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As Garrett and Zurladew both call upon Lady Alaina to use her healing arts, and she does just that, Sir Guy retrieves his scabbard and sheathes his sword, nudging the fallen helmet with his boot,
'Looks like a nice piece,' he comments, 'could make a fine trophy... if someone were to willing to risk whatever evil sorcerery was fueling that thing...'
As Alaina performs her dramatic healing, Lady Rebecca's eyes flicker open, she coughs a couple of times, then sits up, her hand rubbing her neck as she glances about,
'What happened?' she asks in a hoarse whisper...
Lady Beatrix:
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'What happened?' she asks in a hoarse whisper...
"What happened is that you ignored our warnings and came very close to avoiding the rest of the tournament. I would think after what happened last night you would have stopped taking risks like this. You should have trusted Beatrix and I when we said we had to leave and get your father!" Alaina says sternly. "I will be sure to tell him you need time to recover and that he might want to consider letting you miss the rest of the tournament. You have been through a lot." She says as she examines the bruises gently, prodding around the edges to test their sensitivity.
"What happened last night?" Sir Jaymin asks Lady Alaina, followed immediately by severe blushing. "Forgive me, my Ladies, for presuming to intrude on your conversation. And thank you, Lady Alaina for your healing energies to soothe my wounds."
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Note that dropping objects is a ranged touch attack (p 443)...
... and in this case he suffers a -2 to touch AC from the grappled condition...
Beatrix is trying to make it look unintentional as well...
Also, he needs to make a check each round to continue the grapple, with a -4 penalty for not having both hands free.
'Careful my pretty,' he whispers in your ear, the point of his dagger pricking the skin of your neck just enough to draw blood, 'that nearly hit me!'
With that he forces you to the ground, twisting your arms behind your back and pressing your face into the tent's groundsheet...
'Just keep quiet and maybe I won't hurt you too bad...' he hisses...
"What happened is that you ignored our warnings and came very close to avoiding the rest of the tournament. I would think after what happened last night you would have stopped taking risks like this. You should have trusted Beatrix and I when we said we had to leave and get your father!.. I will be sure to tell him you need time to recover and that he might want to consider letting you miss the rest of the tournament. You have been through a lot."
Glaring at Alaina, Lady Rebecca retorts,
'If you'd have just answered my very simple question then maybe I would have agreed to run away... as it was neither you nor Beatrix trusted me enough to even do me the common courtesy of treating me like an adult...'
"What happened last night?.. Forgive me, my Ladies, for presuming to intrude on your conversation. And thank you, Lady Alaina for your healing energies to soothe my wounds."
'I...' it's Lady Rebecca's turn to blush as she looks away, '... I had a nightmare... that's all... silly really...'
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Zurladew takes a long deep breath, and strides toward Sir Guy, with a look on his face that would imply that he would sooner eat one of those queer Qadiran plants with all of the spines upon them. "Sir Guy, a word?" he says, walking towards a more private place.
"Sir Guy, I will begin by saying that in my business, I rarely apologize. And yet here I am... I had heard tales of some of your... less chivalrous escapades, and so when I found a strong soporific in your tent, I assumed the worst."
"Blackmail is an ugly term for an ugly act, but when I committed it, it was with only the best intentions in mind. Too long in the courts has made me view people as means to an end, and viewed this as a possibility for gain while rendering a threat neutralized, without ever considering whether such a simple thing was actually a threat."
"I, too, clearly use tactics that may be considered underhanded by those of the chivalric code. My magic is that of trickery and guile, much as your combat tactics rely less on might of arms than might of mind. Your valiant stand with the knights of Redwyrm, while perhaps not strictly chivalric, was never-the-less noble, and right. I simply ask your forgiveness for attempting to protect my liege using the means I have, as I am sure you would do for yours." Zurladew kneels, awaiting Sir Guy's response.
"Ùnad dan úmarth erin amar leithar aen i-chaew e-gur buig danna ’n-uir di-nên."
Beatrix whispers a strangely lilting response to he man in elven. The words begin to melt and slur together as her eyes burn grey.
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"Ùnad dan úmarth erin amar leithar aen i-chaew e-gur buig danna ’n-uir di-nên."
Twisting round just enough to see at least part of your assailant, you start to whisper in elvish... a moment later the man's grip on you relaxes...
