Callanniel hears as the smoke is being released and also smells it. "So... you are counting on reducing the visibility of a blind warrior? Not you best plan..." With quick moves, Callanniel steps forward and starts to rotate his branched spear, striking enemy after enemy.
Callanniel steps forward once more, surprisingly quite accurate with his attacks, even with his condition.
Cal lets loose with a flurry of blows, taking opportunities as the present themselves. The final member of the Red Fang Squad falls, leaking like a sieve.
The man's mask has slipped and his fine elven features are contorted in a rictus of pain. Blood bubbles at the corner of his mouth and his coughing and gasping are audibly getting weaker.
I can... I can heal..."
He struggled against the effects of the tanglefoot bag in vain.
He closed his eyes and focused trying to concentrate hard enough to reach the small berries in his pocket and infuse them with healing energies... he was just about.....His shoulders slumped as the magic seeped away from them.
Callanniel drops his guard at the sound of the last enemy hitting the ground reach his ears. "I think they are alone and none of their companions know about their location... it would be wise if we manage to tie them, tend their wounds and bring them to a safer and hidden location." Without moving his head, Callanniel continued. "I'm afraid I'm useless to the task of finding an abandoned warehouse though..."
Any sees the bag being thrown at him, and backflips out of the way.
Or so he thinks, as the bag catches his ankle at the height of his flip, throwing him off-balance. The resin in the bag congeals around his feet, pinning his legs to the ground.
He grinds his teeth in frustration, and slams his fist upon the ground. Thankfully, by the time he has collected himself, combat seems to be over. He begins hacking at the glue with his cutlass.
Maeglin looks over at Nilelane.
"Frankly I'm as surprised as you are!
The man's breathing becomes heavier and more liquid as he falls unconscious. His wounds continue to pump his life away from his body as Nilelane helps Corrin burst free from his bonds then quickly does the same for Any.
The moment he was freed he moved rapidly, rushing to theat side of the dying bandit and his hands moving like a blur to staunch the wounds.
Corrin's quick motions and rapid assessment of the damage allows him to quickly and effectively staunch the life threatening wounds. The man's breathing eases, though the pain does not leave his face. He remains unconscious.
Looking closer at the bodies you do notice that the studded leather armor has distinctive patterns of teeth and blood and is beautifully made. Among the bodies you find:
- 4 potions Cure Light Wounds
- 8 flasks of acid
- 3 smokesticks
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 4 suits Red Fang armor
- 4 shortswords
- 20 daggers
- 4 sets of thieves' tools
- 3 tindertwigs
- 96gp
Anyborthelos examines the items recovered, and casts Detect Magic upon the group.
The men don't have anything strange about their features. In fact if you passed these elves on the streets you probably wouldn't be able to notice anything peculiar about them at all. The only things glowing are the potions.
"The only thing magical are the potions!"
Any points them out.
"Take what you guys want or need, I'm good as is."
"I wouldn't turn down a potion but I'm not much with weapons these days. I think it far more important that we take this person and find out what we can."
Callanniel approaches the one that Corin treated and put him on his shoulder. "Let's move... we are testing our luck here. At any moment we are risking to more enemies or the guard to appear and neither will help our cause... if you can't find an appropriate place for us to interrogate them, we could take advantage of a shady alley to hide for now while I send Aerya to deliver a message to our gnome friends. I believe they would be able to help us to smuggle these men to a safe place." Saying this, Callanniel calls for Aerya.
"That's a good idea, Callaniel, but I think we could use Nilelane's idea as well. Send word, and let's head underneath the city and walk the halls of our fathers while we wrest truth. It seems a fitting first step on our journey."
Aerya takes wing and is off into the night. The group stays together looking over the deceased and the one captive remaining. The night deepens more allowing the continual flames from the temple to stand out in brighter relief.
Gathering the bodies, both living and dead, is not difficult, but walking them down the streets and back towards the remembered sewer grate is no small feat. Luckily you appear to get there without incident, though Nilelane is still out scouting.
What the others didnt take for their own need he gathered as best he could in his pack. After all, maybe it was important or they could get lucky and it could be like a clue or something if their prisoner didnt talk.
I hope Nilelane is okay, was it a good idea for her to scout like that? what with their being evil cultists about?"
He asked concerned.
"Miss I can't say what the Nymph does or does not like, no one has seen her since she arrived. I shouldn't be telling you this, but for your own safety, yes, there was another attack. From the reports the victim has died from his wounds. I need to get back to the squad now, but I should walk you back to your abode."
After giving the directions he rushes back to his fellow guard.
Maeglin's face darkened. He indicated the prisoner.
"Then I am suddenly far less inclined to treat this person charitably."
From above you hear the flapping of wings and you see Aerya come soaring out of the sky before alighting on Cal's shoulder. Pulling off the note attached to her leg it reads:
Corrin and friends,
Glad to hear you are still doing well and that you have not been eaten. Unfortunately because of tonight's attack my father was called into an emergency Council session and will be away tonight and possibly through tomorrow as well. Should your captive still be alive (and he should considering all the training Corrin and I went through), I think we can find a place for him to be held, but not likely until tomorrow when all of the guards have left the streets for the night. I hope you can find somewhere to keep him for the night, but feel free to come back yourselves to rest.
Yours,
Olivio
P.S. I really like your bird
P.P.S. I swear there won't be two ropes this time
Oh no that sound terrible... let me help you with that miss Nilelane.
He said half awkwardly stepping behind her and helping with his weight to put more pressure on the grate.
With the grating sound of stone on metal Nilelane and Corrin are able to pop the grate out of its housing and open up the way to the undercity. Without the grate in place you smell the musty air from the shadows down below.
"Down to the sewers, I suppose!"
The torch falls about 15 feet before landing with a clatter. The sides of the grate reveal that there are some rusty bars shoved into the wall nearby.
Nilelane notices that the top 2 rungs are structurally unsound and liable to break once weight is put on them. She doesn't see a way to reinforce them in a safe fashion, but they can be skipped on the way down.
The man being carried begins groaning as he starts coming to, but the pain is too much for him and he remains unconscious.
He followed her down less expertly of course with the care taken on the rungs, but he was ready to catch bodies and drag them clear when need be. He took out one of the small berries he had planned to magically turn into healing energy and cast light on it, so they could better see what they were doing besides just the torch.
Maeglin struggled down, far less graceful than his fellows.
Before moving down and following his companions, Callanniel whispers. "I'll come down in a second... please, clear the area bellow so I can toss them down, feet first to avoid breaking their heads in a grizzly way."
Once he hears the confirmation, he tosses the corpses down, paying close attention to measure how much time it takes for them to hit the ground. He then follows them with careful with a graceful landing.
Any follows Nilelane's lead, and skips the bottom few rungs on the way down. He helps move the bodies away from the ladder as they fall down the hole. Once cleared, he calls up to Callanniel.
"The corpses are cleared, come down!"
With the grate in place this particular corridor is dimly lit by the lights peeking through. Because of the lighting it is difficult to tell but the corridor appears made from hewn stone with a small runoff stream moving sluggishly through the center of it. The corridor is otherwise 15 feet high as well as across. From the point under the grate the corridor heads both north and south.