Arasmes pulls out his crossbow
"Now, now. Rules are rules, we can't interfere. But if he attacks Gryfford when he's down, I'll shoot him"
A rather obvious act that will earn retribution from the guards, no doubt and keep it down, please
Adriel's tone marks his nervousness.
All this for sport..
Gryfford eyes narrow.
"Rancid dog ! I'll take you down !" he spits.
He draws and slowly approaches his adversary with sure footing, feints high and strikes low.
One of the guards overhears Adriel and Arasmes' conversation. "Aye, I wouldn't interfere, if I were you. The king has strict policies about his tournament."
Meanwhile out in the arena Gryff's strike barely catches the man on his arm. He curses and swings his own blade down at Gryff.
"Hnggg..." Gryfford grunts while his blood drips in the sand of the arena.
"Callistria, help me !" he says between clenched teeth.
All or nothing !
The man deftly dodges Gryff's attack. He rears back with a malevolent grin and drives his blade back down toward him.
Gryfford parries easily and slashes laterally at the man's chest.
"I'll gut you !" he shouts.
Falchion attack:
Falchion damage:
Adriel nods at the guard and resumes watching.the contest.
Darn fool at least I whispered. He pulls a damn crossbow. I thought clerics were wise
Sharpest flies forward and connects with the mans armor, but doesn't quite penetrate it all the way through. He recoils backward at this and then charges forward swinging. This time all his effort goes into the charge.
Gryfford falls in a spray of blood, as the scarred man's sword penetrates his scalemail, reaping it open and slashing at his belly.
Blood is seeping from the wound as the blond swordsman is agonizing on the sand.
---
Anticipating the next round (meaning: if Gryfford's friends act, their actions take place before the Constitution check below).
Gryfford stops bleeding !
Adriel will not let his ally be killed.
He reaches within and making no gestures or speaking no words simply WILLS the man to sleep.
Nethy's, if you favor me at all, let the guard have not heard my whisper about knocking the man out
Seeing Gryff fall, the crowd cheers. The swordsman looks up at the crowd and smiles to the king then under his breath says, "Now to finish the job..." He whirls around and raises the blade as if to drive it straight through Gryff's heart.
However just as he is about to bring the blade down he gets a confused look on his face and falls unconscious. The sword harmlessly clatters to the ground.
Pike and the rest of the guards rush into the arena and pick up the unconscious man and Gryff. You see the guards in the king's box step in front of him in case something should happen.
"We can help him!"
The guard just looks at your group, "We'll take care of him. Don't worry, just stand back."
Adriel simply watches the two men get carried in their respective directions.
Why is nothing ever simple? Gods, I need a smoke.
Taltōsh leaned into the whisper to the elf, "Excellent work Adriel. You saved Gryfford from certain death."
Taltōsh then followed the guards into the room with Gryfford. He stood back near the wall, neither talking nor interfering.
You see a man in small thin glasses hurry into the room.
"Oh My!" He exclaims..."He doesn't seem to be doing well." You see him reach into a bag at his side and pull out a vial of bluish colored liquid. He pours it onto the gashes on Gryff's body.
You see him shudder and then Gryff's eyes flutter open...
The hooded sage, while unsure as to what was occurring, nonetheless held his place.
Arasmes waits, nervously
"Can't we do something?" he asks the guard
"By Gorum's clangy balls... I'm alive !" Gryfford murmurs.
He slowly sits up on the table and looks around him with the hazy gaze of someone who is just recovering from unconsciousness.
"Thanks, doc" he says to the man in thin glasses, somehow guessing his function.
The swordsman looks at the pale marks on his belly where there were gashes a few seconds ago.
"That'll heal nicely" he says confidently, with a kind of professional air about him.
"The murder dog !" he shouts sudenly. "The scarred man - where is he ?"
He jumps down from the table, growling with the pain from his recent wounds as soon as his feet strike the floor.
"I must see him ! He must give me answers !"
