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"The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance." -Thomas Paine
One week. That's all it took for the world to turn upside down.
Kintargo had always enjoyed a light hand when it came to their infernal masters in Egorian, and while the Church of Asmodeus' rule was unquestioned within the Silver City's walls, certain liberties were extended due to the relative remoteness of the Duchy of Ravounel. As long as the Queen's edicts were followed and the taxes rolled into the capital in time, Her Infernal Majestrix seemed willing to let Kintargo govern itself in whatever manner it saw fit.
Then came the Glorious Reclamation, and everything changed.
It came as a shock to everyone in Kintargo when news broke that the Order of the Godclaw were attacked in their home citadel of Dinyar by a fanatical order of Iomedaean knights. Not only did they succeed in capturing the citadel, but stories claim they liberated Heart's Edge as well, a blade once owned by the Inheritor herself. This has led to tales of rebellion rising up from the Chelish heartland itself, and given Kintargo's cosmopolitan nature, it seemed only a matter of time before the Silver City joined with the Glorious Reclamation and threw off the yoke of rule by the Thrice-Damned House of Thrune.
Almost appropriately, as summer's heat abates, autumn brings with it a change in political climate. Ten days ago, Lord-Mayor Jilia Bainilus vacated her position, with rumors spreading across the city that she fled on a ship bound to Arcadia, leaving the seat vacant. Within two days, the Queen sent a representative to take control of the city, a distant relation of hers named Barzillai Thrune. Within a day of his ascension, a number of arsons broke out, which the new Lord-Mayor used to enact martial law upon the city. Now, Hellknights of the Order of the Rack march the streets along side the city's dottari, and there is a general sense of unease ever since the Night of Ashes. Proclamations have been rolling out from the Lord-Mayor on a nearly daily basis, and Kintargo's tensions have risen to the point that the free-spirited folk will not allow these changes without having their voices heard.
The cool wind blows off the Yolubilis River as the sun rises over Kintargo, but her streets are already filled with people. Unlike most other days, however, the sentiment in the street is one of discontentment and frustration over the proclamations handed down by Lord-Mayor Barzillai Thrune. Nobody is certain who had the idea to protest in front of the Opera House - the edifice where the new Lord-Mayor has taken up residence - but once it caught hold in the populace, it became a driving motivator through Kintargans of every stripe. Kintargo would show up in the north end of Aria Park, which abutted the entrance to the Opera House, and protest as long as it took for them to get the answers they sought.
Another protest. Well, they aren't wrong. Barzillai is a monster in his own right. Banning evening consumption of night tea? That alone has cost the shop a fair amount of silver. Plus, I've got stores of dried mint that I can't sell now. What kind of good-for-nothing... Amalie lets her thoughts trail off into obscurity as she limps along with the crowd heading for the park opposite the theater. Her backpack hung heavy on her frame as she leaned into the gnarled walking stick she used to aid in her treks. Nestled safely in the bottom of her pack, padded safely by her bedroll, was her alchemist's kit and an assortment of empty vials.
You never know Ali, you may be able to help someone out in a pinch. Groups of people are usually good to hide a bit of motion to pluck a flower or pinch a few leaves of an herb from the plants.
Stopping to catch a bit of breath, she feels the pressure of her hidden dagger in the small of her back. She had a visible, and obvious, mate for the slender knife on one hip. Not an uncommon tool for an herbalist, or an alchemist, for that matter. The second she had taken to wearing as soon as she left her family's care. Defenseless isn't something she would handle.
As she set out once more, she did her best to listen to the crowd alongside her, listening for anywhere she could interject or learn of those in need of healing.
Lubella rose shortly before dawn, as was her custom. After her morning prayers to Sarenrae as the sun rose over the horizon, she ate breakfast and began her preparations for the day ahead. She had arrived in Kintargo only two days earlier. She had explained to the port authority official that she was a merchant arriving to set up trade contacts, and showed him her collection of samples of spices and textiles from distant Katapesh. She had supporting documentation declaring her a free halfling registered with the Cheliax government.
