The men continue their attacks, caution seeming the furthest from their minds. The two men held in Pace's weave struggle feabily, their faces red from the exertion while Jasmine's attacker flails at her weakly. I'll gut you, witch!
Fiallain notices out of the corner of her eye the first man coming around behind her. Desperately, she changes the angle of her attack, darting the Sharp steel at this new threat...
Sensing the man slide past her thrust and coming up on her vulnerable back, Fia grimaces beneath her veil. Need to end this quickly! She aims a vicious sweep at the legs of the man in front of her, aiming to put him on the floor...
Keeping away from the man, Jasmine looks quickly over at Jed to see the extent of his injuries. Seeing that he is not extremely hurt she presses her hand against her arm where the man cut her attempting to stem the bleeding. Looking at the man's back she says There is no escape and you cannot hope to defeat us as you are. If you lay down your weapon and stop fighting you may leave with your life.
Yeah, it took me two tries to take care of them both. Pace gasps as he leans against the walls. He pushes off the wall, dropping his sword. As he turns towards the door Pace ties off his Harden Air weave. Stepping into the doorway, a warder's sword of fire appears in his hands as he stares at Jasper's back.
Alright mi'lady. I'll submit to spare me life. Jasmine and Jed both can hear the lie clear on the man's lips.
Jed slams the hilt of his sword into the man's temple, stunning him briefly before Jasmine slides him along the wall. She frowns at the man’s lies and continues to hold the weave pinning him to the wall.
Ryland slips to the side, he feint catching the man off guard as he slashes his blade across the man's belly. Blood and organs spill messily onto the floor as the man dies with a gurgle.
Seeing Fiallain's focus on protecting her companion, the two men circle her, swords stabbing out and punching into the Aiel's side. Fiallain's face tightens and she sweeps out with her spear, catching the man's leg and dropping him to the floor, the point punching in after. As she spins to confront the one behind her, he suddenly lifts off the ground flies through the air. Crashing out the window of her room, there is the sound of impact with the street below. Seeing Jasper in the hall, arm extended she gives a tight nod of acknowledgement before turning back to the other assailant.
Pace keeps the men suspended in the room as he moves towards the hallway. A blade of pure flame springs to life in his hand, one that Jasper can feel warming his back.
Fia spins back to the man she had just hurled to the floor. She grimaces slightly as she feel blood staining her side from the two sword thrusts. Silently, she attacks again, intending to finish him off.
Feeling the heat of the blade on his back, Jasper glances at Pace. pure luck. If i may? tying off the held weave, Jasper openly shows Pace what he is casting, and gently touches Pace on the shoulder, a minor weave of healing flowing into him.
Pace sees Jasper reaching to heal him and he brushes off the touch, "Not until we have time to do it right." As Pace moves past Jasper he grunts, "And stop burning the men I plan to question. He quickly moves into Alathea and Fiallin's room, and if their assailant is still standing joins the fight.
Ryland spins on his heels and runs into the halway glancing into the rooms as he goes, determining who needs his help the most. Burn me! I should have made everyone change inns after the palace explosion!
Seeing Fiallin still in combat with an attacker he moves into the room to assist the Aiel.
hmmph. we only need one of them.
Jed frowns at the Darkfriend's lie. "He's bluffing. I say we knock him out now and question him later." Jed follows up by making another powerful blow to the man's head.
Jasmine's lips compress for a moment at the man's boldness and willingness to die. As you wish... she says to the man. Jed, this one is no more a threat. The weave will hold. I am going to see if any of the others require assistance. Jasmine moves into the hallway and goes across to Ryland to see if he needs assistance as he was by himself.
