"I don't know. I might have to," Arthorion replies, looking down with shame. He steps back, takes a deep breath and, focusing on the problem at hand, charges at the door to break it open. He crashes against it using the shield to protect his shoulder from the impact.
Scouring through the foundry gave the halfling nothing to fight the fire with, but she did stumble upon other things: a heatless Torch of some sort, a set of keys, and some drawing with notes in Dwarven. Cursing her inability to understand what it meant, she pocketed the keys and the drawing and picked up the torch. As she did, she heard the two half-elves drop from the ceiling and speak up.
"I'm Lirosa and this is my brother, Taidel."
"Nice to meet you, Lirosa, and you as well, Taidel. Under normal circumstances, I'd be happy to talk further. But right now..."
"You keep gathering the townsfolk. We've got hobgoblins to hunt." Lirosa nods and moves towards the door. "We'll buy you some time."
"Please be careful. Make for the Phaendar bridge as soon as you can. We'll make do on our own."
Unlike Kudera, Clem had no problems with speaking her mind to the brother-sister duo. "Don't just run off and leave these guys like this! You hear them dying in there?" She points the torch toward the building next door in emphasis. "You think taking a few of those hobs and minotaurs and bugbears will make you heroes? If you wanna be heroes, help us get them out! Break the door! Break windows! Find some water! Something!"
No response from Kining comes back, all that can be heard from inside the shop are screams and hacking coughs.
The door shatters before Arthorion's shield, revealing a mound of hastily assembled furniture. In their haste to keep the Ironfang out, the people that fled in here must have barricaded the entrance. Now facing fire and smoke, they managed to trap themselves inside.
Taidel and Lirosa look at Clementine and then look at each other. Lirosa nods to the halfling. "You're right, we'll stay and help."
They throw down their bows and run to the trading post to help remove the barricade.
Moz flies back to Kudera and lands on her shoulder like it's second nature. Probably because it is second nature.
"There's a door on the other side of the shop. Couldn't see any other way in. Might be worth trying it," Moz says as he observes Arthorion's handiwork.
Kudera glances over to see Clementine and the two half-elves approaching. At least they didn't run off to get killed by hobgoblins, Kudera thinks before silently chiding herself for the morbid thought.
"Moz says there's a door on the other side. I think it's worth seeing if it's not barricaded. It might be best for everyone else to continue working on this door in case the other one doesn't work," Kudera says.
"Do we really have time for this?" Rayne asks incredulously as she watches people fumble with the barricaded door and discuss how to get in. She casts a worried glance behind her, listening to to screams and ruckus outside before turning back to the others. They were clearly not going to budge on this.
With a resigned sigh, she moves quickly to the barricade and begins trying to dismantle it as quickly as possible, pushing, pulling, and kicking at the debris.
I swear, if this is the the way I die, she thinks to herself bitterly, I'll come back and haunt the lot of them. Being forced to rely on other people was not something she was used to, or wanted to get used to.
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After breaking down the door, Arthorion puts down the shield, ignores the chatter and starts removing the pile of furniture that currently blocks the exit. "We're clearing the front door! We'll get you out in a moment," he shouts to the people inside while working next to Rayne.
Dalvin shoots Rayne an upset look, fueled more by shame at the remembrance of his desire to run when the attack first started than offense. "We have to help them," he says, and leaves it at that.
Dalvin quickly puts away his weapon as he runs up to help remove the barricade. The gnome takes what furniture bits he can lift out of the door, handing some to Drako to carry away in his mouth in an effort to break it down faster.
Satisfied that her words got through to the pair, Clem nods back. "Awesome. Help us clear the door." she ordered as she joined the others in doing the same.
With the help of the half-elf twins, clearing the door is accomplished quickly. A few villagers and pale dwarf woman with iron grey hair stumble out of the burning building, coughing from the smoke.
"A fe-" starts Kining before a fit of hacking seizes her. "A few others are still inside. Unconscious." The dwarf doubles over and continues coughing.
