As peace and good sense break down in record speed, Jessibel (somewhat surprising herself) doesn't panic. She overhears much of what Lady Talbot tells Vantine and Alexius and grits her teeth, steeling herself for what she knows she must do.
Vantine might be able to fight off a cold, but not an angry mob! And Alexius.... I can't believe he brought a cane to a...truncheon fight! Could be worse, I guess....
Seeing Aisling bravely standing up to three loyalists inspires Jessibel, and she knows what she must do--stand and fight to give the others some time to escape! She briefly considers drawing her sap and engaging with that (since the loyalist dogs don't seem to intend to use lethal methods), but seeing that Lady Talbot's longsword has been unsheathed, Jessi draws her rapier. That fish is already out of the barrel!
Seeing that a growing sense of panic is already affecting her mental metaphors, Jessi takes a deep breath to try to calm herself. Between the drawing of her weapon and battling through the panicky crowd to stand at Vantine's side, that's about all the inexperienced bard can manage before the CCG is upon the group!
"Go!" she hisses to Vantine. "I'll try to cover your retreat!"
Vantine knows it's time to go, but it's the goons planted within the crowd that really rattle her. She lets out a started yelp, then almost instinctively gestures at the one closest to her while blurting out pää täynnä!
Immediately afterward she turns to go, urging Jessi to "just get out of here!" She assumes Alexius won't be fool enough to do anything different and begins working her way through the crowd out of the park.
”Assassins! Usurpers!” Alexius shouts as the vermin reveal themselves. Attacking clergy last week, and now the citizens in broad daylight? Signing your own death warrant, Thrune. He hops up onto the edge of the fountain to give him a little more height and a better vantage on the chaos. Need to get these people out of here. ”Quickly quickly, little peasants. Make for the river, then disperse along the shoreline. Mind the smaller races! Do not worry for my safety, you pathetic wretches, for I am Alexius Vashnarstill the Mongoose! These thugs cannot threaten me!” He points and gestures with his cane, trying to organize the panicking masses.
Post
Nyxra, confronted with a young, dark-haired man with a scraggly beard, draws her blade and lashes out far faster than he can react. Startled, he tries to feebly raise his mace, only for the elf’s blade to score a deep gash on his arm instead of taking his head.
He yelps, then shouts. ”Take the bastards down hard!”
Aisling invokes Iomedae’s protection and her goddess responds, granting her a shimmering shield of magical force. The militia thugs look at her warily, their grins fading, but make no moves to stand down.
Jessibel draws her blade as quickly as she can, preparing to do lethal battle with the thugs who are preparing to attack the protesters (though now they’re technically rioters).
Vantine casts her spell, calling upon the arcane magics her patron had endowed her with before shoving her way through the crowd - away from the thugs and (perhaps more importantly) the dottari near the front of the Opera House, who are laying into the rioters with disciplined force.
Alexius’ shouts seem to drive some of the protesters to flee, but the din of the riot is too loud - the people nearest to him attempt to get organized, only to come up against the backs of others who are much less organized… to say nothing of the CCG thugs that are targeting the rest of the riot.
Finally gathering their wits, the Chelish Citizens Group goes on the attack. The injured man facing Nyxra swings at her with his truncheon, but (perhaps because of the arm injury she has given him) she easily bats his assault away, barely even trying.
One of the three militia that Aisling is facing steps forwards. "Imperia, with me!" The man shouts, swinging his mace at the priestess - unfortunately for him, the woman he was expecting to coordinate with did not respond, and Iomedae's blessed shield deflects his mace away from Aisling.
The woman in question (Imperia, most likely), is an older one whose nose has been broken and reset more than once. She shakes her head vigorously, as though trying to clear cobwebs from it. She does not move, simply swaying in the chill breeze for several long seconds before blinking rapidly and returning to readiness.
The final of the three lets out a cry. "Foul sorcery! Guard your minds!" He launches himself at Aisling, "For the Dark Prince!" Perhaps Asmodeus truly bestowed his favor on the grimy goon, but more likely he simply got lucky, for he manages to strike her square in the stomach with his mace, hard enough to cause her to wheeze softly. He smirks. "You surrender and prepare to be punished!"
Another member of the CCG shoves and smacks her way through the crowd with her mace, intent on Jessibel, whose rapier caught her eye. "Take this, you arrogant rebel!" Jessibel doesn't even have to defend herself, the swing going so wide as to strike against the cobblestones of the park. She swears loudly and foully, suggesting things that are, one can be reasonably sure, anatomically impossible (at least for humans).