The truth was a little different. She had been sent by the High Priestess of the Temple of Sarenrae in Korvosa to investigate the disappearance of Shensen, a famous performer at the Kintargo Opera House, who had been a leader of the local Sarenrite community. Shensen hadn't been heard of since the Night of Ashes, when Barzillai Thrune's agents had attacked members of Sarenrae's and Milani's faiths. Lubella wasn't really a merchant, although she was originally from Katapesh, which made maintaining the deception easier. The documents she carried were forged in Korvosa by the Church.
Soon after she arrived, Lubella heard of a protest to be held in Aria Park, in front of the Opera House, which was now the residence of the new Lord-Mayor, Barzillai Thrune. This was a stroke of luck, for the possibilities of learning rumors about Shensen's fate were obvious. She had even overheard someone saying that the famous diva would make an appearance at the protest and denounce House Thrune. She thought this unlikely - if Shensen had gone into hiding, showing herself openly in front of Barzillai Thrune's new house would be extremely foolish.
Lubella set out subtly altering her appearance to make her less conspicuous. She applied powder to her skin to lighten her bronzed complexion and donned the style of clothes worn by local halflings, forgoing any ornamentation. She wore her chain shirt discreetly under her tunic, and used her cloak to conceal her scimitar in its scabbard. She wasn't planning to do any fighting, but she had found it best to be prepared for trouble. After some consideration, she decided to leave her holy symbol behind at the inn; she felt strange without it, for she rarely took it off. She filled her waterskin and stowed her lunch in her pockets, then set out for Aria Park.
Lubella was excited and apprehensive as she walked towards the park. This was a welcome change from the humdrum routine of her life in Korvosa - that's why she had volunteered for this mission in the first place - but the danger she was putting herself into felt real now. She was in uncharted territory, a novice spy in an enemy territory. Things could go very badly for her if she was found out. She forced herself to focus on her surroundings - she needed to pay attention to what was going on around her if she wanted to succeed.
Arcos woke up early in his small house above his scribes shop in Villegre, the sun shining over his modest quarters. Lighting a fire to brew some tea, he set about making preparation for the protest in Aria Park. He donned his lightweight reversible clothes, to slip over his leather armor. One side was that of a scribe's robe, turned inside out it was the blue and yellow robes of the Blue Warlock, complete with a hood and mask. He sat for a while, drinking Vudran tea out of an old pewter mug, savoring the spice of the cinnamon, pepper, and ginger. Finishing his tea, he washed his mug and set it on the windowsill to dry. Heading downstairs, he penned a note reading, "Closed for today. Do come back," and hung it on the door of his shop. And with that, he set off to Aria Park, dagger hidden under his robes.
Now or never. It's now or never. Barzillai and his goons have gone too far, and we need to fight back. His proclamations are nonsense and he's made our city fearful of the slightest threats. We need to stand up. This protest will help, and if need be, I can finally unveil the Blue Warlock to the public, and give them a hero to believe in.
As you approach Aria Park, the dark clouds overhead finally make good their threat to rain, though it is merely a light drizzle for now. The cobblestones of Argent Avenue and the foliage of the park are wet by the time you arrive, but that has hardly impeded the protest. Dozens of Kintargans have gathered along the facade of the opera house to protest the city's new Lord-Mayor. From the tenor of the protest, the Paracount is yet to make an appearance, and the opera house's front doors remain firmly closed - as they have since the man chose the landmark as his new home - but by the growing sound of protesters, he surely cannot ignore the scene on the streets below much longer. A dozen of the dottari stand in front of the doors, dressed in light armor and their shields bearing the Chelish cross, and while armed with maces, their weaponry remains at their sides. In between the dottari and the entrance to the opera house is a scowling woman, bedecked in chain mail and carrying a polearm tightly in her hands. The dottari seem tense and on edge, but the woman paces calmly, watching the protesters with slitted eyes.
The protesters themselves shout various things up at the opera house, and their placards bear many different messages. "Chelish edicts, ever cruel! We deserve Kintargan rule!", shout several. "A free market brings a free Kintargo!", cry several others. "Not my Lord-Mayor! We did not vote you in!", cry several others, in reference to the Paracount's appointment to the position, ignoring the established procedure within the city. "Burn it down! Smoke him out!", cry others still, and while these citizens have brought torches, they are unlit and bear no immediate threat. Finally, a counter protest has arrived as well, and they shout out pro-Thrune ideology - "A man of iron has arrived at last! All hail Thrune!"