With the door on the other side of the trading post refusing to budge, Kudera makes her way back to the other side to see how the others are faring.
Kudera returns to sees Kining and a few others have made it out of the building.
"A fe-" starts Kining before a fit of hacking seizes her. "A few others are still inside. Unconscious." The dwarf doubles over and continues coughing.
Kudera rushes over to Kining's side. "Breathe as deeply as you can. Air is what you need most now. Don't try to talk."
The witch looks over at the smoking building. Despite her fears, she knows she may be the only one in the group capable of rescuing the people who were still inside.
"Moz, you should stay outside. If anything happens to me, you need to be able to tell them as I might not be able to speak, much less be heard. If you sense I'm in distress, let the others know immediately."
"Okay, I sense you're in distress now," Moz says.
Kudera grits her teeth. "This is no time for games, Moz. Lives are in danger," she shouts.
Moz is taken aback for a moment before he nods silently in acquiescence. Satisfied the raven understands the gravity of the situation, Kudera says to the others, "I'm going inside to save the others. Someone needs to stay with Kining and the others. Stay low if you go inside."
Kudera looks down at the left sleeve of her shirt and hesitates for only a moment before ripping off its bottom half and tying it around the lower half of her face. She gets down on her hands and knees and begins crawling into the trading post while staying as low as possible.
Guardian, please don't let me be too late.
Pulling her scarf over her mouth and nose, Rayne rushes after Kudera into the smokey room, squinting as she moves through the fog in search of bodies.
Coughing from the smoke, she nearly trips over a leg as she rushes through the building. Taking hold of both ankles, she drags the body from the building and deposits it in the grass outside. She calls out to the others. "I'll stay here," she says, breathing heavily, "And keep an eye on them, and someone else can go help drag the other few out. Take turns or something. No one should be in that smoke any longer than necessary." She takes out a knife and twirls it nervously in her hand, staying alert for any immediate danger.
Dalvin grimaces as Kudera and Rayne immediately rush into the burning building. He briefly looks down at himself, certain he was too small to be dragging any unconscious bodies out of the building.
The gnome motions for Drako to follow him and sets himself next to the doubled over dwarf. "Drako and I will watch for any more hobgoblins and keep Kining and the others safe," he shouts over the forge owner's coughing fit.
Dalvin turns his attention to the street, keeping an eye out for any approaching threats.
Arthorion follows the group into the burning building, crouching down to keep his head off the raising smoke. As he advances, he keeps his eyes and ears open and tries to pinpoint the positions of the people trapped inside.
Before the fire, the interior of Kining's shop was drab and dominated by sacks of seed, bolts of cloth, barrels of nails, and staples like flour and salt. Now, it's filled with smoke and fire. Several unconscious Phaendrans lie on the floor. A door to a second room sits to the north west.
Through the smoke, Kudera spots several Phaendrans lying unconscious.
Please be alive. You have to be alive.
Kudera crawls over to the nearest unconscious person, removes her smelling salts from her pocket, and administers a dose to the victim.
"You have to get up now. Don't stand up, just crawl. I'll guide you to the door," Kudera says to the person.
Rayne paces about anxiously, alternating between keeping an eye open for danger and casting worried glances back toward the burning building. They weren't going to make it to the bridge alive if they didn't hurry with all of these detours in between. Several minutes pass before she swears under her breath and dashes back into the building, pulling her scarf over her mouth and nose as she enters.
Crouching low as she moves deftly through the smoke, she stumbles upon Kudera and several unconscious bodies. As she grabs the legs of another body, she sees Kudera giving out a dose of smelling salts. "Now, I'm no healer," she says over the roar of the flames as she hurries to situate the body so she can carry them out. "So I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but shouldn't we get them out of the smoke before taking the time to wake them up?" Without waiting for an answer, she half drags, half carries the body outside, depositing it next to Dalvin and the other rescued townspeople.
