Cedric paces around A5, a concerned look on his face. While pacing, Cedric looks to Gadren.
While I agree we must defend this man against injustice, If something does happen tonight, please, let us try to talk them down, or, if we must subdue them, do so in ways that only incapacitate them. Many of these folk are likely merely frightened, angry folk that have mixed those emotions with far too much alcohol and have let their emotions and fears guide their thoughts. An easy mistake to make for many. Though. Hopefully, nothing will need to be done.
It is drawing close to midnight and things have been quiet for several hours now. Jack however detects a faint sound at the doors, someone is picking the lock.
What are you doing?
Lazar you also detect that someone is picking the lock.
What are you doing now?
Hearing nothing, Maria grins "They got scared, I guess. Good thing." Then her face returns to its typical hard expression. "Cedric suggests mercy and I'll go along with that if they give me the option. But if those law-breaking, murderous rioters push me too hard, I'm not holding back."
Hearing a rattle at the door, "We got company. They're trying to pick the lock," he tells the others. Jack then draws out his blades just in case.
Even as Kack tells it already, Lazar calls the other's attention to the door with a hand gesture, then recites one of his Holy Psalms. Nocking an arrow, he stands ready to confront the trespassers.
The doors slip open, Jack & Lazar see the small figure in front, crouched from picking the lock. Everyone can see the thugs waiting impatiently behind them, and the well dressed man whispering instructions to them.
What are you doing. You have a surprise round on them before we go to initiative.
Gadren moves up when the alarm is raised. "It's my understanding picks are quite delicate... could someone with appropriate tools break it. One thing to pick the lock, another to try to smash down the door?"
Óscar lets go an arrow at the man just behind the one crouching, as a nice and warm welcome. He's a nice guy, but he doesn't necessarily have to warn trespassers that their trespassing is wrong.
Jack steps forward, "You and your friends should've stayed home, pal," he says, striking at the closest one.
Maria nods firmly in agreement and swings through the crowd. "Leave or die."
Cedric grimaces as the others attack the mob, actions of that sort will only get them angrier and lead to worse outcomes.
Cedric moves up to the front. A worried expression on he will tend to anyone hurt by his comrades as a show of peace.
good people, please, I beseech you, let us not spill further blood tonight. I understand you are angry, you have the right to be. Many of you have lost much to the events transpiring of late, many of which have been blamed on The Beast. I will not ask you to not be angry, your rage is justified. However, I will beseech you, each of you, to consider the path you are treading. I ask that you direct your anger towards those that have actually wronged you, and actively mislead and tricked you into believing The Beast is the cause of your problems. You are all goodly folk, I ask that you would not allow your thirst for revenge blind you and lead you to tarnish your hands with blood. Do not let yourselves become the very thing you are seeking to kill. Do not let yourselves become murders!
Cedric pauses for just a moment.
Instead, I ask you direct your anger towards better things, towards helping those others that have lost. Towards helping to build up your community so that you can better protect each other in the future. Even if we were to allow you to seek your revenge on the poor being here, I ask you, would it bring back that which you have lost? Will it fill the hole that I understand rests within many of you for those losses? No, perhaps, for but a few minutes, it will make you feel better. But the pain will return, much greater than before. Please, I beseech you to place your trust in those that I am sure you have before in matters as this, there will be punishment, I ask only that you allow it to be just punishment! Do not make yourselves criminals in the eye of the law of your town! Don't let your anger and hate carry you down a dark path.
Cedric stops for a moment, hoping that these men could still reason on some level. If he got even a couple to walk away, he would consider it a win.
Green takes an arrow from Lazar and gasps in pain.
Maria & Jack miss the small figure, who squeaks in fright.
The well dressed figure at the back yells. "They're in league with the beast! Get them!"
Battle order up top.
Seeing all the weapons the folks are carrying, Maria doesn't doubt they intend to use them on herself and her allies. She mutters "Not giving you the chance." She steps forward and attacks the man at the front, swinging twice hard.
Maria cuts down Lilac with brutal ease.
Cedric will move to maria on his turn, and cast touch of mercy on her weapon.
