"And you stay still!" Magda orders the nearest, non-sleeping wererat (green I think), then returning to keep trying to chant nice things about Marcus to the city, so he can retain its favor.
Marcus this time focuses his assault on Girrigz, but the rat expertly prevents him from gaining any footing.
Yazdi successfully smacks one of the wererats, and Magda freezes the other.
Vera tosses another magic missile at Girrigz, who has no defenses against this attack.
One of the wererats forgoes an attack, and wakes up their ally . The ally springs up quickly .
The held one struggles against the magic.
Girrigz is frustrated and distracted that the little fellow is in his space. Respectfully but annoyed, he sneers ”A new fighting style - you will find I am not so easy to trick, am I. You’ll make a fine wererat.”
Girrigz stabs the halfling through the shoulder, and the former guardsman staggers a moment before falling into a heap. . He turns to strike at Marcus, but misses, and bends down to bite Erasmo but can’t get through his armor.
Magda focuses her cities will once again on stopping another from moving while rambling about the wall's good quality and a few of the other ones for flavor.
Marcus tries once more for Girrigz, not knocking him to the ground but getting through his defenses, smashing one of the standing wererats to the ground, and ends with a flank with Yazi, glaring him down.
Cursing in Shoanti as Erasmo falls, Yaziyah takes a quick step back to avoid a similar fate; clearly, it wouldn't do to underestimate Girrigz! She swings at the wererat leader, hoping that defeating him would cause the others to stand down.
Girrigz tries to deflect Marcus' blow, but ends up being harmed by it.
Yazdi misses on her attack. The wererat that is a target of Magda's spell shakes off the effect.
Vera tosses another magic missile at Girrigz, who has no defenses against the spell.
The wererat closest to Yazi steps forward to attack, trying to distract the oracle.
It distracts Yazdi, but can't follow-through with the attack!
One of the wererats forgoes an attack, and wakes up their ally . The ally springs up quickly . In response, Yazdi swings at them.
The held one struggles against the magic.
The recently freed one takes advantage of the opening to move around and engage Marcus on the other side, but badly misses.
Girrigz snarls, "are you all incompetent?! Stab them!"
Marcus is stabbed by Girrigz's thin blade through the lower arm, and lets his guard down long enough that he's distracted when the wererat's fangs sink into his neck.
Triumphant that he seems to be doing better, he says "lay down your arms! I told you, you will all be spared - though you will see the error of your ways, of course!"
Marcus's eyes stay on Girrigz's weapon. Boastful, talking when he knew talking was over. There was no surrender in these circumstances.
Marcus steeled himself once again, then turned and violently swung at the one flanking him.
Damn it, her weapon had no effect on Girrigz and Erasmo was dying! Cursing again, Yaziyah returns to the halfling's side, her eyes blazing with the restorative power of the spirits.
She then draws her silvered warhammer, standing over her friend and glaring at the wererat leader. "Oh, we've been holding back until now, but no longer."
Magda decides maybe more fortune would be a good idea and starts to talk about all of Yazi's good qualities to the city. The list is bigger than the walls, so takes more of her time.
Vera throws another set of magic missiles at Girrigz, who still has no defenses against the spell.
The wererats closest to Yazi attack, trying to distract the oracle first.
The held one struggles against the magic.
Girrigz can’t get any flanks, but keeps wailing on Marcus, as he is penned in and low on resources.
Girrigz crows, ”how can you stand up to such strength! Join me and we will be stronger than all challengers!” he calls out to Marcus as he parried the mercenary’s blade and brutally stabs him between the slats of his armor, through the stomach, twice, and bites him again on the other side of the neck, ”you are able - and this is a fair offer! Let us see if my bite will help sweeten the deal.”
Marcus stumbles. He was a mountain, an imposing boulder. But he bled through the cracks in his armor, and even through his helmet his labored breathing was audible. The trained rat had danced around, it was like a bear trying to swat a bee; if that bee's sting was a foot long dagger.
Marcus's knee crashes to the ground, his shield raised to protect the fall. He grits his teeth.
Then he launches himself upwards, morningstar coming up with him in a vicious uppercut.