"Nightmares or not, m'lady, we should get you either back to the castle or your father, your choice as far as I'm concerned."
'I'm fine,' replies Lady Rebecca, standing and brushing herself down, 'although I outright refuse to go anywhere until someone tells me what just happened here!'
"Wasn't Lady Beatrix here a few moments ago?"
"Ùnad dan úmarth erin amar leithar aen i-chaew e-gur buig danna ’n-uir di-nên."
"Sir Guy, a word?"
Listening to the kneeling jester's speech, Sir Guy finally sniffs, shakes his head as if un-impressed, and looks over to Clarius,
'I take it we're not under arrest any more, Sir Clarius? I'll leave the fool to you... with the "departure" of the Black Knight, I dare say my free pass to the second round has been voided, as the numbers will once more be even... so if you'll excuse me, I need to go and prepare...'
With a quick bow to Lady Rebecca, Sir Guy departs...
"Cuiva nwalca carnirassë, nai yarvaxëa rasselya taltuva ñotto-carinnar"
Beatrix slowly rolls from the thug's grip, the stream of honeyed words continuing unabated. She can barely conceal her disgust as she gazes upon her attacker.
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"Milady, Jaymin and I were seeking out this black knight when we happened upon you, Beatrix, and Alaina talking to the knight when he reached out and grabbed you. I know little more of the situation."
'Thankyou, Sir Garrett,' Lady Rebecca replies, 'but I was more concerned with what has become of the Black Knight? Where is he? Did we learn who he was? Where he came from? What he wanted?'
Finally getting a good look at your assailant, you see he's a smallish man, maybe five feet eight, but with a wiry build. His skin's weathered, and his dark brown eyes stare, enraptured, at you from an unhandsome and dirty face framed by long, greasy, dark brown hair. He's dressed in a sleeveless leather jerkin reinforced with metal rings, with matching bracers on his wrists, although generally his clothes seem to suggest maybe a common labourer or craftsman. A leather pouch is fastened to his belt. His dagger is loosely held in his hand now as he stares on, fascinated by you, despite your obvious disgust...
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"Well, that could have been worse," Zurladew says.
"Well, Lady Rebecca, we do know what he wanted - you. As to what purpose... That remains to be seen. He certainly seemed convinced that we'd see him again. I would have a scribe write these questions of yours down so you might have them ready to ask him."
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"There are times when explanations are a danger Mi'lady. But if you truly wish to act the stubborn mule, I believe I heard talk of treason or worse. Especially if you were female."
"And now that I think about it, I heard two voices from inside the tent, but only that vile knight stepped out of it..."
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'I believe that is Lady Beatrix speaking inside the tent.'
Turning to Sir Guy, Sir Clarius replies. 'Well, Sir Guy, as you and the jester seemed to have worked out the matter for yourselves, I leave you to prepare for your tilt. Thank you for your assistance in the rescue of Lady Rebecca. Your actions were exemplary and I will be sure to give Baron Redwyrm and Viscount Thevia a full and accurate account of your bravery.' He extends his hand to the other knight. 'Thank you. If I may be so bold: Damn convention; use what works.'
Sheathing his sword, he stoops down to pick up the black helmet. 'While I feel sure the baron will want this out of the hands of just anyone, I am certain we have at least one guest that might know what to make of it.'
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'Thank you. If I may be so bold: Damn convention; use what works.'
Sir Guy pauses just long enough to clasp Clarius's proffered hand, then is gone...
"Well, Lady Rebecca, we do know what he wanted - you. As to what purpose... That remains to be seen. He certainly seemed convinced that we'd see him again. I would have a scribe write these questions of yours down so you might have them ready to ask him."
'If talk of scribes is your famed wit in action, Master Zurladew,' retorts Lady Rebecca, 'I fail to grasp it. Now... will someone please tell me where the Black Knight went! Mayhap we should summon the guards to search for him... which way did he go?'
"There are times when explanations are a danger Mi'lady. But if you truly wish to act the stubborn mule, I believe I heard talk of treason or worse. Especially if you were female."
'What sort of treason?' asks Lady Rebecca, pointedly ignoring Alaina's insult, 'Can't you offer any details?'
"And now that I think about it, I heard two voices from inside the tent, but only that vile knight stepped out of it..."
'I believe that is Lady Beatrix speaking inside the tent.'
"Beatrix... inside the tent?"
As Clarius retrieves the helmet, Zurladew moves the tent-flap aside...