Adriel reaches out to touch his ally.
(Roll CLW)
As Gryff says this Pike enters the room.
"Don't worry, we have him in custody. Are you alright? I've never seen a competitor so anxious to kill as that..." he trails off and motions for the bespectacled man to leave. "I couldn't hear everything in the arena. Why was he trying to kill you? How does he know you?"
Gryfford sighs.
"He works for the man who got my father murdered, one named Togs."
Gryfford reclines against the table, as a sudden dizziness seizes him.
"This goes back to Tymon, in the River Kingdoms, where my father and I we hail from. Togs is a local mob boss, with whom my father got involved - though my father, a gladiator, was an honest man, not a criminal."
Pike's eye narrows, " You say he's from Tymon? We've had reports of various crime groups in the area recently, but nothing like this. Is there anything else you can recall about the man or his group that would be relevant?"
He looks to the rest of the group. "What of you, do you know anything about this 'Togs'?"
"Togs is a very professional-minded man, a contracts man: he likes to enlist the aid of gifted locals when commiting his crimes outside the River Kingdoms. 'When you're in Varisia, go to the Varisians' he would say."
"If Togs is here, he must be accompanied by his bodyguard, who goes by the name Slith. I mention it because this Slith is a Chelaxian of uncertain gender, and so quite noticeable."
"He or she is also a vicious murdering bastard, hence my warning."
Gryfford thinks before adding:
"In Tymon, one of Togs's main business is illegal betting. I think your arena games should interest him very much, if he's around. He could have hired local bookies who would be roaming around the Coliseum just as we speak."
"One other thing: Togs isn't in it solely for the money. He likes power and enjoys messing with people's lives... controling them."
Gryfford stays silent for a moment.
"Yes, he's bad news... But I should point out that if - circumstances permitting - you arrange for me to stay with him alone for a few minutes, he won't ever be a problem for you again" Gryfford concludes grimly.
Ark! Bad man he is. Chatterbeak says, TAR AND FEATHER HIM!
Gryfford smiles at Chatterbeak. Then he looks at his friends.
"By the way, what happened earlier in the arena ? I was sure my adversary would move to finish me..."
The man was about to lay the deathblow but passed out suddenly. I guess he succumed to the heat.
Gryfford eyes widen.
"Huuu" he says.
I don't feel so well myself. Could it be the heat ?
Pike listens patiently to Gryff's explanation then pauses to think for a moment. "Hmm, I don't like this one bit. If he does have operatives here we will have to be on the look out."
He paces back and forth as Gryff continues. "No I'd rather not have any deaths on my hands at this time. However I'll send a guard with you to return you to where you are staying. Also I'll need to keep in touch with you. Would you mind staying in town for a few days pending investigation?"
Time to change the topic Arames thought, walking to Gryff.
"How are you, Gryfford? asks Arasmes, sincerely concerned.
"I thought you might die."
"Not that you didn't fight well - you were great... but that other man... it was like he was being magically augmented."
"I feel mostly okay." Gryfford reassures Arasmes.
"I'm glad to be alive." He has a weak smile. "I never get tired of that."
"So my opponent had magic to help him... why am I not surprised ?"
"Yes, I think I can stay a few days in this city" Gryfford says to Pike.
"And I'd like that you keep me informed about Togs, if you happen to find him."
"Well, it's back to the temple for us, I think."
Stay for days? While the murder at home continues? That is something I do object to, lets not get distracted by a Thug in a city full of guards. Sandpoint does not have such protection
Gryfford signals to his companions that they should continue the discussion outside the arena.
"I heard you, Adriel. But if Togs is nearby, I'd like to have a chance to... deal with him."
Gryfford sighs. He reflects for a moment before speaking again, fidgeting with his falchion's scabbard.
"Anyway, we decided to wait til tomorrow, to see if Mac Darrow is feeling better. I think I'll then go back with you to Sandpoint: I'll inform Magnimar's authorities that I can be reached through the Temple of Erastil here. That way, if they find something about Togs' whereabouts, I'll have a chance to know it as well."