Straightening herself, she pushes a lock of hair from her face and looks down at the gnome. "You still okay out here?"
Dalvin stands next to Drako, watching their surroundings intently. He looks up with surprise as he sees a body carried over out of the corner of his eyes.
Straightening herself, she pushes a lock of hair from her face and looks down at the gnome. "You still okay out here?"
He gives a quick nod before returning his attention to the paths and alleys. "Seems to be all clear," he says, hesitantly, peering into the darkness. "But I'll feel safer when we're out from all this smoke. How're Kudera and Arthorion coming along? We still need to find..." The gome's eyes widen. "Oh, right!" He turns quickly to Kining. "Is there anything in there that can be used to take down the bridge, do you think?"
Arthorion hears Dalvin speak his name and answers through the thick smoke. "I'm fine! I've got two of them", he shouts while dragging a pair of villagers towards the exit. "Dalvin, perhaps there's something useful behind the door! It's probably a storage room."
The villagers are dragged out one by one from the burning building. All in all, three men and women of Phaendar are saved, not including the smith.
Kining shakes her head, staring at her burning shop. She glances at Dalvin. "Wait, take down the bridge? Why do we want to take down the bridge?"
"To buy us time to escape," answers a familiar voice from behind. Aubrin the Green, leaning heavily on her staff and supported by a villager emerges from the darkness. The rest of the villagers rescued from the Inn, including Jet, follow.
"I had hoped you would all be farther away by now," Arthorion says to Aubrin after helping one of the victims of the fire to his feet. "Are we already surrounded?", he asks with a worried countenance.
The miller then turns his glare to the smith and repeats Dalvin's question. "Kining, is there anything we can salvage from the shop that would help us with the bridge? I can go in and try to bring it out, but you need to tell me now," Arthorion says. His tone is kind, even though the matter is urgent. "Think."
We saved some, that's all I could have asked for, Kudera thinks as she looks over the smoke covered men and women before looking down at her own soot-covered hands.
It seemed like forever ago that she was sitting with a group of friends enjoying some light conversation. Oh to be back in the Taproot and blissfully ignorant of what was happening outside.
Kudera forces herself to return to the present. The soot on her hands and the stains on her clothes weren't going to be erased with wishful thinking.
Looking over at Kining and Arthorion, Kudera is about to add her own thoughts to their conversation when Aubrin emerges from the shadows.
What... what is she doing here? She should be over the bridge by now!
Aubrin didn't look any better than the last time Kudera had seen the kindly cleric. Kudera would have to be sure to thank the nameless villager who supported the Caydenite.
"It seems time continues to grow shorter. Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it quickly. We still have to go to the Riverwood Shrine and Oreld's to rescue the other villagers. Arthorion's family is still out there somewhere, as is my own."
Kudera turns to Kining and says, "Arthorion is right, we have to act quickly. I know you've just nearly died, but if we don't find a way to bring that bridge down, it is doubtful that any of us will survive the night."
Aubrin tries to smile, but only manages a grimace. "There are hobgoblins on the bridge. If we are to cross, we'll need every sword we can muster." She mutters a quick prayer and a feeling of warmth
and comfort washes over the party and the gathered survivors. "And I still have a measure of healing available to me. I thought you could use our aid."
Kining shakes her head, her iron-gray hair shimmering in the light of her burning store. "I was hired to repair the bridge, umgi," the dwarf tersely explains. "Not to bring it down. Now if we had a team of men with hammers or some sort of explosive, I could tell you where to hit it, but I don't sell men or bombs."
Arthorion takes a firmer stand. "Right, but what about weapons, or provisions? Do you have weapons, Kining? We need to arm ourselves if we are to get out of this alive. Tell us where to look before the fire eats it all!" The miller stands ready to rush back into the blazing shop; all he needs is Kining's directions.