Such scenes of violence are repeating across the square - not everyone is as capable of defending themselves as the makeshift group. Indeed, most are not. The Parabaron that Nyxra had saved from theft goes down when a thug thumps him in the stomach, causing him to collapse in agony. Of course, the thug is swiftly tripped by someone else and promptly stampeded by the panicking crowd.
More cries of pain and terror echo through the courtyard before the Kintargo Opera House, the once-great center of culture seeming almost mournful at the bloodshed happening before it. The dottari push their way deeper into the crowd, abandoning the Opera House for the time being as they focus on dispensing justice... lethally.
Nyxra curses when she sees the parabaron go down. Coupled with the incoming dottari, she understands it's for the best that she get the hell out of there.
She slices at the thug attacking her again...
...and doesn't even look to see if he's down before running to the parabaron's side. "On your feet! Get up!" She barks at him.
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Jessibel sees that her foe isn't particularly skilled at battle either, and she's tempted to try to run the man through. But she knows her limitations in battle...and she knows where she shines. Remembering the lessons from her bardic mentor, Jessibel stands her ground but summons her courage. Moments later, she's singing an inspirational war chant at the top of her lungs for all willing to fight against Thrune's stooges:
"Fight for Kintargo!
Fight for your friends!
Fight for your family!
Our city and people defend!"
”Valantina, my dear, wherever have you gone? To my side, little bird!” Alexius calls, still seemingly unaware of the danger. He had accepted long ago that people, innocent people, were going to die if Kintargo were to be rid of devils and slavers. He accepted that fact, but did not like it. Vantine, however, was at the protest because of Alexius, and he did claim responsibility for her. He recoils in disgust as one of the thugs nears him in its attempt to attack the Imodean. ”Stay away from me, brute, lest you bring down the ire of my uncle upon your head!”
Vantine pauses to look back as she tries to move through the crowd. She realizes that: First, Axelius IS a fool who is doing... something or other... different than fleeing. Second, Jessibel is taking her sweet time as well.
Neither of the seem the type to seek out martyrdom, so she can only conclude they don't truly understand the current situation, or they have panicked so completely their wits have left them. She calls out to them again.
"We can't stay here! We have to get out right now! Fly you fools!"
Vantine then casts her cantrip, aimed at the thug beside Jessibel, in case he's impeding her retreat, and moves back farther, waiting to see if anything she's said or done has an impact.
Aisling has been struck in combat several times before - but only in mock combat, either when her sparring partner got a bit too enthusiastic or she got sloppy. It turns out that taking a hit from a wooden sword is not good experience for someone actualy trying to kill you. There's no way you can prepare for that. She cries out in shock, pain and anger as the Kintargo thug's mace lands a solid hit, and feels something snap inside. Probably a rib. The pain and fury of combat stops her from thinking clearly. Instead of hastily retreating, she grits her teeth and lures her opponent in with a cunning feint, keeping him off-balance before drawing her sword and swinging it two-handed with as much strength as she can.
It's nothing like hitting a straw dummy. The sound her blade makes as it cuts into humanoid flesh is like nothing she's ever heard before. And straw dummies don't bleed. Her eyes go wide with shock as she sees what she has done. Only then does she stagger back, running as fast as she can.
Post
Blood fountains from the militiaman’s chest as Nyxra slashes him, and he collapses in a heap. As soon as she turns to help the parabaron up, her poor victim is almost immediately stepped on, tripped over, and generally brutalized by the milling crowd.
As for Parabaron Vargo, he remains curled on the ground, wheezing desperately for breath. ”T-thank you, my dear… but I’m not sure I can.”
The thug that struck Aisling is cut heavily in turn, a spray of blood splattering over the priestess as she strikes true, staggering him as he grabs at his chest in an attempt to keep the blood inside of him.
”Manius!” Imperia cries out, before her eyes narrow in a terrible scowl. ”You’ll pay for that, b%#~&!”
As Aisling attempts to flee, the crowd parts easily in front of her… but not before all three of Chelish Citizens lash out at her with their maces - even the one that is badly injured manages a feeble swing with his bludgeon, desperately trying to strike the priestess before she escapes. However, with her deliberately defensive posture, she swats the attacks away with swift, efficient movements before retreating away from their brutal attacks.
Jessibel begins to sing out her battle chant, and the group feels the power of inspiration flow through them - their limbs seem lighter, their bodies more responsive, and their abilities generally enhanced.
Alexius, meanwhile, threatens one of the militiamen , who peers at him, noting his nobility, and pales slightly, but lifts his mace nonetheless. "Y-you're here illegally! You can't do anything to me!"