Lubella arrived at Aria Park, which was already starting to fill up with people. Despite the protests and the assembled dottari, a festival atmosphere prevailed over much of the park as curious onlookers gathered to watch the event. I wonder how of them many appreciate the danger?, she thought to herself. I somehow doubt that there will be no response from the authorities.
Lubella mingled with the crowd and chatted with different people, trying to gather rumors. Hopefully she could find some scrap of information relevant to her quest: to discover what happened to Shensen. She needed to be discrete and not ask too many direct questions. Instead, she mostly tried to get people talking, and hope that something useful would come up. She tried to sound like a local as best she could.
Felicia sat up, bleary eyed from her heavy sleep. Her head wasn't hurting, so last night wasn't that crazy, was it? A movement revealed a bruise on her ribcage. Oh yeah, another barfight. Silly boys. She stood, letting the blanket fall from her naked form. There was no sign of the Tiefling woman she had been staying with, so Felicia went about helping herself to what food she could find. At the pantry, however, she found a note.
Went to the protest this morning, you should come along! And by the by, there is no food in here, you ate it all yesterday!
"Oh yeah the protest... Crap! I forgot!" She hurries about getting her outfit on, hiding the armored bits as best she could, and bursts out the door, Falcata in her teeth. The protest probably hadn't started, but it was a long way from the Devil's Nursery. She hitched a ride on the back of a buggy trying not to be seen, and skewered an apple from an unguarded fruit stand.
Felicia made a rude gesture to the carriage driver who had just caught her hitching a ride as he drove off. "I wasn't hurting anything!"
She stands at the fountain for a moment, striking a noticeable figure to say the least. Her slender, lithe form betrayed her feline heritage a bit, but not as much as the pointed ears on her head or the long tail swishing excitedly behind her, both covered in a soft fur that matched her strawberry blonde hair.
The crowd is already gathered, but they're so calm...
She strides into the crowd and picks a group of burly looking men. With her ears turned back and a meek look on her face, she says, "I- I don't think he can hear us... I really hope he comes around, it's been hard for someone like me to live with the curfew, and night tea is so nice after... activities." She punctuates her statements with light touches on their chests and arms, making a point to tease them. Easy way to make a living, easy way to make a point
She repeats the process with various people over the course of an hour, many innuendos mixed with somewhat valid points.
Amalie makes her way through the crowd, using her limp to gain a measure of pity or understanding from those gathered. As she makes her way through, she has small conversations with those that seem upset by the edicts, namely the edicts around mint and tea.
I've some manner of healing and alternatives to night tea. she lets them know. She's looking mainly to get that group to focus their efforts on the edicts being cruel and unusual for no good effect.
Arcos saunters around the protest, casually talking with people around him and hoping to find some interesting information. However, he stumbles and falls, muddying his robe and making himself look foolish.
Arcos: Well, that was disheartening. While you were able to rub elbows with the protesters, none of them had any real interesting information. Pretty much everyone's upset at the proclamations, though - all except the Thrune loyalists, naturally. Perhaps you'll be able to get some good intel once new blood hits the park. Oh, and to make matters worse, you slipped and fell to a knee right in front of a blonde halfling woman, splattering mud onto her feet. Now that's embarassing.
Lubella: Could have been worse. Either nobody noticed your accent, or they did and didn't call you out on it. You're feeling pretty confident in it now, though, so while you didn't learn anything particularly interesting this hour, maybe you'll be able to learn more once more people show up. Towards the end of the hour, though, the slick mud ended up getting the better of a scholarly man, as he slipped and fell to a knee in front of you. Mud splattered onto your feet, getting stuck in your foothair. That'll take some time to get cleaned out.
Felicia: "Oh, you don't think the Thrunie in his tower can hear us?", one of the men says, puffing his chest up as a challenge. "" The chant is picked up by others in the crowd, and the Kintargo partisans seem somewhat more organized, earning you admiring looks from several of those taking up the chant.
Amalie: "Yeah, damn good point!", says a woman dressed in the comfortable clothes of the mercantile class. "", she shouts, a refrain soon echoed by several others in the economic portion of the protesters. Those who begin it offer hearty handshakes for your assistance.