Kining shakes her head, her iron-gray hair shimmering in the light of her burning store. "I was hired to repair the bridge, umgi," the dwarf tersely explains. "Not to bring it down. Now if we had a team of men with hammers or some sort of explosive, I could tell you where to hit it, but I don't sell men or bombs."
Balling her hands into tight fists at her side, Rayne squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath to calm herself before she approaches the dwarf, crouching down to look her in the eye.
"Okay look," she says, clasping her hands in front of her as she offers the woman a smile. "I get what you're saying, I really do. But... you're not going to be able to repair the bridge ever if you're dead. And if we don't make it over the bridge and destroy it... that's probably what will happen." She flashes another smile. "So, you know, it's probably in everyone's best interest— including yours!— to help us out here, you know? Just... help us find what we need to take the bridge down."
Hearing Arthorion and Rayne verbally sparring with Kining, Kudera walks over to listen in on the conversation.
Kudera grimaces when she hears Arthorion. She knew him to be a kindly man, but at the moment his tone left much to be desired.
Rayne, Kudera was surprised to learn, was taking a more diplomatic approach to the conversation with Kining.
With Aubrin accompanying them now and hobgoblins blocking their exit over the bridge, their window to escape was shortening and doing so quickly. Kudera decides to add her voice with Rayne's in imploring Kining to help them.
"Please, Kining. Rayne is right. We all want to make it out of here alive, but we have to destroy that bridge to do so. You said your tools can be used to repair bridge. Wouldn't you be able to use them in reverse instead?"
Dalvin looks with surprise as Arthorion speaks so sharply to the dwarf. But the shock at his old friend's words is overcome by his own anger at coming up empty at the Post. While the others try more diplomatic approaches, Dalvin starts to shake his head in frustration. "If she doesn't have anything, we still have other places to search and rescue people," he reminds them, casting a look at Aubirn.
"Oreld's and the shrine. Now that everyone is out of the fire we should get moving. I really don't think Kining has anything that can help."
Kining glares at Arthorion. "Aye, I've got weapons. Behind the counter, hanging on the wall. If you're willing to brave the fire, you're welcome to 'em."
The dwarf turns to Rayne and Kudera. "Didn't you hear me the first time? I know how to destroy the bridge, I just don't have a way to do. Find me a bomb and I can bring it down."
Arthorion nods and immediately runs into the building, missing the final exchange between Kining, Rayne, and Kudera. He moves as quickly as he can, dodging the flames and crouching to avoid the smoke.
Rayne narrows her eyes at the dwarf. "Hey now, no need to get testy with us." Before Kining can respond she stands and moves away, shrugging at Kudera with a wink .
"Oreld's and the shrine. Now that everyone is out of the fire we should get moving. I really don't think Kining has anything that can help."
"I agree, we need to move. Any suggestions as to where?" she asks, crossing her arms and looking to each in the group. "Do we have any idea of where we can find what we need?"
She glances at Aubrin and the group of townsfolk she has following her. "So Aubrin— it's Aubrin, right?— what, uh... what exactly are you and your group here planning on doing?" The last thing they needed was a bunch of scared, unprepared people following them around.
At Rayne's words, Kudera glances over at Aubrin, Jet, and the others.
"I don't want to speak for them, but it seems most likely that we'll find what we need to destroy the bridge at Oreld's. On the other hand, I think we're more likely to find more survivors at the shrine.
"I honestly don't know what we should do. I desperately want to find my family, but if we don't find a way to destroy that bridge, finding them won't matter. I'd like to know what Arthorion thinks. His family is still out there, too."
Arthorion returns outside with a longsword, two battleaxes, an alchemical silver rapier, a masterwork light steel shield, and a masterwork backpack. Kining eyes her inventory coldly, but doesn't say a word.
"I honestly don't know what we should do. I desperately want to find my family, but if we don't find a way to destroy that bridge, finding them won't matter. I'd like to know what Arthorion thinks. His family is still out there, too."
