Tired of waiting Jo's mind wanders. He looks around and spots some flowering bushes near the banks of the river. Oh, bees!! he thinks to himself and wanders over to the bushes.
There he finds some wild flowers including some wild roses. Looking at the flowers he stares and thinks. Quietly he whispers the word "Rosebud". He lifts his giant hammer, looks it over, and smiles "Rosebud!" he says again.
He breaks off one of the roses and wanders back to the group.
I watch Jo walk over to the river and back again, with something in his large hands. 'What's you got there Jo?'
Jo sees Xianae as he approaches the party. He holds out the pink-hued rose and says "Pretty flower for pretty lady" He awkwardly bows as he extends the rose.
"Jo gots name for big hammer. Rosebud! Looks pretty but will hurt you if you careless." he tells Xianae.
He looks towards the party, Janiven in particular.
"Jo not like prisoner idea for Jo. Jo not have Rosebud wif him if tired up like prisoner. How 'bout Jo hide under da bridge and come out when secret signal given? Jo pretty fast when he want to be."
I accept the flower, 'Aww, thanks.' I look at the flower, admiring the fascinating colours and after a while tie it into my hair. 'Well big guy, what do ya think's?'
I look at the huge hammer, 'Rosebud...'as a nice ring to its 'n' ya're right, it'll hurt them's that tries to hurt ya.'
Janiven whispers to Moondark, "This sounds like a good plan, but the other Children aren't very experienced in combat. Let's see if we can find a safe role for them."Moondark frowns, "I'm hoping there won't be any combat, but whom do you mean specifically?"
I'm pretty sure Janiven means me... But why am I in the thick of it..?
Emmett looks for his bird companion.
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Janiven nods, "My concern is only if we are not successful with our ruse and the Hellknights attack. I believe Rizzardo may have secured some caltrops. Perhaps we hide a few of our less able combatants with the horses in the wood and cover our retreat from any Hellknight riders with the caltrops at the edge of the wood."
Somehow, I don't think he'll hand me caltrops... No, I'm really in the thick of it!
"Sounds like a very good idea. How effective would those be for horses?"
"So who is going to be staying with the horses, and who will be posing as Hellknights. I know who the prisoners are going to be." he glances at Moondark
'Its already been decided that I'm goings to be a silent Hellknight, which I'm happys with.'
At Moondark's mention of the wand, Emmett notices he's been fidgeting with it for a while now. I guess no one else is stupid enough to be a guard... 'cept me that is...
Coran starts gathering the items he will not need as a prisoner putting them on his pony. He puts his Rapier and his crossbow with quarrels with his armored coat. Then takes the time to hide a dagger on him. (untrained Sleight of Hand )
He walks over to Jo handing him the bundle with his weapons and armor "I think I am ready to be a prisoner now he pulls out his holy symbols so they can be seen smiling as he does so.
I walk over to Emmett, look at him and the wand carefully, 'Emmett, could ya turns me into a Hellknight please?'
Once turned, I shall walk behind Coran and stand behind him with a hand on his shoulder. 'Don't worry, I won't hurts ya. Jus' making it look good.'
I walk over to Emmett, look at him and the wand carefully, 'Could I use that quickly?' I take the wand and touch its tip to my forehead, at which point I change completely. I now appear to be a Hellknight, a rather well build, intimidating Hellknight. Once turned, I hand the wand back to Emmett, 'Thanks.'
"I am not worried. there is a slightly audible swallow, then in a whisper "Don't make it look to good."
"Sorry Coran. Jo not gonna be Hellknight. Jo gonna hide under bridge and wait for secret signal to come and fight. Jo can hold your weapon for you until you ready to fight, dough.
"Sorry Jo I forgot you weren't going to be a Hell Knight." Coran gives the bundle to Xianae
I take the bundle of equipment and sling it over my shoulder. Making sure to keep hold of it with one hand, while the other rests on Coran's shoulder.
'Just says me name, when ya want me to give 'em back.'
Jo stands there waiting...
Coran follows Moondark's lead preparing to be a prisoner worried that something might go wrong. He looks up at Moondark and give a worried smile.
Emmett waves the wand as his bird comes landing on his shoulder.
A glitter of red and blue dances on his body, modifying his appearance. A tall man with greasy black hair stands instead, a large star symbol of Asmodeus on the chest of a black and silver breastplate. His eyes yell madness as they dance with intent from one prisoner to the other: "By the pointy! You'll taste my whip if you don't stay quiet!!!"
As the bird flutters down to Emmett, I look ahead and try to see if the Hellknights are in sight.
With Emmett now is disguise too and shouting menacing demands, I will try to stand above Coran menacingly.
Jo heads toward the bridge. Although the space underneath is not large, he manages to get under it with no problem. He sits waiting Rosebud at his side. His mind quickly wanders.
He stares into the water and to his surprise sees tiny minnows swimming along the water's edge. "FISHIES!!"
He slowly reaches down putting a finder into the water. The little fish nibble at his finger. Jo is fascinated.
Coran looks back at Xianae and trembles with actual fear showing in his eyes.
Without moving an inch, I whisper to Coran.
'Don't worry, jus' making it looks good. I won't's hurt ya, promise. I don't hurt's friends, apart's from Eg! Hee, hee, hee!'
