Marikel glances at Alicia but rushes through the curtain to where he last saw the retreating half-orc.
If he can't take a swing at the figure, he commands the half-orc to approach.
Marikel barrels through the curtain and collides with something solid and living.
Frowning as he realises that the arcane talent he desires is firmly lodged in writing not within his mind, but within his spellbook, Vhailor harrumphs and shuffles side to side.
Marikel barrels through the curtain and collides with something solid and living. As he stumbles backward, he slashes through the curtain with his longsword, opening a jagged hole but failing to contact the half-orc on the other side.
As Daktani falls, Skyreaver lands next to Dorn and lets out a shriek before nudging him with his head.
Skyreaver alights on the straw-strewn floor to examine the fallen dwarf with concern.
Seeing Daktani drop, Alicia turns her full attention to the half-orc nearest to her again. With a snarl, she stabs at him again.
The point of Ali's rapier fails to penetrate the half-orc's leather armor.
Now flanked by fallen foes, the blood-soaked Kaleb figured the fastest way for Dorn to get help was to free up Marikel. He moved in beside the heavily armoured man and lent his rapier to the assault, the tip piercing both curtain and foe.
Kaleb joins Marikel by the torn curtain and threads his rapier neatly through the hole and into the half-orc's torso.
The half-orc fighting Alicia suddenly ducks and dodges, taking off down the long room toward the exit.
The half-orc behind the torn curtain stumbles back into the darkness and out of sight.
The point of Ali's rapier manages to catch the fleeing half-orc under the arm as he tries to break away. Bleeding heavily, he stumbles in his way, just managing to stay on his feet.
Marikel looks over his shoulder at Dorn and mutters a quick prayer for him to Iomedae.
He then heads through the torn curtain after the retreating half-orc.
Marikel rushes through the curtain to find himself in a small, dark bedroom, lit only by the light from Kaleb's torch filtering through the curtain. He almost stumbles onto a low bed raised off the floor on a wooden frame, covered with a straw tick and an old blanket. The back of the room is suffused in gloom; the priest can't see what might be beyond the bed.
Alicia chases down the fleeing half-orc and skewers his kidney from behind.
Alicia runs after the fleeing half-orc and finishes the job. He slides off the blade of her rapier to the floor in a limp heap.
Vhailor stands blinking with alarm, staff clenched in hand as one of the foes rushes towards him only to be lanced by Alicia from behind and slide bleeding off her blade and onto the ground. He wombles forward to before Alicia, looking past her and to where Dorn lies recumbent and tended by Skyreaver. Calling upon the gift of the gab that was offered to him by his Gnomish heritage, he shivers before communicating towards the bird with a strange screeching and lilting tone...
The bird looks up at the gnome with a glittering eye.
Kaleb sweeps open the curtain with one arm, allowing the torchlight to illuminate the room beyond. The far end of the room can now be seen in dim light, revealing a closed door to the left of the bed's head. The halfling quickly scans the room but sees no sign of the half-orc.
Marikel rushes to the closed door and opens it, still keeping an eye out for anything suspicious in the room.
Marikel maneuvers around the bed and pulls open the door to reveal a musty and very cluttered storage space, full of broken lumber, piled rugs and blankets and other debris.
Recalling that Daktani was wanted alive, Alicia goes over to investigate his vital signs.
Still croaking and screeching away, Vhailor tips his head by way of a questioning expression.
Alicia leans down over the fallen half-orc a little nervously lest he be only playing dead and suddenly lunge up at her. She hasn't picked up much of the healing arts living at the mission with the priests, but she's pretty sure that Daktani is still breathing.
Kaleb takes a look over his shoulder where Alicia is checking Daktani's vitals and Vhailor is having a conversation with the bird. "Looks like we're in no hurry," he suggests to Marikel. "He has to be here somewhere, or there's a door we're not finding. You check in there; I'll check out here in the room." He turns back to Vhailor and Alicia. "Be ready, in case he gets past us. He'll be headed for one of the doors."