Dalvin nods, frowning and idly scratching Drako's ear as he tries to think quickly. "Like you said, if we can't take down the bridge, it doesn't matter how many people we save," he says hesitantly, looking up at Kudera. "The army will just follow us straight into the forest, right? So we should go to Oreld's first."
Arthorion starts handing out the weapons to the villagers. "Gather round, friends, and take one to defend yourselves. You're gonna need them to fight any hobgoblins that come your way. Kining, you don't mind, do you? It's for everyone's protection. Once we're all safe, you can have them back, is that fine?" His tone is much friendlier this time, almost as if compensating for the harshness of before.
Arthorion releases the straps of the Ironfang shield in his forearm and swaps it for Kining's masterwork shield. When he is done, he walks up to Kudera and Dalvin, catching the last of their conversation. "You're right. Let's go to Oreld's, then, but using the backstreets." He rests one hand on Kudera's shoulder and tries to comfort her, despite being as worried as she is. "We found survivors hiding here. With Desna's blessing, we might find our families next. Now, come on," he calls to his allies, while leaving Aubrin to care for the villagers. She can keep them safe, he tells himself, anxious to hear Aubrin's answer to Rayne's question. But what is her plan?
"Like you said, if we can't take down the bridge, it doesn't matter how many people we save," he says hesitantly, looking up at Kudera. "The army will just follow us straight into the forest, right? So we should go to Oreld's first."
Kudera nods at Dalvin's words. "Yes, yes I think you may be right. I just hope we're not too late to save them when we do go to the shrine."
"You're right. Let's go to Oreld's, then, but using the backstreets." "We found survivors hiding here. With Desna's blessing, we might find our families next. Now, come on,"
At the mention of Desna, Kudera thinks of her own mysterious patron. Please protect them, Guardian. I can't bear to think of any of my family being injured or worse.
With a deep breath, Kudera nods at Arthorion and again at Dalvin. "Very well. If we're going to Oreld's we should get moving. If the trading post is any indication, it could very well be burning down as we speak."
Moz flies back up onto Kudera's shoulder and says, "Well, I'm kind of stuck with this one here, so wherever we're going, let's hop to it."
Oreld's Fine Shop - labeled with a small shingle hanging out out front - is one of the few buildings in town made entirely of stone. Mortared white blocks form the walls of this odd-shaped cottage. Scorch marks that shift in color from black to dark blue to glimmering violet mar one wall. The door to the shop stands open and bloody footprints lead inside.
The sound of breaking glass mingled with a low groan comes from within.
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As they approach the building, Rayne notices the blood leading in through the door and stops in her tracks, holding her hand up to stop those behind her. She points to the bloody prints as the sound of groans are heard and sneaks forward, years and years of training and conditioning taking over.
Silent as the grave, she moves to the door and slips in through the crack.
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Beginning on the second round of any combat, you may order a single follower to assist you as a move action. If you succeed at a DC 12 Diplomacy or Intimidate check, you gain a +2 aid another bonus on your next check, or to your Armor Class for 1 round.
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A hobgoblin wearing a bandolier rifles through the shelves, holding a chain that runs back to a collar around the incapacitated man's neck. The Ironfang soldier doesn't notice Rayne either.
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Sliding daggers from her waist and her thigh, she sneaks up silently behind the hobgoblin and plunges both knives into it's body, one in the neck and the other into it's side.
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Kudera accompanies the others to Oreld's and becomes worried when she sees the door to the shop open and scorch marks along one wall.
Kudera follows behind Rayne at a distance, trying to remain as stealthy as possible.
Uncertain of whether or not she succeeded in her sneaking, she draws her wand of magic missiles as she goes and prepares to try to activate the device should the need arise.
Dalvin stands back as Rayne and Kudera silently enter the building, staring at the bloody footprints in dread anticipation. After a moment, Dalvin leans into Drako.
"Stay by the door and don't let anyone else come in, okay?" he says to the dog, scratching his muzzle as he speaks.