"Maybe if you didn't talk so f#~*in much!" He spit the words out with a spray of blood. If nothing else he managed to get Girrigz covered with blood, even if it was his own.
With Erasmo out of immediate danger, Yaziyah focuses her efforts on the leader, swapping her weapon for the silvered one.
Magda keeps up her discussion with her city, as well as adding a little extra to help everyone out.
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Vera says to Yazdi and Erasmo, "sorry about this!" and sends out a blast of light - another thing which seems to damage the wererat.
Girrigz howls, "WHAT IS THIS TRICKERY, GIRL!?" He flails around, but it's obvious that blinding him was extremely helpful.
The paralyzed one remains paralyzed.
One of the wererats tries to stab at Yazi, but it's obvious that his heart isn't in it. He drops his blade with a clatter and raises, his hands. The other wererats, nervously do the same.
Screaming, Girrigz hears this, and rages
Girrigz seemingly has run out of options - he readies his blade where he remembers Erasmo is and calms himself down, growling, "this one - I will kill him if you do not let me leave. Do not try my patience!"
Marcus breathes heavily, letting his weapon slowly rise. He sees Girrigz's blindness, and a conscious Erasmo. He pauses with the weapon held high and locks eyes with Erasmo, then jerks his head to side, hoping Erasmo gets his meaning.
"Don't be a fool. You can have justice without killing innocent folk." From Yaziyah's tone, she knows more than a thing or two about this particular topic - there are notes of bitterness, remorse and old pain in her voice.
At the same time, she reaches a hand towards Erasmo, ready to heal him if Girrigz carries out his threat.
In soft soothing tones "The city needs people, all people. It wouldn't be it without you and yours, Girzy. Please let him go."
Wounded, Erasmo shifts around, trying to move away from Girrigz's blade.
With Erasmo moving out of the way, Marcus stows his shield, and brings down his morningstar with both hands!
Erasmo rolls out of the way, and Girrigz doesn't notice. On the other hand, Girrigz does hear Marcus move, and stabs downward to where Erasmo was! Yazdi heals Erasmo, who is prone nearby, and Marcus knocks out the wererat boss.
The other wererats put their hands behind their head, other than the one that has been paralyzed and the sleeping one. They look at the party expectantly, waiting for everyone to decide their fates.
With all the misguided wererats tied up or surrendered, Mags asks the city for some extra healing for everyone.
Then she finally makes it back to Flowers. "Sorry that took so long." she tells the sweet otyugh as she gives him her boot. "Why are you down here with them?"
Breathing hard after the fight, the Shoanti puts away her weapons and fixes the wererats still conscious with a hard stare as she helps Magda tend to the wounded.
"You lot seem less hot-headed than your leader, so let's talk. We truly did not want to hurt you, but I think we can agree that Girrigz here gave us little choice but to defend ourselves. I know trusting outsiders is difficult - believe me, I know." She pauses to lay a hand on a hole in Erasmo's armour, muttering a brief incantation that repairs the tear.
"We really want to help you, but that won't happen if your leader lets his pride stand in the way of wisdom."
Marcus works on disarming and typing up the wererats as his wounds are healed. He notably takes Girrigz's weapon and stores it in his backpack, making it difficult to access. Then he keeps a lookout.
Magda of the one boot comes over to where Yazi is attempting to talk to the little Girrigzees. "The Yelloweyes lady asked us to help you all, to make sure you don't go killing and bringing down even worse on you and yours, especially the little yours. I'm going to go find her and bring her back here to do the boxing of ears or whatever other bits she wants to do to make sure you understand THIS could have been bad. Proper Bad. Stay here... or um... tell me where I can find her cause you lot are amazing at hiding down here. I lived down here for years and saw you maybe a hand and foot full of times. So... want to help get this over with?"
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The wererats stand silently, one rubs his temple as they shift back to human form, "lady, we don't know what you're talking about. Yelloweyes? She works at the dock selling fish. She sent you?" He groans, a little uncomfortable, "she's always lecturing us."
Another elbows the first speaker in the ribs, and the first lets out a yelp. This second one says, "Girrigz couldn't get the very start of his plan off of the ground; and these people could've chopped off our heads, you great pillock." The first grumbles and kicks a rock into the sludge, hanging his head.