With that, the pale thug swings his mace at Alexius, though he is clearly trying not to kill him now, instead striking to injure and cause pain more than anything, in hopes of disabling the noble. Apparently, he no longer dares to attempt to kill the Vashnarstill. His fear and caution gets the best of him, however, and Alexius doesn't even need to evade the blow, which nearly strikes another protester instead.
The badly wounded thug - the one named Manius - drops his mace and staggers away into the crowd, dripping blood all over the stones of the plaza. He does not make it terribly far, however, busy as he is with keeping himself from dying as well as trying to fight through the crowds.
Imperia steps forwards - apparently less than concerned for Alexius' safety, she lashes out with her mace, infuriated by the injuries her comrades have suffered. This time, the noble does need to evade the blow, but he does so with ease as her rage reduces what little skill she had with her weapon to begin with.
The CCG woman that attacked Jessibel pauses, shivering slightly as Vantine's cantrip takes effect. Apparently, despite the warning just seconds earlier, she has not "guarded her mind," and thus remains still, just swaying slightly instead of launching any attacks.
The carnage continues as the once peaceful protesters are brutally beaten and cut down by the CCG and the dottari both. However, those who have been fighting back against the CCG have finally caught the attention of a pair of dottari, who begin approaching them threateningly.
Jessibel keeps singing her resistance song, but when Vantine's spell gives the bard an opportunity to make a tactical retreat she does so, flashing her friend a nervous smile that is almost certainly a display of false bravado.
"But...we're storming the Opera House! It's a revolution!!"
In the stories, the hero(ine) would be able to hold off the thugs and the dottari for long enough for the people to get away safely. It's the sort of thing Iomedae was renowned for during her mortal life. But as Aisling watches the dottari approach and ready themselves to joing the fight, she knows that this is not one of those stories. This is a crushing defeat, and all she can do now is live to fight another day. In a last-ditch effort to help those who are being beaten and cut down, she lifts up her holy symbol, asking for her Goddess blessing.
It's a feeble, flickering light that washes across the ground, bringing little in the way of help. Iomedae is not with her, this day. She gives a small, feeble whisper as she looks across the ground at the carnage, feelig more powerless than ever. "S-sorry. I'm so sorry." She continues to back away. It means leaving Alexius outnumbered, but there's nothing more she can do here. Against these odds, the only good tactical move is a retreat.
But Goddess, it stings.
Nyxra grimaces and promptly hauls the parabaron to his feet. "Not with that attitude, certainly." She jokes as she starts helping him escape the plaza. "...but yeah, you look like you got pretty badly hurt."
She looks back at the others. "What are you all doing?! Get the hell out of there!"
Nyxra hauls the parabaron to his feet, though he yelps in pain at the action. As she swiftly drags him away, the crowd almost intuitively parts before her, permitting her free access through the park.
Parabaron Vargo coughs, a wet hacking sound that is deeply unpleasant. ”Old wound from falling out of a window. Healers told me to be careful with it.”
Aisling’s healing, meagre though it is, gives renewed chances at life to many of the wounded and unconscious protesters. Perhaps this will allow them to escape the riot.
Blessedly, her healing wave passes over Nyxra’s burden, who shivers slightly, but manages to stand on his own two feet more firmly now. ”Thank you.” he manages in a hoarse voice, though it’s unclear exactly whom he is thanking.
Jessibel continues to sing, inspiring the fighters against Thrune and his puppets. As she does so, she exchanges several blows with the militia goon that had been attacking her, warding the woman off long enough to make good her escape. Though she endeavors to join Vantine and Aisling, the crowd does not part before her as it does for Aisling, so she is forced to push and shove her way through the roiling crowd of rioters. Nevertheless, she manages to get to Aisling’s side.
The dottari look briefly at the group, before one says. ”You take him, I’ll get one of the others!” The speaker draws his bow from his back, before firing a shot at Vantine - the least-armored spellcaster. His shot arcs gracefully through the air, before striking the witch square in the chest with a wet thwack.
Meanwhile, the other dottari smacks and pushes her way through the rioters to approach Alexius. "Flank him, you fools!" She shouts at the two CCG members as she swings her heavy mace with impunity. Luckily, though Alexius does not manage to avoid the hit, his armor takes the impact and lets him get away without injury - for now.
Can’t hit a man standing still. Truly the paragons of Cheliax have shown up today. Against multiple foes, Alexius might try and lead them into an alley or between market carts to face them one at a time, but he has no doubt he could slay these three blackguards where they stood. No form. No technique. No stance. Count yourselves lucky that there are others here I am responsible for. Alexius gives a dismissive wave of his hand as the attacks of the usurpers come nowhere near his stationary form. ”Gentlemen, I must take my leave! I would not sully my blade with your lowborn blood. Remember this as the day you were... adjacent to the Mongoose!” He gives an exaggerated bow, even doffing his top hat, then skirts around the edge of the fountain, searching for the one he had drawn in to all this danger.