Marikel and Kaleb cautiously search the room and the closet, their weapons at the ready. Eventually, Kaleb carefully crouches down to look under the bed, to find the missing half-orc staring back at him with wide eyes. His body tenses up a moment, trying to decide whether he should jab at the halfling with his short sword or try to crawl out the other side of the bed and break for the exit, but he seems to calculate that the odds are not in his favor if he continues to oppose the party. Instead, he slides his sword across the floor toward Kaleb and displays his open and empty hands in surrender as best he can in the limited space between the floor and the bed frame.
"Give me a moment," Marikel requests moving back to stand in the doorway.
Keeping his companions in sight, he calls down the blessings of Iomedae on his battle weary companions... and their captives.
"Any of you scum try anything, I won't be bringing you back next time."
Dorn's body jolts and his eyes flutter open. Shaking his head and pulling himself up off the ground, he looks around a moment to take in the scene. "Did we win?" he asks, grabbing his hammer and shield. He then looks to his bird friend who's staring at him, blinking. Skyreaver then all of the sudden lets out another shrill cry which startles the dwarf. Grinning, he scratches him on top of his head. "I'm alright, buddy, I'm alright. Well, I'm still breathin' anyway. That fellow there blasted me good," he nods toward Daktani.
Daktani comes to with a groan as the positive energy surges through the room, and the other male half-orc's wounds close some, though he does not regain consciousness. Urnsul does not move.
Popping his neck side to side, Dorn jumps to attention as he sees Daktani move. "We got us a live one!" he alerts the others. "Should I put him down! Just give the word and I'll smash him good!" he claims as he readies his hammer to bring it straight down on his head. He then relaxes a moment and loses himself in thought. "Ya know, come ta think of it, I pretty much owe him if ya be needin' the truth on it," he says as a matter of fact. "He did smash me pretty good. But I'll still be waitin' for 'the word'!" he states emphatically, immediately returning back to readied form. "Any word'll do now. 'Go'. 'Smash'. 'Swing'. 'Bird'. 'Rock'. 'Ahem'. 'Sunspots'. I'm not picky." He then raises his hammer and looks around at the others, waiting for the 'word'.
Alicia scowls at Dorn. "Wait," she says. "We need him alive...for the moment, at least."
She retrieves her hopeknife from where she had thrown it. The rogue sheathes the blade, then returns to stand over Daktani, rapier still drawn.
"Remove their gear," Marikel orders. "And get some rope to tie them up. Once they're secure I'll heal us again."
Marikel eyes the unconscious half-orc disdainfully. "And maybe their friend as well."
Smiling and making screeching sounds one last time, Vhailor points enthusiastically at Dorn.
Kaleb takes the time to find a safe place to set the torch, away from the thatch in the roof and the straw on the floor, and produces a length of silk rope.
Marikel coaxes the half-orc out from under the bed with his sword, relieves him of his gear and settles him with the other captives.
"Explain yourselves!"
Alicia scowls at Dorn. "Wait," she says. "We need him alive...for the moment, at least."
She retrieves her hopeknife from where she had thrown it. The rogue sheathes the blade, then returns to stand over Daktani, rapier still drawn.
Dorn stares at the human girl a moment before creating a scowl of his own. Speaking through a puckered mouth, "Why are we lookin' like thish, lass? Ya know, yer fache might get shtuck like thish if ya do it too much. And I mean like thish," he points at his own face before breaking into a grin. "And ya don't want it ta get stuck lookin' like me, lass," he says, chuckling. His eyes then cut to the ceiling in thought as he strokes his beard. "Although, I am a fairly good-looking fellow. I'll confess, ol' Dorn here has had an ol' flame or two back in his day. And a might pretty ones if ya don't mind me sayin'. Well, not as pretty as yerself, lass, but close," he nods, sighing deeply as he recollects.
