One of the thugs (J17) valiantly jabs forward with a rapier.
However, the swing goes wide and catches on a curtain instead.
The tall man pulls another scroll from his belt and begins to move to the center of the room, square O12.
Guard 1 moves in to flank Thug 2 and then attempts to hit him with a short sword. He succeeds but does not confirm his critical threat and deals 4 points of damage as he slashes through the thug's leather armor.
Guard 2 attempts to also hit Thug 2, but the thug darts out of the way.
The thug will try to knock Guard 1 out with his sap, but the guard manages to knock the sap out of the way.
Vark yelps as he is temporarily blinded by the bright explosion.
"What's going on!?" He screeches as he ducks underneath the card table.
As he gets down on all fours he realizes the floor is absolutely filthy, his hands and knees sticking to the dark stains on the carpet.
"My new clothes! This simply will not do. You'll pay for my laundry!" He screams as a small clenched fist flashes out from beneath the table, shaking heartily.
He mumbles under his breath and a small accordion appears in the hand that isn't busy scolding the robbers.
Nel's hand was halfway to her coin purse to place her next bet when multi colored lights flashed before her eyes, effectively blinding her. At the statement to not try something stupid, a mischievous grin broke over her face. It would take more than a sucker punch to make Alraniel Sandhal submit.
In a surge of strength, Nel topples over the table to provide cover for those sitting across from her."Pis Domuzlar! Who in the outer planes do you think you are?! Come fight me without these cheap parlor tricks!" She shouts as coins, chips, and cards splash off the gambling table in a cacophany of noise.
Turning in a circle, Nel remains where she is, attempting to have the enemy come to her, instead of having to blindly flail about the room in search of the thieves.
Tamiro was about to cast his next bet and speak with the other individuals at the table, when the pyrotechnics and fireworks suddenly explode, trying to block the light with his hands unsuccessfully as the blaze of light and sound blind him.
Roaring in anger at the sudden surprise and pain, and the resulting yelling for surrender he bellows out in the direction of the speaker, "Shinjimae! I will kill you!"
Standing as he hears the crash of the table in front of him and the woman who was sitting there, yelling her own battle cry, he roars in laughter as he finds a make shift ally, and draws both of his blades, his eyes clamped shut, trying to blink out the blindness.
"Sword woman! Where is enemy?" he yells towards her.
Pluck recognizes the spell a moment too late. "Pyrotechnics. Cover your eyes!" The half-elf drops to the ground, wary of being vulnerable in his blind state.
About half the attendees fall to the floor with the announcement. The other half rush the door, some attempting to open windows to get to the street.
One of the thugs (Thug 2) attempts to strike at the guard (Guard 1) again after dropping his rapier and drawing a sap. He hits him solidly across the chest.
Pluck rubs at his eyes, trying to clear the stars that float across his vision. With nothing else to do, he stays on the ground and quickly casts a spell, covering his body briefly in a shimmering veil before fading to its normal appearance.
Not sure where the foes stand due to her present blindness, Vara does her best to conceal her now thorny fists. So she feels where the ghoullete table is and is sure to have her back to that.
Blinking at the floating blue lights obscuring her vision, she mutters, "Cowards! Hiding behind dazzling lights and smoke! In moments you shall regret this."
Tamiro growls in annoyance trying to shake the blindness from his eyes as he takes a step forward and bellows, "Come to me Gaijin dogs! Do you fear my blades? Taste real steel!"
The man standing in the center of the room begins to cast from the scroll he drew.
The chest in the center of the room seems to shrink in size and become a fine-sized clothlike version of itself.
The woman orating continues to do so as she approaches the center stage and grabs the miniature chest, saying "Boys, we've got this. Give 'em all you've got."
The other two thugs attempt to bash the guards with their saps. Their attacks strike true.
Thug 3 moves to hit Guard 1. His sap swings wildly off target.
Thug 2 attempts to use his sap to knock out Guard 1 but misses.
Still rubbing at his eyes, Pluck stays on the ground kicking himself for not getting them closed when he recognized the spell.
"Ygg'drasil, getur styrkur heift Skógurinn er að vera í mínum höndum.."
Vara begins murmuring, and then her voice crescendos with magical power. She thus casts magic fang on herself. Her eyes widen as she feels the magic flow into her, and down to the thorns on hand, now ready to strike.