After an hour, the park begins to crowd with Kintargans young and old. Many of the larger minorities of the city, tieflings and tengu alike, have arrived as well, and they bring their own messages of oppression to the protest, hoping that Barzillai will address their concerns. For now, though, their hopes fall upon deaf ears.
Lubella helped the man up and used some of the water from her waterskin to clean his robes and her feet. "It happens to us all," she said to him, trying to ease his discomfort.
After cleaning up, she continued to work the crowd, trying to concentrate her efforts on new arrivals. She seemed to be off her game, though. She could tell she wasn't doing a very good job hiding her accent, which made her even more self conscious. She had to take a break and regain her composure.
Amalie accepts the handshakes with a small grin, it felt nice seeing people talking about things rather than whipping other people for sport. She moves her way through the crowd, finding more of the same protesters, looking to really drive the message home.
Arcos will continue to work the crowd, now a bit cleaner and less clumsy.
Felicia smiled slyly. Surely drawing attention to herself would bring the mysterious contact to her. Oh no where's the- whew, still got it After frantically patting her self, she finds the pocket with the note she had recieved. After a while of working the crowd for an hour, she began to get frustrated. Fine, they won't come to me, I'll have to track them down myself. Surely someone will know something... She begins to ask around for any tidbits of information she can gather.
Lubella continues to try to cajole the crowd into talking about them, but as the hours tick on, her accent begins to creep out. Most of the people she speaks with, however, are actually more curious about her and what life is like in such an arid land, and she spends most of the hour talking about her homelife with them!
As the hour progresses, Amalie continues to organize the message for the economic conservatives in Kintargo, and their message grows louder and louder, forcing the Thrune loyalists and anarchists to try to keep up. As she moves her way through the crowd, it seems more people there are aware of her, stepping out of her way to make it easier for her to assist the protest.
"Damn the new Lord-Mayor!", says a man that Felicia speaks with during the hour. "And damn the circumstances that led to his installation. I don't buy the argument that Jilia fled to Arcadia at all. I heard she broke her neck falling down a flight of stairs after, ahem, 'praying to hard to Cailean,' if you catch my meaning."
Arcos works the crowd, getting a bit too close to the dottari guarding the opera house at one point, earning himself an admonishment from the woman with the polearm. One of the protesters offers him a drink from a hipflask shortly thereafter. "I see you've made a friend in Nox. She's Thrune's bodyguard, and I hear she's a half devil. Certainly no way to be that damn ugly to be just human, and that's the truth!"
As the protest enters its third hour, Aria Park has begun to overflow with Kintargans, shouting over each other at the new Lord-Mayor's residence. As of yet, however, Barzillai Thrune has yet to publicly acknowledge the protest, but the volume of the assembly makes it impossible to believe that anyone within the opera house could be ignorant of the people outside.
Lubella was getting flustered. Instead of learning anything relevant to her mission, she was just drawing attention to herself. Pull yourself together, Lubella. Don't try anything fancy - just stick with the basics. After collecting herself. She resumed looking for rumors.
Arcos declines the protestors drink, "Thank you friend, but I intend to get back to my shop once the protest is over. A scribe's work is much harder once you've gotten drunk I"m afraid." He continues to walk around the protest, talking to people to find out some more information.
Feeling renewed by the populous she has started to organize, she moves a little more through the crowd, drawing on her limp to gain sympathy with those that maybe were arguing more in a different direction earlier. Whispers of how is tea at night worse than tea during the day here, and mint, it's the flavor the gods favor there. A soft touch for those looking depressed, a fist shake for those needing encouragement to voice their opinions.
Felicia's tail swished and her ears lay flat back, plainly showing her frustration that the Silver Ravens are not being talked about. She pulls the note from her pocket and gives it a long sniff, trying to pick up a hint of the contact she might be looking for with her incredibly sensitive nose. She set off, searching on her own for the leather gloved contact. On her way she tried to pass by the guards at the door, sniffing about for magical reinforcements.
Amalie's work at organizing the protest around the fickle and unfair natures of the Sixth and Seventh Proclamations earns her the admiration of the crowd, and as she hobbles about the protest, she finds that people are already getting out of her way to let her continue her work.
