Cylina nearly slumped to the ground after the savage attack by the sergeant, her eyes glazed over in pain as she watched her other companions receive damage, as well. She reached for the holy symbol stowed on her person, vacillating between using her godly powers and fearful of what that might mean should they still likely lose this battle. Going to the Tower under guard probably meant bad things regardless, so the young woman started to say a quick prayer while trying to avoid the weapons of the guards surrounding her. However, before she could finish the incantation, her eyes rolled and she collapsed in a heap, bleeding out from her wounds.
Guards and Sergeant - Round 3 - continued
21 Irina (4hp dmg)
20 Nadya (13hp dmg)
19 Radzislau (20hp dmg, disabled)
19 Volan (24hp dmg)
17 Green Guard
15 Cylina (0hp remaining, disabled)
14 Wulfgang (2hp dmg)
11 Blue Guard
9 Ruso (7hp dmg)
8 Red Guard
8 Yellow Guard
Cylina tries to cast a healing spell that might save her after being hurt by Volan, but she bleeds out before she can get the words right, and slumps to the ground, unconscious and bleeding.
Wulfgang, in the clear for a moment, downs the potion, narrowly avoiding an attack by the nearest Pale Tower guard. The magical elixir re-vitalizes the ranger, who feels almost his old self again.
With Cylina fallen, Blue Guard loses his need to be flanked, and steps back towards the bar, clearing the foes behind him. He does turn and stab at Nadya who is nearest but the attack misses.
Ruso seeing that the group is in a bad spot decides that the guard leader needs to be brought down now. His rapier flashes through the air but unfortunately is unable to find a weak spot in the guards armor. This is not going to end well for us. Gods help us!
Guards and Sergeant - Round 3 - concluded
Knowing he has to make it a good one, as his allies are in trouble, Ruso stabs at the Pale Tower leader from behind, but his rapier cannot penetrate the iron armor worn by Volan.
Red Guard shifts over to keep Nadya from hitting him from behind and takes on the newly revitalized Wulfgang, missing as the ranger sidesteps him again.
Yellow readies an action.
End of Round 3
Guards and Sergeant - Round 4
21 Irina (4hp dmg)
20 Nadya (13hp dmg)
19 Radzislau (20hp dmg, disabled)
19 Volan (24hp dmg)
17 Green Guard
15 Cylina (-1hp, unconscious, bleeding)
14 Wulfgang (2hp dmg)
11 Blue Guard
9 Ruso (7hp dmg)
8 Red Guard
8 Yellow Guard (readying action)
Radzislau wavers on his feet, attempting to focus on bringing forth his god's holy power.
Unfortunately, he is unsuccessful, and slumps against the wall, unable to defend himself any longer after the abuse his body has sustained.
Guard and Sergeant - Round 4 - continued
Trying his best to stay conscious despite the pain, Radizlau tries to protect himself and cast a curative spell, but the blood loss is just too great and he passes out mid-casting, ruining the spell and falling out of the fight.
Intent on not going down without a fight, Nadya steps in front of the winter witch to offer whatever protection she can. She swings both her weapons at Blue. Her pick sticks thhe guard and as he leans forwward from the pain, her axe slices his head clean off. The Blue Guard falls decapitated to the sawdust-covered floor. "For Thora!" she cries. "That evens the odds a bit!"
Guards and Sergeant - Round 4 - continued
Given a bit of breathing space at last, Irina decides to put the whammy on the Pale Tower leader, hexing him to make his attacks less effective. The hex works for a brief instant, but doesn't take like she would've preferred.
With a pair of his opponents downed, Volan steps back from the trap in the corner, closer to his own men. Here he waylays Nadya, smashing at her with his shield while his sword makes a heavy overhand cut. The witchcraft stops the first attack but cannot keep the shield from mashing the Irriseni rebel.
Attacking as wingman for his leader, Green Guard steps over the stilled form of Radzislau and attacks Ruso, stabbing the elf who is now quite shaky on his feet as well.
Although her actions during the unexpected combat had been novice-level and relatively unhelpful, Cylina was heroic enough to at least not bleed to death on the floor. Hopefully she wouldn’t regret her robust constitution.
Guards and Sergeant - Round 4 - continued
Cylina's bloody wounds congeal enough that she is out of danger of exsanguination while the battle rages on around her still form.