Alathea is preparing to weave another desperate fireball when the door bursts open. She watches in amazement as one of the assailants is pulled from his feet and hurled forcibly through the window. There was no weave! Oh, Light, there was no weave! But realization dawns quickly, and she recognizes Jasper's silhouette in the doorway. I never thought I'd be so happy to see him...or to have him channeling saidin around me. She turns her attention back to the other assailant, only to see him on the floor, with Fiallain standing grimly above him and holding a bloody spear. Even though danger is no longer imminent, she's shaking as she stops her weaving and nods to Fiallain and Jasper. "My thanks..."
Although the assailants are no longer threatening her, Alathea realizes that only one is accounted for. She dashes over to the window, hoping that the other attacker has been incapacitated by the fall, but fearing that he's even now running to bring reinforcements. Or worse, damane.
As the man staggers to his feet, Fiallain mercilessly punches her spear into his gut dropping him with a gurgled moan. With the three remaining men bound in weaves of Air, one of them slowly burning alive, the rest of you finally catch a breath and take stock of the situation.
In the hallway, Jasmine and Jasper notice the innkeeper's face coming to the top of the stairs, pale and frightened. Is everything alright mi'lord, mi'lady? I heard quite the commotion a moment ago. His face scrunches up at the burned smell emanating from the hallway, the stench of burning flesh hard to conceal.
Jasmine's head whips around to catch sight of Pace in Alathea's room. She breathes a small sigh and then angles herself to block the doorway from the hall, thankful the innkeeper can't see the flaiming blade clutched in Pace's hand. Light, but that'd turn this from bad to worse! Everything's fine Master Polgun, we will send for you if we have need but we do appreciate your concern.
Fiallain presses a hand to her wounded side after lowering her veil. Turning to Alathea as she peers out the window, "Is he dead? Do you see him? "
We need to get away... Never be where the enemy expects you to be... These thoughts running through her mind, Fiallain bends over the soon to be corpse and searches him for any clues as to who he may have been, or what he was after.
As she works, she says to whomever is in the room. "We need to leave, and quickly.
Now that the momentary danger has passed and any threat of immediate discovery over, Jed goes back into his and Jasmine's room. He walks up toward the darkfriend being held against the wall. "Who sent you? Speak or I'll end it for you here!"
Ryland nods his head in agreement as he cleans the blood from his sword. "Yes, we should have left after the explosion. With one of our attackers getting away we must leave now. I suggest leaving the city and camping in the wilderness for a few days. Out there we can see our enemies aproach." He shakes his head and begins to leave the room. "I will not be taken unaware again."
Alathea shakes her head and turns back from the window. "He's gone, and he's carrying word of us. Either to accomplices or to the Seanchan, it doesn't matter. We do need to leave." And we will have to pay dearly for the innkeeper to forget about us, I am sure.
Alathea frowns at Fiallain's wounds. She shrugs; they're not life-threatening. While she was terrified during the combat, she's calm now: healing is something she understands. If the Seanchan have already noticed me, I have nothing to lose by helping as I can. She motions Fiallain to come over to her. "Let me see to your injuries, yes?"
Finishing her grim task, Fiallain wipes her spear clean on the dead man's jacket and comes smoothly to her feet, nodding in agreement with Ryland. "Yes, this place is like a trap, and we're the rats. Between the explosion and now this mess, the Seanchen would have to be light blinded fools not to take notice. I doubt that innkeep will stay silent when questioned.
Nodding to Alathea, she moves next to the other woman. A slight shiver is her only reaction as Alathea's weaves settle into her. Fiallain smiles warmly. My thanks. She inclines her head slightly with respect.
Jasper looks over Alathea, giving her a visual check for wounds. are you hurt badly? Do you need some help? he asks with visible concern on his face.
Hearing everyone talk about leaving, and then Fia's comment about the innkeeper not staying silent, Jasper says in a dead tonewell, i can make it that he stays quiet, permanently. he glances around. and we could make it so that the seanchan only see tinders when they arrive, making it difficult for them to track the channeling
Alathea shakes her head when Jasper inquires about her wounds. Fool man. He looks like he's ready to keel over, and he asks about me? She is hurt, but she knows that her friends may need her attention before she can worry about herself. Friends? She's been close with Fiallain and Jasmine for some time, but she realizes that she's been through too much with the others to call them anything but friends, either. Even Pace and Jasper, Light protect me. "I am well, but you are most certainly not. Come over here and let me see to your wounds."