Continuing to cower behind the overturned card table, Vark begins to play and sing:
"Trusted allies lend me your might,
as your shining blades bob and weave,
take care of this menace and turn on the lights,
defeat these treasure thieves!"
+1 atk/dmg and saves against charm/fear to all allies that can hear Vark.
Rubbing her eyes, Nel quickly grows tired of the waiting game. Rushing forward, she blindly navigates the gambling hall's floor, towards the sound of voices, scattering chips, dice and cards as she stalks forward.
"Come and fight me like MEN, you cowards!" she roars, annoyed at being ignored.
Tamiro growls as he shuffles around where he is, swinging his sword at the air.
The woman cries out, "We've got this, boys! Loot what you want!"
The tall man begins casting, and Old Scratch's cage above the gambling floor opens.
Thugs 1 and 4 move away from the guards and begin taking jewelry, coin purses and other valuables from cowering and blinded patrons, cackling with delight, "Yes, what good fortune. If you're lucky, we won't pay you a visit later. Such good pickings!"
Thug 3, who both Nel and Mazra are threatening, full withdraws to to Q14. Mazra sees an opportunity to attack as he pulls away.
Vark's playing drastically improves now that he can actually see the keys on his accordion. He continues singing as well as hiding behind the table, keeping an eye peeled for any thugs that might overhear his singing and decide to pay him a less than friendly visit..
"Oh no, the devils loose!
Charging through like a rabid moose,
Contrary to what we may have been told,
It seems he's here to take our gold!"
+1 atk/dmg and saves against charm/fear to all allies that can hear Vark.
With the ability to see again, Nel quickly takes in her immediate surroundings. Quickly moving up to the woman busy giving directions, Nel draws her long-sword. "Where do you think you're going?"
Taking a swing at the woman, Nel lets out a roar, as her sword finds true, nearly cutting in half the ring leader. "You thieves should know better than to touch things that don't belong to you!"
|
Mazra briefly notices the Warrior behind him. He was pleased that someone had his back.
Mazra gave one of the Thuggish fellows a poke with his Rapier. As the fellow tries to disengage, Mazra sees an opportunity for another thrust.
After Mazra skewers a Thug, he takes a step around the Irritating, I mean, Orating Woman and gives her a poke.
Blinking off the last of the blindess, Tamiro sets his sights on a man directly in front of him with a grin.
"You're blood will flow!" he roars as he steps up to the man and swings wildly with both of his blades at the man.
Aviara blinks as suddenly the world appears before her again, no longer blocked out by drifting figments of blue and green stars.
She grins, and cries out, "For vengeance! All plunderers shall fall!"
Although she had not really gotten to know anyone in the party that well yet, she found that as one fighting for a common cause, her warrior's spirit is inspired by the gnome's song.
"Ah, much better!" exclaims Pluck as his sight returns. He takes in the chaos of the fight. Didn't exactly plan to get into something like this today... He looks over the table at the woman and tall man. Well, there's a pair I might be able to do something about. Pluck rubs a thumb along the ring on his finger and reaches into his memory for a relatively new trick. Drawing a stinky bit of butter out of his pouch he flicks it toward the pair and then sweeps his hands apart.
Nel's sword cuts the woman down. Her eyes widen as she crumples, blood pooling around her body.
Mazra's rapier hits true, and the thug falls before making his escape.
The man slides a little before regaining his footing. "Thuvalia!," he cried out before looking at Nel angrily. "Boy, give 'em hell."
He pulls a wand from his pocket, casts and then steps over Thuvalia's body to touch Nel with crackling energy. He manages to grasp her and send a jolt of electricity through her body, dealing 6 points of electricity damage.
Thug 2, seeing his friend cut down, attempts to make a getaway by full withdrawing.
Thug 4, however, unaware of Mazra's skill with the sword, moves up to engage him. He attempts to pummel Mazra with a sap but misses.
The guard move up to engage various thugs, preferring to accost the ones escaping.
Guard 1 attempts to strike Thug 1 but his sword bounces off the thug's armor.
Guard 4 rushes at Thug 2 with his sword drawn, striking true.
Vark keeps playing and singing from behind the protection of the overturned table. As he notices the thugs trying to make good their escape, he begins mumbling to himself and casts a spell ensuring they have a difficult time escaping through the doors.
+1 atk/dmg and saves against charm/fear to all allies that can hear Vark.
Tamiro snarls at the man as he tries to retreat and charges after him, dropping his wakizashi and taking his katana in both hands, "You! You cannot escape!"
