Thrak's bite pierces the spider's hide, dealing damag to the vermin.
ROUND 3:
Spider 17/22 HP
The spider hisses and lunges at Thrak, while the crowd cheers wildly and gold changes hands.
However, Thrak dodges the clumsy spider's bite!
Thrak's turn!
"He's off balance, Thrak! You've got him now!"
From its cage the pseudodragon mentally replies to Pai.
Pseudodragon
Paxs sends warm thoughts Thrak's way and feelings of approval.
Thrak's attacks must be echoing with those warm thoughts, for he manages to hit with his bite and one claw! The spider, its carapace rent and oozing green fluid, seems hesitant!
Spider HP 7/22
Round 4!
The spider pulls back five feet and spits a string of web at Thrak!
Thrak is entangled by the webbing and must make an Escape Artist check or a Strength check (both DC 14) as a standard action to escape his entanglement!
The character is ensnared. Being entangled impedes movement, but does not entirely prevent it unless the bonds are anchored to an immobile object or tethered by an opposing force. An entangled creature moves at half speed, cannot run or charge, and takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity. An entangled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) or lose the spell.
Thrak struggles forward to attack the spider.
Thrak struggles forward, still entangled in the webbing but its attacks are slow and the spider dodges them easily.
ROUND 5:
The spider lunges at Thrak, attempting to bite!
The spider's fangs catch in the ruff of Thrak's neck and it's only his thick skin that stops the fangs!
Thrak is up!
Barvasi leans forward on the throne, clearly looking annoyed that the battle is taking so long.
"Now Thrak, get him while he is close."
Perception
Again Thrak seems hindered by the webbing, coming close to damaging the spider, only to have it scuttle sideways.
ROUND 6:
The spider lunges again! for damage.
Barvasi sighs. "This begins to bore me! Finish it quickly or I'll finish it for you!"
Not heeding what Barvasi does, Ruperta keeps cheering on Thrak.
"The underbelly! Try it's underbelly!"
Inside her, all her prayers ask for the blessing of Lady Luck...
Paxs nods and encourages Thrak.
Hearing Barvasi, Pai secures the wand in her hand, holding it against her chest, as she crosses her arms to try and cover it up, preparing to blast him, if he tries anything unscrupulous in the competition.
Corbyn emerges from the shadows he has been skulking in (he is not very welcome in the Eel and has been trying to keep a low profile). When he sees Pai tense, he puts a hand on her shoulder and whispers, "Easy. No reason to get hasty, yet."
One of Thrak's claws manages to pierce the Spider's abdomen, unleashing a green flow that seems to slow it.
ROUND 7:
The spider lunges! for damage! However the leaking fluid is clearly slowing the spider down...
HP 2/22 Spider
Noticing the spider's thin neck Ruperta screams "The neck! It has drop it's guard! Attack the neck!"
Thrak bites and slashes at the spider.
"Great job, Thrak!! What a performance," the gnome cheers.
With a final bite and claw, Thrak lays into the spider, killing it. Half the crowd cheers, calling out for debts paid and half the crowd groans as gold exchanges hands. The furor stops as Barvasi stands and slowly draws a dagger. He holds it for a moment, then throws it with deadly accuracy at the pseudodragon's cage, cutting the lock in twain and freeing the tiny dragon. It lets out a whirring cry of freedom and flies down to circle around Pai's neck and shoulders, purring loudly.
"I pay my debts. Now go." Barvasi turns his back on you, clearly dismissing you. You have the satchel full of papers and the dragon's freedom.
To Pai, the dragon whispers mentally, "I am called Majenko. I am yours, for a year and a day!"
["Let's get out of here," the gnome nervously whispers.
Once outside, the gnome's expression quickly turned to that of joy. "It's nice to meet you, Majenko. You are so handsome. And you don't have to serve me. If you have a family you need to go to, that's fine with me. If you have nowhere to go and want to stay with us a while, that's great, too. I 'm just glad we could help you out of that cage!"
She walks over to the eidolon. "You were very brave, Thrak. It was quite impressive a victory. I can see why Paxs favors you so."
Paxs pays the man, and leaves with the group.
.