Alathea nods in agreement with Ryland. "I agree. This city is not a safe place for us, even less so now."
When Jasper suggests burning down the inn, Alathea hisses in anger. Attempting to keep her voice calm, she says, "We will NOT be covering our tracks with more destruction. Our innkeeper did not ask for us to have a pitched battle in his inn, and we will not reward him by killing him and destroying his property. I have some money, perhaps it is enough to keep the innkeeper quiet about us."
Pace rubs his head for a moment, looking into his and Jasper's room. "It doesn't matter if the innkeep keeps his mouth shut, there are too many people that have seen one thing or another to pay off." He looks at Jasper coldly, "We will not be burning any places down or silencing anyone who wasn't involved in this attack. Speaking of which, stop your weave on the man in the other room if you haven't done so already. I need him." Turning back to the others, "Come up with a plan to leave here. I would rather not leave the city, but we must change locations and probably should split into two groups to make ourselves less obvious. I have things to do." Pace walks over to his and Jasper's room and the door slams behind him.
Questions he is looking to get answers to are 1. Who are they? 2. Who sent them and why? 3. How did they know where the group was staying ? (Pace assumes that it was one of his companions.) He will also try to trick them into revealing which of his companions has betrayed him, although he will probably be disappointed in their answers to this.
Intimidate check if necessary (hopefully with a circumstance bonus :-)):
Bluff check as well:
This is quite uncharacteristic for Pace, but the Taint has it's hold on him currently.
Jasper gasps in shock as majority the wounds he's taken for the past day are stitched together, leaving some of the major cuts and bruises. thanks. i take it that these are left to be a reminder for me to duck, huh?
at hearing everyone's shock at his statement, fine. it was just a suggestion. I'd hate to make it easy for the seanchan and others to find us, but-Jasper shrugs his shoulders, and then turns and heads to his room, finding a slammed door in his face.
Not even bothering to use his hands, Jasper channels the door knob to turn and open the door.
Walking inside his room, the smell of burnt human flesh heavy in the air, Jasper walks up to inspect enemy. Looking at Pace's disgruntled face, Jasper drops the create fire weave. Happy? He then turns and grabs up his meager belongingsi dont see why you are bothering with both of them. We dont have enough time to properly question both of them, and unless you plan to drag both of them along, which will make us stand out even more, they will need horses, and food and water and other stuff. M'Hael always says "never leave an enemy behind you that can rise up infront of you tomorrow".
Alathea allows herself a half-smile at Jasper's joke. "Yes, I think you need reminders, but I'll only make you keep these bruises until I have the chance to fix you up properly."
As Pace leaves, Alathea begins to prepare. After hurriedly pulling a dress on over her shift, she gathers her belongings and digs her lockbox out from under her bed. Sighing, she opens it and pulls out a sizable bag of coins. "I know Pace doesn't want to leave the city, but I think it best to lay low in the countryside for a day or two. If nothing else, I can Heal those who need it there with less fear of detection. But we do need a plan, and quickly. I will go and see to the innkeeper, and then have a stableboy ready all of our horses. The less time we spend here, the better." As she reaches the door, she adds, "I hope that this doesn't take long. Be ready to go by the time I come back."
Ryland quickly searches his assassin for anything of note and value then exits his room with his chain shirt on and his backpack slung over his left shoulder freeing his sword arm. "We need to leave right now. If the Darkfriends do not come for us the guards will. We should hide out at least the night away from this town. Tomorrow we could return seperatly. I will go to the stables and make ready the horses."