”On second thought, I shall give you, coward, a mark to remember me by!” Alexius shouts. He pushes the head of his cane down into his scabbard with one hand, twisting it and unlocking the head. From the ‘cane’, he draws a short, pointed sword, the raven’s beak handle of the cane acting as the impromptu handle. In the same smooth motion, he takes up the empty sheath with his off-hand, using it to deflect the enemies counter-attacks. The sword cane is by no means a weapon of war, but more than one lowlife who thought the disabled noble easy prey had found it was more than adequate in his hands.
The arrow's impact nearly knocks Vantine off her feet. Instead of going down, she spins around as she doubles over in reaction to the pain. It hurts so badly tears stream from Vantine's eyes. She finds it hard to take a breath, and she can taste blood in her mouth, which she's almost certain must be very bad.
Vantine tries to keep her head but she's very scared now, fighting back panic. She places her hand over the wound so the arrow won't move around much. Still bent over, she hurries away as fast as can move. Vantine angles herself toward the foliage ahead of her. Once she's sheltered behind a tree, she stops behind the protective cover.
Opening her mouth, Vantine lets the blood pooled inside it spill out onto the ground. When it's cleared so she can speak, she tends to her wound magically.
Vantine dashes further away, still struggling to fight through the crowd. Under normal circumstances, her horrible wound might have caused others to give way to her, but with the riot in full swing, no one seems to notice the badly bleeding woman. Fortunately, she has a spell prepared that allows her to heal herself once she’s safe(r) behind the treeline.
Despite his very defensive posture, Alexius pierces his target with a precise strike that runs him through the upper chest. The thug shrieks in pain flinching back from the noble’s slender blade.
”Bastard!” He shouts, though the subsequent coughing ruins any actual insult that might rise from his words.
Pulling away, Alexius finds his path startlingly clear, but not before the three remaining foes take the chance he has given them to strike out - but none even come close to striking him, as his defensive posture and skill with his sword-cane and its sheath keep them from even getting close. The dottari, despite her relatively better training, is by far the worst of them, almost smacking her allies with her mace.
Alexius' injured target turns and flees away from the direction that the noble was headed. The female dottari shouts after him. "That coward! This is what we get for trusting amateurs to do a professional's job."
The female CCG members are the only two left of the ones that are focused on the group. One of them moves through the crowd and lashes out at Alexius with her bludgeon. "Fall, damn you!" However, like the others, her bludgeon is effortlessly deflected with a twitch of Alexius' blade.
The other pushes her way through the crowd, her scowl dark. "Incompetent! How are we going to prove ourselves with this performance?" Nevertheless, she, too, is unable to penetrate Alexius' defense. She practically shrieks in frustration. "Why won't you submit to the law?!"
As the riot continues, the screams of the injured threaten to overwhelm the sounds of combat. Blood soaks the stones of Aria Park, and several rioters throw themselves into the pond with a splash, hoping to get away from the ongoing brawl that the protest has descended into.
Nyxra focuses entirely on getting Parabaron Vargo out of the park, hauling him with her through the crowd.
Jessibel ceases her singing and keeps withdrawing to the east.
Aisling watches helplessly as the arrow is fired from the bow and finds its mark in unprotected flesh. She's about to hurry over and offer healing, only to watch as the stranger shows there is more to her than meets they eye by healing the wound herself.
Interesting.
She practically shrieks in frustration. "Why won't you submit to the law?!"
Now is not the time to engage. But Aisling cannot, will not let that comment pass. Raising her bloodied sword, she levels it to point at her foe. "You do not get to talk about the law. Not after today." Unlike the CCG thug, Aisling's voice is quiet. But every word she speaks is laced with contempt.
Seeing that the dark-haired woman is struggling to make headway through the crowd, Aisling steps in front of her, providing an armoured barrier between her and the CCG and the dottari. She doesn't attack, but she makes it almost impossible for them to wound her.
She leans back briefly, almost conversationally towards the mysterious stranger . "This is the bit where you run away." If there's a tone of slight amusement in her voice, it only confirms to any onlookers that her sense of humour doesn't run in the same direction as most people.
As Nyxra pulls Parabaron Vargo away, he coughs dryly, resisting slightly. ”I can walk on my own now, miss.” Despite his words, he does not stop or struggle overmuch, apparently mostly speaking to assuage his pride, if anything. Fortunately, the crowds continue to part before her, perhaps because she impressed them earlier, or perhaps because she’s holding a bloody sword in one hand.