The second coughs, "look, the docks? I don't know. She sells fish!" He raises his hands up, "she sent you down here - right? So you should know where she is? I guess that if you don't though..."
Quickly, Magda gets a reminder that Yelloweyes is around the east dock. She scrambles up back to Midland - and all signs of the mob are deserted. The streets are quiet, though a steady, chill wind gusts through the alleys between the buildings.
She finds Yelloweyes hawking fish to the few customers who brave the makeshift storefonts and carts that mark the commerce-oriented parts of the docks. Yelloweyes passes a paper-wrapped fish to a hooded man, who rushes off when Magda approaches.
Yelloweyes is frowning, "business is poor, because many wish to stay home. I assume some element of your task is done, Magda?" She wipes her hands on her apron and looks over Magda appraisingly.
Flowers chomps the boot, "um they trapped me hear to eat people i guess but ive just been eating rats. the big one had a plan but i think he was getting impatient and was gonna run me through soon." He waves his tentacles at the gate, "they lured me here with a tasty perfume bottle and then dropped the gates down. when can I go home?" He slobbers at the boot a bit and then gulps it down.
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Magda sniffs at the fish, her stomach a bit rumbly. "You could hire youngins to hawk the fish at people's homes. Knock on the door, offer the fish at a penny or two more. Which the kid could keep, along with a few fish. Worst case you do it only late in the day when the rest of yours might not make it till morning." the merchant pragmatism in her comes out at the worry of spoiled stock.
Then she focuses away from the food "Um, yea. Girrigzee and his wanted to kill people. Any people. So we had to fight. They all are alive, just beaten up a bit." the half-orc girl scratches her big ear as she talks. "Anyway, I thought we should come get you so you can figure out what to do with them. Don't think taking them to the guard would end up well."
"Eat people? Ick. Got too much of that going on already. I got to get them sorted, then I'll be back to get you home flowers, maybe find at bit to eat on the way. You okay for a few more bits? Or do you need the other boot?"
Erasmo sits and waits for Magda do the talking, since she seems to be in her element. He is still wounded, but since he doesn't expect any additional trouble for the day, he decides against using the precious wand. "Hey Yazi, when we are back to the surface, could you check my wounds? Some are still aching."
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Yelloweyes squints at Magda, ”can’t trust many folk not to run off with the fish, to tell the truth, but I will come.” She washes her hands briefly, and wipes off her apron, then retrieves a pair of heavy boots that look to be impermeable, slipping them on. She folds up some planks to “close” her makeshift shop after locking the icebox up, then follows Magda.
Nimbly she climbs down into the sewer, the heavy boots making thuds on the iron rungs. When she spies all the wererats, she puts her hands on her hips, ”hmm,” she adds, ”what to do with you all…” She spies the corpse and moves to check how it died, noticing the rope marks on its neck, she nods.
She spies the unconscious Girrigz and moves over to him, splashing through the sewage running through the makeshift den, clucking disappointedly, ”may be best for you folk to take him to the Citadel. I think he hasn’t hurt anyone yet, no reason to go to Hellgate. I think he’ll need a fair cooling period - I can’t take him in a fight, and I know Kroft will keep him safe and alive.” She points at the others, ”the rest of you fools. Do you see how misguided he was? Stick your neck out too far - liable someone will punish you for it. Too many other fools in this city.” She gestures at the heroes, ”lucky these folk got here first. Is that obvious, now?”
With varying levels of glumness, they all respond affirmatively. Yelloweyes shakes her head, ”so - to thank them, we are doing this now, to help them with the plague. All of us are borderline immune, and we don’t trust those new folk - so we will - as we look now - clear the streets until the sickness passes. Tirelessly. Come, I know of some alleys where some have died, we can gather them up and get them buried.” They nod and start heading for the exits.
Yelloweyes watches them, and says to the party, ”their lives’ debt to you was transferred to me. On their honor they will follow me, until released. Keep their equipment - it was ill-gotten and ill used. I leave Girrigz in your company, and will keep you appraised of further developments.”
Marcus nods approvingly. "Mhmm, more communities would do well to have a sound woman like you in charge." He then picks up Girrigz and throws the creature over his shoulder, ready to head back to Kroft.