Fiallain nods at Ryland. Agreed. While you do that I will grab the others. I have not seen Jed or Jasmine, but will find them. We should leave as secretly as possible. She glances at the broken window. Perhaps as our friend did.
With a quick exortation to Alathea to make haste, she will make her way through the party, making sure they are readying to depart. Finding Jasper outside (presumably) Pace's room, she also will try the door, wrinkling her nose at the smell. Pace? What are you doing? We need to leave!
Jed leans towards the trapped man, fierce determination in his eyes. The man looks back contemptously at first but then lowers his eyes slightly. You can't stand up to the Dark Lord's will. Give up your useless search, we'll have the item long before you. At that point, his face goes stoney and he raises his head again. Kill me if you will. You'll get no more from me because anything you could do would be as nothing compared to what I will face for my failure.
Jed and Jasmine reconvene in the hall with the rest of the group. What had seemed to be a background hum was slowly resolving itself into a man's scream coming from Pace and Jasper's room. Jasper leaned back against the wall of the hallway and chuckled at the group's expressions. Ain't me this time folks.
Attempts to open the door are fruitless but less than a minute later the door opens and Pace steps out. He eyes the lot of you for a moment before shouldering his way past towards the stairs. Fine, let's move. The darkfriends said they're going to search the wharehouse in 2 days time. Apparently the Palace was a bust. Some of you tense as he tosses the name darkfriend about, looking to make sure he wasn't overheard. Head down and shoulders slumped, Pace heads down the stairs towards the stables.
If anyone checks the room they find two men lying dead on the floor, apparently having died of asphyxiation.
Jed delivers one final blow to the back of the man's head, knocking him out before reconvening with the rest of the group. "What should we do with him?" he asks Jasmine, pointing toward their room. While he doens't relish the idea of killing someone while they are defenseless, Jed knows that sometimes things such as that must be done to protect themselves. "Apparently they're looking for the object as well..."
Jasmine will go with Alathea and add her skill in attempting to keep the innkeeper quiet.
When she returns and learns that the darkfriends are attacking in two days time she will say Then we must move up our own schedule. We cannot allow this item to fall into the darkfriends hands. I would suggest we pack up and head out into the countryside now then come back and take out the warehouse tomorrow night. I would go immediately but We need time to recover from our injuries.
indeed. we must be off immediately
After Jasmine has had her chance to speak to the innkeeper, Alathea speaks as well. She pushes down her fear and anxiety, attempting to channel the fabled Aes Sedai serenity as best as she can. In her calmest, most reasonable tone, she apologizes for the disturbance that she and her companions have caused, and regrets that the innkeeper will likely have much trouble on his hands while dealing with the situation. While regretting that she and her companions will not be able to assist the innkeeper in this trouble, she places a pouch of her own next to the sum that Jasmine's already put in front of the innkeeper.
Jasmine will go with Alathea and add her skill in attempting to keep the innkeeper quiet. 1d20+15
When she returns and learns that the darkfriends are attacking in two days time she will say Then we must move up our own schedule. We cannot allow this item to fall into the darkfriends hands. I would suggest we pack up and head out into the countryside now then come back and take out the warehouse tomorrow night. I would go immediately but We need time to recover from our injuries.
"If we are to rest, should we also at least keep watch on this warehouse in the meanwhile? These darkfriends will soon know that their attack failed. They very well decide to move their schedule up as well in expectation that we move soon."
that is a good idea, friend Fiallain. perhaps we should make way to a secure location and once established, one of us peel off and head to this warehouse.
Now, if we want to get captured by the seanchan, i suggest we still stand around like a bunch of self righteous Aes-jasper cuts off with a cough and a glance at Alathea.hmmm...dust. as i was saying, we really should head out. so i am gonna take my own advide and head out with that, he puts his pack to his shoulder, and pauses a moment, looking at jed you gonna kill that darkfriend, or do you want me to do it for you?Jasper says in the same tone as if he was describing the slope of a road in Camelyn.