Aisling puts forth her challenge to the thugs of the CCG, readying herself to defend against their attacks.
Jessibel falls silent - perhaps warned by the deadly shot against Vantine just seconds before that the dottari were playing for keeps in a very real way.
Speaking of whom, the female dottari shoves her way onto the edge of the fountain, climbing up and putting her mace aside in favor of her bow. Aiming at Alexius, she fires off an arrow. The shot goes very wide, streaking off into the lake with a soft splunk. She curses loudly. "Don't let up!" She shouts at the CCG.
The other pushes through the crowd, trying to get closer for a better shot at the fleeing group - this time, he aims at the Iomedaean priestess. ”They may not be able to, but we are. Surrender to the rightful authorities!” However, his shot is nowhere near as lucky as it was before - Aisling has no need to evade, because the arrow streaks off and crashes into the tree branches, where it tumbles to the ground.
"This is the bit where you run away."
Vantine's magical healing works well enough to push the arrow out of her body as the wound closes. It isn't painful thanks to the grace of the spell, but it's eerie. Vantine doesn't like it.
She says nothing to to Aisling, but she looks at her with her still tear-stained face. Vantine makes eye contact and her expression says "thank you".
Vantine turns and runs through the crowd as fast as she can.
”Lady Talbot!” Alexius greets the lady as he is reunited with her. ”What brings you to this thrilling riot on this glorious day?” He asks the Imodian as he casually knocks away the clumsy attacks of the devil-worshipers. ”I killed a man not five moments ago. Amazing how a day can develop if you give it a chance!” He glances over his shoulder to the fleeing sorceress. Vantine continues to evade him despite the efforts he made to catch her. I hope she’s not hurt. ”I have a party to get to, however, and there are several young women waiting there for me that will be devastated if I show up in an already exhausted state. I take my leave - though I would not deny you the honor of escorting me to safety.” The pompous lord disengages from “the law”. Instead of moving directly towards the closest exit from the square, he limps an odd path around a wide bench, as if to taunt the attackers. The Talbot woman was the best armed and armored person in the square and Alexius was not too concerned with her ability to defend herself, but he stops near enough to her that he could limp back into stabbing distance if need be. There are many nobles in Kintargo he would gladly leave to die; Lady Talbot was not one of them.
Man, I thought this would be harder, but the CCG and the dottari are rolling pretty poorly. Plus you guys are being sensible and fighting defensively.
Vantine makes her retreat, shoving through the crowd (which doesn’t seem to be moving away from the square in unison - there are even some people who are pushing past her towards the ongoing riot.
Alexius deftly wards away the maces of the women of the CCG, one of whom shouts at him. ”Get back here you coward!” She is practically panting in fury, but cannot get a hit in as he slips away.
As Aisling has made herself a target, and the thug cannot make her way after Alexius, lacking as she does his influence over the crowd, she pushes her way to the priestess, almost tripping in her haste to get there. Once arrived, she strikes all out, barely paying any mind to her defenses as she tries desperately to hit the priestess. Perhaps because of this, she manages to score a hit on Aisling's cheek with her mace - hard enough to leave a bruise and perhaps knock a few teeth loose, but it could have been much worse, as Iomedae's protection and her own quick reflexes allow her to get out of most of the impact.
"Got you, you b*&$!!" She crows triumphantly, before blinking and realizing that Aisling not only has her skull intact, but she's still standing. Her triumphant grin melts away. "Why don't you fall?!"
The second woman strikes at Aisling in turn, attempting to replicate her companion's success - if not exceed it. Unfortunately, now Aisling is prepared, and she deflects the blows with ease that belies her injuries.
As the group begins to move away from the center of the riot, it becomes clear that they were not, and indeed, are not, in fact, the only group that was actively fighting the dottari - for the sounds of battle continue. This is no massacre, but an actual clash of rioters against authorities.
”Lady Talbot!” Alexius greets the lady as he is reunited with her. ”What brings you to this thrilling riot on this glorious day?” He asks the Imodian as he casually knocks away the clumsy attacks of the devil-worshipers. ”I killed a man not five moments ago. Amazing how a day can develop if you give it a chance!” He glances over his shoulder to the fleeing sorceress. Vantine continues to evade him despite the efforts he made to catch her. I hope she’s not hurt. ”I have a party to get to, however, and there are several young women waiting there for me that will be devastated if I show up in an already exhausted state. I take my leave - though I would not deny you the honor of escorting me to safety.”