"Are you hungry, Majenko? I bet you havent eaten a proper meal in forever. What do you eat? We can try to find something you'd like on our way back, while you decide what you want to do. You don't wear clothes do you...I don't know where we'd find anything n your size anyway," Pai continued asking random questions to Majenko as they head back to the quarters with their information.
From the back of the group, Corbyn keeps his eye on the Eel, watching for followers.
[b]"Lets get back to the guards, sooner rather than later."[b]
Even with Corbyn's sharp eyes watching, no enforcers seem to take any special notice of you and you're able to leave Eel's End and head back to the Citadel without any trouble.
Cressida Kroft looks even more tired as you come in, but her eyes light up when you present her with the letters. Reading the letters however she blushes red and quickly puts them aside. "Well, that should take care of that situation. Thank you, your aid in this matter will avert a crisis. In thanks, I've arranged this." She takes out a small pouch filled with 50 platinum pieces and hands it to you.
"I don't have any further jobs for you at the moment. I will be in contact should something come up."
Little did you know at that moment that a full week would pass before Cressida Kroft would summon you again...
Ruperta will see that Thrak gets fully healed, and well pet, before doing anything else (using skill and magic for it).
She will spend the rest of the week getting to know her new companions, and trying to help them in whatever they do.
Corbyn will be looking to purchase 2 masterwork short swords, a suit of masterwork studded leather, 2 tanglefoot bags, 3 vials of alchemist fire, and 2 smokesticks. Total = 995gp
All easily purchaseable from the Guards.
Slumber being his usual self will continue to putter around, looking for the next payday/meal.
The week goes by quickly. For those without homebases, the guard provides barracks-style accommodations. The condition of the city worsens, as news of a Kingslayer drives the mobs to a state of paranoia, as they search for this murderer. Finally though, the mob is given the name of the murderer: Trinia Sabor, a young painter who was working on a portrait of the King. She soon becomes a hunted person, as the City is scoured.
Finally, very early in the morning, you receive word that Cressida Kroft is in need of your services. Blinking eyes against the still dark sky, you find yourself in her office, where a hot pot of coffee and sticky buns await you. The door is closed and you notice guards are stationed outside to ensure this remains a private conversation.
“You’ve doubtless heard the stories that the king’s killer has been named. Yet there’s something more going on here, I’m afraid. Queen Ileosa could have quietly had this Trinia Sabor arrested at any time, yet the way in which she revealed the information to the city seems to me like she wants the riots to come back. Certainly, with the mob and the Hellknights out on the street, the girl doesn’t stand a chance at a trial—they’ll lynch her the moment they find her. And even if she did kill the king, mob justice isn’t the way. Worse, if she’s innocent, the real killer can use this distraction to throw us off the trail forever.
“Before Trinia is executed, we need to be absolutely sure she did this thing. And that means we need to catch her before the mob. We know where she lives—a flat in Midland at 42 Moon Street—but soon, so will the mob. The Hellknights don’t seem to care as much about catching her as they do about containing the mob—something about the “order of law” makes it a greater priority for them to contain than a possiblea ssassin. I can’t say I disagree completely, but the problem is, the Hellknights are only making it worse. The mob’s covering most of Midland now, and Trinia’s flat is near the middle of the mess. I’ve got all available guards at work keeping things from getting any worse—and if I were to send them into Midland, they’d trigger a riot.
“I’m sure you can see where this is going. I need you to get into Midland, find Trinia, and bring her back to me so we can deliver her, safe and sound, to somewhere where she can be interrogated—preferably with magic, so we can be absolutely sure about her role in Eodred’s death. Get in there, catch her, and get out without letting the mob get its hands on her. I’ll have agents and officers nearby. If you can get her to one of them, we’ll be in the clear. Any questions?”
"Any known associates or special abilities we should be aware of? A painter doesn't sound so tough.."
"In the area she lives, it's very likely she's known to her neighbors. Which means they either don't care she's wanted or hoping to hold her for ransom. Other than that, no known associates."
"We better get going, sooner rather than later."
Pai nods. "Let's get on the road. If she might be innocent, we have to protect her while things are settled."
