Petronia barks with laughter, "Finally! But you better not let Ner hear you say that unless it's a sure thing. All he'll hear is 'chest open' and then make it happen."
Ner's ears burned ... he assumed it was the cold dry wind.
Petronia barks with laughter, "Finally! But you better not let Ner hear you say that unless it's a sure thing. All he'll hear is 'chest open' and then make it happen."
"Speaking of which, have you seen the little fellow for a while? I hope he hasn't gotten lost."
"I'd say our next visit is the tavern in Charcoal Valley. Sounds like it could be fun extracting info from a shady hole-in-the-wall."
"Yes, that does sound like our best bet. And who knows, perhaps you and Kazmir can put your plan in action after all," the druid chuckled. Besides, all the food was making him a bit thirsty - a tavern would be just the thing.
The three Pathfinders slowly made their way out of the market, and south through the streets of Trollheim. Ner lobbed a nut at Petronia to let her know that he was still with her, then he followed at a distance, keeping an eye on his friends, and also on the youth. The well-bundled Ulfen youth followed Matheus and the others out of the market, but hadn't noticed that Ner was also following her.
Ten or so minutes later, as they moved into a quiet side-street, Ner heard a bird-call that definitely didn't belong in the city. The girl suddenly signalled to somebody on a nearby roof. The halfling ran forward and chucked a handful of nuts, hitting Kazmir soundly in the back of the head. The dwarf spun, and followed Ner's frantic pointing to the roof opposite. Two dark, bundled shapes were visible, leaning out from behind chimneys, crossbows in hand.
Petronia stops in her tracks as something hits her from behind while exiting the market. She sees a nut bounce down onto the ground and she leans down to pick it up and pockets it. She grins and mutters, "Ner is somewhere close. He must have a reason for not joining us. I'd say be on your guard but it could be just as possible that he's chasing squirrels."
As soon as Kazmir lets out a string of curses from Ner's nut assault, the brawler looks upwards and sees the potential threat. Her eyes narrow and she lets out a growl before rushing the building and launching herself up the side. There was no doubt that she wanted to get up close and personal to pummel those who chose to hide behind a crossbow.
Kazmir feels the nuts more as a patter of hailstones then an actual attack and his curse is more of habit then of actual annoyance. Grumbling he rubs the back of his stoneplate helmet and turns. Then he annoyance changes to surprise and then anger as he spots the armed rooftop crossbow men.
Archers. They didn't even dare to come down to the street.
'Petronia, want to throw one down here?"
If anybody takes cover against the wall of the buildings that the archers are on, they'd have to lean way over to shoot straight down. Guess I should have split them up between two roofs. Live and learn!
or
climb DC is 15 - these are made of big rough stones, pretty easy to climb. The girl has no obvious weapons, but you can't see everything due to the thick winter outerwear.
Petronia leaps onto the rough stone wall of the building upon which the archers stood, followed quickly by Ner. The two climb nimbly up the single-story building. Petronia reaches the top and pulls herself over, as Ner continues to climb.
Kazmir stands fuming, hoping Petronia will toss an archer down to him. However, he doesn't need to wait, for two more figures burst through the building's door. Gender is hard to determine, as they're bundled up against the cold, but both are wielding the large battleaxes often favoured by Ulfen folk.
Seeing Matheus, they both make for him, swinging hard. The first greataxe connects solidly into his shoulder, crunching through fur, skin, and the strap holding the chest up. As the chest tumbles to the ground, blood runs down the druid's arm. The second attacker, however, is unable to connect with the bulky druid.
Meanwhile, both archers aim for Kazmir, no doubt hoping to put the dwarf down before he can defend Matheus. Both bolts find their target, one in the dwarf's thigh, the other in his belly, just missing something vital. Both archers then drop their crossbows and draw greataxes, prepared to defend themselves from the brawler.
Nope
Matheus groaned in pain and swallowed a curse as enemies appeared right next to him. There was no way he could call forth minions to fight for him, with enemies already this close, nor was there time to conjure arms and armor for himself either. This, lacking options and time to strategize, he was forced to simply act.
Shouting out the words of an elemental invocation, the druid stomped one foot on the ground as he released a fierce burst of energy into the ground beneath his feet. In immediate response, the ground rumbled and shifted violently under the robbers' feet, throwing them off balance even as they were peppered with chunks of frozen earth and rocks.
Ner scrambled to the rooftop with his sap handle still between his teeth. He quickly drew his little needle of a dagger and tossed it at the closest crossbowman. His aim looked sloppy, he was too much on his guard.
Petronia approaches one of the ambushers with a sneer on her face, "Hiding behind weapons? It's sad when others don't know how to fight without relying on steel."
She lashes out with one of her solid fists, moving herself into position so unleash a greater assault once her prey was within reach.
Save, takes 6 Damage
Fail, take 13 Damage
Matheus stomped with the weight of a minor god, and the street shook and shuddered. One of his two attackers was thrown down onto his belly, and both took a beating from the debris.
