Dusk’s heroics in willing to lay down his life for a stranger have impressed them all.
Enraged that a foreigner has attacked him in his home-town, White steps 5’ closer to Hakime. “This is a matter for the citizens of Crystalcrag to decide! Your interference is NOT welcome!”
The fire expands 10', oblivious to the role it plays in the unfolding drama. It merely burns and destroys ...
,
Red: –Blake
White: S. Mitch 2 go
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Wembly calls out Toro, can you help Tallisan. We cannot let them beat on poor lady Hakime
The gnome calls out to White
Hey you bully! Leave her alone.
Whiskers pounces white (skirting past red) as Wembly levels his spear for the charge.
Hasted Whiskers
for
Whiskers
for
Whiskers
for
Whiskers
for
Wembly
for
White holds his ground gamely, smirking as he evades Whiskers’ attacks. That arrogant grin is quickly drowned in a wave of pain, as Wembly appears above the cat’s head lancing the man’s already injured side.
For the first time, White has second thoughts about the arsonists’ chance of victory.
⚚ ⚚ ⚚
Focussed on Dusk, Red ignores Toro as he slips behind him to stand beside Hakime.
The Snakeman shakes, shimmies and sweats the fire, but his *Huffing* and *Puffing* fails to put any more of it out.
Fool glides downwards onto the roof of a house, where he has a commanding view of the battlefield.
The humanoid looks scornfully to the roof top balcony. *Pfft* "Newsflash, fool! You ain't Juliat!"
Red: –Blake
White: S.Mit – Aron NO* 2 go
Sifvery’s trio of arrows streak past White, forming a tight apple-sized hole above Toro’s head as they ⚞crunch⚟ through the wall of the Everlasting Fire.
Sensing White’s hesitation to remain in the fight, Hakime decides to help Dusk and Toro stamp out the fire.
Red tries to rally his comrade, making an example of Dusk.
Red: –Blake
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Dusk falters from the latest hit. He scans the area, considering his options. He calls out to the oread, "Can you draw a weapon to provide a flank? Even something that can be used as an improvised weapon? With the flank I may be able to drop this fire guy before he drops me"
"I'm not sure if we have it, but if anyone can bring some healing my way, it would be appreciated."
“Well, I could try kicking some sand in Rouge’s face, Ser Dusk.”
Jadeglow spots Red’s reaction and quickly reconsiders. “But unfortunately my dicky knee is playing up. I’ve got a bone in my leg you know.”
Satisfied that Jadeglow remembers his place, Red sneers at Dusk. “Where you going? I’m not finished with you.”
Dusk draws his weapons, but his single slice misses White, who has clearly had enough.
“Rouge, I’m going for help! You’ll be right to hold them on your own, yeah?”
White withdraws to the south, provoking from Dusk, Wembly, Whiskers and Squeeze.
Red: –Blake
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Whiskers and Wembly will swing at the fleeing white.
for
for
Oh no. We want you to stick around. We have not finished speaking to you yet. Remember?
Wembly and Whiskers will give chase. Unless the creature is incredibly fast, Whiskers with a move of 70' should be able to catch it before it makes it too far. If Whiskers can pounce, he will.
Whiskers for
Wembly for
With the smoke-filled air giving Fool the illusion(?) of having dark wings, the witch drifts down to deliver a spell of dubious origin to the Silver Cru-slayer.
Wembly and Whiskers’ opportunistic attacks stop White in his tracks. Stubbornness or cowardice propels him another 5’ before he collapses in the dusk dust.
,
To Red’s delight, the fire threatening to engulf the Everlasting Fire continues to grow.
Red: -Blake
White: -1 bleeding out
As Fool told it later: "Master-serpentiz rubs himself in olive oil from a nearby barrel, tossing a generous handful of rosemary up into the air to shower himself in the fragrant spice, then he puts himself on 450 degrees for 6 seconds in an attempt to roll around and extinguish the flames.
"Majnun jiddaan!" shouted the townsfolk.
"They must be calling him a hero!" observed the very observant observer, Corvid Rhonabwy."
With Fool and Jadeglow egging him on, Toro seasons himself and holy rolls through the Everlasting Fire, putting out a fair proportion of the flames.
The unusual smell of barbequed snake meat fills the air, as the local populace hail Toro a hero! (And definitely not mad as a cut snake)
Wembly and Whiskers move to engage Red, but unfortunately their attacks miss.
