Ezkal finishes his drink and thumps some coins into a pile. "Well now, where's your sneaky one when we need him to scout?" he belched to his brother
I don’t like this. One man, trying to fight two Thelkonlanders? Perhaps I am just a paranoid old man.
The wizard makes no move for the door, and stares absently at his cup, deep in thought. He addresses the barkeep in a low voice. “I worry that I will be met with violence if I step outside. Is there another exit I might use?”
"Well, wizened one, how do you want to proceed?" Ezkal burped as he peered out the window.
The elder shrugs, shaking his head at his own worries. "The man wants to fight, and it is not often we have the power to give a person what they want. Oblige him, but do so carefully. I will follow you, to watch for any schemes afoot."
Thaegrin glances around the tavern, hoping that the others are ignoring them now that the large Erenese left. He pointedly meets the eyes of a few patrons to suggest that they return to their drinks.
Damn. The ale-soaked sailor slowly turns and makes his way towards the recently-vacated tavern. Stopping in the shadows twenty feet from the angry man he casually leans into the dark.
"Well brother? Do you want the honor to lead on?" Ezkal motioned to the front door looking at his brother.
With a massive grin, Tholan rises. "It looks like our friend will get that fight he was craving after all. Let's try to avoid damaging the exterior here, I'd like to come back some time." With a wink, he moves toward the door, taking mental note of his weapons, and trying to keep track of where their 'friend' was outside.
Anga relaxes a bit as he awaits his companions outside the tavern. Casually letting his gaze flow back and forth down the street his eyes alight once more on the man sitting before the bars entrance. Awful calm. Checking once more to see that none were looking at him, the liar in the shadows takes a moment to scrutinize the big Erenese drunk.
Ezkal drapes his offhand arm over his brother's shoulder. "Tholan, let's go out the front door pretending we're drunk. Should throw off whatever foes we have lurking out there when they jump two 'drunkards' only to find us fully ready for battle".
Making a quick decision Anga starts tumbling forward mumbling under his breath. Making his way back into the bar he spots Thaegrin and makes a show of draping his arms over the distinguished wizard. "Heeeeey!" He slurs before embracing the old adviser fully, lowering his voice he attempts to whisper so that only Variel can hear him. "Acest om nu e cine pare pentru mine, el este dorința de a forța această confruntare. Eu cred că el ar putea fi un asasin. Deși eu nu știu cine ar putea să-l angajat, am presupuneri mele. Aș sugera prudență extremă." Pulling back, he squints into Thaegrins face stupidly. "Oh, you ain't him!" Again staggering off he makes his way to the lavatory.
Once in the relief room he pulls out his rapier and a small flask of dark ichor. Uncorking it he drizzles the formula down the shimmering blade.
Sheathing the blade he does the same with the adamantine dagger.
Carefully stowing the dagger back in it's wrist sheath the teller of lies moves out to the common room, and back out the door. Swaying down the street humming softly he eventually crosses and backtracks to fifteen feet behind the man with the swords. Finding a particularly dark shadow, he waits.
Tholan nods to his brother, but places a hand on his arm. "A moment, brother. It might be best if I excused myself to the lavatory to prepare. Never fight on a full bladder, eh?" He grins and moves to the restroom. The moment the door is shut, he chants the incantations for Divine Favor and Shield of Faith. He quickly exits the lavatory and moves back to his brother. "I believe it's time."
Thaegrin weakly pushes the muttering drunkard off of him with a look of disgust. When Tholan returns, he gestures the brothers closer, and whispers to them.
“Minulla on syytä uskoa humalaisen rasismi oli teko.Mies siellä on selkeä tarkoitus ja mieli. Luotan, että te kaksi voi kohdata häntä, mutta yritän paljastaa kuka hän työskentelee, ja ehkä yrittää hämmentää hänen aivonsa.”
I have reason to believe the drunken racism was an act. The man out there is of clear purpose and mind. I have every confidence that you two can face him, but I will try to uncover who he is working for, and perhaps try to befuddle his brain.
“Now,” he backs away, with a more audible tone, “you two go. I will be right behind you.”
The wizard sees Tholan’s wisdom in full preparation. “I believe I shall visit the latrine as well.”
Once inside, a silvery light shimmers from his hands as he mutters, as he fades from transparent to invisible.
He exits the bathroom and finds the door to the alley, and sneaks up to where it meets the road.
Spotting the man with two short swords, he begins to mutter and gesture unseen, concentrating his arcane powers to penetrate and read the swordsman’s mind.