Kazmir took advantage of the situation to stomp over and swing Earthbreaker at the prone attacker. Unfortunately, there was too much debris underfoot and he was unable to make contact.
Petronia's punch rattled the brains of her archer, who retaliated with a mighty swing of her greataxe. "Typical southerner," she sneered back. "Too stupid to hold a pencil, much less a weapon, and seeks to make herself feel better by berating her betters." Petronia dodged the blade easily, ready to retaliate.
Ner's little dagger flew away, and the huge Ulfen facing him grinned. "I could crush you under my bootheel," he declared, but decided to chop instead. Alas, his tiny foe was too nimble, and he dodged aside at the last moment.
The two Ulfen on the street shook off the shock of their personalized earthquake, and struck out at their opponents. The prone Ulfen got carefully to his feet, moving sideways away from both Kazmir and Matheus. When he felt himself to be out of the range of the druid's earthquake, he hefted his weapon and prepared to defend himself.
The final opponent, the one who'd kept her feet, lashed out at Matheus with her greataxe, but found herself hampered by the stones underfoot and her swing went wide.
Ner's little dagger flew away, and the huge Ulfen facing him grinned. "I could crush you under my bootheel," he declared, but decided to chop instead. Alas, his tiny foe was too nimble, and he dodged aside at the last moment.
Ner spat out his little little blackjack - a good weapon to sneak up on someone with but it wasn't going to get this job done - and he flicked out his short sword with a little spinning flourish. He made a quick duck hoping his opponent would overextend himself and it only just got him out of the way in time. He could feel his neck hair move to the wake of the axe.
Taking the Ulfen's threat very seriously, Ner drove his sword into the top of the man's boot!
"Not so easy as you thought, eh? Not too late to just run for it," Matheus said in a conversational tone, although he couldn't hide a grimace of pain from his earlier wound. He eyes his remaining opponent, hoping the more martial members of their group could finish off their opponents in time to help him out. His previous spell had been a bit of a two-edged blade, as while it had discouraged one of the muggers and prevented them from making off with the chest - not that they would have found it such an easy thing to carry away had they tried - but it also made it difficult for himself to build enough distance to engage in his favored form of combat.
But the fact remained that he had an enemy right in front of him, and her axe had already tasted his blood once. So the first thing would be to have her part ways with it.
Muttering a quick invocation, the druid touched his wounded arm with his free hand and flicked a few drops of blood at his opponent. But where the blood touched the blade of the axe she reflectively brought to block the droplets, perhaps thinking Matheus sought to blind her with his own blood, the magic took hold and the weapon in her hands heated up as if thrust into a forge, searing her fingers.
Petronia gives a feral grin now that her prey had come close enough to unleash a flurry of blows at her. "I don't have to make myself feel better by pointing out your obvious flaws, I am better. If only because I have more sense than to work for Runa. You can't spend her money if you're dead."
The brawler misses with her first punch but then solidly connects with her second. "And don't even think about running away."
Kazmir adds his own attacks on the would-be ambusher.
Kazmir's Earthbreaker slams into his opponents ribcage, cracking several bones. Gasping in pain, the Ulfen woman folds in half momentarily. Straightening with a cry of pain, she swings her greataxe at the dwarf. However, the weapon is too heavy for her suddenly fragile torso, and her swing goes wide. Dropping the weapon with a curse, she throws herself backwards, trying to avoid a second swing of the hammer. Alas, she was too slow. [ooc]You get an AoO
On the roof, Petronia's opponent reels back as the brawler breaks her nose with a solid blow. Spitting bright blood into the snow, a look of confusion crosses her face. "Who in Gorum's Forge is Runa? Sounds like a Southerner." She doesn't belabour the point, instead bringing the greataxe up and across Petronia's body in an attempt to disembowel her. But an attempt is all it is.
The hefty Ulfen fighting Ner shrieked in pain and outrage as Ner buried his dagger in the man's shin. Staggering backwards, he nearly pulled the handle of Ner's dagger from the halfling's hand. More blood sprayed across the snowy roof, and his boot began filling with blood. "You miserable, filthy little peck. I'll have your head for that!" He swung down, but his bloody boot skidded on the snow, spoiling his blow.
While his opponent was busy cursing, Ner knew he couldn't waist the slightest opening. He spun to the Ulfen's right side slashing his short sword at the back of the cursing brute's right thigh.
I think I sword with a metal hilt wrapped in leather would still get pretty hot. The leather wouldn't give that much protection against red-hot metal. But there's two feet of wood between the great axe head and the wielder's hands.
Here's a rough map. The bad guys are numbered. Matheus and Kazmir are fighting different opponents. Sorry that wasn't clear.
Pass
Pass
Both are dazzled.
OH COME ON
A blast of shimmering light consumes the two axe-wielders on the ground. Both shut their eyes just in time to avoid being blinded, but it avails them naught. The light feels like needles and knives driving into their skin, and though it leaves no mark, it drains them of life. Within seconds both fall to the debris-filled ground, stone dead.