"I - you -" Aisling opens her mouth and shuts it several times as she tries to find a suitable reply to Alexius. She jsut stares at him, as blood runs down her cheek and her right eye starts to swell shut. She eventually settles for saying "I think you and I have very different ideas about what makes a day 'glorious' - My Lord."
Her triumphant grin melts away. "Why don't you fall?!"
"Moral fibre." Combat is a serious business, and Aisling doesn't really go in for witty repartee. Also, the broken rib she's suffered makes breathing and talking harder than usual. She confines herself to a 2-word reply. With her work here done, her companions got to safety, she disengages from the fight and hurries in the same direction as Jessibel and the mysterious spellcasting stranger.
Nyxra lets Parabaron Vargo go before looking back at the others in the plaza.
Jessibel risks a glance back over her shoulder. Seeing that the Chelish Citizens Group loyalists aren't in close pursuit--and also noticing Aisling's bloodied condition--the once-bratty noblewoman decides it's time she paid the barrister back personally for her assistance during that regrettable 'paint-pentagrams-on-the-Abadaran-temple' indiscretion of a couple years back.
"They say that music soothes the soul.
It also makes the body whole!"
Nyxra casts her gaze back on the riot, but things are still growing more chaotic - there may be others she could help, but they are too difficult to pick out - or perhaps it would be better to say everyone needs saving, but she does not see anyone immediately in need of aid she can give.
Of course, blood and other equally unpleasant fluids splatter the cobbles, while shrieks and battlecries still rage across the once-peaceful park. However, Nyxra is reasonably sure that Thrune hasn’t finished escalating his response yet - he has too many more tools to use.
Aisling, meanwhile, deflects the two CCG women’s strikes, before feinting at them to cause them to go on the defensive… only to make good her own escape. ”Dammit, get back here!” One shouts. Of course, the crowd doesn’t give them the right of way that it gives Aisling, so they are mostly forced to shove and try to follow - something they cannot immediately do.
Fortunately for Aisling’s injuries, Jessibel offers her healing, repairing much of the damage to her ribs and completely healing her face.
The dottari, frustrated in their pursuit of the group, take alternate actions. The man, remaining still, aims and fires his bow at Alexius - an arrow that once more arcs over the crowd towards his target... only to hit another person nearby to the noble. In the moment, Alexius cannot tell whether the person is a CCG member or a protester, but either way, he has escaped harm thanks to the crowd.
After a moment, his partner shoves her way through the crowd to get a slightly closer shot at the noble, but her aim is far worse, and the arrow sails over Alexius' head to splash into the waters of the pond.
And who but the law would loose arrows into a crowd? Alexius thinks bitterly as an arrow meant for him is absorbed by someone else, hopefully a CCG goon. Limping towards the edge of the square, he can see the metaphorical light at the end of the tunnel as innocent people leave the confines of the area and scatter in a hundred directions.
Vantine keeps moving out of the area a quickly as she can.
Vantine slips through the crowd as best she can, making her way out of the main riot.
Alexius makes his way through the crowd with ease, joining up with the others.
Meanwhile, the CCG women attempt to purse the group through the crowd, but are foiled by the sheer density of the rioters.
The group manages to escape the riot more or less intact, though the sounds of battle follow them as they make their way out of Aria Park. Once they emerge into the streets of Jarvis End , the relative silence is deafening.
Parabaron Vargo looks at the group, before nodding his head politely. "Thank you for your aid - all of you. I am Parabaron Iustus Vargo. May I ask your names?" He turns his eyes towards Nyxra. "Especially you, miss. Were it not for you, I would likely be locked away in Castle Kintargo, if not dead. My family, you see, has never been... supportive of House Thrune."
He turns his eyes towards Alexius. "Lord Vashnarstill, it was a pleasant surprise to see you at the protest, and your words were quite impassioned. I hope that you continue this work, good sir."
Now that she's clear of the rioting, the adrenaline racing through Nyxra's body wears off and she leans against a nearby wall to catch her breath. Her heart is pounding in her ears and her hands shake with all the violence of a leaf caught in a storm.
"...my name's Nyxra. Nyxra Ilphukiir." She replies before waving a hand before her face. "You don't need to try to pronounce my last name--just 'Nyxra' will do."
Jessibel moves to the outer edge of the group, away from the parabaron. She doesn't give her name, not sure how her family will react if it gets back to them that she attended the protest...or that she dared to draw her weapon.
That thought prompts her to sheathe the rapier that made her a target in the first place.
She moves to Vantine and examines her friend's arrow wound. "You're full of surprises: I never knew you possessed healing magic."