With Drako on guard duty, Dalvin quietly enters the shop behind the women, using his size to shield himself from sight with the furniture in the room.
Arthorion follows Rayne, Kudera, and Dalvin into the shop, crossing the door's threshold in time to see the half-elf plunging her knives in the back of the oblivious hobgoblin. He raises his shield and sword, ready to join the fight that is about to break out.
The hobgoblin goes down in a heap, choking on its own blood.
Oreld, bleeding on the floor, moans again, oblivious to the situation.
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Rayne grins broadly as the hobgoblin crumples before her, and she wipes the blood from her daggers onto the creature's shirt. Returning them to their sheathes, she turns around and pauses, looking at the group collected behind her.
She sighs. "So, when I held my hand up, that was the sign for you all to stay put for a while," she says gently. "Outside."
She gives her head a small shake, then kneels next to the groaning man on the floor, motioning for the young witch to join her. "Poor sod," she mumbles as she looks at the weapon through the man's middle. "There's no way he'll be able to help us in this state." She looks up at Kudera. "Got any helpful tricks?"
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Kudera rushes to Oreld's side, stowing her wand as she goes. She sees the weapon through the man's middle.
"Poor sod," she mumbles as she looks at the weapon through the man's middle. "There's no way he'll be able to help us in this state." She looks up at Kudera. "Got any helpful tricks?"
"My magic is limited, but I will do what I can."
I must ask that you guide my hands once again, guardian, Kudera prays.
Arthorion lowers his weapons, surprised with Rayne's accuracy. Admonished by the half-elf, he merely replies "Sorry, I didn't expect you to be so... efficient. I thought you might need some help. Well done, though." He kneels down next to Kudera and Oreld and gently places his hand on the shopkeeper's forehead. "Hang in there, Oreld. We'll get you out of this." He looks at Kudera and nods at her, and backs off to give the healer space to tend for the wounded man.
Arthorion then stands up and goes on to search the hobgoblin and the rest of the room for any useful materials. "Dalvin, give me a hand?", he asks the gnome.
She sighs. "So, when I held my hand up, that was the sign for you all to stay put for a while," she says gently. "Outside."
Dalvin frowns, but doesn't respond after Arthorion says what the gnome was thinking. Sure, she handled the hobgoblin with ease. But what if she had run into trouble?
"Dalvin, give me a hand?"
"Sure thing." Dalvin watches Kudera for a moment as she works to help Oreld, and then joins Arthorion in the search.
"Sorry, I didn't expect you to be so... efficient. I thought you might need some help. Well done, though."
"Oh, well, thank you... I'm very good at what I do," Rayne replies with an uncharacteristically awkward shrug. Arthorion's kind words and the look on Dalvin's face were causing a small tug of guilt in her chest. True, she didn't know these people and didn't owe them anything. But they didn't know her either, and had gone out of their way to include her.
The least she could do was help and be kind in return--until she could escape the town safely, that is.
She clears her throat. "I'm sorry if I came off as rude. I just wanted to get the jump on whatever was in here, and, you know, the fewer the people, the quieter you are. I wasn't sure how noiseless any of you could be."
With an apologetic smile, she turns to the room to help search for things that could be of use to them.
And valuables that could be of use to her, of course.
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With Oreld's bleeding stymied for the moment, Kudera faces the grim reality of the task before her. Oreld might be stabilized for the moment, but without removing the blade in his middle, he would soon begin to bleed again and perish shortly after that.
"I need two of you to help me," Kudera says, looking at Rayne, Arthorion, and Dalvin in turn.
"Sorry, Dalvin, it's probably best that Rayne and Arthorion help with this task," Kudera says with a sad smile in the gnome's direction.
"Rayne and Arthorion - I need you to hold Oreld down. It's essential that he not be moving when I... remove the blade in his middle. If he moves even an inch, I could injure him even more than he already is when I pull it out."