... Revealing Lady Beatrix, on the ground, looking up at and talking to a smallish man, maybe five feet eight, but with a wiry build. His skin's weathered, and his dark brown eyes stare, enraptured, at her from an unhandsome and dirty face framed by long, greasy, dark brown hair. He's dressed in a sleeveless leather jerkin reinforced with metal rings, with matching bracers on his wrists, although generally his clothes seem to suggest maybe a common labourer or craftsman. A leather pouch is fastened to his belt. A dagger is loosely held in his hand as he stares on, fascinated by Lady Beatrix's enchanting words, despite the obvious look of disgust on her face...
Moments later, the magic taking longer than normal to stitch his broken bones and repair the bruises and bloodied state of his insides, Aydan's eyes snap open and he inhales deeply, rolling over and coughing up a gout of deep red blood. He stays like that for a moment, wiping away the last drops from his mouth with the back of his hand... "That was... unpleasant." and he reaches for his sword as he pulls himself to his feet, seeing the inside of the tent (just before Zurd fills it with a spray of colors) he snaps back to the ready, his dizziness washing away when he sees his friend in danger.
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'If talk of scribes is your famed wit in action, Master Zurladew,' retorts Lady Rebecca, 'I fail to grasp it. Now... will someone please tell me where the Black Knight went! Mayhap we should summon the guards to search for him... which way did he go?'
"The 'man' seemed to vanish into vapor after Sir Jaymin's last strike. Where he went otherwise, your guess is as good as mine, m'lady."
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Bending down as he picks up the helmet, Sir Clarius hears Zurladew hurl a slew of words and sees a bright flash of light from his peripheral vision. Straightening up, helmet in hand, Clarius draws his sword as he moves to the tent once again screaming, '!' as his battle cry and rallying cry to all Redwyrm armsmen in the vicinity.
Sir Jaymin makes his way towards the tent also, and will attempt a disarm on the man's dagger.
Combat Maneuver Check:
if the man is stunned by the colour spray, he'll just kick the dagger clear and point his sword at the man's throat for when he regains his senses.
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"The 'man' seemed to vanish into vapor after Sir Jaymin's last strike. Where he went otherwise, your guess is as good as mine, m'lady."
'Oh!' Lady Rebecca replies, eyes wide with surprise... then she blushes a little, and adds quietly, '... I don't suppose the guards will be much help then...'
As Aydan recovers his sword and his feet (if not his dignity), and Clarius moves forwards bellowing his call to arms and readying his own, Zurladew mystically floods the tent with clashing colours...
Snapped out of whatever effect it was which Lady Beatrix was enchanting the him with, the unpleasant looking fellow blinks, turning to the gathered knights and retainers with a mixed look of shock and disgust...
As Sir Jaymin lunges for the man's dagger he counters with a swipe at the knight (although it does little but glance off Jaymin's armour), before backing away, further into the tent,
'Why do you attack me?' he asks... although he's still sneering, as he adds, '... when you have more pressing concerns...'
In a sudden cloud of brimstone three roughly human-sized masses of shapeless flesh arise between the man and the Redwyrm retainers. Half-formed limbs wriggle within the fatty blobs, with tumorous faces dripping as if flesh were melted wax...
SirJaymin launches himself at the man, this time with lethal intent.
; damage
Aydan moves in a flash, gripping his blade in both hands, he moves between Rebecca and the fiends, closing in on the same creature that Garrett attacks, bringing the blade down in a hard slash.
Once her attacker's ensorcellment is broken Beatrix rolls to her feet and slips behind the knights who are rushing to her rescue.
Initiative:
If the guy attacked him, moved more than 5feet, and summoned lemures, Jaymin should have gotten an attack of opportunity, for which the above can serve.
New attack against lemures:; damage
5-foot step towards the man anyway he can.
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Sir Garrett quickly moves forwards, swinging at one of the churning pillars of cancerous flesh with his sword... only for the blade to fail to penetrate the thing's quivering, fleshing, mass...
Surging to attack, the three disgusting blob-things strike at Garrett, Jaymin, and Beatrix (the three closest targets), raking at them with claws on the end of knobbly, flailing, limbs... The knights' armour protects them, but the ragged claws easily rip through Lady Beatrix's dress, tearing bloody scratches across her fair skin...