Almost fully healed, Wulfgang explodes on Red Guard carving him up with his greataxe, killing the minion instantly.
Ruso now fights as if his very life depends on it. The needle like blade of his rapier slashes through the air as it tries to slip into a weak point in the guards armor. "You can't possibly think you are going to survive this encounter. Flee for your life!"
Guards and Sergeant - Round 4 - concluded
Ruso knows he is in trouble as well, so he takes less risk and keeps his guard up. He does see a small opening and lunges at the Green Guard with his rapier, getting inside the man's defense, and scoring a counter-hit.
Yellow Guard slides to his left and stabs Nadya, hurting her once again.
End of Round 4
Guards and Sergeant - Round 5
21 Irina (4hp dmg)
20 Nadya (20hp dmg)
19 Radzislau (-1hp, unconscious, bleeding)
19 Volan (24hp dmg)
17 Green Guard (6hp dmg)
15 Cylina (-1hp, stable)
14 Wulfgang (2hp dmg)
9 Ruso (12hp dmg)
8 Yellow Guard
Hurt badly now, Nadya knows she can't take the brunt of the fighting any longer, she steps back to the side, but makes a pair of attacks on Yellow as she disengages.
Irina gives the Evil Eye to the Green Guard lowering his defenses, and she cackles.
Guards and Sergeant - Round 5 - continued
Laughing maniacally as part of her witchcraft, Irina is able to influence Green Guard to be less cognizant of his defense, leaving opportunities for her allies to down him.
Finally away from any enemies, reaches into his belt pouch and takes out a small, ornately framed hand-held mirror. He mutters something and seems to be staring into the glass, as if waiting for something to happen.
Green Guard, hurt by Ruso's rapier, takes a short step back, raising his shield in a total defense posture.
Filled with vigor again, Wulfgang steps forward and takes Green Guard out of the fight, with a killing stroke.
Ruso stays out of reach of the guard and moves to put him at a disadvantage. Seeing the sergeant of the guard talking to a mirror Ruso quickly determines that can't be good for any of them and moves to end the sergeant. He lashes out of his his rapier but finds only air where he thought the sergeant's face should have been.
Guards and Sergeant - Round 5 - concluded
Ruso's attack on the sergeant fails, but rather than countering him, Yellow Guard jsut moves off, clearly putting up a defensive front.
End of Round 5
Guards and Sergeant - Round 6 - concluded
21 Irina (4hp dmg)
20 Nadya (20hp dmg)
19 Radzislau (-2hp, unconscious, bleeding)
19 Volan (24hp dmg)
15 Cylina (-1hp, stable)
14 Wulfgang (2hp dmg)
9 Ruso (12hp dmg)
8 Yellow Guard (total defense)
Radzislau continues bleeding into the sawdust covering the plank floor while the battle rages on.
Nadya cries, "The mirrors! It is how the witches communicate over long distance. Stop him!" She drops her weapons and unshoulders her longbow, stepping back a bit and firing a missile at the leader of the guards. The arrow flies true, despite the crowded room and catches Volan in the throat, killing him instantly.
With his leader down, the remaining guard throws down his sword and drops to his knees, hands raised. He cries out his surrender in Skald.
End of Combat
Ruso ties up the guard that surrendered. "Check them all for anything of use. Oh, and someone smash that damn mirror."
Ruso starts by checking the sergeant of the guard for anything of value or use.
Just as Ruso smashes his foot on the mirror that was held by Sergeant Volan, he sees the face of a bearded man appear on the cloudy surface. He has thick bushy black brows and a long unkempt hair and beard and appears quite agitated, right up until the point the elf's boot shatters the mirror, breaking the connection.
As Ruso rummages through the belongings of the fallen Pale Tower leader, he finds: 2 potions of cure light wounds, 1 potion of endure elements, 1 potion of interrogation, 2 screaming bolts a chain shirt, spiked light steel shield, dagger, MW cold-iron longsword, MW light crossbow w/10 bolts, a cold-weather outfit, and 24 gp.
The 5 fallen and 1 surrendered guards are equipped with: 6 potions of endure elements, 6 chain shirts, 6 light steel shields, 6 cold-iron longswords, 6 daggers, 6 light crossbows, 60 bolts, 6 cold-weather outfits, and 90 gp.