"What? Too good for a tipple, are you!", the man replies angrily to Arcos. "Fine, you don't want a swig? Wear it!" He splashes a portion of the whisky onto the scribe's clothes, and he now smells of strong alcohol. The man stomps off into the crowd, red-faced and angered. Between the muddied robes and smelling like a distillery, he finds no new intelligence he can use against the new regime.
Lubella calms herself and begins to work her charm, finally hitting a fellow patron of the opera, and someone also concerned about the disappearance of Shensen. "I do hope she hasn't run afoul of the new Lord-Mayor. He doesn't seem the type you want to cross." She leans in to the halfling woman to whisper. "I've heard he's planning on bringing public excruciations to Kintargo. I can't imagine that'll increase his popularity around these parts, even if the criminals he punishes deserve it. This 'doghousing' thing he's fond of sounds particularly frightening." She blanches at the thought of this torture, and continues. "Imagine being placed in a small wooden doghouse with nails driven through the ceiling, wall, and floor, leaving you little space to lie down without being stabbed. Imagine being fed scraps twice a day, once at sunrise, again at sunset. Imagine having to fight for those scraps with actual, ravenous dogs. Imagine doing that for days." She seems white by the time she's finished describing it.
Felicia's frustration mounts as it appears that the crowd has never heard of the Silver Ravens before she mentioned them. Worse, it looks like her contact is a no-show - three hours, and not a sign of a man wearing a single glove. She sniffs the air around the dottari, finding nothing unusual around the rank-and-file guards. Likewise, the door is unremarkable. Nox, however...she's different. She bears some magical items - her polearm, her chainmail, her cloak. Moreover, there's something unusual about her scent that Felicia can't quite place. Something inhuman. Like sulfur hanging about her.
Three hours have passed, and it's clear to everyone that the crowd's tenor is increasingly hostile. Three minutes after the fourth hour, the bells at the Church of Asmodeus begin to peal - once, twice, thrice. A moment later, some large windows on the third floor swing open, and a curtain parts, revealing an imposing man dressed in red, orange, and black clothing and an ornate breastplate, all emblazoned with the pentagram of Asmodeus and the Chelish cross. Middle-aged, with short, dark hair and a diabolical mace cradled in his left hand and a glass of deep red wine in his other, there can be no mistaking who stands above Aria Park.
Barzillai Thrune has finally graced Kintargo with his presence.
The gathering swiftly grows quiet as he clears his throat. "Ah, my adoring little chickadees. I am sorry to say I have not yet adapted to your quaint, country ways, being accustomed as I am to the sophistication and learning of Egorian. Nonetheless, know I have heard your concerns, and that I appreciate your valued feedback, and I know we shall eventually find a mutual understanding in the fullness of time. I take pride in updating Kintargo's quaint, outdated laws to the modern standards the city deserves, and strengthening its ties with the empire in these cruel times, but obviously I have approached my duties too aggressively.
"You say you chafe at the presence of nonnatives in positions of power? That authorities not of this city have no place as its leaders? That you will not be yoked by intruders? Your Lord-Mayor hears you! And so, it is with a heavy heart that I issue this Eighth Proclamation, in response to your demands: all ships' captains are hereafter barred from leaving their vessels and setting foot on Kintargo docks or streets, under pain of...let's say...squassation!"
The crowd reacts almost instantly with outrage. Vile insults are shouted up at the Lord-Mayor, and his only response is to sip from his wineglass.
Things are getting out of hand, quickly. This might be the time for the Blue Warlock to make his debut appearance...
He's trying to provoke the crowd, Lubella thought to herself. As soon as trouble breaks out, the Dotarri will attack. A lot of people will be hurt, or even killed! She thoroughly despised this despot. The thought of the torture that she had just heard about outraged her, but violence under these circumstances would not lead to anything good.
Lubella knew she wasn't supposed to get involved, but she couldn't allow what she saw as the impending one-sided bloodshed to unfold without trying to stop it. She looked for signs of troublemakers in the crowd who might want such a confrontation.
Felicia's tail puffs up and she bares her slightly elongated canines. Thrune was probably trying to incite the crowd to do something stupid. The phrase that best describes Felicia's part in this situation would be Hook, line and Sinker. She tears her falcata from its scabbard and holds it in the air. Felicia starts looking for something to throw at the window and beckons the others to do the same.