After a moment, he looks around at the others as if waiting for something. "What were we talkin' about? Or suppose ta be doin' again? Oh yeah! Takin' this one's stuff. Got it."
"Remove their gear," Marikel orders. "And get some rope to tie them up. Once they're secure I'll heal us again."
Marikel eyes the unconscious half-orc disdainfully. "And maybe their friend as well."
As he takes Daktani's weapon first and foremost, he pauses a moment and looks back toward the healer. "Ya know, lad," he starts, speaking in a very polite tone, "ya might want ta practice throwin' in a 'please' in there some where. You'd be amazed at the difference it makes," he nods in a matter of fact way. He then cuts a glance toward Alicia before placing a hand to cover the side of his mouth that she's nearer in an attempt to whisper valuable information to the healer. "Plus, the nice guy always finishes first with the ladies!" he whispers pathetically far too loud, grinning confidently with a nod to match as he glances back over her way again, absolutely positive she never heard.
After an awkward moment that he never catches, "Oh right! The stuff. I keep forgetting." He finally turns his attention to the half-orc and removes any and all items that deem threatening. Once done, he gives a good shove to Daktani. "Alright, lad, now that you got nothin', yer not so tough now are ya? Are ya?!" He gives him another shove. "Yeah I didn't think so. Try anythin' foolish and I'll be takin' ya down again. Ya got that? Do ya?!" He gives him another shove, winking at the others thinking he's got this guy pretty scared.
Having already confiscated the hiding half-orc's blade, Marikel takes a case with 7 crossbow bolts in it; the crossbow is on the floor near the curtain where the man dropped it to draw his blade. He is carrying a roll of tools like Alicia's, 5 assorted vials, and a medium-sized yellow gemstone and is wearing leather armor.
Dorn demands Daktani's weapons. Besides the morningstar which fell from the half-orc's grip when he fell, he has a shortsword and a bandolier of five daggers. He has well-worn leather armor. His pack contains 2 vials, a crowbar, a garnet, a purse full of coins, a pot of ointment, and two bags: one medium-sized and lumpy, and one palm-sized and firm.
Vhailor empties the pockets and pouches of the unconscious half-orc. In addition to the short sword he dropped when he fell, he is carrying a case of 9 crossbow bolts. He is wearing unremarkable leather armor and has a roll of picks and tools of various sizes tied up in a neat bundle. He is also carrying 5 vials of various sizes, only one of which has a magic aura, and a small and rough but beautiful blue-green stone.
Alicia checks Urnsul's body. A warhammer lies near her hand where it fell, and the match to the twisted nail earring discovered in the basement of the Howling Hound is in her lobe. She has a light crossbow and a full case of 10 crossbow bolts. She is dressed in the very nice studded leather armor that was in the closet in her room at the Howling Hound and a cloak. She is carrying three vials, a rough stone, and a purse of 7 gold coins.
"Explain yourselves!"
Daktani and the other half-orc exchange surly glances. "Explain what?" Daktani mumbles recalcitrantly.
"You heard the man!" he gives Daktani another shove, "Explain yourself!" He then holds a hand up to give pause to everyone, "Please," he says with a nod, showing the healer how much of a difference that makes. Grinning proudly, he loses himself in thought a moment before a questioning look forms. Looking back over at Marikel, "Um, that's actually a pretty good question. What is it exactly he needs ta explain?"
Alicia gently removes the twisted-nail earring from Urnsul, taking care not to tear her ear. She holds it up to Daktani's sight. "What this means, for starters," she says.
He scowls and ducks his head. "Don't know. Just some jewelry. Why? You looking for a matching set?"
This draws a chuckle from the other half-orc who, despite his earlier surrender, seems to be drawing courage from Daktani's conscious presence. "Hey, preacherman, your girlfriend wants some jewelry," he duhs at Marikel.
Marikel blushes at Dorn's suggestion, tries to look indignant and is about to bluster something when Dorn returns to Daktani.