Nadya nods handing the armored shirt over to Wulfgang. She piles the rest of the gear on the bar, for your perusal. "Verana may buy these weapons and armor, but the insignia of the Pale Tower will have to be removed or covered. Anyone finding these here will know we fought back against the [i]jadwiga. That would not be good."
As she finishes, the slender pinch-faced wife of the bar keep, Katrina Goltiaeva pokes her head out from the back room. "That is right, Nadya." she remarks in heavily accented Common speech. "You have signed your death warrant by striking Lady Nazhena's soldiers. When I tell her what you ahve done, I wouldn't be surprised if she burns the whole village in reprisal. You have done it now, you've ruined us all."
The gap-toothed husband, Emil, nods along enthusiastically. "The village will run you out of here. Take your trouble-making friends and go. Do not come back to Waldsby!"
"Shut up before I silence you both! Be glad that I am not in the mood for further bloodshed right now or yours would decorate these floorboards as well." Ruso growls as he leans against the bar thankful for the moments rest.
Cylina's eyes fluttered open as the fighting ended, the young woman overhearing the talk of Wulfgang and Nadya and the threats of the innkeeper's wife. She rose to her feet as Ruso glowered and spoke harshly in response to the owners of the establishment, her hand going to her side and the bloody wound there. In her other hand was her red holy symbol, still clutched as she had fallen from her excessive wounds. Holding it tight, she closed her eyes and called upon Milani and her blessings to heal her companions and herself.
After the divine presence washed over the group, mending holes in tissue if not in armor, the young woman opened her eyes and sighed in contentment. She then affixed the chain about her neck and left the symbol on display there, a red rose with a black background. There was likely no turning back at this point. She turned her attention to the pair of owners of the inn. "Aye...be glad that we're not like that ilk on the ground, or you wouldn't live long enough to wag your tongues to your masters. Now be a good pair of hosts and be seated and quiet until we leave."
She looked at the others and Nadya, looking pointedly at the dead guards on the ground. "We'd best hurry and conduct whatever business is needed here and be on our way. We should be out of Waldsby within the hour before the Jadwiga send others to look for their wayward dogs." Of course, the cleric left out that they would actually go to the Pale Tower first. Perhaps the local witch would send out more of her men to find them and rob the place of some of its defenders.
Radzislau lifts himself from the floor slowly, massaging his aching muscles before Cylina's healing magic flows over him, closing his wounds.
"Urrgghh..." he groans. "This is becoming a habit that I do not enjoy."
He listened to the contrasting comments of Ruso and Wolfgang's threats against Cylina's more wise planning.
"I agree with the Cleric. Let us get out of here. These two may be weak fools, but they have lived under tyranny their entire lives. It is understandable."
Irina moves up to stand right in front of the couple. "You will not say anything for a bit. If you do, I will come back and make sure you regret what you have done. I am also a jadwiga, and have powers you don't want to be on the receiving end of.
She turns to her companions [b]"Gentlemen if you would please tie these two up, and put them in their back room. We'll lock the door on the way out. Perhaps no one will come looking for them for a bit."
She picks up the masterwork crossbow, and several of the bolts, and 2 "Anyone else need any of these?" She tucks the Screaming bolts away unless someone speaks up.
"Nadya take some of this for your family. It's our fault you are in this situation."
Emil looks sufficiently cowed by Ruso's threat, but his wife stands there defiantly, hands on hips, and starts to respond. Irina's warnings shut her up, and they submit to being bound up without a fight.
Nadya looks upset, but says, "We should return to my home. Hatch can take care of the boys while we travel to the Pale Tower. We can make ready within the hour, if you like. What about these items?" she indicates the arms, armor, and items from the guards.
Cylina advanced on the pile of loot and picked out a Cure Light potion and an Endure Elements potion. Even though she had lived through the Eternal Winter her entire life, there were still some days that were worse than others. It would be best to be prepared. She had even heard that the jadwiga could control the weather to hamper the escape of would-be freedom fighters, though she did not know if that was true. If the winter witches could control something like the weather, they were mighty indeed and the priestess had likely signed a quick death warrant in defying them.