1st level: 5/day
Protection from evil-1/1
Sanctuary-1/1
Hedging Weapons-1/1
Magic weapon-1/1
Open- 1/1
2nd level spells: 5/day
Open 1/1
Spiritual weapon-1/1
Summon monster II-1/1
protection from evil communal- 1/1
Touch of mercy - 0/1
3rd level spells: 3/day
summon monster III-1/1
Resist Energy(communal)-1/1
Prayer- 1/1
Lazar has a glimpse of the figure at the back and... has no idea who can it be. But he's sure it could be key to solve the matter, and tries something different than just fight down her. He rushed to the other entrance, upstairs, trying to cut the assailants' retreat.
Maria considers resisting Cedric's unasked for spell but settles for a warning ground through her teeth "I've warned you about touching me unasked, Cedric..." But, for now, she doesn't fight the spell.
Just to clarify, what you can see are clearly thugs, except for the ringleader at the back who is better dressed and staying well out of harms way.
Taking advantage of his situation, Jack steps up and strikes at the nearest one.
Jack emerges from the shadows and finishes Red, who is still staggering with Lazar's arrow sticking out of him.
Clubs slam brutally in Maria.
33hp damage
Both attack miss Jack
Gardren and Cedric can now act.
Gadren casts glitterdust. "This should take the wind from there sales!"
Orange & Cyan are blinded.
Cedric will pray to the light, to guide his allies blows, and hinder their foes.
Casting prayer
Maria spits out a bit of blood, thoroughly pleased to be in the thick of the fight. "Bring your worst!" she calls out in anger and thrill of battle. Light flows through her hands, restoring some of her ability to keep on fighting.
Cyan shrieks in dismay as he is now blinded, without thinking he quickly downs a potion of Invisibility and vanishes, except for the outline of the Glitterdust.
He tries to make his way safely out of combat.
Maria turns Yellow into cutlets.
Lazar & Jack can act.
Finding himself narrowly missed by the greatclub, Jack takes a quick glance over at Maria with a raised eyebrow. "You know, you all truly do NOT have to bring your worst. You could just bring your 'average at best' if you prefer. I promise you'll get no complaints from me," he tells the mob in a friendly manner as he proceeds to strike at the nearest one.
Lazar keeps trying to get out through the window and take the group by surprise.
Lazar gets to the ground and moves towards the front of the courthouse, easily spotting the man outlined by glitter stumbling away.
Jack sinks his blades into his opponent.
Blue is distraught by Maria cutting down his friend and swings at her.
Hammering the door frame above her head.
"Bastard!" Green grunts and swings at Jack
The breeze as it passes the only effect on him.
Orange howls that he's blind, while Purple notices that the odds are shifting, and their leader is fleeing! He joins Cyan in withdrawing and fleeing.
Cedric and Gadren] may now act.
Gadren moves up to the doorway and casts a spell at the glowing glob of light's feet with a satisfied smile. "You should surrender before I run out of kind spells." He called out to the fellow before chuckling.
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can’t move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
The creature cannot see. It takes a –2 penalty to Armor Class, loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and takes a –4 penalty on most Strength– and Dexterity-based skill checks and on opposed Perception skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Perception checks based on sight) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) against the blinded character. Blind creatures must make a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check to move faster than half speed. Creatures that fail this check fall prone. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.
Purple yelps in surprise as his feet slip out from under him and he hits the ground in an ungraceful pile.
Cedric notices the leader is fleeing, he looks over towards him and casts hold person on him. DC 17 will save.
Lazar stops just for a moment to invoke some divine power before keeping his pursue of the bandit leader.
Cyan stops moving as he is gripped by magic.
Back to the start of the battle order again.
Maria steps forward and cuts with a sweeping downward blow at the man in front of Jack (green).
Landing a solid blow, she continues swinging hard, looking to kill.
Noticing the leader is held, Lazar quickly uses his leg to make him lose balance, then falls upon him, capitalising on his paralysis to immobilise him.
Jack takes advantage of Maria's well placed strike and moves to attack the nearest wiseguy.