Marikel joins him and stands over Daktani, ignoring the other half-orc.
"Kerst Grath is dead because of you. You have lied to these people about hidden wealth in old mines and now your so called lover is also dead. We know you're working with trolls. Why don't you tell your expendable friends what you're really up to."
The other half-orc has the good grace to look shocked at Marikel's accusations. He looks questioningly at Daktani.
"Captain Grath and the Council are always happy to pin anything on me ... or any other half-orc they can blame," he snaps defensively. "Working with trolls, am I? Why not giants? Why not demons? Wouldn't that be a better story, to paint me ... us as the bad guys?" He meets his companion's gaze with a sardonic smirk. "Everyone knows a half-orc can't get a fair shake in Trunau."
The other half-orc is partially bolstered by Daktani's denials, but his trust appears to be wavering.
Without saying anything Vhailor shuffles slightly forward to place himself within Daktani's field of view. He holds there a moment with Carbonel sitting proud and regal upon his shoulder before cocking his head to one side. Whispering words in the dark tongue of the devils "Et tenebras ligare" his lenseless glasses tinge from clear to deep midnight. He gestures with one hand and from the tips of his fingers tendrils of hungry shadow flow and sweep to envelop Daktani whole within them.
The shadows are fleeting cold to the touch, leaving goosebumps of chilled skin where they constrict and draw tight to the half-orc. For a span of seconds that stretch the tenebrous ropes choke Daktani's motion, rendering his movements tight and constrained. The shadow envelops the half-orc's head like an executioner's hood - robbing him of natural sight and pressing lightly but noticeably upon his neck. Then as soon as the shadows had gripped they fade from view with a noiseless sigh, dissipating into the air and leaving nary a trace nor figment of their presence behind.
Vhailor's spectacles ease from midnight black back to transparent and clear, leaving the gnome looking at Daktani with neutral though curious expression. He holds the gaze another few seconds before turning to Marikel slowly, offering a slight wink before turning back to Daktani and adding in disconcertingly upbeat vocals "A sip of the draught... please continue the way that you are and I'll be able to see you drink deeply." smiling and pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. Carbonel yawns silently upon his shoulder and begins to lick at a paw.
Marikel's eyes open wide and he takes a step back before catching Vhailor's wink and regaining his composure. His disapproving frown settles back in place.
"A half-orc can't get a fair shake in Trunau when you have killed those that do the right thing. Despite the many fine upstanding half-orcs that work hard to keep Trunau alive in these harsh lands, you ally with a flood troll. We captured the creature and it admits to working with you. I'm sure, despite its stupidity, it will easily point you out. To what twisted aim and where is its other half. Flood trolls always work in pairs."
Alicia continues to glower silently in the background, ready to use the point of her rapier at the slightest provocation.
The other half-orc seems no less disturbed by Vhailor's display than is Daktani. "I... I don't know anything about trolls or Kerst Grath," he protests. "We were just prospecting. He said he found an old map of the Sawyer lode and didn't think it was played out!"
"Is that why you were chatting with Councilor Sawyer in an alley the night of the Hopeknife ceremony?" Alicia asks, not clarifying which 'you' she is referring to.
The second half-orc looks questioningly at Daktani, whose face twists scornfully. "You think Sawyer would be caught dead talking to me?" he asks. "In an alley at night or in the Commons at high noon, he's not going to waste his breath on me. I've never talked to the man."
Alicia smirks. "Liar. I saw you talking to him myself."
"We were just prospecting. He said he found an old map of the Sawyer lode and didn't think it was played out!"
Marikel turns his disapproval to their other captive.
"I am even more disappointed that you would try to murder us for mere wealth. There isn't any. Kerst Grath discovered Daktani working with this troll and it cost him his life. Kerst's body was placed below the cliff and Daktani tried to make it look like suicide. We tracked down the troll and it's already confessed to working with Daktani. Tell us everything unless you want to join your fate to this murderer."