Amideo pushes through the crows to someplace out of sight and turns his robe inside out, revealing the cerulean outfit of the Blue Warlock. He says to himself, "Now or never Arcos. Let's give Kintargo a hero to believe in." He dons the blue eye mask and electricity crackles at his fingertips. He steps out of his cover, smirks, and yells, "The Blue Warlock makes his appearance! Barzillai Thrune, you're in for a shock!" He points his finger at the governor and fires a crackling arc of lightning, allowing it to dissipate before it reaches the sneering tyrant.
Another edict, another that will impact the flow of gold through this town. Ship captains can't come ashore, they can't parcel out their wares. He's killing Kintargo economically.
Merchants of Kintargo! House Thrune is taking action to kill your gold flow! First he bans simple things like teas and mint, now the ship captains you rely on to ferry wares and bring treasures from afar aren't allowed to set foot in the city! Now is the time to RISE! RISE UP! Free market now! Kintargans to lead Kintargans! That's the way!
She stalks around her little gathering, pausing to shake her stick into the air to punctuate her arguments.
RISE UP! RISE UP! RISE UP! she chants, her heart soaring.
Amalie whips the merchants into a frenzy, and echoes of "RISE UP!" ring from her section of the crowd. Felicia notes a discarded meat pie on the ground, grabs it, and throws it. It doesn't quite reach the opera house window, nor does Arcos' bolt of lightning, but it does embolden the crowd to stoop for rocks and mud, throwing them up at Barzillai. As the crowd turns ugly, Lubella notes something that chills her blood - there are more than a few men and women wearing red and black leather armor under their cloaks, and have concealed cudgels as well. Worse, each of these individuals has a perverse joy about the turn of events, as if they were waiting for this response.
Just as she's noting this fact, one of the protesters stoops to grab a handful of horse manure, and arcs it up at Barzillai. Up, up it flies, on course to connect with the Lord-Mayor...
...and misses, connecting with the wall a foot or so to the left.
However, the sudden impact and sound startles him, and the wine spills from his glass, staining the front of his embroidered robes red. Any hint of amusement drains from his face, and his face turns scarlet in indignation. "Enough of this!", he shrieks, throwing the glass back at the crowd. "NOX! Run them off, arrest them, or kill them! I don't care which!" He slams the windows shut and pulls the curtains tight. Below, Nox smirks. "You heard the order of your Lord-Mayor! By his order, pacify these unruly subjects!" The dottari pull their weaponry and begin advancing into the crowd.
"Cheliax eternal!", comes a shout from within the protest, as the men and women Lubella noticed throw off their cloaks and pull their own weaponry. In addition to their weapons and armor, they bear iron manacles and a bronze pendant of the Chelish cross around their necks. "Chelish citizens for a Chelish Kintargo!", they shout, striking at the protesters as well, though they seem to be striking to subdue rather than kill...for now.
Initiative:
As the protest becomes a riot, many of the citizens flee the scene, making progress around the area difficult. The dottari strike at any citizens that offer resistance, but the unexpected resistance has delayed an organized response. Nearer to the four of you, four Chelish Citizens' Group thugs spot you, and move to engage through the crowd, pushing and punching their way past other protesters. "Obey Thrune! Or suffer!"
Aww, crap - here we go. Lubella drew her scimitar and moved to challenge one of the thugs, covering the escape of ordinary citizens. "Leave the people alone!", she ordered the brute, who towered above her.
The b@stard Thrune shows his true colors. He cares not for Kintargo, only that Thrunian rule over Cheliax lasts eternal. The people are primed and ready.
Amalie squats down, picking up a handful of pebbles, dumping them into her pocket. Keeping three in hand, she whispers quickly over her palm.
Felicia points her Falcata at a thug, giving the rest a moment to step aside. "You think this is funny you piss-for-brains pile of manure!?"
Felicia charges at the thug, narrowly dodging people, and lunges with the point of her blade at his belly.
If that is higher than the melee atk roll against me:
and if that hits normally:
Arcos summons up a fist full of crackling lightning, releasing at the Chelish goon near the fountain. His bolt arcs through the air, striking the thug. "Ha! The Blue Warlock strikes fear into the hearts of the Chelish oppressors. Come fellow revolutionaries, let us fight for freedom!"