Sifvery advances and spreads a swirling, ❄snow-flake❄ laden cantrip through the shop, finally extinguishing the fire.
There is still some fight left in Red, who shifts 5’ to the NW looking to put the hurt on Whiskers, as he maneuvers towards Dusk.
Fool’s hands begin to shake like nervous smoker before a fix, before he stills them with a GLARE, causing White’s condition to stabilize.
Red: -Blake
White: -1 stable
Sifvery makes a fair fist of getting Red to chill, but when Squeeze wraps him up, Tygora’s bullyboy realizes the fight is lost.
“Hey Toro, tell your snake not so tight! Lady Sif … Lady H, Chalky and I surrender to you.”
The man’s shoulders slump. “I guess you have questions. I’ll do my best to answer them if you let us go afterwards.”
“In a nutshell Jadeglow is a war profiteer.”
Red squirms is Squeeze’s embrace, but it appears he is just trying to get comfortable. “For years, Jadeglow has been supplying the Emira secretly with alchemical weapons as a part of Crystalcrag’s Self-Defense Strategy.”
“When your pals arrived, and the threat of a hot war with the humans to the north was made apparent, the Emira demanded Jadeglow reduce his prices for the good of the realm.”
Red shakes his head in disgust. “The greedy bastid not only refused, but stopped all alchemical work in protest. So Chalky and I were sent to ‘encourage’ him to return to work. We were never going to seriously hurt him or his workshop. That just wouldn’t help advance the Emira’s goals.”
♨ ♨ ♨
Jadeglow stands silently fuming during Red’s speech, but waits impatiently for the man to finish so he can give his side.
“I am NOT a war profiteer! It’s true I did on occasion, supply alchemical tools, cures and weapons to Tygora as a way to contribute to the security of the Emirate, but I had NO IDEA she was building an arsenal for war against neighbouring genasi!”
“For Sarenrae’s sake! I’ve got friends and family in some of those villages! When your mates discovered what Tygora was up to, I CERTAINLY DID refuse to do any more work for her. I’m right proud of it too!”
“ALSO, in order to be a profiteer, first you have to make a profit! Tygora hasn’t paid me in nearly four months! The REGULAR profit I made on the items before that was eaten through weeks ago!”
Red screws up his face. “She doesn’t! She’s preparing for when the humans invade our lands.”
“But you already know that! You are and your friends are obviously human spies.”
Jadeglow *sighs* “Most of the ifrit actually believe that, or don’t care as long as there’s going to be fighting.”
“However, in answer to your question Lord Double Slice, why do tyrants normally war against their neighbors? To increase their own power, wealth and prestige while the civilian populace suffers.”
“Tygora needs to go! If you can convince a few more community leaders of that, I believe the average oread in the street will rally behind you.”
"What can you tell us about our companions?"
Jadeglow shakes his head ruefully. “Precious little, since I’ve never set foot inside Fury’s Hold.”
Red grunts. “I hear the gnome is the Emira’s personal chef, one human copies all her edicts into a fair hand, the fletcher makes arrows and the big, ugly human teaches Tien fighting styles to elite soldiers.”
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Wembly's attention perks when he hears mention of a gnome cook.
The gnome is her personal chef? Really, I wonder if it is anyone I know. Or if I ever ate one of the same dishes as Emira. That would be a coincidence for sure. We have got to find them and get their opinion of this. Why would they be serving Emira? That seems odd. Something is not right here. Did we know that already?
I am all for the average oread in the street rallying for our cause. That part seems good to me at least. But our companions would be on the wrong side of the conflict. Yep, we definitely need to settle this before someone gets hurt...or more hurt I mean.
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"I agree... rallying the Oreads to rise up and rebel seems a bit of an overreaction to me, but if they are inclined to do so without our instigation, I cannot fault the idea of aiding them to the fullest of our abilities. This Emira seems the epitome of chaotic, if it is true that she does not pay her incurred bills, and subjugates not only her own people but those outside her own demesne as well." She pauses... shrugs. "IF these rumored folks in her employ are truly the ones we seek, perhaps they serve her under some kind of duress or even enspelled. I think we have to find out."
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Toro sticks his tongue out awkwardly a few times. At fist its looks like he his trying to lick peanut better from his nose, but he is actually communicating to Squeeze.
. It takes a few moments but Squeeze relaxes, though only a small bit.
