Daxius is clearly torn between his natural curiosity and the need to make haste. He doesn't like the implications of the rippling water, and calls out softly. "They're on to us. Let's move past this dangerous distraction and make good our egress!"
He adds, "That sewage pool is likely the home of a deadly, foul monstrosity! Do not enter the room, and move swiftly past!"
Nicolai would whisper,"I agree with Daxius, and we don't have much time grabbing goodies at this moment.."
As Daxius and Nicolai speak a tentacle tipped with three eyes rises from the pool and blinks lazily at the group.
Pontia tries to hurry past the opening. "Let's not wait around to see what the rest of it looks like."
As you hustle past the opening a loud yawn escapes and you can hear a sloshing of fetid water.
At the same time a light peaks out of the darkness behind you and a voice belows in the darkness: Halt, and submit to the law!
"RUN!"
Astra takes off in the opposite direction from the guards.
At the words, Hyngrot quickly takes off, speed taking precedence over caution. He'll try to follow the markings as best able but not if it involves slowing down. "Try to stay with me as best able!"
Before she speeds up to keep pace with the rest of the party, Pontia casts obscuring mist. "If we're lucky they'll take the side passage...."
janniven
the boy
In the flickering light you see four armigers (trainee hellknights) pursuing you.
Nicolai begins to pick up pace as well, hoping that creature may slow their pursuers. They're getting close..
Preception:
"Why did it have to be Hellknights!"
Armigers are local youths who want to join the hellknights, only about 10% ever make it into their ranks. The rest make do with their year as an armiger and go on to other professions.
In that time, they are well-trained and decently equipped.
"Just a bunch of idiot kids. They'll have some decent gear, but we could probably take 'em if it comes down to it."
Considering the consequences of slipping, Daxius decides to move with a sense of purpose, but doesn't actually break out into a run. He discards the idea of firing his crossbow at the pursuers, but begins to suspect it will come to violence sooner rather than later.
The Armigers see some of you running and attempt to pick up their pace.
Armiger acrobatics
You are speeding along a long stretch of sewer tunnel, there was a side-chamber which you have now passed.
The group is being stretched out now as some people run and others just hustle along.
If Daxius thinks he has time before their pursuers come through the obscuring mist, he'll set his crossbow down, use his shield to scoop up some sewage water (the slimier the better), and dump it on the ledge behind him. He'll then grab up his crossbow and keep moving. He's hoping that one of the armigers will slip and slow them all down. If he doesn't think he has time, or if he realizes he can't reach the sewage with his shield, he won't risk it.
Doesn't matter if they're trainees or not; one gets away after they see us and we're done for.
"I don't care! they have armor and the only thing between me and sharp, pointy death is this tunic, and small-clothes if they go for the heart."
As you rush along, Astra slips on the slimy, narrow path and tumbles into sewer.
Behind you, beyond the mist, you hear a strange, strangled roar...
"And now I'm glad I wore something under it."
She still looks scared but embarrassment seems to cover that up for the most part. She grabs climbs out of the water.
Climb:
And tries to run again.
Acrobatics:
The dip into the sewer water appears to have improved her grace and agility quite a bit.
Hearing the splash behind him, Hyngrot pauses the group for a moment, waiting to make sure Astra gets back up before hurrying them back along.
"Hopefully that 'thing' back there keeps them busy." Rather not have 'em on my conscious either.
Behind you, you hear a loud splash, a bellow and a scream.
Fort: uh-oh.
Fort: 1d20-1 uh-oh.
As Astra pulls herself out of the effluence, gasping and spitting and blinking dirty water out of her eyes, a young man in the uniform of an armiger plunges through the obscuring mist.
He has dropped his weapon and a large gash in his right leg seeps blood onto the path. His eyes betray a wild fear.
acrobatics for slicked section
Disorientated, he stumbles onto the path slicked Daxius' wash of sewer water and plunges into the sewer with a despairing cry.
Daxius, having pointed his crossbow at the armiger, raises an eyebrow in pleased surprise as the man plops into the water. He keeps hold of his weapon in one hand as he helps Astra out of the water with the other. "After you, Miss Vesper." He ensures she's moving along again, takes another quick look backward, then continues to follow the group at a brisk pace.
Pontia looks back at the floundering armiger. "Janniven, could we use a hostage?"
"You wanna take a hostage, take a hostage. But does that really make us better than them, especially a dumb kid like him."
Astra seems to have a bit of an internal struggle. She keeps looking back at the kid before, inevitably...
"DAMMIT!"
She rushes back to help the armiger, tucking the dagger back into the waist of her pants.
"Here. I may not agree with you, but I sure as Hells ain't going to watch you drown."
Nico shakes his head and goes to help Astra in bringing the lad to safety.
"I won't have your blood on my hands. Not like this."
ff
With a little assistance from Nicolai, and a little well-meaning tugging from Astra, the young man hauls himself out of the water.
He looks up at you all with startled eyes.
Sense Motive:
"Well, shall we get going before that beastie finds us?"
Message: We rescued you please don't make us regret it.
This may be foolish, but we left wisdom behind long ago. Let's see if we can't bring him around.
The young wizard almost smiles. "Come on, soldier. Under the circumstances, we'll have to ask you to surrender your weapons and keep quiet, but if we're all very lucky you should live to see another day."
In the tunnel behind you, the mist is beginning to thin .
A low roar echoes across the tunnel, followed by a loud crunch. A wave lurches along the sewer-stream.
The young man gulps. He has already lost his weapon but he drops his shield into the stream with a broad shrug.
"Run."
Astra's voice is small and almost broken. She spins around and sprints down the passage. Whatever that thing is, it is crunching through armor. That scares her, really scares her.
Acrobatics:
Idiot child Hyngrot takes off at the roar, doing his best to make sure no one gets left behind, hastily keeping an eye out for the markings.
Pontia runs to keep up with the rest of the party, easily keeping her footing despite the slippery conditions.
Nico follows, trying not to fall into the muck.
janniven
boy
armiger
Daxius ensures that he remains at the back of the group, making it clear that he's pointing his crossbow square at their prisoner's back. "I am watching you very closely, Armiger. Make any false moves at your peril."
[ooc]EDIT: My continued miserable luck with the dice roller validates the decision below.
He continues to hustle along, grimacing at the crunching noises, but he still isn't spooked enough to risk running.
The chaos and noise of the encounter with armigers and something are left behind and you pass down more corridors of sewer.
Where are they! I've got to lead these people to safety.
Hyngrot calmly guides your group through the twisting tunnels. You can't help but feel you have been underground for a long time, either the tunnels twist or you are crossing to another district of the city.
The oppressive tunnels have kept you all quiet and the armiger has not said a word. The most talk comes from Janniven, offering soothing whispers to the boy, Morosino.
Hyngrot charges forward, focused on following the trail.
Perception:
Astra keeps looking over her shoulder as if she's expecting the thing from the chamber to suddenly appear.
Daxius grips the stock of his crossbow so tightly that the cords of his forearms stand out. He remains stoic and silent, casting his gaze behind the group every few seconds.
Nicolai checks his crossbow, making sure the mechanism is engaged (having not fired it in actual battle before), and looks now and then at their prisoner.