide scrutinizing eyes searching her face for something."Not all life pretty like Bitey, not save everyone. Sometimes men not become gods, sometimes men become demons."
At Bitey's question, Serena looked over. "Is the real god what's in the cup, or who makes what's in the cup?" she asked, curious to see the effects of questions on the little one's mind. This might get funny...
Bitey stares at Serena. "No. He found in the bottom of the cup. God of happiness good to all people. He say... he say not be as drunk as you think I am... smart smart God make all free with teachings. Also say two drink mimumunumunum" Bitey nods to himself rather pleased with his argument.
From the doorway where she stood watch, Aria could only be grateful they didn't ask her opinion on the matter. "To kill not for food or defense? I'm not sure I can do that but I do see the reasons for it."
As the group appears to get ready to move on, Aria takes up a position at the back of the party where she can both keep an eye on the prisoners and cover their rear.