Tamiro's katana slices deep into the thug. The thug wobbles for a second on his feet before falling unconscious, bleeding.
"Gah!" Nel grit her teeth as her body was overcome with a sudden jolt. Readjusting her grip on her sword, Nel shoots the caster an ice cold glare. "Pot lua un alt atac. Dar nu un al treilea." She addresses Mazra, before pointing her weapon at the caster.
"I've had just about enough from you. I challenge you to combat." In almost an instant, Nel swings, connecting with the caster's stomach. For a moment the gambling hall is quiet for her, before it erupts in a spray of blood and noise.
"Never disrespect a place of worship for Desna by trying to rob it blind." Nel states as she waits to see if the caster will retaliate.
Vara growls quietly in frustration as the thug she had flanked a moment ago escapes her attack and then escapes her reach. She then nods with approval as Tamiro charges and slices into him.
She pivots gracefully on the ball of her foot, and then seeks to strike at the thug threatening the knight's right flank.
The man immediately falls to the ground.
Vara's swing catches on the thug's armor and doesn't harm him.
Pluck draws a dagger and steps out from behind the table. This is a bad idea. He moves to help distract the thug by Marza.
Mazra strikes down the other thug.
The imp screeches and cackles in its cage, focusing its attention on Nel. It
However, Nel doesn't fall under its effects.
The remaining thugs look at each other, sharing meaningful glances before one of them says, "Ah, I'm done. Let's get out of here." After looking around, noticing the doors are blocked by guards or require going past Vara, the other thug speaks up. "You know what, this is it. I'm done."
He lays down his sap and gets into a position of obvious surrender. The other remaining thug does the same.
"Good choice. Now maybe you'd better tell us what was going on. How could you possibly think that was going to be an easy hit with so many guards and guests here tonight?" Instead of coming off with his usual sarcasm, Pluck's voice actually carries the tone of sympathy for the remaining thugs.
Vark's face brightens as the thugs finally lower their weapons, surrendering to their ragtag group.
"Haha! Victory is ours! Well done my new friends, well done indeed. Very impressive work. I hope my words helped in aspiring you to greater deeds!"
Vark does a little dance before raising his voice in one last song of celebration, ecstatic to have made it out of the melee alive:
"You had a plan to steal our gold,
A plan turned sour, truth be told,
Now lay down your arms and tell us the truth,
Or feel the sole of my friends boot!"
|
|
"Well, that was fun!", Mazra checks the vitals of the Thug he just dropped. If alive, then Mazra will mumble, "Cayden, don't let this fool die, he clearly doesn't have good sense." Mazra will cast Stabilize.
Mazra will then check out the Wand Wielder, if still alive he will use his last Stabilize on him.
He will then turn to Nel, "Te-ai luptat bine. Era o plăcere având la partea mea." He then mumbles, "Cayden, heal this fine warrior," and touches Nel.
The Tien man flings the blood from his blade and sheaths his katana as he retrieves his wakizashi from where he had dropped it. Chuckling at the gnome he says roughly and in broken Taldane, "Your songs stir the hearts! Victory was assured!"
Turning to the men who had surrendered he walks over to them, kicking the saps away, and growls, "Why do you come to steal our money?"
Flicking her sword to remove the blood, Nel smiles softly at the other Varisian. As the soothing magic of Mazra's spell flowed over her wounds, Nel regains feeling in her fingers that the electricity spell damaged.
"You fought well too. I'm glad to see that there are others willing to join the charge."
Sparing a glance up to the imp caught in the cage, Nel addresses it. "Try that again, you'll end up just like them." As she pokes a leg with her foot.
Bending down to retrieve the shrunken chest in the ring leader's possession, before attempting to locate Saul. "By the way, my name's Nel."
A stout human with a key instead of a hand makes his way from the back of the room – he’s easily identifiable from the before as Saul Vancaskerkin. He's slightly out of breath from hurrying through layers of locked doors. While he's far from panic, he definitely appears to be ruffled as he looks around the room, taking in the chaos, before stepping onto the stage now littered with the unconscious bodies of the would-be thieves. He motions over to the guards, who begin to move Thuvalia and Angvar into the back.
A man in the crowd shouts out, "I want my money back, Saul. Should've listened to my wife, she said you was only gonna rob me blind... Well, give me back my coin and you won't find the rest of my gang at your back."