"Are you okay with that, Adriel ?"
I was not suggesting you had to come Gryff. I lost my parents and unlike you, I had the oppourtunity to exact vengeance, I understand why you would want to stay and would aid if I could, but all I know yet remains in danger. I would wish you luck but as soon as Mcdarrow can travel I will return home.
"Gryfford, I can only imagine how you must be feeling. But you're doing the right thing. You need to work with the Law on this."
Arasmes pauses
"Maybe we could drop by the guardhouse and you could swear statements? Are there any outstanding warrants in other cities we could have copied and sent here?"
Taltōsh walked along without commenting.
This was outside of the sage's experience, and so refrained from commenting unless one of the others asked his opinion.
"I don't know of any outstanding warrants regardding Togs. He's careful to push his flunkies to the front."
"Concerning the statements, I think those I made to Pike are as good as any."
"Why don't we go check on Mac Darrow, now ? Maybe he feels better than this morning..."
Gryfford is obviously anxious to keep busy so as not to dwell idly on the Togs affair.
You walk down the hallway discussing these things under your breath. As you pass by one of the rooms you hear the sound of a fist connecting to flesh and a muffled shout of pain. When you try to look in through the small window in the door the guards step in to block your view, but just before they get there you see a scarred face with blood dripping off it.
"Move along, I'll show you out." Another guard escorts you back down the various halls to the door you came in, and as you exit you notice the streets are much less crowded. You make your way back through town to the temple of Erastil, and the sounds of the crowd fade into the distance.
You make it back to the temple just about dinner time and you notice that many of the servants have returned. They are busy making dinner and attending to various duties. However there is no sign of McDarrow.
Taltōsh stopped one of the servants. "How is Master McDarrow feeling?"
The servant looks to Taltōsh, "He seems to be doing better. He even took an early dinner in his room earlier. I believe he is sleeping now. It seems Erastil is smiling upon him. Even Master Yolk spent the day praying in the chapel. Erastil is good!"
"That is good news," replied the sage.
"Before you go, I have sustained an injury." Nodding to Adriel, he continued, "My companion rendered healing just after I was wounded, and I wouldn't want to impose upon him a second time. Do you think that one of the clerics could render assistance?"
"Of course, sir. Just follow me." He leads you back to a room with several bandages and medical equipment.
We should see master McDarrow.
Adriel as usual seems dour.
What a fruitless day, gods know how many the vampire may have killed. And all we got out if it were injuries and trouble...
He looks around the 'combatants', Please tell me you were all PAID for your blood today at least. Of is that your idea of a good time?
"We didn't win." Arasmes points out in his reasonable voice
"Let's have dinner. I'm famished" Gryfford says while moving to the common dining room.
"That's a good idea Gryfford."
As they start to move he starts a new topic
"I have to say, one of the reasons I jumped at this was to see what your life used to be like."
Arasmes looks soberly at Gryfford
"It's amazing that you survived that at all, let alone that you came through it as a sane, law abiding and caring person."
Worried lest the gruff Gryff be moved to maudlin, Arasmes continues in a much more upbeat tone...
"I won't deny there being a strong element of excitement to it, though! I hope the man I staked and punched is okay. I probably should have found him and offered to heal him."
Carefully not looking at Taltosh, Arasmes continues
"Say, did all of you know I can heal people with a touch?"
...or did you just not want a dark-born touching you.
Gryfford laughs gently at Arasmes' words.
"I don't want to sound too... judgmental, but the place you came from - with all its undead elements - does likewise sound very harsh to me."
"If I had to guess, the saving grace we had, you and me, was a loving family."
Gryfford swallows, hard, then he turns to Arasmes.
"I didn't know that you could heal people. I'm glad you can. That will come in handy, for sure."
Then he seems to think of something.
"The... man we search for, Nikolaï, is it the same one you tracked all the way from your native land, Geb ?"