Looking up with a nervous smile, replying with a tremble to his voice "ok"
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You hear it before you see it. The sound of horse hoofs and a rumble of wheels on the dirt road echoes down the path. Then, the prison carriage appears on the road ahead. Two heavy warhorses are hitched to a large, wooden, enclosed carriage. As it nears, you can see that the carriage is reinforced with wood. A driver and a hellknight sit on a bench behind the horses. Two more Hellknights are riding on the carriage's sideboards and another is on top of the carriage manning a heavy crossbow mounted to the roof. The carriage is flanked by four more Hellknights mounted on heavy warhorses. As you watch the four on warhorses, spur on their mounts and ride up in your direction.
looking up in a panic so many hell knights and starts to turn and run bumping into Xianae legs, he quickly gets on his knees. with terror in his voice "Please I didn't do anything wrong, I didn't escape I was set free, really. Please I can't go to prison it's not safe for my kind." Coran looks up at Xianae fighting back the fear just enough to wink.
I reach down silently, grab Coran's arm and pull him off the ground and place him back on his feet. Giving him a silent stare the entire time, this time I am making sure that I hold onto his shoulder, so he does not try to run again. I look at the arriving Hellknights, and quickly glance to see what weapons they have on them.
Emmett fights desperately against his stomach's effort to turn inside out. He puffs up his chest at the arriving Hellknights. "'Bout time you showed up! We found these. Probably escapee, probably worth something. I haven't had the chance to wrestle it's master's name yet, but once we're settled in your wagon, I'll wring him!" A smile flashes on Emmett's face, madness laced across his teeth, as he makes a wringing gesture with his hands. Behind he checks whether the carriage actually comes near while they're talking.
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The prison carriage arrives at your position at the bridge. As the Hellknights near, you can see that they have longswords at their hips and most of them are holding crossbows. As the carriage stops, one of the Hellknights sitting behind the horses pushes up the visor on his sleek helm and steps down. His armor gleams with the rigor of hours of polishing, its exposed musculature emphasizing the build of the knight that glares down at you.
The Hellknight looks down at you, seeming to radiate disdain, particularly for Coran and Moondark.
"Liar! You're a disgrace to our order. There's something you're not telling me about these prisoners. Prince of Darkness, lend me your might!"
The Hellknight gestures with his hands and speaks in Infernal as the others raise their crossbows.
"Now tell me what is really going on here or face the fires of Asmodeus!"
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know local
Working on Janiven's description, the peasant woman spits, "The Badger, Ha! There are rebels here abouts and this lout hasn't done much to catch them. You aren't likely to have much luck either given your recent record. In fact I think a rather big hulk that dodged you at Vizio's is waiting for you dead ahead!"
Seeing the Hellknight approach, I stand to attention and salute.
With Moondark's reaction to this "Badger", I look down on her and give her a gentle push as if to say "Silence!"
When the Badger starts to pick up that something is wrong with Emmett, I turn to face Emmett, with my hand now on my axe. Coran's bundle of gear is on the floor, just behind me.
Knowledge Local:
Spellcraft:
Coran looks at the badger smiling broadly thinking about how funny the badger looks on his uniform but decides not to say anything after Moondark's answer. Thinking we might have bit off more than we could chew.
While Emmett doesn't recognize the hellknight, he can easily read through the man's gesture and fathom their meaning. With a booming voice: "By the pointy! You dare interrogate me!?! These I've just arrested and am making my way back. I'm just thinking I may as well just kill'em and drop'em in the ditch; save some time. But then you come along. Soooo... Can I leave them with you or not. As you've heard, she needs to be ironed some, for I'm sure she's in the know. And by the great Law I swear, if I see you cast at me AGAIN, we'll have at it! I'll slap you with a motion of pledge that'll strip you of rank!"
Emmett the grabs Moondark by the hair and proceeds to bring her to the back of the wagon.
Perception:
Jo continues to play with the minnows under the bridge dropping bread crumbs into the water to see if they eat them.
"Fishies, Fishies, Fishies, swimmin in dah stream. Fishies, Fishies, Fishies....
He stops when he hears the booming voice of someone near by. He grabs Rosebud and inches closer to the edge of the bridge to listen more intently.
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Jo has no trouble hearing what is taking place on the road above him.
The Hellknight glares silently for a moment at Emmett and then slowly a wicked, nasty grin curls his lips. When he speaks, the words come in a sharp, staccato cadence like crossbow bolts striking your chest. "You try my patience Hellknight. Perhaps you don't recognize an officer when you see one. You can contemplate that tonight while you wash the flagstones of Citadel Rivad. Now, you can stop covering up your pathetic failures and tell me what is really going on here. Who are these prisoners? What are they doing here? And what in the Nine Hells is this peasant yammering on about!"
Emmett's heart races in his chest. He summons all his will not to simply start running. Now, this is the play, if you miss that one, all is lost...
As he stands in front of the wagon's backdoor, Emmet's knuckles go white and his teeth are clenched. He lets anger flash through his face, then panic. He puts a hand on the wagon, showing signs that he's dealing with powerful emotions. Then he slowly drops his gaze to the floor, bringing his feet together and standing at attention. He speaks in a voice that is seething with resentment. The words are right, but the tone is bathed in anger: "Apologies sir! I hadn't recognized your rank. We believe four more rebels are camping up ahead. These were coming for water when we captured them. We were hoping to have the rest to ourselves..."
During the whole "conversation" between the Badger and Emmett, I have been standing to attention, but once The Badger accused Emmett of hiding something, I drew my axe and have been holding it since. Once Emmett mentions that we were hoping to have the rest of the rebels for ourselves, I put my axe away and continue to stand to attention.