As the riot continues, someone from the crowd throws a knife at the Nox. It hurtles through the air, and the woman reacts far too slowly to get out of the way. It catches her directly in the throat, and her eyes widen in shock. She goes down to a knee, clutching at the blade.
Amalie stoops for a stone, breathing magic into them, completing her ritual just before one of the Chelish Citizens' Group members finally makes his way before her. His swing is measured, and that intent to take her alive rather than kill her means she's able to scrabble away from the blow.
Lubella's foe looms over her, raising his truncheon high. "You need to be taught your place, slip!", he cries, trying to subdue her as well, which she easily parries with her scimitar.
The thug that the Blue Warlock blasted with lightning cries out in pain as electricity courses through his body, and for a moment it looks like he might turn, but he grabs his Chelish cross tightly in his free hand, gripping it for strength. "For Cheliax!", he cries, rushing the vigilante. He does not show the same restraint against the Blue Warlock as his compatriots did to Amalie and Lubella, and he catches the crimefighter in the shoulder.
Felicia cuts a red line across the thug's chest, and his face goes red with fury. "Cut me, will you, wench?", he shouts, changing up his grip to maximize his grip. "Try this on for size!" He feints, trying to strike her in the head, and it's a well-placed blow. It would easily have struck her, had she not parried it with her falcata. She beats the man's mace away, her blade arcing back around to cut a cross into the man's chest. He drops his mace as his armor is not slick with his own blood, and he staggers back a few feet. "P-please, mercy," he says, clutching his hands to his chest.
Screams of horror direct your attention back to the front of the opera house. Nox has risen, the blade still in her throat. She grabs it by the hilt, and pulls it out with a swift motion. The bloody wound in her neck swiftly heals, leaving only her fresh blood as evidence that she was ever harmed. "Fine, you want to play it that way?", she bellows, and retreats into the opera house proper. The dottari continue to pacify the crowd.
Lubella began to whirl, performing the intricate, spinning dance favored by the Cult of the Dawnflower in her native Katapesh. Suddenly, she lashed out with her scimitar, her angular momentum adding to the force of the swing. Because the man had not aimed to kill, she struck with the flat of her blade. "My place is protecting the people," she replied.
"Who's next!?" Felicia Points her bloodied Falcata at the nearest thug and gives a sadistic grin.
"Run away little mousy!" It wasn't her best work, but she was at least dripping the blood of his defeated buddy.
With a speed that shocks the scarlet-and-black clad thug, Lubella connects a powerful blow with her scimitar's flat. Perhaps he thought her easy prey - after all, you always have the high ground against a halfling - but he clearly didn't figure in her natural advantages - namely, being waist high places them in a position to strike tender nerve endings. His eyes bug out and he drops his cudgel, falling to the ground clutching his groin from the grievous blow.
Felicia levels her blade at the thug menacing Amalie, who looks at how expertly she dealt with his compatriot, and she notices his club tremble in his grip.
Arcos summons up a fist fill of lightning, sending a short burst at the thug near him.
Amalie smiles as she watches the club tremble. Taking a step back she switches two of the pebbles to her left hand and whips the other one at the man.
Arcos lashes out at the thug before him with his lightning, eliciting a scream as the man falls, his body twitching as the electricity ripples through him.
Amalie throws a pebble at the thug, hitting him square in the chest. He reacts as though punched, doubling over as the small stone knocks the wind out of him.
The sole remaining thug looks between Felicia and Amalie for a moment before deciding the lame woman must be an easier target, even if she has magic powers, and follows her escape. "Drop yer stones and beg for yer life, ye ungrateful wretch!", he spits, connecting hard against her bad leg.
While Felicia's attention is turned to the other thug, her foe takes this moment to push his way into the crowd. "Out of my way!", he shouts, remembering a moment too late that he was trying to take advantage of the catgirl's focus elsewhere.
As the riot continues, a pair of dottari make their way towards your group. "In the name of the Lord-Mayor, stand down or you will be dealt with as rioters!" They approach the four of you, weapons drawn and have a look of grim determination.
Lubella turned around just in time to see a thug beating a young woman. By her reaction, it looked like the villain was trying to kill her! Lubella danced over, spun and struck at the scarlet and black clad man. This time, she did not hold back; however, she mistimed her attack and swung wide. "Repent, or I will strike you down!", she cried.