"Looks like I'll need to finish you off quickly so that I can teach your friend some manners. No one threatens my halfling and gets away with it."
Petronia uses her strength and a bit of momentum to wallop the Ulfen woman with two solid fists that feel more like stone than flesh. One crashes into the woman's neck while the other targets her abdomen where many fragile organs reside.
And that will finish her off.
Are you going to call up to the roof and ask them to keep one alive?
Seeing his companions drop around him, Ner's opponent cuts and runs. Ner takes a swipe with his dagger as the man turns around. The halfling opens a long slice along the man's calf, causing him to briefly stumble. If he'd had more rooftop, he might have recovered, but as it was, he was only catching his balance as he tried to jump to the next rooftop. His foot slipped on the slick roof, and he fell crashing to the snowy cobbles behind the building. He painfully began picking himself up, preparing to run for his life.
Blinking his eyes to clear away the bright glare of his own hasty invocation, Matheus stared at the two robbers lying dead at his feet, sorry that things had gone that far. He saw the last remaining foe fall down from the ceiling, land hard on the alley ravaged by his first spell and didn't feel like trying to stop the man. There had been quite enough killing already, and there was little chance of him running the man down.
"Nasty business," he muttered, murmuring a quick blessing for the departed spirits, then took inventory of his own wounds. Painful, but not in need of immediate care. "How do you all fare? Any of you got hurt?"
Petronia takes off after the fleeing coward and launches herself off the roof in pursuit. She lands on her prey, dragging him down in a bear hug.
Ner scoops up his sap and leaps off after Petronia!
Fail
Petronia and Ner leap off the back of the building after the escaping mugger, and out of Matheus and Kazmir's immediate sight. Almost immediately, the sound of shouts and clangs of armour approached from the west. A moment later, and two of the Stadsvakt came hurrying to the scene of the fight. Levelling spears at the two Pathfinders, they cried, "You! Drop your weapons!"
A few townsfolk were coming back out onto the street, now that the Stadsvakt had arrived. A young man shouted out, "Another three are around the back!"
One of the Stadsvakt threw his head back and let out a long, ululating wail - clearly a signal of some kind.
Around the back, Petronia wrestles with the tall Ulfen warrior. He is impeded by his injured foot and leg, and with Ner's help, she's able to pin him to ground. A moment later, she hears an eerie, wail coming from the front of the building.
Petronia hears the odd wail coming from the other side of the building but doesn't let go of the Ulfen who had threatened Ner. In fact, she squeezed all the harder.
Ner tapped Petronia on the heel twice and pulled back quietly into the nearest shadow, brushing the snow as he went.
Matheus and Kazmir - do you drop your weapons? Though I suppose Matheus isn't holding one. Still - what's his response?
Petronia and Ner leap off the back of the building after the escaping mugger, and out of Matheus and Kazmir's immediate sight. Almost immediately, the sound of shouts and clangs of armour approached from the west. A moment later, and two of the Stadsvakt came hurrying to the scene of the fight. Levelling spears at the two Pathfinders, they cried, "You! Drop your weapons!"
"Officers! just in time. These ruffians jumped at us - I guess they followed us from the market yonder and decided to make their play here," Matheus replied, clear relief in his voice as he raised his empty hands, incidentally making sure the officers saw the bloody axe-wound on his arm. "We defended ourselves, of course, and unfortunately these people didn't take the opportunity to run for it or throw down their arms when offered the chance."
The guards looked unconvinced. Both twisted to point their spears at Kazmir, who had refused to drop his weapon. "These two shabby looking locals decided to take you on?" The skepticism in his voice was clear. "Why on earth would you two get jumped?"
"Not just them!" the local boy added, "remember there's two round the back! If they haven't run off yet."
Petronia wrangles the Ulfen and sits on him making sure that he doesn't go anywhere. "You shouldn't have threatened the halfling," she says as she shifts her weight and 'accidentally' grinds her heel into his shin. "Now we wait until my friends join us and we creatively question you. To make it fun, I hope you have a high tolerance for pain."
The guards looked unconvinced. Both twisted to point their spears at Kazmir, who had refused to drop his weapon. "These two shabby looking locals decided to take you on?" The skepticism in his voice was clear. "Why on earth would you two get jumped?"
”Who can tell their motives? We are clearly outsiders, perhaps these lads and lasses thought that would make us good marks – it takes money to travel this far North, and if we had enough for the journey we should have some left to steal. And since we are strangers we might be slow to call to authorities, or at least take a while to figure out where to find you,” Matheus replied. ”Besides, we have this huge ches-“ the druid went on, turning to pat the massive chest he had been carrying all day, only to find it not where he had left it.
”Bones of the earth!” the druid swore, suddenly forgetting the officers as he looked this way and that, trying to figure out where the chest had gone.
Ner hunkered down using whatever natural cover he could find - a bit of trash, a snow drift - with his white wooly sheepskin cloak to do the rest. The best hiders are patient hiders!