As they escape the riot and the noise fades into the distance, Aisling has a moment to catch her breath and try to process what just happened. She looks at the blood on the blade of her longsword, and starts to think about what she's just done.
Obstruction of dottari in the course of their duties. Assault with a deadly weapon, and grievous bodily harm with same. Behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace. Resisting arrest wait, no, scratch that one. Although the CCG clearly have the Lord Mayor's approval, they don't (at least right now) have powers of arrest, and the dottari didn't officialy place them under arrest.
She starts to laugh, the sort of laughter that involves tears and can look a lot like crying. She tries to explain to the others what's so funny, but her sense of humour probably doesn't translate well. "Sorry, I'm sorry. It's just that they didn't, oh I'm sorry, they didn't arrest us, you see?" She gulps for air as she starts to go into slight shock. "You can't resist arrest if you aren't being arrested..." She wipes helplessly at her eyes as another thought strikes her.
My parents are going to explode when they find out about this. They're actually going to actually burst into actual flames.
This only makes her laugh/cry harder. Shock comes in many forms.
"Very well, miss Nyxra. It is my pleasure to meet you." Parabaron Vargo straightens his rather ruffled clothing, frowning slightly at his ribs, which he rubs gently. Taking a deep breath, he looks to the group once more.
Specifically, he looks at Jessibel curiously, but doesn't attempt to force her to answer his question, though his eyes do narrow slightly.
As Aisling bursts into tears of laughter, he looks mildly alarmed, especially as she still has her (bloody) longsword in her hand. Indeed, she herself is still bloody (and bleeding) from the injuries she received during the riot. "A-are you well, Sword Knight?" The noble subtly steps back from her, but the concern in his voice is genuine.
Aisling pulls herself together (at least for now), with an effort of will. She wipes her eyes and takes a deep breath, and gives the Parabaron a formal nod. "Thank you for your concern, Parabaron. I'm - fine, I think. Thank you. Oh, and to answer your other question, my name is Aisling Talbot." She seems to realise she is still waving her sword around, and does her best to wipe the gore off the blade before she sheathes it. "My first time in a real fight, and I, well I guess I wasn't really expecting it. But I'm alright. Is everyone else ok?"
She looks around, but nobody seems to obviously need healing.
As the shock wears off, her brain starts to work again. "I think it would be a good idea to get off the streets. Some of us are not looking our best right now, let's not attract unwanted attention." The thought of going home almost makes her panic, but she controls herself. I am a Sword-Knight. Wielding a sword comes with the territory. It's time to grow up.
Jessibel notices the parabaron looking at her closely, likely trying to place where he might've seen her before. If he recalls her from previous bit parts at the Kintargo Opera House or other reputable venue that's one thing; if he's spent time leering at her during her more recent 'work' at the Three-Legged Devil, that's quite another. She puts up the hood of her cloak and looks out into the streets as if scanning for danger, all the while doing her best to avoid facing Vargo. Part of her wants to comfort Aisling (the visual of the blubbering barrister breaking down is so unlike the stern, no-nonsense woman she remembers from court)...but that means getting closer to Parabaron Vargo. No thanks!
When Aisling suggests getting off the streets, Jessibel gives a forceful nod of her hooded head. Were Vargo not with the group, she'd offer to take the group to her apartment, which is only a block or two north.
"Of course!" Alexius all but shouts in response to the barons compliments. "We Vashnarstill's are natural leaders. The best in the city - nay! The world!" The lord inspects his sword, surreptitiously using the cloak of a random passerby to clean the weapon, then sheathing it into the base of the cane, twisting the locking mechanism back into place. Anger flowed through him, but not because of the combat. Heated passions did not help one inside the dueling arena. He could face ten men the caliber of Thrune's lackeys and not so much as break a sweat. He knew Thrune's rule would come to this sooner or later. Open hostilities against the people were well established in the families' portfolio. Part of him had always hoped the government of the city could turn over a new leaf without violence, but he knew that was always a false dream. Those in power would do anything they could to hold on to it. He had to get away from these new friends. The violence from Thrune would go on for the rest of the day at least, and Alexius was not the man to deal with it.