Tholan slings his arm over his brother's shoulder, and begins to bellow out a drinking song as he pulls them through the front doors. "Minä kaiken juon minä elämäni juon, Minä naapurin viinatkin juon, Minä palkat juon minä eläkkeet juon, Minä vaimonkin perinnöt juon. Minä asunnot juon minä metsät juon, Minä maat ja mannut juon, Minä raktorin juon minä hevoseni juon, Kissat ja koirat sikana juon. Juon juon minäpoika juon, Minä tykkään olla kännissä, Juon juon minäpoika juon, Tahdon heilua hulluna humalassa."
From his place in the dark Anga thinks back on what he knows of the area. Places, people, names.
"Gorum, you say? Happens I know a bit about Gorum's eternal war. You know NOTHING of an eternal war!" Ezkal shouts at Basher.
Ezkal swings his greatsword off his back straight into a heavy blow.
Thaegrin breaks his concentration, recognizing a time to act. Murmuring in the dark, the arcanist tries to manipulate the large Erenese’s luck.
The old scholar steps back into the dark alley as he feels the invisibility wane.
Tholan grunts in pain, caught off guard by the sudden rush and trip. His combat training kicks in and he hits the ground, trying to roll away. He rises to his feet, chuckling and popping his neck as he rises. "Hah, cowardly bastard! Fight me like a man, not with cowardly tricks like a little girl!"
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Ezkal speaks his litany and as he does, Basher tries to punch the words back down his throat...
...but Ezkal leans away enough and gets the words out. His lean however gave Basher enough space to dodge the snaking sword as it dove for his face.
From the corner of his eye, Basher sees Tholan try to roll away. One of his swords flashes down...
...But Tholan manages to roll out of reach.
Suddenly Basher shakes his head as if to banish the demons within. His eyes scan the area for the source of the magic.
His gaze falls on Thaegrin and a wicked grin falls across his face. "Another race to be well rid of. I will deal with you in short order warlock!"
His eyes snap back to Ezkal and he launches a savage attack at the Ordo Hereticus.
The greatsword spins from Ezkal's grip to land at the Inquisitor's feet. In the split second that he looks to his weapon Ezkal's feet rush out from beneath him and he topples to the ground.
A spirited kick leaps up to meet Ezkal's ribs as he falls...
...But Ezkal covers up with his arms and deflects the blow.
Enraged, Basher throws two quick cuts down at the Thelkonlander's head!..
...but both blows glance off his armor.
Tholan draws his falchion, a grin spreading across his face. He raises his falchion above his head, uttering a loud prayer to help smite his foe.
"Boy, you know not what you're starting here. Gorum's going to enjoy this fight." Ezkal said as he stands and pulls his greatsword into hand.
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"Boy?" Basher looses a sing, scoffing laugh.
Basher plunges a blade toward Ezkal's chest as he stands...
Ezkal's face goes pale as the blade slides between his ribs. The pain is not so terrible, until the blade came out...
Ezkal feels the lower half of his right lung give way and his breath is caught short.
Angry now, Ezkal pulls his weapon back to him. Basher notes the weapon cord for the first time and swings his other sword, attempting to sever it.
The simple leather cord gives way, and Ezkal furiously brings his sword to bear!
Basher starts to turn aside the blow, but, through sheer force of will, Ezkal lands the blow, dealing a mighty cut to the unarmored man.
Basher is clearly shaken to see the full fury legendary to the Thelkonlanders.
Seeing the Thelkonlander take the blow to the chest Anga's mind is made up for him. Quickly stepping forward he draws his blade quietly, examining his opponents back he searches for a spot between the ribs. Almost casually the man in the shadows raises the tip of his rapier and attempts to press it into the oblivious warrior before him, searching for his heart.
The Feraweni remembers where he heard the name “Basher” before as he weaves a stronger invisibility over his body.
Once finished, he steps out into the road, a little closer without endangering himself.
He smirks unseen as he spots a drunkard ably wielding a familiar rapier against the brute.
Tholan raises his falchion and swings it twice with as much force as he can muster.
Thaegrin continues to move, obscuring the source of his voice.
“Weakness,” he booms imperiously, “I see it in your mind, Howland. Yes, I see much and more –many things for which you should be ashamed.”
Ezkal gasps as he feels his life ebbing from the wound.
"Judgement will fall upon you...!" he gasps.
Ezkal hefts his sword again and mutters to Gorum for strength as he swings again.
Attempting to duck away, Anga is nonetheless caught by the man-beasts blade. Grunting from the biting cut Facion pivots low and swings at the tendons of his attackers ankles.