The only question Magda has is... "where did you get those boots?"
When Yelloweyes shows up, Yaziyah stops her ministrations of Erasmo to observe the woman, giving her a nod of respect. Marcus had it right - the wererat was truly a leader of her community, in her own grandmotherly way. A grandmother who would box you around the ears liberally, but who truly had your best interests at heart.
The party gathers up the unconscious Girrigz, now looking like a handsome, if unkempt and scruffy human of about thirty, carrying him up through the manhole and through the streets back to Ccitadel volshyenek. The gate guards stand and watch warily, holding their halbards as the party approaches. They seem to have better attention than on previous visits, as if they've had a little more sleep recently or are in better spirits. With a nod they let the party pass through. Somewhat unceremoniously, they drop off the swashbuckler with the sergeant, who nods at the party in thanks, adding "not sure what he did, but it can't be good." The party briefly explains the situation, as well as the need to have silver weapons at the ready. Nervously, the sergeant nods, but says "fine - but we have to check with the Field Marshal - if she's awake."
She excuses herself and runs over to Kroft's office. The sergeant returns a moment later and nods at the party again, "aye, we'll take care of him, though the Field Marshal would like to speak to you briefly, to make sure that she understands the situation, if you wouldn't mind."
Mags shifted from foot to foot, wiggling her toes in her dirty sock covered feet. She had been hoping to drop and go, so she could go buy a new pair of boots, but she sighs... a long deflated sigh as the weight of a TALK from the Krofty sets into her instead of the pure joy of buying sturdy boots. "fine" the half orc young woman knows the way, so heads to HER.
After a few moments, the party heads into the familiar office. Kroft is there, and she looks a little different from the last time the party saw her. She doesn’t look sick, but she is drawn - as if she hasn’t eaten anything. She nods when everyone’s in the doorway, ”Sergeant Alma gave me some of the gist. This is a wererat fighter of some sort? I will hazard you spoke to Eries, then... A fine woman; I met her in my youth. Thank you for this service. If she voices confidence in Girrigz then this is better than Hellgate for him.” She winces slightly and rubs her temple, ”if you all could do me all a favor - I would appreciate it. There’s a perfumery just southwest of the Academae that I hear has a cure. My guards are stretched very thinly; could you please check out what they are selling? I expect you can suss out whether or not this is a problem that has to be solved.”
"I bet this is a scam, and a dangerous one." Erasmo says, still a bit sorrow from the fighting and not in a particularly good mood. Almost dying does this to him. "One would expect that if anyone would happen to find a cure, it would be those weird doctors or one of the many churches."
"Snake oil for sure... trying to profit on the desperation of the sick." The Erasmo from years ago would feel a bit jealous about this idea, but now he feels uneasy with it.
Marcus also agrees to go see Kroft with a curt nod. She had earned a measure of his respect, official titles be damned.
"Mhmm, I agree with Erasmo. However we should still go. If it is snake oil, then we can still get something productive out of going there." He folds his arms. "We make an example out of them and discourage it from happening again."
Magda looks confused "What's a 'per-Form-ree'?" but once that's explained she agrees readily enough.
Kroft nods solemnly, "thanks - if it is a scam, then there's a reward." She looks everyone over, "stay safe out there, okay?" but her expression is inscrutable.
With that the party departs from the citadel.
Magda's brow furrows at her question being ignored. Serves her right for trusting enough to show ignorance. She huffs in the face of the inscrutable expression.
"A perfumery--it's a place where they make bottles of nice smelling scents. The sort of fancy stuff noblewomen spray on themselves."
"they spray smells on them? From bottles?" Magda laughs, before realizing Vera is not joking, corroborated by the Krofty speaking up (since she didn't hear Vera's whisper). All she can do then is shake her head.
Vera giggles. "You might like it, Mags! You can smell like roses or lilacs!"
As they depart, Vera waves goodbye to Kroft. "Thanks again, Miss Cressida. The streets will be a lot safer without Girrigz causing trouble."
She looks to the others. "Maybe we can spend the day seeing if anyone's heard about rumors of a cure before we visit in person?" Vera will give that a shot, assuming there's no particular objection.