The duelist leans against the stone face of the building, letting out a pained sigh and rubbing the cursed injury on his left leg. "I think I twisted something back there. Not in the melee, of course. Stepped on a fish in the fountain, maybe. Regardless, I have things to attend to that do not involve ducking a dictators cronies." His eyes finally fall on Vantine and the red stain spread across her chest. So she was injured. I'm sorry. He disguises the guilt that creeps across his face with a pain-filled wince before standing, cane in hand. "Valantine, my dear! Whenever did you find the time to dye your outfit?" His eyes linger on her healed wound -or maybe her breasts- for a long time. "Come to my cabin on the Vashnarstill estate whenever you finish... whatever it is you do after you survive an assassination attempt! I'll have the maids draw you a bath and take your clothing to be cleaned and mended. As for the rest of you... well, some of you rather do stand out." He glances at the elf. "The CVT or whatever they call themselves will be looking for you. You did make fools of them. Well, I made fools of them. You all will be guilty by proximity. Do not fret! I will send assistance to you in the form of... assistance!"
Vantine is panting a little when they finally come to a stop, partially from running, partially from fear. She leans against a wall and starts catching her breath.
She plays coy with Jessibel's remark, only saying "I know a couple of tricks, yes. But I'm no secret priestess if that's what you're thinking."
Her wound is completely healed. The only hint it had happened is a round red splotch that could be mistaken as an insect bite. Her dress is unfortunately unchanged, with a hole where the arrow penetrated and some blood staining.
At Alexius's first comment, Vantine gives him a baleful stare. But as he prattles on, she thinks perhaps it was some kind of joke he was attempting. She is beginning to think he's either a fool or a little insane. But she also tells him "Sure, I'll keep it in mind." when he invites her to his place. It could be useful some day, so she files it away in her memory.
"I think we should move on to some place where we can blend in a little better, just in case the dottari come patrolling for targets outside the park."
The Parabaron nods slightly at Aisling, relaxing, though there remains a certain wariness around his eyes. ”Ah, of course.” He says, his voice gentle. ”Well, in any case, thank you, Sword Knight Talbot.”
The random passerby that Alexius wipes his sword on flinches away from the noble, before turning on him in a fury. ”You-!” The passerby in question turns out to be a middle-aged human man dressed in plain clothing. He takes note of the nobles in the area, then scurries off with nary an apology.
Vargo looks at Alexius quizzically, before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. Once the younger nobleman leaves, he shakes his head. ”Now I remember where I heard of him. The Mongoose, I think they call him. Something of a…” He shakes his head again. ”It’s a shame he wasn’t there for more idealistic reasons.”
He coughs abruptly. ”That, er, that said, I will have to agree with him. I am distinctive, myself, as are you all. I should return to my manor to engage in some level of… well, fire dampening, so to speak, in case any of the dottari or those awful CCG thugs recognized me.”
"If any of you have need of anything I can do for you in the future, send word over to Vargo manor. I'll help you to the best of my ability." The Parabaron bows slightly, before beginning to limp away, having given up on getting Vantine and Jessibel's names. Though he does cast one last look of bemusement at Jessibel.
As he rushes away, Alexius hears a few words from the Parabaron before he gets just out of earshot. Perhaps it is time for the Raven to take to the skies. (Metaphorically, of course. He can’t fly. Maybe he should look into getting something that would let him do that. Thoughts for later.)
Nyxra shoots an annoyed glance at Alexius before he leaves, but is too focused on catching her breath to say anything more.
Jessibel tries to keep her face pointing away from Vargo as much as possible, noticing that he still seems to have an interest in her. Once he's gone, the bard sings a little ditty and magically mends the hole in Vantine's dress. Then she sings a new tune and magically cleans the bloodstains as well.
As the young bard does this, you notice something different about the suit of studded leather armor she wears: Though it was solid black throughout the protest, now it features swaths of bright red leather. The risque accessorizing cups her breasts, follows the curves of her buttocks, and accentuates her shoulders. There are also what appear to be stylized red claw marks on each side of her ribcage.
Noticing the others staring at her, the flustered teen waves her hands inside her cloak and the red parts return to black.
"I'm not a secret Asmodean, diabolist, or member of the dottari--if that's what you're thinking!" she says with some heat. Blushing deeply, she makes a confession that's so dumb it must be true: "I just adore a black-and-red color combination--so wickedly stylish, don't you agree?"
Caught up in her own looks (nothing unusual there), Jessibel doesn't keep a close watch on what's going on around her.
”You look more like someone trying to draw attention to herself than anything else. Pretty sure the faithful of Asmodeus are more into the whole ‘spiky and dangerous’ aesthetic.”
"Well, my grandmother always said, 'If you've got it, flaunt it!' And I've got that elusive'it'...in spades!"
Jessibel approaches the much taller elf, sizing her up.
Yep--she can definitely kick my butt!
The bard suddenly extends a hand in the elf's direction. "You handled yourself well back in the park. I'm Jessibel. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Name's Nyxra." The elf replies, shaking Jessibel's hand. "And if you think I'm good with a sword, you ought to see me with a bow in my hands."