Eyeing the rest of the guards' belongings while they pondered their next move, the redhead spoke up. "When we leave this place, I'd rather do it light. Maybe we should liquidate these items before news of this spreads to the rest of Waldsby?" She looked to the others of the group, including Nadya, to see their opinion of that plan. She declines to argue the point if others disagree, and instead will help gather the equipment to take with them if that is the will of the group.
Ruso stretches as his wounds close over when the healing magic washes over him. "Alright, lets get going. We best not be here should the Pale Tower send more of its goons out searching for us. If we can quickly sell the remaining stuff off and gather our gear from Nadya's I would like to be gone within the hour. I'll go sell what can be quickly passed off and meet you all at the edge of town." With that Ruso picks up any of the remaining weapons and armor and heads off to the blacksmith.
Ruso finds the blacksmith is at first reluctant to deal in the arms and armor of the Pale Tower, but eventually you convince him that it is all the same after it is melted down. You bicker on price for a bit, but he eventually relents and shakes out 600 gold Irriseni tokens in 6 leather bags. You hand one of the bags to Nadya, and split the rest evenly among yourselves.
At home, Nadya's departure from her children is tearful, but the house spirit Hatch makes good on his promise and agrees to watch them while she is away. She promises to return with Thora, a promise which you are not certain she can keep.
As you mount the dog-sleds once more, Hatch paces nervously around the porch of the house.
"Let us be gone from this place, and rescue an innocent!"
Quickly returning from town with much less gear than when he left ruso drops a leather bag of coins into the outstretched hand of each of his companions. He then steps onto the sled and wraps his cloak tight around himself. "Lets be gone."
Cylina nodded her assent to Ruso taking the remaining items to be quickly sold in town. While she didn't know the elven man that well, surely he wouldn't try to bilk his traveling companions, and it saved her the awkwardness of interacting with the town smith with such items in store.
As the group made ready to leave Nadya's and make their way to the Pale Tower, the priestess noticed the house spirit milling about, seemingly on the verge of speaking. She edged closer, smiling as she cut eyes over at the rest of the group conspiratorially. "They're a strange bunch in these lands, my little friend, but they're what we've got. Do you know anything that could help us with this task we're about to undergo?" With that, the young woman made direct eye contact with Hatch, smile still in place, her manner relaxed and inviting, should he decide to trust her.
Hatch looks ready to burst, and when Cylina asks him, he spits out a story, rapid-fire, in Skald:
- Front Hall - 'A gathering in the hall, take us one, take us all'
- Dining Room - 'Spiral downward to the ground, every ounce, every pound'
- Near the Conservatory - 'Take wing, soar, and fly, let me view the winter sky'
- The Aerie - 'Down a level, to the halls, leave this cage without walls'
Lastly,the domovoi says, "One more thing. I overhead the Nazhena tell Radosek that one of the items in her treasury was cursed, as a trap for thieves or looters. If you loot the Pale Tower, be careful."
The information given would be useful indeed, should they get in the tower. The priestess smiled at Wulfgar as he gave the house spirit a gift, then addressed the man. "Thank you for your help, friend. Should we be victorious, I'll pick you out a special piece for your assistance." She then turned away and joined the rest of the group as they prepped to go, the absence of the holy symbol inside her clothing feeling strange. She glanced down at the piece hanging from her neck as she bent forward to adjust her pack, a small smile crossing her lips. She then slipped the pack on and readied herself to go.
Within the hour, Nadya has the dogs back in their traces and the sleds ready to go. "The Pale Tower is about 6 miles from here," she states matter-of-factly. "If we walked, even with snow shoes, it would take 3 or 4 hours because of the snow. Instead, it will take half the time on the sleds. If you wish for protection from the elements, you may want to use it now. It will be bitter cold on the trip."
Ruso makes sure to listen to Nadya's directions as we make our way towards the Pale Tower. He keeps his eyes peeled for danger.
Radzislau downs a portion of endure elements, feeling the pleasant wormth in his gullet.
Cylina heeded Nadya's words, drinking the potion that would allow her body to withstand the frigid weather for a while on their way to the Pale Tower. As she mounted one of the sleds, she turned towards the others. "Any plans on approach? Shall we try to sneak in, or just go in through the front door?" Even though the effects of the magical elixir were already taking effect, the priestess trembled anyway at the thought of going towards the symbol of authority in this land. She whispered a short prayer to her Goddess as she awaited a response and for the word to move out.