The crowd immediately begins murmuring. It's quiet at first but soon grows to a thunder. In the crowd, low-grade fights are beginning to break out, starting as pushing and threatening to come to blows.
Looking at the chaos below, Saul stands staunchly in the middle of the stage and says, “Quiet please! If I could have everyone’s attention – yes? Yes.”
It doesn’t take long for the grumbling to die down, as everyone waits for Saul’s pronouncement.
“Obviously, we’ve had some complications,” Saul says, flashing a wide smile.
“Like hell,” heckles a woman in the crowd. “You’re gonna cheat us!”
Saul shakes his head before continuing, “No, no, I’m not planning on cheating you. I’m very sorry about the interruption. Obviously, we will have to close the tournament as we investigate further. Our staff is ready to cash out your chips, and we’ll even throw and extra 10% your way. Just talk to one of our lovelies or handsomes, and they’ll help you out. And, don’t worry, the Gold Goblin will be open tomorrow, ready for you to earn the gold you didn’t earn today.”
A few murmurs roil through the crowd, before falling into assent. However, most of the dealers and wait staff rip off their fake horns and tails before storming out. A few yell at guards before leaving. Most of the staff simply walk out. Saul responds with the flash of a smile, the glint of a gold tooth peeking, before laughing.
”Well, boys. Looks like there’s gonna be a line. Don’t worry about it none. We’ll get to you!”
After processing the majority of the customers with four other men, the only remaining staff for the Gold Goblin, Saul comes to you and says. ”Thanks for the help back there. We should be able to recover the silver easy enough. I know it’s late, but would you mind staying and talking to us. Drinks on the house, of course. We just want to be sure of what all went down tonight. Help prevent it in the future. And, to be honest, we got to get to the end of this mess – my creditors think I’m on the verge of absolute ruin, but I’ve got a hunch that success is right over the next hills. Gotta make them believe that, though.”
“Plus, I think those thugs had some stuff on them we can’t use. Maybe that’ll be of help to you?”
Vark takes a moment to compose himself before stepping up to Saul, doffing his cap in an extravagant deep bow,"Good day to you, kind sir, and let me be the first in saying how deeply sorry I am for the regrettable state of affairs your fine establishment has been left in. I understand that you may be expecting quite the crowd over the next few days and are unexpectedly short-handed. Would I be out of line in offering up my services as an accomplished entertainer? I am skilled in the art of song, dance, and keyboard." With that last statement his accordion poofs into his hands.
His words becoming much more buttery and enticing, he continues, "Surely you could use someone with my array of talents?"
Cracking her neck, Nel shrugs as Saul approaches the stage. Dropping the miniature chest into Saul's hands without a word, Nel moves over to the table that she unceremoniously overturned when the madness happened. Working with a male worker, Nel helps right the table and collect the scattered coins, cards and other random baubles.
Finding her coin pouch, mostly emptied due to her exuberance with creating a makeshift barrier, Nel shrugs and meanders over to the group. Upon hearing Saul's proposition, Nel glances outside. "And if I'm unable to stay? I have to see a man about a horse." Crossing her arms, Nel leans against a post to gauge Saul's reaction.
Saul looks the gnome up and down, smiling widely. "Excellent, excellent. And I saw a little of your, ahem, performance earlier! Great work, and I'd love to have someone like you on the staff - I've got rooms available now, of course, if you need a place to stay. In fact, I have half a mind to make you a partner. What'd you think about that?"
He turns his attention over to Nel, nodding his head thankfully as she hands him the chest.
"Of course, our restrooms are down that hallway to the right," he says as he gestures with his keyhand. "Unless you have a real horse you need to see to?"
"In that case, miss,", he smiles widely and give a little bow, "you're welcome to come back tomorrow. But, are you sure you won't want to stay for at least a drink? I found your fighting mighty impressive from what I saw in my office. It's a pity I couldn't see more of it. Perhaps you could give me a lesson sometime?"
The short tien man grunts as he picks up his chips.
"I can stay for drinks on house." he says with a chuckle.
Adjusting his blades, he turns the chips in for coin.
"I could have gotten more." Tamiro grumbles as he counts out his gains.
Turning to Saul he says, "You got enemies. Incompetent enemies. But enemies. Do you expect us to kill these enemies? Free drink can pay for my time, but I expect payment for any other services."
Looking around at the chaos he turns back to Saul with a toothy grin and chuckle, "Such as the services for rescuing your business just now. Free drink don't pay for my blades, gaijin."