Shouldering his way into the tent, beside Garrett, Aydan brings down a powerful sword-blow on the blob-thing before him, carving deep into the creature's sickening flesh... only to see the wound begin to close once more, flesh flowing to fill the damaged area like melted wax...
As Lady Beatrix falls, Sir Clarius steps in to face the monster which mauled her, his swing missing as the fleshy blob oozes and undulates out of the blade's path...
Focusing on the thing already hit by Aydan, after witnessing its resilience, Sir Jaymin's attack hits... but once more the damage seems to instantly heal...
Zurladew utters an arcane word, and a flare of bright light explodes before one of the creatures... but seemingly to no effect...
Jaymin attacks the injured lemure again.
Attack:; damage
Aydan snarls as Clarius' calls to Zurdalew bring his attention to the fleeing man, but at the moment he had more pressing concerns. No one dies today...
Stepping back behind Clarius Aydan crouches down beside Beatrix and slips an arm under her waist. Aydan tries to drop to his back, in effect rolling Beatrix over and around him, towards Alaina and Rebecca, and putting yet another body, his own namely, between her and their attackers.
Should the maneuver work, he'll call back urgently to the girls to "Help her!"
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Hacking into the sickening flesh of the already damaged blob-thing, Garrett notes that, despite the thing's ever-sealing wounds, some damage seems to be getting through...
The pulsating mounds of flesh just seem to keep mindlessly raking away with their claws, unheeding of their limited ability to carve their way through good Taldan steel... although one manages to draw blood on Sir Clarius before he adopts his defensive stance...
"Help her!"
... calls Aydan as he drags the unconscious and bleeding Lady Beatrix out of harm's way...
'Zurladew! That man is trying to escape out the back of the tent. Get around to the back side and try to slow him.'
... observes Clarius as he adopts his defensive stance...
Swinging once more at the damaged blob-thing, trying to wear it down, Jaymin finds his blade sliding harmlessly from the creature's fleshy hide...
Kneeling by Lady Beatrix, Lady Rebecca cradles her in her arms, and looks up at Alaina,
'Quick,' she says, voice full of concern, 'she's bleeding! Do something!'
The common-looking man, meanwhile, slips out the back of the tent through the hole he's cut...
Once Beatrix is safely behind him, Aydan lunges back to his feet, moving alongside Clarius and the others and striking hard and the same fiend he originally struck, Stabbing the point of his blade forward in a viscious thrust, "For gods sake where's Brendan when we need him!"
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Under Lady Alaina's restorative touch, Lady Beatrix regains consciousness, much to Lady Rebecca's relief...
Sprinting, and calling, after the fleeing man, Zurladew notes that he merely glances over his shoulder, sparing little more than a sneer for the pursuing jester... ... Having placed some distance between himself and the knights in the tent, the common looking man skids to a halt, and begins chanting and forming arcane gestures in the air, heedless of the strange looks his performance is drawing from passers-by...
Meanwhile, in the tent, Garrett finds his blade glancing harmlessly off a boney outcropping from the fleshy blob he's facing... although the blobs fair little better, their claws causing a racket as they scrape the steel plate of the knights' armour, but fail to find the men beneath...
Both Clarius and Aydan manage to score hits against the central blob creature, the damage caused vanishing fast... but not completely... as the hideous monstrosity is slowly hacked apart, small piece by small piece...
Jaymin attacks the injured one again.
; damage
If that obliterates the devil, he'll step into its former square, planning to make a flank next round.
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Charging towards the spellcaster, Zurladew smacks the guy's shin with his marcotte! The man grimaces, and shoots the jester a glare full of the promise of future pain... but manages to maintain his arcane efforts until, in a puff of rapidly dispersing smoke, a black stallion appears out of nowhere, complete with bit, bridle, and saddle! Passers-by yell and point, some running... and a few actually clapping, thinking the magic part of some show (what with Zurladew's presence and all...).
Back in the tent...
Swinging at the injured blob creature Sir Jaymin's sword sinks deep into the unholy beast. For a moment it seems to quiver... then it bursts into an unnatural black smoke which rapidly drifts apart! The middle creature of the three gone, Jaymin steps into its place...
The remaining two blob-things don't seem to register either their companion's demise, or Jaymin now making a tempting target between them... but instead keep labouriously clawing at those in front of them...
Taking a step back, Clarius finds and drinks the potion gifted him by Sir Guy...