Majenko, delighted to be free once more, has definitely decided to stay! He sometimes takes off on long flights over the city, joining his wild cousins, but he's become very fond of you and has taken to sleeping on your shoulders like a draconic cat. He's a wealth of odd information: usually random trivia and things he's seen and heard from his fellow pseudodragons, who turn out to be incorrigible gossips.
Kroft nods at your enthusiasm, clearly relieved that you're taking the case. The address is located in the Middens, also known as the Shingles, a network of two-three story wooden buildings haphazardly built so that they lean together, forming a network of roofs. Adding to that are planks laid across the gaps and clothes lines and bridges that add to the roof-top roadways.
The address you've been given is a three story wooden tenement that leans precariously across to rest against its cross street neighbor. As you head into the Middens you pass a trio of Hellknights savagely beating a young man, who is curled into a ball, whimpering. Several old men and women stand on the stoops of the address of Trinia's apartment, murmuring to themselves. The sun is just barely up, and the shadowy light give the whole area a sense of other-worldliness.
"I'd bet this Trinia is not going to trust anyone, let alone emissaries of the guard. Maybe a few of us can try to go in and talk to her, and a couple others can wait outside, if things don't go well.".
As Pai discussed this strategy, she was distracted, as she kept giggling, due to Majenko nibbling at her ear. "Let me concentrate, you," she shrieked with laughter at her friend, as it did a backflip, jumping from one of her shoulders to the other.
"In the area she lives, it's very likely she's known to her neighbors. Which means they either don't care she's wanted or hoping to hold her for ransom. Other than that, no known associates."
Ruperta asks for some kind of official papers to show the Hellknights they are on an official function, in case it comes to that.
"To avoid misunderstandings" - she says, smiling
The address you've been given is a three story wooden tenement that leans precariously across to rest against its cross street neighbor. As you head into the Middens you pass a trio of Hellknights savagely beating a young man, who is curled into a ball, whimpering. Several old men and women stand on the stoops of the address of Trinia's apartment, murmuring to themselves. The sun is just barely up, and the shadowy light give the whole area a sense of other-worldliness.
"Hellknights! Why are you beating that poor guy?" - Ruperta goes to the Hellknights to question them, and try to save the young man in the floor.
Slumper shakes his head at the cleric and follows in case the Hellknights decide she needs some of their ministrations as well.
"I agree a small group going in, may be a good idea. Especially if we are close to come to your there aid if needed."
One of the Hellknights turns and his helmet, which covers his face, glares at the young cleric with a devilish leer. "This citizen has been found in the act of theft and violation of the law. He is unrepentant and unapologetic. He must be taught that the Law is not to be trifled with. Would you share his fate, miss? Then move along. Interfering with justice is a violation of the law."
Close up, you can see that the Hellknights are using fists and saps to pound the young man: it's cruel and painful, but not lethal.
Pai places her hand on Ruperta's shoulder. "I think we'd best mind our business on this, Ruperta, and not get involved. We've other things to take care of this morning..."
Ruperta looks distraught...
"Maybe I am just a Varisian traveler, but why does everyone let's this happen? It is cruel what they are doing to this man, and no one does anything about it!" - she tells her companions.
Then, turning towards the Hellknights, she continues:
"How much are you going to beat this poor man? Isn't that enough? The city is in chaos, I think you are much more needed in other places where crimes are being committed! This poor wretch has had enough!"
aid another
"Forgive our friend she is young, but this fella does seem to have gotten the point."
The Hellknight's glare is felt even through his armor, but he does hold up a hand. The other two Hellknights stop and stand at parade ground attention. "The boy has learned his lesson. Further violations of the law will be dealt with more severely. Come, brothers, there is more lawlessness to patrol." The other two begin to move off, automatically moving into a flanking formation. However, the leader stops and nods to you slowly. "The eyes of the Hellknights see all. We will be watching."
The boy in street coughs, spitting blood from his mouth and standing up shakily. The older women from the stoop of the building Trinia lives in come running over and help him to limp to the steps. One of the women stops by you.
"Thank you, thank you for stopping them. He did steal, but it was food from a rich man's house who was hoarding it. He stole to feed the rest of us. Food is scarce and the rich have been buying it all up. He didn't deserve to be beaten so, and you have our thanks."