Sticking his tongue back in his mouth Toro swallows some extra spit and blurts out So, we don't have to openly rebel but if we didn't hinder those that are trying to make positive change around here, well that wouldn't be so bad would it?
“This Emira seems the epitome of chaotic.”
Jadeglow nods grimly. “Like many who originate from the City of Brass.”
Red *rolls* his eyes after nodding his thanks to Toro, “Just ‘cos someone’s born of fire, doesn’t make them evil.”
White interrupts the disagreement with a *groan* as Fool’s 'borrowed' magic returns him to consciousness. He makes no attempt to get up.
“I’m getting’ a bigger headache from listening to all this 'he said - she said' nonsense, than from the shot I took from the gnome and his poodle.”
“Maybe the Company of the Fox, Snake and Cat should seek other opinions before deciding to defy the Emira’s will? In the meantime, curfew is approaching and before you know it, all citizens will need to clear the streets.”
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Once the ifrit are out of earshot, Dusk will say, "You mentioned Sarenrae earlier. Are you a follower? If so, it is good to see that her light shines among the people of this village. We may be opposing the Emira in the near future. If so, can we count on your help?"
To his companions: "Does anyone have more you wish to do here? If not, then perhaps we should pay a visit to Valsog the smith."
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Wembly listens to the exchange before the group departs the guards.
Definitely! Let's get moving. Valsog's sounds interesting. What do you think about the curfew? Do we have time to make it there before dark? What happens if we don't? I do not mind supporting an uprising if this Elmira...er Ulmura or whatever is a tyrant. But something does not add up here. Did we get dinner yet? That talk about the chef gnome...I am hungry. I don't want to end up in a cell...I bet jail food is no good. Well, unless the gnome cooks for the prisoners too. But that seems unlikely, right? Well, let's keep moving, eh Whiskers?
Wembly will also be on the lookout for if the guards or their cronies decide to follow them.
Mr. Jadeglow, do you know Valsog? Is he one of the good guys or well, more on the side with Elmira...Ulminra or whatever her name is?
“Uh … a lapsed practitioner of the Faith, shall we say, Ser Double-Slice? Though if it comes to war with our genasi brethren, I will seek all the guidance I can get.”
“We may be opposing the Emira in the near future. If so, can we count on your help?”
“Most definitely. I shall not forget what this group has done for me today.”
"Mr. Jadeglow, do you know Valsog? Is he one of the good guys?"
“I would not dream of speaking for Valsog, Mr Wembly. Nor claim to know his mind.”
Jadeglow appears a little in awe of the smith. “I will say he is a respected member of the community. He earnt his freedom and built up a reputable business, after Tygora captured him and brought him to Crystalcrag as her slave.”
“Are you aware he currently supplies Tygora with all of her forces’ iron weapons and armor?”
Once released, the two ifrit approach separate middle-aged oread women in the crowd, who ruffle their hair and seemingly invite them both to have dinner with their families that night.
Wembly notices no tail as the group approaches Valsog’s Armory.
⚒ ⚒ ⚒
Smoke rises from a massive chimney in this open-sided smithy, whose ceiling rises at least twenty feet above the ground at its lowest point.
A fenced yard hosts a multitude of swords, shields, breastplates, and helms—some are propped up on stands and others lying incomplete in piles.
The cadence of steel on steel rings out from the shop.
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Wembly would have cast a rejuvenate eidolon on Whiskers at the end of the fight. I missed posting, thanks for the reminder.
Oh Whiskers, I am sorry I forgot with all the excitement. How's that?
***
Prwetty impressive gig to supply an entire army. Either he is a great smithy or a shrewd businessman...er oread...or whatever.
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“Uh … a lapsed practitioner of the Faith, shall we say, Ser Double-Slice? Though if it comes to war with our genasi brethren, I will seek all the guidance I can get.”
"Perhaps it was Sarenrae and the other gods of light that set our paths to cross with yours. Don't wait for a war to thank her for it, though. Our meeting was not a coincidence."
The cadence of steel on steel rings out from the shop.
Despite the noise, a deep bass voice reverberates from inside the Smithy. It’s obvious that the building's occupant is aware of your presence.
“I can …”
“Hear you …”
“Creeping about outside, little mice!”
"Come inside and state your business."
“Or go away. But make up your mind ...”
“‘Cos Valsog's busy!”